19.04 MXP Motocross Performance MXPMAG

C A N A D A’ S S O U R C E F O R M O T O C R O S S A N D O F F - R O A D

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$4.95

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T W E N T Y T W E N T Y A VA I L A B L E N O W.

THORMX .COM

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GOLD RUSH WAS FOUNDED IN 1975 BY BILL SCHOTT, A FORMER DRAG RACER AND ENGINEER. HE BUILT THE FIRST TRAILER IN HIS GARAGE TO HOUSE HIS BELOVED DRAG RACER “GOLD RUSH”. AND EVER SINCE, GOLD RUSH HAS BEEN BUILDING CUSTOM TRAILERS TO HOUSE SCREAMING MACHINES OF THUNDER THE WORLD OVER.

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CHANGING DIRT BIKE TIRES USED TO BE A PAIN IN THE YOU KNOW WHERE, UNTIL TWO ENDURO RIDING BUDDIES FOUNDED RABACONDA AND DEVELOPED THE FIRST USER FRIENDLY DEVICE FOR A THREE-MINUTE TIRE CHANGE. VICTORY GOES TO THE QUICK.

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INTERMEDIATE WOMAN INTERMEDIATE WOMAN NOVICE NOVICE A NOVICE B

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If the rider is ranked 1st, 2nd or 3rd amongst the other competitors in the selected class running front and rear Hoosier Tires they will receive payout regardless of their overall class placement.

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ROOST FACTORY DOLLARS

$2,000 10 REGISTERED RACERS ROOST FACTORY DOLLARS WILL BE PAID OUT TO

WHO ARE RUNNING HOOSIER MX TIRES AND HAVE MADE ADDITIONAL PURCHASES FROM THE ROOST FACTORY OF MOUSSES, TUBES, GOGGLES, ETC EQUALING $100.

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AFTER THRASHING IN THE MUD, BLOOD AND THE BEER, CAN YOU EVER GET ENOUGH OF THIS STUFF? WE DIDN’T THINK SO. CLEAN MACHINES JUST SEEM TO RUN BETTER, UNTIL THEY GET DIRTY, THEN THEY JUST GET MAD. YOU WILL ND PLENTY OF ZOOM CONCENTRATE IN THE FACTORY ROOST. AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT, MAYBE GIVE YOURSELF A SCRUB.

MAYBE IT’S OKAY TO GO BUTTER SIDE DOWN ON THE RACE COURSE. BUT WHEN HAULING THE ROAD SHOW FROM GIG TO GIG, NOTHING BEATS THE TOUGHEST TIE DOWN STRAPS AVAILABLE. JUST ANOTHER CRITICAL PART TO HAVE AS PART OF YOUR ROAD KIT.

WHAT’S CRAZIER THAT RACING MX? MAYBE SLAPPING ON THE BLADES AND RACING ON THE RED BULL CRASHED ICE CIRCUIT. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT TEAM LTD CO-OWNER SCOTT CROXALL DOES FOR FUN WHEN HE’S NOT PRODUCING THE TOP TEAM WEAR AVAILABLE.

2019-09-05 3:30 PM

COLTON FACCIOTTI

6-TIME

MOTOCROSS

MX1 450 CHAMPION DYLAN WRIGHT

1ST TIME

MOTOCROSS

MX2 250 CHAMPION

@M A R IN BIKE SCAN ADA

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COVER STORY

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MXTOUR WRAP-UP

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THE 2019 ECAN AND WCAN

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2019 WALTON TRANSCAN

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TIME FOR CHANGE PART 2

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THE MAN WHO LOVES RACING

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WHAT A SUMMER

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INDUSTRY PROFILE WITH SKIP NORFOLK

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FIVE TIMES A CHARM

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THIS DAD IS RAD

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MXP CHATTER WITH JESS PETTIS

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YOUNG AND ON THE RISE

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THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR

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MXP CHATTER

YOUNG PRESENTS

JESS

AND ON THE

RISE

PETTIS

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COLUMNS

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by Chris Pomeroy

With Eve Brodeur

by Dylan Wright

by Andy White

FEMALE PERSPECTIVE

Colton Facciotti Takes a bow The Final Grades

Amateur racing at its best Made for Motocross

Lawrence Hacking looks again at CMA’s legacy in Canada.

Mike McGill chats with Gerhart Huber about his passion for racing Roost Factory and Hoosier OffRoad recap their amazing summer Andy White sits down with this legend

Palms and Husqvarna team up for the Walton TransCan Claudie Lapointe talks to Jeff Gaynor Palms finds out what Jess Pettis is thinking after his difficult summer.

Palms profiles the talented Noah Viney James and Claudie tie the knot in BC

SPECIALS 10 EXPOSED 22 CAUGHT ON CAMERA

2019 Walton TransCan

24 FAMOUS LAST WORDS

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FEATURES

2019 MXTour Wrap-Up

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GUEST COLUMN

INSIDE LINE

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PHOTO BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

TECHNIQUE IS EVERYTHING Young Ryder McNabb demonstrates perfect form through a rutted Walton corner.

10 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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CHAMPIONS’ ROW All three of our 2019 MXTour Champions line up together after a tough summer. .

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ROOKIE SENSATION Sam Gaynor battled his way to 10th overall in the 450 class this summer.

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PHOTO BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

BEST SUMMER EVER Cade Clason rode to an impressive 5th overall in the 450 class this summer.

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Your bike deserves

THE BEST

Hand your engine over to an expert .

MOTORCROSS PERFORMANCE VOLUME 19, ISSUE 4

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES CALL: 416-633-1202

PUBLISHER: Charles Stancer/Mark Stallybrass V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING: Charles Stancer EDITOR: Chris Pomeroy SALES MANAGER: Al Jaggard SENIOR WRITERS: Brian Koster, Mike McGill SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Blake Breton STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: James Lissimore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: James Lissimore, Drew Robertson, Leticia Cline, Andy White, Matt Wellumson, Sean Poitras, Lawrence Hacking, Kate McKerroll CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Virgil Knapp, Clayton Racicot, Bill Petro, Matt Wellumson, Frank Hoppen, Summer Denzler, Mike Vizer COVER PHOTO: James Lissimore MXP has the exclusive rights to the MRC’s mailing list of racing license holders. Every MRC license holder from coast to coast receives and reads each issue of MXP. In addition to this exclusive list of readers, we are partnered with several motocross and off-road enthusiast organizations across the country including the FMSQ. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT: Charles Stancer 416-633-1202 charles@mxpmag.com mxpmag.com

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CAUGHT ON CAMERA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL FROM RACES AND EVENTS THROUGH OUT THE YEAR.

S Sometimes the best moments happen off of the track.

S The kids were well looked after at the Walton podium.

S Steve Beattie tells his rider to go out and win the first moto.

S Champions have all of the fun.

S Now this is one proud mom.

S This was definitely the proudest kid at Walton.

S If you look at this shirt for more than two seconds you’ll go blind.

S The look you give after it’s been a long summer.

S The look you give when you know the season is almost over.

S Dylan Wright’s mom was one happy lady at the final round.

S The work at the races is sometimes never done.

S When you finish tenth overall in the 450 class you have to be good at giving fist pumps.

20 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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M X 2 0 AVA i L A B L E N OW

AUSTIN FORKNER foxracing.ca

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CAUGHT ON CAMERA

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL FROM RACES AND EVENTS THROUGH OUT THE YEAR.

S When you’re sad that the MXTour is over.

S Tanner Ward was a busy guy at the 2019 Walton TransCan.

S Zebo gives his voice a well deserved rest.

S Everyone was smiling at Walton as Mother Nature was definitely kind this year.

S It took 18 seasons for Colton to finally meet his #1 fan.

S This guy’s been through more battles then we can count.

S Dowdy has a blast racing with the kids in Deschambault.

S Phil was happy to finally have his community service completed.

S Lissimore’s camera can get anyone to smile.

S The MXTour definitely misses this guy.

S Racing is Quebec makes everyone happy.

S Thumb’s up on one great summer.

22 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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PHOTOS DERRICK BUSCH

M X / X X AVA I L A B L E O N L I N E SHIF TMX .CA

22 Y E A R S O F P R O G R E SS I V E R E B E L L I O N . N O OT H E R B R A N D H AS B L E N D E D C U LT U R E W I T H C R A F T Q U I T E L I K E S H I F T. W I T H I N N OVAT I O N A N D D E S I G N T H AT E L E VAT E C O L L E C T I O N S TO N E W L E V E L S , W E ’ R E P R O U D O F T H E P R O D U C TS W E ’ V E O F F E R E D R I D E R S F O R OV E R T W O D E C A D E S .

W H AT M A D E U S C O N T I N U E S TO G U I D E U S . T H E P E R S O N AS T H AT H AV E I N S P I R E D S H I F T, A N D A L L O F U S T H AT P U L L A S H I F T J E R S E Y OV E R O U R H E A D , A R E E Q U A L LY AS I M P O R TA N T TO O U R F U T U R E ; A N D T H E P O SS I B I L I T I E S A R E E N D L E SS – F R O M N E W P R O D U C TS , TO N E W M O M E N TS T H AT W I L L D E F I N E M OTO C U LT U R E , TO R I D E R S N E W A N D O L D W H O P U S H T H E E N V E LO P E F U R T H E R .

E V E RY T I M E YO U T H R OW YO U R L E G OV E R A B I K E , YO U R P O SS I B I L I T I E S A R E E N D L E SS AS W E L L . E N D L E SS N E W L I N E S , E N D L E SS N E W WAYS TO A P P R OAC H E V E RY C O R N E R , W H O O P A N D J U M P L I N E . S O, L E T ’S R I D E TO G E T H E R I N O U R P U R S U I T O F C R E AT I V E F R E E D O M A N D T H E E N D L E SS W O R S H I P O F S P E E D .

PHOTOS DERRICK BUSCH

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2019-06-24 1:24 PM

FAMOUS LAST WORDS WITH CHRIS POMEROY

“WHEN I THINK BACK TO ALL OF THE RACING THAT I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO WITNESS, I AM STILL AMAZED AT THE LEVEL OF TALENT WE HAVE COMPETING ON CANADIAN SOIL, BOTH IN THE AMATEUR RANKS AS WELL AS IN THE PRO CLASS.”

60 DAYS OF JOY PHOTOS BY JAM E S LI SSI MOR E

I

want to start this column off with a rather sad story that came from a conversation I had a few weeks ago with someone. We were talking about our summer and how we spent the past two months.

We were also talking about our kids returning to school and all of the things that come with that. Unlike me, this individual was excited for their kids to get back to school as all summer they were bored and the kids were driving everyone nuts. I hadn’t gotten through describing our month of July before I had to stop myself. My summer was the exact opposite of this person’s, because each September I really dislike when it’s time for my son to go back to school. I felt bad for having such a great story to tell while there’s was a little depressing.

Regardless of whether you compete in a sport or if you like to travel around, I think it’s so important to build memories with loved ones.

As you can tell, this past summer was great as my family and I spent it having fun at motocross tracks and baseball fields. From Gopher Dunes, back in early July for Round 4 of the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series MXTour, to Labour Day weekend in Michigan at the Baja Brawl, our summer was a whirlwind of motocross fun. In between those two races, we travelled to Ottawa, Moncton, Quebec and Walton Raceway. All in all, we put about 8,000 Km on our truck.

When I think back to all of the racing that I was lucky enough to witness, I am still amazed at the level of talent we have competing on Canadian soil, both in the amateur ranks as well as in the Pro class. We are truly blessed in this country to have so many dedicated riders and families.

On the amateur side of things, it was good to see that the amateur days at the MXTour Nationals were much better attended this summer. Making these races part of the local region’s provincial events was a good idea as it gave riders more incentive to attend. Moving the WCAN to Kamloops worked out great as entries were up and the racing was incredible. I’m not sure what it is about the Whispering Pines Track, but it almost always produces some great racing. I feel like this track is just begging for our pro nationals to return there. The ECAN in Deschambault was again a little light on race entries, but with one of the best tracks in Canada and some very good riders in attendance, it was still another amazing event. Two weeks after the ECAN was the 2019 Walton TransCan where the top amateur riders from across Canada spent four days battling it out.

The racing was obviously entertaining, the Walton vibe was back, and in a rare occurrence, Mother Nature was content to just watch from afar. Our sport needed a good rebound year in amateur motocross and thankfully we got it.

While our amateur riders were battling it out on the track this summer, so we our pro riders. After three rounds out west in June, the MXTour Series headed into the hot summer with its final five rounds.

First up was Gopher Dunes, which was its usual suffer fest. The following weekend was perhaps the toughest round of the series as Sand Del Lee was about a million degrees on race day. If you recall, Round 5 was a series changer as not only was there great racing but also some serious drama off the track as well. Thankfully after that, everyone behaved themselves during the final three rounds, and when all of the dust settled, both Dylan Wright and Colton Facciotti came out on top. This was Dylan’s first pro outdoor championship and it was sure fun to watch him dominate throughout the series. For Colton Facciotti, this was his sixth 450 championship, and although this one didn’t come easy at all, he really was the smartest and most consistent rider of the series. Now Colton gets to ride off into the sunset exactly on his terms, exactly how he envisioned he would. It has sure been an amazing career for Facciotti, one that began so long ago that it’s hard to even fathom how many races he’s lined up for since turning pro. MXP is extremely honoured to put Colton on the cover of this issue.

His career has most certainly not been as easy as he’s made it look. However, he never gave up and his mental toughness

was as impressive to watch as his riding on the track. He definitely leaves some very big boots to fill in the 450 class, and I cannot wait to see which rider steps up in 2020 to fill them.

With the summer of 2019 officially behind us, we now look forward to the Montreal SX and the remaining rounds of the SXTour. The Montreal SX is always a special event as everyone loves travelling to this city. There still remain a few more amateur races in every region across Canada as fall riding is so enjoyable. Before we know it, winter will be upon us and all that we’ll have are memories of our glorious summer.

I hope everyone reading this issue has experienced the same amount of joy that I did this summer. Time goes by so fast, and when all is said and done, all we have are memories. Well, cheers to the summer of 2019, and let’s also raise our glass to Colton Facciotti and his incredible career.

24 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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FEMALE PERSPECTIVE WITH EVE BRODEUR

MAKING MEMORIES

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK “WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?” AS MOTOCROSS RACERS, WE IMMEDIATELY THINK OF THE NEXT BIG RACE ON OUR SCHEDULE. IT’S JUST WHAT WE DO. BUT IF THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE TAUGHT ME ANYTHING, IT’S THAT THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST RACING. NOW, DON’T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE RACING AND I’M FAR FROM BEING DONE, BUT I’VE COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN THAT. SO, IN MY CASE, THE NEXT BIG THING ON MY SCHEDULE WOULD BE FINISHING COLLEGE. SURE, I’LL BE AT SOME OF THE SX ROUNDS AND OTHER RACES UNTIL THE END OF THE SEASON, BUT WITH OUTDOOR NATIONALS BEING OVER, IT’S TIME TO COMMIT TO SCHOOL AND WORK AGAIN.

T

hat’s just how it’s been for me the past few years. I either spend all my time training to be as fast as possible on the bike or studying to get the best grades I can. I won’t lie, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve had to make sacrifices I never thought I’d have to make, like getting into med school for example, but when I take a step back I realize that it all played in my favour. I wouldn’t be the racer I am today if it wasn’t for school and vice versa. We often see people choosing one or the other, but it’s never been an option for me.

I’ve dreamed of being a champion ever since I can remember. I accomplished that dream for the first time in 2014 at only 14 years old. Back then, I

don’t think I realized what it meant. I didn’t realize everything that came with being at the top and I think I took it for a granted a little bit. A few championships later, I can tell you for sure that every single championship I’ve won and lost has brought me something special. Now, I know a lot more. I know that winning is only the tip of the iceberg, which I didn’t know before because my Dad took care of everything. I know all the work it takes to be at the top. And to stay there. So much happens behind the scenes and none of this would’ve been possible without my Dad. I’ve done my best over the years to be a rider people could look up to. To not only be the champ but also the people’s champ, like my Dad’s always said. I remember looking up to racers like Jolene Van Vugt and Heidi Cooke when I was

PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

younger. I wanted to be just like them.

Now, I can only hope that the little girls out there think the same thing about me. They are the future of our sport and I wish them all the best.

Women’s motocross on the east side of Canada has been looked after, behind the scenes, by my Dad for many years now. Sylvain and girls like Claudie Lapointe, Leah Clarke, Kelcey Jones, myself and many others have helped make it into what it is today. Jetwerx’s implication has made a world of difference too.

Hopefully, its legacy will continue on long enough for the next generation to get the same opportunities that we did and even more.

This summer has been crazy to say the least. We travelled all the way from BC to NB and visited every province in between. I think it’s safe to say that I’ve made memories I’ll never forget and friendships that will last for a long time.

It wasn’t all fun though. It was also really demanding. We had to leave straight after my last final exam in May and barely made it in time (the last few hours on the tow truck) for the first round in Calgary.

After that, we were on the road for over a month in our little funmover. Then, we got home and it was time to get ready for the east coast.

Going to race the west was one of the best decisions we ever made. It was so fun to race new tracks, new girls and travel to places I had never been to before since it was my first time on the west coast. I had a hard time adjusting to the hard pack dirt of Calgary since we don’t ride anything like it around here, but once I got to more familiar soil, I was able to fully enjoy the experience. It’s something that’s already on our calendar for next year.

Now for the east coast. I don’t even know where to begin. It was the hardest championship I’ve raced so far, for sure. It was so hard on me mentally, emotionally and physically. I can’t even begin to explain what it feels like to lose a championship you’ve put so much effort into by just one point. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve looked back at each and every one of those four rounds and asked myself what I could’ve done differently. But it is what it is. You learn from your mistakes and you look at the bright side. I had such a nasty crash that could have been life ending at Sand Del Lee and got up with only a few scratches.

It was my first time not making it on the WMX podium in years. I won 5 out of 8 motos, 3 out of 4 overalls, but with such a short series I wasn’t able to catch up after a bad weekend. The industry showed me so much support. I thank every single one of you who reached out to me and told me you had my back. It made such a big difference. And through it all, I know that I can keep my head up high knowing that I stayed true to my values and that I did my best. It just wasn’t enough this year and that’s part of the game.

So what’s next you ask? Well, I will definitely be back to claim that #1 again. I will finish college and go to university to get my masters in either physical therapy or occupational therapy. I will live my best life and have fun. I will see you all at the Montreal Supercross on September 14th!

“I’VE DREAMED OF BEING A CHAMPION EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. I ACCOMPLISHED THAT DREAM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2014 AT ONLY 14 YEARS OLD.”

26 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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2019-07-09 9:38 AM

GUEST COLUMN WITH DYLAN WRIGHT

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FEELING PHOTOS BY JAM E S LI SSI MOR E

THE MX TOUR HAS COME AND GONE. ANOTHER SUMMER OF RACING IS BEHIND US. TO BE HONEST, HAVING THE OUTDOOR RACING SERIES COME TO AN END ACTUALLY TAKES A LOT OF WEIGHT OFF OUR SHOULDERS AS ATHLETES. THE MX SERIES IS PARTICULARLY HUGE FOR US, BECAUSE THE HIGHEST DEMANDS AND EXPECTATIONS FROM SPONSORS AND MANUFACTURERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTDOOR COMPONENT OF THE ROCKSTAR TRIPLE CROWN SERIES. AS A RESULT, THIS IS WHEN WE AS RIDERS FEEL THE MOST PRESSURE TO PERFORM AND WIN. HAVING SAID THAT, EVERY TIME I LINE UP TO RACE, WHETHER IT BE AX, MX OR SX, I LINE UP TO WIN! BUT IT’S ONE THING TO WANT TO WIN AND ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY DO IT!

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s a kid, it was always such a big dream and goal of mine to grow up to be a professional motocross racer. This dream came true for me when I turned pro in 2014 when I was 16 years old. This followed 10 years of chasing amateur championships, which didn’t happen for me until 2012 and 2013. I experienced many years of heartbreak and defeat before I finally learned what it felt like to be a champion and to be awarded the prestigious Bronze Boot. This was pretty much the happiest, most excited I had ever been as a racer.

While I allowed myself to enjoy the moment for a little while, I realized that my goal of winning an amateur championship was achieved and that it was time to set even bigger goals. I’m the

kind of person who like to always have something to work towards. I strive to set goals that both challenge me but are attainable. I like to set a target that I can keep in sight and continuously strive for. It’s what keeps me always pushing and searching for every possible way to get myself to the next level.

Well … when it comes to motocross, the next level for me was to turn pro.

Every amateur racer dreams of joining the pro ranks and to be challenging for podiums, wins and championships.

When I turned pro, my first goal was to win a moto. Once that happened, I wanted to win an overall. When I achieved that, I set my goals on winning a championship in the 250 class. As was the case in my amateur career, it took me a few years to get it done as a pro but I finally achieved my championship goal. The sheer joy, excitement and exhilaration I

felt in 2013 swept over me once again in 2019. As I pulled on to the podium with my winning bike and proceeded with the traditional championship burn-out, success never tasted so sweet!

It’s no secret that this championship didn’t come easily to me, despite having worked my butt off over the past six years. So much needs to come together to enjoy success. Not only do you need to be physically and mentally prepared, you must be in the battle every single weekend and be fighting for podiums and wins (something I think I’ve managed to do pretty well for some time now). The missing key to success for me was to be consistent and keep the bad motos to a minimum (something I finally managed to do this year!). It took me a long time to figure out that you have to be strategic, that you don’t always have to be the fastest guy on the track, and that on the weekends when you’re not, you have to make the best of situations you are faced with.

Lord knows that anything can happen in racing. You need a certain amount of luck on your side to fight for a championship. During my pro career, so far, I’ve had my share of bad luck but I also have to admit that Lady Luck has also smiled down on me. There were a couple times this season when things could’ve gone very wrong for me, but luckily … they didn’t!

We all know that DNFs, crashes, injuries and other racing issues are

“IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT THAT YOU HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC, THAT YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THE FASTEST GUY ON THE TRACK.”

possible, but championships are the result of a perfect marriage between the rider, his bike, his mechanic and his team. That’s why I want to give a huge shout-out to my mechanic Kyle Ward who didn’t let one mechanical hurt our title fight this season. I also have to give kudos to Honda Canada for producing such an amazing bike for me to race.

And finally, I want to thank my team for putting together such a strong program for me, including amazing sponsors who provided us with the gear, motors, parts and financial support to make our race season possible. I really think that everything fell into place this year, and not only because of me but because of everybody in my circle who helped make my dream come true.

With an AX and MX championship under my belt, 2019 has undeniably been a season of racing that I will never forget! Winning a championship feels amazing! It feels so good to know that, for a moment in time, you were the best at something you love to do!

And here we are again; I’ve achieved another important goal in my career and must now set my sights on a new objective. With the championship now over, I’ve turned my attention to supercross and to next year. I’ve had some time to reflect on the series so far. I’ve put some thought into the things that I did very well and that should be repeated, and I’ve also reflected on the things that I could improve on and do differently in the years to come.

You may be tempted to think that this was a pretty good season and that there is little I should change, but I strive for perfection and recognize that I still have a long way to go to get to that point. Winning is addictive; it makes you crave it and want it more. I thrive on that winning feeling. It’s an important motivator that makes all the hard work worthwhile.

So…about next year’s goal. The biggest question I’ve been asked since the end of the MX season is if I’m going to stay in the 250 class to defend my title or move up to the 450 class. Some say that with Colton retiring, the natural thing to do would be to move up and take his spot. Others say, why not stay down and try to have another season like I did this year? Both options have their merits. It’s proving to be a challenging decision for me and my team.

I wish I had an answer for you, but as I submit this article, I’m two weeks away from the Canadian supercross rounds and the completion of the Rockstar Energy Drink Triple Crown Series in the 250 class. What I can confirm for next year is that I will most definitely be riding a red machine and that, no matter what class I line up in, I will do everything possible to be on the top of the podium, chasing my championship dreams.

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ible professional racing career has finally come to its conclusion. With his third overall at Walton Raceway, Colton also clinched his 6th 450 Canadian National Championship, one more than his former Blackfoot Yamaha teammate JSR. It has most certainly been a long and successful career for the BC native, one that may never be matched by any Canadian rider in the future. While Colton’s numerous race wins and titles will stand out, we cannot forget the injuries and set backs that Colton has also had to endure throughout the past 18 seasons.

He is not just the Canadian motocross poster child for success, but he also exemplifies sheer determination and resiliency. In fact, his Team Manager and close friend Derek Schuster once told me that Colton’s greatest attribute is not his riding ability or his race craft, it’s his mental strength that puts him above the competition. As we look back at this past summer how Colton won his 6th Championship, perhaps it was that mental strength that helped him the most?

Unlike last year when Colton Facciotti was on a level above all of his fellow riders in the 450 class, in 2019 we definitely saw a lot more parity as more than a couple of riders were able to match Colton’s speed on any given weekend. At the opening round in Calgary, Colton won the first moto but struggled in Moto 2, and Cole Thompson took the win. A week

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ONS OTIACE: M E E LR H TH INA ED WITF HIS F G O WISFH TO LIN F A O E D OF IND ON LT I K WEEK EEKS

AU A TO AMB’T HAVE AT TWO W H C S H I WANTEIDNAL N E T D D I .

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later in Prince George, Colton took the overall win after splitting race wins with Phil Nicoletti. Having never raced Nicoletti before, Colton quickly found out in PG that Phil was most likely going to be his biggest challenger all summer long. With every championship run there are always a few motos that stand out as difference makers. The second 450 moto in PG was one of those motos for Colton as he took the lead early and then had to fend off a very determined Nicoletti for 30 minutes.

With Nicoletti parked right on the rear tire of Colton waiting for a mistake, our multi-time champion never put a wheel wrong and took the moto win. When asked after the race about his incredible performance, Colton calmly said, “I knew he was there but I just focused on the track. Once we hit the 20-minute mark there was no way he was getting by me.”

That mental fortitude that Derek Schuster was talking about was on full display in that moto.

After a solid second place in the cold mud of Manitoba - conditions that Colton absolutely hates by the way - the MXTour moved east to the sand and the heat of

Gopher Dunes. Having held the red plate since the opening round, Colton was in no frame of mind to give it up, especially at his GDR Fox Honda Team’s home race.

However, with years of wear and tear and perhaps the stress of 2019 being his final year of racing, Colton’s body felt like doing anything but racing. Battling severe neck pain, Colton soldiered through the difficult Gopher Dunes round with a mediocre fourth overall. It would end up being his worst finish of the 2019 MXTour Series, and one that perhaps allowed his competition to think that Colton was showing signs of weakness.

With just eight motos remaining in his pro racing career, Colton entered Round 5 in Sand Del Lee with a big target on his back. Both Nicoletti and Mike Alessi sensed that Colton was suffering and that it was time to strike. But just like he has done so many times in his long career, Colton won the opening moto, take advantage of other riders’ mistakes, and go on to take the overall victory for the day. On a race day that featured extreme temperatures, a rough track and drama both on and off of the track, Colton barely

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BEE HINK AS JUS Y ITELRYNEY. I TN LL IW N I F DE G JOU PRO A DIDN’T REA S A “IT HRESTIN T TURN WHO D INING. I ND INTEN I FIRSTTLE KIDOUT TRAD RODE AG. B IN N WHEOTTY LIH ING A UT A NYTH ITH A SNW ANYT S WENT OABOUT AGET ON W D KNOT ALWAYLY CARE BLE TO E AROUANND A B L S JU ’T REA I WAS AND D, JSR ED DIDNNKFULLYOOT TEAJMOE SKIDLY HELPE THA LACKF E LIKE Y REAL G IN TH ET IM THEABT PEOPGLAN]. THGEET GOIN HEM NING GREIR [MOR RE AND ROUGH THIS TRAOI BLA O MATU ION. TH D WITH O GET TMY T ME TT DIRECTLICK AN ABLE EETINGNT AS RIGHD SCHUMCE I WASALLY, MP ORTA ND TOD GUIDANVEL. FINVERY IM CUSED SA. AND HER LE N WAS T ME FOE YEAR ANOETJOCELYHAS KEPOF THESD A LIFE ITH WIF REALLY OR ALL CREATE RACK WEAT SHE IVATED FE HAVEOM THE T ANY GR E TB MOTETHER WWAY FR S AND M LDN’ U D A I G O K O R W T THE BLE ELY TOGEINCREDIIDEFINITT HER.” U O TW ORIES. WITHO MEMRE I AM WHE HIS ON

broke a sweat as he extended his points lead.

From there it was relatively smooth sailing through Round 6 in Moncton and the following weekend in Quebec. Colton basically took what each track and each race gave him as he marched towards his sixth title.

When the riders and teams arrived at Walton Raceway for the final round, all Colton had to do was finish inside the Top 5 in both motos, regardless of who won. For a rider that has had more podiums than anyone in Canadian motocross history, that task just seemed like a walk in the park. With the weight of not just a championship but also his impending retirement, the mental exertion of the final round far exceeded the physical one. After a solid second in the opening moto, all Colton had to do was go out in Moto 2 and ride the way he has for 18 years. In the end that is exactly what he did. Although he wanted to win the final moto of his career, his second-place finish was more than enough to secure the 2019 450 championship and send our Canadian MX King off in royal style.

With all that happened at the end of last year in Quebec City, as well as the weight of his final season resting firmly on his shoulders, Colton knew full well that this would indeed be his most challenging summer. With only three moto wins and two overalls, some people, including Colton, would say that he definitely played it smart. Regardless of how many wins he achieved in 2019, the most important thing is that he not only won the 450 title but also remained healthy and can now ride off into the sunset on his terms. There are not a lot of top athletes from any sport that have done that! Congratulations Colton Facciotti on a great year and an incredible career.

The sport will miss you and the way you’ve conducted yourself both on and off the track.

Take a bow Colton, it’s sure been fun!

: EER AND CAR ONG ACK TO G L N A O B N L T

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The Final Grades

2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series Recap

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eople are always saying each and every year how fast the summer goes by, but it honestly feels like just yesterday that we were all sitting in Calgary and impatiently waiting for the gate to drop on the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series. Yes, time flies when you’re having fun and we definitely had fun this summer.

From Calgary in early in June to Walton in late August, the riders battled hard in every type of track condition imaginable. Round 1 was hard packed and slippery, Round 3 was muddy, and as we headed east the riders had to deal with sand and hot temperatures. The moment they thought they’d seen it all, something new was thrown at them. During the eight rounds we encountered just about everything and when all was said and done, we watched Colton Facciotti win his sixth 450 Championship and his teammate Dylan Wright win his first. It was an entertaining few months, and with our kids headed back to school we thought now would be a good time to grade the Top 5 riders from the 450 class and 250 class on their performances in the 2019 MXTour Series.

450 CLASS:

B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

1. Colton Facciotti:

A+

I thought last summer we saw the best version of Colton Facciotti that we’ve ever seen on Canadian soil. Since he raced the AXTour Series to start in 2018, he came into the MXTour sharp as a knife and his raw speed was incredible. This year, his first race of the season wasn’t until the opening round in Calgary, and although he was in shape, he was a tiny bit off last year’s speed. However, with the weight of his final season on his shoulders, Colton rode great all summer and did exactly what he needed to do to win his sixth 450 title.

When your worst day was a 4-4 at Gopher Dunes you know you’ve had a pretty good series. I know it’s been said many times since the final round at Walton Raceway, but what a career and what an amazing way to finish it up. Congratulations Colton and good luck in the future.

“HOWEVER, WITH THE WEIGHT OF HIS FINAL SEASON ON HIS SHOULDERS, COLTON RODE GREAT ALL SUMMER AND DID EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO TO WIN HIS SIXTH 450 TITLE.”

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2. Mike Alessi:

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When you look back at Mike Alessi’s summer you have to think what a difference our two coasts made in the title chase. Out west, Mike was steady and he was able to get his usual great starts, but his speed and fitness didn’t appear to be there.

But once the series moved east, Mike was like a different rider and he quickly became a championship threat. Take away Mike’s penalty in Sand Del Lee and the championship would have been even closer than it ended up being. In the end, Mike rode great and he should be happy with both his speed and consistency.

3. Phil Nicoletti:

A

Coming into the 2019 MXTour Series, the biggest question surrounding Phil Nicoletti was how quickly he could learn our tracks. As with every new rider to our series (with the exception of Davi Millsaps), they struggle with how our Canadian tracks are set-up. However, if you look at Phil’s early rounds, the only track he had trouble with was Manitoba where it was cold and muddy, plus he ran into some bad luck. Once the series moved to the heat and humidity of the east, Phil was very good. If it wasn’t for his awful day at Sand Del Lee, then he and Colton most likely would’ve battled for the title during the final moto of the series at Walton. Phil knows he made a few mistakes this summer that cost him some very important points. My bet is that he comes back next year and picks up right where he left off in the final two rounds.

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4. Cole Thompson:

B+

I think when Cole Thompson analyzes his 2019 MXTour Series, he’s probably going be scratching his head and trying to figure out what the heck happened? When he won the second moto in Calgary, he made it look so easy that many thought it would be the start of a special summer for Cole.

The next weekend in Prince George, Cole was leading the first moto when his chain fell off. The next weekend he took the early lead in the mud, only to fall on the opening lap and drop back to 11th. After that he battled a very sore back and then a massive crash at Round 7 in Quebec, which caused him to DNF the second moto. In between the mishaps, Cole rode great, and at the final round he got a little redemption with a moto win. Coming into this summer I know Cole was confident that he would challenge for this title, so he must be disappointed with how everything turned out. However, that’s racing and Cole will most certainly come back stronger than ever in 2020.

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5. Cade Clason:

The Final Grades

Nothing against Cade Clason and his riding abilities but he’s definitely one of the surprises of the 2019 MXTour Series. Other than two lackluster finishes in the opening two rounds of the series, Cade was super consistent all summer and it was good to see him rewarded with a solid 5th overall.

I want to say that Cade’s luck changed the moment he started writing his weekly column for mxpmag.com, but that is a difficult theory to prove. Anyway, Cade is one of the nicest guys in the paddock and I don’t think there is one other rider who isn’t happy to that he finished so well this summer.

With a full off-season of racing and training ahead, Cade should come back in 2020 and be even better.

2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series Recap

250 CLASS: “LIKE JESS PETTIS LAST YEAR, DYLAN WAS ON ANOTHER LEVEL IN 2019 AND WAS REWARDED WITH HIS FIRST EVER PRO OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP.”

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1. Dylan Wright:

A+

If there was a grade higher than an A+ I think I’d give it to Dylan for his performance this summer. Like Jess Pettis last year, Dylan was on another level in 2019 and was rewarded with his first ever pro outdoor championship.

If you recall, Dylan started off the year with an AXTour title, so you could say that this was definitely Dylan Wright’s year.

If you look back at Dylan’s 250 series, he really could’ve taken all eight overalls. At the opening round he won the first moto and then had some bad luck in Moto 2. At Round

6-10: Once you get outside of the Top 5 in the 450 class, we get some well-known names, for sure.

Keylan Meston started off the series surprisingly slow in the western rounds but then improved a lot in the east. His 5th overall at Walton was his best finish of the summer and he probably wished at that point that he had more rounds. Ryan Dowd plugged away throughout the summer to finish 7th overall. It was great to see Li’l Dowdy do the entire series; hopefully he comes back and can get a little support from Suzuki Canada. Shawn Maffenbeier was 8th overall after missing two rounds with an injury. Matt Goerke had just about everything go wrong this summer, which is why he finished in 9th. His dominating win in the mud at Round 3 was very impressive to watch though.

Goerk-sauce will be back in 2020 and will be back on the podium, for sure. Young Sam Gaynor rounds out the Top 10 with a very impressive rookie campaign. Sam was consistently steady and had some really good rides at the eastern rounds. Sam is a good 450 rider but I can’t help but wonder how he’d do next year in the 250 class now that he has some experience.

2, he was leading the first moto when his bike started to disintegrate under him when his sub-frame broke.

He still finished 4th in that race and then came back and won Moto 2. The next week in Manitoba, Dylan actually won the race but was penalized for cutting the track. From there he dominated, and with the exception of Pettis, no other 250 rider was even close. The future is very bright for Dylan and it will be interesting how next year goes with him now being the leader of the GDR Fox Honda Team.

2. Jess Pettis:

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Coming into the 2019 MXTour Series, doctors advised Pettis that he shouldn’t race until his arm had healed. However, Pettis didn’t want to just give away points so he took the chance and lined up at Round 1 in Calgary. Looking back, this was a good decision as throughout the early rounds Pettis was fast and consistent and even took the win at his home track in Prince George. Unfortunately, a bad race at Round 3, a DNF at Round 8, and some unreal riding by Dylan Wright kept Pettis from defending his 2018 250 MXTour title. Looking back, Pettis feels like he learned a lot about racing and about himself this summer, and now he’s focused on the future.

Something tells me that we haven’t witnessed the last Wright/Pettis battle as these two young guns are going to be around for a long time.

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3. Tyler Medaglia:

A

Before the 2019 season began, I was excited to see that Tyler Medaglia was going to race in the 250 class again. But I was definitely a little skeptical that Tyler would be able to battle with the kids in this class.

However, he proved me wrong as Tyler held his own and made all of the 30-year-old riders in Canada proud. He came back from outside of the Top 20 to finish second in the mud at Round 3, he led a few motos in the east, and then he capped off the 2019 series with a solid second overall at the final round. Even though he’s moving back to the 450 class next year, Tyler should be very proud of his performance this summer.

The Final Grades

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4. Marshal Weltin:

New to Canada in 2019, Marshal Weltin came into 2019 with a lot of experience and some good results overseas in the MXGP Series. Weltin started the 250 series strong with a win at Round 2 and a solid third in the mud at Round 3. An unfortunate 11th at Round 5 in Sand Del Lee really cost Weltin as he slipped out of the Top 3 in the point standings. I love the way Weltin rides; he’s very smooth and precise. Hopefully he’ll be back in 2020, and with a year of experience under his belt he can take a run at the title.

2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series Recap

6-10:

5. Tanner Ward

B+

When you look back at Tanner Ward’s MXTour series it appears like he was right on the cusp of having an incredible summer. There were times when Tanner was running near the front and then for whatever reason he slipped back out of a podium position. When the series moved east, Tanner rented a house with his teammate, Pettis, so they could train together. He also made a few bike changes and began to feel more confident. During the final few rounds, Tanner scored some good points and moved himself inside the Top 5 in the final standings.

Tanner is still young and he’s improving each year. I think he can be a championship contender in 2020, as long as he believes in himself.

With the 250 class being so competitive, breaking into the Top 5 definitely wasn’t easy. Marco Cannella, who was racing in his sophomore season, ended up in 6th overall. I’m not sure what was up with Marco this summer. At times he was blazing fast and was in for a podium position, then at other times he looked as though he lacked intensity. A fourth overall at the final round was a great way to end the series. Luke Renzland ended up 7th overall after getting injured at Walton and not scoring any points. Renzland had five podiums this summer but still only finished 7th. This guy is fast and should be a championship contender in 2020. Westen Wrozyna had a solid summer, and good on him for making it to every round. Westen and his brother Cameron are good guys and they try extremely hard. The series needs riders like this to compete at every round and I hope the Wrozyna brothers are back in 2020. Josh Osby ended up in 9th overall after pretty much missing the final three rounds. Ontario rider Quinn Amyotte gave it everything he had during his rookie year to finish in 10th. Like Gaynor in the 450 class, Amyotte was in his rookie year and rode great from start to finish. His 8th overall at the final showed that this kid has the speed to run up front in the 250 class next year. The 250 teams will definitely have a hard time next year trying to figure out who to sign as there is a great crop of young riders to choose from.

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R I D E

I N

T H E

C O M P A N Y

O F

L E G E N D S

a NEW MORE POWERFUL ENGINE • NEW STRONGER BRAKES • NEW COIL-SPRING FORK ©2019 Canadian Kawasaki Motors Inc. Always ride responsibly. Always ride within the limits of your skills, your experience and your machine. Wear an approved helmet and protective clothing.

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THE 2019 ECAN AND WCAN B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY A N D K E V I N L E F E B V R E / P H O T O S B Y A N D M X P S TA F F

THE SANDY DESCHAMBAULT MX TRACK HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY YEARS HOSTING MOTOCROSS RACES IN QUEBEC. ALTHOUGH THE LAYOUT HAS CHANGED A LITTLE FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS AND THE TREES HAVE NATURALLY GROWN TALLER AND THICKER, THE TRACK STILL REMAINS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE PROVINCE. THE MODERN-DAY VERSION OF THIS STORIED TRACK IS MOST CERTAINLY A RIDER’S FAVOURITE. WITH ITS FAST BUT SAFE LEFT-HAND START THAT LEADS INTO TWO RATHER LARGE TABLETOPS, FROM THE MOMENT THE GATE DROPS ALL OF THE RIDERS ARE TESTED. FROM THERE, YOU RIDE THROUGH A VERY TIGHT SWITCHBACK SECTION BEFORE HITTING THE FAMOUS DESCHAMBAULT RHYTHM SECTION. AFTER THAT THE RIDERS MAKE A FASTMOVING LEFT HAND TURN BEFORE HEADING INTO THE PICTURESQUE BACK SECTION. THIS IS WHERE THE FUN REALLY BEGINS AS THE RIDERS BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE ALL OF THE ELEVATION CHANGES THIS TRACK OFFERS. BY THE TIME ONE LAP HAS BEEN COMPLETED AT DESCHAMBAULT, YOU’VE CHANGED ELEVATION APPROXIMATELY TEN TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE TWOMINUTE PLUS LAP. THROW IN THE SANDY AND LOAMY SOIL AND YOU HAVE ONE OF THE BEST TRACKS IN CANADA AND THE PERFECT PLACE TO HOLD THE EASTERN CANADIAN MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS, OR THE ECAN AS EVERYONE CALLS IT.

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S The KTM podium was where every rider wanted to be at the ECAN.

S Almost all of the OEMs were at the ECAN to support their amateur riders.

S The Deschamabult start is very exciting.

S Mathieu Gervais did

another great job on the mic.

ECAN

“The 2019 ECAN featured riders from all over Eastern Canada, as well as a few from the Northeastern USA, which made each class extremely competitive.”

S Jamie Powell was fast all week in Quebec, and he ended up winning the Yamaha Factory Rider Award.

T

he promoters of the ECAN were looking for a bounce back year in 2019 as last year the entries had dropped off considerably. For both financial and political reasons, many Quebec riders and their families decided to stay home rather than attend the 2018 ECAN. Thankfully, though, a strong Ontario presence help keep the entry numbers decent, and this year many of those riders were back at Deschambault ready to compete. There was also a host of OEM’s at the ECAN all week long, providing support for the amateur riders. Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and KTM all had their factory teams on site and the ECAN participants were thankful for that. From the moment you arrived at the track on Tuesday for sign-up and opening ceremonies, the paddock was packed and there a very cool vibe in the air. Finally, after a year’s worth of anticipation, the 2019 ECAN was here and everyone was excited to hit the track.

Again, racing in Quebec is always a unique experience as not only are you dealing with new faces and different competition, but there is also the challenge of having to deal with a different language. Over the years it has become much easier to navigate through Quebec without speaking one

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word of French, but at the races you do still experience a few situations where it helps to at least know a few French words. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a number of countries where English isn’t the first language and I’ve always considered it a cool challenge to try to figure things out.

Being at the ECAN is no different as you can always figure things out, and it definitely adds to the excitement of attending a motocross event outside of Ontario.

The 2019 ECAN featured riders from all over Eastern Canada, as well as a few from the Northeastern USA, which made each class extremely competitive. With this event giving the riders longer than normal motos, to find success you had to be both fast and fit.

To me, this is how an important race like the ECAN should be. Long motos, a host of good riders in each class, and a great track on which to race.

In talking with many of the families that travelled to Deschambault from Ontario, this is what they love about the ECAN. With racing these days getting more and more expensive, all families want is their money’s worth when they decide to go and race. With three 20-minute motos in each class

over the course of three days, nobody was complaining that they didn’t get enough track time at the ECAN. Each year at this event there is always one or two riders that really stand out. This year those two riders were Jeremy McKie in the Intermediate class and Sebastien Racine in the Supermini class. Both riders were fast all week long and on Friday evening they were awarded with massive championship trophies. Another rider who was on the throttle in Deschambault was Ontario Intermediate rider Jamie Powell, who ended up winning the Yamaha Factory Rider Award at the end of the week. Powell is another talented graduate of the MX101 Yamaha program and he’s looking to following in the footsteps of Dylan Wright. Having raced the 250 Pro/Am class during the eastern half of the 2019 MXTour, Powell has gained both speed and the appreciation for how much work it takes to run up front in the Pro class. At the ECAN, his speed and fitness were very impressive, so look for good things from Jamie Powell in the future.

All in all, it was a great week at the ECAN, and once again Daniel Thibault and his crew did an excellent job.

S The Deschambault

track was once again a great host for the 2019 ECAN.

If you’re looking for a well run and worthwhile event to attend in 2020, the ECAN in Deschambault is definitely a race to try. The track is great, the racing is always entertaining, and with Quebec City just 45 minutes to the east, there are endless sightseeing possibilities. Last year my family and I went to Old Quebec City for the evening to look around and to have dinner. If you decide to attend the ECAN next year, we will most certainly see you there as it’s become an event that I don’t want to miss. See you there next year and Viva Quebec!

S Jeremy McKie entertained his hometown fans all week.

S At times the ruts were deep at the ECAN.

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WCAN In British Columbia, Kamloops is arguably the one city most synonymous with action sports. It is the city that is often referred to as the “Tournament Capital of Canada,” hosting over 100 sporting tournaments per year, and it boasts having a world-renowned sports center for athletes to train and compete. So, it is not surprising that Kamloops has also had a long affiliation with motocross racing, beginning in the 1960’s and early 1970’s when racers cut their teeth in the riding areas at Bachelor Heights, Barnhartvale, and eventually Mission Flats in the 1980s. When Canadian national motocross events first started getting broadcast on mainstream television channels under the CMRC in the 1990’s, the Greater Kamloops Motorcycle Association (GKMA) felt compelled to build a “vacation destination” motocross venue that would give consumers “the total entertainment experience” like what they were becoming accustomed to seeing on TV. Enter the Whispering Pines Motorsports Compound. Set in a large flat plain along the mighty Thompson River, the picturesque venue has been a mainstay venue for National MX events 14 times, and countless regional events since its inception. So, it was only fitting that on the facility’s 20th anniversary, the sandy Whispering Pines circuit would

host to the 2019 Western Canadian Amateur Nationals and Round 4 of the Canadian Women’s National Motocross Series. The anticipation for the biggest motocross event in Western Canada was the highest it has been in recent years as 432 total entries were registered, with western riders competing against racers from as far away as Prince Edward Island, Washington, Wyoming and Montana. The attendance in the Ladies class was especially impressive as 39 women lined up behind the gate to find out “Who is the best in the west!” During the week leading up to the MRC/Future West Moto event, the combination of cloudy skies, thunder showers and cooler temperatures threatened to turn the race into a mud-bath. However, the rain abated, and by the time the racing started, the track conditions were absolutely pristine.

It’s little wonder as to the reason why the event was so well attended, as the MRC/FWM crew had nighttime events and activities for every member of the family, including a live DJ and a Start Moto Mom Fitbit Challenge. The band “Someone to Blame” did a great set on Friday night, playing

“It’s little wonder as to the reason why the event was so well attended, as the MRC/ FWM crew had nighttime events and activities for every member of the family.”

S Julien Benek was on fire in Kamloops.

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covers for a couple of hours, while families and racers relaxed and reconnected with one another. The smaller kids were entertained by a scavenger hunt, relay race, egg race, tug of war, and prizes. In the daytime, many kids were playing and swimming in the river, merely a stone’s throw from the starting gate. The WCAN event also had a KX65 giveaway, the everpopular Shift Holeshot Challenge, and a silent auction for the FXR Rockstar helmet worn and autographed by Brock Hoyer. The money raised from the silent auction was put toward the Canadian Women’s Motocross Series.

It was in the final round of the WMX series that some of the closest race action took place, out of any of the classes over the weekend. Race fans were treated to watching an epic battle between the top two series contenders, Washougal Washington’s Eva Berry and Baron, Alberta’s Shelby Turner. Before the first WMX moto even started on Day 3 of the four-day event, Turner had a very difficult racing incident to overcome, as she had collided hard with another rider on Day 2. Although it was just a “racing incident” and not the fault of either racer, it took a toll on Turner and almost derailed her race game for the national. Turner was already in a 7-point deficit before the final round and had to dig deep to clear her mind to focus on her racing. In the first moto of the Ladies National, Turner started behind Berry and could not get past her until about the half-way mark in the moto. As lappers became more and more prevalent, Turner started to put some distance between herself and Berry and won the moto by about 6 seconds. In the second moto, Turner grabbed the holeshot and led wire-to-wire, although Turner won the moto by a mere 1.6 seconds as the two ladies crossed the finish line! Unfortunately for Turner, the 1-1 finish for the day wasn’t enough, as Berry took the championship by a single point! Prince Edward Island rider, Kawasaki mounted Liz Burke took third with 3-3 finishes, while Montana racer Lexi Dyekman and Calgary’s Dominique Daffe tied in points for the day, with fourth going to Dyekman for her better finish in Moto 2.

In the amateur classes, there were a few riders who really stood out in their classes. Yarrow, BC racer Braxton Zeitner, who notably won the KTM Junior Supercross race in Minneapolis earlier this year, continued to crush the competition on his Cobra, winning every moto of the 50cc (7-8) and 50cc GP classes. KTM racer Dexter Seitz edged out Graeme Laybourn in the hotly contested 65cc GP class with Seitz’s 1-2-2 scores being more consistent than Laybourn’s 7-1-1.

Showing that moto is truly a family activity, Dexter’s dad, J.C. Seitz, won the Plus-40 class with 1-1-1 moto finishes.

In the 250 and Open Junior classes, the finishing positions say nothing about the intensity of the racing itself.

Although Maple Ridge Motorsport racer Devyn Smith emerged as the victor in both classes, he had a number of riders that kept him honest. In the 250 class, Rocky Mountain House racer Zeth Franklin swapped the lead with Smith in the first two motos and finished a scant .0189 seconds behind Smith in Moto 2. Unfortunately, Franklin hit a kicker on the finish line tabletop after the checkered flag and ran straight into Smith’s bike. The impact sent Franklin over the bars and down the slope of the tabletop where he and his bike landed hard, injuring his arm. Marcus Deausy finished 1-1-1 in the Open Intermediate class over Julien Benek (2-2-2). Benek also won the Yamaha bLUcRU award for being the top Yamaha rider in three classes, with the other two high finishes coming in the 250 Intermediate (2nd place) and Schoolboy (1st).

The Pro-Am class allows riders competing in the Intermediate class

to test their speed against riders following the MRC National Series.

Kamloops’ Shawn Maffenbeier set an absolute blistering pace for the class on his Yamaha, winning with perfect 1-1-1 scores. Maffenbeier similarly won the Under 30 class and showed the most consistent lap times of any rider at the track; none of his lap times varied more than 2 seconds from one another! The lap times of Intermediate rider Jacob Piccolo were not as consistent as Maffenbeier’s laps, but the KTM rider nonetheless put in impressive rides in the Pro-Am motos and quickly improved in speed as the weekend progressed. The last Pro-Am moto was the best showing for Piccolo, and he kept Maffenbeier in striking distance for the first several laps. At the half-way mark, Piccolo was 2.3 seconds behind Maffenbeier, and although the gap grew by the end of the moto, it was an impressive showing for the young rider from Abbotsford, BC. Yamaha’s Casey Keast, whom Piccolo battled with in the Supermini class a few years ago, struggled with an illness over the weekend and finished 3rd in the Pro-Am class. Keast laboured hard on Day 1 but looked much better on Day 2 and Day 3, although he was still quite a distance back from Maffenbeier and Piccolo at the finish line.

There were many battles on the racetrack worth writing about but unfortunately there is not enough time or space to include an account of them all. However, one thing is certain: the 2019 WCAN was, by all accounts, an absolute success, one that will generate a lot of bench racing for years to come.

S Off the track there was also a lot going on at the WCAN.

S Shawn Maffenbeier easily won the Pro/AM support class at the WCAN.

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S The battle in the Ladies class was an intense one in Kamloops.

S Jacob Piccolo shows off his

smooth and impressive style over a Whispering Pines jump.

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The 2019 Walton TransCan:

Made For Motocross Hellz Yah Walton! You bet we went back and we brought a few more Alberta families with us to join the ever-growing West Coast crew!

B Y J A C LY N S E I T Z / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

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S The 250

Intermediate class was the opening moto of the week.

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T

he goosebumps you get when you see the town sign “Walton Motocross Town,” you know you have reached moto paradise (especially after the long drive from Alberta). We rolled into Walton Raceway this year excited, ready to race and ready to enjoy all the fun Walton has to offer, unlike last year when we were nervous and not sure of the unknown.

Waiting impatiently for the barn doors to open and getting those numbers put on to the bib is like no other, and all the moms freaking out to get the best picture of their riders but all they want to do is go to the BMX jumps before the opening ceremonies. Hosting the ceremonies was Ryan Gauld and Zeb Dennis, never a dull moment with these two feeding off each other.

Lots of laughs and lots of “Oh no, did they just say that?” However, when Brett & Mel Lee take that mic they get the upmost respect. All the giggles turns into silence and all eyes are on

The 2019 Walton TransCan:

them. This is the respect this family deserves. Brett then mentions the new “Trading Cards,” then the crowd goes wild, the silence breaks and the kids start going nuts. Let me tell you, these Trading Cards of all the top pros were a hit. Kids were running around to all the race teams and vendors collecting cards. One time I counted 12 kids ages 7-16 at our pits swapping cards. It was awesome!

Another new event was the Golf Cart Parade and I felt like it was only fun if you were involved, which we were so it was fun dusting out the pits of the people trying to see us. Honestly, who would have thought a bunch of racers would drive nice and slowly, to show off our well decorated carts? If you did go slowly you would get a water bottle slingshot at you. These kids think of everything these days!

The racing itself was exciting this year with over 500 riders flying around the deep rutted Walton Raceway track, and let me tell you, the track was be-

Made For Motocross

yond awesome, and the weather was perfect making it pro level conditions!

Hats off to every single track worker, from the garbage pickup crew, front gate ladies, water crew etc., they never stopped. I had some pretty late nights up at the house and I honestly don’t think anyone of these workers slept at all during the week but yet always found time to smile and wave! My son’s race was 2nd at 7:55am one day,

and there was Brett Lee flagging. No job to big or too small for the boss man himself! Okay, the flaggers were epic this year. I witnessed this little flagger kid on the huge step-up running back and forth working so hard that the spectators started cheering for him!!

Brett also told me that he saw a young flagger getting really low to the ground pointing and waving a yellow. When he was asked why he got so low, he said,

S Monday’s KTM Canada track walk was popular with the young Orange Brigade riders.

“THE RACING ITSELF WAS EXCITING THIS YEAR WITH OVER 500 RIDERS FLYING AROUND THE DEEP RUTTED WALTON RACEWAY TRACK”

S The TransCan Giants were once again standing tall in 2019.

02 0 0 / // / M OMTOOTCORCORSOSS SP EPREFROFROMR AMNACNEC ·E M· XMPXMP AMGA. GC .OCMO M 5

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“To get eye contact with the rider.” This is the kind of hard-working crew that represented Walton.

The #1 Moto Crew Award definitely goes to Josh Hanson and his mechanic Robbie Feder! These boys represented like no other and we have only the motocross loving Kourtney Lloyd to thank. Kourtney takes the job of making sure she gives her West Coast Riders the best experience possible very seriously. Josh and Robbie meant business when it came to the racers as they were packing down the start gate and cheering on their riders 7am-7pm.

Off the track, Robbie was a full-on factory mechanic, having every single bike running top notch, and Josh had every single rider/kid in his golf cart pumping them up for their motos, making sure they were hydrated, etc. I’m still trying to hire them as my full-time nannies but they aren’t returning my calls. I really hope these guys know what they have done, not only for the kids but their parents too. Whether the

S Ryder McNabb

demonstrates the proper way to go through a rutted Walton Raceway corner.

S Phil Nicoletti served his community service hours by calling the popular bingo game.

S This is what

the TransCan is all about.

S Josh Hansen was a great addition to the festivities this year.

S Eve

Brodeur capped off her amazing 2019 season with another TransCan title.

S Jeremy McKie took home the Fox Racing Canada Bronze Boot in 2019.

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S Brett Lee

and his family welcome everyone to the Walton TransCan.

S Dexter Seitz (15) and Ben

Kongmany battled hard all week long on the tough Walton track.

The 2019 Walton TransCan:

Made For Motocross rider had a good or bad moto, these guys were there to give them all kinds of encouragement, leaving the best memories these racers will never forget. Kourtney also hosted a Fox/Shift rider’s dinner where the kids got to eat dinner with Colton, Josh, Robbie and a few other riders. Thanks Kourtney for always thinking of our amateur racers.

You have once again brought the Walton experience to another level.

Did you think BINGO could get any more exciting than last year playing with Larry Enticer? Well it did. Remem-

ber that “little” incident with Phil Nicoletti and Mike Alessi? Phil’s community service was to call out BINGO, which was so funny to watch Josh Hanson’s reaction that this is how Canada does community service. Let me tell you, with a crew standing behind Phil taunting him, Phil handled it like a champ even when we almost made him auction off an Alessi jersey. Mike’s community service was a Holeshot clinic followed by the Shift Holeshot Challenge. This Shift Holeshot Challenge was our biggest turnout yet with

Tyler Gibbs taking home the win but not without a battle from Brett Lee and Josh Hansen, with the massive crowd going nuts. Josh took that win but it was so close - Brett has the photo to prove it. Next up was Hanson and Ryan Lockhart and well…Ryan wanted the win so badly that he almost put his silhouette through the MADE FOR MOTOCROSS sign and unfortunately was cheering from the sidelines after that.

RIDE WITH ME was my highlight of the week, a bike ride organized by Tanner Ward (Racing for Mental Illness) and the Tanner Steffler Foundation. I love cycling and do it often, but I’m not going to lie, I was very intimidated to go as I didn’t have a riding buddy and had the fear of being all alone, then I

S Even our 6-time champion Colton Facciotti came out to dinner on Friday night.

realized how selfish and pathetic that was considering people that suffer from mental illness feel alone and I was missing the point of this Ride. If Tanner Ward can talk among all these strangers about something so deep and personal, I can go ride my bike

S Fox Racing Canada is a

huge supporter of amateur motocross in Canada.

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S KTM Canada gave away a ton of swag during its annual spaghetti dinner.

S There is a lot to take in during the week at the TransCan.

to support. So, I did just that. I put on my big girl spandex suit and went and cycled 28km with the pros such as Colten Facciotti, Dylan Wright, Jess Pettis, and Tyler Medaglia, just to name a few. Sixty-two riders in total of all levels. Everyone was so welcoming and we had a blast riding 14km to the beautiful Cowbell Brewery where we enjoyed beer and snacks, then 14km back. Lots of laughs and all for a great cause raising just over $7,500 towards the foundation! Tanner Ward, you are one stand-up guy and I think every one of those little riders out there looks up to you, so keep doing what you’re doing and I can’t wait for next year’s RIDE WITH ME! PRO DAY…YESSSSS! How lucky was

everyone there to witness Colton’s Facciotti’s final race and another Championship won! Man, the track was gnarly with a little rain through the night. It was rough, rutty and technical, exactly how a pro track should be. Spectators were flying in and the pits were packed felt like we were at an AMA national.

We even had some Red Bud chainsaw love going on! The way Walton had the Pro pits this year made it way more personal for the spectators as you had to walk by all the rigs and teams to get to the track. It was just high-speed entertainment all around. Big congrats to GDR team for winning two championships that were very much deserved.

There is no question in my mind on how this team won both championships. If you ever stop to watch the work they all put into this team on and especially off the track, you would understand. Pro day for me means stressfree morning and a little sleep-in; no worries about my racers, just here to spectate and cheer. My son Dexter was up at 7am and out the door off to watch his idols. Even when 12:30pm came along there was still no sign of Dexter until Walton Instagramed him with hundreds of kids in three huge bouncy houses. I go wander into the infield to check out the “circus of fun” that the Lees have created just so the parents can enjoy the races without worrying about the kids. Walton also offered a free camp for kids 4-8 years all week while their older siblings or parents raced. Entertaining the kids was a top priority for Walton, from the BMX

Comp, track sand building contest, KTM kids-only dinner, Strider race, and the list goes on and on. They truly thought of everyone, because let’s be honest, happy, busy kids means more fun for the parents, but I won’t list the adult activities we came up with (leg wrestling).

Closing ceremonies with a bang, literally a bang of MXP Magazine Sponsored fireworks, was awesome!! These racers deserved the fireworks. The hard work they put in on the track was so intense to watch all week. I’m literally the crazy girl all alone screaming and cheering for your kid, and you wonder who this crazy lady is but I just can’t get enough of it. The talent was there this year; man, these kids were moving! Keep the talent coming and kids keep pushing on and off the track if you want that Walton Championship…

Work hard and believe!

As I’m writing this, I just received a text from a friend we convinced to come from Alberta - “Two weeks living in a van, driving 70hrs was worth it all.

Thank you.” I could write for hours telling more and more stories, well some I will not tell as my kid might read this, but if you have not experienced Walton you are missing out, and Walton is Canada motocross! As we left Walton and drove along the road, we stopped to thank Brett and Mel one last time.

I said “You guys have thought of everything.” Brett looked at me and said, “Not everything, just wait till next year!” BOOM RACE FANS!.

“PHIL’S COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS TO CALL OUT BINGO, WHICH WAS SO FUNNY TO WATCH JOSH HANSON’S REACTION THAT THIS IS HOW CANADA DOES COMMUNITY SERVICE.” MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 55

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TIME FOR CHANGE

PART 2 ONE OF THE MOST BIZARRE STORIES RELATED TO THE CANADIAN MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION OR CMA IS A NEVER-RESOLVED THREAT OF A LIBEL LAWSUIT THAT IS APPARENTLY STILL PENDING AFTER 25 YEARS. IT IS A COMMON LEGAL TACTIC TO THREATEN TO SUE AN ENTITY OR PERSON IN ORDER TO SHUT THEM UP, ESPECIALLY IN A LIBEL CASE SUCH AS THIS ONE. THE CMA THREATENED TO SUE CYCLE CANADA AND THE STORY’S WRITER, CLAUDE LEONARD, AS THE RESULT OF A STORY PUBLISHED IN THE FEBRUARY 1994 ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE. B Y L AW R E N C E H A C K I N G / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E A N D M X P S TA F F

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PART 2

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C

ycle Canada was started in 1971. The first issue came out on Valentine’s Day, and its founder was George Kolesnikovs, a motorcycle enthusiast and newspaperman from Niagara Falls, Ontario. According to John Cooper, who served as Editor of Cycle Canada for 15 years, Kolesnikovs started Cycle Canada because of his dissatisfaction with the magazine the CMA produced (which was called Cycle CMA at the time).

(Here is an interesting tidbit of information: Mark Stallybrass, part owner of this magazine, very early in his career in the industry, worked at Cycle Canada first in accounting then as a sales rep.)

Cycle Canada shifted advertising revenue away from Cycle CMA, then ultimately the CMA magazine folded.

I have the oldest issue in my collection, which is from October 1975.

There may very well be later issues however the writing was on the wall for the CMA’s medium to reach Canadian motorcyclists. I believe the loss of the association’s magazine was a serious blow to the CMA.Claude Leonard is an old friend who has a long history of involvement in racing in Quebec as a journalist, racer and event organizer.

He was the off-road editor of Cycle Canada for about five years. I looked forward to reading his column ‘In the Dirt’ 10 times per year; it was usually funny and topical. Claude and I raced against each other in off-road races, and he was instrumental in assembling perhaps one of the most successful regional off-road racing groups in Canada, the FMSQ. Claude decided to write a critical piece about the CMA Canada’s national sanctioning body and its General Manager, Marilynn Bastedo (see attached photos). The story named names and pulled no punches. The end result was the threat of a libel lawsuit that effectively put an end to Claude’s campaign to let the world know about how he and many others felt about the goings on at the CMA.

The following are some excerpts from Claude’s original story printed in 1994 - they are used without permission. I don’t think Cycle Canada, which is still in business, will sue MXP or I if we use the quotes: “While everyone else seems to be stepping aside, letting evolution follow its normal course towards the year 2000, the queen mother herself, Marilynn Bastedo, rages on as General Manager of the CMA. It’s one of those situations that simply defies logic. For some 20 years, Bastedo has been driving the CMA as if it’s her own personal limo.”

As a side note, the earliest recorded appearance I could find of Ms. Bastedo doing work with the CMA is September of 1960 where she was the recording secretary of an Ontario regional CMA meeting. That was 59 years ago.

One of my favourite lines in Claude’s 1994 story is “Even from a purely administrative point of view, the CMA head office is operating out of a cave.”

Without reciting the entire story, the final two paragraphs sum up the gist of the story. “The CMA’s executive committee and board members should react. Let’s get real; the CMA is struggling, while in the States the AMA is flourishing. I know the situations are different but comparing the attitude versus success speaks volumes. Fire the damn coach and get the team back on track before it sinks into the minor leagues.” Claude Leonard, Cycle Canada, February 1994.

A few months later Leonard offered an explanation of his actions in the April 1994 issue of CC in his column.

Leonard’s second related story explains the process that led to motorcycle competition in Quebec leaving the CMA’s umbrella and running their own show. It was another pivotal moment in the history of the CMA. The reason was simple, the Quebec region wanted to have control of its own finances. The board actually approved the request at the annual general meeting, Ms. Bastedo voted against letting the Quebec group maintain their own finances while the rest of the board agreed to let them manage their business.

Later, the CMA President, Joe Godsal (he is still the President of the CMA), called the then Quebec region President, Pierre Corbeil, and let him know of the reversal of the decision.

This was deemed unacceptable and the QC group moved forward to separate, and they have never looked back. To this day, racing in Quebec has grown and operates independent of outside influences.

I recently called the former editor and publisher of Cycle Canada, John Cooper, and asked him for his take on the case and where it stood.

This is how John responded to my question about the story and the lawsuit. “Claude’s story was an opinion piece not a recital of facts. The CMA filed a statement of claim, we retained a lawyer and sent a response, Claude apologized to Ms. Bastedo in the April 1994 issue and we have not heard anything since.”

Cooper continued, “There is a very real pattern of behavior that is undeniable. Numerous people have become involved with the CMA and inevitably the relationships fail. Often, they begin with the best of intentions, however over time, things consistently fall apart.”

As mentioned in the previous instalment of this story, Sean Wiesner, another friend of mine, is closely involved in the sport as an organizer of the Canadian Cross Country series and the Canadian Enduro Championship.

Sean and I partnered to organize the FIM sanctioned World Enduro Championship rounds back in 2006 and 2007 in Parry Sound Ontario. At that time, we did our utmost to cooperate with the CMA, and in fact, Sean became a member of the board of directors of the CMA - that was a useful position for us to have him in. He was voted in twice by open election of CMA members as an Ontario Board Representative.

Sean also owned an insurance brokerage and worked in the field for some 25 years. During his time at the CMA he came up with an idea to increase the CMA’s membership numbers by the thousands. The plan

“THIS WAS DEEMED UNACCEPTABLE AND THE QC GROUP MOVED FORWARD TO SEPARATE, AND THEY HAVE NEVER LOOKED BACK. TO THIS DAY, RACING IN QUEBEC HAS GROWN AND OPERATES INDEPENDENT OF OUTSIDE INFLUENCES.”

generated thousands of dollars into the CMA’s coffers. It involved creating a special discount on motorcycle insurance for members of the CMA. After a lengthy application and approval process, a 15% percent discount for members was approved by one of the largest motorcycle insurers at the time. On large policies, the $55 annual enthusiast membership fee to the CMA was easily offset by the discount. After a short period of time, the plan was opened to other insurance brokers and soon many people took advantage of the savings.

“At one point were sending five or six new members per day to the CMA. Now multiply that by the thirty or so other insurance brokers that were doing the same thing,” recounts Wiesner.

He continues, “Due to the massive increase in membership and income to the Association, in 2000, the CMA awarded me the Fulvio Callimaci supporters award for the work I did implementing this program.” The plan had numerous brokers sending new members to the CMA for a five or sixyear period. It was a financial windfall for them.” The CMA offices were soon after relocated to a much nicer part of town in the high rent district.

“After the huge success of the motorcycle insurance program, I worked up a similar program to offer CMA members discounts on their home and auto insurance policies. After all the intense work was done finding a group insurer and having the association approved for a discount insurance program, Ms. Bastedo single-handedly turned the program over to a different broker and cut me out of the deal entirely. A decision like that should have be put to the Board but it wasn’t.

I voiced my dissatisfaction and questioned the decision making, stating my dissatisfaction at a board meeting,” said Sean.

He continued, “Marilynn decided to trademark the names of events she felt the CMA owned and should protect. For example, she tried to trademark the Corduroy Enduro name, citing it was to protect the name. The Corduroy Enduro was organized by the British Empire Motor Club or BEMC since 1953. The club caught wind of her efforts and spent around $10,000 in legal fees protecting their event’s name from the CMA.” I do recall one of the BEMC members comment, “From whom do we need to protect the name other than the CMA?” After seeing how things operated from the inside Sean tendered his resignation from the Board.

For many years the CMA had a monopoly on Canadian racing. Very few ‘Outlaw’ clubs existed, meaning clubs that chose to hold races without being sanctioned by the CMA. Another

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TIME FOR CHANGE

PART 2

“MORE THAN ONE PERSON HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TIPTOED AROUND THE CMA SO RIDERS WILL NOT RUN INTO DELAYS OR WORSE BE EXCLUDED FROM OBTAINING INTERNATIONAL RACING LICENSES.” wacky story involves a gentleman by the name of Mike Austin, Mike raced CMA races and definitely marched to the beat of his own drum. At one point back in the ‘70s, Mike decided to run his own racing series. The races were held at Centennial Park in Etobicoke right in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area. Previously, a CMA race was held at the same location just south of Pearson Airport. Austin’s efforts did not go unnoticed by the CMA people.

Rumour has it the CMA blacklisted any racer that competed in Austin’s racing series, and one rider, so the story goes, took the matter to court and won the case. The CMA could not ban riders from racing other series.

There is no doubt that being shut out of the CMA can have a negative affect on a rider’s career. More than one person has told me that they have tiptoed around the CMA so riders will not run into delays or worse be excluded from obtaining international racing licenses.

Where are we now and what does the future hold? Things will improve, they have to, nothing lasts forever, and steps are being taken to change

the situation. It has taken a long time to put the CMA ‘out of business’ depending on what that business is or is supposed to be. The CMA’s revenue sources have been reduced to almost nil. Reports suggest the CMA has 500 or fewer members and probably most of those are life members, which generate no income as they are free.

It would appear that very few, if any, event insurance policies are being written and very few CMA sanctioned events or series exist. The number of international competition licenses being issued must be around a dozen per year.

I did find a statement of what the CMA’s mandate was in the event program of the 1961 road races held at Mosport (see attached photo and you can determine for yourself if you feel they have met their goal).

In my opinion, the CMA has been ineffective at their job, assuming their ‘job’ is as described by them. It appears that after decades of failed working relationships there is no one left who is currently involved in the sport in Canada who is willing to work with the CMA’s CEO. Having said that,

by doing nothing for all these years, an ineffective CMA has provided a fertile environment for enterprising people to take up the reins and do great things here in Canada.

The industry in general has all but boycotted anything associated with the CMA and I don’t see them doing anything differently unless a major personnel change takes place.

Bear in mind, the CMA is simply an entity. It is not something you can hate or blame. Again in my opinion, the blame lies with who works at the CMA. In fact, the CMA has more than 70 years of history and its structure and the framework can still be useful.

I don’t see the FIM making a sweeping change from one organization to another. I do think the industry will support a ‘new’ CMA under the right conditions and I do believe it could work.

In my opinion, change will come.

If you only race in Canada it will be business as usual, regional racing will continue as it has. The pro motocross Triple Crown Series will sail along enjoying the media coverage that great racing brings. Flat Track Canada will

We are definitely a patriotic bunch when we’re at events like the MXoN.

grow exponentially and the Canadian Superbike Series, or CSBK, is on an upswing in its cycle of life. For off-road racing, enduro and trials, one can expect big things to come quickly if the sport becomes unified once again. Industry funded events and teams are on the horizon if the international business of Canadian racing becomes under the control of a ‘new’ entity. One can expect many talented people to step up and become involved.

The sad fact is we in Canada have been deprived of opportunity, in my opinion, because of the lack of effectiveness of people at the CMA. There is no question Canadians have missed out on decades of international events that could have taken place. We have missed enjoying seeing our national teams compete abroad, we have missed seeing the World Championship riders compete here in Canada and we have missed having our own riders compete on the world stage here at home. That truly is a shame. But who am I to say? I am just a guy who likes motorcycles and the people who ride.

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GERHART HUBER THE MAN WHO LOVES RACING

BY M I KE McG I LL / PHOTOS BY JAM E S LI SSI MOR E

Gerhart Huber has been a racing enthusiast for as long as he can remember. His passion for cars, motorcycles and snowmobiles has been well documented over the years, yet the 54-yearold Canadian businessman, who was born and raised in the Kitchener, Ontario area and now lives in Merryhill, Ontario, came to the sport of motocross fairly late in life.

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he Huber Motorsports Team first hit the Canadian MX scene in 2017 and since then have quickly grown to be one of the top teams in the Canadian paddock. Gerhart’s story interested me because I thought it was a little unusual. It’s not often that someone launches themselves into the sport in such a big way without having a real solid background in it. Therefore, I decided to contact him recently to get the whole story on the team and his relatively recent involvement in the Canadian moto scene.

FIRST, I KNOW THAT OWNING A PROFESSIONAL MOTOCROSS TEAM IS NOT YOUR ONLY JOB. PLEASE GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR BACKGROUND AS FAR AS BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE GO.

Gerhart: Well, you’ve probably heard of Piller’s Fine Foods. My father started that business in Waterloo, Ontario back in 1957. It became a family business shortly after that in 1959 when his brothers and my Grandfather joined him in the business. I started working there part-time when I was 14 and then I came on full-time when I was finished college. I was 22 then. That’s still my current day job. I’m now the V.P. of Product Innovation and Development.

I THOUGHT THAT I HAD READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOUR FAMILY HAD SOLD THE BUSINESS.

Gerhart: Yes, we sold the company to Premium Brands in 2011 but nothing really changed for me, except maybe I was even busier after that. That was until two years ago when we restructured, and I took over the position that I hold now.

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GERHART HUBER THE MAN WHO LOVES RACING

SO TELL ME, IT SEEMS A BIT ODD THAT YOU WOULD END UP OWNING A PROFESSIONAL FACTORY MOTOCROSS TEAM. HOW DID THAT ALL COME ABOUT. DID YOU RACE MOTOCROSS AS A KID?

Gerhart: No, I didn’t race motocross, but I’ve always had a passion for any kind of racing. I had a real passion for cars growing up, and bikes and sleds as well. Back in 2010, we decided to go racing and formed Huber Motorsports to compete in the CSRA Snocross race season. For the first couple seasons we were the factory Ski-Doo team for Canada, and for the last four years we have been the Canadian Factory Polaris Racing Team.

It was a great experience and we just loved doing it. Then in 2017 Hubert Motorsports made their debut in Canadian Pro Motocross and we’ve been there ever since. That first year we rode privateer Hondas and for the last two seasons we’ve been the Canadian Factory Kawasaki representative. The Monster Energy, Alpinestars, Parts Canada, Piller’s, Kawasaki Team to be exact.

WOW, THAT’S VERY IMPRESSIVE. TO HAVE TWO FACTORY RACE TEAMS IN TWO SPORTS. WHICH ONE DO YOU ENJOY MORE? Gerhart: I love them both, but I really love the motocross. In fact, we recently announced that we are dropping the snocross team for next season so we can focus solely on motocross.

OH REALLY, AND WHY IS THAT?

Gerhart: It was a hard decision, but we wanted to be able to focus more on the moto side of things. This change will enable us to do more extensive offseason testing and just give us a better all-around focus. Also, the weather is usually better in motocross (laughs) and the motocross series is nationwide thus giving better exposure to our sponsors across the country. Bottom line though is that I just really like it.

LET’S JUMP BACK TO THAT FIRST YEAR FOR A MINUTE. HOW DID IT ALL GET STARTED AND WHO WERE YOUR RIDERS?

Gerhart: Adam “Stu” Robinson was with us on the snocross team, and he had an extensive background in motocross, of course. We were always talking moto with him and eventually the decision was made to start a team. That’s how it all came to be.

The first year, 2017, we were lucky enough to be able to get three great riders: Tyler Medaglia, Nathan Bles and Kyle Chisholm. We rode Hondas, which I paid for privately. I was working on different manufacturers for support that year right up until the last minute,

but nothing worked out so with only five weeks left to go before the season started, I privately financed the Hondas.

Considering we had so little time to put everything together I was very pleased with how things went in the first year. I was very proud of our team as they did an excellent job and we were competitive right away.

YOUR SON, CHRISTIAN, WORKS WITH YOU ON THE TEAM. WAS HE THE ONE WHO TALKED YOU INTO IT?

Gerhart: (Laughs) Christian was a recreational rider when he was younger, and yes, he was really into the idea of having a motocross team. He was a driving force behind it, very supportive I would say, so I said okay, let’s go racing. He also works as one of our mechanics on the team.

HOW DID THE FACTORY KAWASAKI DEAL COME TO BE?

Gerhart: Jason Hughes ran the Monster Energy Kawi program prior to us. As I understand, he sold his Kawasaki dealership and took a job with Kawasaki in-house so he could no longer run the team due to a conflict of interest. He was impressed by how professionally run our privateer team was in year one, so he approached me about taking on the Monster Energy Factory Kawasaki Team after he left.

I must also say that everyone at Kawasaki has been very supportive of our team. It’s really a great company to work with.

WHAT’S THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE AROUND YOUR TEAM COMPARED TO THE KTM OR HONDA TEAMS?

Gerhart: Well, I can’t really speak for those teams, but our team is like a big family and that’s the way it’s always been. I believe that’s one of the things Kawasaki enjoys about our team. That’s been my business philosophy my whole life and I bring that to the motocross team. The riders and mechanics, we are all one big family. Personally, I like to keep things light on race days. The riders and mechanics are obviously pretty serious during the day but I’m more of a cheerleader. I see that these guys are absolutely trying to do their very best and are giving it all that they’ve got, and if they do that, I’m happy.

TYLER MOVED DOWN TO THE 250 CLASS THIS YEAR. I, FOR ONE, THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD MOVE, BUT IN THE END, IT DIDN’T WORK OUT AS WELL AS I’M SURE YOU HAD HOPED. WAS THE MOVE YOUR IDEA? Gerhart: We originally had not thought about having Tyler move down, but we needed a 250 rider and we just

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“I LOVE THEM BOTH, BUT I REALLY LOVE THE MOTOCROSS. IN FACT, WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT WE ARE DROPPING THE SNOCROSS TEAM FOR NEXT SEASON SO WE CAN FOCUS SOLELY ON MOTOCROSS.” MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 65

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GERHART HUBER THE MAN WHO LOVES RACING

“IT’S THE TRIPLE CROWN SERIES SO THAT MEANS THERE MUST BE SUPERCROSS, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A COUPLE MORE OUTDOOR RACES TO GO TO, FOR SURE.” weren’t happy with what we were seeing out there. I mentioned this to Tyler, and he said, “Why don’t I just move down.” So, I guess to answer your question, it was his idea. He’d been on the 450 for a lot of years but in pre-season testing he was on fire riding the 250.

Everyone was excited and I thought that his results would have been better, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying or effort. Just a few unlucky incidents here and there, a couple of mechanical things that were just, as I said, unlucky. I’m pretty sure he will be back on the 450 next year.

WELL, THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION. DO YOU KNOW, OR CAN YOU SAY, WHO WILL BE ON THE TEAM FOR NEXT SEASON?

Gerhart: Matt (Georke) will be back next season. He has another year with us, Tyler will be back as well, as I said most likely on a 450, and we will possibly be looking at adding a 250 rider so we can have a three-rider team next season.

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SPEAKING OF MATT, HOW IS HE DOING? THAT WAS QUITE THE THING THAT HAPPENED WITH HIM AND TONY (ALESSI) AT THE FINAL ROUND IN WALTON.

(For those readers who were not aware, Matt Georke had an incident at the final round of the outdoor series in Walton when he was forced off the inside of the start straight heading into the first corner. He hit GDR Rider Mike Alessi’s father, Tony, who was standing trackside, at a high rate of speed and both were seemingly knocked unconscious for a brief period. Matt fractured his collarbone in the incident. Tony eventually shook it off and was able to walk away under his own power.)

Gerhart: Matt is doing well. He flew out to California to see a specialist right after Walton and had surgery to plate the collarbone. He’s back home in Florida now working on his practice tracks. He should be ready to go for the Montreal Supercross on September 14th.

WOW, THAT’S A QUICK RECOVERY. THESE GUYS ARE AMAZING. IT’S BEEN QUITE A SUMMER FOR THE TEAM. MATT WON A COUPLE RACES WHICH HAD TO BE GREAT DAYS FOR YOU. ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUPERCROSS SERIES?

Gerhart: Oh yes, definitely looking forward to it. As I said before I just love being at the races so I’m looking forward to the next three rounds of Supercross.

THE NEW “REGIME” THAT RUNS CANADIAN PRO MOTO IS IN THEIR SECOND YEAR OF RUNNING THE SERIES NOW. THE FIRST YEAR SAW A FEW HICCUPS, NO QUESTION, BUT DO YOU THINK THE SECOND YEAR WAS BETTER? Gerhart: Oh yes, for sure. Last year, being the inaugural season, there were bound to be a few things, a few issues, but I think it’s been a lot better this year and I anticipate that it will continue to get better and grow in the years to come.

IF THERE WERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE SERIES THAT YOU COULD CHANGE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Gerhart: I would like to see more outdoor rounds. I just love the whole outdoor scene. It’s so awesome. But I do understand. It’s the Triple Crown Series so that means there must be Supercross, which is great, but I would love to have a couple more outdoor races to go to, for sure.

SO, WHAT IS THE VISION FOR HUBER MOTORSPORTS OVER THE NEXT FEW SEASONS?

Gerhart: Continue to work really hard with Kawasaki to make the bikes and the team the absolute best and most competitive they can possibly be.

Focus on the Canadian Series, of course, but within the next year I would love to see the team participate in at least a couple of Outdoor U.S. Nationals. Also, I think it would be great and I personally would just love to have the team race a couple of U.S. Supercrosses.

That would be the ultimate goal, and I would love to make that happen as early as 2020.

Right now, though, the focus is on finishing up these next three Canadian Supercross rounds.

SO, I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK THIS QUESTION. I’VE GOT AN IDEA AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO, BUT I’LL JUST ASK ANYWAYS. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST YOU TO RUN THIS TEAM FOR A FULL SEASON? Gerhart: (Laughs) Hmmm. Well let’s see. I guess when you figure everything out, and when I say everything, I’m talking rider salaries, insurance, contingency money and just all the expenses, you’re looking at a

7-digit program. So yes, it’s over a million dollars to run the team for a season.

WOW. SO APART FROM GETTING TO HANG OUT AND HAVE FUN AT THE RACES, WHAT DO YOU GET FOR THAT?

Gerhart: Our sponsors mean so much to us, so we want to be able to offer them as much exposure as possible. That’s what it’s all about you know, because without them we can’t go racing. Our brands are important to us so that’s why we do it.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND GOOD LUCK FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. Gerhart: No problem, thank you.

Gerhart Huber’s enthusiasm for the sport of motocross in Canada and for his race team is obvious in speaking with him. This guy loves moto and he’s willing to make a serious investment in the sport. Without people like Gerhart there would be no professional racing series in Canada, and we are seemingly in a good spot right now with several other team owners that share Gerhart’s enthusiasm and love for the sport.

With no signs of slowing down, the future looks to be not just bright but extremely interesting and busy for Gerhart Huber, but I get the impression in speaking with him that, that’s exactly they way he wants it.

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2019-09-05 4:51 PM

WHAT A

SUMMER Roost Factory And Hoosier Offroad WO R DS AN D PH OTOS BY D E L AN E Y B ROGAN AN D S H E LBY MAH O N

The Eastern rounds of the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour may have been home to some of the toughest and gnarliest tracks of the series, but they were also some of the most exciting, intense and memorable races that no one will forget any time soon.

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here were a lot of firsts and lasts in the Eastern series and many heart stopping moments out West. This was the first year the GDR Honda team clinched both 250 Pro and 450 Pro Championships with Dylan Wright and Colton Facciotti.

This was also Colton’s retirement year, and many people are sad to see him go. The man put in many years of intense training and effort, and is a 6-time national champion that no one will forget.

Our very own Roost Factory riders pushed hard throughout the Eastern rounds of the outdoor MX season, with Talan Hansen, Dario Zecca and Ryan Derry running

in the 450 class, Keenan Peterson and Jyire Mitchell running in the 250 class, as well as our amateur riders, Tyler Hully, Kalvyn Mazr, Tristan Ratzlaff and Keenan Peterson, who raced both days! The Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road team is made up of privateers and amateur riders who are funded by their own blood, sweat and tears. They work Monday to Friday to race Saturday and Sunday. The team behind these riders is just as passionate and determined to support them as they are determined to succeed on the track! Mark Rivers, CEO of Roost Factory Hoosier Offroad, is one of those keep passionate support members. “Having the chance to support riders who truly deserve it and

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WHAT A

SUMMER

“Equipped with Rabacondas and fresh rubber, they dedicated their off time to changing tires and helping each other out around the Big Purple Paddock.” appreciate it is one of the greatest gifts this sport has given me. It was a gratifying time and time again being told by so many people that they love seeing us trackside supporting the sport. When all the pros pack up and leave Saturday, we stay to support the families and riders who truly fund and are the backbone of the sport.”

Round #4 of the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour started us off on the East Coast at Gopher Dunes in Courtland, ON, and this sand box is no walk on the beach. Known as one of the hardest tracks in Canada, our riders went out with focus and a clear mind. Our trackside support system was in full swing keeping riders hydrated, fed and excited for the day’s races. The best part about Gopher Dunes for the Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road team was launching the Hoosier Off-road

Sand and Mud Tire! Josh Osby displayed great sand skills this past weekend and finished 4-2 for 2ndoverall. Joey Crown was having a really great first moto, sitting in 2ndplace and looking really comfortable in the super sandy conditions when around halfway, he made a mistake and ended up on the ground. He ended up 6th overall. Eric Jeffery was really consistent going 17-17 for 17th overall.

All of our riders finished to the best of their ability. Gopher Dunes may have put up a fight but we didn’t give up!

Warriors never do! After all the blood, sweat and tears, our tires held up.

Once again, Hoosier proves its reputation as one of the top racing tire developers in the world! When the ground is too deep and soft for the regular tire, riders’ default to the scoop or sand tire. Essential and effective in

a straight line but traditionally challenging when it comes to turning – not so much with the Hoosier Sand tire!

The Hoosier Sand and Mud Tire was specifically designed by the scientists and developers at Hoosier Racing Tire for its ability to tackle the soft, deep terrain but turn effectively giving our riders continued speed through the corners. After every moto, riders continue to preach that the Hoosier MX Tires are lighter, faster and more agile than any other comparison on the market and priced competitively!

Round #5 at Sand Del Lee MX Park, as the name suggests, was another sand track. Another track greatly feared and respected on the circuit by amateur and pro riders alike. However, after experiencing the Hoosier Sand Tire at Round #4, the Roost Riders went into the weekend with confi-

dence and determination. After battling hard throughout the day’s heat, Jyire Mitchell took home 9th overall in the 250 class and Ryan Derry took 25th overall in the 450 class. Derry fought hard all season to claim the title of the highest ranked privateer in the 450 class. CTR/ Club MX team racers Josh Osby got a top 5 overall, Eric Jeffery made a comeback to the 450 class and Joey Crown got his best performance of the season finishing 2nd overall. Our amateur racers crushed it as usual. Keenan Peterson fought tooth and nail for the top spot in the Youth Intermediate class.

Moncton, New Brunswick saw the team traveling as far east as they will this season for Round #5. The Roost Factory team can all agree the land of the Lobster and Riverglade MX Park did not disappoint! Not only did we have a stunning view of beautiful New Brunswick, we had an even better background for photographs!

Watching all of the racers on Saturday huck the massive jump known as the “Klattipolt” was mesmerizing.

The hard-packed track started out friendly but grew gnarlier and gnarlier as the day progressed. Jyire Mitchel managed an 8th overall, and after some setbacks Keenan Peterson managed a 38th overall in the 250 class. Ryan Derry finished strong with a 25th overall, and our USA rider Talan Hansen finished with a 31st overall. Riverglade MX Park offered a totally different terrain than what

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we had seen in the previous eastern rounds. Riders made the switch from the rear Sand Tires needed at Sand Del Lee and Gopher to the standard rear Hoosier Off-road MX25 and MX30 compounds. Kalvyn Mazr, another Roost Rider, pushed himself to the limits in all of his classes. Calvin was running on MX30’s and said, “I had all the traction that I needed to make it through the ruts and chop the track”.

Keeping up with their exceptional hospitality, Mark River, CEO of Roost Factory, once again delivered amazing meals all weekend long for the Roost Factory Riders, members, volunteers and the Triple Crown Tour staff. Rivers prepared a delicious array of fresh halibut, muscles, haddock and more!

That man loves to cook and everyone loves to eat!

The second last round of the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour took our team to Deschambault, Quebec where they arrived early in the week to support the week-long Eastern Canadian Amateur Nationals. On Saturday night the Roost Factory hosted the WMX championship dinner and provided a great meal of roasted chickens, fresh homemade salads, snacks and more!

Shelby Mahon, Director of Marketing, said, “It was truly an honour to support the women’s pro class in whatever way we could. They are a tough bunch of ladies and they are pushing this sport further and further every day.” With amazing women like Eve Brodeur, Lindsay Bradly, Liz Burke, Jess Riess and Kourtney Lloyd rocking the industry, the young female riders of today have no shortage of outstanding Canadian women to look up to. The Roost Factory 250 and 450 Pro racers killed it as usual running a mix of MX25’s and MX30’s. In the highly competitive 450 class, Talan Hansen came in 36th overall, Ryan Derry took home 29th overall, and Michael Fowler walked away with 21st overall. Eric Jeffery, with CTR Motorsports, went 39th and 27th giving him a 28thoverall.

The Roost Factory 250 riders excelled on the track as well with Jyire Mitchell running 9th overall after going 7th and 9th in his motos, and rookie pro Keenan Peterson finished 31st overall

after two 28th place finishes. Over at CTR Motorsports, Jayce Pennington finished up in 6th overall while our rookie pro Keenan Peterson finished 31st overall. Keenan rode all week in the amateur levels and crushed his classes! New to our team Tyler Hully managed a 9th in 250 Intermediate and an 18th in Open Intermediate.

Not only did our riders kill it on the track, they amazed us with their ability to give back to the sport and their passion for helping the other racers.

Equipped with Rabacondas and fresh rubber, they dedicated their off time to changing tires and helping each other out around the Big Purple Paddock.

Walton. What can we say about Walton? A highlight of every amateur and Pro riders’ career, the Walton TRANCAN Grand National Championship and final round of the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour is always one for the record books. In one way or another.

Ruts as deep as your knees, dirt chunks the size of a tire and thick mud that sticks to all your nooks and crannies. Walton is known for its hardpacked concrete-type dirt that lends itself well to riders with a woods background. This was a track where tire knowledge and quality came into play! The Roost Riders had some of their best finishes all year long! Jyire Mitchell took home a 6th overall in the 250 Pro class, proving that he gained a ton of skill and knowledge during the outdoor series, and the Roost Factory team can’t wait to see how he does in the SX rounds this fall. Mitchell’s mechanic/Father, Sean Mitchell, was extensively diligent all summer when it came to Jyier’s maintenance and what products went on his bike.

Running quality products that perform like Hoosier Off-road MX Tires and Red Line Oil definitely keeps everyone happy in the Mitchell camp. Keenan Peterson, our rookie pro, managed a 25th overall and walked away from the amateur week with a few top ten finishes and a championship! Just missing out on a second championship, after an unfortunate DQ, Peterson had a week at Walton he will never forget!

The Roost Factory team is extremely proud of Kennan and how far he has

“When all the pros pack up and leave Saturday, we stay to support the families and riders who truly fund and are the backbone of the sport.”

come. Ryan Derry finished out Walton with a 28th overall in the 450 Pro class. With a lot to overcome this season, the team could not be prouder of him and they can’t wait to see where he goes from here. Tyler, one of our new Purple Paddock members, was a great presence and addition in the big Purple Paddock during the week, and he was crushing it at his home track finishing with a 20th in 250 Intermediate and a 21st in Open Intermediate.

Dario Zecca from Moto Camp Canada was volunteering in the Purple Paddock all week long helping with tire changes, bike maintenance and helping out the younger and less experienced riders. After tires were changed and advice was given, Zecca geared up and put his best effort forward in the 450 Pro class. The week of Walton TRANSCAN is a busy one for everyone.

Staff spent all week preparing food,

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WHAT A

SUMMER running raffles, giving away prizes and keeping the Roost Factory Riders hydrated and in good spirits!

All in all, the east coast was full of amazing accomplishments, lifelong memories and a fantastic start to the Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road legacy.

The Roost Factory is meant to be a home away from home for amateur riders to travel across the country and have a place to race from with a supportive team and the same products they know and love from back home.

We had a father and son team, who were our first customers in Canada, come all the way from their home town in Calgary, Alberta to Moncton, New Brunswick to race with us! It was great to have them under the Purple Paddock and part of the Roost Factory family. Everyone at the Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road loves and respects the families that put everything on the line for their kids. We all eat, sleep and breathe this sport so why not help each other out whenever one can?

Josh, Shannon and their sons Chris and Tyler Hully were a late and great addition to our team this season, helping with everything they could: tire changes, clean up, setting up tents. It did not go unnoticed.

The 2019 Triple Crown Series was a very special one for the team at Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road. Mark Rivers, CEO of Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road, has been an incredibly hands-on and passionate leader. If you were to walk by the Purple Paddock you are likely to see Mark Rivers himself slinging tires, cooking up amazing food and talking shop with the racers, families and mechanics whether they run for his team or not. Rivers has a passion to succeed and he won’t give up on his dream to support amateur racers around the world. “My partner in this sport once said, when I answered his question, “How are you doing with living the dream?” His reply made me laugh when he said that he prefers to say living the scream – part dream and part nightmare. Starting something from scratch and launching on the scale we have is a challenge, at times extremely stressful. This year is wrapping up, and looking back and reflecting on the fact that January 3rd this year based at that time purely on a handshake from Hoosier, we didn’t exist, no infrastructure, no systems, one trailer, a few people and an idea about how to launch and serve this industry.” Rivers has said from the very beginning that “It has never been about tires or products but fore the reason people ride. It’s not all about

winning either. Although racing and the dream and aspiration of a podium is certainly an important part, it’s the lifestyle the commitment, the people and the community. Racing is the justification but the real reason is that this is where a few hundred thousand people across North America live their lives, its their cottage on the weekends and its what they work for, talk about, think about, and dream about.

When the Roost Factory was launched only a few short months ago, the objective was to support and champion the back bone of this sport; the Moms and Dads who do this every weekend, the amateur riders who dream to be factory riders and the chance to pit on factory row. Well that’s actually what the Roost Factory brought to the sport this year, hospitality, preferred paddock support, great products and trackside support.

Behind the scenes, the incredible Roost Factory team were working triple time, to make it happen every

weekend across the country, building systems and infrastructure learning, refining and being there every weekend getting their hands dirty. Shelby Mahon, Director of Marketing had an amazing time following the series, “It was an exciting, exhausting and gratifying season! This is an amazing sport, with amazing people and a lot of fun. We have the help and support from some tremendous people and leaders in this industry who have opened doors for us, looked out for us. And when things go wrong, which they do, they have had our backs.

This is our inaugural year and we have learned a lot, accomplished a lot and are looking forward to a lot of years serving and supporting this sport to come!”

Roost Factory Hoosier Off-road LAUNCHED out of the gate this year on their Hoosier MX Tires, kept up their engines running smoothly with Red Line Oil, and Mac’s “tied” down some amazing results! Along with the Rockstar Triple Crown Tour, Roost Factory has been supporting multiple series all over North America this year including the Promation National Enduro Championships, Off-road Ontario, Border Battle XC, AMSA and more!

The Roost Factory team consider themselves very lucky to have had the opportunity to meet some extremely talented riders and better yet, mechanics, race Moms and Dads, entrepreneurs and moto-heads as

passionate about the sport as they are this past season! The East Coast Triple Crown series was hot, humid, and full of gnarly tracks but it was some of the best racing we have seen in a long time. With the drama always present at the race track in some form or another, the Roost Factory riders and staff stayed composed and supportive of their fellow racers at every round.

The Purple Paddock will only continue to grow and support the sport we all know and love. It takes a special kind of person to swing their leg over a dirt bike and ride it to its full potential.

That special kind of person is usually missing a fear gene or two, but all in all, they have something not many people do, the courage, determination and passion to succeed against all odds. At the Roost Factory Hoosier Offroad, we are that next level of support to help the amateur and privateer racers chase down their goals. We carry the trackside performance products that racers need to get the winning edge. We have an incredibly passionate team of staff and Roost Members that support our riders not just at their best but also at their worst.

The Roost Factory promises to continue to introduce innovative new ideas and initiatives to the sport that enhances the lifestyle, safety and fulfillment of those who are the backbone of the sport – the amateurs and privateers.

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ONE ON ONE WITH SKIP NORFOLK B Y A N DY W H I T E / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

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IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN THE WORLD OF SUPERCROSS OR MOTOCROSS YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THE NAME SKIP NORFOLK. IF YOU REMEMBER A RIDER THAT DOMINATED THE SX SCENE DURING THE EARLY ‘90S BY THE NAME OF JEREMY MCGRATH THEN YOU WILL CONNECT THE NAMES TOGETHER. SKIP WAS THE GUY (MECHANIC) THAT MADE SURE MC HONDA STAYED TOGETHER FOR THOSE SIX YEARS. THE FIRST TWO YEARS WAS WITH THE PRO CIRCUIT HONDA PEAK TEAM, THEN THE TWO MOVED TO HONDA FACTORY. THIS IS WHERE I FEEL MCGRATH REALLY MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF.

W

e all know a rider needs a mechanic to provide the skills to build and prepare the race bike.

What most people don’t know is that you need to really understand the rider so you know what to say and what not to say. Back in the early ‘90s, riders would usually travel with their mechanic in a box van. This meant you sat next to each other and traveled thousands of miles together, so there was lots of time to figure out things like how to win races.

Let’s get back to Skip (real name, Dale). Way back in the day, Dale’s father started calling his son Skip and it just stuck! Skip started out as a mechanic in his teens and was lucky enough to get a job with the Kawasaki Team Green amateur program back in 1987 at the young age of 19. Some of the riders that went through the Team Green program back then were kids like Ricky Carmichael, Ezra Lusk, Jeff Dement, the Vohland brothers and James Stewart, just to name a few. Those were the days when Team Green owned the amateur market. After a few years, Skip received a call from Mitch Payton to ask if he would like to wrench for Jeremy McGrath. The answer was yes and that’s when the

two began to made history. I believe Skip said he has seven championships tied to a rider and dozens of other championships with riders connected to the teams he worked for.

Things changed at the end of 1996.

Skip and his wife were expecting their first child, which is when Skip thought it was time to find a job that didn’t take him away from the family for weeks on end. Timing is everything. Jeff Surwall called Skip and said, “I’m involved with a new gear company, it’s called No Fear.

Are you interested?” That’s all it took.

Skip was now involved in the rag trade, as I call it. We all know how No Fear came into the MX industry. It was crazy how No Fear came from nothing to taking the market by surprise. They had Pastrana and MC in their gear, and the rest is history, as they say. That opportunity lasted about three or four years until MC came knocking. Jeremy was starting a new team and wanted Skip back on the program. If it worked once it had to work again. The two joined forces and worked together for three or four years until another phone call came. It was Surwall again asking about another opportunity.

Back to No Fear again. “This was how life went,” explained Skip. “Every time the phone rang it was some opportunity that sounded great.” Over the next few years

Skip went from No Fear to One Industries then off to Alias, who was working with Geico Honda.

Okay, so let’s fast forward to 2015 when Skip felt it was time to get back into the driver’s seat and build a SX & MX team for riders that were overlooked by the factory teams. Skip explains how the program worked. “I knew lots of great kids that had the speed or ability but were just overlooked. I felt these riders needed a shot so I connected with a friend of mine that I went to high school with. I told him I would like to build a team that would let these riders get a chance to show the factories that I can win or come close to it. So, I got the funding, we created a team, and called it Traders Racing, which had support from Kawasaki. We ran the team with support from Kawasaki for two years then we ended up signing with Yamaha in 2017 and 2018. I really enjoyed the past four years helping out riders like Nick Gaines and Luke Renzland. We had some good results too.” As we all know, racing costs a lot of money and you need lots to go racing.

By the end of 2018, the team started looking at what the plans would be moving forward. They knew they would need more funding to step up the program to the next level. Well, that’s easier said than done. That would mean knocking on lots of doors and hoping to score a few, new cash sponsors. Another way to raise extra funding is to merge two teams together...how about three teams into one? Traders and ClubMX started talking and worked on a plan to merge. Then the idea of going to Canada to race the outdoors started and before you knew it Redemption Racing was part of the mix. This is how the name CTR racing started.

Here we are today, the supercross series is over and the team had some solid results. Time to continue the program and send the truck and the team up to Canada for the Triple Crown series. This is where I had a chance to ask Skip some questions on the Canadian series, as it was his first time managing a team in Canada. I wanted to hear what he thought of our country and the racing.

ANDY WHITE: YOUR TITLE FOR THE CTR TEAM IS RACE DIRECTOR, WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?

Skip Norfolk: Primary responsibility is the bike, everything about the bike, testing, setting race spec with each rider, setting maintenance schedules, spare parts…if it involves the bike, I am involved (all the fun stuff). We are a small team, so we all wear multiple hats.

YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH RACING SINCE 1987, HAVE YOU SEEN A CHANGE IN THE WAY KIDS PREPARE TODAY?

SN: Absolutely, riders have a comfort zone that they need to find.

WHEN YOU STARTED WITH THE TEAM GREEN PROGRAM BACK IN 1987, EVERYONE RODE TWO-STROKES, BUT TODAY WE ARE ON FOUR-STROKES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON FOUR-STROKE TECHNOLOGIES?

SN: All the bikes are extremely good stock from the dealership, but with all racing, teams push the products to their breaking point, squeezing every ounce of power out of them. When the 250 four-strokes first came on line, most of them were designed for 36 HP maximum.

Today we are talking about 50+hp out of a 250cc four-stroke factory engine.

Technology and materials have allowed for this but it is a double edge sword.

When we push the design limits, we have to shore those areas up, and that costs money and time. Today we talk about how long it will last, practice engines with a 15-hour time limit, race engines with a 2-hour time limit, specific parts that must be inspected, and follow strict criteria in order to be used or trashed. It can get crazy.

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ONE ON ONE WITH SKIP NORFOLK DO YOU PREFER TWO-STROKES OR FOUR-STROKES?

SN: I love dirt bikes and I love hearing the sound of a two-stroke on the track.

I would like to see the rules be reevaluated for classification. Maybe we can get the 250 class to be just that, a 250 class, either two or four-stokes.

That could be very interesting.

I HEAR PARENTS TALK ABOUT THE COST OF PARTS AND MAINTAINING THEIR RACE BIKES. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND PARENTS LOOKING AT TWO-STROKES TO HELP WITH COST?

SN: Too many variables to have a set-in-stone guide to follow, but for the young riders transitioning from mini cycles to big bikes, if they are under 16 and not 6’ 185 lbs., then yes, they can be a great way to gain experience.

There seems to be more classes at the local races to accommodate them now but the techniques used on two-strokes are different from the fourstroke. Bottom line today, we are all about four-strokes, so the sooner you can get on them and adapt, the better.

IF A PARENT SAID THEY HAVE A TIGHT BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON AND THEY HAVE TWO, BRAND NEW 250FS, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM TO DO ON THE BIKES TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE SEASON?

SN: That, to some point, depends on the brand, but fuel can be a significant gain in performance, as well as a piston, dedicated practice bike, and chassis set up. Work on technique; the rider is and has always been the difference. So, work on that…every aspect of it.

YOU HAVE WORKED IN A FEW AREAS ON THE INDUSTRY, FROM WRENCHING ON THE TEAM GREEN PROGRAM TO WINNING TITLES WITH “SHOWTIME” MCGRATH. YOU ALSO WORKED IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY WITH NO FEAR AND ONE INDUSTRIES. DO YOU PREFER ONE TO THE OTHER? THEY ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT JOBS, NO? SN: Yes they are different but both equally enjoyable.

YOU WON 7 AMA CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER YOUR CAREER AS A MECHANIC. WAS THERE A YEAR YOU WON THAT STICKS OUT THE MOST?

SN: There was a time when MX Nationals and SX were mixed. 1993 was amazing – (1st SX title), but in 1996, Jeremy won 19 events in the first 21 weeks of the year (had a weekend off in there also).

I READ AN ARTICLE WHERE YOU ALMOST HAD A PERFECT SEASON OF WINNING EVERY RACE MC ENTERED. I CAN’T IMAGINE THE STRESS THAT PUT ON YOU EVERY TIME JEREMY LEFT THE TRUCK FOR THE NEXT RACE. I BET YOU CHECKED EVERY BOLT TEN TIMES BEFORE HE RACED. SN: It was the most rewarding and stressful time, for sure. Every other aspect in my life did not matter, and my first son was born in September that year. It did take its toll. I felt like I had to be perfect and in turn I expected everyone else in the world to be perfect as well. Yeah, not how life works at all. I turned into a person that was not good but I was fortunate to have some great people in my life that helped get me back on track (Jeremy and his family and my wife Kristy).

“I KNEW LOTS OF GREAT KIDS THAT HAD THE SPEED OR ABILITY BUT WERE JUST OVERLOOKED. I FELT THESE RIDERS NEEDED A SHOT SO I CONNECTED WITH A FRIEND OF MINE THAT I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH. I TOLD HIM I WOULD LIKE TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WOULD LET THESE RIDERS GET A CHANCE TO SHOW THE FACTORIES THAT I CAN WIN OR COME CLOSE TO IT..”

YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MOTOCROSS RACING FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU DOWN THE ROAD?

SN: I really enjoy being a part of young riders and team members working to get to the next level and follow their dreams. I would like to think that I could, in some small way, assist them on the journey.

IN 2019, YOUR TEAM PARTNERED WITH THE CLUBMX PROGRAM. YOUR GOAL WAS TO RACE EAST COAST SX SERIES AND THEN HEAD NORTH TO RACE THE TRIPLE CROWN ROCKSTAR SERIES. YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE SX SERIES FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT GOING UP NORTH?

SN: Redemption Racing (Canada based) is the third partnership of the CTR motorsports team. Canada gave us an opportunity to race during the summer, and gave Josh and Jayce (our young riders) the ability to compete and continue to work on their skills throughout the summer, while Keylan and Eric would bring the experience to our program - helping us prepare and be ready to compete in Canada. We were confident that the support of the team would allow both guys to have solid performances and compete in the premier 450 class. It was good for everyone involved with our program. I know it was good for me. I had fun racing.

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THE FIRST ROUND OF THE CANADIAN OUTDOOR SERIES WAS IN CALGARY. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION WHEN YOU ARRIVED AT THE TRACK, AND WHEN YOU SAW THE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE ONLY MINUTES FROM THE TRACK? SN: It was so nice to see the city as the backdrop as the riders sent it. Those pictures always stuck in my mind from years past.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE COMPETITION IN BOTH THE MX1 & MX2 CLASSES. SN: It exceeded my expectations.

There was great racing all year…every weekend.

WE HAVE HEARD THE TRACKS IN CANADA ARE LIKE PRACTICE TRACKS IN THE US OR LIKE EUROPEAN TRACKS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

SN: They are different. The track prep prior to qualifying is different, I think better than we see in the US. There were multiple lines, which allows passing and makes for better racing.

The bumps are not as large, again that helps bring the field closer in lap times, also making for better racing.

WHAT ROUND WAS YOUR FAVOURITE AND YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE?

SN: Calgary/Manitoba (maybe the worst mudder I have experienced).

IT’S BEEN SAID THAT GOPHER DUNES IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TRACKS ON WHICH TO COMPETE. I AM SURE YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR FAIR NUMBER OF TRACKS. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE DUNES?

SN: Well, it bit our team hard. Riders were ready and had great motos going, but we let them down with bike problems. I was surprised how jumpy that track was, given the sand. The riders have to be on mentally the entire time. It reminded me of old Southwick with real sand.

ONE OF THE ROUNDS WAS IN QUEBEC. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT ROUND? WE KNOW THE QUEBEC FANS ARE SUPER PASSIONATE AND LIKE TO GET RIGHT UP CLOSE TO THE ACTION. SN: The facility was really nice. It was almost like a different country. The pit area was very different than any other national we attended.

DID YOU STRUGGLE WITH THE LANGUAGE DIFFERENCE?

SN: No, racing is great that way.

You can still communicate, and our transport driver is from Quebec so he could have helped if we needed some translating.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE CANADIAN FANS AND OTHER RACERS YOU MET? ANY DIFFERENT TO THE US RIDERS OR FANS? SN: Moto fans are great and it does not matter where you are in the world, they are special fans. You have to be spending all day in the elements. That is dedication.

DID YOU HAVE ANY TRAVEL PROBLEMS DURING THE SERIES? SN: That would be the downside.

Travel was different.

YOUR TEAM LOOKED VERY PROFESSIONAL, AND HAD A GREAT LOOKING SET UP. THE TEAM RIDERS HAD SOME UP AND DOWN RESULTS. WERE YOU PLEASED WITH THE END RESULT? SN: Well, no, we had high expectations and fell short. We are proud of our program, for sure. We have great partners/sponsors that allow us to present our team at a very high level, but with that said, we did have positives to take away.

BEFORE THE SX SERIES STARTS, WILL YOU TAKE SOME TIME OFF? MAYBE A VACATION? SN: Yes, a little time off. We have to get everything cleaned up, return bikes to Yamaha, etc., and with racing it never ends. We’re getting ready for the Montreal SX, getting everything prepared for next year’s SX season to start, the pace just slows slightly.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT, EVEN THOUGH I COULD ASK YOU ANOTHER 100 PLUS QUESTIONS ON YOUR CAREER. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO BECOME A MECHANIC FOR A TEAM, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

SN: ENGINEERING! ENGINEERING! (focus on data and mapping for engines and hydraulics if you are into suspension) and a 2nd major in psychology. You need to have a great work ethic, so prepare accordingly with schooling and or tech schools, but work ethic, responsibility and dedication to your craft is the best way to get into racing.

(Those qualities cannot go unnoticed).

The factories do pay attention and listen.

Having a specialized skill set will set you apart. I was fortunate to work at an OEM (Kawasaki) almost right out of high school. I was going to the Air Force Academy, had to sign my paperwork on a Saturday, and Kawasaki called the Tuesday before and I was in Irvine, CA Thursday. It worked out for me but it is different now. It is possible to find a young rider and track with them as they progress but it is harder now than, say, thirty years ago.

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, SEE YOU IN 2020.

SN: You are more than welcome.

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FIVE TIMES A CHARM

Palms and Husqvarna Team Up For the Walton TransCan B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

“H

ey, are you going to race Walton this year?”

That was the question I got numerous times throughout the spring and summer of this year.

I must admit that in May and June I was on the fence as I just wasn’t sure if I had enough time to prepare. Yes, I know those are prime riding months in Canada and technically I should’ve had ample time to get ready. But the spring and summer are also by far my busiest months with work, and sometimes the last thing on my mind is riding with a purpose and trying to get ready for a big race. However, as July rolled around, I began to really put some seat time on my 2019 Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition. I fell in love with the bike so much that I decided that I wanted to see how it would work on what I considered to be one of the most challenging tracks in Canada, Walton Raceway. After riding one particular evening at my home track and feeling how good my FC450 handled in one specific Walton-like section, I came in, sat down, and told my son that I wanted to race the 2019 Walton TransCan. Although he rolled his eyes and said, “I thought you were retired,” I knew deep down that he was as excited as I was.

After all, these days we don’t get to race at the same event very often.

Before I get any further along in my story, I want to rewind to what I first thought about racing the 2019 Walton TransCan. It actually started last October when I was thinking about ways to avoid slipping into my usual winter full of inactivity. At the same time, I had just got a Concept 2 Ski-Erg, and after seeking out some advice from both Colton Facciotti and Kyle Thompson on some Ski-Erg training programs, I started to use it on a regular basis. Now for those of you who have never used a Ski-Erg, it’s one of the most intense training machines around as once you begin there is little or no time to rest. It actually took me a full month before I could do one of Colton’s or Kyle’s workout. However, by mid- November I was doing multiple workouts a week and was feeling pretty good.

This went on all winter, and I must admit that I don’t know if I just got lucky or if it was because I was working out 4-5 days per week, but from November to April I only got one cold. Usually I’m good for at least a few colds during the winter.

“Since one of the reasons I decided to race the TransCan was to test out the FC450 in race conditions, I was more than happy with its performance”

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Anyway, all was going well and then in April I took delivery of my new Husqvarna FC450 Rockstar Edition. From the moment I first rode the bike I was in love with it as it was a lot of fun to ride.

My first observation of the new FC450 was that it shared the same handling characteristics of the KTM450 SX-F that I had been riding for the previous three years, but it appeared to do some things just a little better. Maybe it’s the composite sub-frame that the Husqvarna has or the slightly different engine mapping, but whatever it was, the more I rode the FC450 the more I liked it. Many people have asked me this year if it’s worth spending the extra money to purchase the Rockstar Edition over the regular FC450. My feeling is that if you want the absolute best bike on the race track then it’s worth it.

With the FMF Exhaust system, upgraded triple clamps and wheels, not to mention a lighter and stronger crank as well as a polished transmission, the FC450 Rockstar Edition really is a work of modern-day motocross art.

My final decision to race the 2019 Walton TransCan didn’t come until six weeks prior to the event. I was still using the Concept 2 Ski-Erg and then Allan Jaggard lent me a very sweet Marin road bicycle to continue my off-the-bike training. At the time I also had Canadian motocross photographer legend James Lissimore staying with me, and since he is an avid road bike rider, we ended up going on a few long training rides. The new Marin road bicycle was great and it honestly made some of those long rides

seem fun. As we got closer to the TransCan, I ended up getting some much-needed suspension help from Steve Beattie, who took care of the front forks on my FC450, and Mike Parliament from MP1, who set up the shock. With a few fresh new kits of 2020 Fox Racing gear, I was finally ready to chase my 5th +40A Walton TransCan title.

With the Walton TransCan beginning on the Monday with parking, registration and opening ceremonies, my son and I loaded everything up and made the 75-minute trek west to Walton Raceway. Even though we’ve obviously been to Walton numerous times, we still get excited as we drive through Brussels towards the tiny farming community that is home to the biggest motocross event in Canada. Driving through the front gate and finally getting parked is another exciting time for my son and I, as it signifies the time to unpack and get comfortable for the next five days.

Tuesday was not practice day but also Day 1 of racing for my son as the opening Supermini class moto was in the afternoon.

On Wednesday just after lunch, the gate dropped on my opening moto. Now to say I was a little nervous for the first moto would be a gross understatement. I mean, I haven’t raced for two years so even though I’ve been riding quite a bit during that time, there’s always that fear in the back of my mind that I’m going to forget what to do when the gate drops. Thankfully, I didn’t forget and after a few quick passes on the opening lap, I was able to take the lead and win Moto 1. I

FIVE TIMES A CHARM

“Part of the allure of being at big events like the ECAN or Walton TransCan is what goes on away from the track.”

was excited as not only did it feel like a big weight off my shoulders but my FC450 felt great on the soft and rutted Walton Raceway track. Since one of the reasons I decided to race the TransCan was to test out the FC450 in race conditions, I was more than happy with its performance.

Part of the allure of being at big events like the ECAN or Walton TransCan is what goes on away from the track. One of these years I’m going to count the number of cool conversations I have during the week as I walk through the paddock. This year was no different because with the beautiful weather that finally engulfed Walton Raceway, everyone was in a pretty good mood. As for me, even though I fell while leading Moto 2 and ended up finishing second, that wasn’t enough to dampen my spirits. My son and I were having a fun and safe week, and that really is what was important.

Before we knew it, the final day of racing was upon us and me and my FC450 were ready for redemption. With some ultra-trick Sunoco race fuel that Steve Simms provided me flowing through my Husqvarna’s veins, I grabbed the early lead in Moto 3 and never looked back. I felt better than I had all week long, and with my son and his fellow Supermini

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FEATURES OF THE HUSQVARNA FC450 ROCKSTAR EDITION:

rider Josh Bryan running the pit board, it was great to win my third and final moto to take the overall win for the week. This Walton TransCan title is my 5th since 2013, plus I’ve also managed to win on three different brands, which is something I don’t think any amateur has done. All in all, it was a great week at Walton Raceway, and it really made the long bicycle rides and hours on the Ski-Erg seem to be worth it.

Regardless of your age or skill level, whenever you decide to line up and race, you’re taking a chance that something bad might happen. It’s called risk, and especially as we get older and have more responsibility away from the race track, that risk has to be assessed. I think of this every time I go riding so I want to be prepared and have the best equipment I can possibly have under me. Looking back now, I’m glad I made the decision to compete at Walton Raceway at least

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one more time. Not only because I won my class, but because all of the preparation. Whether it was the motos or all of the off-the-bike training I did, all of it was good for me, and it was good for my son to see his dad work so hard. It was fun to do some of the training together. Would I like to do it again? Of course, I would. Trust me, I will be continuing my training this winter. Will I race Walton again in 2020?

That is a question I cannot answer right now. During my final moto I was thinking about how lucky I am. Here I was leading some of the best Vet riders in Canada, on a perfectly prepared track and on one of the best bikes I’ve ever ridden in my life.

It just doesn’t get any better than that for a 46-year-old motocross rider. Anyway, thank-you to all of the people who helped me, and most of all, thanks to my wife and son for their undying support. Win or lose, they’re always my biggest fans.

ROCKSTAR FACTORY RACING GRAPHICS NEW CP BOX-IN-BOX PISTON & NEW PANKL CONNECTING ROD NEW TOPOLOGY OPTIMIZED ROCKER ARMS NEW FACTORY MACHINED ANODIZED TRIPLE CLAMPS FACTORY START FOR FRONT FORK BLACK FRAME COMPOSITE SKID PLATE NEW FMF 4.1 SLIP-ON MUFFLER NEW FACTORY D.I.D DIRTSTAR WHEELS FACTORY GUTS RACING SEAT COVER SEMI-FLOATING FRONT DISC FRONT BRAKE DISC GUARD BLACK REAR SPROCKET PRO TAPER EVO HANDLEBARS ODI SOFT LOCK ON GRIPS

2019-09-05 3:20 PM

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SAM GAYNOR

MAKING IT BIG

BY CL AU DI E L APOI NTE / PHOTOS BY JAM E S LI SS I MOR E

AFTER GETTING A 450 FACTORY RIDE AT ONLY 18 YEARS OLD, SAM GAYNOR DELIVERED AN IMPRESSIVE 2019 SEASON, INCLUDING MULTIPLE TOP-10S AND A HOLESHOT IN A VERY STACKED AND EXPERIENCED CLASS. WONDERING HOW A YOUNG RACER FROM ERIN, ON ENDED UP LEADING A 450 CANADIAN NATIONAL? KEEP READING AS I SIT DOWN WITH HIM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HIS JOURNEY THROUGH CANADIAN MOTOCROSS.

F

or the Gaynor family, everything started 16 years ago. At 3 years old, a very small Sam rode his first-ever dirt bike. It didn’t take long for Jeff, his dad, to realize that his son had a natural talent on the two-wheel machine. The family then decided to give racing a try and drove to a small indoor track, just over the Michigan border. That’s all it would take for the Gaynors to become addicted to the world of racing. “I loved it right away, so we continued to race and never stopped since then,” says Sam. During his amateur years, Sam and his family traveled across North America to compete against the best amateur racers in the world. Some of the highlights of his pre-professional career include some top-5 results at the famous Loretta Lynn’s National as well as many Walton championships. Two of those Walton titles actually triggered something in Sam. “I always dreamed about being a professional motocross racer, but it really hit me in 2016 when I won my tow Junior titles at Walton. I knew at that moment, my #1 goal was to get under a factory tent one day, which drove me to work a lot harder on and off the bike to become a better racer.”

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SAM GAYNOR

MAKING IT BIG

Jeff, Sam’s dad, has been a big part of his program since Day 1. The duo definitely have a relationship that a lot of other father/son teams would envy. Jeff has been acting as Sam’s mechanic since he was 3 years old, which is pretty common in the motocross industry. What differs is that Sam decided to keep his dad close by when he made the switch to professional racing. On a typical race day, you can see Jeff embracing his factory mechanic role and supporting his son on and off the track. “During my amateur years, my Dad was everything - the mechanic, the chef, the driver.

Everything you can think of, he did it.

Nowadays, he’s still my mechanic and drives a lot, but with the team taking some responsibilities over, we were able to really enjoy the summer as a family with my Mom and our dog roadtripping across Canada.”

When I asked him if his family had to make sacrifices to be able to get him to where he is right now, Sam told me that it wasn’t ever as bad as some other stories you hear, but they definitely had to give up a lot in order to focus on their priorities, which were clearly riding, racing and training. Things that got pushed away were, among others, different sports, friends and family gatherings, and his prom.

To better paint the type of father and son relationship that Sam and Jeff have together, I asked Sam to describe his partnership with his dad, on and off the track. “At the track we are pretty serious and we both want to do our best for the best result possible.

At home we like to have fun, like go mountain biking. We haven’t yet this year, but we usually go fishing, and we both like to go out and do stuff. We are best friends and I give him a ton of credit for my entire racing career.”

It’s clear, still to this day, that the Gaynor family has created a winning team, which brought them to the next logical step. As Sam had mentioned, his ultimate goal was to be under a Factory tent, and thanks to some great performances during his Pro-Am year (2018), he finally got the opportunity he had been dreaming about. “I knew after Loretta’s 2018 that I was going to be turning pro in 2019, and for my family and I, a 450

was much more cost effective, so we knew that was the first step, which was choosing which class I wanted to race. The second step, which at the time seemed like a long shot, was to try to get factory support.”

“It was actually kind of funny because I was driving home from getting my hair cut, two days before I was leaving for Florida, and my Dad called me and said, “Hey, would you want to ride for OTSFF?” I answered, “Yes!” and he said, “Good, I sent an email the other day and you got a support ride!” So that was a surprise to me as I didn’t know he was working on it at the time, but it was exciting!”

Some people questioned his choice to ride a 450 for his first-year pro, but after finishing top-10 overall in the series, Sam proved to everyone that a different path doesn’t mean the wrong path. The decision of racing in the 450 class had been made before the OTSFF deal came together, as the family preferred the cost of maintaining a 450 engine over trying to compete against the costly factory 250 machines.

The 2019 MX Tour season has been pretty amazing for Sam Gaynor, but it is not over for the Ontario rider, who plans on racing the SX Tour series as well. When all the Canadian racing will be done, Sam plans on working to save some money and head down south for winter training.

Talking about next steps and the future, for a 19-year-old, Sam knows exactly what he wants and has clear goals for the next few years. “I have my Grade 12 diploma, and for now I’m going to chase my dream at being a professional motocross racer and then hopefully go into trades for work. My biggest goal has always been to race professional motocross as long as I can, then get a full-time job, hopefully have a kid one day, and if they are into moto I would love to help them reach their goals, whatever that may be!” If moto doesn’t end up working out, Sam still has plans that

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“Jeff, Sam’s dad, has been a big part of his program since Day 1. The duo definitely have a relationship that a lot of other father/son teams would envy.”

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SAM GAYNOR

MAKING IT BIG

involve a job, more time with friends and stand-up Jet skis.

During his 16 years of racing, Sam wouldn’t have done anything differently, but he did mention that he would like to take back some of his past injuries, as they have set him back on many occasions. At the same time, this journey has brought him where he is today, and the experience he gained from these low times has built the rider he is today. “If I could give any young amateur rider some advice it would be: ‘Never give up! Don’t get too high on the highs and don’t get too low on the lows. Keep fighting, no matter what - you never know what can happen.’ I certainly couldn’t have predicted 2019, but I did work really hard for it and it paid off.”

Through thick and thin, the Gaynor family has grown into a beautiful and successful team that gave a fresh wind of positivity to the Canadian Motorcycle Industry.

Whether Sam gets the title of Rookie of the Year or not, his presence and performances during the 2019 will never be forgotten.

Even though there is nothing concrete for 2020 yet, he clearly wishes to continue his venture with OTSFF, as he says they now feel like family to him. Sam also wanted to conclude our interview by thanking all the people that helped him make 2019 the best season so far. ‘’First off, I would like to thank you for doing this interview with me! Secondly, I can’t thank my Mom, Dad, and sister enough for all of their support from the very beginning!! Thank you to all the people behind me: Rockstar, OTSFF, Yamaha, Motopark, Andre Laurin, Iain Hayden, Steve Simms (SSR), FXR, Atlas Brace, 100%, Motul, Get Data, D&D Moto, Risi George, Cam Callaghan, Steve Duffy, Pirelli Tires, Ryan Lockhart, Sidi Boots, Joe Skidd (SSS), FMF, New Era, Mikey Walker, Andy White, Twin Air, and all the fans out there at every round cheering me on!!! Thank you all so much!!!’’

If you come to any Canadian races, make sure to stop by his pit to say hi, otherwise give him a follow on Social Media to follow his great and successful journey. (@samgaynor28)

“Even though there is nothing concrete for 2020 yet, he clearly wishes to continue his venture with OTSFF, as he says they now feel like family to him.”

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MXP CHATTER

JESS

PETTIS B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY / P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

Coming into the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour, Jess Pettis had high hopes of defending his 250 Championship from the year before. However, after a solid start to his season in the highly competitive Monster Energy Supercross Series, Pettis crashed during outdoor testing and suffered a broken arm. With that arm only partially healed and the opening MXTour round on the horizon, doctors told Pettis that he should reconsider lining up in Calgary. But with the big #1 on his new KTM, Pettis decided to race and just take it moto by moto. As the 250 series went on, Pettis would get better and better. Although he came up short in this year’s championship chase, he’s now 100% healthy and looking forward the SXTour Series. We caught up with Pettis a week after the final MXTour round at Walton Raceway.

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“I DEFINITELY LEARNED EARLY THAT TO FIND SUCCESS IN ANYTHING ISN’T EASY AND YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR IT. SOMETIMES THINGS GO THE WAY YOU WANT AND SOMETIMES THEY DON’T, THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT GOES.” 90 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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ONE THING THAT WAS OBVIOUS WAS HOW GOOD YOUR STARTS WERE ALL SUMMER LONG. IT SEEMED LIKE YOU AND YOUR TEAMMATE, TANNER WARD, WERE ALWAYS UP FRONT.

HEY JESS, I HOPE YOU MADE IT HOME FROM WALTON SAFE AND SOUND. I’M ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE 2019 MXTOUR SERIES YOU’RE HAPPY WITH HOW IT ENDED, BUT DEFINITELY NOT HAPPY WITH HOW IT STARTED. For sure, it was a tough summer but I’m super proud with how I battled and never gave up. Obviously, I set the bar pretty high last year and I was hoping to repeat in 2019, but it just wasn’t in the cards. Coming into Calgary with an injury, which in all honesty I shouldn’t even have been racing with, to still be on the track and compete for race wins, when all is said and done, I’m pretty darn grateful and pretty pumped to finish up where I did.

YEAH, WE SPOKE AT THE OPENING ROUND AND I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT WHEN YOU TOLD ME THAT THE DOCTORS TOLD YOU THAT YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN’T EVEN RACE.

Lining up for Calgary was probably the hardest thing mentally and physically that I’ve ever had to do. My doctors advised against it but I felt that if I just went out and rode smart then it might be worth the risk. I knew that if I could just score points in those early rounds then I still would be able to challenge for the 250 title in the east.

In the end, I think I made the right decision, and I even was able to win a moto in front of the family and friends in Prince George. It all worked out and I think I was able to learn a lot about myself this summer.

WE’VE TALKED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT YOUR CAREER AND WHERE YOU’VE COME FROM. I LOVE YOUR STORY AND HOW YOU’VE HAD TO PERSEVERE THROUGH SO MUCH. THIS PAST SUMMER WAS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT.

I definitely learned early that to find success in anything isn’t easy and you have to work for it. Sometimes things go the way you want and sometimes they don’t, that’s just the way it goes.

This year has been tough with having to learn a new bike, be around a new team, and of course deal with a few injuries. But I battled and never gave up, and I think I’m a better rider and a better person for it.

BEING A FORMER RIDER, I’M ALWAYS TRYING TO PUT MYSELF BACK IN YOUR SHOES AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING. IT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO COME INTO THE OPENING ROUND IN CALGARY WITH NOT JUST AN INJURY BUT ALSO WITH SO LITTLE TESTING TIME ON A NEW BIKE. Yeah, that was probably the toughest part as we didn’t have much time to test our outdoor settings.

Unfortunately, when it was time to test for outdoors, I ended up getting injured so we couldn’t do much.

Those opening rounds of the MXTour were basically a guessing game with set-up and trying to feel the bike out.

Thankfully I have a great team behind me and we just kept pushing through.

Thanks! I felt like my starts have been getting better each year and it’s something that I’ve worked hard on.

This summer it felt like I either got a great start or a horrible start, there was no in between. Our bikes have been great all year long so it’s made it easy to get off the gate quickly.

MXP: EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD THE OPTION, I’M SURE TO FLY BACK AND FORTH TO YOUR HOME IN PRINCE GEORGE DURING THE EASTERN HALF OF THE MXTOUR SERIES, YOU CHOSE TO RENT A HOUSE IN QUEBEC AND STAY EAST. LOOKING BACK NOW WERE YOU HAPPY WITH THAT DECISION? For sure, that is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I wanted to stay east and live in the heat and humidity that we just don’t get out west. Also, I wanted to be close to KTM so we could continue testing and getting the bike dialed in. So, Tanner and I decided to rent a house in Bromont, QC and live there for a month. It was a great location as there were practice tracks nearby, KTM was only 30 minutes away, and there was a lot of things to do in the area. It was just a really cool place and we had a blast. I’ll definitely do it again next year, and it worked out perfectly.

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IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU’VE FIGURED OUT HOW TO BALANCE THE WORK AND THE FUN OF BEING A PRO ATHLETE?

I like to think that I have, it definitely feels that way. There’s obviously a time to be serious and do the work that is needed to be a champion, but you also have to enjoy yourself and keep things light. That is what Tanner and I did this summer, we worked extremely hard but we also had fun.

I think one of the important things you have to do as a pro is enjoy the training and process of trying to get better. Even when we’re on a hard bicycle ride we’re still having fun. I think that’s really important.

YOU DEFINITELY MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT. I THINK THAT IS ONE MISTAKE THAT A LOT OF YOUNG RIDERS MAKE. THEY EITHER DON’T ENJOY THEMSELVES ENOUGH, OR THEY ENJOY THEMSELVES TOO MUCH BUT IN THE WRONG WAY. SO RIGHT NOW, YOU’RE RELAXING AT HOME AND RECHARGING YOUR BATTERIES. WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

It’s time to get back into SX training as Montreal will be my next race.

We’re going to do the SXTour and then hopefully head back down to California and get ready for the Monster Energy SX Series. Whether we do it again just out of a sprinter van or whether we have more support, it doesn’t matter to me. Last year we got started late on testing so I wasn’t really sure what to expect at Anaheim 1. This year we will be much better prepared and I think we can get some really good results.

“THERE’S OBVIOUSLY A TIME TO BE SERIOUS AND DO THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED TO BE A CHAMPION, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO ENJOY YOURSELF AND KEEP THINGS LIGHT.” YEAH, YOU REALLY ONLY HAD A FEW WEEKS TO GET READY FOR A1 SO WITH ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, YOUR RESULTS WERE PRETTY REMARKABLE. IT’S GOING TO BE EXCITING AGAIN TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CANADIAN RIDER TO CHEER FOR AGAIN IN THE 2020 SX SERIES.

Right now, that’s the plan so I can’t wait to get things going in SX. The SXTour is going to be as fun as last year, I really enjoyed myself. Montreal was a super fun event and the track was awesome. I love riding SX and I’m looking forward to getting back at it.

JESS, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR SUMMER AS YOU BATTLED THROUGH A LOT OF ADVERSITY AND NEVER GAVE UP. CONGRATULATIONS ON SECOND OVERALL IN THE 250 CLASS AND GOOD LUCK IN THE SXTOUR. Thanks Palms! I appreciate that and hopefully we can come out strong in the SXTour and end this season with a title.

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29051

7/18/19 2:04 PM 2019-09-05 3:32 PM

YOUNG PRESENTS

AND ON THE

RISE ISE R WITH

NOAH VINEY

B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY • P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

NOAH VINEY IS A FAST, YOUNG CANADIAN RIDER WHO IS CURRENTLY LIVING THE MOTOCROSS DREAM DOWN IN CALIFORNIA. NOAH AND HIS FAMILY ARE NOW LIVING AND TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEIR HOME IS ACTUALLY JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THE KTM NORTH AMERICAN HQ. AT JUST 14-YEARS-OLD, NOAH ALREADY LOVES TO RACE SX AND THIS OCTOBER HE’S HEADED TO LAS VEGAS TO RACE IN THE 2019 MONSTER ENERGY CUP. NOAH DEFINITELY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HIM, AND THIS PAST SUMMER HE AND HIS FAMILY TRAVELLED TO WALTON RACEWAY FOR THE 2019 TRANSCAN. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF INTENSE RACING, NOAH WENT AWAY WITH A 7TH OVERALL IN THE SUPERMINI CLASS, AND A THIRD OVERALL IN THE 85CC 12-16 CLASS. TO GET HIS THOUGHTS ON THIS PAST SUMMER, AS WELL WHAT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS HOLD, WE CAUGHT UP WITH NOAH VINEY FOR THE ROYAL DISTRIBUTING YOUNG AND ON THE RISE. FIRST OFF, CAN NOAH TELL ME HOW OLD YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CALL HOME? I am 14. Most people think I am 10 because of how small I am :) My family and I live in Murrieta, California.

CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING COOL ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE? Well, I live about two miles from Factory KTM and Factory Husky. I can take my mountain bike or my put bike to their private SX testing tracks and watch Dean Wilson, Jason Anderson Marvin Musquin etc. ride those tracks. My Dad built a SX track in our back yard for my brother and I, so we can train right at home.

WHERE ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FROM IN CANADA? We are from Ottawa. My Mom, my brother and I lived there our entire lives before moving to California 5 years ago. My Dad was born in Germany and has lived in Ireland and Sweden before moving to Canada.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING A DIRT BIKE? My first ride was when I was 4. I was excited to try it because I had seen my brother ride, but my first ride did not go well and I took a one-year break before I got back on the bike. I looped out a modded up, too fast for me, KTM 50, so my Dad got me on a Honda CRF 50 to ride. I finally had the nerve to get back on the bike and then I started to really love it. I did a camp with Kevin Tyler at Sand Del Lee (near where I lived), and I loved riding and trying to chase other kids. Every year since then we have been training, riding and attending the biggest and best races we could.

YOU HAVE DEFINITELY COME A LONG WAY. DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST RACE AND HOW YOU DID? NV: Yep, my first race was at Sand Del Lee and I was racing the 4-6 50cc class. It was so muddy that they moved our race to the kids’ track. I made it about 10 ft. and then fell over. It was terrible, I was so mad. Sebastien Racine was racing that day, too. He was a lot better than me and won the race. I think I ended up mid-pack. The bigger, taller kids in my class did better because they could put their feet down and touch the ground. One thing for sure was that I was determined to do better and I did not quit.

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“I DID A CAMP WITH KEVIN TYLER AT SAND DEL LEE (NEAR WHERE I LIVED), AND I LOVED RIDING AND TRYING TO CHASE OTHER KIDS. EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING, RIDING AND ATTENDING THE BIGGEST AND BEST RACES WE COULD.” DO YOU HAVE A RIDER THAT YOU LOOK UP TO AND THAT SOMETIMES GIVES YOU ADVICE? There are many riders that I look up to but one that stands out is Zach Bell.

Zach has been around our family a lot.

He has stayed with us and has trained my brother and I. He is such an amazing rider. He also makes sure I am always having fun. Zach is also small, so he knows what to do to take advantage of being small on a bike. We play little games at the track and do take out sessions. Zach is racing off-road now and is really busy so I don’t see him as much as I used to, but we still keep in touch.

SO, WE JUST FINISHED THE WALTON TRANSCAN. HOW HAS YOUR SEASON BEEN THUS FAR? This year has been pretty solid. Last year I was injured and not riding for almost 8 months with a broken hand and surgery on my shoulder, so our number one goal this year was to stay healthy and consistent. I have raced every major national so far, including Supercross Futures (4 rounds), Daytona SX, Freestone, Underground, Mammoth, Loretta Lynn, and the Cal Classic. I won a few of these events and at others I placed top 5 and top 10. My best results have been in Supercross and at Sand tracks. No surprise there because those are my two favourites.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE REST OF THE YEAR, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2019?

I am racing the Monster Energy Cup. I qualified to race the Supermini class on my 85 - my Dad is building me my first supermini. My brother raced the event on his 250 and I am so excited to race in front of such a huge crowd.

My Dad has our SX track all ready to go so Bjorn and I can train and be ready for supercross. After Monster Cup I am headed to Ponca for the Motoplayground race, then Mini Majors in Riverside, California, and then we are headed to the Mini Olympics in Florida.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU AT WALTON. HOW DID THE WEEK GO FOR YOU? Pretty good. I did not have my starts dialed for some reason so I had to fight from the back of the pack or mid pack in most of my races. I finished 2, 2 and 3 in my 85 class but lost three spots for missing yellow markers and ended up 3rd overall. Ryder McNabb was the fastest 85 rider there and I figured he would be after racing with him at Loretta’s a few weeks before Walton. I raced my 85 in the Supermini class and did my best but only managed a 7th overall against the big wheel 105 and 112cc bikes. Walton is such a big track with hills and long straights. This track favours faster bikes, for sure.

AWAY FROM THE TRACK, WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO OTHER THAN RIDE DIRT BIKES? Well, TJ Scott kind of showed me around and helped me meet a lot of new friends. I had such a good time riding my mountain bike, riding in the golf carts and just hanging out.

This event was so fun and even when things did not go perfectly in my motos I always had a good day.

YOU SEEM LIKE A VERY FOCUSED KID. YOU LOVE RACING, DON’T YOU? Yes, I love racing. I smiled a lot at Walton, but usually I am really quiet and focused. I might not be winning every race I enter but I am going to try to get better and better. I really like competition, and I get mad when I lose and then extremely happy when I win. There is nothing better than that feeling.

LOOKING BACK AT ALL OF YOUR RACING RESULTS, WHICH ONE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? I would have to call out my recent wins at Sand Del Lee racing Sebastien Racine - mostly because my entire family was there and Sebastien and I have been rivals since we rode on 50s. The last time we raced was on 65s and at Sand Del Lee, and he beat me in the second moto and won the overall. This time I went 1-1 in the 85 class and 2-1 in Supermini class.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRACK TO RIDE? In Canada it is Sand Del Lee (I love sand) and in the US it is Glen Helen.

WHAT IS YOUR FUNNIEST OR SCARIEST ROAD TRIP STORY? My dad bought a diesel toy hauler motorhome a few years ago. It was something he had always wanted. My Mom, brother and I headed to Junior Moto X in Oklahoma and I was doing homework at the kitchen table while my Mom drove us. All of a sudden, the slide out went all the way out and basically in the other lane of traffic!

My Mom had to pull over, and we could not get the slide in because it had broken. It was scary and funny at the same time. That motorhome was the worst. It broke down all the time.

WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT? I just finished Grade 8 and I am starting Grade 9. My best and favourite subject is Mathematics.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUR YOUNG RIDERS WHO ARE COMING UP THROUGH THE RANKS AND WANT TO SUCCEED? Set a goal and work hard for it. Focus your effort on technique. Going fast will come when you have good technique. If you try to go fast without good technique you will crash and hurt yourself. Finally, race big events as much as you can so that you get used to tough competition.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? In five years I want to be riding for a factory team and lining up for A1 and racing the West Coast Supercross series.

ONE FINAL QUESTION FOR YOU NOAH, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK? My Mom, my Dad, my brother, and my Nanny and Gampy. I also want to thank Greg Geissler from Rides Unlimited and Roger Larsen from Seven MX - they have supported me so much this past year and it has given me a lot of confidence. I also want to thank my trainer Caleb Tennant and the W Training facility in Murrieta.

MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 95

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THE INSIDE LINE WITH ANDY WHITE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

GREAT PERFORMANCES IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT’S ALREADY SEPTEMBER. IT SEEMS LIKE THE OUTDOORS JUST STARTED AND IT IS STILL JUNE. I GUESS WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN, TIME DOES FLY BY, AS THEY SAY.

I

was able to attend most of the Canadian rounds starting in Calgary and the Minnedosa round in Manitoba. The first three rounds went pretty well the way I would have predicted them to go. The 450 class was stacked this year with the addition of Nicoletti and Maffenbeier signing with the OTSFF Yamaha team. Mike Alessi also signed with the GDR Honda race team. Just adding these three to the mix made for some very exciting racing. I don’t really want to touch on the results but more on the preparation of the riders and teams. I would expect all the top riders and teams to have their programs all dialed in for the eight-round series. The Triple Crown MX Tour series is only eight rounds. That’s only 16 motos in total.

If you screw up and DNF one of those rounds, you better hope all the other top riders do as well.

As moto history goes, every year you have a “mudder round” as they call it. This past year it was at the round in Manitoba, unfortunately. That track, in my view, is one of the best by far and it’s a shame it had to rain that

particular day. I think if it’s going to rain it has to happen at a track that has lots of sand! I know that’s impossible to set up but how cool would it be to have a sand track next to the main track just in case it rains? I attended the Gopher Dunes round this year and I would have to say it’s one of the toughest tracks to ride…ever, and I would have to put it up in the top five in the world. We have heard from lots of top riders commenting on how rough this track can get.

So, this year I expected Matt Goerke to own that race as he is probably the best sand rider competing this year. His past results would prove he was or would be a favourite in the deep sand. Colton Facciotti and Cole Thompson have lots of experience at the Dunes as well. I remember when Mike Alessi was on his Moto Concepts Honda a few years ago.

He was on it until he ran out of gas. This year it was Mike on his GDR Honda that destroyed the competition. When I say destroyed, I mean he was on a different level to everyone else. On Lap 8 of both races he was already eighteen seconds ahead of second place. The second moto he won by twenty-eight seconds.

Thompson was forty-six seconds behind and Facciotti almost one minute.

That’s pretty incredible. Looking back at the first three rounds, Mike went 4-4-9 at the first three rounds. How on earth can that happen? Well, the only way I see Mike winning by that much was by either cutting the track or actually having his bike set up right. Shocking, just a few years ago when Mike raced on the Monster Kawasaki Team, he had a terrible time getting around the track. I did hear Mike tested quite a lot at the Dunes track prior to the event.

Good for him.

Another rider that impressed me this year was Nicoletti. We all knew he had the speed and experience to run up front. Phil has proven that he has the speed from his results in the US. This year I was impressed on how Phil looked right from the first round. At the last round, I was talking to Phil about bike set up; he said he was fighting the bike in the first moto. I could see he was not super comfortable but was still able to finish third. Between motos, the team changed the sag and fork height just a little bit. That was the difference from hanging on for dear life, to being able to charge and put that Yamaha anywhere he wanted on that track. That second moto Nicoletti made the pass on Facciotti for the win and the overall.

Well done, Phil.

“ANOTHER RIDER THAT IMPRESSED ME THIS YEAR WAS NICOLETTI. WE ALL KNEW HE HAD THE SPEED AND EXPERIENCE TO RUN UP FRONT.” PHIL HAS PROVEN THAT HE HAS THE SPEED FROM HIS RESULTS IN THE US. If you’re out at your local track and you think your bike handles well, just for fun, try to make some small changes to the sag. If you run a sag of 105mm, change it to 102mm, put in a few laps and write down the changes you’ve made so you can go back to the original set up. Once you have gone that way, try the opposite and go to, say, 108mm sag. I bet you will feel a difference right away. Once you feel the difference you can start changing things for the better.

Maybe the original sag height of 105mm was wrong? If you ride at the same track you might want to get your bike dialed in so you feel super comfortable. If you race at a few tracks, the best advice I can give you is to get out there and start testing different sags. Next time you go back to that track, look up your notes you had when you last tested and set up your bike accordingly. You will be way better off right out of the gate. Imagine being able to ride any line on the track, not worry about how the bike handles and just be able to focus on what your podium speech will be when you cross the finish line in first place.

96 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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2019-09-05 3:38 PM

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2019-09-05 3:09 4:13 PM 2019-05-03

c e l e br a tin g th e we d d i n g of

Ja mes Lissimore

&

Cl audie L apoin te P H O T O S B Y A L L I S O N K E N N E DY

O

n September 1, 2019, we witnessed the union of two cherished souls when Claudie Lapointe and James Lissimore got married at their home in Abbotsford, BC. As we all know, James is not only our staff photographer here at MXP Magazine but he’s also one of the best photographers in our sport. Claudie, on the other hand, comes from a different background than James. Born in Quebec, Claudie has been around motocross since she was a young girl, and there isn’t one thing she doesn’t love about the sport. Most recently she worked for KTM Canada, Atlas Brace Canada, and now has moved to Austria and is back working within the KTM family.

What began as a professional relationship a few years ago, quickly turned personal as James and Claudie got to know each other better. Soon after they were a couple, and then on a bright September day they completed their storybook romance with a beautiful wedding ceremony in front of their friends and family. Many industry people were in attendance, including Ryan Lockhart, Shawn Maffenbeier and Dusty Klatt. To celebrate their unforgettable day and to pay tribute to this new, wonderful union, here are some incredible Allison Kennedy photos. Congratulations to James and Claudie. May your years be filled with undying love and never-ending laughter.

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2019-09-05 4:59 PM

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