As the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals continue the western leg of the tour at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton this weekend the title hunt in MX1 promises to be a rock ’em sock ’em affair with Team Toyota Blackfoot Red Bull Fox Racing’s Colton Facciotti as ringmaster.
It doesn’t take a pundit to recognize the fact that Facciotti is the new star of the Canadian motocross scene in the premier MX1 class. The Aldergrove, BC native ripped the competition to shreds last year in the nationals on his way to his first major championship – which he claimed by an impressive margin of 62 points over runner-up Dusty Klatt – despite missing one round due to injuries. Of the eight rounds he did campaign he won seven with amazing clean sweeps; the other on the strength of 4-1 motos.
For all intents and purposes, it looks like the Facciotti freight train is continuing where it left off in 2008. With two convincing clean sweeps in Kamloops and Calgary, he left the competition in his wake and served notice that he’s the man to beat if any of them are dreaming of dethroning him.
Although two rounds a championship does not make, if Facciotti stays healthy and on top of his game, he is poised to make the MX1 title chase another one-man affair. Not only that, it looks like Canadian motocross may very well have a worthy successor to the legendary Jean Sebastien Roy who, not surprisingly, is Facciotti’s mentor and Blackfoot Racing’s rider manager.
“Colt is on good equipment and on a good team, like I was in the past, so that helps a lot. He gets very good starts and that makes things easier too. He is also the type of guy who works hard in the off-season, he’s a total professional,” said Roy. “Colt’s very fit, has a high confidence level and is really focused on winning. Of course, like in all motor racing, you need a bit of luck on your side but he’s definitely going in the right direction for the championship and will be hard to beat.”
The first two rounds of the MX1 title hunt unfolded more or less as expected, with Facciotti’s teammate Dusty Klatt, ’06 champ, and Monster Cernics Kawasaki’s Paul Carpenter, ’07 champ, in supporting roles. No surprises there!
What did come as a surprise, however, was the lukewarm start to the season by Rockstar Suzuki OTSFF’s Tyler Medaglia. The Kemptville, ON native, who led the series for a number of rounds last year, and the only rider besides Facciotti to win an event, has not really shown what he is capable of so far.
Medaglia will have to dramatically pick up the pace this weekend if he hopes to turn the tables on Facciotti, Klatt, and Carpenter, who are currently ranked 1-2-3 in the points. Medaglia, who finished third in the points chase last season, finds himself trailing Facciotti in ninth place, with a not so negligible 51 points deficit. Nothing short of consistent podiums from Round 3 onwards will be required if he is going to clear the task. In fact, Medaglia, like Klatt and Carpenter, needs to start winning motos if he’s not going to be left behind to battle for the remaining positions
Dean Wilson – The new MX2 annihilator
It’s a good thing for the contenders that Canidae Motorsport Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson is planning on riding only the first three MX2 Nationals. The Alberta native has decided to make a motocross career in the United States – where he has achieved some impressive results in the amateur ranks – and returned home only to get ready for Ponca City and Loretta Lynn’s. Although Wilson hasn’t entirely ruled out coming back for one or two more rounds, he said it was unlikely.
For anybody who’s been off the planet the past two weeks, let it be known that Wilson, like his counterpart in MX1, Facciotti, annihilated the competition at the first two rounds of the MX2 title hunt. The 17-year-old tolerated no challengers, took no prisoners and basically checked out making it all look embarrassingly easy. He left the established MX2 heavyweights like defending champion Eric Nye, Teddy Maier, and Aron Harvey fending for themselves.
“I might do Walton again at the end of the season, you never know. Everything depends on how my ride situation turns out down south. But I need to mix it up with those boys down there if I’m going to come up to the top level required to be competitive in the States,” said Wilson, when asked if he’s coming back this season.
Once Wilson takes himself out of the equation and returns to the U.S., the battle for MX2 supremacy will no doubt go down between Toyota Blackfoot’s Harvey; Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Maier and his teammate Nick Evennou; and Royal Distributing KTM’s Nye and his teammate Kyle McGlynn.
Harvey’s teammate Kyle Beaton, meanwhile, who finished runner-up in the 2008 Championship, should get into the mix if he manages to stay on two wheels and healthy. The BC native hurt his hand at Round 1, missing the second moto, and is faced with a catch-up season as is Harvey, who DNFd both motos. But in an explosive class like MX2, where younger riders are looking to make a name for themselves, surprises are par for the course. As the old saying goes…“it ain’t over till it’s over.”
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