Roller coaster motocross season

The Monster Energy Motocross Nationals have proven to be a real roller coaster season so far in both the MX1 and MX2 points chase. And it looks like it may very well continue that way till the ride grinds to a halt at the final round in Walton, Ontario.

Injuries and mechanical DNFs have continuously shaken up the top-10, especially in the MX1 class, which has seen no less than three points leaders between Rounds 1 thru 6.

This, of course, makes for an exciting and interesting season for motocross fans. For the riders and teams dealing with injury and mechanical issues, however, it is nothing but heartbreak hotel.

But the ever present specter of getting hurt and mechanical breakdowns is what makes motocross one the most thrilling of all motorsports. It’s not for nothing that motocross is called the granddaddy of extreme sports. No sport separates the men from the boys the way motocross does, and those who succeed at it are the toughest of the tough. Wimps need not apply.

With Yamaha/Red Bull/Blackfoot/Fox Racing’s Colton Facciotti suffering two major crashes this season – both of which left him without points – the MX1 title hunt hasn’t been this unpredictable in many years.

Facciotti is without question the man to beat and the odds on favourite to take the championship. Four clean sweeps at the events he rode so far have “champion” written all over them.

But right now, after his get-off at Ste-Julie last Sunday, which re-injured the shoulder he damaged at Round 3, it’s a big question mark whether or not the two-time defending champ will be behind the starting gate this weekend at Riverglade MX Park in Moncton. 

According to Blackfoot Racing team manager Dean Thompson, Facciotti is feeling okay and he wants to race; but the final decision rests with Facciotti’s physician. It’s a wait and see, thus.

If Facciotti is able to race, he should be able to contain the damage of the points he lost at Ste-Julie and possibly pull of a three-peat at Round 9 in Walton. He currently sits in third place with 200 points; four less than second place Bobby Kiniry and 26 six less than current leader Dusty Klatt.

In both instances when Facciotti was on the sidelines, his teammate Klatt left no doubt behind that he is hungry to claim his second MX1 title. He won both motos in Calgary and did the same at Ste-Julie.

Like most of the contenders, including Rockstar Energy/OTSFF Racing/Two Wheel Suzuki’s Kiniry, Klatt racked up some zero-points motos due to mechanical problems. In any case, the remaining three rounds of the MX1 title hunt should prove to be nail-biter.

Giving the championship some extra allure is none other than veteran Josh Demuth. Despite remaining scoreless in the second moto at Round 5 after tangling with a lapped rider, the Monster Energy/Cernic’s/Kawasaki ace finds himself fourth in the current rankings with 178 points. An impressive accomplishment for the multi-time American Arenacross Champion who should be able to claim a top-five ranking by season’s end if all goes well.

Hot on Demuth’s tail is Machine Racing’s Kyle “The Dozer” Keast who’s in fifth place, one point behind Demuth. For a guy who holds down a steady job during the week, which leaves him with next to no time to keep the momentum going between races, Keast has to be considered a motocross phenomenon.

All Keast needs is the right team to give him full support and a salary so he can put his job as ironworker on hold during the racing season to have a shot at the title. That being said, without Machine Racing’s John Nelson’s support, Keast would not be where he is in the points chase right now. And if he hadn’t DNFd the first Gopher Dunes moto while running in second place, less than half a lap from the finish line, he could be sitting in third place.

As in MX1, the volatile MX2 series has seen its share of crashes and DNFs among the top players. Current points leader Yamaha/Red Bull/Blackfoot/Fox Racing’s Tyler Medaglia dropped out of the second Ste-Julie moto after he was unable to restart his stalled bike. Fortunately for him, he had a huge enough points lead to absorb the DNF.

Second in the points, Monster Energy/Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Teddy Maier, has also encountered his share of problems. A DNF at the first round left him with no points in one moto, and poor results at Round 5 sent him packing with a total of 23 points. Regardless, the defending champ currently has 231 points on the board, 14 less than Medaglia. Like MX1, this title chase should go right down to the wire.

Rounding out the top-five in the current rankings are Orange Motorsports KTM’s Jeremy Medaglia and Duroy Racing KTM’s Kaven Benoit. It has been a breakthrough season for both young riders, especially Benoit, who claimed his first national overall last Sunday on the strength of 2-1 motos. Medaglia, no doubt, will pull out all the stops to snag his first top-of-the-box spot before the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Monster Energy/Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Shawn Rife has been totally impressive in his first full season of racing in Canada. The American has won four motos and one overall. He was looking good for a shot at the title until he crashed out in the second moto at Round 5, sustaining an ankle/foot injury as a result.

Rife did not make it to Round 6 and is not expected to return until Round 8 at Sand Del Lee. It has been rumoured that Leading Edge will be bringing in an American, Daniel Blair, to replace Rife this weekend. An unknown in Canada, Blair has a reputation for being fast. We’ll find out on Sunday if he shows up in Moncton.

MX1 Points Standings After Six Rounds
1 Dusty Klatt 226
2 Bobby Kiniry 204
3 Colton Facciotti 200
4 Josh Demuth 178
5 Kyle Keast 177
6 Mason Phillips 177
7 Kornel Nemeth 170
8 Freddy Karrle 161
9 Troy Adams 145
10 Kevin Urquhart 133

MX2 Points Standings After Six Rounds
1 Tyler Medaglia 245
2 Teddy Maier 231
3 Jeremy Medaglia 208
4 Kaven Benoit 196
5 Eric Nye 187
6 Jared Allison 175
7 Shawn Rife 172
8 Parker Allison 131
9 Spencer Knowles 130
10 Kerim Fitz-Gerald 120