Unsung Hero: Martin Davalos
Monday, January 14, 2013 | 3:20 PM
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PrintMonster Energy Supercross wasn’t great for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki last year—but it didn’t take long for 2013 to start going even worse. Within one turn of the very first main event of the season, Blake Baggett was tagged by a flying motorcycle, resulting in broken bones in his hand and wrist. On the other side of the track, the crash also bashed Martin Davalos’ bike, resulting in a DNF. Tyla Rattray got a bad start, then worked his way forward only to lose two spots on the last lap. His eighth was somehow still the best of the three-rider team.
Wasn’t looking much better in Phoenix. Baggett cut his cast off and tried to ride practice, but his wrist locked up, resulting in a wild crash that launched his KX250F off of a berm and flying—without its rider—a good 20 feet. Somehow Baggett escaped without (additional) injury, but he decided that riding with a broken wrist wasn’t going to work. He may need surgery, and now could be out for the rest of supercross.
Losing your 250 National Motocross Champion is bad enough, but in the exact same section that claimed Baggett, Davalos went for a wild ride in his heat race. Baggett’s crash was the wildest of the wild, and yet Davalos’ might have been even uglier! He didn’t finish the heat, and the PC crew was in jeapordy of losing two riders in the same section in the same day.
After a frightening crash in his heat race, Davalos came back in the main to secure his first podium of 2013 in Phoenix.
Simon Cudby photo
Davalos fought back, though, lining up for the LCQ and winning it. And in the main, he somehow pulled a good start from his 19th gate selection and led for quite a bit. When series front runners Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen got to him, he didn’t have much fight left, but that’s understandable—Davalos said on the podium that he was riding with a pretty bad headache after the heat race crash. In general, he was just lucky to be racing at all.
“That crash was one of the toughest I've had in awhile, I'm lucky to be in one piece,” he said. “It was scary. And my bike, they basically had to put it completely back together, so my team is amazing.”Credit where it’s due, Davalos’ wrench Dave Feeney won the MMI Top Tech Award for the night.
Normally, Davalos is known for blistering performances in qualifying and in his heat race, followed by inconsistency in the main events. At Phoenix, he reversed that trend, wadding huge in the heat and DNFing it, but then coming back to claim a podium in the main—one badly needed by his team.
Is this the start of something better for Davalos? Not sure yet, but it’s certainly enough to name him this week’s Unsung Hero.Honorable Mention: For the second weekend in a row, Zach Osborne earns an Unsung Hero mention. His 7-6 finished in the first two rounds don’t sound spectacular on paper, but he came from a last-place start in Anaheim. In Phoenix, a practice crash left him with an injured shoulder, and many thought he wouldn’t even be able to race. "Considering the way I felt at 3 o'clock today, I'm really happy to be sitting here in sixth place," Osborne said. "I took a really hard hit and they gave me a few shots for the pain but it still hurt quite a bit. I wasn't even sure I could ride the heat race but I decided to give it a try and after a few laps I knew I could finish it. It hurt in the whoops and whenever the bike was pulling but I just got through it.
"I had a good start in the heat race and followed that up with another good start in the main. That set me up for decent rides and I just did the best I could. I definitely need some rest now. I doubt I'll be doing a bunch of riding this week. We'll have to see."
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Hell yes... this kid deserves this one.
that was an amazing flight he took on to his head.....i thought for sure he was KO'd....but hey, much better than last week and the folks who said Mitch was crazy for hiring this guy should take notice....he wasnt too far off of Tomac' pace all day...had knarly crash and was still on the podium...nice work!!
Unless something happens to ET, the title is out of reach for a lot of these guys...but I still think Davalos will get a win or two....
One day I'll travel to Ecuador to photograph the Birds of Paradise.
Their country is sitting on 5 billion dollars worth of oil but won't exploit it cause of the wealth of diversity in the Amazon.
Props to Davalos and his whole family.
Crazy crash and unsung hero status. Stewart's the unsung hero from last week. pretty close.
How does crashing make you a hero?? Just because he got lucky and hit a tuff block?? I am not a fan, he has ridden this class way too long anyway.. Move on Martin, get up with the big boys like you should.. You arent winning anyways unless Roczen and Tomac go down..Heck he turns 26 years old tomorrow.. He is right up there with Rattray..
I have to admit when I heard Mitch signed him I was like are you kidding me ? But after seeing him ride I see it was the right choice, I hope he continues to do well.
That crash made"The agony of Defeat" look like a tipover after letting go of the tow rope. Hope I am not reaching to far back on that one.
he is a hero.... beacause to be at this level in this sport not all guys can take a hit or fall like that and race again the same night let alone run up front ... without guys like md the sport would suck when guys fall they sit out we pay for a show and md gave us all u show ....so mustarddog sit your ass and enjoy your hot dod an shut up..
That was one horrific crash and to make the main, let alone the podium. Most impressive ride despite what happened.
I was probably one of the few that was excited that Mitch picked up Davalos. Super nice kid and super fast. A few years ago he took a really nasty header when him and Chris Gosselar tangled and he did an instant faceplant with no chance to put his hands out or even prepare to break his fall. He had not been the same since then,
Really glad to see Martin get a ride even if some say it would be his last chance. I think he will show more and more of what he is made of as the season progresses.
Congrats Martin. You are a super hero! :-)
He is a good guy
jonesamatic - I agree with you. i was saying that MD deserved this, but last weeks unsung hero went to stewart for just his knee tweak...
I think the tuff block made it worse. Looked like that what was flipped him on his back and flying out further towards the concrete.
At least he could of SUpermaned it to the hot dog stand !!
Martin Davalos is in his 8th year of the 250 Class.
He's never won a race, and Phoenix was his 9th career podium, indoors and outdoors.
In that time he's raced for Star Racing (2 years), Red Bull KTM, MDK KTM (2 years), Rockstar Energy Suzuki (2 years), and Pro Circuit Kawasaki.
He's finished in the top 10 in points 4 times in Supercross (9th place all four times) and 3 times in Motocross (an 8th and two 9th's).
So tell me, in what way does he deserve that Pro Circuit ride?
therealmofo, don't be a sore loser, calm down.
How does me not liking a 8 year veteran of the 250 class still racing the 250 class, makes me a sore loser?? I dont hate the guy, he is probably a really good guy, but I dont like the idea of making a career of the 250 class.. Alex Martin or somebody like that could use that ride, not a 26 year old vet running the beginner class..
What a tough Mother F&^ker.
@smee113,
You make great points about his results, but look at the bikes/teams he was riding for. I felt this way about Weimer when he joined PC back in 2009? Sometimes it takes longer to prove you deserve that ride. I'd rather see Davalos, or even Sipes get a PC ride before Hansen. I don't see Mitch handing these bikes out for charity, so he must see something in Davalos.
davolos is fast but he makes mistakes all the time or he doesnt have the fitness
therealmofo - the 250 class is 'the beginner class'? Are you kidding me? Those guys RIP it, whether in SX or MX, and sometimes (particularly in 250 MX), I think the action and racing is actually better, because I think there's even more depth in the 250's. Sometimes the guys battling for 15th in 250 are hauling it (remember WIndham's 20th (or so) finish in one 250 moto a few years ago? - and no, I'm not putting down Windham). Admittedly, the depth in the 450s is better/deeper now. But still...
Jason Thomas wishes they handed out this award when he was racing. What about that dumb sphincter with the #7 that raced to a 6th with a "bad" knee? I think he deserves this award more (this is sarcasm for all the bubbles lovers out there that would not be able to notice).
DAvalos is one tuff soldier. He took a hard hit.. If that were james stewart he'd be out the whole season. all you .haters can suck it
codjh9--Never said it wasnt great racing and the guys arent great riders.. But it is the beginner class, made as a stepping stone to the 450 class..And there is always more depth in that class, the teams generally pay a smaller salary per rider and have more riders and more teams.. I am not down on the 250's.. I love the racing there, just dont like the idea of a guy who is that old and that much a vet riding against 16, 17 and 18 year olds and making a career of it.. Its time to move on..
smee113 wrote: "So tell me, in what way does he deserve that Pro Circuit ride?"
Because Mitch likes this kid...end of discussion...
@therealmofo how is the situation in the 250s any different to what we all face in our jobs in the real world? You have the old wise dogs and the young guns. Unless you retire, you don't just roll over do you? Oh its there turn now.....yeah right. How old are you?
Just be thankful they have not introduced the age limit they have done in the gps. Now that was a dumbass move. Everyone knows that some people ride 250s better than 450s. They are just better suited to it. And to put it to bed, yes the 250s is the "beginner" class for all riders that end up winning championships. But how many people win championships?? For the rest of the professional racers, its just that, a profession (regardless of whether they are in the 250 or 450 class).
I hate that the 250 class somehow turned into the "development" class, it should be the mandatory class when turning pro for safety reasons (specifically SX) but it should be treated as its own entity. Like people said above, there are 250 riders and 450 riders and both, why limit the depth of a professional race series by making one class the "beginner" class.
Nice guy, but can't ever get it done. Better enjoy your last 250 rides, you will not be able to race the 450's, so get that cash now.
@Retardcross: so true! Let et the 250 class be 'professional'.