Photo: KTM Images – Hoppenworld
The 2013 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, heads to the Daytona International Speedway for round number four of the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship. Over the first three rounds, we’ve seen the GEICO/Honda of Wil Hahn and the Monster/Pro Cicuit/Kawasaki of Dean Wilson sharing time on the top step of the box with the other steps being occupied by Rockstar Energy Racing’s Blake Wharton twice and Red Bull/KTM’s Marvin Musquin climbing on the box once. Right now, the series championship looks to be shaping up for a two-man dual between Hahn and Wilson, but with six main events left to race, Wharton and Musquin could climb back into this fight. With nobody on the line in the 250 class ever winning before in Daytona, it will come down to who is willing to suffer and who wants it the most.
At the last round in St. Louis, it was Wil Hahn recording his second-straight wire-to-wire win and, with that, wrestling the coveted red plate away from Wilson in the process. They say winning your first race is the hard part, and once that is accomplished, the flood gates will usually open. Well, Hahn is making that saying ring true. After six years of trying, Hahn scored his first-ever main event win at the Atlanta SX, and he is quickly looking comfortable at the front. When you combine Wil’s starts and his new-found confidence, he becomes a dangerous man as the series moves forward. Wil currently has a one-point lead heading into Daytona.
Sitting second in the points after a win and two-straight runner up finishes is Dean Wilson. The 2011 AMA 250 Motocross Champion easily won the opener in Dallas but, since then, has been glued to Hahn’s rear wheel at the checkers. Dean was a huge favorite heading into the East in 2013 and has to be a tad frustrated by his second place finishes at the last two rounds, but the Scottish-born, Canadian-Californian transplant should still be confident in where he is at with his speed. At the last round in St. Louis, Deano was clearly the fastest 250 on the track. The #15 rounded turn-one in fifteenth and still found Hahn’s rear wheel late in the race to challenge for the win. If Deano can get his starts dialed, I have a feeling nobody will be able to keep the former motocross champ in check at Daytona.
Heading into Daytona, Blake Wharton has yet to establish himself as a serious threat for the title in 2013. Blake has been ultra-consistent with a 2nd, a 4th and a 3rd so far this season, but in all three main events, he has let Hahn and/or Wilson ride away. Blake is a two-time main event winner in the 250SX class and is one of the more experienced riders in the class. He knows it’s all about consistency to win the title, but unless Hahn and Wilson have some bad luck, it will take wins in 2013 to get it done. Is Blake capable of winning in 2013? Definitely, but he needs to step out of his comfort zone a little and let Hahn and Wilson know he is here for the fight. Blake is far from out of this Championship, with only ten points between himself and Hahn at the front.
The man sitting fourth in the points needs to step out of his comfort zone as well. Marvin Musquin is a smooth, calculating SX rider, but to win in Daytona, you need to put the smooth and calculating away and bust out your aggressive, hang-it-all-out side. The Frenchman is in his third year in the States since leaving Europe to chase the SX dream, and his time to attack is now. The former two-time MX2 FIM World Champion definitely knows how to attack a motocross-style SX track and should be a serious threat for the win on Saturday. If he can get it done and begin to creep into the heads of his opponents, Daytona could be a huge game changer for Marvin.
With the top four separating themselves from the field, it has been a fight to make a name for yourself in the East. Coming into the series, a lot of focus was on the incredible rookie class that included GEICO/Honda’s Zach Bell and Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Justin Hill, but Star Racing/Yamaha’s rookie Jeremy Martin has stepped out of their shadows over the last two rounds. Jeremy has been blazing fast and, since missing the main event at the Dallas SX opener, has scored two top-five finishes in a row in Atlanta and St Louis. Last weekend, the #77 not only got fifth, but he did it with incredible intensity and speed, passing his way up from outside the top-ten. All three of these rookies have shown future greatness, and Hill’s consistency has him ranked the highest (7th) in the points. I look for all three of these kids, that are more accustomed to MX, to possibly run near the front this weekend.
While we’ve only talked about a handful of riders, it’s still early, and the East could be anyone’s game. Guys like MotoConcepts’ Gavin Faith, Slaton Racing’s Vince Friese and Dedicated Athlete’s Jimmy Decotis have shown signs of brilliance over the first three rounds, but we need to see more before we can call them contenders. If anyone wants to put themselves in that category, you must first get into the minds of the men that are already there, and if ever there was a place to do that, the Daytona International Speedway would be it.
Next stop, Daytona!
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Eastern Regional 250SX Class Season Standings
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda, 70
Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 69
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki, 60
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 53
Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda, 39
Gavin Faith, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Honda, 38
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Kawasaki, 36
James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda, 34
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 32
Kyle Peters, Greensboro, NC, Honda, 31
Check out the 2013 Ricky Carmichael designed Daytona SX circuit
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results: St. Louis
Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda
Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki
Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha
Vince Friese, Cape Girardeau, Mo., Honda
James Decotis, Peabody, Mass., Honda
Cole Thompson, Brigden, Canada, Honda
Zach Bell, Cairo, Ga., Honda
Peter Larsen, Menifee, Calif., Honda,
