Racer X Outstanding Performance: Cole Seely
Sunday, February 26, 2012 | 5:55 PM
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Last week Cole Seely told us he’d like to finish in the top ten in his 450 rides for Muscle Milk Honda, and by that measure, he did well by finishing sixth in Atlanta. But his performance was much more impressive than a sixth-place finish even indicates, and that’s why we are presenting him with this week’s Racer X Outstanding Performance Award.
Seely holeshot the SX class main and then held his own against 2010 SX Champion Ryan Dungey, leading for seven laps.
“That was amazing,” said Seely to us after the race. “Coming back onto the 450s for the second time, that was more than I expected.”
Lap after lap clicked off with Seely running the pace of the fastest 450 riders in the world. He looked smooth doing it, too. “It was kind of confusing. No one was putting a wheel in on me for the first three laps, and then I kinda’ thought I could win the thing. After I led the first five laps, I thought, “I don’t know, I guess I only have to do three more of those!”
Seely wasn't pumped on Dungey's aggressive pass--but he'll learn from it, surely.
Cudby Photo
Then Dungey closed up on the Lites West contender and made an aggressive pass, shutting down Seely’s drive before a rhythm section. “But once Dungey passed me, I kind of lost my composure a little bit. I just got a little tight. Just leading that long, and having Dungey slow me up like that, it kind of made everything come back to me.”
Seely would later tweet that he held his breath for those first seven laps. Certainly there are lessons to be learned from this performance, and he can transfer those lessons over to his return to Lites racing in April. But for now, he wants to enjoy this performance a little.
“I was pumped, it couldn’t get much better,” he said. “Well, I guess I could have won, and that would have been even better. But I’m still pumped.”
Did you like this article?
Check out TEAM HONDA AT DAWN
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Forty years ago, Team Honda arrived on the American motocross circuit with a brand new motorcycle: the game-changing Elsinore CR250. Page 170.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Hondas' gotta be pleased with that performance! Seely was fast and smooth.
Seely looked fast. Leave him on the 450 for the rest of the supercross season.See what he can do
When honda signed Brayton, I said good solid guy, but not a real legitimate threat to win, never has been and most likely, never will.... Grant- washed up and will never be a threat to win.... Short- his time has too past and he is no longer a legitimate threat to win..... Metcalf- never has been a threat to win, never will.....Canard- was fast, and a proven winner, but way to fragile to be a threat in the near and intermediate future.....what we are seeing is a changing of the guard with Seely, Barcia, Wilson, Tomac... etc all looking at the 450's next year and it is going to be awesome to see them battling RV, RD, CR and JS on a regular basis.
I would have to agree Honda must be happy with his night. He also had the fourth fastest lap time for the night also! Not to mention that he was most likely told not to race with the point guys to hard and did not retaliate when he was passed by RD, RV, JS and let Millsaps and Brayton by also.
Great night of racing in general!
Ryan Villopoto 50.713
James Stewart 51.073
Ryan Dungey 51.257
Cole Seely 51.816
Davi Millsaps 52.528
Lites:
Justin Barcia 52.125
Blake Baggett 52.172
Blake Wharton 52.404
Ken Roczen 52.450
Justin Bogle 52.510
Unreal Seely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was an amazing ride, I would have parked Dungey after that move, no worries when you move up there will plenty of time for that. Its great that all your west coast lites competitors are sitting on their couches and your racing the fastest supercross guys in the world. I hope you come back and destroy the competition at Seattle, Salt Lake and Vegas. Win that Championship, Tomac has nothing for you and he cracks under pressure anyway, and the pip squeak Wilson has nothing for you Seely so win that championship and then take a deal with Factory Honda. If Honda does not take you go to Factory Suzuki as I am sure Metcalfe will not have a ride next year. Seely you are a boss and now my favorite rider, good riding son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seely the future fastest man on the planet. JS7 your a punk for the move you put on Seely. I guess you had to because your season sucks and you will never win another SX championship. Your days are over son, better start Nascar with JGR.
wow maursf...
rippin hard on a bunch of great riders not cool. last i heard stewy has 40 plus wins your comparing him to seely leading 7 laps. probably your first year watching supercross i apologise.
maursf...
embarrassing posts.
@Mbmoto Your comment was better that the artical and right on point !
Great ride but I think a lot of riders can go fast the first 5 laps or so. He did fade like a cheap suit after RD passed him.
I'm sure maursf typed those posts one handed, while his other was occupied.
Great ride Seely, welcome to the big leagues.
Coolhand
I am not sure what race you were watching.
Seely finished 36 seconds behind RD - waited at least 8 -10 seconds for Millsaps and Brayton to pass at the end, so minus that and you have about 28 seconds out of first and he would have finished in fourth or fifth.
And it took RD almost 9 laps to pass him, a big fade would be like josh hansen who started in forth and ended up in 15th. Any way Not bad for a guy who only had a week of practice on the big bike.
He is not the fastest but he is fast enough and very rarely rides over his head, he is a very smooth rider, if he keeps it up on two wheels he will get faster.
Can't wait to see how it goes next week.
Great ride by Seely, I was really impressed and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Hope to see more of him tossing it up in the 450 class.
In hansen's defense, I think he may have stalled the bike and had trouble getting it started again. I thought it said that he was -1 at some point, close to the lap where JS passed him.
Personally, I was not all that surprised by seely. I knew that he was going to be fast but I didn't know that he would be able to lead for that long. Big things to come in the future for sure! There may be 8 riders next season capable of winning this thing.
Didn't mean to pick on Hansen, he is actually doing really well, just looking for a good example of the definition of the word (fade) in that race.
CS showed he has the speed to run up front on a 450. He will only get better from here, and will really be ready to throw down next year.
Honda has always had luck when they bump the young boys up. Canard , Barcia, Seely.