Page 40 - Issue45

MARTIN DAVALOS
250 SX / 4TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> Each and every Supercross racer who chooses to line the gates for the most pristine two-wheeled series in the world has overcome mountains of trouble and hardships to get to this point in their career. The peaks and valley’s of a motocross star can be truly some of the highest and lowest in all of sports, with the satisfaction of claiming a championship, and the dismay of laying injured being the two polar opposite ends of the spectrum. Every round can act as a trouble climb itself, with the mountains in which line the outer rim of Salt Lake City proving to be no different. Whether it was the notorious blue-grooved dirt, the seemingly techinal layout, or the variables of cool temperatures and an open sta- dium, this round could throw it all at a rider; and Martin Davalos ready for it. Growing up throughout his amateur career, he was faced with many trials and tribulations; whether it was injuries and months of therapy, or bikes blowing up while leading an event; you name it, he’s done it. However, those falls in the trenches make the taste of victory that much sweeter, and his taste buds were yearning for that ever so quenching win as he took home to Salt Lake for the weekend. With solid practice efforts, his mechanic patting him on the back as they rolled out the tunnel and into the parking lot, he knew the task at hand com- ing into the night show. After captivating a heat race win in the first order of qualifying, he knew that if he could just generate that same motion for a instance of fifteen minutes, he could score another win to the record books. However, his start wasn’t anywhere near that of what we’ve seen in previous times of the Ecuadorian, and he would be forced to charge from the back. The number 30 was deep, only mustering an eighth place position within the first few laps, knowing his textbook back of veteran tricks would have to be put to use. Inside, outside, he was hitting all corners of every specific mogul on the course, hooking the ruts in a bowed motion, never letting go of the throttle the entire time. Passing names such as Dan Reardon, and Jimmy Decotis, he would continue to pick the stems of the field, plucking his way into fourth in the final laps. And that would have it, the sweat drip- ping from the foam, steam coming from his hair, a fourth place finish would be all he could muster, even though his surge on Justin Hill came within a hair! But a well deserved pat on the back from team members would be reassuring, knowing that he would have another chance to prove himself down the road.
40 GRITMOTO • APRIL 23, 2017