Photo by: Hoppenworld
The Dark Horse is a weekly column by MotoXAddicts contributor Nolan MacDonald that elaborates on the riders who can surprise you and emerge to prominence when you least expect it. Some may be well known while others have never been heard of. To be recognized as a dark horse, a rider doesn’t have to win but rather perform above expectations.
As we hit the halfway point in the series this week, most of the riders are on their way to Indianapolis or are already at Lucas Oil Stadium bearing the freezing cold conditions. Fortunately for them, the stadium is nice and toasty indoors, and there looks to be an exciting weekend of racing for the east coast.
Entering the third round for the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship, the class is filled with plenty of talent and a deep field of rookies, and our Dark Horse from that class this week is AJ Catanzaro. In his first two east coast rounds this year, the Factory Metal Works rider has finished in 13th place in both attempts, showing that he has the speed to make the night show consistently. But this week is different for Catanzaro, as one year ago in Indianapolis, AJ finished a career-high 4th place, essentially kicking off his career for a strong ride on a new team. Catanzaro looks to bring back the magic to Lucas Oil Stadium this week and put his new ride well into the top 10 to show everyone he is not just a one year wonder in this sport but is here to stay. Expect AJ step it up yet again this weekend.
In the premier class, the 450s, our Dark Horse of the week is Justin Sipes. The privateer Journey Rider may be in under the radar, but don’t give up on the Kentucky kid just yet. In Dallas, Sipes placed 16th respectively in the main event while getting a 19th in Atlanta. He is an established privateer that shows he can make mains week in and week out. Sipes also placed 16th last year in Indianapolis, and in 2012, he pulled through with a clean race and a solid 12th place in the main. This year, Justin has looked better than ever, and it appears he will improve his results more than previous years. With the confidence that he can do well in Indianapolis, look for Justin to come back strong this week with nothing less than 15th place.
This week’s Dark Horses are known for some strong performances in Indianapolis over their careers. Regardless of whether it was a top 5 or a strong 12th, both riders have established career milestones in Lucas Oil Stadium that have guided them towards a more successful future. Look for AJ to put his ride well into the top ten while Justin qualifies and puts in some solid laps for a 15th or better. Although the top 15 in both classes appears to be the same riders week in and week out, Catanzaro and Sipes could break the mold and show the world what they have this week.
