Metcalfe has a clean sweep in Kamloops

MX1 podium in Kamloops – 1st Brett Metcalfe 2nd Tyler Medaglia 3rd Teddy Maier

Monster Energy/Parts Canada/Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Brett Metcalfe recorded his first win in Canada at Round 2 of the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals in Kamloops, BC on Sunday.
With Red Bull/Fox/Royal Distributing/KTM’s Colton Facciotti exiting Whispering Pines Raceway early, after breaking a leg and a hand in the first moto, the Australian Metcalfe encountered no resistance and basically cakewalked his way to a clean sweep. First Canadian on the overall podium and salvaging the day for Factory KTM was Tyler Medaglia. The Ottawa native nailed second overall on the strength of 2-2 motos.
Metcalfe had already served notice that he was ready to give last week’s double-moto winner Facciotti a run for his money by logging the fastest qualifying time, followed by Facciotti, Teddy Maier, Tyler Medaglia and his brother Jeremy.

Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Austin Politelli dominated the MX2 class with a two moto sweep.

Metcalfe’s Leading Edge teammate, Austin Politelli (pictured above), nailed down his second consecutive win of the season in MX2. This time the Californian did it with a convincing clean sweep. As at Round 1 the first Canadian proved once again to be Red Bull/Fox/Royal Distributing/KTM’s Kaven Benoit. The Quebecer scored 2-2 motos to claim second overall.Two-time MX2 Champion T Medaglia nailed the first MX1 moto one holeshot ahead of Metcalfe, Facciotti, Cycle North Honda’s Ross Johnson, Sewer Rat Racing Yamaha’s Morgan Burger, Metcalfe’s and MX1 teammate Maier.

Medaglia’s lead was short-lived, however, with Metcalfe and Facciotti taking up first and second respectively within a few laps. The two frontrunners lay down such a blistering pace they pulled a seven seconds gap on Medaglia in just a few laps. But soon the hand of fate singled out a hapless Facciotti. The Aldergrove, BC native crashed hard in a whoops section, effectively ending his season. It was déjà vu all over again for the three-time MX1 Champion whose 2012 season was cut short due to injuries as well.

From that point on, Metcalfe, also on the comeback trail after injuries sabotaged his AMA career south of the border last year, had the race in the bag. He accumulated more than 10 seconds over Medaglia and put on a clinic, not unlike Facciotti’s performance at Round 1.
By midpoint positions had spread out, Metcalfe had long disappeared from the top-five, and Maier was zeroing in on Burger for third place. Iowa’s Maier would displace Burger for position by the end of the moto, with Burger taking the checkered in fourth ahead of Redemption Racing KTM’s Gavin Gracyk.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Medaglia, who scored third overall at Round 1, found himself on the sidelines with a busted front wheel. His hopes for a second consecutive podium ending right then and there. In the second moto J Dags got off to a lukewarm start which he managed to parlay into a seventh place finish. He recorded 13th overall on the day.

The second MX1 moto holeshot was a rerun of the first, with Tyler Medaglia taking the freight train into turn one followed by Metcalfe, Ohio native Gracyk, and Burger.

It didn’t take long for Metcalfe to put the pressure on Medaglia and another first moto rerun unfolded. Although Medaglia moved heaven and earth to keep Metcalfe behind him, the veteran stuck a pass on him and Metcalfe was well on his way to making Canadian motocross history.

With Colton Facciotti on the sidelines, Australian Brett Metcalfe rode to the win with ease.

Approximately 10 minutes into the moto Metcalfe (pictured right) had distanced himself from Medaglia and put his Kawasaki on cruise control to the finish line. Medaglia rode his own race for a well-earned second place.

Behind Metcalfe and Medaglia the usual dogfights were taking place for the remaining top-five positions. Rockstar Energy/OTSFF/Yamaha/Motovan.com’s Bobby Kiniry, who had a dismal first moto, which he finished in 11th place, charged hard to make his way from a lackluster start into third. The New Yorker would finish there and take home sixth overall on the day.

Maier, Burger, and Gracyk again had their own battles going for the second half of the moto, with Maier greeting the finish line in fourth, Burger in fifth and Gracyk in sixth.

Cycle North Honda’s Brad Nauditt snared the first MX2 holeshot, leading the freight train for the first two laps until Austin Politelli took over. Once at the head of the pack, Politelli never looked back. The Californian ate up the real estate between himself and the chase group like a man who hadn’t seen breakfast or lunch. He basically checked out and by the end of the moto held more than a 10 second lead.

Benoit, who got off to a tepid start that saw him negotiate turn one around 10th place, was on the move. Within a few laps he was running in fifth, after picking off the likes of RTR Performance Honda’s Topher Ingalls, BlackfootDirect Yamaha Jared Allison, and Devil Lake MX Kawasaki-mounted Joshua Clarke.

By halfway mark, Nauditt had a hard charging Benoit breathing down his neck. The American soon caved to the Quebecer’s relentless pressure and the top three finishing positions were determined. With only a few corners to go, Ingalls was all over Nauditt, finishing less than a wheel behind him in fourth
Behind them the battle for the remaining top-five positions went down between Rockstar Energy/OTSFF/Yamaha/Motovan.com’s Richard Grey, who had followed Nauditt and Politelli into turn one in third position. Grey would eventually finish fifth behind Topher Ingalls.

RTR Performance Honda mounted Topher Ingalls rode consistently to finish with 4-3 moto scores and the final podium position.

Benoit hammered down the second moto holeshot ahead of Politelli, Grey, Clark, Politelli’s Leading Edge teammate Tyler Villopoto, Ingalls and Nauditt. Benoit enjoyed the lead dog position for close to half the moto, only to find himself outclassed by Politelli. Once in the lead, Politelli started to distance himself from Benoit, finishing well ahead of him at the checkered flag.

Behind Benoit battles were fought between Ingalls, Grey, Nauditt, and Clark, with Ingalls (pictured above) taking third at the checkered, Clark fourth, and Nauditt fifth. Ingalls cemented the overall podium, thanks to his 4-3 moto results.
The tour heads from Kamloops to Alberta, where Wild Rose MX Park in Calgary will host Round 3 this Sunday, June 16th.