Team Honda Muscle Milk's Trey Canard (Photo: Honda Powersports)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The Daytona Supercross will air LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, March 9th at 7:30pm ET.
This past Saturday Honda Red Riders took on round nine of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship series at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia finished a solid fifth place and Trey Canard snagged a remarkable eighth, despite having to restart in last place. During the third round of the Eastern Regional 250 Supercross class, Muscle Milk-sponsored GEICO Honda’s Wil Hahn nailed down his second victory and for the first time in his career topped the points standing.
450 Race
In the main, Barcia got a good jump off the line, coming through the first turn in second. Three laps in, the red flag brought the race to a halt and riders returned to the start straight for a single-file restart. It was an intense battle for the lead from the beginning of the restart all the way to the checkered flag. Barcia continued to swap positions in the front of the pack until making a pass for second, but then he bobbled and missed jumping the triple. This knocked him back to fifth place, where he finished.
A crash in the first few laps left Canard at the back of the single-file restart. Throughout the remaining 17 laps, Canard put his head down and worked his way up to eighth at the finish. He still sits fourth overall in the championship standing. “It was a tough night for me,” stated Canard. “I went down in the beginning of the main, which left me at the back of the pack when we did the restart. I just put my head down and did the best I could to work my way forward. I am just grateful it is another healthy weekend and we are on to the next round.”
During his second showing in the 450 Supercross class, Muscle Milk supported GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac suffered the after effects of the stomach flu. He ran with the leaders during his heat race until going down in the sand section, forcing him to transfer to the main via the LCQ. In the main, Tomac did his best to keep the intensity up but ran out of steam and was forced to settle for 13th.
“I was trying to go for a pass in the sand section during my heat and ended up going down, which cost me,” said Tomac. “In the main I definitely struggled energy-wise. After being sick during the week, I just had no energy left. Each weekend I feel like I learn a lot and hopefully can have a better result in Daytona.”
250 Race
For the second consecutive week, Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda’s Wil Hahn nailed down another victory and took over the championship points lead. Hahn was dominant in the main event, clinching the holeshot and leading the entire 15-lap race despite challenges from the competition. “This is an unreal feeling,” Hahn said. “Going from no wins to two feels so good, and means the world to me. Having confidence is key and this really helps. I just need to stay consistent and ride smart. I can’t wait to see the red plate on my bike.”
In his heat race, rookie Zach Bell grabbed another holeshot aboard his Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda CRF250R but crashed in the sand section and ended up in the LCQ. Transferring into the main via an LCQ win, Bell rode a solid race to finish a respectable ninth. “I had a really bad gate pick in the main after having to go through the LCQ so I didn’t get the best jump,” said Bell. “I wasn’t able to jump the triple and was basically dead last.”
The Focus: A New Look for the All-New 2013 CRF450R
As just one glance will attest, the 2013 CRF450R sports aggressive new bodywork and styling, with an ergonomic design that allows the rider to move around on the bike more easily. Plus, bodywork attachment points where the rider contacts the bike have been made more rigid so the rider can grip the bike more solidly for better feel and control. In addition, the rear fender now has a lift point with integrated support to make it easier to hoist the bike onto a stand, and a new tank shape integrates smoothly with the new bodywork, while also boosting fuel capacity from 1.50 to 1.66 gallons to appreciably extend riding range. As a final bit of detail work, the footpegs use a different mount, which incorporates a new guard that prevents mud from packing underneath it in ruts.