Dual DEnsITy Eps lInER FEaTuREs EXTEnsIVE VEnTIng THaT alIgns wITH sHEll VEnT pORTs Fully aDjusTablE, 3 sCREw VIsOR pROVIDEs aMplE COVERagE
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REaR EXHausT VEnTs allOw HOT aIR TO EsCapE quICkly
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thE VErgE hElmEt and it's many >> ExpEriEncE fEaturEs at: THORMX.COM/VERgEHElMET
2013-04-18 4:48 PM
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CHAD REED / PHOTO: GARTH MILAN
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CHAD REED X TWO TWO
CHARTER AVAILABLE NOW
TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING
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TLD MOBILE APP AVAILABLE ON iTUNES
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SE3 TEAM HELMET IS AVAILABLE IN BLACK OR NAVY SOLD AT FINER DEALERS IN CANADA • WWW.TROYLEEDESIGNS.COM
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MXP_SCOTT_12-2_2013.pdf
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ty SX Berat Nicky Unde the Lights iNSide thiS iSSUe
41831514 41831514
june 2013 路 $4.95 Volume 12 Issue 2
c on t en t s // vol ume 1 2 - is s ue 2
F e at u r e s
toRoNto SUpeRcRoSS The T Dot Does It Again
the GReateSt Moto eveR Travers Relives 2007
chad Reed iNteRview The 22 Opens Up
54 6D Helmets A Change In Safety 58 Cover Boy Nicky Beatty Working On The Night Show 68 Toronto Supercross Supercross Returns To Tdot 80 CMRC National Preview Who To Watch In 2013 92 OTSFF Team History The Growth Of A Canadian Power House Team 100 Great Moto Ever! 2007 Sand Del Lee 110 Chad Reed Interview 22 Opens Up 118 Deschambault Is Back! Back To A Beauty 124 Young and On The Rise Micheal De Silva 128 Tire Buyers Guide Columns
42 Starting Point By Brett Lee New Start 44 Time Out With TDags By Tyler Medaglia Everything For A Reason 46 Up Shift By Brian Koster Spring Time 138 High Octane Human Performance by Craig Stevenson Finding The Edge 140 Evolved Nutrition By Drew Robertson Youth Training 142 On the Cutting Room Floor by Marc Traver Cause For Reflection Specials
38 Caught On Camera 48 Behind The Gate
12.02_ToC_v1.indd 1
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Atlas Congrats RV MXP Spread.indd 2 Atlas.indd 2
4/30/13 7:55:46 PM 2013-05-01 5:06 PM
Atlas C
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Congratulations Ryan from our family to yours. World SX Champion 2011-2012-2013
THE ONLY COMPLETE FAMILY OF BRACES
Distributed in Canada by Atlas - Ph: 604 542-5661 Fx: 604 542-5666
Atlas Congrats RV MXP Spread.indd 3 Atlas.indd 3
4/30/13 7:55:54 PM 2013-05-01 5:06 PM
Check out FXRRACING.COM to find our DEALER LOCATOR and product information
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TEAM MARIN MX COLTON FACCIOTTI
BOBBY KINIRY
DYLAN KAELIN
TYLER MEDAGLIA
SHAWN MAFFENBIER
COLE THOMPSON
KAVEN BENOIT
RICHARD GREY
JEREMY MEDAGLIA
marinbikes.com
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OFFICIAL BICYCLES OF THE CMRC MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS NATIONALS
: marinbikesfb
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+ Exposed Brock Hoyer
//
Photo by: James Lissimore
Traveling to race the Monster Energy Supercross Series has become a daunting challenge for many Canadian pros. BC’s Brock Hoyer, seemed oblivious to the intimidation, and lined up for Seattle supercross with a open mind, and a goal of having fun. He was 28th in qualifying and rewarded with a spot in the night show in front of a jammed pack Seattle stadium.
24 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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+ Exposed Kiniry Style
//
Photo by: Marc Landry
On the race track there is not a more competitive, intense athlete in the world than Bobby Kiniry. Kiniry is entering his fifth year racing the Canada series, his third for Yamaha. No doubt he will come into 2013 very focused and set on claiming his first Canadian MX1 Championship.
26  June 2013 ¡ Motocross Performance
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+ Exposed Transfer Master
//
Photo by: Marc Landry
Kevin Windham wowed the crowd for the very last time in Toronto at this year’s supercross. Windham farewell tour has given fans one last chance to say thank you for his long career in the sport.
June 2013 · Motocross Performance 29
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+ Exposed The Thompson Boys // Photo by: Marc Landry
Motocross at every level comes down to support. At the very core of his support, from the very beginning in every racer’s career is the support of family. It is a racer’s greatest strength. Cole Thompson’s family has been there from the beginning of his journey from Walton on his PW50, to becoming a podium threat in the Monster Energy Lites Supercross Class. Perhaps non more than brother Kyle. The two have criss-crossed North America for years, brothers chasing a dream.
30 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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+ Exposed S t a r t I n t e n si t y
//
Photo by: Marc Landry
The start of the very first heat of the night at supercross represents the release of a night of excitement, emotion, intensity, defeat and victory. It all begins in these moments.
32窶カune 2013 ﾂｷ Motocross Performance
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THE TROPHY WEIGHS 32 POUNDS.
HAD THE POWER TO HAUL IT. MOTOR TREND’S 2013 TRUCK OF THE YEAR®
S:9.75”
ALL-NEW 2013 RAM 1500 Meet Motor Trend’s 2013 Truck of the Year.® The all-new 2013 Ram 1500 achieves best-in-class fuel economy,* up to 7.8 L/100 km (36 MPG) HWY thanks to innovations like a segment-first 8-speed automatic transmission* and best-in-class aerodynamics.* Add a class-exclusive four-corner air suspension* and an all-new premium interior, and it’s no wonder Motor Trend p picked Ram to be their trophy truck.
RAMTRUCK.CA *Based on Automotive News full-size pickup classification. 11.4 L/100 km (25 MPG) city and 7.8 L/100 km (36 MPG) highway on HFE model with 3.6 L V6 4x2 and 8-speed transmission. 2013 EnerGuide highway fuel consumption ratings. Government of Canada test methods used. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. Ask your retailer for complete EnerGuide information.
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+ Exposed Medaglia Choices // Photo by: Marc Landry
Sometimes doing what is best for yourself, is a tough call to make. Tyler Medaglia entered 2013 on the GDR Honda TLD Team, a team he help build and steered by a personal friend. In early March, he made the switch to factory KTM. It was a hard call to make, but a decision he believes is best for his young family and will lead him to the 2013 MX1 National championship.
34窶ェebruary 2013 ﾂｷ Motocross Performance
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Start on a Honda Stay on a Honda
CRF230F Seat Height 878 mm
CRF150F Seat Height 832 mm
CRF100F Seat Height 785 mm
CRF80F Seat Height 734 mm
CRF110F Seat Height 667 mm
CRF50F Seat Height 548 mm
They’re growing up so fast. From your child’s first step to the day their training wheels came off, your pride as a parent has grown. Now, they’re eager and ready for a new challenge. Honda is here to help you pick the right bike, considering all ages, sizes and skill levels. Start your youngster off on the right path and open a whole new world of experience and confidence. Honda has a perfect ride - for nearly every size.
Size your child’s ride at honda.ca/sizemycrf
Honda Powersports Canada
@HondaPowerCA
Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing, and please respect the environment when riding. Obey the law and read your owner’s manual thoroughly. Honda recommends taking a motorcycle rider training course.
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Volume 12 Issue 2 MXP has the exclusive rights to the CMRC’s mailing list of racing license holders. Every CMRC license holder from coast to coast receives and reads each issue of MXP. In addition to this exclusive list of readers, we are partnered with several motocross and off-road enthusiast organizations across the country including the FMSQ.
MXP MAGAZINE FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES CALL: Subscriptions: 416-635-MXP1 Publisher: Charles Stancer/Mark Stallybrass Editor: Brett Lee Managing Editor: Mandy Hadenko Marketing Manager: Cory Mountain Sales Manager: Allan Jaggard Senior Writers: Brian Koster, Marc Travers, Chris Pomeroy, Mark Perrin Staff Photographer: Marc Landry, James Lissimore V.P. of Sales & Marketing: Charles Stancer
2013 June 2 Motopark
Contributing Writers: Rob Munro, Peter Marcelli, Jeff Williams, Drew Robertson, David Pinkman, Lawrence Hacking, Trevor Wideman, Jim Jervis, Jaime Lyn Dacey, Dan Paris, Wes Cyr, Dave Hewitson, Ryan Lockhart, Wendy Veldhuizen, Virgil Knapp, Wes Cyr, Chris Haddad, Rob Bourque, Steve Sims, Bill Petro, Frank Hoppen, Craig Stevenson, Tyler Medaglia, Kert Broza Contributing Photographers: Frank Hoppen, Rich Shepherd, Darren Gaurlyletz, Randy Wiebe, Dave Pinkman, Trevor Wideman, Rob Munrow, George Halmazna, Jay Maloy, Alexandra Franklin, Brendan Goldstein, Brent Martin, Jeff Williams, Blair Bouchard, Brandon Gibson, Clayton Racicot, James Lissimore, Corey Wilmont, Bill Petro, Todd Markham, Dan Paris, Mitch Goheen, Marc Landry, Kert Broza, Allison Davies, Virgil Knapp
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Cover Photo: Matt Wellumson TEL: 416-633-1202 Email: charles@mxpmag.com Online: www.mxpmag.com
July 20 Sand Del Lee*
for advertising inquiries contact Charles Stancer charles@mxpmag.coM 416-633-1202
Over
Canadian Publications Mail Products Sales Agreement# 41831514 MX PERFORMANCE is published 7 times per year Canadian Postmaster: Send address corrections to: PO Box 171 Stouffville, Ontario L4A 7Z5
$10,000 s
of seRie pRizes
Subscription Rates: (1 year) Canada $15.00Cdn., U.S.A. $20.00US 416-635-MXP1
647-212-5607 MX Performance is printed in Canada Design and production by:
Group Publisher & CEO: Tim Rutledge Creative: Mike Chan Graphic Designers: Patrick Beltijar, Patrick Dinglasan, Queue Gonzalez, Edward Shitani Production: Justin Hasan
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1.
1. Flippy and Mandy enjoying the Toronto SX.
2.
2. What ever happened to the good ol’ poster signing? 3. Davey Fraser is down and out with a broken foot. We wish him all a fast recovery.
3.
Caught on camera
Photos by Marc Landry and MXP Staff
5.
4. 4. Once you get to the top level of riding, purchases like these happen often. Dylan Kaelin shows off his newest addition to his inventory. 5. The Medaglia family is known for their love of deer, but this seems to be taking the love to another notch.
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6.
6. Performance Publications Group (PPG) is stoked to be taking over the production of MXP. The Monster Girls welcome them to the MXP team with a Monster Energy Drink delivery. PPG also publishes Performance Auto & Sound and PRN Ignition. 7. A growing little Pastrana. Wonder what extreme sport he/she will excel at? 12.
8. Josh Penner shows that with a bicycle, some motivation, and some buddies, training can be that easy. 13.
7.
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1. This is what Saturday nights in the winter look like for most Canadians. Glued to the LIVE coverage of SX on SPEED.
1.
2.
2. That thing better be well-rested because the first Canadian National is fast approaching 3. Kyle Keast is known for his leadership with the younger fans and riders. Here he shows Tory Hodgkinson how to build a track at RJs. 4. Hey Ripshow!!! Coming to Walton again this year? 5. Freestyle rider Bilko knows how to party.
3.
4.
Caught on camera 5.
Photos by Marc Landry and MXP Staff
6. 5. Ryan Millar shows us his new rig for the summer. Sweet. 6. The Klatt kids. They make em’ cute.
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7. Little spot of sand, some dirtbikes, truck and trailer, and some creativity = time well spent.
7.
8.
8. This guy always seems to be attached to a microphone. This shot isn’t a motocross race.... wedding singer by night maybe?
9. Young Talon Medgalia on his Strider bike. Clearly the love of two wheels has already started. Look out...
9.
10. Not everyone has the luxury of a home shop like the Medaglia’s. A lot of work and bench racing has certainly happened in this shop over the years.
10.
11.
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11. RIP Duggy
2013-05-03 5:30 PM
> Starting Point
>IT Begins Here By Br et t L ee, Phot o by A llison D av ies
ust when you think you can predict your future or the next day, it all changes. Often that isn’t a bad thing. Last fall I left a long and maybe a too comfy spot at CMRC. No hard feelings, nothing personal, I just felt I was as far as I could go. I had a choice to either keep doing what I was doing or try something different. Six months later, I am typing this article as the new Editor of MXP. I have more opportunities in front of me than ever before in my career and I have a real sense of enthusiasm. I feel blessed for the change, and am excited things have worked out for everyone involved. “All things end badly, that is why they end” isn’t always true. The sport of motocross is rapidly changing. Thanks largely to social media and the internet, fans, promoters and riders have access to more information than ever before. The ability to get information about any topic and share it is measured in seconds. Minutes are too slow.
J
I have more opportunities in front of me than ever before in my career and I have a real sense of enthusiasm”
Fans of motocross are now looking for results or news in real time. Tweeting motos, live streaming results, streaming audio, and by year’s end expect streaming video, all to be part of the landscape at events. When I started with CMRC getting results up the same week was fast. Now it needs to be in real time. This isn’t just Pro racing; this is for regional amateur events too. For media everywhere, the challenge is to deliver on all fronts. We have to offer fans “real time” race coverage and results from all over the country. It also means offering fans more seasoned stories from behind the scenes. That is a new challenge that will be developed over the next few months for MXP Magazine; giving fans the instantaneous information they crave but conveying the real soul of Canadian motocross in a thoughtful, researched way. It is a balancing act that is exciting to try to achieve. It is a fun time, one of rapid change and one I am excited to be part of. It is a change we hope you as readers will enjoy over the next few months as we try to deliver everything you want. @brettleemx
42 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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> Time Out with TDags
> Everything for a Reason Wit h T y l er M edagl ia, Phot o b y J ames L is simor e
hat’s worse than driving 30 hours alone? Yup that’s right! Breaking down half way through. I don’t know about you but when I’m down south training and I start thinking about getting home, my mind takes over and all I want to do is leave. So I finally gave into the temptations as soon as I saw pictures of people riding in Nova Scotia. I tried to convince Jeremy to follow me home and ride the tracks near my house, but he felt like he needed to stay longer because I went down earlier than he did. I heard there was a race at Bostwick Creek, which is my favourite track in Florida, so I decided to wait until after the race to leave. It was my first race on the KTM and went really well, I am really happy with how the bike works the brakes are so good you can hold the gas longer into corners therefore allowing you to go faster. I cleaned up everything the next day loaded up and hit the road. Everything was going great - I stopped and slept in North Carolina at 2 am, woke up early had breakfast at Cracker Barrel and kept going. By 7pm I was on the Jersey turnpike, loaded with construction, I felt like I was driving through Montreal, 3 lanes of traffic going roughly 100km/h, cement barriers (no freaking shoulder), sketch. As I’m cruising along I feel the cube van shake and I looked at the road verifying that it was not rough as it felt. All of a sudden I lost all thrust and the van was just revving. I tried shifting into 2, 1, N and not a thing changed, I just kept coasting. People were laying on the horn screeching and swerving in my rear view. I was sweating bullets. As I coasted to a stop and truckers were going 2 inches from my mirror, I contemplated ghost riding it and jumping out the passenger door. The van wouldn’t even go into park,
W
luckily it was heavy enough to stay put and I got out of it into the construction zone. One of the construction workers came over to me and said I couldn’t stand on that side of the barrier because I didn’t have a hard hat or vest on. I told him I wasn’t going into the vehicle and he sure as shit wasn’t going to carry me back into it. He invited me into his truck and called the cops. Once the cop showed up he told the construction worker to leave because I was likely “cutting into his beer time” god forbid, the cop then called a tow truck and told me to get into the van. I told him there was no chance of me getting in that van, and that he could “take me in” before I went in that van. He told me I could stand where I was until the tow came. Once the tow truck came the guy looked under the van and said that the whole drive shaft was gone and also reminded me of how lucky I was to not kill somebody. The GM dealer was 7 km away the cube van was considered “medium tow” so the driver asked how much money I had. He called his boss and the guy said $550 and there was no convincing him otherwise. The next day at the dealer they tried calling like 40 places for a drive shaft, the only thing they could find was 1 new one in the discontinued GM parts place, with the yoke etc etc it was $1200 and it wouldn’t be ready for 3 more days. Luckily I have a really good friend who drove up from Maryland to pick me up, I brought my bike and gear to her place along with my road bike just in case. Sure enough we had a couple options there was a race at Budds Creek, a race at Pagoda MX in Pennsylvania, open practice at Blue Diamond in Delaware, and a road bike race in D.C. I decided to just ride my road bike locally on some of the nice Maryland rollers and hit up the mx race at Pagoda as it was a big pro am race and had open practice the day before. On race day I rode +25 and Open Pro (that had 36 450 pros), raced against Casey Clark who raced a couple seasons in Canada 06 07 I think, and Lowell Spangler who was Team Green prospect on his local track. The track was awesome, it was like a tighter version of Calgary with long deep ruts and hard pact jumps. Had a great weekend, ended up winning my motos and paying for half my drive shaft. For as bad of a situation I was in, I couldn’t have gone any better. Once the cubie was fixed and I got back on the road and within 1 hour I had to drive through NYC in bumper to bumper traffic. My heart rate was probably 170 and I was sweating the whole time hoping nothing would mess up in the absolute worst place. Fortunately I made it back safe and have been enjoying my time back with my family! I would like to thank Laura Montgomery for helping a friend in need. I really appreciate it! Hopefully next month’s episode won’t be about driving. Until next time. -TM
44 may 2013 · Motocross Performance
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> Upshift
> Spring 2013 By Br ian Kos t er
t’s hard to believe that it has been over forty years since the very first Supercross race took place. I remember it being the talk of the town in all the US Motocross magazines. The hype surrounding that event even hit the tunnel vision, mainstream stick and ball media radar. I was quite young then but my two older brothers were dialled in and included me in the loop, which was really cool. It was a big deal and that very first race proved to be a rip roaring success. It exposed our sport to a whole new audience. I can vividly remember pouring through those magazines, looking at all the cool pictures and idolizing those stars of yesteryear. The photos of the riders jumping out of the peristyle at the LA Coliseum at the very first Supercross will remain in my mind as a major turning point for our sport. Sure the bikes have evolved but the excitement then certainly rivals the hype today. The stars of yesterday were a colourful, outspoken bunch with little or no regard towards political correctness. It was a different era and one I much prefer to today’s onslaught of blinding political correctness. I think guys like Jammin’ Jimmy Weinhart and Marty Tripes had more style and flair in their pinkie fingers than a lot of what today’s riders publicly show in their entire bodies. And of course once Bob Hannah came along he set the bar… period! After the races, this guy would hold court out of the back of his cube van using it as a stage. He would revel in the moment, entertaining and interacting with his mob of fans well into the night. I know because I was part of the mob on many occasions. It was just amazing how well he embraced his fans and how much fun was had by all. Bob Hannah was, and still is for that matter, the real deal and will forever remain as one of my top three favourite riders of all time. I think today’s team managers need to work on their riders’ interview skills and throw away the boring old staid team sponsor runs. As you watch it’s pretty easy to see it’s an American thing. The Euro riders like Ken Roczen and Marvin Musquin speak more from the heart and let the viewer see who sponsors them; they use more creativity to incorporate the sponsors into their answers. A formula I like is for the rider to totally be himself then thank the sponsors at the very end of the interview, that way the rider wins a fan and the sponsor run means a lot more to the viewer. Darcy Lange, one of my favourite Canadian racers, is a perfect example. Travers and I knew that when he hit the podium his first response in an interview, no matter the question, was a complete sponsorship run. So we would ask him a junk question first, let him thank those who helped the team and then get right into some other questions to let his personality shine. Sure the sponsors pay the bills but there has to be a happy medium between the two. People want idols not robots that are programmed to say and do the right thing at all times. On the other hand, I kind of feel sorry for today’s riders as some team bosses insist on including every sponsor in an interview, and if you leave one out you are
I
I don’t think any of the stars of today started out in racing to make a living out of it. Like us all, it is a love for the sport that keeps us involved and it’s the same for most of the top guys.”
subject to a fine. Ouch, that has got to hurt! As we know, the window for making money in this sport is a small one. Pro riders are generally cheapskates, so if there is a fine at risk they will definitely tow the company line. Now this cheapskate line is not a slam but rather an observation of being involved in this sport as long as I have. They are cheap for a reason, one being they have invested a ton of their own money and sacrificed a ton of their own life to become a successful racer. Second, especially in Canada tragically, even the most prolific rider is generating a modest pay cheque. With their short career window, they are forced to watch every penny. Thirdly, I don’t think any of the stars of today started out in racing to make a living out of it. Like us all, it is a love for the sport that keeps us involved and it’s the same for most of the top guys. Just ask guys like Kevin Windham why his career spanned so long. I may be wrong here but I honestly don’t believe Windham was racing for the money these past few seasons. I’m sure there are days when it’s a horrible grind and it’s all work, but at the end of the day these guys ALL love riding and racing their dirt bikes. The top riders of yesteryear were basically foot loose and fancy free. There was not a ton of money in those days but the top guys did make some decent bucks. The media was pretty much Motocross Action, Dirt Bike Magazine, Cycle News and a few other California based publications. Television coverage was not even a dream back then as it was so far out of reach. Cycle News, which came in a newspaper format, was awesome. Being a weekly versus a monthly publication made it the Bees knees for results and the latest gossip. Other than that, the news and results in the magazines would be about two months behind the times. Even so the only way to get Cycle News in Canada was via third class mail, and when it did finally arrive there would be like five issues all bundled up at once. Back in those days not many Canadians subscribed to it so it was like gold to me and my friends. They had great writers with a true passion for two wheels and racing. If a rider did something outlandish it would take a long time to make the news. With no internet, twitter, facebook, etc., it afforded the stars a lot more privacy. A lot has changed in forty years but the thrill of Supercross remains much the same today as it was back then. The rules have barely changed and it’s still usually the best man that wins.Today’s riders are under a microscope. With the constant scrutinizing and an unrelenting public, they have to watch what they say and do. Obviously emotions run high in our sport. With so much at stake, some guys are just not happy with a podium. It’s all about winning and when that does not happen they come off as being miserable on live television. It’s a shame to see these great, respected athletes lose a fan or two due to a short emotional fall from grace. These guys all work so hard and put so much of themselves on the line, it’s no wonder they are wound up so tight. From what I understand there is no feeling like being foot loose and fancy free. Maybe I’ll find out in the next life.
46 JUNE 2013 · Motocross Performance
Upshift 12.02_v1.indd 1
2013-05-03 11:34 AM
“No Energy Drink. No Big Rig. No Excuses. It’s always been about me, and the bike.”
Kyle “The Dozer” Keast #4 MX1 Pro - Millbrook, Ontario
2013 YZ450F
yamaha-motor.ca
2013
YZ85
2013_Keast Ad.indd 1
2013
YZ125
2013
YZ250
2013
YZ250F
2013
YZ450F
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2013 Wiesner insUranCe ontario mini endUro CHampionsHip With the ever expanding Veteran classes in off-road racing in Ontario, many people are wondering where the future of our sport is going. Where are the new riders and how do we bring young people into organized competition? To anyone who has been to a World Enduro Canada Mini Enduro, the answer is obvious. The kids that participate in these events are definitely the future stars of off-road racing. These events are designed specifically for young riders, and race day is structured solely for them. This is not an adult race where young competitors make up a part of the program. All aspects of the event cater to riders under the age of 16. Everyone from the newest rider on a 50cc automatic to a seasoned 85cc MX racer can be challenged and entertained at these events. Competition is a closed course, special test format. Racers are outfi tted with a transponder and are electronically timed in various special tests. By eliminating the anxiety often associated with “bar to bar” racing, these events off er a more relaxed environment for young, developing riders. Entry fee for each rider is $30, which includes the use of a transponder for the day as well as lunch for all attendees. There is an awards ceremony after lunch and trophies in all four classes are presented with racer acceptance speeches on the podium. Detailed results are posted immediately after the event and later in the day uploaded to the WEC website. Due to the continued success, the Championship for the 2013 season has expanded to four rounds. Venues will include two favourite locations from last year: Shelburne and Guelph along with two new locations, Meaford and Wingham. New this year, resulting from increasing entries and input from parents and riders, is a “Pee Wee” class. This new class is designed for the youngest riders, with no competition experience, on 50cc bikes. The next step up from Pee Wee is the C class for slightly more experienced riders or new riders that are on slightly larger bikes. B is for more established riders and racers who may have been competing in this series in the past. Lastly, the A class is for the most experienced riders. Bikes like 85cc MX bikes and 125cc and 150cc four-strokes are most common in this class. A press release is distributed before each race to brief riders on what to expect at the upcoming event including directions to the start location. We ask for an RSVP email when possible to allow the organizer to prepare a sufficient lunch for all attendees. Directions and start times will be on our site – www.worldendurocanada.com May 26 - Meaford June 22 - Wingham August 11 - Guelph Sept 29 – Shelburne
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tHor UnleasHes tHe mX VerGe Helmet The wait is finally over! The highly anticipated Thor MX Verge Helmet is now available through your local dealer. Want more details? Check out the microsite at thormx.com/vergehelmet.
DecemBer 2012 · motocross Performance
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tite raCinG promotions annoUnCes oWnersHip CHanGe Tite Racing Promotions is pleased to announce an ownership change for the 2013 race season and beyond, as former President, Chris Lee, has decided to pass on the torch as he enters into a new stage of life. Succeeding Chris will be Mark Perrin and Brett Lee as the two have entered into a partnership agreement purchasing Tite Racing Promotions, effectively as of April 1st, 2013 managing all operating aspects of Tite Racing Promotions. Tite Racing Promotions is a sports marketing and promotions company with an expertise in event management, marketing, sponsorship, media relations and social media. Tite Racing Promotions is mainly known as the operating business responsible for the management of Walton Raceway and Canada’s Largest Outdoor Motocross Event, the Parts Canada TransCan Grand National Motocross Championships (GNC). In structuring Tite Racing Promotions for the future, Brett’s role will include onsite operations such as event management and all facility pperations, while Mark’s role will include all sales, marketing and financial duties. Walton Raceway will host a total of 12 weekend events beginning May 19th until September 22nd. Events will include Motocross weekends with CMRC, CMX, Steel City and TVR while also off ering several open practice dates as well. The 22nd annual Parts Canada TransCan, Canadian Motocross Grand National Championship (GNC) will take place August 13th to the 18th, 2013. New for 2013, Walton Raceway will host two Mudbog events, an ATV / Side by Side Poker Run and a Canadian Off-Road Truck Racing Championship Event August 24th and 25th, while also off ering a Sports Camp from July 21 to 25 and a Bicycle Poker Run on July 28th.
The full 2013 Walton Raceway schedule can be viewed below. “It’s a very exciting time for us to turn Walton Raceway from a motocross track to an event facility”, commented Brett Lee. “Adding additional Motocross Races, Practice dates, as well as Mud Bogs, a Sports Camp and Truck Racing will all aid in diversifying what the Walton Raceway facility can manage. These events will provide us with a full operating schedule this summer making the opportunities of what we can add and develop at Walton Raceway limitless.” “It is truly an honour to have this opportunity to build upon the foundation that Chris Lee and his family have created throughout the history of the TransCan and the success of Walton Raceway”, said Mark Perrin. “Tite Racing Promotions works with the top Canadian and US companies within our industry and we are excited to continue to grow relationships to give back to our country’s top racers while generating worldwide event exposure for racers, partners and thousands of motocross enthusiasts as we continue to provide the battleground of where Canadian Motocross Championships are won and Champions are made.” For More information on Walton Raceway or The Parts Canada TransCan Canadian Motocross Grand National Championship (GNC), please log on to www. waltonraceway.ca or www.partscanadatranscan.ca. For all media, marketing and partnership requests, please contact Mark Perrin mark@motocrosscanada.ca or call 519-384-1067. To follow Walton Raceway or the Parts Canada TransCan GNC on Facebook and Twitter, log on to http://www.facebook.com/ TransCan or http://www.facebook.com/WaltonRaceway and https://twitter.com/TransCan or https:// twitter.com/waltonraceway.
2013 Walton Raceway Event Schedule MOTOCROSS June 9, 2013 ..................................... Walton ANQ (CMRC) June 10, 2013................................... Walton ANQ (CMRC) June 22, 2013.............................................. Open Practice June 23, 2013.............................................. Open Practice July 6, 2013 .................................................. Open Practice July 7, 2013 .............................................Steel City Racers August 13 - 18, 2013 ..................................Parts Canada TransCan CMRC Grand National Championships August 31, 2013 ......................................... Open Practice September 7, 2013 ........................................................ TVR September 14, 2013..................................................... WEC September 15, 2013 .................................................... WEC September 21, 2013 ......................................CMX Walton September 22, 2013 ...................... Walton Moto (Open)
SPORTS CAMPS / BICYCLE July 21, 2013 ....................... Orientation Camp Drop Off July 22 - 25, 2013 ..........................Walton Sports Camp July 28, 2013 ........................................ Bicycle Poker Run
ATV / TRUCKS / SIDE BY SIDE May 19, 2013 ......................... Mudbog ATV/ Side by Side May 26, 2013 ....... Mudbog Truck/Corr Practice/Truck Racing June 16, 2013.....................ATV/Side by Side Poker Run August 24, 2013 ....... Canadian Off-road Truck Racing Championship (CORR) August 25, 2013 ....... Canadian Off-road Truck Racing Championship (CORR)
feBrUary 2013 · motocross Performance
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matt GoerKe inJUred Team BTO Sports - KTM rider Matt Goerke suff ered a wrist injury in a practice crash this past Tuesday, April 16th, and will miss the remainder of the 2013 SX tour. Goerke did not sustain any bone fractures, but did suff er a dislocation that required surgery on Tuesday evening. Surgery was performed and went well, and Matt is home already and resting up. “This is a major blow and bummer to Matt and the team. Matt has had a stellar year thus far, and we will change our focus now to healing the injury as quickly as possible and getting Matt back out early on for the Outdoor Nationals”. Goerke will unfortunately miss the start of the 2013 MX Nationals but looks to be back in action by round fi ve at Budds Creek, MD. The team will not be hiring a fill in rider for Goerke, as team member Michael Byrne will be returning to the line-up at Hangtown alongside teammate Andrew Short. For more information on the BTO Sports - KTM team, visit www.btosportsracing.com
rtr perFormanCe is Very eXCited to annoUnCe tHe reCent siGninG oF topHer inGalls RTR Performance is very excited to announce the recent signing of San Luis Obispo, California native Topher Ingalls to compete in the 2013 CMRC Outdoor Nationals. Ingalls has been racing in Canada the past couple of years and has proven that with the right support he is a podium threat every weekend. Coming off a third place overall in the 2012 Canadian Nationals, Topher will be riding an RTR Performance backed 2013 CRF-250 in the MX2 class.
CyCle nortH poWersports siGns ross JoHnson! Cycle North Powersports is happy to announce that we have signed on Ross Johnson of Tenino, Washington to compete in the 2013 CMRC Monster Energy Pro National Series. He will be riding a Cycle North Honda CRF450 in the MX1 Class. Cycle North, Kourtney Lloyd and Brad Nauditt welcome Ross to the team, Look for Johnson this weekend at Las Vegas SX! “ I feel confident that the program Cycle North has put together will be a strong one for 2013, and couldn’t be happier about joining Brad Nauditt as teammates. We have great support for the season and I am looking forward to working with Cycle North, to reach my goals for the season” –Ross Johnson
matriX ConCepts/ 1.7 CleaninG solUtions laUnCH all neW Website
News section, links to Facebook, You Tube, and new sponsorship section, along with monthly sales section and introduction of the new cycling division. As a special introductory off er with the launch we are off ering FREE custom graphics on ALL M2 Stands, and M3 Utility Can orders. Add the graphics in “custom section” to the order. Just add promo code FreeGraphics0413 at check out and we will deduct the price of the graphics. Check out the complete line at www.MatrixRacingProducts.com and find out why 30 of the world’s best teams use and endorse Matrix Concepts garage and track necessities. To join team Matrix Concepts, go to www.Hookit.com. We are still accepting resumes for the 2013 race season. Follow us and see everything Matrix Concepts at: www.facebook.com/ matrixconcepts
atlas braCe reaCHes patent ViCtory The whole family of Atlas Brace’s is not only unique in our eyes, but also in the eyes of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). With great excitement we are proud to announce that on March 12, 2013 the USPTO has issued Utility Patent No. 8,393,017 for the Atlas Brace. This victory marks a very exciting milestone for us, and proves that the Atlas Brace is truly a new invention, utilizing new technology that we have spent countless hours developing and refining. At Atlas, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to design and innovation. When the Atlas Brace project started years ago we made it our goal to create a brand new product no one had ever seen before, bringing new ideas and a diff erent thought process to the world of neck protection, all while respecting others current Intellectual Property. As it turns out, we couldn’t be happier with how the product has evolved, and we have been overwhelmed by the response we have received from consumers all around the world who recognize the Atlas Brace as the new era in neck protection. A year ago, on March 27th, 2012 the USPTO issued Design Patent D656,680 for the Atlas Brace’s unique overall design and aesthetics. This Patent was a great first step for us, and proved that we had indeed created a unique invention. The whole family of Atlas Brace’s are quickly proving to be a leader in the world of neck protection by bringing new innovations in fi t, function, comfort, and performance, all in proportional sizes for your entire family. We are very pleased to announce this great victory, and excited to know what the future brings for Atlas. We can’t wait to share our greater vision with all of you! 50
may 2013 · motocross Performance
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13SIDI_CF2-TECH-Ad_MXP-CA.indd 1 Motonation.indd 1
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neW sprinG 2013 line From 100% Adding to the already impressive line of goggles, sunglasses, sportswear and accessories is a fresh new line of products from 100%. An expanded collection of new colorways in the premier Racecraft goggle, as well as the Accuri goggle, is now available.
HUsaberG Canada sUpports Corner Grass raCinG Wardlow, AB: Corner Grass Racing Team is pleased to announce the continued support from Husaberg Canada for its eff orts in 2013. “It seems like yesterday that Shane and I started CGRT, and today we are announcing our sixth year of racing Husaberg’s! We’ve got an incredible year planned, and we are super excited to finalize the rest of our program and make the announcements” stated team manager, Lee Fryberger. CGRT is proud to announce that Victoria Hett of Vernon, BC has joined the team for 2013 to compete in the PNWMA events in BC and the Royal Distributing Canadian Cross Country Championships (CXCC). Following her successful bid to earn her second medal at the ISDE, last September in Germany, Victoria carries a tremendous amount of confidence into 2013 and will ride a Valley Motosports, Husaberg TE250. Riding his third year on the team, Kitimatt BC’s, Ben ‘The Giant Killer’ Rego, will once again ride an A&E Racing and Marine, Husaberg TE 300. “I’m excited to ride once again for CGRT” claims the 2012 Canadian Enduro 3 Champion. Ben’s also plans to compete in the Royal Distributing CXCC. Finally, the team’s anchorman, Shane Cuthbertson of Airdrie AB, returns to competition in Alberta on his A&E Racing and Marine, Husaberg TE300. Shane will ride regional events in Albert and challenge the best racers in Canada at the Alberta rounds of the CXCC. “We have a great program coming together, and it would not happen without the hard work and dedicated support from Andy White at Husaberg Canada, and long time supporter, David French at A&E Racing and Marine in Brooks, Alberta. A special thanks to Jeremy Wipp of Valley Motosports in Kelowna BC for supporting us at the dealer level” – Lee Fryberger
FaCtory ConneCtion annoUnCes Free inCominG sHippinG Factory Connection is excited to announce their NEW FREE INCOMING SHIPPING program for all customers in CANADA. To our valued customers, riders and dealers in CANADA we are providing this special incentive to help you get The Best Suspension. PERIOD! DETAILS: • FREE Incoming UPS STD service shipping/insurance and brokerage to Factory Connection ($100-125 value based on your location) • This program is available to all Retail customers, Support Riders, Factory Connection Dealers and “KEY AUTHORIZED SHIPPING CENTERS”. • Program is available April – December 2013* • Program is for Incoming shipping ONLY. Return shipping, brokerage and taxes not included. • Factory Connection MUST create the UPS Shipping Label or UPS Pick Up (NO EXCEPTIONS) • Rebuild or Revalve services only. • *Factory Connection reserves the right to change or discontinue this program at anytime.
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HOW IT WORKS: • Package your suspension and weigh the box. (IF you need a Shipping Box – Call Factory Connection – box only shipping charges apply) • Call Factory Connection to request a Shipping Label 603-664-2221 phone • You will receive an e-mail from UPS within 24 hours. PRINT LABEL • You will receive an e-mail from Factory Connection within 24 hours. PRINT Commercial Invoice Document. • Bring Package and Paperwork to any UPS shipping store. • IF you prefer to have UPS Pick Up the suspension from your location, Please Call Factory Connection to schedule a Pick Up within 48 hours. TO SCHEDULE A PICK UP WE NEED: Weight and Dimensions of package Type of packaging: example: Box, Gun Case EAST COAST - 34 Commerce Way. Barrington, NH 03825 Best Servicing: QC, ON, NB, NS provinces CENTRAL – 2320 W Shawnee Muskogee, OK 74401 Best Servicing: MB, SK, ON provinces WEST COAST – 1761 California Ave. # 102 Corona, CA 92881 Best Servicing: AB, BC provinces (603) 664-2221 sales@factoryconnection.com www.factoryconnection.com
may 2013 · motocross Performance
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2013 Canadian Women’s West National Series presented by TRIM FX From the huge success we had last year with the Photo by series weRich hopeShepherd you are all as excited as we are for the upcoming moto season. We have a new line up of sponsors helping us out this year, so we thought it would be great to pump you all up by letting you know about the $10,000+ in prizes and Cash that can be won! To start, TMKMotorsports Holeshot Awards has DOUBLED the money from last year! $100.00 and a FREE pair of Scott Goggles for EACH moto of the Series. Each round will have a round sponsor who will put up $500.00 for the top 5 of that day. Round 1: Kamloops, BC- CSCElectric Round 2: Calgary, AB- Alair Homes Round 3: Edmonton, AB- Schrader’s This is on top of the 100% payback you will receive from CMRC! Our draw table last year was a huge hit so at the end of the day at each round we will have a draw table set up with numerous gift cards and prizes to be won by ALL girls who signed up to race that day. The prizes and gift cards include products from: Matrix Dragon Atlas Troy Lee Designs Vanquish Loudmouth Intakes Fly Cycle North $100.00 in Husky/Mohawk Gas Gift Cards will be up for grabs at each round. Sponsored by Jonker Auto Group (Jonker Honda, Jonker Nissan, & Nissan Commercial Vehicles) Rod Matechuk from RMR Suspension will be at all of the Women’s West Rounds, offering 20% off suspension work. Anything from setting sag & clickers,
leaky fork seals to complete revalves. Take advantage of this great trackside support! Rod will also be giving away a FREE set of Smith goggles to every girl wearing Smith finishing in the top 3 overall at each round. Myrna Hansen will try to make it to all of the rounds to take pictures, so show up looking your best! At the end of the series we will have a few Individual Awards to give out: Schrader’s Hard Charger Award- $200.00 Awarded to the competitor with the “never-give up” attitude; who has fought to overcome and succeed over challenges throughout the series. Cycle North Most Improved Rider Award$200.00 Awarded to the competitor who has consistently improved their skills from the previous years, stood out, and worked hard to achieve their goals. LimeNine Speed & Style Award– A set of 20 mil custom shrouds and matching backgrounds ($250.00 value) Awarded to the rider with the gnarliest riding style! If you can throw down like a champ, you’re going to have to look like a champ! The Turner Family will be donating a Championship Ring to the Women’s West Canadian Champion! KNV Chartered Accountants LLP Giving $300.00 towards the series purse! For those of you who don’t know, we had a close friend from our moto family pass away last year. The rest of his family is still very involved in motocross, with his sister Charity looking to compete in the Women’s Series again this year. Carline & Gary Bachman were ever so kind enough to donate $1,000.00 to our series purse from the Lucas Bachman Memorial Fund. They want the money going to
something he would want to be a part of, and Carline stated it best when she said “Lucas loved girls”. If you haven’t seen the Bracelets we had made “Supporting Women’s MX” or the desk top and wall calendars we are making be sure to pick some up at any of the 3 Women’s West Rounds. We will have a booth set up on the Saturday Amateur Day & Sunday Pro Day of each Round. Bracelets are $5.00 desk top calendars are $10.00, and wall calendars are $20.00. All of the profits will be going towards our West Series Purse. Last but not least, the 2013 Women’s West Series is presented by TRIM FX! We wanted to step it up this year by looking more professional, so with the help of TRIM FX we will have BIG Cheques to hand out for our Holeshot Awards, Individual Awards, and we will have a sponsor background for our booth. Not only that, but they are throwing in some cash for the series purse!!! Keep an eye out for our new website, we will let you know when it is up and running! Take advantage of this great opportunity to race against some of the fastest women in Canada, as well as win some money and free product while doing it! Support those who Support you! Sincerely, Denaye Giroux & Camille Baker
may 2013 · Motocross Performance 53
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Introducing
the 6D Helmet By MXP St aff Pho t o s pro vided by 6D hel met afety products seem to be one of the last frontiers in motorsports. Motorcycles have developed to be powerful, durable machines that only the best can fully tame. The parts and designs on them improve in tiny increments from year to year, but safety equipment that we choose to protect our bodies with is much the same as it has been for decades. Two former professional racers, Bob Weber and Robert Reisinger, have designed what they feel is a breakthrough product - the safest off-road helmet ever built; a helmet design, totally unique, and designed to absorb the energy of a crash. The new 6D helmet uses two separate EPS foam liners with the two liners suspended by 27 rubber dampers. In a low speed or low impact crash, the inner EPS shell compresses towards the outer shell, but is dampened by the ODS (Omni-Directional Suspension) devices, which are basically rubber shocks. The absorptive qualities of the ODS slows the compression of the foam EPS down until the force of the crash compresses the rubber completely, which leads to the inner foam liner and outer foam liner meeting each other. When the two meet they become a conventional one-piece EPS liner. To use a motorcycle comparison, it is like having tiny shock absorbers between the layers. The big plus of the ODS system is that unlike most helmet systems, which are designed for the big hit and the big hit alone. The 6D helmet is designed to absorb the small hits that are the biggest cause of concussions while still protecting from the bigger crashes. And, since the inner EPS liner floats on the 27 shock absorbers, it has the ability to move, not just vertically with the blow, but in sheer and rotation to further increase the helmet’s ability to lessen injury. In short, the 6D ATR-1 off-road helmet is designed to protect your brain over a broader range of crashes and speed. We caught up with Bob Weber as he was preparing to fly to China and inspect their Asian manufacturing plant.
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Q&A First, how did you come about being into the Motocross Industry? Bob Weber: I worked for a small dealership up in New England called Manchester Honda when I was a local Pro. I then got a call from Tom White in 1990 to come out and work with them. That led to a number of different positions and jobs out here. I worked as the publisher for Dirt Rider Magazine and then I went back to work with Tom White before he sold White Brothers. I ended up working with Troy Lee Designs for a number of years before taking on this venture. So I have been in the industry and around the sport of motocross for a few years now. Why is 6D Helmets technology so different than other helmets? Bob Weber: Today, helmet technology is stagnant; multi-density EPS is about the only change over many, many years of development. Maybe some larger shells, more foam, but that alone will not improve the helmet to the level that our athletes need and deserve. The more we studied the problems, the testing methodologies and learned about head injury, the more we realized it would require a very creative and completely new approach to build a truly improved helmet. The helmet would need to manage critical angular acceleration energy issues present in all impacts, as well as reduce low-threshold energy transfer to the brain. We need a softer, more compliant helmet design, but without compromising highenergy performance. This became our challenge and goal: to develop a revolutionary design concept utilizing creative, forward-thinking technology that would change the market and improve the safety capabilities of the sport’s helmet.
The more we studied the problems, the testing methodologies and learned about head injury, the more we realized it would require a very creative and completely new approach to build a truly improved helmet.” What is 6D’s goal and vision? Bob Weber: Our goal is to provide the public with superior safety helmets from both a technological and design perspective, continually challenge our company to improve its technology and lead the marketplace with innovative designs. How did 6D Helmets come to be? There have been discussions for years on how there should be an off-road specific helmet test line. Bob Weber: I basically knew that helmets were just too stiff for off-road application, even in a road application. However, part of the manufacturing process is to have them stiff and firm to meet the certification standards. That stiffness transfers the energy in a crash onto the rider and that is where injuries like concussions come into play even in low energy strikes even
though they may be protected in a high energy strike. There is also an issue with angular accelerations and how to manage that. Basically, that is where you hit the ground, and 99.9 percent of the time it’s at some type of oblique angle; some offsetting angle to the center mass of your brain. That creates rotation inside your cranium. This is where you get into all types of brain injuries. That is what our technology plays into in that it allows the interior liner to sheer in the event of an energy strike and relieve some of that energy. Who are the racers currently using 6D Helmets? Bob Weber: We currently have in Supercross 250 West Coast Champion Eli Tomac, plus the Factory Connection Racing / Geico / Honda Team are wearing the 6D ATR-1 in the AMA Supercross and National events. June 2013 · Motocross Performance 55
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Introducing
the 6D Helmet
The 6D ATR – 1 has ODS™ (Omni-Directional Suspension™) Technology and Air-Gap Technology™. The shell has advanced aerospace carbon fiber, composite fibreglass and Kevlar.”
Both Eli Tomac and Zach Bell have encountered some major crashes this season. Has the helmet proven itself as the leader in helmet technology? Bob Weber: Those two crashes really put the technology on the radar. We knew it was important to work with top level athletes, and the feedback has been very valuable. Again, working with top riders is why we went to the Geico Honda team. Once those guys understood the technology and what it could do for the riders, they were on board. Eli’s crash in Oakland was pretty severe. He went straight down on the top of his head like a lawn dart. He bounced up pretty fast from the major strike. The helmet was damaged, but that is what you want is the helmet to give up its life for the riders. Zach bell crashed in his heat race, which was very spectacular and frightening for everyone. We were all like “oh my gosh”. When the race came back from commercial, he was on his feet, alert and passed all of the tests with the Asterisk crew to move forward and race the main. It was incredible. He had another, less spectacular looking crash in the main and again suffered no
concussion. It spoke about the technology of the helmet doing what we designed it to do. What was interesting in looking at both of Zach’s helmets, especially the one he wore in the second crash, is we could see where the two layers came together under full compression, sheered laterally and did everything we designed the helmet to do.
anti-bacterial fabric. There are emergency release cheek pads, a sternum pad that provides a progressive surface for added protection of the chin, jaw and sternum in the event of an accident. The visor has sheer-away visor screws. The helmet has stainless steel screens to protect all shell openings. The 6D Helmet exceeds all the DOT and ECE standards.
What are the key points about the New 6D ATR - 1? Bob Weber: The 6D ATR – 1 has ODS™ (Omni-Directional Suspension™) Technology and Air-Gap Technology™. The shell has advanced aerospace carbon fiber, composite fibreglass and Kevlar. There are large eye port openings, a removable, contoured roost guard, integrated traction posts at the eye port, and a Rear Delta Vent that evacuates air by creating a low pressure venturi effect. There is a clavicle cut-away that reduces both mass and weight while providing increased clavicle clearance without sacrificing strength. The helmets are fully compatible with all neck braces. They have Titanium “D” rings and chin strap rivets. It features a removal, washable comfort liner. It’s made of genuine CoolMax™
Can Canadians get their hands on these helmets yet? Bob Weber: Yes. The demand has been very high so have been working very hard to meet orders. However companies like Blackfoot Motosports and Royal Distributing both have stock and are able to get riders into these helmets. Thanks for taking the time with us. Bob Weber: My pleasure. Thank you for calling and I hope soon we are able to become even more involved in the Canadian marketplace and help racers in Canada. There are nine different 6D Helmet graphics to choose from and all helmets come with a deluxe 6D Works Helmet Bag. Overall the helmet weighs +/- 1.525 grams and comes with a full 3-year limited warranty.
56 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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Go Beyond Go Beyond
Adixxion HD Action Camera
We’re all addicted…addicted to our sports, addicted to our experiences, addicted to life. Now you can express your addiction!
L`expérience parfatie The Adixxion cam comes fully equipped with a 1.5’ LCD screen, Wi-Fi integrated, 5 meter waterproof, 2 meter shockproof, dust and freezeproof and image stabilization. The heavy-duty design does not require a protective housing that would add bulk and muffle the sound. Its scratch-resistant rubber texture also plays a part in this camera’s ruggedness and smart looks. The GC-XA1 comes supplied with a Goggle mount, Flexible mount, two lens protection covers, a USB cable and battery, which is enough to get you going right out of the box. www.jvc.ca
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rofessional sport is a tough business. Professional Motocross and Supercross are no exceptions. In fact, motocross and supercross may be even less forgiving than any of the other pro sports on its youthful competitors. The pressures on these young professionals, as we can all imagine, can be intense. Results are really the only things that matter when you get to the top level, and if the results don’t come quickly enough, the great dream for many can quickly turn to a nightmare. In many cases, a formal education is neglected in favour of an all-consuming competition schedule, and in the end, the return for most is, unfortunately, nothing more than broken-up bodies and a depleted life savings. It is certainly no surprise that, under these circumstances, families can suffer. It has been well documented within the sport that it is not unusual for parents to mortgage their financial futures in order to fund their kids’ racing careers. Once in a while
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it works out, but usually it doesn’t. Still, there are those that, for the love of the sport and the excitement and possible riches it can bring, are willing to give it a try. One such individual is Wyoming, Ontario native Nicky Beatty. Nick has lined up and attempted to qualify for every East Coast Supercross in the 250 class this season. At the time I started writing this article he had only managed to make it to the night show on one occasion; his home race in Toronto. The experience he has gained however has been invaluable, and will no doubt serve him well when he continues his professional career in the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals this coming summer. For moto fans north of the border, Nick’s story this winter has been a breath of fresh air. The likeable twenty-one year old is making a bit of a name for himself, and yet is quick to point out that he wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the unwavering support of his Mom and Dad. Back in the ‘80s when I started racing
Top Left: Dave graduated to the Honda XR 100 by 1976. Here he is showing some fine form back in the glory days of Hully Gully Raceway. Top Right: Dave shows off some of the hardware he collected while racing his 1974 XR 75. Bottom Left: Arenacross was big in Quebec during the ‘80s. Here Dave leads Al Dyck through the whoops looking sharp in his AXO gear. This photo was taken in ‘87 when Dave ran the #5 in the 125 class. Bottom Right: Dave rounds Hully Gully’s infamous apple tree corner on his KX 250 in 1986.
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n O g n Workight Show oss i r c r N e p u e S n h o T es Beatty Tak Nicky
By Mike McGill
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motocross, I, just like any young rider, had my list of heroes. Rollerball was obviously a big favourite because he was just so dominant and so good. Being from Ontario, I was also a big fan of the late Kevin Moore. Nobody in my opinion looked faster on a bike than him. My real favourite however, was Sarnia, Ontario’s Dave Beatty. Not only was Dave extremely fast but he was super-cool and a very friendly guy as well. He had the long rock ‘n’ roll hair and was always eager and willing to stop and chat with anyone, no matter who you were. At this point in time, I was merely a fan and always enjoyed watching him race. One season in particular, I remember he showed up at the opening race of the season with three bikes for the three different classes: 125, 250 and Open. This was not unusual as a lot of the Pro riders would do this back then. The unusual part in Dave’s case was that they were three different brands of machine. He had a KX 125, a YZ 250 and a CR 480 Honda. The year was 1984. “We just decided to ride what we thought was the best bike in each class that year,” reminisces Beatty. Turning Pro in 1981 at the age of 18, Beatty was a fixture on the Ontario and National circuit for many years. He broke in at a time when the competition was fierce, not only nationally but on a local level as well. “Every weekend I would be lining up against guys like Rob Hodgeson, Doug Hoover, Jeff Sutherland, Paul Kingsley and Mike Harnden” to name a few. “There was some good racing in those days.” Dave’s racing efforts were supported mainly by his family. His father owned a Volvo dealership in Sarnia and was one hundred percent behind his son’s racing career. Dave is also quick to point out that he always had a great supporter in Rick Hudson who owned Performance Cycle and Snow in Strathroy, Ontario. “Rick was always willing to help us out when we needed something.” Dave’s best professional racing years came in 1986 and ‘87. In ‘86 he rode the Canadian National Series in all three classes, placing 5th in the125 class,
Left: First bike! Nicky poses with his PW 50 at the age of two.
9 th in the 250 and 6 th overall in the Open class. That same year, he also raced the Gainseville AMA Opener in the 250 class and was one of only two Canadians who qualified that day; the other being Ross Pederson. Dave finished a very credible 19 th overall and scored some prestigious AMA points, although based on the effort he put out he thought he may have done a little better. “I rode harder than I ever had in my life that day,” remembers Beatty. “I came off the track all excited and asked my Dad, how did I do?” “Great”, replied his father. “You got 19 th.” Ouch! He also raced the Daytona and Pontiac Supercrosses that same season. “Basically you washed the Gainseville dirt off your bike and then went and raced Daytona in those days,” laughs Beatty. “After that, you washed the dirt off your bike from Daytona and went and rode Pontiac. Set-ups weren’t quite as specialized as they are today”. Dave recalls his finest day as a professional coming at the CMA National at Hully Gully in 1987. Driving to the track straight from the wedding of a good friend that he had attended the night before, Beatty was on fire, carding a 3rd overall in the125 class behind Pederson and Kevin Moore, and securing a career best 2nd overall placing in the 250 class behind Pederson. “Getting 2nd in those days was kind of like getting first,” states Beatty, as “nobody was going to beat Ross so the race really was for 2nd place.” Dave stopped racing the Nationals in ’88 but continued to ride locally; even winning a few Vet Master Championships at the Walton Trans Can, until a badly broken wrist at Loretta Lynn’s pretty much put an end to his moto career in 1996. By that time he had a young family, and the thoughts of not racing anymore didn’t really bother him that much. “I had just bought a new house that I needed to landscape, I was busy working a lot of hours and travelling a lot for work as well so I didn’t really have time to miss it,” remembers Beatty. His son Nicky, who was four at the time,
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had shown plenty of interest in riding but the thought of him racing was the furthest thing from Dave’s and his wife Cherie’s minds. “Nicky always loved to ride and he was naturally good at it,” recalls Dave. “We had some land at the new house and he would ride for hours on his little mini bike, but he had absolutely no interest whatsoever in racing.” Dave and Cherie thought their days at the motocross tracks were probably over for good, but a family outing to watch the Walton Trans Can in 2004, when Nick was thirteen, put a quick end to the moto hiatus for the Beatty family. It was on the way home from Walton that day that Nick commented to his Mom and Dad that he might like to try racing. The following weekend Dave loaded the family XR 100 into the back of his pick-up truck and headed out to a TVR (Thames Valley Riders) event at Gopher Dunes.
Nicky was extremely nervous, particularly about the start, “…he let everyone else go and then took off,” remembers Dave. Nevertheless, he rode well on his underpowered machine and actually finished in the top ten. More importantly, he enjoyed himself immensely so Dave quickly tracked down a used KX 85 on Kijiji and the following week they headed back out to another TVR race. This time, Nicky won the overall. The next generation of Beatty motocross racers had officially arrived. “I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry,” recalls Nick’s mother, Cherie. “I was kind of hoping we were done with it. I really have a love/hate relationship with motocross. I absolutely love the sport but it scares the hell out of me. Nicky is an only child so all my eggs are literally in his basket.” The dye had however been set and the Beattys became very active in the
Ontario and Michigan moto communities once again. “There’s no better place to bring up a kid than at the motocross track,” states Dave. “You’re together as a family every weekend and the kids are either too busy racing and riding or too tired to get into any kind of serious trouble. Plus you can learn a lot about life by racing motocross. It’s hard.” The Beattys threw themselves headlong into Nicky’s racing effort in much the same way Dave’s parents had twenty years before. Even though he was a late starter, in motocross terms, Nicky progressed through the ranks quickly. By the time the 2010 racing season rolled around he was battling for podiums on a regular basis with the likes of Cole Thompson and Richard Grey. Nicky actually won the highly competitive GP Intermediate class that year at the Trans Can. At the same time, Nick continued with his schooling while many of his fellow competitors had already abandoned their studies to concentrate on racing. An education is something that his parents insisted on. Nicky completed high school and currently has one year of college under his belt. He is tentatively signed up to continue his college education next September but that could possibly be put on hold for another season depending on how this racing supercross thing goes. As his father had before him, in 2011, Nicky turned Pro at the age of 18. He went into his first Pro season without a lot of expectations; unsure as to whether he would even race the CMRC Nationals or just compete locally and hit the national events that were close by. It was at this time that Dave and Cherie decided that, if Nicky was willing to put the effort into racing so were they. “He had already come further than we ever thought he would,” recounts Dave. “Effort was really the key. Not just at the races and on race day, but during the week as well, whether it be training or helping out at home or at school. He had to realize that, as far as racing went, I was kind of his boss,” continues Dave. “You don’t always agree with your boss but if you want to keep your job, you have to do what he says.” Nick’s desire to race was evident in his day to day efforts, so the Beattys loaded up the family van, opting to leave the gas guzzling RV at home, and headed west for the first round of the series. Nick’s first year of Pro racing turned out to be a very satisfying experience. Extremely satisfying in fact, as Nick was able to run competitively with the top MX2 riders in the country right off the bat. He carded several top ten moto finishes and even nailed both holeshots and led a few laps in Moncton; a feat that earned him a set of rims for his pick-up from his Dad (who laid a friendly wager with his son prior to the race), although as of yet I don’t think Nicky has collected on that bet. He also scored a season high 6 th
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overall in the mud at the rain soaked national in Morden, Manitoba. Nick finished the season just outside of the top ten in MX2 points. Not a bad effort at all for his rookie season. His confidence was high going into his second year of Pro racing. The success that Nicky achieved in his first year, however, was not to be repeated in his second year in the Pro ranks. A switch from Honda to Yamaha just didn’t work out for Nicky. He spent three months in Florida over the winter and tested the Yamahas prior to the 2012 season and honestly felt that they would be a great fit for him. But, when it came to race season, he didn’t mesh with the new bikes like he had with his comfortable Hondas. An annoying ignition problem reared its ugly head at several rounds and compounded the Beattys’ frustrations with the bike as he was forced to DNF several motos. The great starts that Nicky was becoming famous for in his first year also disappeared in his sophomore season. Just when he thought that, with the help of Canadian flat-track legend Steve Beattie, he had the bike finally dialed for the Gopher Dunes round, but a first turn crash knocked him out for the day. It was this unfortunate turn of events that finally prompted Dave to fire up a homemade “For Sale” sign and mount it to the bike; much to the amusement of many in the paddock. While his Dad was only joking, Nicky’s season was no joke, and it was becoming quite evident that the Yamaha experiment just wasn’t working. It was also right at this time that Dave’s plant, Styrolution Canada Limited in Sarnia, Ontario, went on shut down which meant that Dave, a millwright by trade, had to get back to work immediately and start logging some serious overtime hours. This was a Catch 22 situation for Dave as the money he makes from putting in the long hours helps pay for Nicky to race, but can also severely limit the time he can spend at the track with his son. “My boss has been great in allowing me to take time off and travel the circuit,” explains Dave, “but when the plant is on shut
down I absolutely have to be there.” The East Coast swing of the Nationals was therefore out for 2012. Nicky came back and raced Sand Del Lee and Walton, but his results were disappointing. Perhaps the one good thing that came out of the 2012 season was a conversation that had begun as far back as the opening Nanaimo round, which centered around the idea of Nicky racing the East Coast rounds of the AMA Supercross series in 2013. This idea gathered steam over the fall of 2012 and a decision was made to go for it early last winter. Back on his beloved Hondas, Nicky could not have been happier as he planned for what was going to become a great adventure. While Dave stayed home and worked, Nicky and his Mom Cherie loaded up the family van once again and headed south to prepare. Of course, mother and son is not the usual combination you see at the southern practice tracks over the winter. What would possess Nicky’s Mom to hit the road with him for months at a time in just a normal cargo van? “Well, no one believes me,” remarks Cherie, “but it’s not that bad. A bathroom and shower would be ideal, but you become resourceful. I actually really like the driving and find it interesting ...I guess that’s the travel agent part of me.” Cherie not only looks after the two of them on the road but continues to work at her job as a travel agent as well. It’s definitely not unusual to see her sitting in her lawn chair taking care of clients’ travel arrangements on her computer while Nicky pounds out laps on the practice track. Cherie elaborates, stating that, “It has been incredible and, best of all - who gets to spend this much time with her son? Honestly, it’s been the best few months of my life.” It was just Cherie and Nicky for the first East Coast round in Dallas where Nicky narrowly missed qualifying for the night show. Dave was able to join them for Atlanta and the whole team was back together for the rest of the rounds leading up to Toronto, as Dave was able to fly in and out for the weekends. “Another perk of having
Top Right: Nicky credits much of his effortless looking style on his MX bike to the amount of time he spends practicing on his BMX. Nicky sometimes spends up to 30 hours a week practicing BMX. Bottom Right: By 2010 Nicky was racking up some impressive results in the Intermediate class. He was also becoming the favourite subject of many photographers due to his style on the bike.
a travel agent for a wife,” chuckles Dave. Nicky missed out on making it to the night show at the first few rounds, usually by only a second or so. Nevertheless, the whole family remained positive and continued to enjoy the experience to the utmost. When asked what the biggest surprises were for Nicky as he began his life in the AMA Pro Pits, he immediately laughs, “How little the guys are! I mean I’m only 5’7”, pretty small really, and I am way bigger than most of these guys. Seriously though the biggest surprise is how nice everyone is. I have met so many great people and everyone talks to everybody. It really is like a family. For example, after I made the night show in Toronto, when I was coming off the track, Chad Reed was standing there and he said “good ride Nick”. I was so blown away. I had no idea he even knew who I was”. Dave concurs with Nicky’s assessment of the atmosphere in the pits. “It’s not a lot different than any local CMRC or TVR Club race that you might go to where you know everyone”, says Dave. “Everyone is pretty friendly.” It didn’t hurt either that Dave still had a few contacts in the supercross world, dating back to his racing days. Dunlop’s Marshall Plumb, a familiar face around the supercross pits, actually started his wrenching career working for Dave. He of course worked for Ross Pederson for several years, and eventually spun the wrenches for 125cc National Champion Guy Cooper before taking the job with Dunlop. He’s been instrumental in helping the Beattys out and showing them the ropes. Matt Crown, another old friend and competitor of Dave’s, is actually a sponsor and does all
64 june 2013 · Motocross Performance
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g On w Workinh Sho The Nig t of the engine and suspension work on Nicky’s bike. As everyone who follows the sport knows, a proper suspension set-up is extremely important for supercross. Nicky couldn’t be happier with his bikes, which is a good thing because the actual tracks themselves were a bit of an eye opener for the young Canadian, especially the supercross-style whoop sections that he encountered for the first time. “The tracks were basically what I expected but the whoops were surprising,” reports Nick. “I practiced at GPF (Georgia Practice Facility) and their supercross track is gnarly and so are their whoops, but some of the whoop sections at the races have been insane.” Dave, who rode at an extremely high level himself, goes on to add that, “To me some of the obstacles are just mind blowing; way more intense than they look on television. I mean I go out there with Nick for track walk and I can’t even walk up the faces of some of these jumps. That’s how steep they are.” What it all boiled down to for Nicky was that he quickly had to learn how to push himself out of his comfort zone in order to tackle these types of obstacles. “Nicky has always been a very calculating rider,” says Dave, “very smart on the bike. The complete opposite of me,” he laughs. Nicky agrees. “My confidence level is up and I really feel like I have improved because of all this. The area where I feel I have really gotten better is how
I can force myself out of my comfort zone. I have always been someone that is concerned with safety first and I like to take the extra time to be one hundred percent before I try things, but you don’t have that luxury in SX.” These words could not ring more true as time is definitely not a luxury that a supercross rider has. For the first five races of the series, his qualifying times were just not quite fast enough to get him into the night show. He was so agonizingly close on several occasions that you would have thought he might have been getting discouraged, but that was not the case. “My goals were realistic,” says Nick. “I was hoping to make a couple of night shows, and obviously I was hoping that Toronto was going to be the highlight for me.” Toronto did not disappoint as Nicky made it to his first night show as a professional by clocking the 35th fastest time in qualifying - 40 make it to the show, so 35th was almost a comfortable entry into the evening’s festivities. Nicky rode hard and smart in Toronto. He didn’t make the main, nor did he expect to, but he came out of it in one piece and with a lot more experience and a whole lot of new fans. “I really am astounded by the support that I have been given by everyone,” says a surprised Beatty. “I had no idea that giving Supercross a shot would generate so much interest. It has been an amazing experience!”
Cherie, Nicky & Dave Beatty at the Minneapolis S upercross.
The tour for Nicky was originally supposed to end in Toronto but if you spoke to any of the Beatty clan that night you knew that there was no way it was going to stop there. They were obviously just having way too much fun to let it end with two races remaining, so after a two week break they packed up the van once again and Nicky and Cherie headed to Houston for the next round of the circus. “Our whole family has really gotten into this,” remarks Dave. “You know when you get older and have your own kids you get so busy and involved you kind of lose track of the rest of your family a little bit, but Nicky racing supercross has kind of brought everyone back together again.” Dave goes on to explain that now on Saturday nights, the whole extended family is consumed with one thing - gathering around their collective computers and television sets in order to follow Nicky’s progress at the races. They are continuously texting his results and possibilities for qualification back and forth to each other. Dave even set up his eighty year-old father with a laptop so that he could keep track of Nicky’s progress. “He’s all over that thing,” laughs Dave. “He’s always checking out the live timing and scoring, supercrosss online and all the moto websites so he can get all the info. I never thought I’d see the day.” Nicky narrowly missed the show in Houston but in his final supercross appearance of the season at Minneapolis, he once again made it in. Two night shows. Mission accomplished. “It’s been absolutely amazing,” recounts Nicky. “I’ve met so many great people and learned so much.” This sentiment is echoed by Nick’s mother when asked if she would consider doing it again next year. “Absolutely, without hesitation,” states Cherie. Dave echoes his wife’s sentiments and adds that, “we couldn’t be more proud of him.” Look for Nicky to be keeping himself pretty busy this coming summer as he plans to double class it at most of the Nationals and hit a few selected US rounds when the Canadian schedule will allow for it. “We want to develop a bit of an ironman reputation,” states Dave who was no stranger to running multiple classes himself back in the day. “Some days we may only run the second moto of the class we are doing better in. We’ll see.” As for Nicky, he feels the experience and confidence he has gained this winter from racing at the absolute highest level will, without a doubt, serve him well for the upcoming season. “My confidence level is really high right now,” states Nicky. I’m sure that he wishes the Canadian Nationals were starting tomorrow. As for Supercross and next season, it sounds like he just might be lining it up again next year. Apparently school might just have to wait, for one more year at least.
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COMMON GROUND It’s been a wild 2013 Supercross season so far. Multiple riders have claimed victory in the 450 class, and the 250 series have been just as competitive. Yet throughout this ferocious racing involving many different makes of bikes, these winners all have one factor in common: Even though the Supercross paddock is open to all tire brands, every winner and every rider who has climbed the podium all chose to race on the same brand of tires. Dunlop Geomax tires—the common ground among the best Supercross riders in the world.
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Scan to play the How to Choose A Tire video
For more Dunlop tire information go to dunlopmotorcycle.com or call 800-845-8378. ©2013 Dunlop. This is an off-highway product — NOT INTENDED FOR HIGHWAY USE.
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Supercross By Chris Pomero y P h o t o s b y Ma r c L a n d r y
and
V i r g i l K n a pp
or the 2013 Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, it seemed Canadian fans were more excited than usual because for the first time in a few years all of the top riders were healthy, not to mention that the points race at the top of the Supercross class was becoming more and more heated each weekend. Canadian fans also had two hometown boys to cheer for with Cole Thompson and Nicky Beatty in the Lites class. Thompson was consistently finishing within the top ten, and Beatty was hoping to qualify for the main program for the first time in his career. With spring in Southern Ontario arriving much later than usual, fans were dying to get indoors to soak up some Supercross. As was the case the previous year, the festivities kicked off Friday night with the Monster Energy Pit Party. This party allows the fans unlimited access to the stadium floor and the opportunity to walk the track. The Pit Party is something that is rarely done at other rounds of the series. Judging by the turnout, fans really loved it. The three hour party also allows everyone who attends a chance to line up to not only see most of the top riders, but also a chance to meet them and get their autograph. After Friday night’s party, the stage was set for the big show the following day inside the dome.
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Left: Nicky Beatty #961 made his first Supercross main program in Toronto. Right: Filled with confidence following the TOSX, Beatty and crew decided to hit the remaining rounds of the AMA Supercross Series.
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1: Mike Alessi showing some Canadian pride.
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2: Canadian flag proudly held by both CMA and AMA officials. 3: Brotherly Love. The Thompson brothers consistently show that this sport requires more than talent, it requires the power of family. 4: JSR advises the young ones.
Toronto
Supercross As the Toronto round approached, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto had really turned his season around. After a slow start in the first few rounds, Villopoto had finally hit his stride, and the points standings were beginning to reflect his recent success. Unfortunately for early series points leader Davi Millsaps, he was suffering from a knee injury. Although his pace was still good, it was not enough to keep Villopoto in his rear view mirror. When the gate dropped for the Supercross class main event, fans in Toronto witnessed something rarely seen in Supercross: all of the top stars started up front. Fan favourite Chad Reed was the first to lead before Villopoto took over. Shortly after Millsaps stuffed his way past Reed, the race for the lead was on. As Villopoto, Millsaps, Reed, Dungey and Stewart all freight-trained around the tough Toronto track, fans were treated to a true show of speed, finesse and endurance. It was amazing to see. It is races like these that will keep the 45,000 plus fans coming back for years to come. After 20 hard laps, Villopoto took the victory in front of Millsaps and Dungey.
Cole Thompson, #48, gets a power jump off the start.
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The powerhouses of the 450 class squeeze into the first corner.
Bottom Left: Blake Wharton is known for his aggressive riding style and fantastic get-offs. He kept the Toronto crowd on their toes. Bottom Right: Ryan Dungey is one of the most liked 450 riders in the series. His work ethic and determination are something many riders aspire to.
Toronto
Supercross Finally, the crowd had something more to be excited about as they passed through the gates of the Roger’s Center. Two young Ontario riders would be lining up to race the Lites class: Cole Thompson and Nicky Beatty. Both riders had been racing the Lites class in the East since the series began a few weeks prior to the Toronto round. While Thompson and Beatty each had different goals for how they wanted their night to unfold, both knew the Toronto round was providing them with an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of their hometown fans.
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#39 Bobby Kiniry, the adopted Canadian. Always a crowd favourite wherever he goes.
Toronto
Supercross Thompson rode a great race and put on an awesome show. He battled hard and charged from a bad start to finish sixth. His last lap battle with Vince Friese had the fans on their feet; when Thompson tried to pass him in the final corner, everyone was screaming. It was an aggressive pass, similar to what Ross “Rollerball” Pederson would have attempted years ago. The near capacity fans in the stadium loved it.
#7 James Stewart, a man on a mission. Known for his drama on the track, Stewart did not disappoint the Toronto crowd.
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Supercross For Nicky Beatty, the race in Toronto not only gave him a chance to race in front of his fans, but it also gave him the opportunity to receive some media exposure to promote his career and his sponsors. Beatty was at the track on Thursday for Press Day and back again on the Friday morning for a live broadcast on Breakfast Television. He not only received a lot of track time, but also did himself and his sponsors proud by getting some much coveted media attention. In the end, Beatty didn’t make the main event, but he did make the night show after several attempts.
Eyes on the dream. Thompson should take some comfort in knowing that his skill, passion, and motivation will take him great places both indoors and outdoors.
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Left: Ryan Villopoto – Chalked up another win in the dome. Right: Marvin Musquin – dominated the Lites class on a very challenging Toronto track.
Toronto
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Supercross Once again, the Toronto Supercross has come and gone for another year. Each year this race seems to get more popular, apparent by the continuously growing attendance and hype that surrounds the event. Hopefully for the 2014 edition, Canadian fans will have more hometown riders to cheer for on the track. Until then, congratulations to Cole Thompson and Nicky Beatty. You did Canada proud!
1: Wil Hahn (#19) and Marvin Musquin (#25) exchange words after a heated race.
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2: Nicky Beatty (#961) Picking himself up, Beatty showed that he has the makings of a future champion.
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CMRC Season Preview
2013
By Brian Koster Pho t os by Marc Landry & MXP S t aff
ith every passing year comes another season of the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals, and with every year comes the same old questions. Who is coming up from the States this year? Are there any new teams and are there any new venues? Over the years, the following questions have arisen. Can anyone beat JSR? Can anyone beat Klatt? And most recently, can anyone beat Facciotti? Well, there are a lot of new developments for the 2013 series, probably more than there have been in many years. There are some cool changes and some nice additions that are sure to make this year’s Monster Energy MX Nationals a very interesting series. Maybe the biggest change is the ruling to allow 250cc two-strokes to run up against the 250cc four-strokes in the MX2 class. Last year only Intermediate riders were allowed this luxury at the Nationals but in 2013 any Pro rider can try his hand on a two banger. Of course with any new rule, some are all for it and others dead against it, but it’s really of no consequence because the rule has been implemented and it will stick…for this year anyway. I think this will add a really interesting dimension and give the pundits something more to talk about. I think it will also spark more interest into the MX2 class as far as rider participation goes. Time will tell how any advantages or disadvantages pan out but there is no question the sound of the MX2 class will be different in 2013. There is a venue and scheduling change that I think everyone in the pits will embrace and agree with. Dropped from the series is the round at Ste-Julie in Quebec. While this was an awesome facility with all the potential of being right up there with the best of them, track preparation has been appalling these last couple of years. Factor in limited co-operation with the needs of the television production team and they are ousted for ‘13. In its place we go back to Deschambault, PQ. I firmly believe both the riders and fans will benefit from this change as the Deschambault track is epic. It’s a scenic, sprawling sand track with plenty of elevation changes that is never boring for the racers and offers
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This is where it all winds down – the last start of the last moto of the last round in Walton. Bobby Kiniry (7) will be sporting #2 this year in the MX1 class and is a hot contender for the #1 plate in ’13.
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82窶カunE 2013 ﾂｷ Motocross Performance
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LEFT: Kaven Benoit competed in five of the nine rounds in 2012 and still managed to finish 6th overall in the MX2 ProAm class. He is the favoured Canadian to win the title this year but he has some fast Americans to contend with first.
excellent viewing for the spectators. Traditionally, the races held there deliver great, close racing in a beautiful, relaxed setting nestled nicely in a treed environment; a wonderful place for the nation’s best riders to compete. Personally, I’m stoked to see it all unfold there in 2013. There is a little scheduling change as well with Sand Del Lee following Gopher Dunes, which makes perfect sense when looking at a map. Also there is a nice weekend break after the eighth round in Riverglade, NB before the big daddy of daddies -Walton. Long time series supporter Motovan Corporation has stepped it up and has brought more of their suppliers to participate as a sponsor of the series. Motovan has come a long way with the series and it’s nice to see the partnership grow and flourish for 2013. Royal Distributing has also stepped it up with huge changes to the Holeshot Award. For 2013, it’s now called the Royal Distributing Triple Crown Holeshot Award. How it works in MX2 is if a rider gets the first moto holeshot, he is awarded $200. If he grabs the second moto holeshot as well, he receives an additional $200 plus a $400 bonus for grabbing both “Shots”, totalling $800! Pretty sweet indeed! For MX1, riders will receive $300 per holeshot and a bonus of $600 for two in a day for a grand total of $1,200.00! This added incentive should make the starts even more interesting and crazier than before…if that’s even possible. As another added bonus, Royal Distributing is offering a sweet Marin Bicycle to each rider that gets the most Holeshots at the end of the series in each
ABOVE:Shawn Maffenbeier will be competing in the MX2 ProAm class this year for the Rockstar Energy/OTSFF/Yamaha/ Motovan.com team aboard a YZ250 twostroke. If he can adjust to the bike, he’ll be up with the frontrunners.
class! Hats off to the great minds at Royal Distributing for thinking this scheme up…way to go! Traditionally, the million dollar question is “who is coming up from the US to race and for what team?” While this is a viable question, my stock answer is that no matter whom or who does not come up there will always be great racing when the gate drops at round one. I suppose the biggest news is the signing of Brett Metcalfe to ride a Kawasaki for the Monster Energy Leading Edge team. Although
he is not technically an American, he has spent a great number of years competing on US soil. Metty is an Australian bloke just like Chad Reed, and from what I understand they are pretty good pals. Coming to Canada from down under will be a first for Metcalfe. He is the calibre of rider needed to go toe to toe with the likes of Canadian riders Colton Facciotti, Dusty Klatt and Tyler Medaglia. Metcalfe has an impressive resume and is sure to be quick on the well prepared Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasakis. These guys all know that
PHOTO CREDIT - Allison Davies
RIGHT: This is the second time Teddy Maier sprayed champagne to celebrate his MX2 title. It will also be his last. He’s now a full time MX1 competitor due to the ‘two times and out’ rule.
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a healthy Colton Facciotti can run up front in the both the US and in Canada so Metcalfe has been hired to beat him and all comers to keep the number one plate on a Leading Edge bike. Last year’s MX2 Champion, Teddy Maier, will be back but on a KX450. He will be gunning not only for his teammate Metcalfe, but everyone else as he tries for his first MX1 title. While on the subject of the double crown winning team, Tyler Villopoto will be on a KX250F this year in hopes of fighting for a title on the smaller bike. I know the younger Villopoto is stoked to be in the MX2 class and will be coming into the series much more prepared than last year. With knowledge of the tracks, the team and the lay of the land, the likeable rider will certainly be one to watch…and with the ability to throw some of the sickest whips around, he will definitely be a crowd pleaser! Joining him for the full MX2 series and returning to Canada after a one year hiatus is American Austin Politelli. Politelli is fast and will be sure to make some waves this summer coming off a solid 2013 250 Supercross campaign. Racing only the western rounds in the MX2 class is youngster Jess Pettis. Pettis will be acquiring some excellent experience and support from the Leading Edge squad while riding the four western rounds on tracks he is familiar with. He should be a bit of a wild card as the season opens. The Red Bull Royal Distributing KTM team shook things up before heading into the 2013 series. Back is three-time Canadian Champ, Colton Facciotti, who is felling good on the
new bike after testing in California. Let’s hope ABOVE: California boy Colt can stay healthy Blake Savage all season to go head showed up at to head with Metcalfe. the final round in Walton last Unfortunately, the national #3 rider, Dusty year, raced the MX1 class Klatt, will not be lining and finished 6th. Not bad! up to race round one This year he’s in his home Province riding MX2; of British Columbia should be at the Wastelands in interesting. Nanaimo. Dusty had BELOW: Dusty a mishap racing a Klatt will be round of the Canadian hard pressed to earn a Arenacross Series that single digit narequired surgery, but tional number he is hoping to make his this year. Unreturn by Gopher Dunes fortunately, he for the KTM team. In his blew his knee out racing absence, Team Manag- Arenacross in the winter and er Andy White was able to scoop Tyler Medaglia will miss the entire western from the Gopher Dunes swing. Honda team. I know the Honda camp was not very happy about this occurrence, but with Tyler’s existing Red Bull affiliation one can sympathise that it does make some sense. Sporting National #7, Medaglia is poised to look good on the Orange Katoom, and has been training and testing alongside Fatyotes stateside. Back in the fold at Red Bull KTM after being bumped in favour of Jeremy Medaglia last year is Quebec rider Kaven Benoit. Benoit stuck with KTM last season as a privateer with help from DuRoy KTM, a dealer in La Belle Province. Together they raised some eyebrows with several commanding moto victories, including Gopher Dunes after Kaven joined the
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ABOVE: Jared Allison was a mere two points away from finishing within the top three in the MX2 class in 2012. With another year of experience under his belt, he may just move up the ladder. LEFT: For the five rounds Tyler Medaglia scored points in MX1 last year, he never finished outside of the top five overall. He switched from Honda to KTM to replace Dusty Klatt so the pressure’s on!
series for the eastern swing. Benoit’s confidence will be at an all-time high coming off a great performance last year. Getting re-hired by the factory effort will surely fire him up come Nanaimo. Things over at the OTSFF Rockstar Yamaha camp are the same but different. Back with the team with a big ol’ #2 on his bike is New Yorker Bobby Kiniry. Kiniry brings a lot to the table and has been a regular qualifier in the ultra-competitive AMA Supercross Series, and will be strong come National time. There is no practice like racing, so with seventeen SX races under his belt Bobby will be a force when the gate drops at the Wastelands. Li’l Richard Grey is back on the Rockstar bike and will be looking good boasting National #20 on a YZ250F. I know Richard will be in top physical shape heading into the series, and if he can get some good starts and gain some confidence early on he should prove to be a frontrunner in MX2. New to the team is Saskatchewan rider Shawn Maffenbeier who finished up the 2012 MX1 series ranked tenth. Hired to compete in the MX2 class aboard a YZ250 twostroke, Maffenbeier is pumped to be on the factory OTSFF Yamaha Rockstar team. He is focused on the championship on the YZinger and should be a factor in the series points. All around nice guy and Snocross Champion Iain
Hayden will be there again as well offering his insight and mentoring the younger riders. Redemption Racing will be back, full steam ahead with a pair of fast Americans highlighting their roster. Veteran Michigan rider Kelly Smith and young Texan Michael Thacker are new to the fold and will be competing in MX1 and MX2 respectively. Joining the team once again is Ontario’s Eric Jeffrey also slated to race MX1 for ’13. What is also new for the Ontario based team is the switch from Kawasaki to KTM. After many years on Kawis, a deal to represent the Orange Brigade should breathe new life into the solid family based team. It doesn’t hurt to have Pro rider and series devotional speaker Josh Snider along as Team Manager to offer words of wisdom. With all of the changes, one can only imagine how excited they must be to get on with the show! The Gopher Dunes Honda team got a little bit of a shocker with the defection of Tyler Medaglia to KTM. I know the GD team was excited to rock the #7 plate with TDags on board, but in a midnight hour exchange following Dusty’s crash, Tyler ended up on orange. I don’t know all the sordid details of how it all went down but it is the GD Honda team that was left sweeping up the pieces. To Team Manager Derek Schuster’s credit, he stayed the course and lobbied
86 JunE 2013 · Motocross Performance
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CMRC Season Preview
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Honda hard to stay on board and has miraculously landed firmly on both feet. For the upcoming season, they have secured the services of American import Blake Savage. You may remember Savage from his performance at the Walton National last year where he was very impressive on a 450. But it is MX2-only for the Gopher Dunes team this season, and with a rider like Blake Savage at the controls it’s anyone’s guess at the damage he is capable of doing. Joining him on a CR250F is the likable young man Nathan Bles. Talk about adversity even before the series starts. The GD boys have rebounded from a dark place with the loss of Medaglia to a happy place with the final decision to sign both Savage and Bles. MX 101, based out of Sand Del Lee, has stepped things up big time for 2013. The Yamaha supported team now has local hero Jeremy Medaglia riding a 450 in the big boy class. Partnering up with Jeremy in MX1 is Shawn Robinson who nailed down some impressive results last season. It’s nice to see this combination committed to all nine rounds. Rumour has it that both these guys have been training hard and are looking very strong on the bikes. The MX 101 boys did not stop there as they will also have a presence in MX2, for the final five eastern rounds anyway. Aboard a 250F will be local boy and senior MX 101 riding instructor Tyler Duffy. Duffy is young to be a senior anything but with all his years as part of the 101 family (since he was on 60s) Tyler is amped to perform. Riding a YZ250 two-stroke
is the hard charging Dylan Wright who is RIGHT: The toughest rider also a graduate of on the circuit, the MX 101 training New York program. native Bobby Jay Burke of JBR Kiniry clawed his way to the fame will be back runner-up doing things on his spot in MX1. He’s been own terms once racing AMA again. With help Supercross from Machine Rac- since January so he’s fit and ing, FXR and Label focused on the It, Jay will be back title. on Hondas in the MX1 class. After BELOW: The ultimate a very successful privateer, 2012, Jay, like Kyle Jay Burke, Keast, is a working runs his own man’s hero and one team. He’s the team’s top to watch mixing it (and only) ridup with all comers. er, mechanic, driver of the Speaking of Ke“factory” rig, ast, he will be dozand financial ing his way through planner. He’s national #8? the pack on his What the…. trusty Machine Racing Yamaha 450. Kyle is old school though and an east coast fan favourite. Keaster works full time and is one of the few top guys who do not spend his winters down south training. Instead he is plying his trade as an iron worker and has to wait for the snow to melt to start riding, which this year makes for a very late start. Slated to only compete in the east, Kyle is now considering making the trek to race round three and four in Calgary and Edmonton respectively. Liam O’Farrell is another guy to switch rides for ‘13. Coming off an Italian made TM 450 and onto an Austrian made KTM 450, Liam will only be racing the final five eastern rounds after representing
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LEFT: Washington State’s Brad Nauditt finished with a very respectable fifth overall in the MX2 class in ’12 and could very well improve his results now that he found a sponsor. BELOW: If there’s anyone Brett Metcalfe should be concerned about, it’s 3X Champ Colton Facciotti. He’s the odds-on favourite to give KTM their first CMRC MX1 title.
KTM at the provincial level. A rider with many top five finishes over his tenure in Canada, the South African native is capable of dicing with the Nation’s best. Newly crowned Canadian Arenacross Champion, Spencer Knowles, will be back in MX2 on a GA Checkpoint Yamaha 250F, which is good news for the always fast, always humble BC native. With long time motocross enthusiast and industry insider Ed Wagstaff in his corner, once again Spencer is sure to land on the podium many times this year. Ontario rider Nicky Beatty will be back on a Honda after a year on Yamahas. The offspring of MX speedster Dave Beatty, Nicky is stoked to be back on a Honda and will be riding a CR250F. Nicky has been living the dream following the East Coast Supercross Series and has made the night program on several occasions. Washington rider Brad Nauditt will be back with the help of Cycle North Powersports out of Prince George, British Columbia. This will be Brad’s third full season riding MX2 in Canada aboard a Honda. Dylan Kaelin made the switch from Yamaha to KTM and will be flying the orange colours representing Apex Cycle with support from KTM. Dylan impressed many last year with his tenacity and solid finishes, and is training hard for consistency in 2013. The Allison twins, Jared and Parker, will be back aboard Yamahas, riding Blackfoot Direct YZ250 fourstrokes, and will be gunning for podiums once again. Little brother Brayton Allison will be the third wheel under the Allison tent also riding a Yamaha in MX2. A rider that finished the
2012 series third in MX2 is Californian Topher Ingalls. He did it on a shoe string budget last year and looks to be without major sponsorship again this year but vows to be there as a privateer, probably on a Honda 250F. One rider no one is talking about is New Englander Josh Clark. Josh made waves last year riding a Honda 450 along with John Dowd’s old mechanic Ron Bushey. The pair will be back but with Josh switching to MX2 aboard a four-stroke Kawasaki. If anyone is a sleeper coming in under the radar, it’s the ultra-fit, ultra-serious Josh Clark! Taking advantage of the new two-stroke rule is east coaster Davey Fraser back on the Italian made TM. Davey will be using the light blue, fat piped bike to test himself against the country’s best riders as the series travels east, competing in the final five rounds. Fraser is fast and has the ability to throw a wrench into the standings at the eastern rounds. He will be on tracks he is familiar with so look for him. If it’s an underdog you want to cheer for then Davey is your man. So there you have it for 2013. Of course things can and do change right up until the gate drops in Nanaimo so you can count on MXP to be there covering all the action. Word is there will also be a lot of American privateers venturing north for a shot of northern glory. We have seen this trend before, but with fewer rides available down south and an ailing economy, riders are keen to be a part of the Canada’s Monster Energy MX Nationals. It should be a very interesting year ahead indeed!
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. K A LE
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ANDRE LAURIN
THE OTSFF STORY By Wil De Cler cq Pho t os by Virgil K n a pp n 1994 Andre Laurin was just 26 years old, an age that in the business world you have just scratched the surface, are still looking to make your mark, or haven’t even begun to make a career for yourself. Laurin had not only made a career for himself, he had done a bit more than just scratch the surface: he had just founded his own company, Ocean Transport Services Freight Forwarding (OTSFF). Over the next 10 years he would establish OTSFF as a major player in the international logistics industry and create a complimentary business, OTSFF Sports Marketing Group, which would take him back to
I
his snowmobiling roots and passion for dirt bikes. Only five years earlier Laurin had graduated from Toronto’s George Brown College’s new Physical Distribution Logistics program. Laurin had gotten to know the advisory board members from the logistics industry and he realized the movement of goods was the way to go. He cut his teeth in the business, first at Livingston International, then at Atlas International Freight Forwarding, and finally at Paul Taynor before founding his own company. Although it was mostly hard work and very little play, Laurin’s summers were taken up with boating; his winters were as usual dedicated to snowmobiling. This had
been his routine since he was a young boy growing up on an expansive tree farm in Lafontaine, Ontario, on the shores of Georgian Bay. But recreational sled trail riding had started to lose some of its appeal and during the winter season of 2001/2002, he decided to go racing. “At one point I got somewhat bored with just trail riding and decided to take up snowcross. I always liked going fast, whether it was in a car or a boat, or on a bike or sled, so I thought it was time I’d pour on the smoke and try racing. By then snowcross was an established and growing sport, and it just kind of attracted me like a moth to a flame. I got myself
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a competition license with the CSRA and began racing.” Laurin soon noted that snowcross was more than just a bunch of snowmobile enthusiasts racing around on a motocross-style track. He realized that it had a business model in place and could be used for marketing purposes, plus his participation in snowcross had already paid dividends during his first season. In March 2002, OTSFF trucked the entire CSRA Nationals Snowcross Tour to Sun Peaks in Kamloops, British Columbia for an event there. Not only was his involvement in snowcross securing transportation contracts, it gave Laurin an insider’s perspective on the business aspect of the sport. He
also starting giving some real serious thought to getting involved on a much more intense level—like entering a professional team, go for a championship title, and use the sport as a platform to market products, both industry and non-industry related. When Laurin found out that the so-called factory teams - Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat, Polaris, and Yamaha - were not managed by the actual manufacturers but by independent contractors, he decided that he wanted a piece of the action. He made no illusions about getting backing from the key players; he would have to start with a privateer team and take it from there. Laurin knew that he could and would operate
a full-fledged manufacturer’s team supported by aftermarket and non-industry sponsors once he proved his mettle as someone who knew how to put a viable program together. It would be just a matter of time. He wasn’t in a rush. Despite his aspirations, snowcross was still about having a good time away from the office. “When I got into this it was with the intention of being a weekend warrior and to treat the sport as a hobby. I was a good snowmobile driver, sure, I’d been on one since I was a little kid, but I wasn’t a young hotshot who had ambitions to make a name for myself as a snowcross star. If I was going to treat
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ANDRE LAURIN
THE OTSFF STORY snowmobile racing as a business venture and tie it in with OTSFF as a promotional vehicle, I needed the best equipment I could get my hands on and a talented professional driver who was a championship contender,” Laurin said. He took his first step towards that end by hiring 18-year-old Iain Hayden, a young up-and-comer from Espanola in northern Ontario. With his smooth and confident stand-up racing style, Hayden had made an impression on Laurin. Like Laurin, Hayden had grown up in a snowmobiling family and as Laurin would soon discover, the kid was an aspiring dirt biker racer as well. With Hayden under contract and some support from Pepsi Cola and Cal Jet Performance, Laurin put together his first official team. He bought two brand new Ski-Doo REV MXZ 600s and was ready to go racing. “You meet all kinds of people in the racing business and they all talk the talk, but they don’t necessarily always walk the walk. When I met with Andre the first time to discuss my racing for him he said ‘ just trust me, if you stick with me on this I guarantee it will work.’ There was something about him that just grabbed me. I mean he had so much confidence in himself without sounding full of himself. It wasn’t a put-on. I believed that he could and would do what he said he was going to do. And he did,” Hayden noted. Some 20 events were on the schedule that winter, which in addition to the CSRA Tour included a number of WPSA races in the U.S., and the FIM World Championship in Sweden. Like Laurin, Hayden delivered the goods. He recorded an incredible 18 wins that season and nailed down the 2002/2003 CSRA Pro Stock and Open National Championships. It was just the beginning. Seeing the marketing potential in snowcross, Laurin next wanted to get involved in motocross to explore the opportunities it offered. The CMRC, which had replaced the CMA as Canada’s premier sanctioning body by 1994, staged a viable national and regional series; there were a number of motocross related magazines and websites on the market, and the nationals were televised in North America and Europe. Laurin wanted to be part of it, but he didn’t want to do it from the bottom up with a privateer team. Buoyed by his snowcross success, he contacted the big four (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha) but struck out. Not only did he not have any credibility in motocross, their teams were already in place for the 2003 Nationals, a process that had started months earlier. Laurin took note that you had to plan well in advance for an upcoming season, not just come knocking at the last minute. “I was a nobody, an unknown entity. Everybody was thinking, who’s this punk? The fact that I had run a successful first year snowcross team meant nothing to them. I kind of knew Peter Swanton at Yamaha because he would often go to the snowcross races and we had talked, but Peter couldn’t do
left: When the 2006 MX2 West series was complete, Gray Davenport, from Salt Lake City, Utah, moved up to the big bikes to replace an injured Ryan Lockhart. Below: Gavin Gracyk was originally hired in 2005 to race the MX2 East series, but when he started the nationals riding MX1 in the west he was dominant. He stayed in MX1 and delivered OTSFF their best series finish – 2nd.
anything for me,” Laurin said. “I realized that in order to put a motocross team together I needed to get into the front door with some kind of existing team, one that had at least a basic infrastructure in place, and KTM Canada proved to be it. I had a foot in the door with them, thanks to Iain, who had been sponsored by KTM Canada throughout his amateur years.” After a stellar pro snowcross season, Hayden was ready to step up his motocross career and he turned Pro in 2003. He had already been signed to ride for the KTM team along with Nova Scotia’s Ryan Lockhart and American Mike Treadwell. The veteran New England star had already twice claimed runner-up in the 125cc East Championship and he was put in charge of managing the team as well. Laurin, who was the first to admit that he knew nothing about running a motocross team, welcomed Treadwell’s mentorship and the two got on famously. It was a season of learning and observing.
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THE OTSFF STORY “Andre was a businessman first and foremost. He knew snowcross but he didn’t know much about the inner workings of motocross. He was a quick study, however, eager to learn everything he needed to know so he would be more effective in getting his sponsors the most bang for their buck,” Treadwell said. “You could tell this wasn’t a one-off thing for Andre or something he wanted to dabble in. He definitely wasn’t some kind of dilettante looking to amuse himself because he had nothing better to do. He knew where he wanted to take his involvement in motocross and he was passionate about it. Andre always looked at the big picture while still paying attention to the small details.” The 2003 motocross season proved to be a baptism of fire for Laurin, especially when it came to the competition end. For some reason the bikes proved to be problematic and unreliable, resulting in DNFs and poor results. When Barrett Marketing, the company that had been KTM’s Canadian distributor for a number of years, dropped the ball at the end of 2003, KTM USA took over the motocross team for the following season. Laurin was left out in the cold. Through a twist of fate, one of Treadwell’s friends, John Dowd, had faced a similar reversal of fortune when his Suzuki ride fell through in the States. Although Treadwell had signed with Team Diablo Honda for the 2004 season, he told Andre that Dowd would come to ride the Canadian Nationals if Andre could put a ride together for him. With a heavy hitter like Dowd as his main rider, Laurin approached Suzuki Canada to make a pitch they would find hard not to pay attention to. It didn’t hurt that Dowd, who had shown up as a guest rider at a Quebec National in 2003, had beaten the invincible John Sebastien Roy in front of a home province crowd on the strength of 2-1 motos. Suzuki’s Ian McInstray, aware of the publicity value a rider like John “The Junkyard Dog” Dowd presented, got behind the project and secured some funds from Suzuki’s marketing budget. Laurin was in business and on his way to becoming a force to be reckoned with in Canadian motocross. Where Treadwell had left off educating Laurin about pro motocross, John Dowd had picked up the thread. “John brought maturity to the team and was able to contribute more than just racing, which in and of itself would have been plenty. The team got a lot more polished because of him. John had a lot of good ideas and I owe both him and Mike a debt of gratitude for teaching me the ropes,” Laurin said. Dowd would not disappoint in the 250cc CMRC Canadian Nationals for Team OTSFF Suzuki. Although he was already 38 years old at the time, “Dowdy”, as he was affectionately known, was still a premium athlete and far from burned out like most of his contemporaries. When all was said and done, The Junkyard Dog rode to an impressive No.3 ranking, surprising everyone but himself.
“For me, racing for Andre Laurin’s team was a blast. It was a great season all around. Although there was a lot of pressure on us to perform for Suzuki, you wouldn’t have known it. Everybody pulled their weight and things just kind of fell into place. I know quite a few people thought of Andre as some kind of joke, but he was anything but that. I think they just didn’t know what to make of him because he was essentially an outsider to the scene at the time,” Dowd said. Just two years after making his entry into pro motocross with KTM, Andre Laurin signed a contract with Suzuki to run the manufacturer’s official Canadian motocross team for 2005. The Laurin/ Suzuki partnership would last until the 2011 season and saw results produced as high as runner-up in the MX1 title hunt. When Suzuki cut back on their motocross budget, Laurin entered into an agreement with Yamaha Motor Canada to run their factory team for 2012. In some ways Laurin had come full circle: he had run Yamaha’s factory road race team in the 2009 Parts Canada Superbike Championship (third place ranking in series with Kevin Lacombe), and for a number of years had run the Yamaha Factory Racing USA snowcross team. It was no stretch of the imagination thus that he ended up at the helm of Yamaha’s Canadian Motocross Nationals team. Although a national MX1 and MX2 motocross championship has eluded Laurin so far, he has managed to field consistently performing top-10 to top-5 teams with a slew of riders that has included Treadwell (10th MX1, 2005); Dowd (3rd MX1, 2004); Keith Johnson (4th MX1, 2005 – 7th MX1, 2006); Gavin Gracyk (runner-up MX1, 2005); Ryan Lockhart (6th MX1, 2006); Mitch Cooke (9th MX1, 2008); Tyler Medaglia (3rd MX1 2008 – 5th MX1, 2009);
“John brought maturity to the team and was able to contribute more than just racing...” Right: In 2005, OTSFF was stacked. Keith Johnson, Gavin Gracyk and Mike Treadwell rode MX1, plus they had Bruce Prochnavy (380) MX2 West and Jean Yves Allard MX2 East. Ken Thiessen (L) and Dave Derosier (R) spun wrenches.
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ANDRE LAURIN
THE OTSFF STORY
Kyle Keast (9th MX1, 2009) and for the past three seasons Bobby Kiniry (3rd MX1, 2010 – 7th MX1, 2011). In 2012, Kiniry delivered his best results yet for the team, claiming runner-up in the MX1 title chase. One national motocross championship did come Laurin’s way, however, and it was a history making occasion: in 2006, Jolene Van Vugt became the first ever CMRC Women’s Motocross National Champion on a Team Suzuki/OTSFF/Inglis Cycle ride. Twenty-eight-year-old Kiniry, who hails from Holland Patent, New York, returns to Team Rockstar Energy/OTSFF/Yamaha for his fourth season this year, which is the longest period of time any rider has been on a Laurin motocross team. He will be joined by Richard Grey, who will race his second MX2 season for the team, and Shawn Maffenbeier, who makes his debut with the team. “I have raced for quite a few teams in my day and I am not exaggerating when I say that racing for Andre Laurin has been the most enjoyable and rewarding. Andre seems to be a master at gauging people’s moods and needs. He knows which buttons to push and when to push them. He always does it with tact and sensitivity, and that translates into bringing out the best in those who work for him, whether it’s his transport company or his racing teams,” Kiniry said.
Above: Richard Grey joined the team in 2012. He rode consistently enough to finish 9th in MX2 ProAm. This year may be a different story. Now he’s riding better than ever.
After his debut in Canadian motocross in 2003 with KTM, Laurin remained active in snowcross on both sides of the border. With Hayden as his star driver, three more national titles came his way in the CSRA, the most recent in the 2012/2013 season for Team Rockstar Energy/Polaris Racing. In addition to running teams for Arctic Cat and Polaris over the years, Laurin was also instrumental in helping to develop Yamaha’s Nitro 4-Stroke racing program in the United States. When considering the resources available in the U.S., it speaks volumes for Laurin that he was approached by Yamaha to run their American snowcross team. “Based on a recommendation from our Yamaha people up in Canada, I met with Andre Laurin and saw what he was doing with his Canadian motocross race program. I was impressed and contracted with his OTSFF Sports Marketing group to manage our Factory Yamaha Snocross team, provide our team support personnel, provide the race transporter, and organize the extensive travel logistics,” Tucson, Arizona-based Walbro Engine Management’s Greg Marier said. “Andre not only over-delivered on the contracted items, but the more we worked together, the more additional value he brought to our program. His knowledge of motorsports racing, his dedication to deliver on his commitments, and his strong people skills served us very well.” With the 2013 motocross season upon us, Laurin will be at the track again doing what he does best: promote his stable of top-flight sponsors, push the right buttons, have fun, and keep going for the brass ring. “I’ve been fortunate in life to be at the right place at the right time. It’s a bit of a cliché, but everything is about timing. When an opportunity presents itself, I take it and then make the most of it. I’m the type of person who doesn’t second-guess an opportunity. Of course, sometimes things don’t always pan out the way you anticipate so you try to compensate for that with predetermined options if the need arises,” Laurin said.
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The Greatest of
All Time By Marc
Tra vers
~ Pho tos
pinions are like noses…everybody’s got one. Just because you have one, doesn’t make it right (an opinion that is). But in life there a few things people can generally agree on, and in Canadian motocross, one thing most people will agree on is that the second MX1 Moto from Sand Del Lee in 2007 is one of the greatest motos of the modern era of Canadian motocross racing, if not the greatest. When I was been presented with an opportunity to switch gears and dive into a new series of articles for MXP, I jumped at the chance. The series is aptly named “Greatest of All Time”. At first I thought it may be a series of articles just about me, but soon realized that would be part of the “Mediocrity” series of articles coming soon. No, this new genre of stories is going to re-cap some of the greatest motos in Canadian Motocross history. To be honest, I think it is a great idea. I know of a few beauties right off the bat: 250 Moto 1, Joliette in 2001, Dusty Klatt vs. Bobby K at Walton 2011, Roy vs. Morgan, Moto Valley Raceway in 2001, plus I bet Bill Petro and Wil DeCerq will be able to go back into the annals and remember some dynamite motos from days
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gone by; this list could get extensive. That is why my opening line is so true. My top five may be different than your top five and so on. We could argue about it…for a bit, but I do believe that in everybody’s top five is the race I will cover for the inaugural article of the series - Simon Homans’ greatest win in the MX1 class, Sunday, August 12th, 2007, Sand Del Lee MX Park, MX1 - Moto 2. The weather was almost perfect that day. At that time in Canadian Motocross we still had the MX2 East and West divisions, so Round 8 of the series was the MX2 East final. Michael Willard won his second of two MX2 East titles with Tremblay and a young Tyler Medaglia rounding out the podium (Word of note: 2007 was the year we started using Monster Girls, which, in my humble opinion, started the whole use of Monster girls internationally. Who was the very first Monster Girl?? She was the ever so lovely Natasha Henlein, who has always been one of my favourites. Natasha had been working the podium with us for a year or two prior to her foray as the first girl of Monster, but in 2007 she really took hold of the reigns and made the position what it is today. Natasha, what a class act. Cheers!). June 2013 · Motocross Performance 101
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It was the Moto of my Life…I passed Colton, PC, and Gibbie. That meant a lot to me, beating those guys. It was a good win. I remember I had some awesome lines. I started third, the track was rough, but I quickly found my good lines. It really made the difference. Mid-moto I was riding tight. I had some crazy arm pump after three laps. When I saw the halfway marker I thought there was no way I was going to make it to the end. I was pushing, pulling away, and then tried to relax and make the arm pump go away. Then they would catch me, again. With two laps to go I had a good lead. I took it way too easy; Carpenter caught me big time. The last half lap was insane.” ~ Simon Homans
Sand Del Lee has always been one of my favourite tracks. I love the claybased sand substrate, the difficulty level of the track, and the type of event the MX 101 crew puts on. Johnny, Kevin and the boys run a first class race. Kevin Tyler was on track detail that day, as he always is, and the track was running in its usual direction. Based on the warm, sunny weather, the sand was not as moist as we had seen it in the past but still very tractable; there was a plethora of line choices. The first MX1 Moto was a beauty. Facciotti bagged the holeshot and held on to second place after teammate Blair Morgan had passed him for the lead, but the five-time Canadian Champion, Jean Sebastian Roy, took the checkers for the Moto 1 victory. Jeff Gibson, Paul Carpenter and Kyle Keast rounded out the top five, setting the stage for what we were hoping to be a solid final moto. Quick note: Paul Carpenter had secured his first Canadian MX1 title with his 4th place finish in Moto 1. That was Cernic’s Kawasaki’s first MX1 Championship in Canada, which couldn’t have been won by a more worthy candidate.
After the MX2 East final podium and KTM Canada’s second number one plate had been delivered (did I mention that Michael Willard’s better half, the lovely Tiffany was helping us out on the Monster podium that year as well? Somebody had ripped a hole in her Monster tank top...tragedy), the crowd was settling in for the final moto of the day. The Sand Del Lee track is located just outside our Nation’s capitol, so the crowd that day, as per usual, was pretty good. Luckily for me I did not have to sing the Anthem – a story for another article, or maybe a top ten feature - Me, Carl Lewis and Rosanne Barr. One of the great things about the SDL track is the start. The gate position allows for spectacular viewing of the prep work, gate selection, as well as the riders off the line and into corner number 1. The start is pretty safe because it is a really wide chicane. Add in the fluffiest sand start from coast to coast, and 40 riders off the gate never looked so good. The inside gate picks lined up as follows: Facciotti, Davenport, Carpenter, Dubé, Roy, Northrup and Gibson. Homans was two gates inside the
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“I only had so much left in the tank by the end...face full of sand every time I got close, I couldn’t see where I was going...the roost was wicked…felt fresh in the middle of the moto, but had a tough time getting it together near the end...I was really glad when it was over…it was a really tough race…I was glad I had already clinched the title after Moto 1.” ~ Paul Carpenter
To be honest, I don’t remember much. I know it was hot…I know I had the lead...I know I was pissed because I was not on the podium. I think I finished fifth.” ~ Colton Facciotti doghouse. The start was awesome! Davenport had a bit of wheel spin, Facciotti got off great, but it was Gibson, Lockhart, and Pico Chamberlain who had the best jumps. Gibson got the inside line around the second giant hay bail corner maker getting the “Hoooollllleeeshhhhhoooott”, Lockhart swung wide, Chamberlain held onto second and Facciotti knifed in to pull third. Joseph Rose had a great start too, sitting 5th in corner 2. Roy and Carpenter were a ways back; Homans was 6th going over the tunnel. The riders began to spread out and the race to end all races was on. Facciotti quickly passed Chamberlain for second and took off after Gibson. Homans bullied his way past
Lockhart and Pico to get into third, then out of nowhere came the big #3 of Blair Morgan. Blair was on fire that day and would have most likely won the first moto if not for a stator problem. The Blackfoot bikes had a few interesting things happen to them that season. Roy was continuing to struggle, going down after the big triple on lap 1 which put him back to 25th. Coming out of the back section to put lap one to bed was Gibson, Facciotti, Homans, and Morgan as your top four. Carpenter and Norcal were moving through the pack and sitting around 10th. This is where things started to get interesting. Facciotti took over the lead right before the end of lap one, Gibson, who had been riding a little June 2013 · Motocross Performance 103
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It was an awesome moto, five or six of us going at it, wanting to win, battling...I left everything on the track. I fell back early after having the lead, Facciotti and Homans were sprinting…I gave it my all out there...I was wasted when it was over.” ~ Gibson
defensively in the lead, succumbed to #10’s pressure and settled into second. What he wasn’t ready for was how aggressive Homans was riding. Simon had taken his first MX1 win of the season in Nanaimo and was looking to get back onto the podium. Homans had a few choice lines on the track, and he pulled the trigger on Gibbie on what proved to be his favourite line of the day; inside through corner 2 then inside over the big tunnel. He would not be denied. Staying on the gas far longer than Gibson, the #4 YZF450 out-jumped the #102 Kawi and moved into second. Gibson put up a valiant retaliation but could not handle how bossy Homans was. Blair Morgan, with the best seat in the house, sitting fourth, was poised to pounce on a podium spot. Another great thing about the Sand Del Lee track is the size of the corners. Options, and lots of them. You carry speed wide, and you can knife in and take the inside; slower but shorter. If you take into consideration the sand substrate, you have a very fast but rough chop coming into and out of these big corners. Halfway through the next lap, Homans caught Facciotti, and Morgan found Gibson’s rear wheel. Four bikes now in contention for the lead and it’s still early in the race. We all know about Blair Morgan’s great eye for smooth lines (remember his inside line at Gopher that year through the middle of the track? – brilliant), and never was it more prevalent than in this moto. Morgan may have been the fastest man on the track by this point in the moto but what was cool about his approach was his patience. He was keeping pace with the top three - watching, surveying. While Homans and Facciotti were scrambling for the lead, Morgan’s experience showed with a solid, smooth outside line in the big right hand sweeper giving Blair sole possession of 3rd place and an eye on the lead. Gibson fell back to fourth. While all of this action was going on at the front of the pack, some developments were occurring outside of the top five. Kyle Beaton had already had his first of two setbacks in this moto. If you remember, he was riding the big bike in the East on his way to Walton for the MX2 Shootout. Dubé, Carpenter and Norcal had been exchanging pleasantries for 5th, and JSR was working his way back from Mars, shredding the field on his way into the top 10. So, up to now, the race had seen two different leaders and a solid cluster in the lead battle. Simon Homans was about to drop the hammer. For a couple of laps, Homans had been causing young Colton fits, pressuring the Blackfoot rider with aggressive forays all over the track, but Facciotti’s defense
was solid until Homans set him up coming into his favourite right hander. It seemed like a replay of his pass for second on Gibson. Using the exact same line, Homans sliced to the inside, got on the gas and stayed on the gas relegating Yotes to position number 2. Two very ballsy passes for Homans. He was making a statement. Carpenter had gotten by Norcal in the sweet roller section after the big sweeper and was now working on Dubé for 5th. JSR had broken into the top 10, getting by Chamberlain and Charbonneau. Blair Morgan was sitting nicely in 3rd, making it an all-Yamaha top three. By far the best battle on the track in terms of length and tenacity was the battle for the lead between Homans and Facciotti; two big young men using tractable YZF450 power and sheer strength to muscle each other around the track. For the better part of two laps, you could quote the great Rollerball and yell “You could throw a blankie over these two”. By the
end of their battle Facciotti was looking a bit winded while Homans looked as fresh as a daisy. The fans at the SDL track really got their money’s worth that day I can tell ya! Okay, let’s recalibrate. Morgan, while pressing the top two, got caught in a soft berm quagmire and went down, remounting in 10th with Keast along for the ride in 11th. Gibson inherited third with the Morgan demise, Carpenter was hovering in fourth, and incredibly, JSR was a few seconds back in fifth having passed Norcal and Dubé. Kyle Beaton had remounted after his first get off, but was then ejected off of his Yamaha after a big tank slapper in front of Mechanics Row. Beats was, and is, one tough cookie. With JSR closing the gap on Carpenter there were five bikes in contention for the lead with approximately an eight second gap between first and fifth. Homans had opened a small gap on Facciotti and looked to be settling into a nice, aggressive rhythm.
The Greatest of
All Time Jeff Gibson
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I know it was hot out…I remember the stator going in the first moto. I was in second and it quit right before finish line. I was kicking and kicking that bike. In the second moto, I felt really good. I was charging in third, inside line just gave out on the edge. That was it for me.” ~ Blair Morgan
JSR had the bit between his teeth and began to press Carpenter. Carpenter looked to be getting a little tired at this point of the moto, either that or he was sick of the sand roost from Gibson, but as the five pack came out of the back section, JSR went outside to inside over the return hump jump and moved into 4th. Gibson was riding solid in third. By now, the top five were about a second apart, so five seconds from first to fifth. I remember Stally and I working the cameras around the track trying desperately to focus on our lead battle, but also looking for some kind of alternate battle back in the pack so we could cut the race up a bit for TV. It would have been nice to show the whole race, but time is money, you know how it goes. I do still have the
VHS tape of the race call between Stally, the four cameramen and me. To this day the audio record is still a pleasure to listen to. The excitement is clearly evident. Maybe Stally will put that up on YouTube one day. Over the finish line jump we go - Homans, Fastiotti, Gibson, JSR and Carpenter. Gibson lines up Facciotti coming into the “Homans corner” and uses the leader’s hot line to zing past the #10 Yamaha and move into 2nd. Facciotti then went wide into the big left-hander after the tunnel jump. Carpenter, who used Homans’ line to slip by JSR into 4th, went inside and knifed off Facciotti who was coming out of the corner in the wide line. Now Paulie was in third. Facciotti, with no time to relax, looked to cross over on his teammate on the next tabletop and into
Oh, the flat tire...soft compound paddle tire…just couldn’t take the pounding I gave it. That was before we started using Bib Mousses. I wanted to win so bad, I wanted to make a statement. My concussion from earlier in the season had put me way behind..Paulie was so fast…I was riding really aggressive, it was like a state of mind” ~ JSR June 2013 · Motocross Performance 105
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Normally, I get two of the TV cameras to follow the main battle up front and the other two for another battle behind. Halfway through this moto I said to Travs ‘all cameras on the lead group’, and it stayed that way to the checkers. It was such an amazing race that we wanted to capture the action from every angle possible. I’ve seen some incredible racing in my day like Mike Harnden and Ross Pederson in ’84 at Copetown or JSR and Blair Morgan in Regina, but I’ve never seen a moto like Sand Del Lee’s when there were so many riders involved in one pack that lasted as long as it did. Without a doubt, it was the best moto I have ever seen!” ~ Mark Stallybrass
Simon Homans
The Greatest of
All Time
the corner behind vendors’ row. Bar to bar they raced with JSR going inside to outside through the next two corners. The roost thrown was incredible; Facciotti could not see a thing and laid off coming into the corner before the second tunnel on the west side of the track. He had just gone from 2nd to 5th through five corners of the track. The hot battle was now for 3rd. Homans looked confident and comfortable in the lead, Facciotti had backed it off slightly in 5th. Gibson came under heavy pressure from Carpenter as they crossed the finish line jump. There was no question that at this point these riders were dog-tired, they had been on full alert for almost 30 minutes. As Gibson leads Carpenter over tunnel number one, both riders freight train into the corner but they are coming into a clump of lappers. Gibson slips by the first lapper garnering the inside line through the lefthander, but the lapper crosses over into the inside line right into Paulie’s approach and hacks Carpenter off!! JSR, ever the opportunist, uses this conundrum to his advantage, goes outside and now is in 3rd. Carpenter was just boiling under his helmet, screaming at the lapper to get out of his way. Brian Koster’s commentary through this part of the race on the TV show is hilarious…“some of the lappers have got to read the manual”…priceless. Apparently Brady Sheren had read the manual as he gave PC the wave by. Carpenter is now in 4th. As the riders blasted over the west side tunnel, Gibson has finally caught up to Homans but JSR has caught up to Gibson, and now we have a three way battle for the lead. JSR poured in on over the triple as he and Gibson go side by side through the air. JSR was far more aggressive than Gibbie, out jumps him and carries more speed into the small chicane that takes them to the back section - JSR is now in 2nd. Paul Carpenter, with steam coming out of his goggles, tucks in behind Gibson and follows the pack through the woods section in 4th. As the four pack blasts out of the back wood section it is clear that Carpenter has found the reserve tank. He begins to push Gibson hard as the two make their way into the front section of the track. Carpenter shows Gibson a wheel, makes a stab inside,
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The Greatest of
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The track set up well with some larger ruts than normal, which made for great passing lines. The new irrigation system worked fantastically. The straightaway across the start line was ballistic in how fast it was (we have now added a chicane to keep speeds in check through there). I could not believe how much abuse 80 of the top Pros could inflict on a track in one day. The amount of earth moved in the corners was astonishing.” ~ Kevin Tyler
then outside, and before you know it, the pair of Kawasakis are right on JSR’s rear fender. All hell breaks loose as the battle for 2nd erupts. But something was not right with JSR. He had lost that killer mojo he was riding with only moments ago. He desperately tried to hang onto 2nd place but couldn’t handle pressure of the dueling Kawis. Gibson and Carpenter blew by the former champ on the big west side triple. JSR had a flat rear tire! On a sand track no less!! Wha Haappen?? Homans leads Gibson and Carpenter over the finish line, taking the white flag and a four second lead into the final lap. Simon Homans was two minutes away from winning one of the greatest races in Canadian Motocross History. Out of the back section they came. Every spectator was on their feet as
the three riders blazed around the big sweeper before the rollers. Just as they are exiting the sweeper, Homans took a quick peek back to figure out his gap. Low and behold, Carpenter had passed Gibson and was now right on his rear fender. Three corners to go! Homans was hanging on for dear life as they exited the roller section into the left hand hip-jump, bringing them to the corner before the finish. It was now or never for Carpenter as he tried an inside enduro line, looking to shave off the second he needed to make contact with Homans. But Simon Homans held his line and railed the second to inside line through the final corner, twisted the throttle and rocketed over the finish line taking the checkers, a scant four tenths of a second ahead of Carpenter. He had
done it. Simon Homans, arms in the air, was your winner. Going to a motocross race, or any race for that matter, is a big roll of the dice. It could be a relatively quiet affair with next to no passing or it could be a real barn-burner. Going to the National that day in Richmond, Ontario, nobody knew they were going to witness one of the greatest motos in Professional Canadian Motocross History. I was glad to be there and to be a big part of it. I hope you enjoyed this “Great Moto” review and I really look forward to it being a solid series for MXP. We have a rich history of racing in Canada, and as our forefathers have always said, “without history there is no future”. Let’s hope for a few good ones this summer.
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Palms catches up with Chad Reed. Chad Reed is one of the most iconic figures in our sport. For over ten years he has been at the top of the sport in America and a fan favourite around the world. In a time when there is much debate about why more Canadian riders don’t race more AMA Monster Energy Supercrosses, Chad has proven that a kid from a small town can succeed in any series or country he chooses. We caught up with Chad while he was recovering from his second knee surgery in a year and preparing for the 2013 Outdoor Nationals.
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My advice would be to obviously work hard and be prepared, but just have a little more self confidence maybe and don’t put the Americans on such a pedestal. Come down here and race and see what happens. It is tough but guys like me have proven that the dream is possible.”
MXP: Hey Chad, how are things going? CR: Things are going good. I had surgery about two weeks so I have just been rehabbing it and trying to get back at it. I actually rode yesterday for the first time so today I am just taking it easy and hanging with the family. Sounds like a pretty good day. Can you take us through exactly what was going on with your knee? There were a couple of things actually. There was an issue with the meniscus that kept bugging me, and I guess since the surgery last year there was a little debris floating around that would keep inflaming my knee. It seemed like every time I would train hard and really push things, my knee couldn’t handle it and I had to back it down. This started last fall and we thought it would get better as it got stronger, but it didn’t and here we are. The last straw was in March when I started getting ready for the Daytona SX. Obviously I was doing more outdoor-type riding and that made my knee even worse. We made the decision that if I wanted to be 100% for Hangtown and beyond I had to get my knee fixed. I was hoping to make it through the year and get it fixed in the off-season, but this year’s Supercross Series has been such a disaster for me I figured why not have the surgery now. I know your plan is to come back and ride the remaining rounds of Supercross but obviously the Championship is long gone. After what happened at Millville in 2011 and with not being able to ride the Nationals last year, you must be excited for this summer. Oh, you bet! I feel like in 2011 the outdoor
championship was mine to lose. Going into the second moto in Millville I had a good points lead and everything was going my way. Looking back, it’s amazing how quick things can change. That crash will forever live in infamy, especially in the age of television and YouTube when you see it over and over again. A few of us media guys went to Millville last year for a press launch and everyone wanted to see that tabletop. You know they call it the “Chad-a-pult” now? Really (laughs)? It was one of those crashes where you have to stop trying to figure out what happened; it was just so quick. It really felt like a bad dream to me, even flying through the air I kind of thought I was dreaming it. After I landed I remember just feeling my body from head to toe to see if anything was really injured. Once I caught my breath all I could think about was getting up and getting some points. I couldn’t believe you got up and then jumped that uphill triple. That is a pretty big jump. It’s amazing what you can do when the adrenaline is flowing. That entire moto is a blur to me. I could barely breathe. I still don’t know how I charged up to 14th. It was a really hot day and I actually thought I could’ve caught up to the top ten, but every time I really pushed I felt like I was going to throw up. I was so sore for the rest of the Nationals so I never really was able to get back up to speed. So, to answer your original question (laughs), I am really stoked for the 2013 outdoors to begin. Right from the beginning of this year’s Supercross Series you’ve talked about your bike and
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the effort you and your team have gone through to try to make it work well. Heading into the outdoors, are you happy with everything? Yes and no. Right from the start we went through what you typically do with a new bike. As a rider and team owner, there are things that I feel needed to be fixed or improved on the bike to allow me to ride at my full potential but we haven’t been able to come up with those parts as fast as I’d like. There were things I wanted back in October/ November that we’re just getting now, so that’s been a long, slow, frustrating process. We are slowly figuring things out and we did spend a long time trying to get the air fork to work the way I wanted it to. Although I love it and it has a ton of upside, as the fork is right now it just doesn’t gel with my riding style. We spent the first nine races of Supercross going through the motions trying to get it to work, but honestly it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Now I think we’re going in the right direction with the bike. With the outdoor tracks where you don’t need to be quite so precise with the front end, I think we’ll be good.
Above: Reed is a veteran. His experience both as a rider and team owner have made him one of the most respected motocrossers in the industry.
You just mentioned that you need the front end of your bike to be precise. With this generation of four-stroke motorcycles, has this always been a never ending struggle? I guess it has been a little bit. I am a big fan of sports in general and I compare it to Moto GP. I have a few friends who are high up the food chain in that sport and it’s no different for them. They demand a lot of grip with the front end and they can’t go fast without it. In motocross, some of the top riders aren’t so picky about the way their front ends feel, but they need the rear end to feel good. I just happen to ride the way I do and I feel like I have proven over the years that when I can trust my bike, I can contend for any win and for any championship. Do you feel like the search for a good bike set up is getting harder as you’re getting older? For sure it is. At 31 years-old I have a lot of experience to draw from. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. When the bike is good then it’s really good and things click. When the bike is bad, you’re kind of like “Here we go again” and you’re miserable. But this is
what we do. Life would be boring if everything was easy. I am glad you mentioned your age. Not that 31 is old by any means, but in the motocross world you’re getting up there. You’ve been at this game for a long time. Do you feel 31? That’s a good question - yes and no, I guess. Some days, especially recently with my knee, I feel every bit of my age and the time I’ve spent on a dirt bike. But generally I still feel great and I don’t feel like retiring any time soon. This is still my life and I still feel competitive at the races. I know I can still contend for wins. Looking back on your career, you’ve raced against some of the best this sport has ever seen; riders like Everts, McGrath, Stewart, Carmichael, Villopoto and Dungey just to name a few. Of all the riders you’ve lined up against, who do you consider was the toughest? Probably RC was the toughest for sure, mainly because he never had any weaknesses show up when you needed them to. He had a few holes in his game but when he had to get the job done he always seemed to rise to the occasion. The
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more pressure he had on his shoulders the better he performed. Everyone else has been tough as well. James has been really fast at times, RV, Dungey, Windham, Larocco, Lusk, the list goes on, but definitely Ricky has been the toughest. Looking even further back in your life to your childhood in Australia, was it just motocross from day one where you pushed to race or did you just fall into the sport? I think I had a pretty normal childhood, especially when you compare it to a typical amateur kid from America. I went to a normal public school and high school, I rode a bus to school every day, and my Dad worked in the concrete business so he would work his tail off from Monday to Friday so we could go racing on the weekends. Once I really got into racing my Dad was certainly hard on me, but not to the extent that you hear some of the horror stories with some kids here growing up. He was hard on me because he just didn’t want me to get hurt, he just wanted me to do it right. He had his way of doing things and whether it was right or wrong, it was his way and he believed in it. It’s funny now; I sometimes catch myself being a little like my Dad with my own son. I totally get where he was coming from. He definitely wanted me to win all the time, but it wasn’t because he wanted me to receive any fame or fortune, it was just because he gave up a lot so I could race and he wanted me to work hard and realize my full potential. When you think back about the road you have taken to this point in your racing and your choices in life, is there anything you would change? You know, I wouldn’t change a thing I did. It has all been about the journey. Even though there have been good and bad times, the things I have been able to see and do, it honestly has been a blast. I see how cool everything is here for amateur riders: the tracks are awesome, the bikes and support is second to none, but I wouldn’t change for a moment how I was brought up and what I’ve experienced both as
a rider and a human being. When I was an eleven year-old boy, I travelled to Indonesia twelve times in one year and each trip was awesome. Growing up, my Dad was always horrible at working on my bikes. Besides putting gas in the bike or tighten the chain, he wasn’t very good. So whenever I travelled we had to get an uncle or a family friend to come along with me. I think it was good for me to learn to do things without my Mom and Dad at my side. Back then you could turn Pro in New Zealand when you were 15, so in October of 1997 I lived and raced in NZ for five months, and those were the days of the King brothers and Josh Coppins. Those guys were animals and I learned so much racing with them. Then when I was 18 years old I went to Europe with Ellie and the story goes on from there. I think everything we’ve done, the journey we took with no real safety net, it was just us. We’ve had a blast each step of the way, and as I sit here today I can look back and say that we did it! I have wanted to ask you this for some time now - when is your book going to be available? Good question. My book has been finished for the last few years, it just needs to be edited and polished up. The book was supposed to be out a while ago but life kind of got in the way. We took on kids and a race team so sadly the completion of the book has taken a back seat. When I signed up to do a book on my life, I didn’t just want to take the money and let someone write it. I really wanted to do it myself and have control over it. The book is about my life so I want it to be really good. I want people to read it and feel as if it came directly from me. I feel like I owe my fans that much. I think in the next year you’ll see it out there, and hopefully it will be well received. You know the sooner the book comes out, the sooner it can be made into a Hollywood movie. (laughs) I know, that would be cool. I have been told that books sell better when they’re
Above: Reed is always in the mix, and has shown that he is always a title contender.
released while an athlete is still competing, so I better get on it! As someone who came to the USA from another country who has done incredibly well, what advice do you have for a Canadian kid who one day might want to follow in your footsteps? The one thing I really have trouble coming to terms with is why there aren’t more Canadian riders down here racing and being competitive. You guys are a bordering country to the USA so it really isn’t that far. I think back to when I was a kid and all I wanted to do was go to the USA and do well, but for me it was a 16 hour flight, it was expensive, and it was hard to arrange bikes. I know it’s not easy by any means but all Canadian riders have to do is load up and drive. Even when you look at the lifestyle, for a Canadian to go to the USA, they don’t have to change too much compared to the lifestyle change that a German or even an Australian has to go through. But still, it doesn’t seem to happen as often as you would think. I see the results from up there and guys like Kiniry and Goerke do well, but they don‘t run away with it. That means you guys have some pretty fast riders. My advice would be to obviously work hard and be prepared, but just have a little more self confidence maybe and don’t put the Americans on such a pedestal. Come down here and race and see what happens. It is tough but guys like me have proven that the dream is possible. Chad, thank you for taking the time to do this. You have a huge following in Canada, and I know I speak for everyone when I say that I hope it’s a long while before you retire. Good luck in the outdoors this summer and for the rest of the way. It was my pleasure and thanks to everyone in Canada for their support all of these years. You guys have an awesome country and some of the best fans in the world. I love coming up there for the Toronto SX. I hope to see more Canadian riders on the starting line down here soon.
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The Return to
Deschambault By Brett
Lee ~ Pho t os
b y A la i n
Ass ad
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ike many tracks in Canada, their existence started from a simple beginning many years ago. Deschambault has a similar story similar to any great track in Canada. In 1976, on land tucked away amongst bush and sandy hills, a few riders cut paths to find the perfect location for a motocross track. And so it was built. Nearly forty years later, Deschambault has grown into one of the top motocross tracks and facilities in Canada. In 2013, it will host the 2013 Eastern Canadian Amateur National as well as the 7th round of the 2013 Monster Energy Motocross Nationals.
L
The Eastern Canadian Amateur National (ECAN) itself was fittingly conceived in the nation’s capital several years ago. More specifically, it was founded by the forward-thinking team of MX101 who are based out of Sand Del Lee in Richmond, Ontario. However, trapped between large Pro Nationals in the ultra competitive Ontario motocross market, the event was never able to take hold despite rave reviews. After several years of poor rider support, the event was shelved; it was hard to pinpoint why it didn’t succeed. The Western Canadian Amateur National in Lethbridge, Alberta grew each year to become a solid event in the west; logic
said the same type of event should flourish in the east. The crew of MX101 had no shortage of work to keep their growing facility moving and came to an agreement with Deschambault to move the event. It was a tough decision for the MX101 crew who were emotionally attached to the race after three years; financially too because of their investment in the idea of the ECAN. Despite the emotions, they seemed to know the move would perhaps give the idea some life, so it relocated. Deschambault’s Daniel Thibault built his reputation in Quebec as a dedicated track owner. Since the early
‘90s, Thibault had been investing in the facility and building the track from a weekend venue into a solid race facility. Quebec motocross was growing, along with the rest of the sport across the country, in the ‘90s through to the 2000s. It was at a time of strong rider turn outs, rebounding bike sales, and an improved sponsorship base, back from the drought of the ‘80s. The track flourished. In a ten year span, the track won awards of excellence from the Quebec motocross community every year. It rapidly became one track everyone circled on their calendar to attend. In 2003, the track received an ultimate compliment when they were
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The Return to
Deschambault awarded a round of the 2003 and 2004 CMRC Pro National Championships where the very best riders in the country descended upon the track. The 2003 season offered up many firsts, none more memorable than that of Nova Scotia’s Ryan Lockhart. “I will never forget that day in 2003,” started Lockhart. Lockhart recently retired (for real this time) from professional motocross but is still very passionate about MX, is involved regionally with the sport, and working for Atlas Neck Braces. “Deschambault was my first and only win of my career, so it is such a special memory for me. I finished 3rd in the first moto with a really terrible start. When I came off from the moto I remember Mike Treadwell’s dad telling me that I could win Moto 2.” It was also what Lockhart felt could happen, but hearing it from another person that he respected was the added fuel he needed for the second moto. “I started 3rd and got into the lead on the first lap. I will never forget how easy that moto was. It is hard to explain, it was almost too easy. Seeing everyone cheering me on alongside the track was just an incredible feeling. I can close my eyes and remember that day. It never happened again, Deschambault was my first and last national moto win. It is just a really great track, one of the best in Canada in my opinion. I wish I was going back there this year.” Lockhart was liked in the pits then as he is today. Few first wins are remembered as well as that one in Deschambault.
A very young Dusty Klatt went 3-1 at Deschambault in 2004.
“It is just a really great track, one of the best in Canada in my opinion. I wish I was going back there this year.” - Ryan Lockhart The following year it was a day for Quebec Motocross’ beloved son, JSR, who would rule the day. At the time, JSR was in the closing years of his career. His teammates were the very talented Damon Huffman and a very hungry, young racer by the name of Dusty Klatt. The Champ was still King and Deschambault was another great day in his career. In moto one, JSR checked out on everyone. In rough sections, where everyone was struggling, he was smooth and controlled. He simply checked out. Moto 2 was a sniff of the future when Klatt stole a moto win, but his 3-1 wasn’t enough to beat JSR’s 1-2, and JSR knew it. He also locked up the points lead with 323 points to Huffman’s 259, and secured the 2004 Championship in front of his home province admirers.
JSR celebrated the 2004 CMRC 250cc Canadian National Championship title in front of his family and friends.
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Blair Morgan hit the podium in 2004 with a third overall.
“Obviously, Deschambault has a lot of special memories for me and my family,” said the multi-time National Champion, Jean Sebastian Roy.” In 2004, I was lucky enough to clinch the 250 Championship there in front of my hometown fans and that meant a lot to me. Back then, my friends came to only two races a year: the Montreal SX was one and in 2004 the other was Deschambault.” “The track itself is one of my favourites because of the dirt and the layout. It has a bit of everything. It’s really sandy so it can get pretty rough, in the middle part of the track it’s a little technical, and it has a few elevation changes so there is something for every rider.” In just two years, the National came, but unfortunately went. Series promoter Mark Stallybrass summed it up cleanly. “The reason we left in the past was the promoter of that national couldn’t come to terms with Daniel Thibault. This year, Daniel will be promoting the event on his own.” “Daniel is very enthusiastic about hosting both the ECAN and the Pro National, so I anticipate him being easy to work with in accommodating our
sponsors, teams and riders because he wants to make this event become one of the largest in the country that occurs on an annual basis,” continued Mark. “He has made a big investment into the track and the facility, which made my decision that much easier.” Those comments were echoed by JSR about the quality of the event and level of effort Thibault brings to the race. “I think everyone is going to enjoy it. The riders that have been there before are going to love coming back, and the riders who are new to the track are going to be surprised,” said JSR. “The promoter has put a lot of money into the facility the last few years so I think the teams and spectators are really going to enjoy being there. I am really glad it’s back on the schedule and I hope the event is a success.” The Eastern Canada Amateur National at Deschambault mirrors success shared at the Grand National Championship in Walton: Bring the amateurs in for a week of prestigious racing with the Pro event capping off the week. “There are a number of reasons for the move to Deschambault. The biggest reason is we want to create another big
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The Return to
Deschambault
Marco Dubé (17), Keith Johnson (44) and John Dowd (32) round the first turn at Deschambault.
“I am really glad it’s back on the schedule and I hope the event is a success.” -JSR
ProAm event by combining an amateur national with a Pro National,” said Stallybrass. “Deschambault already hosts the Eastern Canadian Amateur National so it made sense to add a Pro round. Plus, it is located in between two major centers (Quebec City and Trois-Rivières), which meets the mandate of our series sponsors, and it’s not too far for amateurs to travel from both Ontario and the Maritimes.” It is the dream that Thibault has had for many years, and finally feels it is coming to be what he has hoped it would be. “Since the motocross park opened to the public in 2007, I’ve always wanted to see growth of the
sport. It starts with great amateur races,” said Daniel. “This is our second year doing the ECAN, and now joining together with the Pro National makes it a huge event for the Province of Quebec and for Deschambault. We feel the industry is excited to be part of this race. We will make this a great event for everyone involved. “ The Eastern Canada Amateur National, and now the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals ensure this event will be well attended and overflowing with the entertaining Quebec motocross fans and riders throughout Eastern Canada. Thibault confidently states, “The track and the site evolved greatly;
American Damon Huffman chased JSR for the entire 2004 series but was never able to outlast the Champ.
you guys will find out. We spent a lot of money to make it a more spectator friendly layout. Deschambault is one of the best tracks in Quebec. There are not many big races left in Quebec for motocross. I had to take over here for the future of the sport and combine the ECAN and the Pro National into one stop in the summer. It will be something no one will want to miss. It’s a lot of extra work. We need to find sponsors, volunteers, and of course we need the weather on our side. As the series pulls into Deschambault in 2013, it will be going back in time in many ways, but also it will be a positive step forward for the sport.”
Keith Johnson (44), Mitchell Cooke (58), and Evan Laughridge (5) power through Deschambault’s epic first corner. 122 JUNE 2013 · Motocross Performance
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TAKE YOUR PERFORMANCE
TO THE EDGE
All NEw fOr 2013
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124窶カune 2013 ﾂｷ Motocross Performance
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Young and On the Rise
Michael DaSilva A Kid with a Dream By Chris Pomero y Pho t os by Wal t on R aceway
ichael DaSilva grew up as a typical boy, enjoyed sports, thought school was okay, but when he turned five years old his life forever changed. It was the age that DaSilva got into motocross and began riding. The family was instantly enamored with the sport and the journey to success was underway. After moving to St. Jean Sur Richelieu, Quebec, racing became very serious for the DaSilvas. Not only were Michael’s results improving, but he was getting confident enough to travel to big races, including the biggest in Canada, the Parts Canada TransCan. At ten years of age, Michael showed up
M
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at Walton with one goal in mind, to win a championship and prove that he was the best in Canada in his class. After riding superbly all week in 2007, his dreams were finally realized when he took home the 60cc 10-11 title. Since that August day in 2007, DaSilva has never looked back, collecting six Parts Canada TransCan titles, not to mention the very prestigious GPF Recovery Award in 2010. This determined kid from Quebec has proven that he can win on any bike size and withstand the pressures that come with winning. Now at just sixteen years of age, DaSilva enters what will be the toughest challenge of his young life: the Pro class.
2013-05-03 10:33 AM
Young and On the Rise
Michael DaSilva: A Kid with a Dream
Heading into this past winter, DaSilva knew that he had to train harder than ever before. Before the trip even began, he suffered a setback in the form of a broken hand playing sports at school. DaSilva reflects on his injury, “When I broke my hand I thought my entire winter plans were done, but I worked hard at rehabbing it and my trip to Florida went ahead as scheduled. I was very lucky.” With the injury behind him, DaSilva set out for Florida in the early part of the winter. With a good training base already established, Michael worked very hard on his riding and technique. With his entrance to the Pro class looming, DaSilva knows that to race with and beat his older and more experienced competition, he will not only have to be in great shape but will have to rely on his acclaimed riding skills. After stops in Florida then Georgia at GPF, DaSilva returned home to Quebec feeling confident for the start of CMRC’s Monster Energy Motocross Nationals. “I had a good winter and I feel really good about my riding. I know I will have to ride hard and be really fit if I hope to find success this summer,” said DaSilva. With his decision to switch to the KTM 250SX two-stroke for the MX2 ProAm class, Michael hopes that he will not only have the best bike, but also a loyal following of premix-loving fans. Motocross is a tough sport at the best of times. It can be unforgiving no matter what age you are. This summer Michael Dasilva will be racing against the likes of Tyler Villopoto, Kaven Benoit and Richard Grey. It will no doubt be a steep learning curve for the Quebec ace in 2013, but you know Michael will be up for any challenge he encounters and will find a way to succeed.
When I broke my hand I thought my entire winter plans were done, but I worked hard at rehabbing it and my trip to Florida went ahead as scheduled. I was very lucky.”
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Thanks to our sponsors
Welcome to the Team Brad Nauditt & Ross Johnson Monster Energy Canadian National MX1 & MX2
CycleNorth 12.02.indd 1
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MX
Off Road
Buyer’s Guide
1. Kenda Southwick II
Part # Front: 675154 Rear: 675153 MSRP: Prices Range from $65.99 - $89.99 • Designed for sand and mud conditions. • Front and rear tread patterns offer tall knob depths for deep bite. • Large radius support at knob base reduces knob roll in soft areas with hard base • Wide space between rows self-cleans tread even at slow speed. • Standard race compound allows for increased wear durability and also offers quick warm-up on cement star pads. • Lightweight 4-ply rated casing structure with reinforced sidewalls. • DOT approved front tire. • Available sizing to fit most OEM models Distributed by www.partscanada.com www.motovan.com
2. Pirelli Scorpion Rally
Part # Front: 320683 Rear: 320684 MSRP: From $141.95 Pirelli continues to develop high-performance, race-winning tires for the Scorpion family - the Scorpion Rally, which had a two-year development cycle, captured first and second place in the 2009 Dakar Rally • The front knob layout of the Rally is designed to give directional stability, even during high speed riding. • The rear knobs provide rotational traction for the most demanding terrains • With an Advanced Mixing Process, the Scorpion Rally resists fatigue and has a long-life performance • All of these components are complemented by an innovative tire structure that guarantees worldclass performance with a tire that has a high resistance to puncture • Tube type and tubeless • R-rated for speeds up to 170km/h (106 mph) • Available sizing to fit most OEM models Distributed by www.partscanada.com
3. Michelin AC10® Off Road/ Dual Sport MX Tires
Part # Front: 501627 Rear: 501628 MSRP: Prices Range from $29.99 - $110.99 • Reversible tread pattern with a treadwear indicator that clearly shows when to reverse the tire on the rim; when the “M” disappears the tire can be turned around. • Mirror-image knobs provide equal traction in booth direction on a wide range of terrain. • Specially formulated rubber mix for durability that resists tearing and chunking even under hard use. • DOT approved • R-rated for speeds up to 170 km/h (106 mph) • Available sizing to fit most OEM models Distributed by www.partscanada.com www.motovan.com
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4. Bridgestone M603 Front / M604 Rear
Part # Front: 508652 Rear: 508656 MSRP: Prices Range from $58.95 - $126.95 • M603 (front) features a newly adopted mid chamber basin that provides flexibility and plant without sacrificing the stiffness of the tread block. • Each block will adapt to the ground surface to give an improved balance of lean grip, straight drive stability and light handling. • M604 (rear) has redesigned broad-range pattern which cuts through loose terrain to find traction and grip on a firm base. • The improved grip and traction adapts to the high power and torque of current 4-stroke engines. • Available sizing to fit most OEM models Distributed by www.partscanada.com www.motovan.com
5. Dunlop Geomax MX51
Part # Front: 677003 Rear: 677010 MSRP: Prices Range from $44.95-$110.95 • Profile design provides more tread volume (greater land/sea ratio) in the shoulders for excellent cornering grip and a more open center-tread area for straight-line grip. • Recessed biting edges in shoulder tread blocks yield enhanced traction for greater grip in corners and ruts throughout a wide range of terrain conditions. • Tie-bar design connects and reinforces the tread blocks for greater tread stiffness, yielding improved intermediateto-hard terrain performance. • Recessed design in the area between tread blocks gives the tire improved compliance for enhanced ride comfort. • Knobs are placed in a unique “crossstitch” shoulder-block distribution for enhanced traction and grip in intermediate-to-hard riding conditions. • Larger-radius tread block base for strength and enhanced tread longevity. • Available sizing to fit most OEM models
6. Maxxis Maxxcross IT M7304/M7305
MSRP: Prices Range from $76.99 - $98.99 M7304 Front:
93-3902 2.50/10 33J TT 93-3966 2.50/12 42J TT 93-3903 60/100-14 30M TT 93-3904 70/100-17 40M TT 93-3905 70/100-19 42M TT 93-3900 80/100-21 51M TT
M7305 Rear: 93-3907 2.75/10 38J TT 93-3912 80/100-12 50M TT 93-3913 90/100-14 49M TT 93-3914 90/100-16 51M TT 93-3915 100/100-18 59M TT 93-3916 110/100-18 64M TT 93-3917 120/100-18 68M TT 93-3910 100/90-19 57M TT 93-3967 110/80-19 59M TT 93-3911 110/90-19 62M TT 93-3968 120/80-19 63M TT
• Tread design offers precise steering in intermediate conditions • Specially formulated rubber compound keeps knob edges longer, even with concrete pad starts • Tested and proven on U.S. Motocross Championship track Distributed by www.motovan.com
Distributed by www.partscanada.com www.motovan.com JUNE 2013 · Motocross Performance 129
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1. MOTOZ Tractionator® Enduro S/T (DOT)
(50% Dry - 50% Wet 30% Hard - 70% Soft) MSRP: Prices Range from $76.99 - $98.99 Front: 428-0006 80/100-21 51M 428-0007 90/100-21 57M Rear: 428-0008 110/100-18 64M 428-0009 120/90-18 65M 428-0010 130/90-18 69M 428-0051 100/90-19 428-0040 110/90-19 62M The new Tractionator Enduro S/T (soft terrain) has been designed to give aggressive traction in soft terrain with longer wear than regular soft terrain tires – MX grip with endure strength and wear. Excellent for all weather in soft/varied applications. Distributed by www.Motovan.com (Exclusive Distributor)
MX
Off Road
Buyer’s Guide
3. MOTOZ Tractionator® Enduro I/T (DOT)
(90% Dry – 10% Wet 75% Hard – 25% Soft) MSRP: Prices Range from $76.99 - $98.99 Front: 428-0011 80/100-21 51M Rear: 428-0013 110/100-18 64M 428-0014 120/90-18 65M 428-0015 130/90-18 70M 428-0012 110/90-19 62M
2. MOTOZ Terrapactor® S/T – Light Weight MX Competition Series (25% Dry – 75% Wet 25% Hard 75% Soft) MSRP: Prices Range from $76.99 - $98.99
Front: 428-0001 80/100-21 51M 428-0048 70/100-19 42M 428-0049 70/100-17 40L 428-0050 60/100-14 29L Rear: 428-0004 110/100-18 64M 428-0005 120/90-18 65M 428-0002 100/90-19 57M 428-0003 110/90-19 62M 428-0045 90/100-16 51L 428-0046 90/100-14 49L 428-0047 80/100-12 50L
Designed for enduro (USA dual sport) and trail use in varied terrain. Excels on steep hill climbs and tight twisting single trails where the bike needs to change direction quickly. The hybrid natural/synthetic compound and unique tread work with the terrain, creating drive and lift over obstacles and offers proven reliability for long distance events and multi day enduros. Distributed by www.Motovan.com (Exclusive Distributor)
We’ve named our newest series after our trademark innovation. We believe the tread design is the best available for maximum drive and cornering at speed – winning the holeshot and holding the inside line often wins the race. Light weight construction coupled with rigid and flex zones in the carcass helps keep the tread on the ground for awesome traction in bumpy rutted conditio Distributed by www.Motovan.com (Exclusive Distributor) 130 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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Introducing Valvoline NextGen. The first recycled oil formulated from a breakthrough process that combines the latest re-refining technology with Valvoline’s special additives to exceed industry standards. It’s the only recycled oil good enough to be called Valvoline, because we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Yours. Go to NextGenMotorOil.ca and find out why it is important to recycle your used oil and use recycled oil.
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Available at
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MX
Off Road
Buyer’s Guide
1. IRC M5B/M1A- Mudsoft MSRP: $89.95-$149.95
• Here’s the racer’s only choice for running in the mud or through the sand. • M5B is also used for hill climb race because of their outstanding traction ability. • Designed for soft loam and muddy tracks • Self-cleaning design provides plenty of bite • Extra-wide pitch between knobs prevents mud build-up; high center knobs penetrate loose dirt for super traction • Offset shoulder knobs maximize control on the turns Distributed by www.gammasales.com
2. Sedona MX887ITIntermediatehard
MSRP: $46.95-$109.95 The MX887IT is an ideal intermediate to hard terrain tire with its rigid 4-ply carcass design that helps reduce sidewall flex for a more planted feel. • Reversible tread pattern • Works in intermediate to hard terrain • Dimpled transition knobs for added bite • Symmetrical tread pattern • 4 ply carcass construction • Dual compound tread offers best traction and wear Distributed by www.gammasales.com
3. Shinko M524/M525 Series-SoftIntermediate
MSRP: $59.95-$112.95 With its wide, selfcleaning tread pattern, the 524/525 front and rear combo is ideal for soft to intermediate terrain. • Reinforced knobs resist tearing and chunking • Economically priced • High carbon compound Distributed by www.gammasales.com
132 June 2013 · Motocross Performance
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Jacob PICCOLO Amateur Spotlight
Right: Jacob Piccolo grabbed a patented good start at the 2012 Parts Canada Trans Can in the 65cc class. Left: Piccolo hopes to find himself back in the winner’s circle in 2013, when he comes to Walton gunning for a National Championship.
“I did okay in Walton last year, but I really want to improve my results there and maybe win a championship” MXP sits down with jacob piccolo by MXP Staff Jacob Piccolo is a ten year old rider from Abbotsford, British Columbia. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his fast BC predecessors Darcy Lange, Kyle Beaton and Colton Facciotti, Jacob is on the fast track to stardom in Canadian Motocross. We caught up with him as he was fresh off a very successful week at the World Mini in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MXP: Hey Jacob, thanks for taking the time to chat with MXP. Where do you and your family call home? JC: I’ve actually lived in Abbotsford B.C. all my life. It’s really nice here and there is a lot to do. That’s cool, my wife grew up in Abbotsford. How old are you and how long have you been riding? I am ten years old and started riding when I was 3. I rode for a year a year before I began racing. Wow! That is young. What made you get into racing dirt bikes? My cousin raced and I remember going to the races to watch him. After that I knew I wanted to give it a try. I think that is one of the really cool things about this sport, a kid can see it once and their hooked. You recently went to the World Mini in Las Vegas and did really well. Can you talk us through that week? Yes, the World Mini was great for us, to be at such a big event was very exciting. My first race was 65 Stock and it went
very well. I got a top three start and was able to make some quick passes to get out front. From there, I just put my head down and didn’t look back and finished first. My second moto for that class didn’t go quite as planned, I was nearly last off the start and really had to battle. I just kept pushing the entire race and was able to get up to fourth place. For the 65 Stock there was a three way tie for the overall win, but since my third moto wasn’t as good as the other two riders, I ended up third overall. My next class was the 65 mod class. I got another great start in the first moto and I was up front. I actually lead the entire race until I went a little high in a berm on the last lap and it pushed out on me. By the time I got my bike going I finished up third. The second moto I got off the gate good again and lead the race to the last lap and then Joe Shomoda got around me.
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to ride my BMX and scooter and hang out with my friends, that’s about it. did an awesome job all week long at keeping the track good.
My third and final class was 65 Open. After taking a solid third in the first moto, the final moto was so really good. I got together with another bike in the first turn and the radiator on my bike was crushed and unfortunately couldn’t finish that race. All things considered I was very happy with my results there. I won a moto and was out front in most of the other races. I learned a lot and I felt pretty good on the bike. That sounds like an awesome few days. Did you like the track in Vegas? A The track was great, It was fun and challenging, but very safe also. The crew
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So moving ahead, what are your plans for the rest of 2013? Other than following our local series here in BC, we are planning on going to Raymond Alberta and to the Parts Canada TransCan in August. I did okay in Walton last year, but I really want to improve my results there and maybe win a championship. It will be tough, but I really like that event and I like the track. Do you have a favourite rider? Yes for sure. My favourite rider is Ryan Dungey, I like him because he is smooth, consistent and fast obviously. All things that I am trying hard to be.
He is a great rider to try an emulate for sure. What are some of the things you like to do outside of motocross? I guess I just do normal kid things. I like
Obviously you’re still in regular school. What is your favourite subject? I like gym class for sure, big surprise isn’t it? (laughs) I have a lot of energy so gym class lets me burn it off. Well at least you didn’t say recess (laughs). Don’t worry, we’re almost done here. This is the part of the interview where you get to thank everyone that helps you. I would like to thank RMR Suspensions, H2R Fox Shox, Fox Canada, Speedmerchant, Kalguard, Goldentyre, No Toil, EKS Brand Goggles, PTI Graffix, Atlas Brace. Also a big thanks to Popkum Motorcross Park for giving us a great place to practice and my Family who are so supportive of me. Okay Jacob, again thanks for this and good luck in 2013. We’ll see you at the Parts Canada TransCan. For sure. See you at the races.
5/3/2013 4:17:39 PM
Preston Masciangelo Amateur Spotlight
7 year old Preston Masciangelo has the personality and the skill to become a great motocrosser racer, like his hero Chad Reed.
Hey Preston, how are things going? Things are good, I just got home from school. How old are you and where were you born? I just turned 7 in March an I was born in Oakville, Ontario Do you and your Family still live in Oakville. My family and I moved to Brantford when I was 3, so I guess I’ve been here for three and a half years. I like it here, I have a lot of friends nearby and the tracks are much closer to practice on. We used to have to drive a long way to practice when we lived in Oakville.
“I‘d like to be a pro motocross rider in ten years. Like Dean Wilson or Cole Thompson, those two riders have done really well so far. Even though I am from Canada, I would really like to race Supercross when I am older.” MXP sits down with Preston Masciangelo by MXP Staff Seven year old Preston Masciangelo is a KTM rider from Brantford, Ontario. This young, talented rider doesn’t just share the number 22 with his hero Chad Reed, he shares the same smooth style an aggressiveness on the track. We caught up with Preston as he and his family were preparing for a trip to Las Vegas to race the Amsoil Arenacross Finals.
When did you start riding and what made you want to ride? A: My Dad got me a Honda (CRF 50) for my third birthday so it all started then. I didn’t have any gear, not even a helmet, I had to use my Aunts scooter helmet. I rode in the backyard and down the trails behind my grandpas house. I wanted to ride because it looked really fun, my dad and I would watch motocross on TV when my mom was at work…it made me really want to try it. Oh and my dad rode too! He would take me out almost every day in the fields to ride, even in the snow What is your favourite thing about riding and why? A: I love to go fast! I like to just go to the track and ride and ride, it makes me feel happy, I also like to chase other riders, its fun to be on the track and try to catch and pass other riders. That does sound like fun. So, do you have a favourite rider? My favourite rider is for sure Chad Reed. I like the way he rides and he never gives up. I’ve been lucky enough to meet him a few times and each time he has been really nice to me. I run the same number as he does and one day I would love to be like him.
Chad Reed is definitely a great role model for young kids. Up to this point, which result are you most proud of? I think it’s a tie between winning the CMRC 4-6 Provincial Championship or my Arena cross four place. Both of these mean a lot to me because I worked hard to get these results. That is cool that you are so young and already you’re a Provincial Champion. Do you have a favourite track? I do like Moto Park alot, but for sure my favourite track is Gopher Dunes. You can go as fast as you want and there are good jumps and fast outside lines. It’s fun to hold the throttle wide open around that track. Plus, I do practice there a lot so I know the track well. So you have an exciting trip coming up to Las Vegas, can you talk about that a little? A: Yes, my Family and I are going to the Amsoil AX finals in Las Vegas. I raced the Grand Rapids Arenacross and got second in my heat and fourth in the main, this result got me a spot in the finals for my AMA region. My Family an I are very excite to make the trip there, my Dad has worked so hard at getting everything ready. We had to ship the bike out, arrange everything out there, it has been a lot of work for sure. I will be racing the 50cc 7-8 class, it’s going to be tough but I think it will be a great experience. That sounds like a great trip Preston, good luck! After Vegas, what are your plans for the rest of 2013? We are doing all kinds of racing planned this summer. The first thing we’re going to do is try an qualify for Loretta Lynn’s, it will be tough be I hope I can race there this summer. I think we’ll be racing almost ev-
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Those two riders you mentioned have proven that anything is possible for young, Canadian riders. What grade are you in and what do you like about school? A: I am in grade one right now and I like it. Like every kid, I like recess and play time, but I also like reading and learning about new stuff. I’m the only dirt biker in the entire school so my friends think that’s cool.
ery weekend as we’ll be racing CMRC, CMX and of course the Parts Canada TransCan. The next few months will be busy for my Family an I, but like I said, motocross is so much fun right now. That does sound like a busy schedule, your summer is going to fly by. Off the track, what other things do you like to do? I like to ride BMX, I also play soccer sometimes and I with my friends. My Family an I are very close so we do a lot of things together.
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Where would you like to be in ten years? I‘d like to be a pro motocross rider in ten years. Like Dean Wilson or Cole Thompson, those two riders have done really well so far. Even though I am from Canada, I would really like to race Supercross when I am older. I know it’s a long time from now, but that would be my ultimate goal.
School is very important so we’re glad you’re enjoying it. Before we wrapped this up, who would you like to thank for helping you with your racing. A lot of people have helped us along the way, especially to go to Las Vegas. I’d like to thank WMR Competition, Nihilo Concepts, MMX Powersports, Actionetix, W1P Millards Chartered Accountants all the families and friends who donated to my Vegas fund. I would also like to thank my Mom and Dad, they do so much for me and my racing. I hope I can repay them one day. Well, thanks for doing this Preston. Good luck in Las Vegas and for the rest of 2013. Thank you and thanks for calling. I hope I can do Canada proud in Las Vegas.
5/3/2013 4:18:56 PM
> High Octane Human Performance
>Finding the Edge – Controlling Lactic Acid By C r aig St ev enson B.P.E. (Hon ), Founder a nd CEO ACTIONETIX™
e all know that hitting “the wall” is the second most helpless feeling aside from getting arm pump in this great sport. It can literally be the deciding factor in your quest to get on the box each weekend. And let’s face it; we all know the signs of when the wall is staring us right in the face. You can sense that numbing fatigue that first grabs a hold of your mind then quickly overcomes the rest of your body. Your heart rate rises as your muscles seemingly become weak and unresponsive, your breathing becomes labored as you try to inhale more oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, but as much as you try, recovery seems to be hopeless. In the world of exercise physiology, lactic acid is the culprit that affects your body and shuts you down. When acid levels rise too high in your muscles it inhibits your body’s ability to produce more energy, and your muscles essentially protect themselves and shut down
W
In the world of exercise physiology, lactic acid is the culprit that affects your body and shuts you down.”
until the acid levels start returning to normal. Your body is always producing lactic acid to varying levels – the more high intensity work you do (i.e. sprints, weights, aggressive riding), the more lactic acid you produce. If you produce too much lactic acid and cross what we call the “lactic acid threshold” you will start to hit the wall very quickly. I’ve been involved with numerous studies on athletes where we measured lactic acid levels during exercise to try to understand how we can elevate performance and raise an athlete’s ability to train harder and longer, which will of course translate into better performance on the track. We drew blood samples during various levels of exercise intensity before and after customized training and diet programs to see how they affect lactic acid and performance levels. Below are our observations and recommendations from years of study and observation:
1. Be aerobically fit – when you are aerobically fit, your body, and in particular your slowtwitch muscle fiber, uses lactic acid as a fuel and consequently clears it during and after exercise. Before and during the season, make sure to do longer, lower intensity cardio sessions on the bike or treadmill to strengthen your ability to clear lactic acid. Getting to your max heart rate as your goal of each training session will not condition your muscle fibers to clear lactic acid efficiently. 2. Buffer lactic acid with a carbonate before you train or race. What’s a carbonate you ask? Well, carbonates can be found in things like baking powder or other commercial products like TUMS®, and they have been used for decades to help relieve the discomfort of stomach acid. Subsequently, bicarbonate (baking soda) has also been used to affect lactic acid levels, which can result in improved performance. In one study, athletes received 200mg/kg of bodyweight, about 18 grams of bicarbonate for a 200 lb. athlete. The subjects then performed five successive 60-second sprints on a stationary bike with the last sprint lasting until the subjects reached exhaustion. The bicarbonate supplementation improved time until exhaustion by 42%1. This is a significant improvement that can be directly translated to performance on the track. 3. Consider using Beta-alanine – although there are many studies done on Beta alanine, one stands out in particular. In this study, the researchers wanted to investigate whether Beat-alanine could improve performance in the later stages of exercise2. Cyclists performed a 10-minute time trial, followed by a 30-second all out sprint. Half of the study participants supplemented 2-4g of Beta-alanine/day for 8 weeks prior to the test, while the remaining participants received a placebo (fake supplement). The end result was that the participants that used Beta-alanine had 11.4% greater peak power during the sprint and 5% greater average power than the group that received the placebo. This is significant when you correlate the results to motocross. Riding at a higher intensity with increased power later in the moto can mean a significant difference in how you place in the race.
In conclusion, there are calculated things you can do to fight off fatigue that is caused by lactic acid. Being aerobically fit so your body can clear lactic acid efficiently can be teamed up with supplementing Beta-alanine (2-4 grams/day) with or without baking soda.
1. Costill, D.L., et al. (1984). Acid base balance during repeated bouts of exercise. Influence of HC03. International Journal of Sports Medicine 5, pp. 225-231. 2. Beta-alanine improves sprint performance in endurance cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Apr; 41(4):898-903.
Thanks for tuning in, and as always don’t hesitate to drop me a line at info@actionetix.com, and drop by ACTIONETIX.com to review all the articles that will help improve your performance on the track.
138 February 2013 · Motocross Performance
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> Evolved Nutrition
>Youth Training Wit h Dr ew R ob er t son
ello MXP readers, thank you to all who have emailed me. I have been inundated with emails and appreciate the feedback from my articles here in Canada’s best motocross magazine. I have to congratulate Iain Hayden on his 6 th CSRA Pro title, claiming the championship with an impressive final weekend, winning every heat and all three finals. In the last few articles I have touched more on mental preparation for athletes, and how to prevent and help in terms of dealing with anxiety. I hope you have been able to integrate some of the techniques I talked about into your daily life. I wanted to continue with some further mental preparation techniques however over the last two months I have been contacted and asked to write about youth training. I will continue with articles covering mental preparation in the future, but today I will discuss youth training. In regards to youth training, the biggest question is, “When is it too young to train?” That would depend on a number of factors, such as injuries and what type of training you are considering, for example. Let’s say a young athlete has broken his leg. Going into a conditioning program that involves heavy lifting right away would not be the best choice. I wrote an article back in September referring to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and how they recommend staying away from repetitive, maximal lifts. They also recommend however that prepubescent youth should integrate strength and resistance training into an overall conditioning program. In the emails I received, a common concern was about the weight lifting part of a conditioning program. I understand the concern and my recommendation is to make sure that your young athlete is properly supervised by qualified trainers, and that they feel comfortable about their own progression. I have clients as young as 12 years old. My first phase of training is teaching them how to use a foam roller, due to the fact that most young athletes go through periods of rapid growth and have areas of their body that are or become tight. I have previously written about the benefits of foam rolling. If you’re interested, please email me and I will send you my .PDF about SMR work. Another part of the first phase of training is the Dynamic Warm-up, (also available by email); the warm-up that ensures every athlete is ready to work to their maximal potential. With young athletes, the warm-up helps them become more aware of how to move properly. The third part of the first phase is Agility ladder work. This helps build co-ordination, and builds proprioception. For examples of different ladder drills, guess what? YES, email me and I will send you an email with various links to videos that describe how to use the agility ladder properly. The forth element in the
H
“I’ll show you how great I am” -M. Ali
first phase is core work, which is very important in my opinion. I spend a lot of time on this area to make sure all my clients, especially the younger ones, perform these properly. Using or activating our core properly while lifting, twisting, and bending over just about anything can help to not just prevent injury but put us into a better bio-mechanical position to perform whatever activity we are doing. The first ‘core’ exercise I get young clients to work on is the front bridge or front plank. By watching clients closely, I determine how long they should perform the exercise, but as a general rule I start between 20 and 30 seconds with a 30 second rest in between sets. I recommend starting off with 2 to 3 sets in order to maintain proper form throughout all of the sets. I then progress into the side bridge or side plank, again watching to make sure that the client is able to maintain proper form throughout the given amount of time. With core work we are far better to perform the exercises correctly than to try and be tough and break form in order to achieve a certain length of time. One of the progressions from the front bridge is a front bridge or plank with a leg raise. The same logic is applied here: it’s not about being all tough and holding the position for 10 minutes, it’s about performing the exercises properly and pushing enough to challenge and progress. Here’s a sample basic core workout for youth. Remember what I discussed above. If you’re unable to maintain proper form, back off on the time. · Front bridge hold – 30 seconds · Rest - 30 seconds · Complete 3-4 rounds · Side bridge hold – 20-30 seconds · Start on your non-dominant side · No rest between sides · Rest 30 seconds between rounds · Complete 3-4 rounds · Complete the above 3-4 times a week taking a day off in between After doing that program for a month, change from the front bridge holds to the front bridge holds with a raised leg, and break the 30 seconds into 15 seconds per side. In the next article I will go over phase two of young athlete training and provide further exercise descriptions and simple program layouts to give you an idea of how to integrate the different aspects of training into an overall program. The pictures feature young Blake Priest who races the 85cc 12-16 and Supermini classes. Blake is the latest addition to the Evolved family of athletes!!
140 june 2013 · Motocross Performance
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> On The Cutting Room Floor
> Cause for Reflection Wit h M ar c T r av er s , Phot o b y M ar c L andr y
The early bird gets the worm… I decided to get up early this morning… well earlier than usual. The one thing I have noticed about myself, which I think has to do with age and experience, is realizing when I am at my most productive, more specifically, what time of day. When I first started working on the motocross show, and in TV production for that matter, I used to try and stay up late to get the bulk of my work done. I quickly realized I am not a night owl in terms of being focused and constructive. I realized I am much sharper in the morning. So here I sit as the sun comes up on another beautiful April Monday morning thinking about how great it is to be alive.
...here I sit as the sun comes up on another beautiful April Monday morning thinking about how great it is to be alive.”
Just got back from a mini holiday… Timing, or sliding doors in this instance as my wife Monique likes to refer to it (yes, there is a cheesy movie starring the ever so slinky Gwyneth Paltrow of the same name, referring to my same thought), is a very curious thing and maybe one of the true ironies of life. What makes a person decide to change their routine ever so slightly, and that change in routine causes a major shift in their life? Sometimes these shifts are for the better, but sometimes they are for the worse. Monique and I just got back from Boston. Yes, that is right, Boston. We were in Beantown visiting a good friend of mine, actually a best friend (who just so happens to write all of the music for the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals TV
Gauldy and Trap in Moncton – 2004. The Show must go on!
show). Anyway, Monique and I left Toronto on Thursday morning, April 11th. Unfortunately, Toronto was hit with a final blast of winter so we were delayed in getting out by five hours, which was a big pain in the butt but we finally made it off the runway at about 12:30. This was Monique’s first time going to Boston so we spent most of the weekend taking in the sights of one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to. The whole time we were there we commented on how clean it was and how safe we felt. While we were cruising downtown the workers were getting the final stage set for the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We were leaving on Sunday, the race was on Monday. At one point in the weekend we talked honestly about delaying our departure another day or two, based on the time missed coming in. If we had done this we would have definitely gone downtown to take in the sights and the scene of the Marathon finish line. We were that close to being right there when the bombs went off. We actually walked from Fenway Park to the Boston Common on Saturday afternoon right by the exact spot of the explosions. Life is weird. The whole Marathon bombing and subsequent manhunt for the two brothers played out like a full Hollywood movie, except for the fact that lives were actually lost. For the families of the eight year-old boy and the two women that lost their lives, words and thoughts will not comfort the loss they must be feeling, the senseless loss. I’m not sure if we will ever know exactly why these two murderers did what they did, but I’m sure there will be retribution at some point. Payback is hell. Golden… This past month, MXP has lost one of its brethren. As most of you know Gauldy has moved on to a new chapter in
his life. The reasons why are a thing of the past as the magazine now moves in a new direction. Change can be a good thing, for all parties. I know the new editorial staff coming in will do a bang up job, enthusiasts who are professionals usually do. MXP will grow and continue to be Canada’s leading publication, in print and on the web, covering Canadian Motocross. Having said all of that, I will miss Gauldy at the helm of MXP. I, for the most part, am the master of my domain. I do not have to answer to too many people in my line of work, but with MXP Gauldy was my boss. When you respect your boss, not only for the effort they put in but also the respect you receive in return, your working relationship is a good one. That is the way it was with Gauldy and me at MXP. I have done Gauldy’s job before so I know the perils. It is a struggle at times but there is no doubt that Gauldy was good at being the editor of MXP. His passion, his experience in the field, and his work ethic gave him strong results as the “Man in Charge”. The magazine and website have grown considerably since he took over as editor, and that record will serve him well as he moves forward. The one thing about Gauldy that no one can take away from him is his honesty. It might have gotten him in some Dutch at times because with honesty you need a bit of tact, but with Gauldy you got the straight goods, like it or not. That was the way he called it, at least from his point of view. Gauldy and I are long time friends so in a way it is easy to say good things about a buddy, but there is truth to these statements, regardless of friendship. I know we will still be working together in the future and I look forward to it. Let’s face it, a guy with many nicknames has no choice but to be in the mix, somewhere…Gauldy, props my friend. Let’s get those bikes fired up… Only five weeks until Round 1 in Nanaimo…the fever is brewing… my feet are getting itchy (maybe I just have athlete’s foot?)…it’s time to go racing!!! Travers OUT!
142 may 2013 · Motocross Performance
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