Honda Canada Racing Presents the Monday Gate Drop

Good day and welcome to another edition of the Honda Canada Racing Monday Gate Drop. As we keep rolling through the month of March, we’re definitely getting into our 2018 riding season. Honda Canada has a line-up of motorcycles for all ages and skill levels waiting for you at one of their trusted dealerships. So head on out to your local Honda shop and sign-up to become one of Canada’s Red Riders.

Speaking of one of this country’s talented Red Riders, let’s jump into the Daytona SX and talk about Colton Facciotti. Even as far back as late January there was talk that Colton and his GDR Fox Honda Racing Team might try to race one of the most celebrated supercross events on the planet, the Daytona Supercross. This race has been going on since 1971, a fact that I personally find pretty darn amazing. And in those years, we’ve witnessed a number of Canadian riders try to tackle this beast of a supercross. The first time I ever attended the Daytona SX was in 1989 during the same trip to Florida that I spoke about last week. From there, I went and watched in 1990, 1992 and 1993. For whatever reason, I never thought the track looked that difficult from the stands. I guess as an 18 year old, nothing looks all that difficult and you think you can do everything well. Of course, that all changed the first year I lined up to race the Daytona SX in 1994. All it took was just one practice before I quickly realized that this track was one of most challenging tracks I would ever race on. I was lucky enough to have competed at this monumental event five times, the final time being twenty long years ago. My best finish was in 1996 when I missed what is now called the 450SX class main event by one spot. The track in those days was just absolutely brutal to ride. The corners had four foot deep ruts, the jump faces were just a plethora of deep ruts, it was very difficult and you definitely felt like you accomplished something by just lining up and finishing.

Colton Facciotti was happy to be finally lining up for a 450 supercross. Photo by Krystyn Slack

Leading up to Saturday night, I had a number of conversations with various people about how I thought Colton Facciotti would finish. My honest opinion was that he would most likely finish between 15-18 in the 450SX main event. I knew that he would be fast and fit, and with the more laps he did on the track, the more he would excel on it. I also figured that if Colton could get his usual good starts then he would adapt quite quickly to the pace of the series’ 450 regulars. As it turned out, his starts weren’t quite what they needed to be and he ended up missing the main event by just one spot in the LCQ ( I know exactly what that feels like). When all was said and done, I thought that for his first SX in a long time, and his first 450 supercross ever, Colton rode amazing! Even as fast and as talented a rider like Colton Facciotti is, jumping in mid-season to a round of the top indoor series on the planet is not an easy task. These guys are good at what they do, and it’s not just the top riders that are fast. All of the riders that make the 450SX main events, and even a few that come just short each week, are very good at supercross. They all know how the supercross game works, they know how to get a good start when it matters the most, and they know how to fight for every inch of track when they have to. For Colton to jump right into the deep end and swim with the best SX riders was very impressive. As a rider who was in Colton’s position on Saturday, all you can ask for is that your final lap is your best lap of the day. After looking at Colton’s lap times from Saturday, his final lap in the LCQ was indeed his best of the day. Well done Colton, I hope we get to see you try again at Daytona in 2019.

Colton was on the gas in Daytona and missed the 450SX main event by just one spot. Photo by Krystyn Slack

I also want to give some props to young Westen Wrozyna, who has been slowly getting better each weekend in the 250SX East class. In Daytona, Westen looked right at home on the difficult track and was fast all day long. Not only did he make the night show, but he charged hard in the LCQ and finished in a very well earned 8th. This was a very impressive ride by Westen as he really appears to be getting more and more comfortable in SX. As much as Colton deserves a ton of credit for going outside of his comfort zone and signing to compete in Daytona, Westen Wrozyna is living every rider’s dream as he competes in the entire 250SX East series. Keep up the great work Westen!

In other Daytona SX news, how cool was Justin Brayton winning the 450SX main event (his first ever) and Eli Tomac’s incredible last to second ride? Brayton’s win had to be one of the most popular and unexpected ever in this sport’s history. He is very well liked by everyone in the paddock, and he’s also one of hardest working riders on the track. If you recall, Brayton has spent the past two off-seasons racing the Australian Supercross Series where he won two championships. You have to hand it to him for having the courage and dedication to venture so far away from his homeland to make money and do what he loves. Obviously it has helped as Brayton is riding better than he ever has, even at 34 years old. Not to be outdone by Brayton’s mature elegance on the rough Daytona track, Eli Tomac once again showed why he is a true champion as he battled from dead last to second. Tomac’s charge was simply amazing as he never gave up. With Colton Facciotti in the field, Westen Wrozyna’s great riding, Tomac’s comeback, and of course Justin Brayton’s big win, the 2018 Daytona Supercross ended up being one of the best races of the year so far.

Eli Tomac’s last to second ride in Daytona will no doubt stand as one of the seasons best. Photo by Krystyn Slack

So with Daytona now in the rear view mirror, we look ahead to this weekend in Calgary and Round 2 and 3 of the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series. I’m sure all of the riders are looking forward to this weekend as the series will visit one of the best venues in Canada for arenacross. With a large indoor pit area, a slightly larger floor area for the track and dry dirt, the racing this weekend should be exciting. To add even a little more intrigue to this weekend, the legendary 46 year old American rider Mike Brown will be racing and I would expect him to be very good on the tight Calgary track. Brownie always seems to find a way to get good starts whenever he races, and he is also very smart and hard to pass. All of this adds up to Mike Brown being a possible podium guy this weekend on his Blackfoot Direct FXR Racing Husqvarna. This will be the final west AX round of this new series before it heads east to Sarnia and then Barrie. Due to some scheduling conflicts I will not be in Calgary this weekend, however, we’re sending Austin Watling out there on his first full assignment as a motocross journalist. I cannot wait to see what Austin and of course James Lissimore come up with as they cover this exciting event.

Congrats to Justin Brayton on his first ever 450SX victory. Photo by Krystyn Slack

Well, that is it or me this week. I hope everyone out there has a great March break week and a safe week riding if you’re down south. Before I say good-bye for another week, I want to say congratulations to Moto Park’s Zeb Dennis on becoming the first Canadian to be named a Certified Coach by the USMCA. Zeb has attended the first few USMCA conferences in the USA and since then he has passed all of the exams and has met all of the guidelines needed to be named a Certified Coach. Finally, I want to give a shout out to Tiger Woods on his latest comeback and for making golf exciting to watch again. For all of us that have had back issues and know what it’s like to be laid up in bed and not be able to move, to see Tiger back out on the course battling for wins, with a smile on his face, is truly amazing. Have a great week everyone!

It’s time to go back racing Canada! This time the city of Calgary is the host.