14 05 MXP Magazine

BEN MILOT

TAKES FLIGHT IN CHINA

L IS SI MORE

P HOTO

KAVEN BENOIT

JAMES

G E T S

I T

D O N E

2014 MXON

41831514

DECEMBER 2014 . $4.95

665 MINUTES

FACCIOTTI VS ALESSI

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KEN ROCZEN

FOLLOWING HIS DREAM

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TRUEHERITAGE 2 015 VERG E H ELM ET

PRO-GP RED / BLACK

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CONGRATULATIONS

COLTON FACCIOTTI

2014 CANADIAN NATIONAL MOTOCROSS MX1 CHAMPION

Congratulations to the entire Honda Gopher Dunes Racing Team!

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TRUST A CHAMP We make our bikes with performance in mind.

Colton chose his bike with winning in mind. Isn’t it great when a good plan comes together?

Find yours at honda.ca 2014 Honda CRF450R

Honda Motorcycles & ATVs Canada

@HondaPowerCA

Professional rider on closed course with safety precautions taken. Do not attempt.

honda.ca

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Champions Choice.

The best riders choose the best equipment to win championships.

Congrats Colton.

ATLASBRACE.COM | SOCIAL @ATLASBRACE | USA 661 505 4407 | GLOBAL 604 542 5661

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TAKES FLIGHT IN CHINA

PH OTO LIS SIM O R E JAM ES

G E T S

I T

2014 MXON

DECEMBER 2014 . $4.95

665 MINUTES

Getting It Done

The Marco Dubé Story

D O N E

FACCIOTTI VS ALESSI

36 KAVEN BENOIT - COVER STORY 42 NEVER SAY DIE

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C ON T EN T S // VOL UME 1 4 - IS S UE 5

F E AT U R E S

BEN MILOT

KEN ROCZEN

FOLLOWING HIS DREAM

TEAM CANADA TAKES ON THE WORLD

50 665 MINUTES

The 19 Moto Battle Between Facciotti and Alessi

62 VALVES AND SHIMS

Joe Skidd Tells His Story

66 NO ROOM FOR ERROR

Team Canada and the 2014 MXoN

76 MADE IN CHINA

Ben Milot Heads to the Far East

88 TURN ON THE LIGHTS

The 2014 Future West Arenacross Preview

92 THE KID WITH A DREAM

Ken Roczen’s Rise to Stardom

98 BREAKING NEW GROUND

Danny Brault Goes on an Adventure Ride

104 FIRST RIDE: THE 2015 KX450F

Palms Rides Kawasaki’s Newest Big Bike

INTERVIEWS

84 NO WING NO PRAYER

Honda Canada’s Derek Verheyen

100 THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Paul Kingsley Answers the Tough Questions COLUMNS

28 FAMOUS LAST WORDS BY CHRIS POMEROY Time to Listen

30 TRANSPARENCY BY DANNY BRAULT Let the Debate Begin

32 UPSHIFT BY BRIAN KOSTER

A Summer of Great Performances

34 GUEST COLUMN BY BOBBY KINIRY Making a Plan

110 EVOLVED NUTRITION BY DREW ROBERTSON The Importance of Sleep

114 ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR WITH MARC TRAVERS

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PHOTO BY JEFF KARDAS

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Maxima SC1 Spread MXP Oct2014_Layout 1 7/22/14 3:18 PM Page 1

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EXPOSED FLAT AND STRAIGHT Photo by: Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool

James Stewart demonstrates to the crowd how you stay low at the 2014 Red Bull Straight Rhythm.

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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EXPOSED TURNING IT DOWN Photo by: James Lissimore

Although he only had one win in 2014, Josh Hill shows the Ulverton fans that he doesn’t lack any style.

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MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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SOIL SAMPLE IN LATVIA Photo by: Jeff Kardas

Team USA’s Jeremy Martin crashes in Latvia.

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SPROCKETS. CHAINS. CHAIN LUBE.

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Left: Even Mrs. Schuster is a celebrity at the races.

Right: No one knows the hard work that goes into a championship better than JSR.

Left: Holding this jersey would make anyone smile.

Right: Topher wasn’t happy playing spectator at Walton.

Left: When she’s not cheering for her hubby, Liam O’Farrell’s better half keeps things organized under the Leading Edge Kawasaki tent.

Right: Benoit celebrates his MX2 title with his first ice cream of the season.

Far Left: Paul Kingsley made sure there was a big Canadian presence in Latvia.

Left: Keast is no doubt giving Bobby K grief for drinking anything but a Tim Horton’s coffee.

26 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

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Right: Ross Thompson is the luckiest chauffeur at the track.

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!

PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND MXP STAFF

Above Right: Even a top 20 finish in the 2014 MX2 series couldn’t put a smile on Daniel Mathe’s face at Walton.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Above: When you’re a couple of 1990 motocross legends, sleeves are optional.

Above: After an unexpected summer vacation, Cole Thompson can’t wait to stop signing and start riding.

Send your pictures via Facebook or hashtag you photos on Twitter or Instagram with #MXPCaughtonCamera and you could see your photos in an upcoming issue!

Far Left: You know it’s a tough year when a mechanic is the most stylish person under a team’s tent.

Left: Ageless wonder Bill Van Vugt always has a smile on his face.

Right: The look of restrained jubilation that the 2014 season is over.

Far Left: The eldest Keast is telling Barry the Walton track needs even more sand.

Left: By the end of the day it looks as though Bobby K could use another coffee.

Right: Benoit and JSR aren’t too impressed with Carl Vaillancourt’s gun show at Ulverton.

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FA MOUS LAST WORDS

FAMO US L AST WORDS

e’re definitely living in very interesting times in Canadian Moto. Just like the machines that we now ride, the landscape of the sport we hold so dear to our hearts seems to be ever changing, both on the professional side of things as well as the amateur side. With Twitter, Facebook, other social media apps, as well as just the internet in general, people are not only more informed, but they can also voice their own opinions easier than ever before. As we see all the time, this can be a good thing and at times it can be a bad thing.

These days we see a lot more of people heading to social media to voice their negativity, with no regard for how these words might affect people or how really unprofessional it is. I guess it really started a few years ago when these same people would take to one of the forum websites, sit behind their computer and say whatever they wanted. Now that society has somewhat moved on from forums and onto social media, the problem is only getting bigger. With few regulations or real consequences, people are free to do or say whatever they want. This makes normal people feel extremely powerful…too powerful.

We saw this as the summer of 2014 unfolded in both National and Regional series across this country. As soon as something negative happened at an event, the social media world would “blow up” with seemingly endless updates. Usually it would go on until people got bored or something else happened, and in the end, if there was a real problem, nothing would really get solved as no

W

“SOCIAL MEDIA IS HERE TO STAY, AND IF USED PROPERLY IT COULD HELP PROPEL THE SPORT IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD TO HEIGHTS WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.”

WITH CHRIS POMEROY PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE one took the time to really listen. We have a few problems in this sport that need addressing and to address them, people’s ears have to become bigger than their mouths.

Of course, in this day of quick information, we have also seen some pretty awesome things. For instance, how cool was it this summer to log onto YouTube and watch every moment of the 2014 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals, within days of the race taking place? Between that and all the superb media coverage from the Nationals (including the Parts Canada TransCan), fans were treated to a plethora of Canadian race action. Social media is here to stay, and if used properly it could help propel the sport in this country and around the world to heights we’ve never seen before.

The race action from this summer was the motivation behind a number of stories in this issue of MXP Magazine. With the 2014 MX2 Champion, Kaven Benoit, gracing the cover, inside you’ll find in depth stories on the MXON, the upcoming Arenacross Series and a feature we called 665 Minutes, which is a very detailed look back at the intense battle between Colton Facciotti and Mike Alessi for the MX1 title.

So sit back and enjoy this issue and remember, the next time you see something you don’t like or something you think needs fixing, before you grab your phone or run to your computer to complain about it, pick up a pen and write down a solution.

This practice has worked for so many years, there’s no reason it still won’t.

28 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

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T R ANSPA REN CY

LET THE D E B ATE BEG I N!

merican or Canadian: With the stakes higher than ever at the Canadian Nationals, who would you choose to challenge for podiums? A ‘Hired Gun’ from the US or a rising young talent from Canada?

That’s been one of ‘The Great Debates’ of Canadian motocross since the CMRC Nationals started gaining traction in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Some fans and riders are not accepting of Canadian teams offering homes to foreigners, when there are some begging for an opportunity that have the right tools to shine.

The debate went away for a bit but returned with a punch this fall with Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki signing on 2012 MX1 Champ, Australian Brett Metcalfe, and Rockstar Energy Drink OTSFF Yamaha announcing that Matt Goerke, a US rider and also former Canadian Champ, would be racing for them in 2015.

It would seem to be a very positive thing for the series to have Goerke and Metcalfe returning to challenge Canada’s Champ, Colton Facciotti (and there’s good chance that Mike Alessi and his MotoConcepts Team are coming back, too). Many see the value in attracting and having US riders in Canada, but there’s also a large group against the idea, or want to limit it.

In fact, after this cat posted an online news-brief with comments from Goerke about his new OTSFF

A

“DYLAN KAELIN WOULD BE MY FIRST CHOICE FOR A CANADIAN IN THE MX1 CLASS; HE WAS THE THIRDPLACING CANADIAN NEXT TO COLTON FACCIOTTI AND TYLER MEDAGLIA, AND WAS THE TOP PRIVATEER IN THE SERIES WITH 8TH OVERALL”

WITH DANNY BR AULT PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

Yamaha ride, the Twitter world lit up (in the Canadian moto world anyway). Readers weren’t shy to share their distaste for a Canadian team hiring another ‘hired gun’ from the US. Many fans and racers feel more homegrown talent needs to be given a shot with the right support and tools to contend for podiums. On the other side of the argument, when you consider sponsors and those spending money to go racing, it becomes a matter of winning and ensuring your horse is ready to go right out of the gate. Even when you have a passionate team manager who wants to hire Canadians first and foremost, sometimes the sponsor gets the final call on who the rider will be.

It’s one of those debates that could go on for hours.

After posting the Goerke signing with OTSFF Yamaha, it almost did with both sides teeing off with what they feel is the right call for Canadian teams and the sport in Canada. Here are some of them that came up: “When I hear interviews from guys saying they’d rather not be here but they are being paid to be … until manufacturers step in and stop this nonsense of teams bringing in Americans, this will continue @mxpmagazine I applaud teams” @WayneLongSJ “My concern is there is no incentive for CDNs to work hard, finish top-10, and watch teams hire Americans.” @Canadian_Bones “@mxpmagazine @OTSFF if you want CDN national & local series to be successful, you have to give CDN racers opportunities #future #big picture” @KeastCrystal “@mxpmagazine @OTSFF Yeah and if you’re a team owner that needs a championship at the end of the season to keep sponsors. What would you do?” @AgresifProducti “@mxpmagazine yet he (Goerke) took his first chance to escape after winning the title.” @T_MEDAGLIA There are definitely strong arguments for both sides. Let’s say that Goerke and Metcalfe didn’t sign with OTSFF and Leading Edge. Which Canadians do they hire that can get on the podium? Certainly Jeremy Medaglia is an option. Regardless of what class he’s in, he’s proven he can. Jeremy’s ridden for both teams; OTSFF in 2008 and 2009, and LE this past summer, but neither partnership really ended on the greatest terms. Granted there was some success and podiums along the way, but at press time, there’s no talk of Jeremy riding for either OTSFF or LE. Dylan Kaelin would be my first choice for a Canadian in the MX1 class; he was the third-placing Canadian next to Colton Facciotti and Tyler Medaglia, and was the top privateer in the series with 8th overall. The 21-year-old has been racing pro since 2009, spending

30 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

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his money most of the way and carving his own line into the premiere class.

He’s fast, smooth and has obvious talent on the bike. Kaelin really showed promise this past summer, messing around with Medaglia, Kiniry, Maier, and Chisholm throughout the ten race tour.

Kaelin’s on the door step, but can he get on the box?

That’s the big question, and sometimes teams seem shy, going with what they feel is a safer bet: the “fast American.” Andre Laurin, owner of the OTSFF Team, shares his opinion on why he may choose a Yank over a Canuck.

“It’s simple,” Laurin begins. “If we are to have four or five major teams in Canada competing for a championship, we as team owners need to have athletes that can win. Let’s say there are five teams and each has a minimum of two riders. That’s ten athletes. We currently only have four or five Canadians that can win, leaving us short five spaces.

OTSFF, compared to other teams, has always given an opportunity to Canadians out of the top five.”

CDN Motoshow.indd 1

Like most things, this American/ Canadian debate seems to go in cycles.

KTM Canada was, at one time, infamous for hiring young, fast (and cheap) Americans, which led to holeshots, wins and championships. The ‘Orange Brigade’ has since turned that around, adopting a mantra where they focus on grooming amateurs into pros, and have maintained a Canadian-only professional team since 2012. The “Big Bad Blackfoot” team raised up plenty of talented young Canadians, but were also guilty of dipping into the US pool when needed. It’s like staring too long and creepily at the trophy girl. We’ve all done it, but looking back, I think each team and OEM has been, for the most part, fair with regards to hiring Canadian and American riders.

One thing that would be nice to see more of, though, is teams “awarding” opportunities to their “own.” For instance, instead of Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki flying in US amateur racer Dillan Epstein to race Ulverton and Walton (and in the end,

didn’t do much with a 9-DNS), offer the spot to the highest placing Canadian in the points. Sure he may not podium, but the media eats up heartwarming stories like that and would, at most times, be worth more marketing value than hiring some unknown from the US who is here and gone the next day. Any press is good press, and folks love the story of a local getting a chance at stardom.

Back to the ‘next in line’ for a factory ride in Canada. In MX1, after Kaelin, the next choice is Nathan Bles. Another privateer who has had some chances to shine with the Gopher Dunes Honda program, Bles really found his sweet spot this summer, turning in regular top-10 results in the MX1 class (and even a fourth in a moto at Ulverton) on a stock KTM 450 SX-F. Bles gets good starts, gets up front early and sees what it is guys like Facciotti, Alessi and Kiniry do differently.

As of press time, neither Bles nor Kaelin have anything close to a commitment with a factory team, but Kaelin’s quite happy with Devils Lake

Yamaha, so expect him to stay put.

Canadian teams and sponsorships never seem to fully materialize until the last minute before Nanaimo, so Bles could still find a home before the battle begins again.

At the end of it, without sounding too politically correct, I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer when it comes to teams hiring Americans instead of Canadians. It’s all relative and depends on which angle you’re coming from.

Certainly it encourages young Canadians to keep going and investing into their passion when they see that there is a path to the big show, that there is more chance for the hard work to “pay off”; it is good for the sport, no doubt about it. From a sponsor’s perspective, however, they are in it for marketing purposes and to get their brand and company the most exposure possible; it’s not cheap running a professional racing team.

So, have you decided yet? Who would you choose, an American or Canadian?

10/13/2014 8:29:36 PM

A SU MM E R OF G RE AT PE RFORM ANC E S he 2014 season is officially over and by most accounts it was a stellar year of racing. The Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals had great attendance, and the Amateur week at Walton proved once again to be the highlight of the year for up and coming talent from across the country. Colton Facciotti and Kaven Benoit were winners in their respective classes, and in my opinion, both earned the right to be crowned Champions. Team Canada had good financial support for their foray into Latvia for the Motocross of Nations and things are looking to be going in the right direction for the future of that team. It was the hard work of a few, the donations of the dedicated race fans and from within the industry that made it all possible, so thank you all very much.

The Canadian Pro Nationals always offer great excitement and opportunity for the racing community to unite and revel in our sport at the highest level our great country has to present. No matter who shows up, you just know it’s going to be a battle to the end. Even if there is a runaway winner, the rest of the field will be there hammering for every inch of real estate on the track. And this year was certainly no exception with many riders with thoroughbred pedigrees showing up to spice things up. Of course we have the usual US guys who have graced our series for many years, but I think guys like Josh Hill, Mike Alessi and the return of Kyle Chisholm really had a positive effect on the MX1 season. It seemed to me that the crowds were bigger at every city the series visited, and I do believe the #800 of MotoConcepts Smartop’s Mike Alessi needs to be credited. I talked to many fans throughout the year that were stoked to see Mike ride. Some were fans and others weren’t but they were there nonetheless.

Mike came close to winning the championship. He showed a ton of heart, which I believe endeared him to many new fans and converted a few “haters” in the process. No one can deny the element of excitement he carries, and it seemed the only bull’s eye on his back in Canada was for fan autographs and signed posters. The Alessi family has a colourful history stemming for Mike’s graduation into the Pro ranks in the USA. They have been involved in many a soap opera but at the end of the day they are a motocross family with a love and passion for racing just like everyone else. How else could you explain the length of Mike’s career? Sure, he has made some bonehead moves, but really, who hasn’t in this sport? Be it on your own or incidents involving others, sooner or later mistakes are going to happen and it just becomes a matter of how much gravity each will carry.

Tony Alessi has also been on the hot seat many times as well but you know he is always working the angles in the best interest of his sons. This past season I have enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with Tony and the comedic banter between him and

T

“THIS SEASON IS SHAPING UP TO BE A BARN BURNER WITH ALL THE TALENT SHOWING UP. YOU CAN BET THERE WILL BE SOME GREAT BATTLES AT THE FRONT OF THE PACK.”

WITH BRIAN KOSTER PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

Gauldy, which has been priceless at times. Here are two guys who tell it like it is, and I believe they have developed a mutual respect and fondness for one another that will last well into the future. The MotoConcepts Smartop Team also showed a lot of class by making a very generous donation to Team Canada’s MXoN squad, which showed an absolute ton of class.

Speaking of class, how about Benoit and Fatyotes nailing down the titles this year? To me, an epic accomplishment by both riders who faced a serious lineup of talented riders vying for the cup. These guys worked for it and had to be on their A game entering each and every moto. Colton has not had an easy go of it the last two years and was no doubt the crowd favourite as the general populace felt his pain of him being knocked out early two seasons running. Colton is smooth, stylish and methodical in his approach to racing, and the knowledge learned being teamed up with such luminaries as JSR and Blair Morgan has served him well. He is also one of the coolest cats I know and has an uncanny ability to maintain a lower than average heart rate while in the throes of battle. I will admit, I’m stoked he took the Championship and this is not a slam to any of his well-heeled competitors. I guess I’m just like a lot of the Canadian fans who like to root for the underdog.

While you may not see Colt as an underdog, I felt he really needed to win this year’s title to help keep him motivated and to help keep his head in the game. So to you Colton Facciotti, congratulations, you have always shown nothing but class both on and off the track. You are a true Champion!

Kaven Benoit is another rider who had to overcome many obstacles to be crowned 2014 MX2 Champion.

The likeable young Quebecer has maintained many loyalties to his sponsors over the years and truly deserved this title. One thing that really stands out in my mind was his heroic performance at Gopher Dunes. This was a day where he could have lost it all but didn’t. In timed qualifying, on a fast lap, he ate it big time in a very fast section of the track and cart wheeled hard. I was with Kaven at the truck after his crash and was astounded by the size of the contusion on his the side of his back. He had a lump the size of a large grapefruit that swelled up almost immediately after the crash; he was unsure if he could even ride. In the time he had and with the heat that day, the ice did little to control the swelling. In obvious agony, he made the decision to race, saying “I have to at least try”, so that is what he did. That day, at the rough and tumble confines of Gopher Dunes, he soldiered through the pain and rallied to 2-2 moto scores. It is days like this that define a true Champion, and that day he earned an enormous amount of respect by those around him...and it was that day that I will remember when he shows up next year sporting the red #1 plate!

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s our racing season is now finished and we are now in what is the off-season, it is the time of year that those of us that race for a living take a look back at our racing year and try to reflect on the good and bad parts of our racing and training programs to try to better ourselves for the coming year.

Every racer is different in what they feel is the right or wrong way to prepare, and do what they feel is best for them to succeed in bettering themselves for the next season of racing. Things that we all take into account when looking into the off-season is obviously the team you will be racing for, where they are based and where the resources are you feel you need to accommodate your riding and training.

For some of us, there is also our own families that come into your plans. And don’t forget the little thing called money because without great sponsors and teams behind you, putting a good budget plan in place is hard for us older guys of the sport with families and homes to leave for extended amounts of time to chase our goals and dreams of winning.

Back to reflecting on the year; I personally had what I consider to be a bad year. With DNFs, crashes, and a bad overall finish, I’m very much looking to move forward for a chance to rebound and get back up front next year. At the same time, we as racers can’t always look at the negative parts of the year because that is how you beat yourself into the ground and into a hole that is hard to dig yourself out. The body does as the mind says. If you say you suck, well, then you will suck. If you say I’m better than this and I will prevail, you will proceed to do so.

So on the positive side, I did have a win to turn the season in the right direction after a slow start, and continued to run up front the last half of the season and battle for wins and podium finishes every week, even on tracks I have struggled with in the past. I feel one of my strengths is my mental toughness and desire to never give in, and I feel that I showed that again this past season with climbing out of the hole I was in after the slow first half.

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“I FEEL I AM ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT NEEDS TO RACE EVERY WEEK TO GET IN THE GROOVE AND STAY SHARP, SO I WILL BE HEADING TO EUROPE TO RACE ON ANOTHER ROCKSTAR YAMAHA FOR A FEW SUPERCROSS RACES THEN POKE MY NOSE IN THE US SUPERCROSS SERIES BEFORE GETTING READY FOR CMRC’S ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MX NATIONALS.”

WITH BOBBY KINIRY PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE Looking back, though, there are a few things I want to work on with my racing and riding. Every year you mature more and more as a racer, and when you have a home like I do with the Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha crew, it makes it a lot easier to focus on yourself rather than starting from scratch for the new year.

One thing I’m going to do is get back to racing every professional event I can. Last year I tried to take a step back thinking being fresh with one goal and training for one discipline was going to be the ticket for me. It was a nice change but it wasn’t for me. I feel I am one of those guys that needs to race every week to get in the groove and stay sharp, so I will be heading to Europe to race on another Rockstar Yamaha for a few supercross races then poke my nose in the US Supercross series before getting ready for CMRC’s Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals.

I’ll be doing this while training at home in New York and in California with my teammate Shawn Maffenbeier. This works out well for me, I have found.

I’ve tried the back east thing and it just doesn’t seem to work for me for some reason. I know there are a handful of guys in our series that stay back east and it no doubt works for them, but I have been at this for quite some time now and have acquired a pretty good set up out west for myself, with fellow racers such as Shawn and other team members from my past, as well as top US racers I have become friends with over the years to help each other out. The Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha team has seen the benefits of being out west, where most of the motocross industry is located, and made the proper accommodations for the team to be based out there for the winter season.

My trainer, Drew, takes a lot of the guesswork out of my personal training and eases my mind when I get antsy about wanting to much too soon. And of course none of this would be able to happen without my wife stepping up and taking care of our family while I am out racing and training all over the world, trying to live this dream of professional dirt bike racing.

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Kaven Benoit and KTM Shine Bright in Face of Adversity

SOMETIMES IN LIFE AND IN SPORT IT TAKES A LITTLE ADVERSITY TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU. THIS WAS CERTAINLY THE CASE LAST SEASON AND HEADING INTO THIS SEASON FOR THE ROYAL DISTRIBUTING FOX KTM TEAM. AS YOU MAY RECALL, KAVEN BENOIT WAS SITTING IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION IN 2013 AS THE SERIES HEADED EAST TO GOPHER DUNES. THEN, DURING A ROUTINE MIDWEEK PRACTICE SESSION, DISASTER STRUCK AND A SMALL CRASH RESULTED IN A SEASON-ENDING BROKEN ANKLE. SINCE THE TEAM WAS ALREADY DOWN ONE RIDER, WITH DUSTY KLATT MISSING THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON DUE TO A KNEE INJURY, KTM WAS FORCED TO LOOK FOR A REPLACEMENT RIDER SO FAN FAVOURITE TYLER MEDAGLIA WOULDN’T BE ALONE UNDER THE ORANGE TENT.

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The KTM gang rebounded nicely for the remainder of 2013 after hiring Cole Thompson, who would win the final round of the series at Walton Raceway, and Medaglia would go on to finish third overall behind American Bobby Kiniry and series champion Brett Metcalfe. Unfortunately, after returning for just three rounds in the east, multi-time champion Dusty Klatt reinjured his knee in Moncton and was forced to call it a career. As the team headed into the off-season, the stars finally appeared to be aligning. Benoit was healed and looking forward to redeeming himself, Cole Thompson was competing in the 2014 Monster Energy Supercross Series, and Tyler Medaglia was moved next store to race the brand new Husqvarna. Everything was set for a run at both the MX2 and MX1 titles in 2014. Then all of a sudden the plan went sideways.

“ONCE AGAIN, THE TEAM WAS FORCED TO SIT BACK, REGROUP AND COME UP WITH YET ANOTHER STRATEGY AS TO HOW THEY WOULD NOT ONLY COMPETE IN THE 2014 ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MOTOCROSS NATIONALS, BUT TO BE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS AS WELL.” In just a few short months, the KTM team would lose one of their title sponsors and one of their top riders. Due to budgetary constraints brought on by commitments made for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Red Bull was forced to pull their support from the team. It was a tough pill to swallow and the team was left scrambling for a replacement title sponsor. As they were getting reorganized financially without Red Bull, Cole Thompson crashed in the first turn of a supercross and suff ered a season ending knee injury. Once again, the team was forced to sit back, regroup and come up with yet another strategy as to how they would not only compete in the 2014 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals, but to be championship contenders as well.

With KTM Team Manager Andy White and General Manager Florian Burguet calling the shots, the team had to make some quick decisions to get everything back on track. Their first order of business was to find additional budget to replace what was lost when Red Bull pulled out. Once this was done, the next decision was to figure out who could replace the injured Cole Thompson in the MX1 class. This was also not an easy task as most accredited riders had already committed to race for other teams. After some thinking, it was determined that the Husqvarna Team would be pushed back a year, so Tyler Medaglia was moved back over to the Orange Brigade. As the season kicked off in Nanaimo, the Royal Distributing Fox KTM was front and center with their bright orange 18-wheeler in the pits ready to make the summer of 2014 a successful one.

Right from the drop of the gate at round one, Kaven Benoit solidified himself as the rider to beat. With the 2013 champ, Austin Politelli, still getting back up to speed after his early season injury, Benoit was hoping to get off to a fast start in the MX2 series. There were, however, a few other students in the schoolyard who had their own championship aspirations; some were prepared to play nice but one certainly wasn’t. All winter, while training in Florida, Benoit thought he knew what he was up against. He knew that Politelli would probably start the series slowly, he knew that Shawn Maff enbeier would be fast and fi t, but maybe not great on the first few tracks of the series, and he also knew that Jeremy Medaglia would probably spend the first half of the series getting used to his new Kawasaki. The one thing that Benoit couldn’t have known heading into 2014 was that his fiercest competitor would be Vince Friese, an American rider with a ton of talent and a deep bag of dirty tricks.

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All summer, from British Columbia to New Brunswick, Benoit and Friese waged their impolite war for the 2014 MX2 title. There were somewhat questionable battles on the track, finger pointing and harsh words off the track, all while going back and forth each weekend to the delight of the drama thirsty fans of Canadian Motocross. As the series moved to the eastern half of the country and its softer tracks, Benoit did the almost unthinkable and switched from his points leading KTM 250SX-F four-stroke to the faster but harder-to-ride 250 two-stroke. It was a gutsy move to say the least, however Benoit and his team were convinced that it was the right choice for the final six rounds of the series.

As the series neared its end, the Benoit/ Friese battle had run its course. As they headed to the final two motos in Walton, Benoit and his KTM Team had put themselves in the position where they held all the cards. With destiny in their control, Benoit rode to a very cautious third in moto one.

Even though Friese won the first moto, Benoit scored enough points to clinch the 2014 MX2 title. With the championship secured, Benoit prepared for the final showdown with his new American arch nemesis. As Benoit headed out for moto two, his mentor and KTM team advisor, fi ve-time MX1 Canadian Champion Jean Sebastien Roy, had some final words of advice. JSR said that he kept it simple. “I could kind of tell that Kaven was feeling pretty relaxed before the final moto. I told him that even though he had the title, he must go out there and win the final moto of the year to prove to Friese that he was better.

I told him that he couldn’t let Friese go back to the US with bragging rights that he won the final moto of the year. I guess Kaven listened to me.”

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Benoit took JSR’s advice and went out to dominate the final MX2 moto of 2014. With the MX2 championship now theirs and Tyler Medaglia out battling Josh Hill and Kyle Chisholm for third overall in the MX1 class, the Canadianonly KTM Team rebounded nicely to have one of the best years ever in Canadian motocross. Benoit had this to say about his championship winning summer. “My summer of 2014 will be in my best memories ever because I won my first ever Canadian Championship, hopefully the first of many. I had to go through so much adversity in the last couple years, and this year I showed that those obstacles were not going to stop me from reaching my goals. I never quit trying. I dreamt of winning that championship for many years and finally I got it. I am very proud of myself and I’m very thankful to my Royal Distributing Fox KTM Team.”

With a successful 2014 now behind them, the Orange Brigade is now looking ahead to next year. At press time, it was still unclear whether or not Red Bull will return as a team sponsor.

However, with or without them, the KTM Team proved this year that they can go racing and still be successful, regardless of who’s behind them. This past summer, they just found a way to do it; it’s the Canadian way. Team Manager Andy White is very excited about 2015.

“We’re very excited for next season.

Hopefully we can build on the success of this year and win both championships in 2015.” The cover of this issue is dedicated to not just Kaven Benoit and his 2014 MX2 title, but also to the entire Royal Distributing Fox KTM Team for their terrific season. Congratulations to the Orange Brigade!

“THE ONE THING THAT BENOIT COULDN’T HAVE KNOWN HEADING INTO 2014 WAS THAT HIS FIERCEST COMPETITOR WOULD BE VINCE FRIESE, AN AMERICAN RIDER WITH A TON OF TALENT AND A DEEP BAG OF DIRTY TRICKS.”

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MARCO DUBÉ BURST ONTO THE CANADIAN MOTOCROSS SCENE IN 1994 BY SWEEPING THE INTERMEDIATE CLASSES AT THE WALTON GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. The following season, the Rivière-duLoup, Quebec native made the move to the Pro class and was an immediate threat for a title. Known as a hard charger who possessed a never-say-die style of riding throughout his fourteen year pro career, Dubé was something of an enigma outside of his home province of Quebec. He did not start racing motocross until he was thirteen and his English was basically non-existent during his early years on the circuit.

His fiery and ultra-competitive nature did not always endear him to all his fellow competitors, but while he was somewhat of an unknown quantity west of Quebec, he was a star in his home province. This is his story.

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ivière-du-Loup is a small city on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec. It is also the home of the Rivière-duLoup Arenacross, which has been going strong now for nearly thirty-fi ve years.

As a youngster, Marco Dubé’s father took him to see the event when he was only three years-old and not surprisingly he was immediately hooked on the sport.

For over a year, Marco recalls that he begged his Dad for a bike almost every day. When he was four, his father, who was a farmer, asked Marco to run out and grab something for him out of the back of the pick-up. And there it was hidden behind a bale of hay in the back of his truck, a 50cc dirt bike. As mentioned, the Dubé’s were a farming family and they had property that Marco took advantage of; he rode the wheels off of his little bike around the family farm on a daily basis when weather permitted.

Unlike a lot of future motocross prodigies, Marco and his family did not get into motocross racing right away.

While he rode with friends and family a lot during the summers, the Dubé’s were a hockey family in those days, and just like many other Canadian boys the focus was on hockey. That was until 1991 when at the age of thirteen Marco’s father told him he had to make a choice. The family could not aff ord both competitive travel hockey and dirt bikes so he was going to have to pick one. Dirt bikes won out and that summer Marco went racing for the first time.

He had already been riding for years, and when it came to racing, Marco was fast right out of the gate winning the Quebec Provincial series on his 80 in his first season. For the next couple of years he did the same thing, winning everything in the Junior classes. Then in ’94, Marco, who was in his first year as an Intermediate competitor, decided to make the trip to Walton for the first time to compete in the Amateur National Championship. “I was able to hitch a ride with JSR and his family,” recalls Dubé, “but I was really by myself”, which as it turns out was a recurring theme for him throughout his career. “No mechanic or anything like that. It was just me and I didn’t speak any English at that 44

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time.” Ontario rider Ryan Gauld was considered to be the top dog in the Intermediate class that year and Dubé was something of a dark horse as most people outside of Quebec had never even heard of him. When it was all said and done, however, and the dust had settled, Marco came away with a sweep of the Intermediate classes. I can personally attest to his speed as I was racing the 250 class that year and considered myself to be a pretty decent Intermediate rider at the time, but I still remember being lapped by the Flying Frenchman in a couple of my motos. It was while he was at Walton that year that Marco caught the eye of Morgan Racing owner Chris Morgan. “They actually started helping me out with a few things during the week,” recalls Marco, and the following season Morgan signed the rookie pro for his team. The signing was seen by industry insiders as somewhat of a coup as Morgan generally preferred to hire more seasoned American riders for his squad, Mike Jones, Rich Taylor and Ray Sommo to name a few.

Marco landed at the Morgan squad on his familiar Suzuki in ’95, though,

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and finished a very credible second to Carl Vaillancourt in the CMRC National series. Marco remembers his first year as a generally positive experience.

“Arenacross was great,” he recalls.

“I always loved arenacross and supercross, and I finished just behind Carl (Vaillancourt) in the National Series. And then he (Vaillancourt) retired,” chuckles Dubé.

Despite his success with Morgan Racing in ’95, Marco started the ‘96 season as a Honda privateer. “I always preferred to do things on my own during my career,” reflects Dubé. “My parents taught me to be responsible, how to stick to a budget, and as long as I had a good mechanic with me I was fine.” Dubé received a modest parts budget from Honda in ‘96 and was also helped out by a couple of local dealerships, but he was basically as privateer as it gets during that season; he ended up winning the CMRC National Championship. You would have thought Dubé would have signed on with a factory team for the following season seeing as he was the reigning National Champion but he decided to run the same private Honda program

“When asked who his biggest racing rival was during his career Dubé does not hesitate when he replies Blair Morgan. ‘He was such a fabulous rider.’”

Marco Dubé (inset and main) is one of the best riders to ever come out of Quebec, or Canada for that matter. He’s won National Championships, represented Team Canada at the MXoN, raced AMA Supercross for Yamaha of Troy, and has planted his knobbies into different soil all over the world. The French Canadian has had a colourful, interesting and successful career that most can only dream of.

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again for the ‘97 campaign. Despite being saddled with the next generation aluminum framed Honda, which is widely considered to be one of the stiff est and ill-handling motocross bikes of all-time, he finished a very respectable runner up to Blair Morgan in the ’97 CMRC National campaign. “I was quite proud of that accomplishment, especially since the bike wasn’t good,” recalls Dubé. “I think I’m still limping today because of that bike.”

During the off-season in those years Marco was one of several Canadian Pros who would make the pilgrimage south of the border, mostly to Florida, to train and race. “I was only nineteen years-old and could barely speak English when I started doing that,” recalls Dubé. “I was down there all by myself; no mechanic or anything.”

Dubé specifically remembers one night in ‘96 at the Orlando Supercross when he was attempting to qualify for the night show in both the 250 and 125 classes, as you could ride both in those days. “People thought I was 46

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crazy,” laughs Marco, “I would be out there for practice on my 250 and my 125 would be leaning up against the wall in the tunnel. I would pull off the track and switch bikes and go right back out there. It actually could have been dangerous but I didn’t think about it like that at all.” Dubé would not only use these races as a warm up for the Canadian season but the money that he could earn would help him pay for his excursions down south. “I was never afraid, never intimidated,” recalls Dubé. “It didn’t matter if McGrath was lined up on one side of me and Emig on the other. I was there for one reason and one reason only: to learn and to get better. That’s all that mattered to me and the eleven hundred dollars that I could make from qualifying for the night show would help me extend my trip down there.”

Marco’s top finish in a US Supercross actually came in Tampa in 1998 when he carded a 9th overall in the 125 East Coast class.

In hindsight, Marco feels today

Top left: Dubé (24) tears through the MX1 pack in 2007 while riding a Royal Distributing Amsoil KTM 450.

Above: 250 (below) or 450 (above), two-stroke or four-stroke, Dubé never lost his smooth but aggressive style.

Right: The (Quebec) French Connection! All of QC’s motocross greats gather for a picture at this year’s Ulverton National: Dubé, Carl Vaillancourt, JSR, and current champion, Kaven Benoit.

that his biggest regret from his racing career is the fact that he never contested an entire US Supercross Series. “That’s the one thing that I really wished that I had done,” he states. “I always loved Supercross so much, the atmosphere, and the excitement. If I had it to do all over again I would find a way to make it happen. I’d take a loan from the bank to buy a ride or something like that just so I could make it happen.” Dubé also suggests that this is something that some of Canada’s top young riders today should think about doing.

“Nothing can replace racing against the world’s top riders,” comments Dubé. “If somebody wants to get faster and take it to the next level, this is

absolutely the best way to do it. And anyone can do it.”

Marco won the 125 National Championship again in ‘98 but lost out on the Grand National Championship to Blair Morgan that season and again in ‘99. It seemed like it was always between those two riders in those days. When asked who his biggest racing rival was during his career Dubé does not hesitate when he replies Blair Morgan. “He was such a fabulous rider,” explains Dubé. “He was superfast and super-smooth, and it was an honour competing against him.”

In a cruel twist of irony, both riders’ careers were ended due to injury less than a week apart back in 2008, but the racing that went on between them

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over the course of their careers will be fondly remembered by all Canadian motocross fans.

While he never won another National Championship, Marco continued to race at a very high level and remained highly competitive for the next several years. He actually recalls the 2000 season as perhaps being his best and most enjoyable he spent on the circuit. “That was the year of the big rig,” comments Dubé, referring to the semi-truck that Doug Dubach’s Fed Ex Yamaha team used that year for the first time on the Canadian circuit.

“My friend Andy White and I hooked up that year on team CRS Safety Suzuki,” recalls Marco. “It was a great year, we had a lot of fun and there was some great racing. But in the end I lost to the old guy (Dubach),” laughs Dubé.

White reflects on that season fondly as well. “Marco was definitely our leader and team captain that year,” he remembers. “He brought a lot of his personal sponsors along with him, and as far as riding goes, I feel that he was at his peak at that time. We also had Simon Homans, Derrick Fisher and Jason Thorne on board that season as well. As for me, I wore quite a few hats that year. I was a team manager / mechanic / personal manager. The only thing I didn’t do that year was drive the truck but we all had a good time.” The relationship between White and Dubé, both personally and professionally, continued to flourish over the rest of Marco’s career as the two hooked up again in ‘03 with Diablo Honda, a team that White owned, and again in ‘06 when White was just starting out as the team manager for KTM Canada. For his part, White remembers Marco as being a pleasure to work with. “He was always in great shape and prepared,” recalls White. “The thing that set him

apart from most riders is the fact that he would never give up…ever. He could go down at the start of a race, be in last place and would charge all the way back. I saw it happen many times.

He was an extremely hard charger, and although it sounds like a cliché, in Marco’s case it’s absolutely true. He always gave 110%.” Another thing that amazed White about Marco was the celebrity status that he had attained in his home province of Quebec. “We would race those arenacrosses in Rivière-du-Loup, Victoriaville and Quebec City,” recalls White “and he would be treated like an absolute rock star.” It wouldn’t have mattered if Jeremy McGrath himself had shown up at those races, Marco was the man. The people of Quebec loved their hometown boy and he dominated those races.”

After his successful 2000 season, injuries plagued Marco for the next several years. “I’m very demanding of my body,” states Marco, “and when you are always trying your best and pushing the limits, things can happen, and they did, but I wouldn’t give in. I can endure a lot of pain and I’m very stubborn. I am a red head after all,” he chuckles. The injuries, however, became a real issue for Marco and his results began to suffer. “I can’t even remember them all,” recounts Dubé. “Knees, ankles, wrist and then at RJ’s in 2003 I was trying to come back early from a knee injury, I blew out my Achilles tendon.” While this

nasty string of injuries certainly put a damper on his Canadian outdoor seasons, Marco continued to head overseas in his off seasons during this period of his career to participate in European arenacross and supercross events. “The money was really good and I was always treated very well over there.” It was while in France in 2006 that Marco had one of his

French fans who basically adopted Marco as one of their own.

2006 was also the year in which Marco got to try something that was completely different for him. “I was hired by Yamaha of Troy to be a test rider,” recalls Dubé. Luc “Frenchie” Caoutte, a boyhood friend of Dubé’s who happened to be working with the US team at the time, put a call in to

“ After much deliberation, he decided to become the Canadian importer for the Italian Forma Boot Company, and MD Distributions was born.” finest racing experiences. “The 2006 Paris-Bercy Supercross has to be one of my proudest moments,” says Dubé.

I finished the three nights of racing in 6th place overall. I would have been 5th had it not been for a little mistake in the final heat,” he emphasizes. This was quite an accomplishment for Marco as the grid at the prestigious race was littered with some of the top names in the sport such as Christophe Pourcel, David Vuillemin and Josh Grant. Marco actually beat out some big names that weekend to earn his lofty finishing position. Names like Jason Lawrence, Mike Alessi and multi-time world champion Antonio Cairoli all ended up behind the French Canadian Dubé. His never-say-die riding style also endeared him to the

Marco when the team realized they needed someone. “He knew I was good with the mechanical aspect of testing so they invited me down to California. It was a great adventure. I never rode so much in my life,” laughs Marco. “Every day we were out at the Yamaha test track trying different set-ups, usually from 7 in the morning until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. It was pretty cool, though.

I got to ride every day with guys like Chad Reed and David Vuillemin. The only problem was that I still wanted to race and they just wanted me to test.”

Marco decided to forgo the position as a test rider and follow his heart back to the MX tracks of Canada and the CMRC National Circuit. Unfortunately for Marco and his family, his life was turned upside down in 2008.

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It was while he was recovering from an injury that he sustained at the Regina National in the summer of 2008 that Marco’s father, Denis, was tragically killed in a street bike riding accident. Needless to say, Marco was devastated by the accident, and it was at this time that he decided to take a break from racing and re-examine his life. “There was a big industry trade show in Cologne, Germany,” recalls Marco. “I decided to head over and see if there might be any kind of opportunity for me. I‘d always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to do something in the industry after my racing career was over. You know, become the next Motovan or something like that. In fact, I would always tell my friend Rick Sheren (founder of R&M Motosports) when I would visit him that someday I’m going to be just like you.” Indeed Marco did return from Germany loaded down with catalogues as he set about to make a decision on what kind of business he would like to start and what products he would like to get involved with.

After much deliberation, he decided to become the Canadian importer for the Italian Forma Boot Company, and MD Distributions was born.

While Marco was now officially a businessman, he certainly had no intentions of retiring from active racing in 2009. “My intention was definitely to keep racing, especially arenacross,” states Dubé. “That was until I had the worst crash of my life.”

It was while fine-tuning his bike at a friend’s supercross track a week before the Montreal Supercross that Marco had the crash, which resulted in him sustaining injuries that included a broken back and shoulder, a bruised heart and a severe concussion. “I knew it was my head,” recalls Dubé.

“The doctors were so concerned with my other injuries that they never really checked me for a concussion.

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For ten days after I left the hospital my head felt alright because I was on so much pain medication. Then on the tenth day I began to suff er from the worst migraine of my life and it lasted for three days.” Marco actually suff ered from severe post-concussion syndrome for nearly three years after the accident and still battles the eff ects of the injury to this day.

Obviously, he was forced to retire but just like with any real racer, it was an extremely tough decision for Marco to hang it up. “Anybody who knows me,” says Marco, “knows that I would never quit. In fact, if it had not been for the injury to my head I believe I would still be racing today. I wouldn’t miss arenacross for the world.” Long-time friend Andy White is quick to agree.

“Oh, I have no doubt that Marco would still be competing,” says White. “In fact, I even off ered Marco an off-road ride with KTM for the 2010 season.

We really wanted to bring him on board as a racing ambassador for the company just like we did with JSR. To his credit, though, he told us early on that he wouldn’t be able to do it. He didn’t string us along, which was nice because I know how badly he wanted it.” White goes on to add that even when he sees Marco at the races today he always jokingly tells him that he’s ready now for his next contract.

In retirement, Marco has attacked the business world with the same aggressive, hard-working attitude that he brought to the race track. In a few short years, he has grown his company and dealer network to the point that he now represents several

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Whether it was starts, racing in the sand or fl ying high through the Calgary air, Marco Dube was able to master it all during his illustrious career.

“Marco’s father told him he had to make a choice. The family could not afford both competitive travel hockey and dirt bikes so he was going to have to pick one.” more products other than just Forma Boots. The list includes Atlas Braces, 100% Goggles, Matrix stands and his newest entry to the product line, which holds a special place in his heart, 6D Helmets. “All my products are high end,” states Dubé, “but I feel that they are reasonably priced. Especially in the case of the new helmets, you can’t put a price on the health of your brain. I really don’t want to see anyone else go through what I did and that’s why I’m so impressed with this product.”

Marco lives a somewhat quieter life in Quebec City with his family these days. He has two children, a thirty month-old daughter and a fi ve year-old son who, in Marco’s words, is “going crazy” on a little e-bike that he recently purchased for him. “He’s really bugging me for a real dirt bike and he keeps saying he wants to race.

We’ll see. I’d like to get him into BMX first but I won’t discourage him if that’s what he wants, I will support

him.” When I spoke to Marco for this article, he was on his second week on the road booking sales orders for MD Distributions somewhere north of Timmins on the Quebec side. He was missing his family but said that he had met up with them halfway through his trip in Montreal for a visit, which was nice. So how much do you miss racing was one of the final questions that I asked him. “I miss it so much,” he replies. “This year when I was at the Ulverton National they asked me if I would take a couple of laps around the track for the fans, and when I was done I had tears in my eyes.” He then told me one of the most interesting things I’ve ever heard a racer say. “During my life,” said Dubé, “I’ve never wasted an ounce of gas on a motorcycle. Every time I rode a bike it was with a purpose to get better, to improve, and to win.

Motocross was truly my passion. It was my life.”

2014-10-15 11:08 AM

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I S S E AL E 2014 FOR TH MX1 TITLE

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RThOe WUasNteDland1s,.

Nanaimo, 0B1.C4 May 31, 2

It was the date that the silly season officially ended for Canadian Motocross fans, and finally in earnest, we of the moto media world could focus all of our energy on what is expected of us.

That’s right, reporting the facts of what would begin to chronologically play out as one of the most entertaining battles in recent MX1 history. Yes, it was time to ‘Believe the Hype’ Mike Alessi and the Smartop MotoConcepts team were on Canadian soil, and three time MX1 Champion Colton Facciotti was healthy and seemingly ready to shake the ghosts that haunted his title hopes two seasons in a row. For the second straight year there were questions surrounding the readiness of the man who would saddle up the steel horse that series followers would be quick to coin ‘Colt 45.’ Teaming up with Derek Schuster and his newly elevated Troy Lee Designs Honda ‘A’ Team, the stage was set for the twenty scheduled 2014 series motos that would stretch across our great country. These two and their connections would waste no time putting pen to paper on the track to what would, by season’s end, be one of the most entertaining MX1 scripts written in Canada in a long time!

The gate dropped in Nanaimo under clear skies and hard pack conditions, and Mike Alessi would get one of his patented holeshots and lead the race through two turns. A hard charging Colton Facciotti would put a wheel in on Alessi in turn three, sending him to the ground where he would be forced to remount his Smartop MotoConcepts machine that fortunately stayed running! Colton would run up front all moto and silence any immediate critics, as he did the previous season where he marched into Nanaimo and took the opening round from eventual series winner Brett Metcalfe. Mike Alessi’s trip to the matt would force him to rally from mid-pack, putting in a solid ride where he would finish third. After the moto on the podium, Colton, when asked about the first lap, noted “I did come in a little hot on Alessi. I don’t really like to race like that but it just kind of happened. Luckily he got back up and I am sorry to him for that. I was just having fun out there; it was just nice to be back out there on the bike.”

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Moto two would once again see Facciotti up front on lap one after some tight moments in the first couple of corners between himself and Rockstar Yamaha’s Bobby Kiniry, who would be credited with the holeshot, and the MotoConcepts bike of Alessi. It would not take Alessi long to find a little room inside of Facciotti on a 180 degree left hander to take the lead. A hard charging Facciotti would be on the receiving end of the rear wheel of the 800 bike in the same corner that the two

combatants came together in moto one. Facciotti’s Honda would also stay running; he fortunately looked none the worse for the wear after a hard hit to The Wasteland’s surface. Alessi would shake loose up front while Facciotti would settle for third, leaving the two combatants co-holders of the red plate and series points lead moving forward to Whispering Pines Raceway in Kamloops! Tony Alessi, Team Manager of the MotoConcepts race team, had these thoughts on Nanaimo. “We enjoyed the

whole experience, our set-up was good and we were happy with Nanaimo. The racing on the track was good and there was, what I believe, an eye-for-an-eye moment, but both riders were okay just racing. We were happy to leave Nanaimo with a red plate.”

Derek Schuster of the Gopher Dunes Honda team was quick to point out, “Getting Nanaimo out of the way was huge for us! We really elevated our program this off-season, and even though there was not a lot of pressure on me

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from my backers, I did put a lot on myself. There were countless days and hours on end of preparation in the offseason that was all new to me! Having a top calibre rider like Colton under our tent added to the pressure for me as I did not want to let him down. Once the ball got rolling in Nanaimo the pressure was not an issue, the ball was rolling.

Colton’s mechanic, Justin Petker, was new to Colton and I assured him he was the right fit for our goals.”

ROUWhNispDerin2g-

ay Pines Racepw .C. , Kamloo s20B14 June 8,

On the north side of Kamloops, B.C., up a long, winding Westside Road on the North Thompson River lies the GKMA’s Whispering Pines Raceway.

With not a cloud in the sky, a wellwatered sand based race track awaited our gladiators as the sands of the 2014 season’s hour glass continued to flow towards cementing their place in Canadian Motocross history. Moto one would see Rockstar Energy Yamaha rider Bobby Kiniry get the holeshot but a pressing Mike Alessi would make a move on a right hander just before the completion of lap one. Colton Facciotti would run third on lap one but what would unfold in the moments before

the first lap was complete would set in motion events that came with a hefty price to be paid. The Smartop MotoConcepts bike would over jump the obstacle that would signify the completion of the first lap and leave him unable to negotiate the right hand corner in front of him. Off the track, Mike was unable to re-enter the track safely, in his opinion, and opted for the safest option on the other side of the race track where he would re-enter past where he departed, in the lead. He

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would go on to win the moto in convincing fashion, but after the moto be on the losing end of a ruling that would see him docked five positions leaving him with 6th for a moto one tally.

Colton Facciotti, who did battle back to second at the checkers after a “tip over” in the moto, would add 25 points to his total after being bumped to the top step of the podium as a result of Alessi’s miscue. Speculation ran rapid as to how the connections of the 800 bike would respond to the penalty, but after the dust settled the 800 bike was on the line and ready for the gate drop of Moto 2.

Moto 2 would see Mike Alessi get the Royal Distributing Holeshot and pull about a six second lead early in the moto over Colton Facciotti and extend it to almost 10 seconds. As the track deteriorated with chop and knee-deep ruts, at times the tempo of the moto would soon swing as it entered the second half. The 800 bike that had led

confidently, comfortably and focussed on the prize awaiting, the 25 points would start to have some difficulty sustaining its bid. A hard charging Facciotti would not be fazed by the gap in the two and continued to methodically pick away at the lead of Alessi. With Mike getting a little high-side-type kick back out of a sweeping left hander, Colton, like the cool cat that he is, would pounce on the opportunity to become the new race leader. Mike obviously struggling with his set-up would hang on for second. Even though it did not have anything to do with the race track at day’s end, Mike would be happy to be focussing his energy towards the next round in Calgary. Colton would get the victory and the 50 points, and leave the Gopher Dunes Honda Team breathing a sigh of relief.

This round of Whispering Pines had not been kind to Colton the two previous years, and even though there was a lot of work left to do in 2014, this was a

big victory for Colton and his connections. Derek Schuster admitted, “Yes, we did treat it just like any other race as that’s the way Colton had wanted it.

He did not want any energy or attention focussed on the past. We really felt like, after this round, the positive momentum was on our side and Colton’s mental strength was a big part of it.”

After the race, Tony Alessi defended his rider’s position, stating that “It was unsafe for Mike to enter where he left the track; there was a whole pack of riders coming. There was a ditch in front of him, which also was not an option to go through as it was covered.

It honestly would have been dangerous as you never know what is in there. We were not happy with the docking as it is to the discretion of the referee, and the five position penalty is the maximum. We did not feel that was justified but we will regroup and be ready for Calgary.”

6MIN6UT5ES 3 D N U O R k r Pa – Wild Rose MX a

ert Calgary, A5lb 4 June 1 , 201

The Wild Rose MX Park in Calgary, Alberta would be the first round of the young series that we would feel the ominous threat of something that has plagued this event a few years in a row. Yes, rain and mud. But even though from the minute I arrived at the track in the morning until the moment I left at day’s end, I thought it could rain any moment, but it did not. The impending cloud of doom was content to keep its distance, and occupied the best vantage point for what would be another epic round in the 2014 MX1 trilogy. Moto one would see Devil’s Lake Yamaha rider Josh Clark holeshot and lead the first portion of lap one but

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quickly succumb to an aggressive inside pass by Mike Alessi. Facciotti would get around Clark and take what would be a solid second in the moto to Alessi, who would win the moto comfortably. Mike Alessi looked to be very comfortable on a track that seemed to be playing right into the wheelhouse of his comfort zone and skill set. Moto two would, however, see the 800 bike suffer another setback at gate drop, as he would charge the gate before it dropped; he would be forced to occupy the back of the bus heading into the first corner. Tyler Medaglia would lead early and be under fire by the aggressively charging Gopher Dunes Honda of ‘Colt 45’, who would get around Tyler at the bottom of the Shaw Valley just before the completion of lap one. Alessi, after the malfunction with his seemingly flawless start technique, would charge through the pack like a man possessed and run in third after lap 3. During this charge, he made passes in places that other riders were not even comfortable being let alone passing.

Facciotti would feel the wrath of the 800 on the fourth lap as Mike would race off to a ten second advantage, leaving Colton with matching 2-2 scores to Mike’s well deserved 1-1.

After the moto, Mike Alessi admitted that it was one of his best outdoor performances since turning pro on a track that he really liked. As for Colton, he too was the first to say that maybe Canadian Motocross fans did not see his best performance that day but was more than happy to still be in possession of the ‘Conch’ in the form of the red plate.

As for his connections, the Troy Lee Designs Gopher Dunes team, this day was one of those remembered not so much for the result but all those that helped to make 2014 possible. Derek Schuster’s right hand man, Matt Bannon, wore the team’s on-track managerial hat this day and accounted himself like the true professional he is. Derek was quick to point credit in many directions as the Gopher Dunes Honda team is just that, a complete team, in his opinion.

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4y D N U O R a w e c Ra Moto Valley an

atchew Regina, SaJsukne 21, 2014

The series returned to Moto Valley in Regina, and for the first time in the Western swing of this year’s edition, we would experience one of those rounds that would test the mettle and

moto passion, among other things, of all involved. This race track has the potential to be one of the best in the country under many circumstances, but unfortunately, this year’s trek back did not fall within those parameters.

Yes, it was ugly with a capital U, but the show did go on. The fourth round of the series would see title sponsor rider, Rockstar Energy Yamaha’s Bobby Kiniry, edge out Royal Distributing KTM’s Tyler Medaglia by a whisker or two while Colton Facciotti would edge out Mike Alessi for the last step on the podium.

The racing conditions were deplorable.

With six rounds remaining in the series, survival was the name of the game in Regina. It was a ‘Titanic’ struggle of epic proportions where the only mission was to stay afloat and survive with as many points as possible. Alessi did have a tip over late in the first moto, which would end up being the only moto of the day, costing him positions, and Colton’s bike, which was literally a smoking gun, received the checkers just in time! After a riders and officials meeting, and much dialogue, it was decided that in the best interest of all there would be no second motos. The old saying ‘you can please some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time’ not surprisingly applied.

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ntar Courtland,1O2, 2014 July Once again, the sun would shine on the well primed Gopher Dunes circuit, and their top gun, Colton Facciotti, entered the eastern swing of the series with the points lead. This would be the first of six consecutive weeks of racing, and you felt like if the Smartop MotoConcepts rider was going to win this title, moving day was today. There had been quite a bit of rain this summer in SWO. Even though the Dunes can handle a lot, the track seemed to develop a little bit differently throughout the day.

The sand was a little bit heavier as a result and, as always, the iconic grounds would provide probably the most rigorous test, both mechanically and physically, of the ten round series. Early in the first moto, Bobby Kiiniry would lead but was overtaken at the completion of lap one as Mike Alessi pulled the trigger on the launch pad of a jump, and by keeping it pinned with a big old flat land, had the lead. Colton, in third, made a move on Kiniry on the finish line table top jump in

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the third lap. As the moto wore on, Alessi’s lead increased to the point that sure and certain victory was in his future…wrong! With only a few turns to go to the white flag, the Smartop bike would come to an unceremonious halt, forcing Mike to push his bike back to mechanics row. He was out of fuel. Facciotti would inherit the moto lead and take the win, and Alessi, after refuelling, would salvage three championship points with an 18th.

Moto 2 would see Mike Alessi and his MotoConcepts ride refuelled and in the lead on the benefit of a holeshot, followed by the Gopher Dunes Honda of Facciotti. As he did in the first moto, Alessi would pull away and look to be well on his way to the moto win but out of nowhere, on lap 12 with a 15 second lead, Mike was off the track in the mechanics area for a splash of fuel that would see him re-enter the track just in front of Facciotti. The moto now looked to be a sprint between the two series frontrunners but within a couple of laps, Alessi’s lead was once again comfortable and he deservingly got the moto win. The series points chase was now officially half over and the Gopher Dunes Honda was in the driver’s seat with five rounds remaining. After the race, Smartop MotoConcepts Manager Tony Alessi was perplexed and took it upon his shoulders that he had let his rider and their team down. The MotoConcepts team are not the only ones to have been dealt the fuel shortage ‘Tarot Card’ at the Dunes and will not be the last. Mike too was very frustrated at day’s end but can take consolation in the fact that he silenced any critics that may have doubted his sand skills. When I asked Colton Facciotti what he thought when the 800 bike was suddenly pulling on the track in front of him, his response was, “I had no idea what was going on, but it got me going a little bit. I was happy at the end of the day with the overall win as there is still a lot of racing left and you have to be prepared for everything.”

ROSUanNd DDel Le6e,

ntario Richmond2, O0, 2014 July The newly coined ‘Ottawa National’, at the familiar Sand Del Lee race track, would play host to Round 6, and as always at that great facility, no stone, or is that grain of sand, was left unturned. Under overcast skies when the MX1 contenders headed to the starting gate, you could almost begin to feel the urgency of those who pursued their 2014 goals. Mike Alessi would grab the early lead, KTM mounted Tyler Medaglia a close second, and rounding turn four, Colton Facciotti was fourth slicing his way through foes. Colton would execute an on-the-gas, on-the-pegs, high speed, outside/ inside move, which would see him rewarded with second place. Mike Alessi would lead the

moto throughout but at the checkers only have a narrow but comfortable margin over the series points leader, Facciotti.

Moto 2 would see Husqvarna mounted, veteran Mike Brown narrowly edge out KTM’s Tyler Medaglia for the holeshot but the lead would change hands quickly. Red Bull KTM rider and home track hero Mediaglia led Facciotti and Alessi through three laps, and made use of his trump card of local knowledge. The Gopher Dunes rider would try a repeat move of his moto one pass on Medaglia in the same spot but swap out and lose his footing on the pegs and be forced off the race track. Colton would enter the track right behind Alessi and be forced to reignite his charge if he were to challenge for the moto win. But up front, the big #3 bike of Medaglia had his hands full with the 800 of Alessi, and a slight miscue by Tyler would see Alessi the new race leader. Once again via a manoeuver out of the treed section on the backside of the race track in lapped traffic, Facciotti would execute and successfully stamp a pass that would stick on Medaglia.

Facciotti continued to press forward, and in the same spot that he had made his previous moto passes, would come out of the treed section inside of Alessi and take the lead. Alessi, however, in this very spot, would transmit a signal to his pit crew by launching his dislodged hand grip in their direction. Once again, the Smartop MotoConcepts team would be the victim of some bad racing luck and Alessi would be forced to race the second half of the moto at the toughest time of the day with no hand grip. That is something that I would recommend no one try to test its level of difficulty as most would agree that is no easy feat. Facciotti would take the win and the overall. Heading into Quebec, this was looking like the Gopher Dunes rider’s series to win or lose!

7 D N U O R u a hamb lt c ocross Desc

Mot ault, Quebe – DeschambJuly 26, 2014 The Deschambault track, which hosted the successful ECAN in the days that preceded Round 7 of the Rockstar Energy Drink NX Nationals on the great track with the sand based surface, would see the return of the rain and adverse conditions. Upon speaking with Tony Alessi of the MotoConcepts team, he spoke of this venue with the highest praise and thought it was one of the best tracks he had seen in a long time! High praise from a man who has literally seen many race surfaces in his lifetime of involvement with the sport of Motocross.

On the track in the big bike battle, it would be Leading Edge Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Josh Hill who would take the first moto, on an absolutely soaked race track, for his first Canadian Motocross win. Mike Alessi on the MotoConcepts bike would take 2nd in moto one,

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making up much ground in doing so.

Facciotti would suffer his worst result to this point in the series, a fourth, after a very early moto tip-over that saw him soldier through the pack to the rear wheel of Tyler.

Moto 2 would see Colton get the holeshot over Bobby Kiniry, with Alessi running third on lap one on a track that was very rutted and drying out from the earlier deluge. Alessi and Kiniry would swap positions a couple of times while managing to keep the big red Honda of Facciotti in their sites, but would, by moto’s end, lose focus of the leader. Colton put an exclamation mark on the day with his 30 second victory over Alessi but would lose one point in the championship chase as Alessi’s 2-2 for 44 points would give him the overall on the day. Colton, on the benefit of his 4-1 moto scores, would pocket 43 championship points and remain comfortably in the driver’s seat with three rounds left and the sand portion of the series left behind.

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w Brunswic Moncton, NAeugust 3, 2014 The series headed to the home of the great venue of Riverglade MX Park, the venue in Atlantic Canada that hosts great, passionate fans and enables

us to make this a true coast to coast championship chase. Moto one would see Colton Facciotti line up with a 27 point championship lead over Alessi and in the preverbal driver’s seat. Again, under beautiful sunny Maritime skies and the previous day’s threat of rain in the history books, the chase to the 2014 crown would resume. On a hard packed, shallowly tilled race surface, Mike Alessi would score a holeshot and the first moto win in convincing fashion ahead of Colton, who would have to work his way around Bobby Kiniry to do so. With only 5 motos remaining in the 2014 title hunt, it was safe to say that, one moto at a time, Alessi would need to be as close to perfect as possible, as well as get a little help. Controlling the only part of his destiny that he could, Mike Alessi would win moto 2 in a convincing fashion and leave ‘The Glade’ with his head deservedly held high. Facciotti, however, would battle hard in the second moto and have his hands full with Josh Hill for the better part of it, but would get around him late to capture the 22 valuable points and second for the day to head back to Quebec with a 21 point lead. Tony Alessi cited after the race that Mike and his team had practiced there the Tuesday before the event and it took Mike most of the day to get his set up right for that track and surface. It seems to have paid off as he was on point and his leads would not be contested.

9n D N U O R o t r e lv Motocross U c

ebe Ulverton, Q0u, 2014 August 1

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The series would make a return to Ulverton for Round 9. The great natural terrain race track, just outside of Drummondville, would provide a little bit of everything for those race fans that were fortunate enough to make the trek. Even though the track is only used once a year, it provided a great change of pace for the series and added another round to the great province of Quebec. For Colton Facciotti and his team, this would be one of those days that would maybe fit the bill for the saying “Winning championships are how you best overcome things and manage on your bad days!” Even though the results do not show this fact, when I spoke with Derek Schuster he could not swing enough praise the way of Colton’s mechanic, Justin Petker, and every other team member who stepped in prior to moto one’s gate drop, who replaced the engine on Colton’s bike. “We barely made it to the line for the start. I have to thank the whole team for their effort, including Westen’s mechanic. Without them we would not have made it!”

When the gate did finally drop, the Honda of Facciotti got the holeshot and led early, while Josh Hill ran second and Mike Alessi third. A few short laps in on

the uphill start straightaway, Mike’s bike would have a problem after his exhaust pipe was crushed by a rock; another twist of misfortune for his team.

Alessi would enter the track a lap down, and shortly after doing so, catch a hay bail and go down in a left hander. Colton would take the moto win, Alessi would finish out of the points and be credited with 29th for his misfortune. He and his team were now confronted with even more ground to make up in the points chase with the aggregates of the hour glass in Colton’s favour.

Moto 2 would see Colton Facciotti repeat Mike Alessi’s feat of the week before in Riverglade, entitling himself to wear the Royal Distributing Holeshot Triple Crown via a second moto shot on a track that was extremely rough.

Alessi would not get a great start and be forced to make up ground on a track that he admitted to not liking. On lap 8, Facciotti would stall his bike in a tight, right hand corner and be passed by four riders including Alessi, before he could get his bike going and get back in the hunt. Colton seemed content to not push and ride out the remainder of the moto knowing that he would leave Ulverton with an extension of his points lead with only Walton remaining. Tyler Medaglia would take the moto with a well-deserved win, holding off Kyle Chisholm’s Rockstar Yamaha, which would be placed on the top step of the podium for the day’s work as the overall winner.

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rio Walton, On, 2ta014 August 17

The final round of what had been a great season of racing came down to the fabled grounds of Walton Raceway, the home of the week long Mardis Gras of Canadian Motocross - The Trans Can. But with that in the history books for 2014, all eyes were on the Gopher Dunes Honda of Facciotti and his 44 point lead that had the ‘Reserve Lights’ on the hour glass ignited for the 800 bike’s title hopes. The track conditions were at gate drop of moto one not great as rain came down hard all afternoon the day before and long into the evening. Barry Hetherington and crew did an amazing job to work the track into a ride-able state, and with the sun shining early, better things were ahead.

Mike Alessi got the first moto holeshot and would cruise comfortably with a lead that was pretty much uncontested. He would do everything in his power to keep his slim title hopes alive. Not long after Mike did collect the checkers in that moto, Colton would cross the finish line in fourth after a couple of last lap gaffs but his 18 points would be more than enough needed to solidify the 2014 championship. A great ac-

complishment for himself and the whole Gopher Dunes team effort who made good on their new partnership and plans to get the former champ back on top.

The second moto would go off under the best conditions of the week at Walton as the sun was out and this great series that had seen so much drama and excitement was coming to an unfortunate end. When the gate dropped, I don’t believe I am alone when I say that I was pleasantly surprised to see the way the Champ, Facciotti, grabbed the early lead, racing as hard as he did in an effort to leave no doubt that this title was deservedly his. Mike Alessi would not get the best of starts and rally from sixth to four seconds off of Facciotti’s pace until his rear brake let go, seeing him cross the finish line 44 seconds behind Colton. Mike would win the final round overall victory and the highly coveted ’King of Walton Sword’ with his fifth top step overall of the series, but it would be quite overshadowed by the championship festivities at day’s end.

I was on the finish line step down jump when the checkered flag was waived and was accompanied by Derek Schuster, his dad Frank and Matt Bannon of the team. They quickly headed towards the podium where they embraced Colton and his mechanic Justin.

After the race, I spoke with Derek and

asked him what it felt like and what it meant to have it all come together. “I must say, it did take a while for it all to sink in as there was so much going on, but as the evening went on into the after race party, I was as happy as I can ever remember being at the race track. There were so many things that went into this year’s effort. I am happy that we got the job done, and did not let Colton or any of our connections down.”

For the man who now has four MX1 titles to his credit, he was, as to be expected, found with a big smile on his face. When I spoke to him about the series, he admitted that each weekend he was looking at the big picture and did what he felt he had to do in that moment to achieve his goal. Colton also gave Mike Alessi credit for his efforts, and Mike mutually returned the compliments by

stating in his own words that “Colton has the heart of a champion.” He may not have won the title but did say that this outdoor season was the most fun he has had being at the races and racing in a long time, and would love to come back.

Congratulations to Colton Facciotti and the Troy Lee Designs Gopher Dunes Honda team on their great victory in 2014, as well a big thanks to Mike Alessi and the Smartop MotoConcepts team for their participation in our series and efforts accommodating all who did their best to cover this series, including myself. There was a champion crowned for the 665 minutes it took to win the title and will have a place in the history books when next year’s hour glass is reset. I think I speak for many when I say we race fans are also winners! Here’s to 700 minutes in 2015!

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EASY AS ONE...TWO...THREE

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARIN RIDERS COLTON FACCIOTTI, MIKE ALESSI AND TYLER MEDAGLIA FOR SWEEPING THE TOP 3 POSITIONS IN THE 2014 CMRC ROCKSTAR MOTOCROSS CANADIAN NATIONALS...

...THIS IS MARIN MARINBIKES.COM

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VALVES & SHIMS

BY DANNY BRAULT PHOTOS BY DANNY BRAULT & JAMES LISSIMORE

We visited with Superior Suspension Settings’ Joe Skidd at his home in Frankford, Ontario to get his take on things, past and current, in his motorcycle industry career.

here are some interesting personalities that have been and are still in the Canadian motocross scene and one of those is Joe Skidd.

A man of many talents, Skidd brings a lot of education, knowledge and talent to the mechanics of making a motorcycle work properly, but not everyone always agrees with his point of view, even if it works.

A former member of the Blackfoot Racing Team, which reigned supreme at the Canadian Nationals for more than a decade, Skidd was in charge of suspension and also managed the long list of responsibilities that come along with a national race team.

Prior to joining Blackfoot’s motocross program in 2000 (where he worked until 2011 and also spent time

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with their road racing team), Skidd spent much of his motorcycle career tuning forks and shocks on the MotoGP road racing circuit. It was during this time that the now 50-year-old learned his tricks of the trade, living inside the Ohlins factory in Sweden and dialing in his “hunches” on factory superbikes for superstars like Valentino Rossi.

Between motocross and road racing, Skidd has lived an interesting life, one that has required some sacrifice at times, but he’s really enjoying this chapter of life that doesn’t include nearly as many flights, time away from home and his wife Sandy and 12-yearold son, Tye. It’s been a while since we talked with Joe Skidd, who usually has something interesting to say or an outside-of-thebox perspective on racing and life. We

caught up with him recently to get his take on a variety of topics and insight into his career with motorcycles.

SKIDD’S ENTRANCE INTO THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY My career in motorcycles didn’t necessarily happen on purpose. I just helped Al Dyck the weekend after we met at Hully Gully. I started helping him part-time for a few years and then quite my day job and joined him fulltime in 1986.

BECOMING SMART ABOUT SUSPENSION After Al and I parted ways, my next big change was working with Vance and Hines Factory Yamaha road racing team in 1990. I learned about cause and effect and the basic parameters of

geometry. A lot of people didn’t have the right picture. I was trying to work with suspension and chassis geometry, but I didn’t know anything about geometry.

I had to learn; it took trial and error and I put together a database, which is really important. When those two things merge, chassis and suspension, you have twice as much as others who only know about suspension. Very few understand both.

It’s not just shims and oil—to quote what a “famous” person said about suspension. It is complex. If you have been involved in giving birth to new suspension ideas—I have been involved in them—and then deciding in the engineering of how it comes together is pretty interesting and complex.

Unless you take the time to study and prove something, you’re just guessing. Some guesses are better than others [laughs]. You need exposure to a dyno and friction bench—and a broad range of of instruments for study. I was lucky to have access to a laboratory, “doctors” in hydraulics and really good people who would tolerate my ignorant questions [laughs].

Without sounding like a martyr, but I actually lived in the Ohlins factory for three years in the company apartment that we called “The Dog Box.” You can get a lot of stuff done when you work unrestricted hours. You take what you think you’ve learned and attach it to the best road racing bike with the best guy on it, like Rossi or Biaggi, and then he goes better and that’s your proof. You take an idea and turn it into knowledge. There are not many guys that can do that. The procedure in road racing is easier because the laps are more repeatable. Things remain more constant. In motocross, it’s like, ‘Did you gain something or did something else the rider did on the track give you a slightly better lap?’ It’s harder to tell sometimes.

What people see from the outside is so different. Someone sees a set of coated fork tubes, ‘Oh, cool, those tubes are coated with DLC.’ What does DLC stand for? What is Diamond Like Carbon? What is made up of and what is the shape of the correct carbon molecule? They assume that it’s black and it’s to look cool, which it is for some people. I have seen DLC so abrasive that it cuts through bushings in minutes [laughs]. So yes, it has a purpose, and no, it’s not all the same.

I remember our first outing (at Blackfoot) with the Yamaha YZ250F (in 2007), we suffered bad DLC coating on piston pins. That was because without knowing, we allowed a company to coat our pins with the wrong material. It’s more than shims and oils.

WITH TODAY’S ‘COMPUTER-LIKE’ BIKES, DOES HE NEED TO HEAR WHAT A RIDER HAS TO SAY? It’s all data now but you can’t gauge feeling from data. That’s important too and you do want to hear what the rider has to say, but the data is the biggest key. You can evaluate how much effort a rider is putting in, their heart rate, suspension, braking, heat—all of that very important stuff we can get from data. Road racing is precise, so finding a tenth is guaranteeing a consistent result but not so in motocross.

When testing with KTM’s Kaven Benoit before the Motocross of Nations, we gained 6.4 seconds over five laps on my practice track, but perhaps only 3 or 4 seconds of improvement were really due to the test parts.. A tell-tale sign when you do make a true gain is if Benoit gained 6.4 seconds on his own track.

Then you know you made progress.

MOST ENJOYABLE RIDERS TO WORK WITH That’s a tough question. I enjoy working with all of them or I wouldn’t be here. If you’re pulling into my driveway, you’re already welcome [laughs].

Obviously, to have talent that can push whatever your product is to the limit is great. We want that guy. First off, I appreciate their skill level. There is a long list of people in that category.

On the motocross side, Colton (Facciotti) is a gift; JSR, (Blair) Morgan, (Dusty) Klatt, Jimmy Nelson, was a work in progress. Some we had to extract strengths from; some were ready to go and some needed work. It was a huge pleasure to have been part of it; it feels great to work with someone you know you helped achieve results.

Tyler Medaglia—he can frustrate me at times, but still, he trains hard and is ready to work anytime. He’s ready to go.

It’s up to me to extract the good and bad, not them.

And a long list on road racing side, most notably, Valentino Rossi, Max Biaggi, most recently Moto GP newcomer Andrea Iannone as well as old school riders Eddie Lawson, Doug Chandler, John Kocinski to name a few.

BEST STOCK DIRT BIKE ON THE MARKET All of the bikes are really good these days; each has its strength and weakness. I don’t say that to be nice because I don’t have a political bone in my body.

The Hondas of mid-2000s were a fantastic overall package; great suspension, sturdy components, geometry and suspension. It was the best product to start with so it made our job easy.

We switched to Yamaha, but it was a long in the tooth. The 250 motor was weak until this year, 2014. Then Yamaha came out with the new 2010 450F. A lot of people didn’t like it but we did the right things with it. It’s a long technical story and we had access to a large amount of information; we had communications going all over world and in Australia. Yamaha Motor Canada had the wisdom to send our pre production testing product back to Japan for

evaluation and improvements. We were part of the development; it was not a Boy Scout effort. Yamaha is the best of any out there. They’re not afraid to try some different ideas at times. KTMs weren’t favourable in the early 2000s, but now they’re a great bike.

The best thing about Yamaha is they don’t usually whack in some new gimmick without making sure it’s tried, tested and true before going public. That’s the safe and best way to go. Seems a lot of companies throw new stuff onto a bike for marketing purposes. I think there are some poor choices made based on saving small amounts of money. It’s criminal.

DIFFICULT RIDERS TO WORK WITH If I can’t communicate effectively with a rider as to why he should believe in what I’m saying, then I am the failure, not him. That’s why communication is key. I can’t just tell somebody for instance, tape an apple to the crossbar and get someone to believe it will be better. I need to explain myself and if I can explain my idea clearly enough the rider will run for the tape. [laughs].

That would be great if they did because it means they’re committed. I need to explain myself. Those who can take information and reflect, learn quicker and take the short-cut. Some listen, some don’t, but most did.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WITH DONNIE MCGOURTY WHEN HE AND BLACKFOOT BROKE UP IN 2005?

He signed a contract. We went down and tested at McGourty’s place. Blackfoot set up a supercross bike while we were there for the spring photo shoot and testing program. Four days we were there. He went out and got 6th at Daytona and then tore up his contract and said he was worth more money.

That was the end of his career. He was convinced it was himself who got it all done, but he forgot about the team and work that went into it. He wasn’t one of the guys that could do it on his own.

DEREK SCHUSTER’S RACING PROGRAM Going into it (this season with Facciotti and full team), Derek had the ball rolling before he knew how big it was.

He responded well. I think he had good advice from people and he also has one of the most gifted riders. He shouldn’t make the mistake that KTM made.

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VALVES & SHIMS Facciotti is good. We have to give credit where it’s due; Colton is an ironman. He is disciplined, he’s focused and I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s the real deal. (Brett) Metcalfe paid him kudos when some fans said on a chat forum that Colton was slow. Kudos to Metcalfe for saying that Colt had him covered in 2013. Colton can survive a tremendous amount of adversity. He’s one of the toughest. When we (Blackfoot) first took him, we questioned his heart. It looked like he had given up a few times, but then we learned he wasn’t given the best opportunities.

He’s not a quitter; he proved that recently at Utah coming from last to 16th with a punctured lung. Not many could ride motos with a broken collarbone, but Colton did.

HIS SUGGESTIONS FOR CANADIAN MOTOCROSS I don’t think that I am qualified any longer; I’m not so in touch. I went to one race this year. Kudos to Stally (Mark Stallybrass) for keeping it going. I don’t know the marketing numbers but posting the races quickly on YouTube gives it much better access. Sponsors should like it. That exposure has value. It’s not how it used to be. We used to think TV was everything but it’s all online now.

YouTube is valid; even the advertising on the average page, it doesn’t piss me off. An advertisement after four songs on the radio pisses me off. It’s not in your face watching the races online; you steer away from the advertising or take it in. Good on everyone for keeping it alive. Good on Stally for keeping thick skin. Someone will always be pissed off.

I saw this shirt once and loved it: I never fail to disappoint someone [laughs].

BEST PLACE THAT HE’S EVER BEEN Italy: the food, wine, speed limits or lack thereof, women, cars, and beautiful countryside. It’s heaven on earth!

SACRIFICES MADE TO GO RACING My heavy travel happened before my son was born. I was doing 120 flights while on the Grand Prix road racing circuit. When I went to Blackfoot, there were maybe 50 flights a year, so it was a huge reduction. From then, 2007, I stopped with road racing and that cut travel in half. My son was five. I stopped the national motocross series in 2010, so it’s been next to nothing since when Tye was 8. I am hoping it (the travel) didn’t pay too heavily on those important formative years. It’s always a work in progress. We get to spend a lot of time together now.

WORKING OUT OF HIS HOME (GARAGE) You can reflect without being distracted. I work a lot and I can feel guilty when I’m not spending time with my family, but I’m at work. I feel less guilty when it’s just me here. Not a lot of families have parents that don’t have to go to work. Sometimes, it’s odd for family and some people seeing me at my work bench, like it’s more of a choice than a job. Don’t forget, that’s my job.

For most kids, they don’t see their dad working but Tye sees me. It looks like a holiday, not a job.

HIS SON TYE’S INTEREST IN MOTOCROSS Oh, yeah. He reads the magazines, cover to cover. He knows a lot of the guys and is more into it than I am. I have chosen to buy him bicycles instead of motorcycles. He rides and races BMX. I’m just not comfortable putting anyone on motorcycles that go so fast these days. There is danger everywhere. He’s had hockey and bicycle crashes, but based on seeing some incrediblelyly talented people get severely injured, I’m not willing to push him into that. He can choose to do it himself but I’m not trying to put him down that road.

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HAMBURGER OR STEAK? They all have the same menu to choose from. How far do you want to go in suspension? They are all customers; they all pay and it’s based on their budget; do you want the hamburger or the steak? KTM, when they decided to work with me and become the official brand, stepped up and chose the best product that I had for KTM. It’s expensive, but because I’m not about money we were able to make it affordable over three years. Results came right away, when it was a secret. The second year, 2013, when Colton was #9, he won the first two motos in Nanaimo. He had things under control in Kamloops before his crash mid-way through the first moto.

It served KTM again this year with Kaven Benoit. When it works, it works, and you don’t need to worry about changing things when it’s 3mm more of sand. It’s important to have your ducks lined up before the first round.

WHAT’S NEW WITH SSS? We have a new thing with a front fork kit we call the SSS A4 System. My engineer friend and colleague in Switzerland, Reto Karrer and I collaborated on this project. We’ve had about 12 riders test it so far ranging from older vet riders all the way up to fast pros, like Benoit. Big and small, fast and slow. Every person is thrilled with it. I’m not saying too much yet, but Benoit dropped 6.4 seconds over 5 laps (on my track).

The data acquisition studies and chassis software called ‘Mocal’ are also a big deal, a tremendous advantage for my work.

WHAT SKIDD REMEMBERS ABOUT HIS VERY FIRST MOTOCROSS RACE It was Hanagan, Washington when I lived in Chilliwack, BC. My dad was military. One of the other dads said to me, ‘You go pretty good, you should race.’ My parents were not involved.

I asked if I could go but they were not involved. Don MacDonell was the other dad’s name. I went to Hanagan and raced the C class. I wore military work boots, shin pads, kidney belt, and a jean jacket - no jersey. I finished third in my first race, won the next race and then they bumped me up to the B class.

I remember my first race being a panic but a great atmosphere. There were lots of fast kids: Brent Worrall - he had utratrick bikes, Terry Sabbat, and former national number two, Al Dyck, won the mini class.

FIRST TIME MODIFYING SUSPENSION I modified the rear shock in external fashion, on my ’77 YZ80. The kids that I was racing against were on trick bikes with big suspension. I had to make my bike fit my body because I was taller. So I raised the front 40 mm and lengthened my shock to balance it out. That was the first time unknowingly.

MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE THAT HE’S WORKED WITH Almost everybody that I worked with had some influence . Al Dyck to start with. Clark Jones at Noleen after that. Shane Drew was in the mix; he took over after I left Noleen. When I first went to the States and started working in road racing, I worked with the most successful crew chief in AMA racing, Merlin Plumlee. He died in 2007. He was one of my most important mentors. A top level organizer and thorough with his preparation.

He was the man who introduced me to the ‘Three-Ps of racing:’ Preparation. Performance. Perfection. Merlin helped raise my attention to detail in everything that I do. Blackfoot’s Jason Mitchell Pat Chambers and Doug MacRae were all influential people in my career. Andrew McLean, Reto Karrer, Mats Larsson, Allesandro Giussani, Gigi Dall’Igna, Romano Albessiano. My wife, my kid—that list goes on.

HIS BREAKOUT MOMENT It becomes a philosophical picture.

What if? What if I didn’t ride for those 20 minutes at Hully Gully when they canceled the race because of rainy and wet conditions. I didn’t drive all that way not to race, so I went and rode for 20 minutes and asked, ‘If I can ride it, the pros can!’ The Experts could have ridden. That led to Al Dyck and Shane Drew asking, ‘Who is this guy?’

If I hadn’t have decided to start my bike that day and ride, where would I be right now? I get goose bumps thinking about it. It causes you to reflect on your life or anybody’s life. It’s good to be introspective, I think. I can identify numerous moments where ‘What if?’ Every day you can change the world [laughs]. Anytime I share my story, I can’t help but think about my insane string of luck, meeting people and things happening. I’m very grateful because I’m very satisfied where I am in life.

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BY DANNY BRAULT | PHOTOS BY JEFF KARDAS

The end result isn’t the best that Canada’s had at the Motocross of Nations, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

Heck, one rider was willing to sacrifice an eye if it meant gaining another position for his country!

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There’s always difficulty trying to raise enough money to send a team with proper resources and personnel. It takes a lot of time and energy—and you don’t get paid for the work.

As a fan, it seems like an easy call for Canadian bike manufacturers and sponsors to allot budget towards this Olympic-size event but it’s not. The MXoN doesn’t generate bike sales or have a real impact on the Canadian marketplace. In layman’s terms, it’s like a big “shoe” measuring contest more than anything. Like most countries, Canadians are a patriotic bunch and we love seeing our country fielding a great team at MXoN.

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Team Canada’s MX2 rider, Kaven Benoit, gets comfortable before the beginning of a global battle at the 2014 Motocross of Nations in Kegums, Latvia.

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Colton Facciotti’s CRF450R and Kaven Benoit’s KTM 250 SX-F sit in the Canadian pits; Medaglia’s mechanic, Steph Leblanc, and Gauld discuss gate picks; GDR Honda’s Derek Schuster, Gauld and Kaven Benoit look for lines during practice.

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Bastedo did a good job managing Team Canada, which included some great finishes, including an 8th overall in 2004, which stands today as our best ever finish at the MXoN. At 70-years-old however, Bastedo felt it was time to step back and allow someone new to take the reins; someone a bit younger, passionate and willing to put in the time like Bastedo had done. There’s no financial gain to managing Canada, but it would be hard to pass on the memories made.

Bastedo was happy to have Gauld as the new Team Manager, and passed along what knowledge and resources he could right from day one.

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It was a good run for Moto Park’s Carl Bastedo, who managed Team Canada from 2004 to 2013, but the 70-year-old admits it is time for a rest. It sounds more glamorous than it is running Team Canada.

Gauldy proved that he’s up to the task, organizing and executing a solid effort his first time out. Everyone felt nothing was missing to get Canada into that elusive top-10 spot.

A NEW LEADER “I was excited at first, but I thought, ‘Could I really pull this off?’” says Gauld on his first thoughts when named as Team Manager of Canada at the MXoN. “It’s a lot of work and it would be a true test to see if I have the effort to make it happen.”

One thing that has been a struggle with past MXoNs is the political factor of the whole CMA and CMRC deal, or lack thereof.

It seems the CMA is almost defunct and it seems strange they hold onto the management of the event, but at any rate, the show still goes on and we make it work.

“First, it was tough with the CMA,” he says. “I don’t know if it’s that they didn’t trust me, but it seemed like they put me through hoops that Carl (Bastedo) or other people didn’t go through.”

Things eventually clicked together, but Gauld admits he was biting his tongue at times, which isn’t easy to do for the normally vocal expressionist.

“I was trying hard to calm down and not be the normal Gauldy”, he adds.

“I soaked it up and dealt with their rules. Maybe they thought I was some punk kid, but obviously now they have respect for me because they see that I can do it.”

Moto Park’s Carl Bastedo had been managing Canada’s effort since 2004 when Team Canada returned to the MXoN scene with an 8th overall in Leirop, Netherlands—to this day their best overall result.

“There were some great moments,” he remembers. “In 2004, getting the top finish ever and Blair Morgan leading the team. Dusty (Klatt) had a good second moto but Blair really stepped up that day. Budds Creek in 2007 with a 10th overall; 13th at Donington Park. We had some good results and I enjoyed being part of it, but I’m getting too old and it’s time for someone younger to step up.”

All good things must come to an end and Bastedo felt it was time to pass the torch to another patriotic motocross figure.

“I helped Gauldy put together his presentation to the CMA. I supported the idea, for sure,” says the 70 year-old, who isn’t shy to say the new ‘personality’ helps with donations. “It’s obvious he’s better at raising the money [laughs]. Ryan’s good. He goes out of his way and I was happy to pass along all of my contacts. He did a good job this year. Everything was covered.”

these guys get paid to race. They do it because they love their country.”

What does it cost to send a quality race effort to the MXoN? That’s riders, bikes, mechanics, flights, hotels, rental cars, administration fees, trailer rental, meals, custom clothing, and the list goes on.

“I started with a budget of $30,000 but two months in I had to bump it up to $35,000 because of the Euro’s value changing,” he says. “At the end of it, it cost $45,000 to send us to Latvia this year. That covered everything from start to finish.” Money doesn’t fall from trees (yet), so it’s up to Gauldy to run around, talking, emailing, working the mic, and social media pages to encourage fans and industry to support their ‘troops.’ Fundraising is never fun, though fulfilling, but with Gauldy’s grassroots engagement, it wasn’t long before the bandwagon was overflowing with twonies and loonies.

“We were making some pretty good money through donations, and then

in Quebec after the riders were announced, three Benoit fans came up and gave me a little more than $5,000.

I couldn’t believe it. Then at Walton, we made over a $1,000 at Sunday’s barbecue and the Kaelin family stepped up and donated $2,000. This isn’t my team or the rider’s team but Canada’s team so it’s great to see everyone stepping up.”

Having motorcycle manufacturer support is not always needed, but it’s more than appreciated. KTM and Honda Canada committed their support through dollars and cents, riders and mechanics, bikes and parts.

“We were pretty close with donations and support throughout the summer to cover the costs to go racing at the MXoN, but KTM Canada and Honda Canada really stepped up and both made the biggest contributions to the team,” said Gauldy after the race.

“Honda came to me at Walton and said, ‘Hey, we’re in. Whatever the other guys (KTM) are in for, so are we.’”

THE COST OF GOING GLOBAL We hate using the word “business” when it comes to racing, but the reality is, every ‘engine’ needs money to be competitive. As Team Canada’s manager, you don’t need to worry about the cost of building a race bike, painting helmets or buying spare parts, but there is a laundry list of other costs involved.

“Shipping was just under $11,000 and hotels were $5,500 for the whole team. Nobody pulled out their wallet on the trip, which the riders said is the first time that’s happened. We wanted to take care of everything, and it’s not like

Ultimately, it comes down to the riders who determine success for Team Canada. You can have strong bikes, mechanics, catered lunches and all that, but it doesn’t mean squat when the gate drops and you’re rushing into the corner with 39 guys of equal or greater speed. It’s now up to the guy on the bike.”

Right: Each rider on Team Canada had a ‘highlight’ moment in Latvia, with Benoit’s coming on Saturday when he qualified 10th in the MX2 class and was Canada’s best finish on the day.

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DOWN TO THE RIDERS Ultimately, it comes down to the riders who determine success for Team Canada. You can have strong bikes, mechanics, catered lunches and all that, but it doesn’t mean squat when the gate drops and you’re rushing into the corner with 39 guys of equal or greater speed. It’s now up to the guy on the bike.

But the MXoN is more than your average race. There are three riders per country running two motos each with some riders racing back to back, so strategy, mental toughness and maturity come into play. It’s a team event.

At Round 8 of the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals, it was announced that eventual MX1 and MX2 champs Colton Facciotti and Kaven Benoit would be on the team, along with Benoit’s Royal Distributing KTM Fox Racing teammate, Tyler Medaglia.

Between the three of them, there’s the experience of seven MXoN events (Colton - 3, Tyler - 3 and Kaven - 1) and AMA motocross and supercross, so each has plenty of lessons on bigger

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Right: Best in the World: Blasting off the starting line at the MXoN is a wee bit different than a Canadian National.

I mean, look at the MONSTER backdrop and just overall ‘Olympic’ presence. It must be a thrilling experience for guys like GDR Troy Lee Designs Honda’s Colton Facciotti (67) to take part in such an event, riding in front of so many people and doing it not for a pay cheque but for his country.

Starts are everything, especially at an event like MXoN with a depth of field unlike any other. Fortunately, things “started” off well for Canada with 21st gate pick awarded for the first qualifier. Not great but not the worst either.” stages than Canada. Speed and fitness weren’t a question, results were as good as they could be (two champs and #3 in MX1) and all three young Canadians were happier than a pig in poop to represent their homeland.

Canada’s MXGP rider, Facciotti, would be considered “Team Captain”, being the current and three-time MX1 champion and also holder of the best results at the MXoN of the three.

At Budds Creek in 2007, he finished 12th in the second moto while riding a YZ250F. He also helped Canada earn a 13th in Great Britain in 2008 with Tyler Medaglia and Dusty Klatt.

Also on a 450 in the MX3 class, 27 year-old Tyler Medaglia has shown great speed racing abroad and was part of a 13th place overall as mentioned above with Team Canada.

He had won an MX1 moto this summer against some pretty fast guys, Josh Hill, Mike Alessi, Facciotti, Kyle Chisholm, so we know he can go fast and hold on for a full moto.

Completing the trio would be Quebec’s Kaven Benoit, fresh off his first ever MX2 Canadian National title.

He too has deep passion to race for his country. Granted he has the least amount of experience in the group when it comes to ‘big races,’ Benoit raced at the Colorado MXoN in 2010 with Kyle Keast and Jeremy Medaglia, helping to earn a respectable 17th overall. While he finished the Canadian season racing a two-stroke 250, FIM rules forced Benoit to go with a 250 four-stroke in Latvia. No worries as the kid has proven he can win on either ‘stroke.’

Backing the riders, both the KTM Canada and GDR Troy Lee Designs Honda teams supplied the riders with their normal mechanics, bikes, parts and necessary gear required for a national weekend. Flights, rental cars and bikes were crated up and delivered to Latvia without a problem, and all was set for Canada to return to the top-10 in the world’s biggest race.

Facciotti fought from last to 16th in the first MXGP moto; Benoit didn’t have the best gate picks or starts on his 250F but still managed two great motos, and Tyler Medaglia’s highlight of the weekend was narrowly missing the Fox Holeshot money when he jumped out front in the top four of the first Open/ second MX2 moto!

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WE’RE IN LATVIA Everyone arrived into Europe successfully, except for part of the KTM crew who were flying in early to visit the headquarters in Mattigoffen, Austria. They were caught up in the Air France strike and it took more than a few flights before eventually settling into their European Vacation. Makes for a good story, right?

After getting all checked in, bikes uncrated and built back up, the team headed over to the Kegums track, which looks quite similar to Canadian tracks. “The track looked a lot like Sand Del Lee,” said Canada’s MX2 rider, Benoit, who later admits that changed after a few laps of practice.

Saturday practice went well.

Canada’s lap times were in good position, although there was one hiccup when Medaglia’s 450 engine let go in his session.

“I wasn’t too worried, we had a spare motor, got everything changed and it all worked out,” said Medaglia afterwards.

The riders enjoyed the track but each of them noted how much it progressed

NETHERLANDS

IRELAND

GREAT BRITAIN

Marc De Reuver

Stuart Edmonds

Dean Wilson

SWEDEN

FRANCE

AUSTRALIA

Roberts Justs

Gautier Paulin

Chad Reed

ITALY

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Antonio Cairoli

Kevin Strijbos

Ryan Dungey

in roughness from lap to lap.

It wasn’t like anything they had ridden before.

“I was happy to ~F see the track, it looked awesome,” says Benoit.

“It was great in practice on Saturday but for the rest of the weekend … it was one of the toughest tracks we’ve ever ridden [laughs]. Not the same as Gopher Dunes, a different kind of rough; sand mixed with square edge bumps and it was hard to focus lap after lap. It was fun to ride though.”

Starts are everything, especially at an event like MXoN with a depth of field unlike any other. Fortunately, things “started” off well for Canada with 21st gate pick awarded for the first qualifier.

Not great but not the worst either.

The MXGP class featuring Facciotti would be up first. While the #67 Canadian rider didn’t get the best start, he made the best of it and worked his

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way up to 13th by the finish.

“The starts are weird in Europe,” notes Facciotti.

“The inside gate R~ is always the best for getting the holeshot. With a 21st pick, it’s almost impossible to get a good start with that.”

Benoit was up next, and the least experienced rider on the team would go on to record Canada’s best qualifying score with a 10th place against the world’s best MX2 racers.

“On the last lap, I was following a Russian and a Lithuanian, and there was a tricky double-double around a corner where a lot of guys had crashed. The Russian guy didn’t make it to the end; the other guy passes him, we get to the corner and the Russian guy went wide open and t-boned the guy. They both went down and put me from 12th to 10th. Good for me [laughs].”

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Medaglia would wrap it up with a mid-pack start and a 15th place finish, which involved a six rider battle at one point. By all accounts, Canada was looking sharp for a good result in Sunday’s motos.

“It’s nice to reset, work the track and see how lines develop,” says Medaglia, referring to waking up on Sunday and arriving to a perfectly groomed track to begin the day. Not so in Latvia.

MAIN EVENTS “We couldn’t believe it when we arrived to the track,” continues Tyler.

“They only groomed two or three jump faces.

Everything was left from day one. It was nasty [laughs].”

And then poor Benoit, he had to suffer through two consecutive motos, not allowing more than 20 minutes for rest. “With how rough it got after practice, I knew it was going to be a long day,” he says.

Like Saturday, “Captain Colton” was first on the gate along with Benoit.

Canada had earned 14th and 34th gate

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For the second time in Motocross of Nations history, Team France stood atop the podium.

This year’s team featured Gautier Paulin (MXGP), Steven Frossard (Open) and Dylan Ferrandis (MX2).

Belgium finished second overall and USA was third.

Wow, check out that impressive two-story podium!

We ain’t in Canada anymore, eh.

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ERROR pick from their heat race results. The original plan was to give the best pick to Benoit who was on the smaller 250, but at the last second, Gauld played it safe and gave Colton the nod.

“All of the 450s were on the inside, and I just thought that’s where we should be, so I made the call to switch them up on the gate,” says Gauld.

Makes sense … but when Colton has a difficult time keeping the bike running, it’s tough to get a good start from anywhere on the gate … just hassling you, Colt!

“With about 15 seconds before the gate was to drop, I felt my engine wasn’t idling high enough. I went to rev it a bit and then it stalled. By the time I got going, everyone else was into the first corner. I blame it on Gauldy; changing his mind at the last minute [laughs].”

So with Colton stuck at the gate and Benoit mired in the back of the pack, Canada was fighting to catch up. We did a pretty good job of it with Colton charging back to 16th and

All said and done, Canada finished 16-34-DNF-35-DNF-27 for 17th overall. Not the top 10 result the team and fans believe they can achieve, but there were positives to take back home.”

Benoit to 34th, which included an uncharacteristic crash when he over jumped a section.

For each rider, they had their own special moment in Latvia; for Benoit, it was taking the top qualifying spot; Facciotti earned the best moto finish with a 16th and then Medaglia’s highlight came when he nearly holeshot the second (MX3 & MX2) moto.

“Thinking back to the day before in qualifying, I could have been higher up in the charts,” says Medaglia. “I knew I could get a good start; we had 14th pick. I had a good, straight jump, shifted up, leaned back and saw that nobody was on either side. I came too hot into the first corner but almost got the holeshot. It was pretty exhilarating!”

Sadly, a few laps in, while racing in the top 10, Medaglia received a good roosting from another rider, knocking his goggles apart and allowing sand into his eyes. It caused him to slide backwards and then off the track. His MX2 teammate, Benoit, struggled

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with another outside gate pick and finished 35th.

“Things would go blurry in my right eye and it wouldn’t go away,” discusses Medaglia on his vision impairment. “I finally got to the point where it was aching on my right side really bad and there was pure blurriness in my right eye.”

To be sure, Medaglia was persistent that it wasn’t an excuse. He’s not the type. “I’m not a quitter; I wouldn’t do that (not finish). I really couldn’t keep going or else I was going to crash.”

Medaglia would have a chance to redeem himself in the third and final moto with Facciotti capping things off in MX3/MXGP. Facciotti managed to make it to the first corner this time, but not much further after colliding with USA’s Ryan Dungey.

“It was just bad luck,” says Team Manager Gauld. The collision left Facciotti with a badly bruised and bloody thigh injury, and he was forced to

exit the track. Medaglia, meanwhile, soldiered through with one eye open to make some passes and get to as high as 25th after a bad start. He would eventually finish 27th, securing 17th overall for Team Canada “It felt good to get back out there and catching up to those guys, but I wasn’t too pleased with the result. But I do appreciate everyone on the team for cheering me on to keep going,” said Medaglia looking back on his final moto.

All said and done, Canada finished 16-34-DNF-35-DNF-27 for 17th overall. Not the top 10 result the team and fans believe they can achieve, but there were positives to take back home.

“It was for sure the best MXoN that I’ve ever had and been a part of,” said Medaglia when he returned to Canada.

“All of us rode as best we could, but at a race like this, you can’t make any mistakes. Everyone is battling and racing hard.”

So what is missing to get Canada over this hump and higher up on the global leaderboard?

“I really think it’s just bad luck, at least this year,” says Gauld in reflection over his debut managing Team Canada.

“Maybe racing some more AMA events could help, but I don’t think it would make a huge difference. We had two DNFs and that hurt us.”

For Facciotti, he feels that he could be stronger in the opening laps and get better starts; Benoit would like to limit his mistakes, but can’t stress enough how fast it is in Europe. “We always think of the Americans as the guys we need to look up to, but these guys are as fast or faster. I remember seeing Dungey getting yarded by some guy who I had even heard of!”

When continuing to probe about what’s missing to achieve a top-10 result or be more consistent at the MXoN, Medaglia says again it comes back to no mistakes.

“You can’t make a mistake at this level,” he summarizes. “Look at Reed and those guys, or Dungey when he hit Colt. Both of them had bad luck and didn’t do well. Stuff happens to those guys too. It’s hard to explain the level of these guys (in Europe). They have weird gear and colours but they’re going ridiculously fast. Overall, I felt like I rode the best that I could have at an MXoN and I know that Colton and Kaven did too.”

And our country couldn’t ask for anything more.

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MADE IN CHINA

BY FÉLIX TRÉPANIER | PHOTOS BY MILOTLAND TOUR

Over the years Ben Milot has done a lot of things on a motorcycle, most of which have left us in awe. After travelling to many different corners of the world to do what he does best, Milot has most recently ventured to the far east to show off his extreme jumping skills. As part of the House Of Dancing Water Show in Macau, China, Milot has taken the next step in his illustrious career. Film guru and Ben Milot’s close friend Felix Trepanier tells the story on how China has embraced our Canadian jumping hero.

MADE IN CHINA s a child you dream about many things. You dream about that first dirt bike.

When you finally get that bike, you dream about being a racer, and in some cases that dream can take you far from what you expected.

Canadian FMX icon Ben Milot has been living the dream for many years. From XGames to XFighters, he’s done it all; the biggest stage, the biggest shows with the biggest names in the industry for over a decade! But at 30 plus years-old, what’s next for a freestyle motocross rider? You start your own tour? Milot did that in 2010 and the Rockstar Energy Milot Land Tour is now

A

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the biggest FMX show in the country with over forty shows across Canada in 2014. Well, Milot got his answer on the other side of the world.

In the early 2000s, Milot did many shows in Europe (he did the first backflip in Europe at the Geneva SX in 2003) where he met Belgium rider Jimmy Verburgh. Two years ago, Verburgh offered Milot a ride in the House of Dancing Water in Macau, China. After several months of rejection, Milot finally decided to head to China to see what it was like. It was a big deal for him. Travelling to Europe or South America for shows is something, but China, that’s different, especially for a long term deal. It meant doing less shows in his own FMX tour, and leaving friends and family behind. But it also meant explaining to his precious sponsors that he would be on the other side of the world for quite a while.

Since he has a good relationship, the sponsors stayed with Milot and the Milot Land Tour; a well-designed media plan helped to make sure he got a lot of exposure at home and in China!

It took a little while for him to get used to the Chinese lifestyle, but after a while he got comfortable with it. In fact, he liked it so much that he keeps returning! Eight months in China and

It took a little while for him to get used to the Chinese lifestyle, but after a while he got comfortable with it. In fact, he liked it so much that he keeps returning!”

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LIFE IN CHINA It seems pretty cool but living in China is quite an adventure fort Milot. Everything is different; the food, the people, the language! Some taxi drivers even refuse to drive western people to avoid the language barrier.

Milot even had to learn some Chinese to be able to move around the town.

Despite being homesick every once in a while, Milot seems to enjoy his new eastern lifestyle. With all the support he has in China, we might benefit from this adventure when Milot comes back full time to Canada.

Who knows what will be the next step in his career?

MADE IN CHINA This is pretty different from everything Milot did in his life since FMX is based on the tricks you perform.”

four months in Canada for the Milot Land Tour. Who said that you couldn’t make a living with motocross?!

Now you’re asking yourself, “What is the House of Dancing Water?” To make a long story short, Macau is the Las Vegas of Asia. With many casinos and shows, the City of Dreams Casino came up with the biggest water show in the world with the House of Dancing Water. Produced by Cirque du Soleil’s Director, Franco Dragone, the show is a Cirque du Soleil type show that includes over eighty gymnasts, circus artists, dancers, divers, actors and… freestyle motocross riders! Milot and the seven other FMX riders are the bad guys in the story, and I can tell you they have a blast doing this.

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Being part of such a show means make-up, costumes, and choreography just like the other characters. And it’s not about your own performance anymore, it’s all about the story, all about the show. This is pretty different from everything Milot did in his life since FMX is based on the tricks you perform. In this show, you can’t even identify the riders. I’ve known Ben Milot for many years, filmed and edited hours of footage of him, and I even had a hard time finding him!

Over the past few years, many FMX riders from around the world went to Macau to perform in the House of Dancing Water. XGames silver-medalist Dustin Miller even spent time in China and

SETHENSLO W//METALMULISHA .COM

SONS OF ANARCHY TM & © 2014 Twentieth Centur y Fox Film Corporation and Bluebush Productions, LLC.

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SOME FACTS ABOUT THE HOUSE OF DANCING WATER hydraulic stage lifts are used to transform the pool into a spectacular stage in less than a minute.

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40

360 239

winches located on a degree performer catwalk, load and unload the artists and scenic props.

It is meters above the pool.

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water jets are built into the stage lifts to provide water effects that shoot up to about meters in height.

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The pool holds a recordbreaking

gallons of water, equivalent to

3.7 MILLION FIVE Olympic sized swimming pools.

Some taxi drivers even refuse to drive western people to avoid the language barrier. Milot even had to learn some Chinese to be able to move around the town”

MADE IN CHINA many other FMX stars are looking into the House of Dancing Water as an option. Since you don’t have to perform death-defying tricks every night, it has to be considered a good option to extend your career.

As you probably know, after a long motocross career, some athletes will have a hard time adapting to a 9 to 5 job; Ben Milot found the perfect fit for him. With two shows per day, five days a week, it is as close as you can get to a regular job. And the organization is very serious: training sessions every day, indoor practice three times a week, and they even built an outdoor compound with multiple ramps and a foam pit to make sure the riders have everything they need. Basically, you just have to show up to the theatre at 11am and work your day!

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NO WING NO PRAYER INTERVIEW WITH DEREK VERHEYEN

BY DANNY BRAULT | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

HONDA CANADA’S DEREK VERHEYEN, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER OF MOTORCYCLE & ATV, SPEAKS TO US ABOUT HONDA’S CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING RETURN TO MOTOCROSS. There’s a rich history behind Honda when it comes to motocross and racing in general. Ask anyone who rides, and odds are, they’ll tell you that their first time was on a Honda. A sentimental attachment is hard to break. In 2006, when Honda Canada announced at Walton that they would no longer be going national racing, it caused disbelief and concern for the sport, and many started to get a “hate on” for Honda. Of course, behind the scenes, Honda had no intention of never racing again, but a struggling economy caused a lot of manufacturers and race teams to reduce budgets or shut down entirely.

Honda played it safe, waited out the storm and then came back with a vengeance. Not only did they return to the national playing field with Colton Facciotti and Gopher Dunes, but Honda also stepped up with a new amateur and pro racing contingency program, and they’re bumping investments with many off-road riding facilities across Canada. Honda Canada’s Derek Verheyen played a big hand in getting Honda back on the map, specifically in partnering with Gopher Dunes and their new champ, Colton Facciotti. We caught up with Verheyen to learn more about Honda’s resurgence in Canadian moto.

Hi Derek, congratulations to you and Honda on winning your first Canadian National Motocross Championship since 2006. It’s been a while but Honda is back. It seems like ‘Red’ is making a serious push again in dirt bikes.

Derek Verheyen: Yes, we are trying to awaken the competition side more and get true enthusiasts better access to our bikes. We just finished up some competition demo rides in Quebec and we have more planned. Honda hasn’t done many (competition) demo rides in the past. With trail bikes, we have more access to riding areas, it’s easier to organize and, dare I say it, there is a lot less risk. It’s tougher with competition bikes because you want to have the right people, right crowd and right location, so everyone gets their value of fun and safety.

Since the Blackfoot Honda team left in 2006, it did feel like Honda stepped away from Canadian motocross but now they’re back.

What’s changed?

We certainly were a little distanced for a while; it’s more of an economic reason than anything else—and it was all racing activities, not only motocross. I think all manufacturers had to do that: pull back and work our way through the recession. Now that things are healthier, we have new equipment, new technology and we want to be out there. We missed it. We miss the days of JSR when we were dominant in the off-road arena. Honda wants to get back to that level; it helps with marketing and sales but at the heart of it all, we are race fans. I’m probably the biggest one, so when I got in the chair to make the call (on supporting Colton and GDR), I made the call to get us back in the sport.

“ WE’VE BEEN PARTNERS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH COLTON WAS AWESOME AND GOPHER DUNES WAS A BIG PART OF THAT PROCESS” What’s your background with Honda Canada? How long have you been with the company?

I’ve been with Honda for 15 years. I’ve worked in finance and parts, but mostly in motorcycle sales. One year I worked in the automotive side. I’ve been a motorcycle enthusiast all my life. I grew up on dirt bikes and was never a great motocrosser, but I enjoy trail riding quite a bit. I’m a bit too old for the motocross track. Off-road is my passion, for sure, of all the sports.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen or done while working at Honda?

Without divulging too many top secrets, it’s getting to pick all the prototype bikes and see bikes being developed three to four years before production. That is an amazing experience. Thinking back to when I was a kid … and then seeing these ‘secret’ bikes, top secret facilities and getting to ride them long before the press or public will ever see them. It’s a very exciting process. Then we get to help and offer opinions on designs for bikes coming into Canada. It’s a pretty empowering feeling and very fun.

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Canada and the vast majority are race fans. Dealers have responded well, and it does help the brand and to sell motorcycles. We need to keep selling. It sounds like a dirty statement at times, but it is true and we’re having fun doing it. Dealers enjoy seeing their brand be the winner. I think everyone does.

NO WING NO PRAYER

INTERVIEW WITH DEREK VERHEYEN Obviously, signing on with Colton Facciotti and the GDR team is a heavy investment.

Was it a long process when deciding to go back national racing and support a full-on race program?

We had to justify our return to the sport, for sure. We had a very strong case with Colton Facciotti, Derek Schuster and Gopher Dunes. We felt like we had a real possibility to take the #1 plate. When you tell Honda you want to be #1 in anything, they give you a lot of support to do that. Now we’ve proved by doing it (going racing), that it helps sell more bikes, creates more brand awareness and strengthens the brand overall. Honda sees value in doing these exercises and we couldn’t have picked a better team. Derek Schuster and Gopher Dunes are really the reason why we got back into it in the first place. We’ve been partners for a few years now. To make a connection with Colton was awesome and Gopher Dunes was a big part of that process.

Do you follow racing quite regularly? Are you on your phone checking results and all the race chatter?

We’re very in tune with the online social

world. I went to four of the races this year, but wish I could have attended more. Our media manager went to every race except for one. He was very involved and a big fan. As far as a social aspect goes, we are very in tune and trying to get more involved in the social media world.

Were you worried at all when it was announced that Mike Alessi was coming to Canada?

It was my first experience meeting Colton this year. I knew him a little bit when he was with Blackfoot and Yamaha. While going through sponsorship meetings, I knew he wanted it more than us and that’s what we’re looking for. Mike Alessi made us nervous. He’s a huge talent, amazing rider and has a great team with deep pockets that could do a lot of damage. Colton is a very proper and shy person but a fierce competitor when he wants to win something, and he won’t stop until he does it. When we saw him at the first round in Nanaimo, when he won quite readily, we knew we had the right guy.

We never thought about second-place.

I think it’s a very Honda thing to do; we’re either in it or we’re not.

Right now, what are the corporate goals at Honda and also the sport of motocross and off-road riding?

At Honda, we are going for number one in market share at all times. In off-road, that’s a huge portion. Behind sport bike, off-road is the biggest market for us to focus on. It’s always on the tip of our tongue and it’s an important part of business plans. We have great products. Honda trail bikes are legendary; the best reliability and durability—we just need more people on bikes and “WE HAVE GREAT that’s where Junior Red PRODUCTS. HONDA Riders takes over, riding TRAIL BIKES ARE schools, places like Gopher LEGENDARY; THE Dunes, SRA in Quebec and Popkum in BC. We need to BEST RELIABILITY give people places to ride AND DURABILITY— and especially around ToronWE JUST NEED MORE to; it’s hard to find spots to PEOPLE ON BIKES ride and getting people onto bikes. We need to be leaders AND THAT’S WHERE in those aspects; protecting JUNIOR RED RIDERS and increasing our places to TAKES OVER, RIDING ride and getting more people SCHOOLS, PLACES onto bikes. We need to make things more accessible for LIKE GOPHER DUNES, everyone, not just the choSRA IN QUEBEC AND sen few or elite enthusiasts.

POPKUM IN BC.” Take the boating industry for example. They have done an awesome job of knowing how to market themselves and grow With a MX1 title in hand, are their activity. there plans to go after the MX2 championship as well next sumBefore we let you go, which mer? Go for the sweep?

I put a lot of faith into Derek for how we brand do you see as Honda’s fiercest competitor? Who are dictate the team next year. We haven’t you keeping your eyes on at the had that final discussion yet. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into Westen track and in the marketplace?

(Wrozyna) and we like Westen but we’ll It varies from MX1 and MX2. I think, look at other possibilities. In November, overall, a brand we watch and have respect for is KTM. They are marketing we’ll meet and decide our plan. Derek and I want Canadian riders because we geniuses when it comes to marketing globally. We feel that we have superior want to show that it is possible for local kids to get a full factory ride. That’s product and stronger team. We watch them closely and see what they’re doing. every racer’s dream.

They have a good marketing push behind them. They happen to be the ‘cool’ brand What’s been the response like from Honda dealers? Excited to right now, but we are going to beat them on what wins the overall and with less be back racing?

We have 250 motorcycle dealers across maintenance on the bike.

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TURN ON THE~

LIGHTS

BY BRENT WORRALL | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

Future West Moto has the stage set for this year’s edition of the Canadian Arenacross Series and is looking to build on all the momentum gained in last year’s twelve round edition. Last season’s series was an epic battle with the overall title at the top level coming down to the final round in Cloverdale between Cycle North stablemates Ross Johnson and Jeremy Medaglia. Jeremy left the final round in Cloverdale the overall victor, and Johnson, who excelled on the 450, took the title of that displacement.

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only speak for myself because it is not my here have been a few minor goal here to get into the economics of risk changes at Future West’s versus reward when it comes to making head office, but the passiondollars and sense out of our sport, but ate pursuit of arenacross what I will say as a motocross journalist is and the continued development of the it is nice to know that as a result of the inseries remains steadfastly focused on the jection of monetary incentive, the product future. The biggest change for this series on the track will have all eyes on this series is with the calendar and there were many from coast to coast and not leave the payfactors that went into the planning of this ing customer wanting a refund. year’s edition of what has become CanaI spoke with newly hired Cycle North gun dian Motocross’ Fall Classic. The series will Adam Enticknapp on my Canadian Moto be fully completed before the holiday seaShow in the weeks leading up to this year’s son gets underway in earnest allowing all series, and I am still of its supporters and a little overwhelmed enthusiasts a better as to how excited he climate for racing and The series travel. Over and above has expanded was to be to coming up. As Adam put it in the obvious obstacles into the his own words, “You that will be avoided community of Armstrong have no idea how by this change, it will for Rounds 1 and 2. The excited I am to have also permit riders an opportunity to and their connections Chamber of Commerce and local businesses have make some money who wish to pursue in what is normally a full Supercross been more than receptive my off season on my West schedule that to accommodate our motorcycle. Dude, you option. Yes, the series desire to branch out and have no idea!” I assure did have riders last expose our series to you Adam, a northern year who were missed a new demographic.”

California rider after they mixed it up will not be the only hard and had early racer who will show up with that kind of round series success before heading enthusiasm and be ready to rip come gate south to pursue AMA Supercross glory. drop in quest of all the Future West glory With the return of the kind of purses on and gold. Once again, we race fans are the line night in and night out, and word the real winners, and as this great series of that travelling throughout the industry unfolds, we will see riders each weekend faster than Federal Express, I do believe from far and wide. This year’s schedule will this year’s series will eclipse last year’s have us lined up at three different venues competition on many levels. I know I can

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LIGHTS over what will be four weekends of racing, giving us 16 motos of the best quality racing you will find on the continent at this time of year to crown a champ! Wow! The series has expanded into the community of Armstrong for Rounds 1 and 2. The Chamber of Commerce and local businesses have been more than receptive to accommodate our desire to branch out and expose our series to a new demographic. Armstrong is centrally located in the North Okanagan with a strong draw for spectators and riders from the north, south, east and west. The facility has seating for 3500 and the floor is appropriately a dirt base, taking a little of the labour out of set up and tear down. Not a lot but every little bit helps! With last year’s series, we noticed a strong contingent of riders cross over from the off-road enduro and cross country style of racing to try arenacross. The likes of Bobby Prochnau and Chantelle Bykerk, who are of the best in the country, and numerous others, had great results in last year’s series and thoroughly enjoyed themselves racing arenacross. I have every reason to believe that they will return this year and in doing so bring more of their fraternity with them.

The series once again is proud to announce the return of the popular Arenacross schools, which will be taught this year by two former Canadian Arenacross Champions, Ryan Lockhart and Kyle Beaton. Their combined wealth of Arenacross knowledge, skills and experience will pay dividends by ensuring the riders that take advantage of these race day schools will be as prepared as they can be for the night program. I was absolutely blown away last year and felt like a proud relative of not only the youngsters who benefitted and progressed from such mentoring, but even the older riders who continued to progress with confidence throughout the series. It is cliché I know, but you are never too old to stop learning and in this case, with the lessons comes added seat time, which for most riders proves advantageous. For race day schools, which are only $60, please e-mail offroadj@telus.net and book as soon as you can as these schools were very popular last year and will fill quickly.

Also, for the always popular track rental bookings, contact offroadj@telus.net.

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This series has classes for all ages and abilities and the level of competition in every class is never short on entertainment and excitement. Over the years this series has produced national champions like Dusty Klatt, Colton Facciotti and riders who have had great Supercross success. I am sure Darcy Lange, Brady Sheren and Kyle Beaton would be more than happy to tell you how this series helped get them to the

great places their passion and persistence took them. This series has also helped many younger riders who have developed and excelled rapidly at the top level of their current age brackets.

Jacob Piccolo, Julien Benek, Casey Keast and Wyatt Waddell have Walton Trans Can titles on their abbreviated resumes, and I know that this great series is doing for them what history has shown us with those before them.

The Canadian Arenacross series has something for everyone who loves dirt bike racing. Whether you are a racer or a racer at heart, the series has something for you! The always entertaining last man standing ‘Dash For Cash’ will be back as will the ever popular crowd pleasing ‘Pit Bike’ race, which was won last year by Marlon ‘Ricky Bobby’ Betchold in his full Wonderbread get up. I for one cannot wait until the gate drops on this truly classic Canadian Motocross series.

For constant info and updates, please check www.arenacross.ca, The Canadian Arenacross Facebook Page, arenacrossca on Instagram or @CanadianAX on Twitter.

Brent ‘Airmail’ Worral

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KEN ROCZEN THE KID WITH A DREAM

ermany’s Ken Roczen is coming off a season that most of us could only dream of. After immigrating to the United States a few years ago, the 20 year-old Roczen has been quickly building his program to not only fit into the American way of life, but to thrive in it as well. In just a few short years Roczen has done what a lot of young Canadian riders want to do; move to the USA and become a champion. In 2014, Roczen burst into the 450 class, winning the Anaheim SX and leading the points chase until eventual champion Ryan Villopoto took over.

When the top riders moved outdoors, Roczen was confident and motivated.

Going up against his KTM teammate, Ryan Dungey, Roczen battled hard all summer and finally clinched the title in the final moto of the year in Utah. For 2015, Roczen has switched to the relatively new Soaring Eagle Casino RCH Suzuki Team in hopes of taking his career to new heights and become the first German rider to win the Monster Energy Supercross series. We caught up with Roczen while testing his new Suzuki for the 2015 season.

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INTERVIEW

BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND RCH

MXP: Hey Ken, how are things?

KR: Things are good, I’ve just been busy testing and trying to get my Suzuki set up. I won’t be racing for a while so we have a lot time to get the bike right.

Is everything good so far with the new team?

Everything is great. Obviously there are new surroundings and new people, but so far everything is great.

As everyone knows, you’re originally from Germany. Where exactly in Germany are you from?

I was born in Apolda, which is a city of about 20,000 in the central part of Germany.

Not unlike some parts of Canada, there isn’t much winter riding in Germany. How did you get started in the sport?

My Dad rode a lot when he was younger so when I was about two and half he got me my first bike.

Wow! That is very young, most kids are still figuring out how to walk properly. Were you able to ride well at that age?

I’m not sure, that’s a tough question to answer about myself. I guess for a kid that age I was able to get around pretty well.

Obviously, to be able to ride a dirt bike at that age you must have been a talented athlete.

Did you play other sports as well?

For sure, kids in Germany are taught to be very active, even at a young age. I played a lot of soccer as a kid, I skated, I started snowboarding when I was ten, I did just about everything. I think playing different sports back then has really helped me develop as a well-rounded athlete and it’s really made a difference with my riding.

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KEN ROCZEN THE KID WITH A DREAM

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INTERVIEW

“SO FOR CANADIAN RIDERS, I’D SAY JUST WORK HARD TO GET WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, BUT ALSO TRY TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE PROCESS. IF YOU’RE NOT HAVING FUN RACING THEN YOU USUALLY RIDE TIGHT AND YOUR RESULTS SUFFER.”

At what age did you kind of know that you might be really good at motocross?

Probably around six or seven is when I started to feel it a little. I moved up to bigger bikes quite quickly around that time so I was always riding against older kids who were also on bigger bikes. I don’t know why but I felt really comfortable racing against older kids, and I did well. That definitely gave me some hope that I might be good at motocross.

You had a lot of success in the GPs and won a World Championship, and then you decided to pack up and move to the USA. Was it a big adjustment for you when you moved to North America?

Yes, it was very tough for me at the beginning.

The first thing was that I had never raced Supercross before so that was something I had to learn. Once I learned that and other things like the food, the busy race schedule and the travel, it started to go a little more smoothly.

Now I’m fully adjusted and North America is my home.

Was there one or maybe a few people who helped make the transition to the USA a little easier?

I was really young when I came over so my Dad came with me and stayed with me for a while.

Being with family really helped, and also since I was riding for KTM I was around some really good people. Roger DeCoster knew what it was like to move here from Europe and make a new life so he was also a huge help. I don’t know, I’ve been really lucky to be surrounded by good people during my entire career.

You had just switched to KTM when you moved over here. That must have been tough?

Yes, it was, for sure. It was a lot to take in at once; new bike, new team, new tracks and a new country. I really just took it as another challenge in my life and I didn’t let myself fail.

It actually didn’t take me too long to get comfortable and start to feel at home.

There have been a lot of really fast riders who have travelled to the USA from Europe who really struggle with Supercross. As you mentioned, it was a big adjustment but you’ve learned it quicker than most?

I think I’ve done well for a few reasons. First, I was pretty young so my learning curve was still very steep. The second reason was that I did have a SX track in my backyard when I was growing up. Obviously, it wasn’t like anything in the States but it still got me figuring out some of the techniques that are required to go fast on a SX track. After a few seasons of training yourself, you hired one of the top trainers in the sport, Aldon Baker. His reputation speaks for itself. Was it a big adjustment to get on with his program? After all, you were still just a teenager.

He’s definitely strict with his program, especially with diet and nutrition. However, this is what you have to do to be successful in this sport. As soon as I started with him I noticed a big difference with my riding and with my results.

Was it always your dream to move to the USA when you were young?

Definitely. I think a lot of kids from Europe dream of moving here to race Supercross and I was one of them. Growing up and watching motocross movies from the USA, everything just looked so cool; the tracks, the lifestyle, everything. I really wanted to get over here and learn how to be successful in Supercross.

Is the structure that Aldon has in his program the key to the success of his athletes?

Yes, that’s a big part of it. He covers all the bases and takes out the guesswork of training.

I’ve always been a hard trainer so working with Aldon hasn’t been too big of a change. I’m also a good listener so I just do whatever he says. (laughs)

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KEN ROCZEN THE KID WITH A DREAM

You came out really strong in SX at the beginning of the season and led the points for a long time. Around the halfway point things started to go a little sideways. Did you let up a bit or were the other riders stepping it up?

Yes, things started out really well in SX for me, and I was able get some wins and lead the points. However, I was new to the big bike and new to the schedule. It was hard to keep the intensity up for the entire series. After Daytona, I kind of slowed down a bit and started to feel really run down, but I still ended up third in the series so I was pretty happy with that for my rookie season on the big bike.

So you finish up the SX series and then you only have a few weeks to prepare for outdoors.

How were you able to regroup so quickly and come out strong?

Well, obviously I feel a lot more comfortable riding outdoors so I knew a little better about what to expect. I also knew that I had done the work off the bike so I was pretty confident heading into Glen Helen.

Well, you certainly looked great all summer. Other than a few rounds near the end of the series, you really controlled the championship.

Thank you very much. We had a really good set up with the bike, and once I got the ball rolling, we just kind of went with it. I really enjoyed this summer; it was a lot of hard work but also a lot of fun.

You’ve accomplished a lot in a very short time. Does it still feel like a dream to you?

It certainly does, and it feels like it’s gone by fast. Although I have had some success I still don’t feel like I have reached my goals yet. I still have a lot to learn so hopefully I can keep building on my success next year. I really want to get a SX title. I’m taking a little time here away from racing so we can get things just right for Anaheim.

Germany is a lot like Canada where motocross is growing in

“GROWING UP AND WATCHING MOTOCROSS MOVIES FROM THE USA, EVERYTHING JUST LOOKED SO COOL; THE TRACKS, THE LIFESTYLE, EVERYTHING. I REALLY WANTED TO GET OVER HERE AND LEARN HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SUPERCROSS.” popularity but it’s still not the main sport that everyone plays.

What advice would you have for a young Canadian rider who has dreams of making it in the USA? Good question. I think every rider is different so what might work for one person won’t work for another. For me, I really worked hard at training and at different aspects of my riding from a young age, but I also kept it fun. I’m at my best when I’m having fun doing what I’m doing. So for Canadian riders, I’d say just work hard to get where you want to be, but also try to have fun and enjoy the process. If you’re not having fun racing then you usually ride tight and your results suffer.

That’s very good advice. We have a ton of talented young riders in Canada who are working hard and hopefully having fun. You’ve obviously travelled the world racing dirt bikes.

What is your favourite city that you’ve visited?

Another good question. I’ve definitely been to a lot of beautiful cities and beautiful countries so it’s tough to choose one. I think if I had to choose

one I’d say any city in Portugal that I’ve been to is nice; the beaches and water are nice. In the USA it was really cool to go to New York City last year for SX. That is definitely one of the coolest cites in the world, for sure.

Okay Ken, last question for you and then you can go for dinner.

What do you think will be Ryan Villopoto’s biggest challenge next year racing the GPs? I think the biggest challenge will be racing against Tony Cairoli. He has everything figured out so he’s very tough to beat. However, he’s never raced against Villopoto so it will be exciting to see what happens. Racing over there is a lot different than anything Villopoto has ever done, but he’ll be okay I think.

He’s pretty motivated to go over and win so he’ll be ready for anything.

Well, thanks Ken. Good luck in 2015 on your new Suzuki. We can’t wait to see you on it at Anaheim. Thanks for your time.

Thanks for calling. I haven’t spent much time in Canada but the people seem really nice and the fans are very passionate about the sport.

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NEW GROUND DannyB enjoys his first ‘Adventure Rally Race’ and lives to tell the tale.

BY DANNY BRAULT | PHOTOS BY CLAUDE AUCHU

his past September, I was fortunate enough to take part in the Orange Crush Adventure Rally, one of the biggest adventure events in Canada and probably the coolest experience that I have ever had on a motorcycle. It wasn’t riding on a real supercross track or sharing a ride with some living legend like Ricky Carmichael or Chad Reed, but rather it was a 1,000 kilometer, two-day on/off-road rally race across Northern Quebec. Something completely new to me, but change is good.

English or French, they call it ‘Orange Crush’ and it’s been going on every year September since 2012.

The events feature dual sport bikes of all shapes and sizes, and the same goes for riders. All you need to sign up is a motorcycle license and a street legal bike (it doesn’t hurt to

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learn a little French either … parlez vous francais?)

Marc Fontaine is the man behind Orange Crush. His event is based loosely on the Dakar Rally, offering a high-mile ride across paved roads, gravel roads, fire roads, single-track trail and everything in between.

Various ‘Special Tests’ are laid out as well for those wishing to show off more extreme riding skills.

Orange Crush is a race but it’s more like a men’s league hockey; riders are more concerned about the beer afterwards than setting the fastest time. At this year’s event, there were a total of 150 riders separated into teams of three, and each bike was equipped with a Road/ Route Book, which breaks down the course and forces the rider to use a little bit of their brains to find their way from point A to B.

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It’s not the fastest who wins at Orange Crush, but more so the team who has the best navigation skills. Results are based on whoever is “closest to the pin” when it comes to recording the actual mileage of the race. Riders are monitored by GPS so it’s pretty accurate to know how many Kms each one puts on during Orange Crush, and they’re odometers are scanned at various check points.

Orange Crush kicks off with one lap around SRA Motocross Track in Terrebonne, Quebec (approx.

30 minutes north of Montreal) before riders race north nearly 500 Kms to the almost extinct mining town of Parent. Everyone sleeps the night in Parent, but not before enjoying some dinner and drinks, and then the green flag waves again at 6am on Saturday with all 150 riders racing another nine hours to La Tuque.

Our massive two-wheel convoy was treated to a huge dinner, drinks, live music, and awards ceremony at the ski hill in La Tuque.

The town of La Tuque loves motorsports, welcoming Orange Crush and its participants with open arms.

(No doubt, as the event takes over three to four hotels, restaurants, bars, and injects good money into the local economy.)

The longest that I have ever ridden a motocross bike is, maybe, two hours. But at Orange Crush, I more than wretched my legs, riding for nine hours each day. Whew! Fortunately, KTM hooked me and some other journalists up with brand new 1190cc Adventure bikes. These twin-cylinder monsters aren’t short on power or technology, with electronic adjusting suspension, traction control, ABS, and on-the-fly engine and chassis tuning capabilities. It felt like a big dirt bike and I loved it. That beast would climb up and over anything.

If you’re seeking new adventure on two wheels and might enjoy a weekend away with like-minded moto-heads, I highly recommend checking out next year’s Orange Crush Adventure Rally. Rumour has it that there could be an east and west event.

Stay tuned to www.orangecrushadventure.com for event info.

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PAUL KINGSLEY:

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

BY DANNY BRAULT | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

We caught up with the former pro racer just one day prior to stepping into knee replacement surgery. As smooth as he was on those old 500s, the body still has to pay a price at some point!

MXP: Hey Paul, what’s going on? You went to the Motocross of Nations this year. How was that? Was that your first MXoN experience?

Paul Kingsley: Yeah, I went over.

I went to Unadilla when Hannah was on the team; it was a muddy race. Only one I’ve been to before. I thought it was time to go again, and with Gauldy managing the team, I said let’s do it. I enjoyed it. Being old school, I like the GPs, and I wanted to look and see if there is anything we can incorporate into our (Canadian) series.

CMRC’s National Head Referee, Paul Kingsley, has done and seen it all when it comes to motocross. That’s probably why he makes such a great fit for taking on what should be the most stressfilled job at the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals: The Referee. Just like in hockey, the “Ref” in motocross often takes the blunt of verbal attacks, protests, screaming matches, and really any abuse that arises during the National. The Englishman maintains a cool and calm demeanor, however, which helps the stress level in the pits. He’s been on and off the CMRC tour since it began in the mid-‘90s, and he was part of the action again this past summer.

What did you notice about the MXoN, that you would like to see happen at the Canadian races?

I like the way they have the track.

We have problems (in Canada) where people have a tendency to go inside the yellow markers. Over there, they cut the track down so you have to go into an embankment of sorts if you go off the track. I also want it to develop the way they do, without the start and actual track cutting over each other and then having to groom the track each time. I’d like to see that in Canada.

The European riders certainly have a unique riding style; they stand up more and seem to use more outside lines. Can you shed some light on what the Euros do differently on the race track?

They’re used to riding tracks that are just ruined. We do too much prepping; we don’t have near enough riding to make the track have conditions like theirs. It separates the men from the boys and those who have done the training.

They sniff out the lines that guys over here have never thought of.

They will see something and try it right away, but in North America, guys seems to stick to the main line more often and it takes longer to try something new.

Your take on Ryan Villopoto racing the GPs this year instead of US Supercross and Motocross?

I think he will do well; he’s a really good rider. It won’t be a cakewalk.

There will be tracks he does well at and others where he says ‘Whoops, I need to do more training on that ground!’ The American ground is dug down deep and whooped out, but it’s different in Europe with how the tracks get rough.

Who really impressed you at the MXoN in Latvia?

Well, obviously Paulin, Strijbos—I couldn’t believe how fast Carioli went. To think Herlings schools most of those guys and how much faster he is than the rest of them; he completely dominates them.

You’re missing him and some other guys who are up front. They’re definitely fast, not slow.

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“I’m not cutthroat, I like to keep a nice atmosphere.

This summer, I was helping one of the guys change a tire. I asked ‘What ref would do that in the AMA?’ I get along with most of the people so I enjoy it. “

PAUL KINGSLEY:

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

How did you think the Canadian riders Facciotti, Benoit and Tyler Medaglia rode?

I liked how it worked out on Saturday in qualifying, but having watched them all summer, I don’t think they rode nearly up to their capabilities as they do over here. In Canada, they have their chests outs and over there, they kind of looked uncomfortable, and even though the track is no different than anything they’ve ridden over here, they can ride better than that. I know there is luck but sometimes you create your own luck, as they say. Right place, right time. Silly little things that happened.

For Colton to have nothing go wrong all season then stall his bike … maybe it was karma. Same with Benoit, he had problems with Friese but he was so strong and dominant this summer. He wasn’t riding the same in Latvia.

My comment, which created a stir, was that in the big picture, Canadians need to race more often, especially at bigger events with faster guys.

I definitely agree that when you’re the big fish in the little pond, you can swim around and be great. Go in the ocean, and you’re nothing—and I’m just putting it bluntly. As Ross (Pederson) did, and I did and others did, you have to race all the time and find the fastest guys. You need to be pushed and be ready for it. I know it’s expensive down there, but we all used to do it. If

there wasn’t something going on here worthwhile, we went down south. I never did anything special but I qualified, and it wasn’t my profession but I did it. You need to race against faster riders.

How did you get into racing?

When I moved to Canada in ’74, I had never really ridden a motorcycle. My Dad said, “You’re not going to be a kid that that hangs out, doing nothing,” so I picked up motorcycles. My Dad didn’t know bikes, but he raced cars and anything he could. I spent two years riding, learning corners, and then started racing. I moved to Ontario from the Maritimes because that’s where the racing was. I raced Junior, moved up to Senior and rode two years there, and I finished 13th at the Expert Nationals that year. That whole summer I remember living in Quebec because there was a good series there. I could race Senior on Saturday and Expert on Sunday. I got double the riding in. When the Nationals came up, I beat the Ontario Experts because I raced against the better guys prior to that, and I got all this extra riding in. I learned a lot and turned Expert the following year.

What’s your racing highlight?

There’s been a few; I did go to the World Championships with KTM at Glen Helen. I ran second in the Expert class at Ulverton on a water-cooled KTM. I got a fifth against Ross and those guys

in Edmonton back in the day. I didn’t do it for money and spent a lot doing it, but I loved it. I thank Mark (Stallybrass) for giving me the opportunity to keep in it. I’m always on the computer and reading everything about motocross, with my wife laughing at me. I lurk, read and laugh at what people say and their take on something; meanwhile I was there for it.

Your entrance into refereeing?

I started back when Mark was doing CMC before it was CMRC. I did that and stayed on when the CMRC Nationals started. I stopped in 2002, Don Davidson took over, then Randy (Hall).

Mark asked me if I’d do it again. I think it’s fun. I’m not cutthroat, I like to keep a nice atmosphere. This summer, I was helping one of the guys change a tire. I asked ‘What ref would do that in the AMA?’ I get along with most of the people so I enjoy it.

Tell us about the Alessi trackcutting incident in Kamloops in the first MX1 moto. Did that get heated?

It was kind of heated for a minute. They knew they did wrong, and Mike came up when I went to speak to him. He thought it would be a time penalty but when he realized it wasn’t, his jaw dropped and he ran back to the pits. Then it started, ‘We’re leaving and pulling out!’ they said, but we calmed them down and explained things. It was all good. We never really had any problems. I think they are very professional, and it seems like everything is almost scripted. They have an answer for everything. They treat it like a job; I think other teams could learn from them.

Last question: what is the ultimate motocross bike? 500? 450?

Two-stroke? Four-stroke?

That’s a hard question. It’s the 500 two-stroke from my experience. It was the pinnacle back in the day. I could ride a 500 at a good pace for ten minutes but after that, you’re hanging on for dear life. A two-stroke of any kind is harder to ride than a four-stroke. They just make things easier. I would buy a four-stroke because they’re easier to ride, but if I were younger I would ride a two-stroke. A team or rider that wants to be the best they can be should train on a two-stroke before a race. It makes you much more aggressive and you can bash it around and not spend as much money on it.

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INTRODUCING THE

2015

KX450F GREEN WITH ENVY

BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY VERN PUTZER

It’s no secret that Monster Energy Kawasakis have been dominating racing in North America for some time. For the last few years we’ve witnessed Ryan Villopoto win multiple championships on his factory KX450F. To further cement the dominance of Kawasaki, in 2013, Canadians watched Brett Metcalfe go coast to coast and win the MX1 title, virtually on a bike anyone could build. With a solid history already in place, Kawasaki was looking to build on the success of the KX450F for 2015.

M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M 105

INTRODUCING THE

2015

KX450F GREEN WITH ENVY

2015 KX450F Recently, MXP Magazine was invited down to California to test ride the brand new 2015 KX450F and the 2015 KX250F. On a hot and dry California day, we all gathered at the infamous Milestone track located just outside Riverside, Ca. Although the State has been experiencing drought-like conditions all summer, the Milestone track was prepped perfectly for the media to test the new Kawasakis. After a brief but detailed introduction to the 2015s, they opened the track and it was game on.

Even with so much success on the track in the last few years, Kawasaki is definitely not resting on their laurels when it comes to the 2015 KX450F. This new bike rises to a new level of rider adjustability along with chassis, engine, suspension and brake upgrades. These updates are aimed at maximizing performance while allowing riders to cater to the bike’s set-up for any track condition they may encounter. Let’s take a look at what is new on the 2015 KX450F.

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Suspension For 2015, Kawasaki has introduced the Showa SFF-Air TAC Triple Chamber front fork on the 450. This new fork is definitely the future of motocross suspension as its function and adjustability is unmatched in the industry. The Showa SFF-Air TAC fork is derived directly from Ryan Villopoto’s factory race bike. It has been designed to separate the damping forces to the left fork tube, while the pneumatic spring (air pressure) is housed in the right tube for less friction and a lighter overall fork. This design not only saves weight by not using a heavy conventional spring, but it also results in less oil contamination, which increases performance and cuts down on suspension maintenance.

For added adjustability, all three air chambers have their own individual tuning capabilities with air volumes that can reach anywhere from 145psi in the high pressure inner chamber to 7.25psi in the low pressure outer chamber. Tuning these new forks is very easy, and the fact that you have three different chambers each handling a different aspect of the forks’ performance, any rider can set their forks up to work how they want on different types of tracks.

On the track, these new forks are a big improvement over last year’s Air Fork. The added adjustability allows you to customize the fork for not only any type of track condition, but to also set the bike up to work on each individual part of the track. For instance, if a rider wanted their forks stiff for the majority of the track, however they wanted the forks to be plush on the breaking bumps going into corners, they could run high pressure in the inner chamber and then use the third chamber, or TAC chamber as it’s called, to adjust the ride height of the front end so the forks would still remain plush on the small bumps. It’s a great system that is very easy to adjust; the Triple Chamber is exactly what the air forks need to work consistently well.

The rear shock is also a Showa product with Kawasaki’s famous Uni-Trak linkage. For 2015, the shock comes with revised valving for stronger damping. These changes not only improve the high speed handling of the 2015 KX450F but they also assists the shock to work in unison with the new SFF Air Forks. This combination of suspension is race ready. Right from the first lap on the Milestone track, it allowed me to be aggressive while feeling at ease on the bike.

RYAN LOCKHART’S IMPRESSION PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

Larger Brake Rotors Kawasaki has never been known for having great brakes on their motocross models.

However, for 2015, they’ve decided to make a change by adding a massive 270mm front brake rotor and a larger 240mm rotor to the rear. The stopping power on this new 450F is not only very strong, but also very balanced. All it takes is one finger on the front brake lever to get the bike stopped when going into even the tightest of corners. The brakes on the 2015 are a huge improvement over past models, which gives you an idea of what the brakes must be like on Villopoto’s bike.

“From the moment the media released images of the 2015 KX 450, I knew instantly that I needed this bike. The look of that new fork as well as the balance chamber gave it such a cool, factory look. The new graphics and seat cover make this bike super attractive, and in my opinion, the best looking bike in its lineup.

When I received the call from Troy at Maple Ridge Motorsports saying that my new 2015 arrived at the store, I was anxious to get out to the track and see what this bike was all about. I was already really impressed with the performance, handling and reliability on my 2014 Kawisaki. I couldn’t get it through my head how Kawasaki could make this bike even better.

The first day on the bike, I left it completely stock just so I could really learn how the new Showa suspension components worked; I became comfortable right away. The biggest feature I noticed was how much more stable the front end felt on the high speed sections, which really made the small, choppy stuff easy on my hands. Throughout the day I made many small changes to fine tune the forks to my liking. Kawasaki made it so easy to make these adjustments that even a beginner rider can make changes with ease.

The other huge change that I fell in love with right away was the new oversized front and rear brake wave rotors. The front brake has way more feel but at the same time was not too aggressive. I’m a rider that is very hard on the rear brakes. With the new wave rotor, I’m able to get double the amount of life out of the rear pads. I also really like having the option of changing the three different mapping couplers. I personally like the stock one but sometimes will go to the aggressive coupler depending on the deepness of the track.

After putting two hours on the bike, we shipped it to Walton for the Parts Canada TransCan where I raced the bike completely stock. I ended a very good week on my new Kawasaki and was able to take home championships in both the Vet Master and Plus 25 classes. I think this says a lot about the bike and just how good it is out of the box. Kawasaki has really done their homework on all aspects of this 2015 motorcycle. The fit and finish is beautiful, and the tune-ability and adjustability make the Kawasaki a championship winning bike.”

INTRODUCING THE

2015

KX450F GREEN WITH ENVY

Revised Bridged Box Piston and ECU Programming For increased durability and a higher compression ratio, Kawasaki has introduced a new cutting edge piston design for 2015. A design pulled straight from the factory race team, this new box piston design provides the rider with stronger mid-range and a longer pull in the higher RPMs as well.

The track at Milestones had a little bit of everything on it: long straights, tight and sweeping corners, big jumps and loamy dirt; it was the perfect track to test a new bike. One of the first things I noticed was the added power on the 2015. It wasn’t arm ripping power, it was more like a subtle increase at each stage of the powerband. The 2015 KX450F not only pulled better out of corners than the 2014, but the added over-rev allowed

you to carry each gear a little longer.

It was really easy to ride this new bike smooth with very little effort, something that riders of all levels are looking for.

Of course, the new Kawasakis also come with their patented DFI Couplers for instant ECU tuning. These couplers can quickly reprogram the ignition map to suit whatever type of track you’re riding. As always, you can purchase the Kawasaki Racing Software Kit that will allow you to create multiple custom maps within each coupler. This power adjustability is also unmatched in the 450 class; Kawasaki really gives the rider multiple settings.

To complement the added power and new suspension, Kawasaki has

108 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

also found ways to save weight for 2015. A brand new lighter sub frame has been added to the 450F, which further reduces the weight and improves the mass centralization for quicker handling and a more precise feel. Kawasaki has also lightened the front and rear axles by a combined 63 grams to save even more weight. All of these weight saving measures add up on the track to a motorcycle that feels incredibly nimble. In the age of scrubbing and trying to stay low off of jumps, a light feeling 450 is a must, and the 2015 KX450F certainly delivers.

With new suspension, improved power, more adjustability and reduced weight, the 2015 KX450F is ready straight out of the crate to win races and championships. This

is a bike for riders of all levels and all types of tracks. On the fast but technical Milestone track, with all the adjustability that this new bike features, if something needed to be changed, I simply adjusted it until I had the perfect combination of power and handling.

This past summer, Ryan Lockhart became the first rider in Canada to compete on the 2015 KX450F as he took home two championships at the 2014 Parts Canada TransCan. Ryan loved the new bike and instantly felt comfortable on it. The results he achieved at the TransCan speak for themselves as he absolutely dominated the competition. See the sidebar for Ryan Lockhart’s feedback regarding the 2015 KX450F.

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2014-02-27 1:41 PM

E VO LVED N UT RIT ION

TH E IM PORTA NC E OF S L E E P !!

WITH DREW ROBERTSON PHOTO BY NICK HILL Why is sleep so important? The effects of sleep deprivation are:

ood morning, good afternoon and if I don’t see you, good evening!” … a line from the movie “Truman Show”. It’s a movie about a man who was filmed for twenty-four hours a day in a “constructed reality”; everyone was happy, everything was perfect. In our lives, wouldn’t it be great to wake up every day, rested, happy, with no stress and be surrounded by people who were the same?

I want to discuss and review recent findings and studies that show how important sleep is and how it affects us. I have recently been doing a lot of research on recovery and the importance, in terms of performance, and came across some exciting new discoveries on just how important sleep is to us. One of the biggest eye openers for me was when I had a chance to watch a seminar by Dr. Kirk Parsley, a retired USN SEAL, NSWG-1 doctor to the west coast SEAL teams.

This guy has gone through it all and knows what it’s like to operate at the top of his game, so when he talks about recovery, I listen!! He started out the seminar by talking about three pillars of health: Nutrition / Exercise / Sleep. Guess what he considers the most important? You guessed it, the topic I will discuss today - SLEEP! So what is sleep? It’s funny, you ask people this question and they struggle with an answer. Here is something we do every day yet we don’t know or can’t define what sleep actually is. The definition Dr. Parsley used is: a barrier that exists between you and your environment, and you can be awakened. When you’re awake you are present and aware of your surroundings. The barrier that he talks about is the lack of that awareness. You can be awakened; if you hit your head and are knocked out you can’t be awakened, so when you’re sleeping, the difference between that and being unconscious is that fact that you can wake up.

Let’s look at sleep over the ages and compare that to how we sleep today. Long ago our ancestors would go to bed when the sun went down and get up when the sun came back up. The number of hours of sleep our ancient ancestors got would depend on the time of year and their location in the world. In Victorian time (pre-light bulb), there are records and journals that show people were averaging ten hours of sleep per night. Fast forward to the 1960s, people were getting an average of eight hours of sleep per night. Recent studies show that the average North American gets only six hours of sleep per night. Today, we push the limits, we wear it like a badge, we are hardcore; we don’t need sleep!! Ain’t got no time for that!!!

“G

“TODAY, WE PUSH THE LIMITS, WE WEAR IT LIKE A BADGE, WE ARE HARDCORE; WE DON’T NEED SLEEP!! AIN’T GOT NO TIME FOR THAT!!!”

110 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

∫ Irritability ∫ ADD and ADHD-like symptoms ∫ Cognitive impairment ∫ Memory lapses and loss ∫ Impaired immune system ∫ Risk of heart disease ∫ Decrease in reaction time ∫ A loss of two hours of sleep increases daytime hunger by 25% ∫ A loss of one hour of sleep per night for a year (with all other factors such as diet, exercise staying the same) = 14.3 lbs of added fat ∫ Willpower is directly related to the pre-frontal cortex. Pre-frontal cortex activity is impaired with stress, overtraining, drugs and lack of sleep. ∫ The CDC (Centre for Disease Control) has said that long-term lack of sleep increases your chances of CVD and Cancer by as much as 43%. That’s the same percentage as smoking!!

What is sleep deprivation? “I feel okay,” people say, “I get enough sleep!! “The recommended amount of sleep will vary for each person depending on their daily activity and other factors, but a general chart below will give you a rough idea:

HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU READY NEED? Age Newborns (0-2 months) Infants (3 to 11 months) Toddlers (1-3 years) Preschoolers (3-5 years) School-age childern (5-10 years) Teens (10-17) Adults

Sleep Needs 12-18 hours 14 to 15 hours 12 to 14 hours 11 to 13 hours 10 to 11 hours 8.5-9.25 hours 7-9 hours

Sleep deprivation is when you aren’t getting the recommended amount of sleep over a period of time.

An interesting study showed that after 3-4 days of sleep deprivation we lose the ability to identify the fact that we are actually sleep deprived. So when people say, “I get enough sleep, I don’t notice a difference,” this is the reason.

Before discussing how we can turn this around, let’s look at how we are designed to sleep: 01.

02.

03.

04.

05.

06.

07.

08.

09.

10.

11.

Blue light decreases Stimulates pineal gland Releases melatonin Melatonin decreases adrenal function Body temperature decreases Heart rate decreases Blood pressure decreases Brain slows down Blood sugar drops Immune system INCREASES Hormones replenish

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2014-05-01 3:46 PM

TH E IM PORTA NC E OF S L E E P !!

A proper sleep:

SLEEP CYCLES THROUGHOUT SLEEP

Awake REM Stage 1 Stage 2 Deep Sleep

Stage 3 Stage 4

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Duration of Total Sleep Time (hours)

How do we turn this around? Here is a list of the top ways to do so: 01. Blacken your room a. When I say blacken your room, go out and get blackout blinds and eliminate ways in which light can get in (i.e. close doors).

02. Quit using electronics in bed a. A bed is for two things: sleeping and sex. Don’t sit on your computer, iPad or phone while you’re in bed.

03. Make a firm bedtime – STICK TO IT!! a. You have to make a schedule and stick with it. I know this isn’t possible all the time. Things come up and we can overcome the occasional late night.

04. Get up at the same time every day (even weekends) a. With the schedule, you need to stick to getting up at the same time every day. If you were up late the night before, I will discuss later how to make up for it.

05. Learn five ways to decrease stress a. You need to learn five ways to decrease stress. One of my favourites is yoga. Some people like reading and others like going for walks. Find five you can incorporate into your daily routine and make sure to stick to at least one on a daily basis.

06. Improve insulin sensitivity via diet a. Make sure that you’re eating a well-balanced diet, and avoid simple sugars and highly processed foods.

07. Exercise daily a. Get outside for a walk, join a running club, or play a racquet sport. Whatever it is, get up and get moving, make sure to add this into your daily routine, and schedule this time like you would a doctor’s appointment.

08. Decrease blue light three hours before bed a. There are various sources that emit this blue-violet-light; the sun, LED lighting, CFLs, tablets, TVs, computer screens and smart phones.

09. Data dump a. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side, make a to-do list, and on the other side make a to-worry list.

You then have to understand that you are going to be more capable of dealing with the to-do list after you get a good night’s sleep.

10. If you snore loudly, see a doctor.

I mentioned a schedule and sticking to it. Like I said, there are times when we are out late due to a sporting event, travel, social function and various other reasons.

What do we do in these circumstances? We plan for sleep deprivation. Let’s say we need eight hours of sleep but the night before we were only able to get six hours, leaving a sleep debt of two hours. We are going to nap then…yes, nap. Napping is good for us. Naps are 20-120 minutes in length, anything longer is, well, just sleep.

Napping won’t impair our nocturnal sleep. Make sure, though, that you’re not napping three hours before bed. A ninety minute nap is optimal as this is one complete sleep

WITH DREW ROBERTSON PHOTO BY NICK HILL

cycle. In the example I mentioned above, we were in a sleep deprivation of two hours, so during the day you could have a ninety minute nap then later a thirty minute nap.

One other point I discovered in my research, and in fact have had clients tell me, is I wake up during the night or can’t get to sleep because my brain is thinking about what I have to do tomorrow, or stressing about an upcoming test. I mentioned above Data Dumping. This is a great way to help us overcome the ‘stress brain’ syndrome. This allows us to get rid of it, so-to-speak. Write it out so there is a list of things to do and from that list build a plan to accomplish these tasks. The biggest thing with a data dump is to understand that after writing down the two lists, you will be far more capable of accomplishing and overcoming things on the list with a good night’s sleep. L it go, get some rest and get up the next day ready to go!

The more and more I research and talk with various doctors and scientists about sleep, the more I become aware of just how important sleep is!! I started this research on recovery with my athletes’ performance in mind and have come to realize that lack of sleep affects us all. By adopting some of the good sleep habits I listed above, we can dramatically improve our overall health. In fact, over the last three weeks, I have incorporated these into my life and I have noticed a decrease in my resting heart rate in the morning, have much more energy during the day, as well as a cognitive improvement (articles and programming taking less time to accomplish).

Till next time, adopt some of the good sleep habits and see what a difference it can make in your quest to be a better you.

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2014-03-21 2:32 PM

O N THE CUT TING ROOM FLO O R

WH AT A LONG , STR A NG E TRIP IT’S B E E N

WITH MARC TR AVERS PHOTO BY JAMES LISSIMORE

remember back in my university days when my best bud Potts and I used to tree plant. When the season was over, the planting and all of the experiences we had kind of faded into a bit of a blur.

You worked really hard, partied really hard, made lots of money, and when it was over you went home. Sometimes it was hard to remember exactly what had happened. But one of my strongest memories from six summers of planting was something somebody wrote on the inside of our crew bus, just one of many scribblings that coated the walls and ceiling of the rig, a most memorable quote from the chorus of a Grateful Dead song, “What a long, strange trip it’s been…”. So pertinent, so apropos.

To me, this is exactly what it must have been like for our valiant Team Canada members as they finally touched down on their return to Canada; almost surreal in a way. When you are in the middle of it, you are just doing your thing, taking in the experience, trying to focus, concentrate, do the best you can with the task at hand. Then when you arrive home, you try to remember the details, and it all seems like a dream. I suppose, because in the year 2014 our lives are documented in a very different way than in the ‘80s. Video, photos, and phones make bringing the little details to life, but our memories are some of the most valuable pieces of the puzzle. Those are the ones we will carry with us.

I

“OUR WORLD HAS CHANGED. MOTCROSSERS ARE RACING TWELVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, MINOR HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE ON THE ICE TWELVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR, EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE IN HIGH GEAR, EVERY DAY OF EVERY WEEK…GO-GO-GO, OR YOU THINK YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND.”

GREYHOUND GAULDY… Pappa Genus and I have talked in depth about what he remembers, his experiences, what went right, what went wrong, what he will change for 2015, and just how proud he is of the team for their efforts. It is amazing how much has changed in as little as one year with respect to Team Canada and our visibility on the world stage. Sure, the results were not where we wanted them to be, we know we can do better, but I think the experience, including the years we went before, will do nothing but help Team Canada in the years to come. It’s like we planted a tree (ha, I knew it would make the full circle!!), one with strong roots. But what really is the difference? Not since 2007 in Budds Creek did Team Canada have such a professional pit, and to me that is the difference…a big difference. Having a pro pit does not equal success, but what it does do is provide riders with the type of environment they are used to, one that produces a level of calm, a level of focus. It starts with having the right equipment, the right tools, the right players on the team, the right space to operate, all of which were provided by a strong fundraising campaign and organization by its manager; a very solid foundation.

It will be interesting to see how fundraising will go for 2015, and I say this because this year had a bit of a novelty to it, one which got people behind, not only because of their passion for the sport but also because of Gauldy. He is a man of action and has made it happen. No disrespect to anybody in

114 M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E · M X P M A G . C O M

our previous team’s efforts but to do it right takes a certain dollar value commitment, and the bar has now been set. Be prepared to support in 2015, it’s right around the corner!!

“IT’S TIME TO ROCK – ROCK – ‘N ROLLA! Most great athletes say one of the best things they did as kids was play a different sport in their “off-season”. Wayne Gretzky was a baseball player in the summer, which he says did a lot for his hand eye coordination. Our world has changed. Motcrossers are racing twelve months of the year, minor hockey players are on the ice twelve months of the year, everyone seems to be in high gear, every day of every week…go-go-go, or you think you will be left behind. Well, I’m not an elite athlete but I do see my life as made of different parts that make up a whole (how very deep), so I’m really no different. When my MX life slows down in September, it’s all Rock ‘N Roll for the next nine months, and I couldn’t be happier… maybe you need to find your alter ego? It’s out there waiting for you. Hope to see you at a club real soon!

GOODNIGHT… Well, that is it for another issue. I have enjoyed my time with you here. You may like what I say, disagree, not care, or flip by this column, but if you did read it, I hope it gave you something to think about.

We’ll see you on the flip side… arrivederci!

Travers OUT!

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2014-03-05 5:28 PM

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