Jonah Brittons sailed to victory on the Blackwater Motocross Track despite a frightening mishap to start off his day.
"It wasn't really scary," said the 12 year old about gasoline splashing in his face during his 85 cc 7-11 race Saturday morning during the BCMA North Series Race hosted by the Prince George Motocross Association. "It burned and it doesn't taste very good."
The accident happened as Brittons led the pack near the end of the 12-minute race when he laid his bike down after having trouble coming out of a rut.
"My triple clamp bolt is what holds the forks in place, it came [loose] and it broke my cap for my gas tank," said Brittons. "I didn't know so I started my bike back up. I was going hard, hit a jump and gas came up and got in my mouth and eyes.
"I came off quickly to the pits, dropped the bike and laid on the ground," he continued. "Luckily there was an eye doctor and paramedics and they cleaned my eyes out."
Once he received the go ahead from paramedics, Brittons hopped on his bike and cruised to a win in the Super Mini moto. His mom Tracy said he won by "at least a block," but Brittons was more modest.
"Actually I kind of did break a sweat," he said. "It's always been hard because there's always been faster riders than me in [the motos], but now that they've moved up, there's still a couple fast guys, but I'm starting to pull ahead."
In his second 85 cc, a combined event with the 12-16 class riders, Brittons rode his KTM to a first place finish in the 7-11 class and finished third overall, catching all but two riders in the older class, despite starting 60 seconds later.
"I've got confidence and I've got a lot of experience," said Brittons. "Most people have rode for seven or eight years. I've only rode three years."
Brittons has 26 wins in 30 motos since last fall and was fifth in the BCMA series in Super Mini in 2011. He also won his Super Mini moto Saturday afternoon to take first overall.
The soon-to-be Grade 7 student at Hart Highlands elementary learned how to control a bike in the multiplex (CN Centre) parking lot where his dad Shane would take him to ride his Pocket Rocket wearing his older brother's old hockey gear for protection.
In 2011 Brittons finished ninth in the 85 cc 7-11 class on his KTM at the Western Canadian Amateur Motosports championship. He plans to win when he returns to Raymond, Alta., for the 2012 event, June 28-30 in what is his final year of eligibility in the 7-11 class.
"I'm psyched," said Brittons. "I finished ninth last year when I was less than half the rider I am now."
Other Prince George riders headed for Raymond this week are: Jake Jose, Jess Pettis, Landon Nelson, Connor Scott and Blade Degen. Two riders from Fort St. James are also listed: Warren Constantine and Sarah King.
Brittons has a simple reason why he plans to return home with top prize.
"I love to win," smiled Brittons.
