- press release -

Just two rounds left before the curtain drops on the '08 Nationals

Another Monster Energy Motocross Nationals series is drawing to a close and from the looks of it we may be in for an "anything is possible" finish. Although the MX1 title hunt could go down to the final round, it is highly unlikely if points leader Colton Facciotti keeps cleaning house the way he has for all but one round this season. And the round he didn't win, number two, he was sitting on the sidelines nursing an injured shoulder. By claiming five of the six rounds he podiumed as winner, with clean sweeps, calling the Team Toyota Yamaha Blackfoot Fox Racing ace "The Janitor", his new handle, is no mean boast.

"It's just the combination of pre-season preparation, a great bike and maybe some luck," said Facciotti to explain his phenomenal success in the MX1 Championship this season.

Mathematically, Team Suzuki Rockstar OTSFF's Jeremy Medaglia and Monster Energy Kawasaki's Dusty Klatt are still very much in the title hunt, but they need to start not only finishing ahead of Facciotti, they need double-moto wins. Whether Klatt, who has been handicapped by an injured foot for the past three rounds, will be physically up to the task remains to be seen. Klatt, sitting third in the rankings 28 points down from Facciotti, has proved however, that he can win motos going head-to-head with his fellow British Columbian.

Meanwhile, Medaglia, second in the rankings 21 points behind Facciotti, has more than proved his mettle in his first full season of MX1 Nationals competition. But this weekend will be crucial for Medaglia, as he will go up against Facciotti and Klatt on his home track at Sand Del Lee. If he doesn't win there, the most he will be able to hope for is to keep his runner-up position in tact.

What should make things really interesting this weekend is the cameo appearance of American KTM's Nick Wey, who may just throw a wrench in Facciotti's winning streak. Wey delivered KTM sixth in the '08 U.S. Supercross Championship, its best ever finish and has to date recorded impressive results including fourth and sixth overall in the U.S. Motocross Championship.

"This has been my first year with the KTM program and I feel we've put up some solid numbers. I look forward to having the opportunity to expand on what we did and continue to advance the KTM brand," said Wey. "Racing in Canada this weekend is an opportunity I couldn't resist and it's my intention to give the guys up there some serious competition."

In the MX2 title hunt, it now looks like only a worst case scenario can keep KTM Royal Distributing Thor Riverside MX's Eric Nye from claiming the championship. The California native is currently holding down a 41 points lead over second place Aron Harvey. Unfortunately for Harvey, he broke his femur in Moncton last weekend and his season is over. His injury is also unfortunate for Team Toyota Yamaha Blackfoot Fox Racing and motocross fans alike, as Harvey seemed to be the only rider capable of challenging Nye for the title.

"It's a shame that Harvey, after totally shaking up the MX2 class this season, had his assault on the MX2 title cut short with only two rounds to go," said Blackfoot's Joe Skidd.

New Zealand's Mason Phillips, currently third in the rankings 50 points down from his KTM teammate Nye, will need a miracle to win the MX2 Championship. It is mathematically still possible, but at this stage of the game it looks like Phillips, who won the overall in Moncton but who has yet to win a moto, will have to keep Clearbrook Yamaha's Kyle Beaton behind him if he hopes to finish runner-up. Beaton, who hasn't been able to put together an overall, mostly due to bad luck, has won motos this season however. If the motocross gods smile on him at the remaining two rounds, Beaton should be able to neutralize the five point deficit between himself and Phillips and finish second in the series.

For Canadian races fans, the battle for runner-up between Surrey, BC's Beaton and Kiwi land's Phillips will be the one to watch. To further add some drama into the mix for Canadian honour, Team Suzuki Rockstar OTSFF's Jeremy Medaglia can be counted on to run the tires off their rims in his bid to finish top five in the series. Like Beaton, the Kemptville, ON native has had his share of bad luck. And, like Beaton, he has a do-or-die attitude that keeps him bouncing back and giving everything he's got every time out on the track. Medaglia, who will have home track advantage this weekend at Sand Del Lee, currently sits sixth in the rankings, 10 points down from Leading Edge Kawasaki's Teddy Maier.