Unbound Energy’s Blair & Wharton Make SX Lites Top Ten
CORONA, Calif. – Unbound Energy supercross racers Daniel Blair and Blake Wharton, riding for the Geico Powersports/Honda team, both made it into the top ten ESX class standings this past weekend at round 13 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, held at the Rogers Center in Toronto.
With one round remaining in the eight-round ESX Lites championship, Wharton, who won the previous weekend’s round in St. Louis, trails Nico Izzi by ten points – 112-102 – for the third and final ESX overall podium position. And Blair – who joined the Unbound Energy-backed Geico Powersports/Honda team earlier this month (replacing injured Brett Metcalfe) – has made his way up into the top ten, 9th overall and four points (75-71) ahead of Steven Clarke (10th).
Blair opened the action in Toronto by rallying back from an early mistake in his heat race – that put him back in 11th place – to catch back up to the ninth and final transfer spot. Blair held off Dennis Jonon and Josh Lichtle in his successful bid to transfer to the main.
In the next heat Wharton, who was cookin’ in the timed qualifying practice session (4th fastest behind Christophe Pourcel at :53.498), had the No. 2 gate pick and used that to his advantage – until a second-lap crash into some Tuff Blocks knocked him back a few spots. But Wharton kept his CRF250R running and was up to 4th place with three laps to go in his heat, a spot he’d hold through the checkers.
Prior to the main SPEED TV showcased Unbound Energy’s Blair in its “Featured Rider” section of the show and Blair talked about everything from being in a rock & roll band to playing on the Warped Tour.
When the gate dropped on the Toronto ESX Lites main event Blair pulled the better start of the two, coming around in 8th while Wharton was deep in the pack, moving his way up to 12th by the end of the first lap. Wharton then went down on the fourth turn rollercoaster of the second lap and was in dead last place by the time he got his bike picked up.
“My fault entirely,” said Wharton. “Same bike that I won on last week and I just made some mistakes I shouldn’t have – both in my heat race and the main.”
To his credit Wharton fought back hard and blasted his way through the pack to make it into the top ten and save himself at least a mathematical shot and the overall ESX podium, finishing one spot ahead of Izzi (11th).
And Blair would hold on to 9th place with a consistent ride on the rocky and rutted Toronto track.
Next up for the Unbound Energy-backed Geico Powersports/Honda racers is this weekend’s running of the Jacksonville (Fla.) SX at Municipal Stadium, round 14 of the series and the final ESX Lites round. For more information on supercross visit www.supercrosssonline.com And for the latest reports and features on the Geico Powersports/Honda Team – fueled by Unbound Energy – check back often to www.unboundenergy.com
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