Photo by Hoppenworld
The very likable GEICO Powersports/Honda-backed rider Wil Hahn was back in action for round six of the Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championship at Red Bud where he quickly reminded us why the GEICO Powersports team wrestled him away from the Troy Lee Designs/Honda team and signed the number thirty-one to a two-year deal. Wil, coming into Anaheim 1, was a pre-season favorite to win his first-ever Supercross title out West, but his season came to a screeching halt when the young Texan broke his back in a practice crash in qualifying at the first round. Since then, Wil also suffered another practice crash that resulted in a broken shoulder and set him back even more.
After a seven-month layoff from racing, Wil jumped back in head first at one of the most brutally hot Nationals of the year and came out smelling like a rose. In his first moto back, he got off to a top five start and, for a moment, looked a little rusty with the first lap intensity. Getting used to that first lap intensity after coming in off the couch is something that can take time, and by lap two, Wil found himself shuffled back to ninth. Once back in ninth, Wil seemed to find his zone. By the end of his first 30+2, he had worked his way up to finish a very respectable eighth.
In moto two, Wil wanted more—and he let everyone know it. The number thirty-one GEICO Powersports/Honda quickly made up for the absences of his teammates Justin Barcia, who suffered mechanical problems on the line, and Eli Tomac, who had crashed in qualifying, by ripping a monster, three-bike length holeshot and leading forty race-fit 250 riders for the first half lap. Wil was passed early in lap one by the top three men in the Championship—Blake Baggett, Dean Wilson and Tyla Rattray—and then later by Kyle Cunningham and Broc Tickle, but Wil would hold on for an incredible sixth in his second moto back. With an 8-6 score on the day, Wil was able to secure a sixth overall.
This sport is brutal on the injured. While gone, riders can fall “out of site out of mind,” but with a return ride like this one, Wil quickly reminded everyone who may have forgotten of where he was when he left. With six rounds left to run, we won’t be even a little surprised to see more of Wil racing at the front—maybe even on the box. Welcome back, Wil!
