By: Kyle Carruthers

Photos by Zanette

This week here at MXP, we have been getting ready for the kick off of the 2009 CMRC Monster Energy MX Nationals in Kamloops B.C. After catching up with defending champs Eric Nye and Jacqueline Ross, we gave the ‘08 MX1 Champ, Colton Facciotti, a call to see what he’s been up to preparing for the gate to drop this coming weekend. After Colton dominated the series last year, he is looking to do it again. With more confidence than ever, and with JSR and the almighty Blackfoot team in his corner, it is hard to bet against the young B.C. rider. Read on to get Colt’s take on his off-season, his team and how he hopes the series turns out for him.

Kyle: Hey Colton, what have you been up to lately?

Colton: Just been doing some pretty hard training up until last week. I’m just taking this week a little bit easier, practicing some starts and kind of getting mentally focused for the race. I’m just getting pretty excited and focused on the season.

Kyle: It’s only three days ‘til Kamloops. You said you were doing some pretty hard training. I take it that you feel like you’re 100% confident and ready to go?

Colton: Yeah, I’m feeling really good on the bike and the team has the bike working really well. I’m excited to ride and see how it goes.

Kyle: Do you feel like there is any extra pressure going into this season compared to last year now that you’ve got the number one plate?

Colton: Definitely a little bit. I think that number one adds a few pounds to the bike. It’s nothing I can’t handle, I don’t think anyways.

Kyle: Yeah, I definitely think it would. Would Kamloops be considered pretty much like your home race for you?

Colton: Somewhat. I’ve ridden there about three or four times every year growing up. Not a whole lot but I’m kind of used to the track and hopefully that plays to my advantage a little bit.

Kyle: Do you have any thoughts on the track since it has been added to the schedule or have you not really seen it lately to tell?

Colton: I haven’t been there for the last few years, but in past years I’ve either liked it or hated it. It’s kind of one of those tracks where it has to be watered and all that sort of stuff. It gets rough, which is good, but I don’t know - it might be totally different this year. They might have changed it up or whatever, I’m not really too sure.

Kyle: Now kind of getting back to your past off-season, during the winter you were down training in Georgia with your teammate Kyle Beaton and JSR. How’d that go for you? Did you switch up your program at all or just stick to the same stuff as last year?

Colton: Pretty much the same as last year. I kind of refined some stuff a little and added a few things. For the most part it was the same and it was good. The weather was good; it would have been nice if we had a little more rain down there because it was dry most of the time. They had a good watering system though, so we had the track watered, it got rough and it was good. I did lots of road biking and hung out. It was good, pretty much the same as last year and I just had fun.

Kyle: Were there lots of American Pros there to test your speed to see where you were at, or did you guys ride by yourselves for most of it?

Colton: It was kind of weird this year, there wasn’t really too many people riding there. There was a few fast guys there for sure, but I don’t know, practice is so much different for me. I have a hard time really going hard in practice.

Kyle: That’s kind of funny that you say that. Most riders have the opposite problem and usually can’t bring their practice speed to the races, but you’re different?

Colton: Yeah, I think I have a hard time pushing myself in practice and then when it comes to the race, it seems like I’m a totally different person out there. It seems like a light kind of turns on and I pin it I guess (laughs). I really don’t know.

Kyle: Tell us about the Blackfoot team. They’ve helped you get to the top of the box and have helped to turn your career around as well as many others. What are your thoughts on the team and how do you like riding for them?

Colton: Yeah, they’ve been great to me and I can’t thank them enough for all that they’ve done. You know, people say that they’re just so much better than everybody and stuff like that, but it’s just that they try hard and put 100% effort into it. There is never any one slacking on the team in any way and they are always trying to get the bikes better and always trying to get the suspension better and everything. When you’re on a team like that it gives you a lot more confidence to do better, and you have a better mental feel over everything.

Kyle: If you had to pick who would be your main competition this season, who would it be?

Colton: I think there’s going to be a few guys. The Medaglia brothers are going fast, Carpenter, Dusty. The 450 class is pretty stacked this year so it’s kind of hard to say. I hope it’s just a cake walk for me and I can just run away with it. I don’t think that will happen, but we’ll see anyways. I’ll try.

Kyle: Its fair to say you dominated last year. Take out the round at Gopher Dunes when you didn’t race and the moto at the Wastelands, you won everything by a fair margin.

Colton: I wish they had that Mac’s shootout money in it last year. I would have dominated.

Kyle: Yeah, you definitely would be walking home with some bigger pockets. If this season goes well for you in Canada, would you ever see yourself looking for a ride in the states next year or would you rather win some more Canadian titles?

Colton: I love racing in Canada. The whole package you know, the fans are great, there’s not a whole lot of pressure and it’s fun. But I would also love to go down to the states too and maybe get a ride down there and get a little more money out of it. No matter what, I’m happy doing what I’m doing as long as I’m racing.

Kyle: If you had to pick your favourite track out of the series, which one would it be?

Colton: There’s a few that I like. I like Calgary, Edmonton, Walton and Moncton. I don’t know, all the tracks seem good when you’re winning on them I guess.

Kyle: Yeah I can understand that.

Colton: Yeah I remember a few years I used to hate every track, but as soon as I would do well on that one track I would love that track.

Kyle: Well Colton, thanks for all your time. Is there anyone you want to thank?

Colton: Yeah all my sponsors, my friends and family and everyone who’s been helping me out the last few years.