Motocross racing has risen in popularity a great deal in the past few years and it’s not surprising. Between the incredibly fast bikes, the rugged courses, and the big air, its no wonder people are taking more and more notice of this incredibly exciting sport. Still, you might not know too much about one of the sport’s best performers, Colton Facciotti.
Facciotti grew up, like many other motocross racers, pining for the opportunity to get on a bike. He was born in Aldergrove, British Columbia, where there isn’t a lot of opportunity for young, would-be motocross competitors. Regardless, his parents saw something in him that they felt they should nurture. Santa Claus gave little Colton his first bike at age 4 — a Christmas gift that would eventually spawn a passion so intense that it would become Facciotti’s profession. Lucky for Colton, he had some natural ability to go along with his unrelenting drive to be the best.
Colton started racing shortly after he received his first bike even though he had to travel across the border to the U.S. to do it. Unfortunately for Facciotti, his local motocross sanctioning body didn’t have a division for kids his age, so he and his family would make the long trek south of the border in order for him to compete. And all of that travel and hard work would eventually pay off for Colton when he attended the annual TransCan in Walton, Ontario in 2000 — that’s when Colton won his first National Championship. In a competition against the best racers in Canada, he came out on top.
Only two years later, Colton went pro. At the age of 14, young Facciotti made a name for himself as a talented rider with impeccable technique. Since then, he has been able to perform some pretty incredible feats.
Colton won his first MX1 championship in 2008. He dominated the series, winning more than half of the motos in which he competed. But he didn’t stop there. Colton came back the next year, full of the confidence that only a champion can muster, and won the 2009 MX1. After being briefly sidelined during the 2010 season due to injury, Colton sprang back to his winning ways and promptly took the 2011 MX1 title as well.
But with the thrill of motocross, also comes a good amount of danger. Facciotti knows all about it. For the past two years, after intense training and promising starts to his racing seasons, Colton has suffered injuries that have prevented him from competing. This type of adversity could be tough to stomach for someone who has had so much success. How frustrating it must be, to be at the top of your game, a perennial champion, and be forced to sit out and watch your competitors revel in a spotlight that you once held.
Of course, that’s not Colton’s style. Facciotti is coming into the 2014 season with a healthy body and mind. He’s ready to compete at the sport’s highest level and he’s ready to retake his crown.
