- press release -

Another big win for Facciotti in MX1 - Hibbert makes it two in a row in MX2

Under clear blue skies Team Toyota Yamaha Blackfoot Fox Racing's Colton Facciotti continued with his winning ways at Round 4 of the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals in Regina, SK. Facciotti had another banner weekend, flying over the Regina Moto Valley track like a man possessed to card his third clean sweep of the season. Thanks to the 50 points he earned, Facciotti takes over 2nd place in the points chase, trailing 17 points behind Team Suzuki Rockstar Energy OTSFF's Tyler Medaglia, who finished 2nd overall on the strength of 2-5 motos.

Facciotti grabbed the first MX1 moto holeshot and wasted no time to pull away from the rest of the field. When the checkered flew, he had an impressive 20 second lead on 2nd place Medaglia, who was hampered by a twisted ankle and knee which he sustained during practice.

Medaglia had followed Facciotti into turn one and settled into 2nd place without ever being able to mount a challenge for the lead. The first half of the race he had to contend with KTM Royal Distributing Thor Riverside MX's Jeff Northrop, who briefly grabbed 2nd only to lose it back to Medaglia. Northrop would card 4-4 on the day to snare 4th overall.

With four laps to go, Medaglia suddenly found Facciotti's Yamaha Blackfoot teammate, Blair Morgan, come knocking. The duo ended up crossing the finish line neck and neck with Medaglia greeting the checkered a hair's breadth in front of the veteran. Before he managed to connect with Medaglia, Morgan, who started 5th, had his hands full with Northrop but the Californian was unable to hold off the multi-time champ.

The second moto holeshot also went to Facciotti who checked out again to lead wire to wire. Yamaha's Simon Homans, who finished 6th in the first moto, installed himself into 2nd place early in the race. The Quebecer held firm keeping Monster Energy Cernics Kawasaki's Dusty Klatt, who crashed in the first moto finishing 7th, at bay. Homans took to the podium with 3rd overall while Klatt cemented the overall top five, thanks to his 3rd place finish in the second moto.

Medaglia, who suffered a mediocre second moto start, again had a battle on his hands with Morgan, this time for 5th place. Morgan, however, was betrayed by a flat tire and dropped back to 11th place. He finished 7th overall.

Round 4 proved to be bittersweet for Clearbrook Yamaha's Kyle Beaton. The Surrey, BC native nailed the first MX2 moto holeshot and never looked back. It was Beaton's first moto win of the season. Beaton got off to another good start in the second moto and was in the lead when disaster struck. He swapped out, veered off the track, and crashed hard on some rocks. Although he had full movement in his injured ankle and lower leg it is feared he may have sustained a fracture.

After Beaton's second moto crash, Tucker Hibbert took over the lead, hanging onto it all the way to the finish line. On the strength of 2-1 motos, the Yamaha privateer recorded 1st overall for the day. In the first moto, Hibbert suffered a bobble while in 2nd place but quickly made his way back to the front, passing KTM Royal Distributing Thor Riverside MX's Eric Nye, who had inherited 2nd place when Hibbert slid out. Nye, the series points leader, settled into 3rd where he would finish.

In the second moto, Nye, taking into account that his fellow American Hibbert's two-round MX2 campaign was ending in Regina, rode a strategic race to finish 2nd, which was good enough to claim 2nd overall for the day and thereby extend his points lead. Third overall went to KTM Royal Distributing Thor Riverside MX's Mason Philips. The New Zealander cleared the task with 5-3 moto results.

Conspicuous by their absence was Leading Edge Kawasaki's Teddy Maier, who was nursing an injury sustained at Round 3, and Team Toyota Yamaha Blackfoot Fox Racing's Jimmy Nelson, who was down and out with the flue.

In the Suzuki Women's Nationals, Jacqueline Ross (KTM) crushed the competition with 1-1 moto results. Heidi Cooke (Kawasaki) carded runner-up on the strength of 2-2 motos, followed by Jocelyn Killough (Suzuki) in 3rd with a 3-4 results. Despite a first moto crash Jolene VanVugt (Suzuki) recorded 4th overall on the strength of 5-3 motos. Rounding out the top five was Jessica Foster (Kawasaki) with 4-5 motos.