GEICO Honda's Justin Barcia (Photo: Honda Red Riders)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Round 7 of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship from Dallas, TX will air LIVE on SPEED Saturday, February 18 at 8:30pm ET. #SXonSPEED
After patiently sitting on the sidelines for six weeks while their West Coast brethren waged battle over the first third of the season, the young up-and-comers of the Supercross Lites East Region take center stage for the next two+ months as they race to determine a champion.
Tonight will kick off the eight-race championship for the East Region and the depth of talent set to line up on the gate this evening is arguably even greater than it is out West.
Leading the way is reigning East Region Champion Justin Barcia. 'Bam Bam,' who returns for one final stint with GEICO Honda, is the favorite to repeat. Barcia spent the majority of last summer on a 450cc bike, subbing for the Factory Honda team and, through that experience, emerged an even better rider. He’s going to be tough.
There is little doubt that Barcia’s most formidable foe this season will be Blake Baggett. In two seasons as a pro, Baggett has claimed at least one victory each year, so he knows how to get the job done. The only thing that has held him back is consistency but with Mitch Payton mentoring him under the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki tent, this could be the breakout year for Baggett.
Speaking of breakout seasons -- and Mitch Payton’s tutelage -- a lot of industry eyes are on newly-signed Darryn Durham. Given the opportunity of a lifetime, Durham has high hopes for what he might be able to accomplish with the winningest team in the history of the sport behind him. It's not so much hype as genuine excitement to see what Durham has for his East coast rivals.
Another face in a new place is that of Blake Wharton. For the first time in his career Wharton will be riding something other than a Honda, joining forces with Rockstar Energy Suzuki. Based on what we’ve seen out West, the Suzukis are capable of running at the front, and Wharton, after a nightmarish season last year marred by nagging injuries, is back to full health and motivated to battle it out with some familiar faces. He's a former winner in this division; he's proven he has the speed. As if he needed any extra spark, Wharton will be anxious to impress in front of the hometown crowd tonight.
