Here we are already in Daytona, jewels of the crown of this US SX championship. Where he really starts, according to the adage of this good old Ricky Carmichael, who knows when a SX level radius. And who is also a designer of the track every year, in his capacity as legend, Floridian as well as record holder of the test of the event. A former record holder, moreover, since Saturday. We will come back to it. But let's talk about this track. It may have lost on the surface over the years, because of the enlargement of the speedway where it is placed, of the various underground irrigation systems and other structural constraints, it remains a historic monument to be preserved. If only for this colored rainbow that goes from black sand to white sand, then caramel color ... it's beautiful, it's (very) technical while being fast and, icing On the cake, it changes! This year, it worked rather well at the flow, with in particular an equitable split-lane which allowed a lot of overtaking and good Whoops. Too bad the two turns of the large sand had their exteriors a little too far, which made them slower than the interior. This surely cost the victory in Heat to Dylan Ferrandis, by the way.
On the other hand, the race is difficult to see if you do not have the Pass in the Peacock year, since it is not part of the same TV package as the rest of the championship, and this for ages.By dint of rummaging in the lowlands of the Internets, I ended up finding the heats, LCQ and the final 250 in “acceptable” quality, but I struggled for the final 450, viewed through large pixels like Lego.This is where we tell ourselves that even if JCV and Maxime Martin are not Leigh Diffey and Ricky Carmichael, they have the advantage of being like Ricoré: friends of the breakfast on Sunday morning on Automoto the chain.JCV, by the way, was like me in the biting cold of Loon-Plage for the Elite.We would surely have been warm in Daytona ...
Sixth victory for Eli Tomac in Daytona, which makes him the record department of the event, therefore, in front of Ricky Carmichael ... There, when you start breaking records held by Ricky, is that you do things well. 41 Victories in SX, the same number as Ryan Villopoto, only three units from Chad Reed and seven of RC4, it is starting to cause severe. Clearly, Eli Tomac rushes towards a status of legend of sport at the same time as towards his second title (only…) in SX 450. Nothing to say, et3 is a monster. But a nice, like Casimir. This final is quite typical of the way he built his career: by attacking, from the start to the end of the Channel, before hitting at the end of the race. All clean, without hatred or violence. With a Yamaha, however, smoked as a first year student of psycho to a Tryo concert ... Eli does not get embarked on controversies, does not make a big declaration, does not seek contact unnecessarily: he is there for one Something, win. He stammers, he returns home. And the same the following week. We know two who would do well to take notes. Huge respect, therefore, for this performance while will and in control, which allows him to take a big step forward in the championship, now 18 points ahead. It's not a boulevard, but it starts to make a pretty little avenue, anyway, with beautiful trees around ... By the way, if you want proof of the guy's class, look at how and to whom he offers his glasses After the victory and the traditional burnout. We bet that this young person is now a fan for life? Or the American company is worse than what I believe and the pair of Oakley is already on Ebay for $ 2,000. I don't know, in fact, but I liked the gesture. My sentimental side.
"Shit Happens", as Cooper Webb said on TV.For once it is not in its sense.
Cooper Webb is back! Round after round, he raises his head like Rocky against Creed in episode 2. Clearly, the KTM driver seems to have found a potential champion's performance. Is it due to the settings of the machine, his change of coach, the return of confidence or just a little of all that? The fact remains that he went to the verge (two laps, in fact) to win Daytona. Because if Eli Tomac returned to him patiently, he had to find the opening, which is not easy on Coop ’. Unfortunately for the KTM pilot, his friend Shane Mcelrath unfortunately was mistaken by wanting to let him pass, and perhaps cost him the prestigious victory. On a race where he has never descended from the podium since 2018. Sacred Stat! Even with the Yamaha, he had indeed podium in 2018. Third in the championship, Coop ’is 33 points from leader Eli Tomac, and only 15 from Jason Anderson. Et3 did well to prevent it from winning it, in my opinion ... because the webb weaves its canvas.
Not much to say about the performance of Chase Sexton on this daytona.Present from the start, he failed to hang the front wagon, then assured his podium by managing to get rid of Justin Barcia.Very good but not top, what.The young person still signs his first podium in Daytona in the category, which is not so bad.
Ah, this is a fourth place that is more than pleasure, it would almost be a victory!Dylan Ferrandis raised her head to Daytona, after a few races to forget.The Frenchman even took an excellent start in Heat, second behind Cooper Webb.And if he insisted for too long in this moldy exterior to pass, he nevertheless showed speed and envy.Same in the final, where, despite a less good departure (but less catastrophic than in recent weeks), he has attacked all along to return from afar and chew this fourth place to Justin Barcia.A big step in the right direction, therefore.
Justin Barcia gets out of this daytona race properly with a top 5. Nothing magical, but consistency, which is not always the case.Good.The best he did this weekend is to disguise himself as Ricky Bobby with Will Hahn as Cal Naughton Jr. The best film of all time, Point Barre.Shake N Bake!
Same observation for Marvin Musquin, who did not splash the race with his speed but still passed Ken Roczen to offer this very correct sixth place, while waiting better ...
Ken Roczen had made good tests on tests and even showed his wheel in Heat behind Webb and Ferrandis.In the final, it was not so bad for a while, before pouring little by little until it failed in ninth place.Converted into seventh after the downgrading of a position by Stewart and Anderson.Like everyday life.Rumors of separation with Honda grow day by day.What is certain is that he is no longer Pilot #1 of the team, and that it should not make him laugh.
Malcolm Stewart and Jason Anderson… We get there, these two! After Arlington and the hanging between the two, we suspected that there would be revenge. It was not late, especially since Jason did nothing to calm the game. The story started from the first sequence, with Malcolm Stewart who managed to make triple/triple between Tomac and Anderson to double them both. Both technical and couillu, but above all what annoys our JA21, which forces the passage on tomac a little from the second turn and sends it to bounce on Malcolm. What to excite MS27 as a bull in front of a muleta. Suddenly, he decides to take the perif out of the field like a T-Max of Dealer to reach the track without wasting time, and cut in two Anderson clean and clear the next turn. A shiny plan. This silly reaction may have cost him a podium, given the potential he displayed on this race. Then in fights a good part of the round, the two were still tried like college students in love with the same girl, pushing Anderson to also make a little off -piste incurs. Suddenly, the two had already dropped many points because of their childishness, and lost a little more by being both downgraded. And this is how we let escape a championship for Anderson, and a podium for Malcolm ... Like what, a brain can be used, even for an MX driver. When do you have Tomac or Webb doing such stupid and penalizing things? That's it: never. In short, it would seem that they both decided to bury the ax of war, if not smoking the peace caulumet, but it is a week too late. Fuck.
A much better saga than TF1.
Behind, a new dean Wilson's new top 10, ahead of Justin Bogle who signs his best performance of the season.Mention well for Garrett Marchbanks, who qualified for his first time in 450 and showed a good speed in Heat, LCQ and at the start of the final.Congratulations also to Brandon Scharer, retired from the high level and Coach at ClubMX, who managed to qualify directly in Heat.Big evening for the Team ClubMX, with its three pilots in the final 450, and its two very good 250 pilots too!
Category 250 Daytona
After last week's mistakes, we were waiting to see how Jett Lawrence was going to bounce back for her first Daytona.Like a basketball ball, we want to say.Best time time, winner of his Heat, then immediately in the lead after having doubled the author of the Holeshot Stilez Robertson, Jett then walked until the arrival with disconcerting ease.Impressive.He's the boss, that's all.
Stilez Robertson has so far only had a podium in SX, a second place in Daytona last year, thanks to a good start and regular towers.It was therefore the day of the Marmotte in Punxsutawney, with exactly the same scenario: Holeshot, some good towers and a second place in Daytona!The youngster has already begged his team to leave it on the coast is next year.A superstitious, therefore.
Arrived at equal points with Jett Lawrence in Daytona, a race where he is holding the title, Cameron McAdoo gave everything to lose "only" five points.Because this podium, the Kawasaki pro circuit driver was looking for it with the teeth (and also cojones, a little).Not to say, he wants, the young person.And attacks the field with an abandonment of self that deserves respect as much as it borders on unconsciousness.Just look at him go back to Mach2 across the Whoops to persuade it ... Him and RJ Hampshire, in a very similar style, offered us the fight of the evening.It was like watching a circus artist juggling with two disgusted grenades, we wondered when it was going to explode!Thank you for the show, anyway.
Pierce Brown is gradually starting to show beautiful things in this championship.He is certainly less fast than Jett and Cam, but he could very well have been in place of Robertson with the same departure.Best.
Fifth place, first top 5 of his career, for the Brazilian Enzo Lopes.A superb result obtained in addition with a faulty clutch!Long third, Lopes was forced to give in this podium, but this result highlights his excellent start to the season, which sees him point fourth in the provisional, two points from the third.The work pays, well done!
The two accomplices Jordon Smith and RJ Hampshire, decidedly inseparable, follow in the ranking.Two good races in a row for Jordon Smith, it's been a long time!Some crashes, speed, engagement and ultimately an average place?Yes, this is my RJ that we recognize there!
Finally, another good race for this good old 2019 SX Canada champion in Phil Nicoletti.Phil hates SX, he proclaims it loud and clear, but you have to make a good living ... it is to recognize that our experienced man did his homework this winter at ClubMX with JB10 and all the team and realizes excellentPerformances, while serving as a guinea pig suspension tester for Ricky Gilmore from Kyb, Tomac's trusted man.Also prey to clutch problems, Phil was a hair disappointed after the race was beaten by his roommate Enzo Lopes, also the brother of his girlfriend, but never seemed so comfortable inSX that this year.
The Caravan du SX US leaves the warmth of Daytona and its sandy beaches for the cold of Detroit, in Michigan, its abandoned houses and its 8 Mile Road.With the arrival of a new little one in the Star Racing Yamaha team in 250, I named Kyle Chisholm.See you next week !
By Richard Angot.
