Daytona Baby!!!!: And just like that we are into the month of March. Daytona marks a pivotal point in the schedule that identifies where your season is headed. For East riders Mark and Max, that direction will be up the rankings. They both had some speed bumps in the first two rounds but now is the time for them to show what they are capable of. One thing people have learned about this team is that we are very persistent. If there are obstacles along the way, we work together to overcome them.
MAX VOHLAND #92: Max has a fire in him that will rival the most competitive athletes in any sport. His skill on a bike is unmatched and everyone is very familiar with his current situation. That does not slow him down in the least. Rolling into his style of track at Daytona gives him another opportunity to showcase his passion for racing and we all expect a breakout ride. All things considered, it is a great story and one that will be told for years to come. Max has been working overtime to get the bike where he wants it to be competitive. You can see his speed at the last round in Detroit, so it is just a matter of time before all the pieces are in place to land him on the podium. Finishing nineth overall is not nearly what he is capable of. There is way more in the tank.
MARK FINEIS #62: Mark whittled his way through the day In Detroit, barely making the night show. Then taking the last transfer spot in the LCQ on his way to the main event. To his credit, he put all of that behind him and ripped a good start and rounded the first corner in sixth place in the main event. His eighteenth-place finish is not indicative of his skill level, so he spent the off week getting mentally and physically prepared for Daytona. Mark shines under the spotlights of Daytona so, again, expectations have been raised to a new level. For a kid that led laps in the pro outdoor series, it is just a matter of time for him to do the same in Supercross.
COTY SCHOCK #37: Daytona is just a six-hour drive from the ClubMX Training Facility, so he made the decision to line up in the 450 class on his 250. Makes sense to us! It is warm there, he loves to ride his dirt bike and he loves a good challenge. So, the team decided to sacrifice a training day and replace it with a race. His recent podium performance in Arlington has added some confidence and momentum to his program, so continuing to race is the right decision. Expectations? We leave that up to him. Gaining experience and having fun are two of the best reasons and we look forward to accomplishing both.
SMX NEXT RIDERS: Daytona brings the second of four rounds of the SMX Next program. Top five from each round make it to the Championship event later this season. From ClubMX we will line up three riders.
ALEX FEDORTSOV #600:, RYDER MALINOSKI #981 and new addition, JESSON TURNER #257. Al three have been training with the pro riders on a regular basis and show the skill to advance to the Championship. This will be a great test for all three of them as they look to advance their careers into the pro ranks.