Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
Jared Allison hits the rankins at number 13.
The 2012 season was a season that “could have been” for this week’s #13 in the MXP Ranking. Racing has luck, good and bad. Racing is also an order where there is jubilation for one rider, defeat for another…often bitter defeat. While it may have been a bitter sweet end for the Delbourne, Alberta native Jared Allison, it certainly wasn’t one of defeat.
It is impossible not to mention that Jared is a twin of his very fast brother Parker. Both brothers career have mirrored each other, as maybe expected from twins. They entered the Pro ranks together, raced the tracks of Alberta, graduated to the National series and have been only points away from each other their entire career. In 2010, Jared scored his first podium finish with a 3rd overall in Ste-Julie, Quebec. That was a confidence building year. At the final round in Walton, Jared moved up to the 450 class and ran top 10. That led to the decision for both brothers to move to the 450 class for 2011. Again, the guys were solid top 10 riders but there was a feeling of unfinished business in the MX2 class, so both brothers returned to the small bike class.
Jared slopping around in the mud at RD1 in Nanaimo where he took 3rd in MX2 for the day.
In 2012 when the series rolled east, Jared found himself in a tight battle inside the top 5 overall in the series. An injury to Kyle Beaton opened the door to Jared, who moved to third in the points. Injuries seem to creep up on all riders at the wrong time; Jared was nursing a bad knee. It nagged at him, and prevented him to meet his potential each week. After a costly flat tire in Sand Del Lee, the points gap he held over pesky American rider Topher Ingalls disappeared. It set up on of the most heated showdowns in the 2012 MX2 series.
Ingalls took over the points lead for third ahead of Jared. Allison literally limped to the line to race on a very rutted, knee twisting Walton track. A bad start would make work for Jared, but he dug deep through the pain to a clutch 7th . Ingalls stumbled and Allison had closed up the gap. It was set for a moto 2 showdown for the podium. Who would beat who? The two were locked a couple points apart.
Jared narrowly missed 3rd in the MX2 championship. Photo by Marc Landry
A season of work and travel, a painful knee and 30 minutes of war lied ahead of Jared. Allison and Ingalls both nailed clutch starts and rounded the first lap in 4th and 5th. The pace and pressure would pick up and the two riders began a one moto, winner-take-all duel. Soon Dakota Alix, who held one of the top spots, crashed out and handed Ingalls 3rd place, the spot both riders were fighting for in the series. The moto wore on. While Topher couldn’t stretch out his lead, Allison couldn’t cut into it either. However, as they sat, Allison was going to take third in the series, but behind them, Jeremey Medaglia was on the move. Medaglia crashed early in the moto. Despite a very slim chance of winning, Medaglia was slicing through the pack to make up every point with the hope that luck may be there for him by the checkers. In the second to last lap Medaglia passed Allison, and the points shifted to Ingall’s favour. Medaglia then went to work on Topher. Despite his efforts, Ingalls held on to the position. The 14-3 would score him 3rd overall, ahead of Jared Allison. It was gutsy, and for series fans who knew what the two men waging war for third were going through, it was what motocross is about.
JA looking great scrubbing the step down at Walton.
Photo by Marc Landry
While fourth was bitter sweet, it did show that Jared Allison is one of the elite riders in Canada. It also showed what is so important at the professional level: heart and drive. Jared Allison, who is studying at the University Of Calgary as an engineer, has secured his deal for 2013. If 2011 made Jared realize he had unfinished business in the MX2 class, his race for the podium and coming up one position short in 2012, will light a fire to battle in 2013. Speed, heart and determination are what make Jared Allison #13 on this week’s MXP Ranking of top Canadians lining up in 2013.
