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DEAN WILSON
450 SX / 8TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / WARNER DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> For Deano 2018 could be going better, after watching him heroically rebuild his career on a privateer Yamaha in early 2017, to spending the remainder of the year aboard a Factory Husqvarna many expected to see him nearly returned to his former “Scottish Sensational” ways for the 2018 season. Like many others though, crashes and injuries have once again set Dean back, but since his return, he has been build- ing every week and by now he is getting close to where he was prior to is hard hit at Anaheim one. Daytona brings back fond memories for Dean. In 2014 after making his nal attempt a 250 Supercross title and coming up short he had the opportunity to ride a TwoTwo Motorsports 450 at Daytona. That night he pulled the Main Event hole- shot, he would drop back to seventh, but still, something to be proud of and to use for motivation. Third overall in qualifying would start Deans Daytona run on a good note. Due to the nature of the Daytona track: long straightaway’s, rollers, whoops, and sand that can reach up and bite you. The long-legged Scotsman looked poised to re-stamp his belonging at the top of the 450 class. In Heat One coming across the stripe in sixth Dean wasted no time jumping into the top ve. Veteran Chad Reed who continues
to gain more and more steam by the week would not let Dean by easy, it would take Dean until lap four to nd a way to get around the crafty veteran rider. By the time
he was able to get to fourth though he was over three seconds behind Honda HRC rider Christian Craig and it was looking like Dean would be settling for fourth, but due to aggressive racing by Tomac and Webb, Dean found himself in the second spot by the time the checkers ew. Three gates to the right of the doghouse Wilson came into turn one looking great, but Musquin with a good jump from the inside would push him wide all the way to the tough bocks causing him to be seventh coming out of turn one. Even after getting pushed wide again in turn two and going off the track, Dean was able to avoid losing spots or going down to come across the nish on lap one in sixth. A quick pass on Friese on lap two had Dean inside the top ve, but passing Weston Peick is no easy task for anyone. Struggling to move forward he fell to Cooper Webb, then to Tomac and Musquin a few laps later. After a long grueling race on the Daytona soil Deano would cross the checkers in eighth. While this is not where Dean wants to be currently, it is a necessary step in the process to get back to contention after injury. Dean is oh too familiar with the process, but he’s not about to quit ghting.
48 GRITMOTO • MARCH 11, 2018