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DEAN WILSON
450 SX / 8TH
IMAGE / REEVES WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> The 2018 Supercross season has been quite the ordeal for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Dean Wilson. The Scottish rider has been dealing with an ailing shoulder injury that he suffered way back at the beginning of the season. It is officially a bone bruise and a deep contusion on his shoulder that has been hindering him. The injury is not severe enough to keep him from racing, but it is surely lengthening the recovery process and nagging him when he is on the bike. It is even nagging him off the bike like when he is sleeping or just doing everyday tasks. It’s been quite the nag, but Wilson has been finding
a way to deal with it and he is slowly returning back to his full potential. He struggled mightily early in the season while riding with it, but it is slowly but surely beginning to heal, and you can tell by the way Wilson has been performing. Five straight top tens dating all the way back to San Diego, so he would look to keep the streak alive here in St. Louis.
Wilson really seemed to enjoy the track in the morning practice sessions because he managed to throw down some heaters that resulted in the fourth fastest lap time of the class. He looked more springy and loose than in recent weeks and it definitely appeared that he was getting more used to riding with that injury. He was eager to try and put all the pieces together come race time.
Wilson rocketed out to a great start in his heat race coming around lap one in third behind Tyler Bowers and Broc Tickle. Wilson found a burst of speed on the second lap to swing by Tickle to secure second and go after Bowers for the lead. Wilson did a good job stalking Bowers and that pressure eventually forced Bowers into a big mistake resulting in him going down. Wilson then inherited the lead and looked to run away with it. He strung together some nice laps, but he soon had company from first-time winner from a week ago, Justin Brayton. Brayton was fresh off that win in Daytona and riding a huge wave of confidence and there was nothing Wilson could do. Brayton passed him with two laps to go and Wilson would have to settle with the second-place finish. Even though he didn’t get the win, it was the best heat race all year for Wilson and being able to lead the laps surely helped with his confidence.
Unfortunately, Wilson could not replicate his good start from the heat race in the main event. He started off in ninth and struggled mightily off the bat. He got shuffled back to eleventh on lap two and was floundering. He circulated back there for a bit before finding his groove a few laps in and he started to inch back forward. He got back into ninth on lap six, but the damage had been down. The rest of the field had established a sizable cushion on him. He had to stay the course and continue to stay locked in for the rest of the way. He saw Christian Craig in front of him and he knew he had a chance at catching him. Lap after lap he inched closer until finally, on lap twenty-two, he made the pass on him to take over eighth. Wilson would maintain that spot over the last few laps to secure the eighth-place finish. It was
a funky ride for Wilson, but it was indeed another solid top ten performance. Sooner or later he will be back fighting closer to get in that top five.
54 GRITMOTO • MARCH 18, 2018