When Colton was a young kid racing on the hard pack tracks of BC, his riding style was something to marvel at. The words ‘smooth’, ‘precise’ and ‘fluid’ were used regularly by people who saw him ride every weekend. Colton was destined for stardom, and many industry people figured it was just a matter of time before he moved up and was winning Pro championships.
Like a lot of naturally talented riders, moving to Pro is a huge step, and mentally it can sometimes be a struggle. It took Colton a few years of living and riding in the shadow of fellow BC rider Darcy Lange before Colton began to figure things out. It eventually took a switch from his long time sponsor Richmond Kawasaki to the mega Blackfoot Yamaha Team to really light a fire under him.
I can remember standing and watching the 20007 Regina National while this incredible battle for what I thought was first place was unfolding before my eyes. After about ten minutes of watching, I suddenly realized that the battle was actually for second and that Colton was thirty seconds out front. What was also amazing was not only did he have a huge lead, but looked like he was out for a ride through Stanley Park. All of the adjectives I used earlier were on display during that moto. Colton Facciotti had finally arrived and there was no looking back.
Since that day in Regina, Colton has gone on to win three MX1 Championships and has long held the title of the fastest Canadian rider. In fact, in the last five seasons, only injuries have kept him from winning even more titles. The bottom line is that when Colton is healthy all he does is win races.
This summer Colton could be facing his toughest competition yet with the likes of Brett Metcalfe, Teddy Maier, Bobby Kiniry and his teammate Tyler Medaglia all hungry and ready to win. In talking with Colton, he feels he’s ready to go. “ Coming into this summer I feel great, my KTM is an awesome bike this year and I hope we can get it done. My entire career has been the same – whenever I feel really confident, I end up being really successful. Hopefully that will be the case this summer.”
With a long summer of racing ahead of him, it’s cool that we get to pause and have a look back at Colton Facciotti’s great career. At just 25 years of age, Colton is entering his prime and his best days could be yet to come. Either way, with more National Championships than any current rider, Colton is a very well deserving as number one on our MXP Rankings.
