Every cloud has a silver lining.

With Canada not fielding a team for this year’s Motocross of Nations in France, that meant three-time Canadian national champion Colton Facciotti was available to step in when Christian Craig dropped to the sideline at the Southwick round of the United States Motocross Championships.

Facciotti will replace Craig in the Troy Lee Designs / Lucas Oil / Honda team for the remaining rounds of the US series.

Facciotti travelled south and posted a solid fifth place in the opening 450 moto at the Massachusetts round of the nationals.

“I’m looking forward to the last couple rounds and seeing how Colton can do,” says Troy Lee, the team’s owner. “I love to see a kid that is hungry to make it happen and I see that fire in him. I think he is going to surprise a lot of people who haven’t followed his career. The kid is fast.”

Colton is anxious to for this weekend too. “I’m pumped to get the opportunity to ride for TLD,” said Facciotti.

“It’s always been a dream of mine since I was little to get on one of the elite teams in the US and hopefully I can do them proud and get some good results.”

© Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com