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DEAN WILSON
450 MX / 10TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> Earlier this year, if you would’ve asked Dean Wilson where he would envi- sion himself, say 6 months from the start of the New Year, he would simply say “I don’t know.” Such a scary phrase to be uttered by a motocross rider, but the former national champion was unsure of what he would be doing as far as living means by this point in the year, but was willing to give it a shot, in order to fulfill his dream and put food on the table. The first moto was reiterating that notion, charging hard, riding the 450 as if it were a crisp 125, moving from 15th and nearing the top ten in the early going. Doubling through the pre-finish line rollers as if he were on a pogo stick with wheels, he was on the balls of his feet at all times, all the while letting the shirttail of his jersey flash in the wind. All seemed to be well, until in the latter portion of the moto, when a mistake after the finish line caused the bike to shoot off into the flagger’s area; luck-
ily, the bike would take the brunt of the blow, and he would remount, finishing 15th. A fourth place start for moto number two saw him in a much more favor- able position to begin with, battling amongst the brightest stars in the game. Skying over the far side down-hill triple, he was volleying between both inside and outside of the two-lane sections. Pushing the Husqvarna to brink of blow- ing, neither his stamina or machine was faltering, all the while battling with the likes of Musquin and Justin Bogle. Marvin would work his away around on lap ten, pushing his fourth place ride down a position, but he would do his best to study the Frenchman. It would work, as he would ride to the checkered flag, the number 25 just ahead, finishing fifth in the moto and tenth overall.
56 GRITMOTO • AUGUST 20, 2017