The Moment: Davalos Goes For Broke
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 | 2:30 PM
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Okay, in Las Vegas it occasionally pays to bet on the wild card, and often things happen there that aren’t going to happen anywhere else. And then, apparently, they stay there.
But even with the “expect the unexpected” mentality rolling into Sin City this weekend, the final race of Monster Energy Supercross in 2012 delivered a brief shocker, one certainly no one was predicting.
For a brief moment Martin Davalos provided the unexpected in Vegas.
Simon Cudby photo
Vegas had turned into a GEICO Honda show. Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac came in with titles won, and then took their final East and West races. Then, in the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Shootout, they got off to good starts to set up a 1E vs. 1W showdown. One rider was in between them, Rockstar Racing Suzuki’s Martin Davalos, but most everyone expected Tomac to rip past Davalos and go after Barcia. After all, the Honda boys were running the number one plates, and Davalos had only generated a single podium finish all season long.
But that’s not the way it goes in Vegas! Davalos actually became the aggressor, and instead of getting passed by Tomac, he actually went after Barcia and took the lead!For two glorious laps, Davalos led the best Lites riders of 2012. As the race reached the halfway point, Davalos was in position to grab the first Lites SX win of his career—and what a race to win!
But the champ, Justin Barcia, would respond and take the win over Tomac and Davalos.
Simon Cudby photo
Alas, not to be. Barcia regrouped and put the pressure on. Davalos made a mistake in a rhythm section, and the two Honda boys went flying by him. From there on out, the race played out as expected, with the 1E and the 1W slugging it out to prove who was best.
But for one moment, the wild card made a bid for the jackpot.
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when davalos went into the lead and it was only a ten lap race, i almost thought davalos could hang onto the lead, but then reality set in and i remembered it was the east/west shootout and JB and ET were not going to let that happen. Good Ride Davalos!
Davalos is one of the most unpredictable riders out there, though. Some of you may remember a few years back - I think it was at Unadilla - where Davalos (on a KTM, I think) ripped right past Villopoto early in a Lites moto! Yes, Villopoto passed him back, but I was still surprised.
If the races were 4 laps long, Alessi and Davalos might be champions.
That was an intense pass, didn't see that one coming. There are certain races where you remember moments like that just nerves of steel to risk it all to make the pass. Alessi has been looking really good in the whoops all year, maybe he went to train at MTF with Davalos
Sure added a little electricity when he squirted by. RacerX, please do an interview with him to get his story!
Not an Alessi fan, although he obviously has skills. What was up with the leg thing on the opening lap? Isn't riding a bike WFO down a rough straight leading up to a fall away enough excitement for him? I thought he put the punk stuff back on the shelf after the IT/wheel-stand thingie. If I remember right, he was doing some weird start deal with lining up crooked as well...
Aw heck - here I am all fired up again. Need to breathe deep. Think peaceful thoughts.
All better.
Please try not to mention MA800, and I will try to stop having diarrhea of the keyboard.
That was the best part of the race. I love when anyone passes Barcia
I think it was pastrana for a brief instant in davalos body. Pastrana was the only one that looked like he was shot out of a cannon for suzuki if you dont count any of Ma 800 little squirt starts that peter out. after a few turns
Davalos is a great starter! It's just the finishing part that he needs to work on. I like that he seemed unimpressed with the Geico boys & went ahead & actually raced & passed Barcia. Who would've thought? He's a racer!