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Congratulations, Colton!

2018 Canadian Moto champ and Honda r Your grit, talent and determination won you the title— along with the CRF450R. Honda is proud to have been a part of your journey to the top of the podium.

The 2018 Canadian Motocross season was an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride towards the championship for Honda’s Colton Facciotti. He celebrated his fifth Canadian Motocross championship this year after a demanding race schedule filled with tough competition.

His perseverance and commitment have paid off, as did his choice of motorcycle: the Honda CRF450R. Between the talent of Colton and the entire Honda GDR family, it’s been a year worth celebrating for Honda motocross in Canada.

Photography by @lissimorephoto Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing, and please respect the environment when riding.

Obey the law and read your owner’s manual thoroughly. Honda recommends taking a motorcycle rider training course.

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tocross a rider.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE // VOLUME 18, ISSUE 4

32

FEATURES 32 COVER STORY

Colton Facciotti does it again.

38 CATCHING UP WITH JESS PET TIS

Palms talks to our new 250 Champion.

42 2018 DESCHAMBAULT ECAN

The best in the east gather in Quebec.

48 THE WALTON SEQUEL

The TransCan returns for 2018.

54 MXP CHAT TER WITH K YLE THOMPSON

Palms sits down with the Jetwerx VP

58 A SEASON OF DOMINANCE

Mike McGill looks back at Dusty Klatt’s 2006 season.

66 GETTING SUSPENDED

Mike Haist takes us through race day adjustments.

70 FIRS T RIDE - 2019 HUSQVARNAS

Palms goes to Baker’s Factory to ride the new Husqvarna MX Line-Up.

76 ONE ON ONE W IT H H AY DEN H A L S T E A D

Andy White sits down with the hardest working rider in MX.

80 THE TENNESSEE TITANS

A look at our Canadian riders at the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National.

84 THE FRENCH TOUCH

A look at the company that produces Shot clothing.

88 YOUNG AND ON THE RISE

We get to know fast Ontario rider Seth Hughes.

SPECIALS

COLUMNS

14

EXPOSED

2 4 F A M O U S L A S T W O R D S by Chris Pomeroy

9 4 T H E M E N T A L S I D E with Sean Poitras

22 CAUGHT ON CAMERA

2 6 G U E S T C O L U M N with Dylan Wright

9 6 E V O L V E D N U T R I T I O N by Drew Robertson

90 BUYER’S GUIDE

28

9 8 I N S I D E L I N E by Andy White

38

F E M A L E P E R S P E C T I V E by Salina Cannella

76

84

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EXPOS

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PHOTO BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

GRABBING GEARS The 250 riders are wide open as they sprint for Turn 1 in Riverglade.

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PHOTO BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

YOUTH VS. GRABBING GEARS EXPERIENCE The oldest 250 riders riderare in the wideclass 250 openbattles as theyone sprint of the for youngest Turn 1 in at Riverglade.

Round 5.

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PHOTO BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

WEST GRABBING GEARS IS BEST For the The 250first riders time are widepro our open national as they are1both sprint for Turn champions in from British Columbia.

Riverglade.

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MOTORCROSS PERFORMANCE VOLUME 18, 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, Brent Worrall, Mike McGill SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Austin Watling STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: James Lissimore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: James Lissimore, Drew Robertson,

Brian Koster, Leticia Cline, Andy White, Matt Wellumson, Krystyn Slack, Sean Poitras, Lawrence Hacking CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Krystyn Slack, Virgil Knapp, Clayton Racicot, James Lissimore, Bill Petro, Matt Wellumson, Frank Hoppen, Summer Denzler, Matt Wellumson, Steve Dutcheshen 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:

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CAUGHT ON CAMERA

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

S TWO CHAMPIONS CHAT AT WALTON.

S SIMMS LOVED THE MUD AT TRANSCAN.

S THUMBS UP ON TRANSCAN 2K18.

S ONE OF THE FEW TIMES A KID DIDN’T WANT FREE GOGGLES.

S ONE GUY WOULD RATHER BE FLYING, AND ONE FISHING.

S HOW DO YOU RACE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED?

S THESE BC KIDS ARE TOUGH.

S READY FOR RED BUD.

S THE OLD ET IS EVERYWHERE.

S CEASAR WAS ALL SMILES AT THE FINAL ROUND.

S BARRY AND HIS MOST TRUSTED FRIEND.

S THESE TWO ARE DEFINITELY NOT TALKING ABOUT MOTO.

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S THE BEST PIT SIGN OF 2018.

S DREW IS THE BEE’S KNEES IN THE BMX WORLD.

S NO FAMILY HAS MORE TRANSCAN TITLES THAN THIS ONE.

S THE CHAMP SURE HAS SOME BEAUTIFUL GIRLS AT HOME.

S THIS MOTO HAS 22 MINUTES.

S DYLAN AND HIS BEST FRIEND.

S THE ALPHA MALE OF THE PADDOCK.

S TIME TO WASH AWAY THE SUMMER OF 2018..

S THESE TWO WERE DEFINITELY MADE FOR MOTOCROSS.

S THESE TWO KEPT A CLOSE EYE ON THE RED PLATE AT ROUND 9.

S THE EASTERN ROUNDS ALWAYS BRING OUT THE LEGENDS.

S WE’RE GUESSING THIS WASN’T IN QUEBEC. MXPMAG.COM · MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE // 23

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FAMOUS

LAST WORDS

WITH CHRIS POMEROY • PHOTO BY JAMES LISSMORE

“THANKS TO ALL OF THAT PRACTICE WHEN I WAS A YOUNGSTER, I NEVER FEARED NOR HAD A PROBLEM WITH RIDING IN MUD.”

Although officially the final day of summer is not until late September, the moment the school bus comes to pick up our little kiddies, it definitely feels like summer is over. Soon the leaves will be changing colours, turkey will be served up for Thanksgiving, and what to wear for Halloween will be the main topic at home. Yes, time flies when you’re having fun!

F

or years, the final round of the pro nationals has marked the end of the season for many of our top riders. Oh sure, some may dabble in a few smaller races throughout the fall and early winter, but for most the season was done. Well, with the introduction of the new Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series in 2018, our pros still have one series remaining.

On September 15th the gate will drop on the first SXTour event at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. From there, the series will travel to Delaware, ON, Quebec City, and then will wrap up in Hamilton on November 17th. The Canadian motocross landscape has most definitely changed this year and it will be interesting to see how this progression continues in 2019.

As we saw last month in the eastern part of the country, the 2018 ECAN at Deschambault, as well as the return of the Walton TransCan, were events that tested our amateur riders’ talent and resolve. At each event there was

at least one day when Mother Nature unleashed her fury with a severe rain storm. Interestingly enough, during both of these storms my son’s 65cc class was the next moto to race. Most of us have been in that situation before so we know what kind of fire drill it can turn into. Keeping goggles dry, holding an umbrella, trying to keep your rider and yourself from getting soaked, it’s quite the ordeal. During these mud races, especially in the heavy mud at Walton Raceway, my son rode well and I was proud of him for enduring the adverse conditions. However, something dawned on me during one of his races and it got me thinking about how our sport has changed over the years.

Back when I was a kid (don’t you just love when old people begin a story with this) my family and I lived on a 75-acre property ten minutes from the nearest town. Even though my Dad and I farmed most of it, from the time I was five-years-old we had at least a small track to ride. When it

dried up in the spring until it got cold in the fall, whenever there wasn’t farm work to do we rode. We rode regardless of what the track conditions were. I can recall riding on numerous occasions when our track was slippery with sloppy mud and the rain was driving down. My Dad never stopped me from riding when the weather was bad, and although I didn’t realize it at the time, this all-weather riding was teaching me the fundamentals of how to ride in the worst conditions possible. A few years later when I moved up to the pro class, some of my best results came from when the track was a mess. Thanks to all of that practice when I was a youngster, I never feared nor had a problem with riding in mud.

As I watched my son ride both the Deschambault track and the Walton track in the mud, I came to the conclusion that he needs to practice more in the mud. Yes, some things have changed in our sport and we’ll never stop evolution, but there are

some lessons we can take from years ago and apply them to today. I know parts were cheaper back then and the need to maintain a perfect bike didn’t seem as important as it is today, but after these two events I’m definitely sending my son out to practice in the mud more often.

As we head full throttle into what is always a glorious fall riding season, this issue of MXP Magazine is full of some very cool and interesting stories. Not only do we take an in depth look at the ECAN and TransCan events, but we also tell the story of when I headed down to Baker’s Factory in Florida to ride the 2019 Husqvarnas. Also, Mike McGill looks back at Dusty Klatt’s incredible 2006 season when he finally dethroned JSR in the 450 class. I watched a few of those races live in 2006 and I was blown away with Klatt’s speed and style. His victory that year at the Montreal SX was one of the most dominating performances I’ve ever seen on Canadian soil.

Finally, what can you say about this month’s cover boy that hasn’t been said already? Right from the opening round in Calgary to the final lap of the MXTour series at Walton Raceway, Colton Facciotti was without a doubt the fastest 450 rider. During the nine-round series, Facciotti managed the championship like the cagey veteran he is. On his good days he was unbeatable, and on his off days he always found a way to limit the damage. We are so proud to put this Canadian legend on the cover in what could be his final season of professional racing. So sit back, enjoy the read, and then get out and enjoy the final few months of riding. See you at the races!

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GUEST COLUMN

BY DYLAN WRIGHT • PHOTO BY JAMES LISSMORE

ing w S t s a o C East

After having probably the worst luck of my pro career in the west swing of things, there were a lot of rumours going around about me possibly making the switch to the 450 for the remainder of the season. Obviously, I did not end up doing that because, like I said, I feel like I had some unfinished business to prove in the 250 class.

I

I feel like me and the team definitely proved that! We came into the east and the goal was to have the most points in my class on the east coast swing of the season, and if my math is correct we did exactly that. Sure I still had my share of bad luck in the east with getting caught with downed riders or lappers and even some first turn pile ups. But if there’s one thing I never do, that is give up. I was always raised with the mentality that no matter what the incident or misfortune you have on the track, you keep pushing and give it your 100% until the checkered flag waves. For instance, let’s start with SDL. I ended up getting docked positions in the first moto and had to come from outside the top ten to eventually find myself taking the checkered flag. Then in moto two I had a decent start and would finish a close second to take the overall on the day.

For me I would say that is really when my season changed. Taking the win in front of the hometown crowd on the track that I grew up riding and spending so many

hours on was an unbelievable feeling.

I had so many friends and family there to share that moment that it was just an amazing feeling.

Now let’s move onto Gopher where in moto one I didn’t get the best of starts.

I had to come from behind, but not only did I have to come from behind, I had to do it without goggles, getting sandblasted in the face all the way to the checkered flag. In moto two, I had even worse luck! After getting tangled up on the start I was forced with going through the pack, and with the rain that had come down before the moto, my goggles fogged up and I couldn’t see causing me to go down one more time. But after riding with no

goggles in moto one, I chose to head in to see my mechanic for a fresh set of Fox Vue goggles (that are an amazing set of goggles). I got those on and could finally try to race, and with every pass I made I knew I would make up some points! I ended up tying for third that day.

Then it was off to the east coast in Moncton where I was hoping to have a much better weekend. In moto one, I got off to a good start but halfway through the first lap another rider decided to come into a sweeper, where they watered a little bit too much, with just a little bit too much speed. He ended up sliding right into me and taking my front wheel out. On a track where it’s hard to make up time and a little one lined, I made the most passes I possibly could by the end of the moto and would have to settle for a fifth place finish! In moto two, I felt like I had a lot to prove and that’s what I did.

I got off to a good start, made a couple passes and found myself in third right behind the two leaders, but before I could even think about making a pass, I got hit by a lapper and went down. This was really frustrating because I felt like I had what it took to make a good push for the lead, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Then, off to Deschambault it was! This is a track where I have had a lot of luck in

“TAKING THE WIN IN FRONT OF THE HOMETOWN CROWD ON THE TRACK THAT I GREW UP RIDING AND SPENDING SO MANY HOURS ON WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE FEELING.”

the past and was hoping to have a great day. Coming out of the gate in moto one, I found myself in the top 5.

With a few passes made and a gift with the leader going down in a corner, I found myself in the lead with Jess Pettis right behind me. I just rode calmly and tried not to think about him being behind me. I was able to hold onto the lead and take the moto win! Then, in moto two, my bad luck would come back, after getting a good top 3 start. The good start to the race wouldn’t last long! The rider ahead of me in second tucked the front end around a fast sweeper, and with no time, I had nowhere to go, so I hit his bike and ultimately hit the ground really really hard! After getting back on the bike I had no other thought in my head other than to push as hard as I possibly could to get as many points as possible! With a hard push to the finish I put myself in a position to finish third overall. I was very happy with my ride!

It may not have been the result that I wanted, but I thought it was probably one of the best motos I had ridden in my career. That was what I thought until we got to Walton!

At the start of the opening moto I would go down in the first turn pile up and was forced to come from behind again. However, like I learned the weekend prior, it’s a long moto and with every lap that went by I just kept trying to pass riders. By the end of the moto I had worked my way up to second.

This was probably the best ride of my career with having such bad luck on lap one and then having to pretty much pass everyone in the class. It will be one of those motos I will never forget.

Then in moto two I got off to a great start and was trying to make a pass for the lead on lap one when one of the lines I took led to off the track and I ended up going down. But I knew that with the speed I had in moto one and the lines that I learned coming through the pack, catching back up wasn’t going to be a problem. After a few laps I made the pass for the lead and held on to win the final moto, as well as the overall in the 250 Pro/Am class. It was definitely a great way to finish off the summer and the MXTour Series. After all of my bad luck during the first four rounds, my goal was to be the best rider in the east. I’m happy with how I rode in the final five rounds and I’m proud to say that I never gave up. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the racing this summer.

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FEMALE PERSPECTIVE

BY SALINA CANNELLA • PHOTO BY JAMES LISSMORE

Eating to Win Good day MXP Magazine readers. The passion, excitement, love and amazing families are all great reasons for why we have been involved in Motocross for 14 years. In the last few years I have always noticed there was something missing.

M

arco had the skill and the fitness, but what did we need for the next step? I was studying and reading about nutrition, good food, superfoods and supplements, so we then decided as a family it was time to dump the old habits of eating processed foods and start fresh. Changing our eating habits, the choices of better foods and incorporating a recovery program changed our lives. Eating a fresh, clean diet with less meat, more vegetables (beets, sprouts and ginger shots) and smoothies with sea vegetables was the ticket. Also, we made our own protein bars, energy bars and recovery cereal, which was a big help. Processed foods are very hard on the body and your gut, and it takes a lot of energy for your body to digest and longer for your body to consume. A Motocross athlete’s body has to run 100% clean to be focused and run efficiently for 30 minute motos, as well as the day long training in the heat, riding cycle bikes, gym programs and everyday life. With my husband training for an Ironman in Florida on November 4th, Marco racing Pro and Logan playing AA hockey, I had to have a better recovery program in place. They really started being accountable for keeping track of their water, coconut water, and all natural Vega hydration powder mixed with water to how much was being consumed. You would be surprised how much is needed and what a difference it made. Being hydrated is a big key to help your muscles perform at their highest perfection. Then they moved to adding the Vega Accelerator recovery drink within 20 minutes of their last high performance workout or ride, and every day they felt better and better. Sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night for your body to rest, recover and regenerate new blood cells was the answer to being able to get up the next day to start all over at 100%.

We have been riding at Club MX Training Facility in South Carolina. While Marco has been training I’ve been helping a few of the athletes with understanding the importance of feeding their bodies with healthy foods. All of the riders have come back to me noticing their energy in the gym and on the bike had changed for the better. Their mental focus improved, which helped for longer motos with better lap times. If you want to be a Champion you have to eat like a Champion. I see so much money spent on big motorhomes, brand new bikes, race fuel, the best looking gear and helmets, boots, etc, but when I have tried to educate parents the first thing they say is it costs too much to eat healthy. If the rider is not in the best shape and eating clean, their performance will not be there, and we all want to see our kids win. Making a small investment will result in a big return. The less energy spent on digestion the more energy you will have to win motos.

Moving forward, changing your meal plan works best in baby steps. Pick a few changes you want to make. For example, remove dairy and substitute with almond or cashew milk, and add coconut milk alternates with granola and fresh berries. Cut back on meat, add some fish, eggs and a few vegetarian meals during the week. Dark green leafy vegetables

are nutrient dense and a rich source of Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll also cleanses and oxygenates the blood making it an essential food. Having more oxygen available in the blood reduces fatigue and cramping, and enhances endurance and mental clarity. All leafy greens, vegetables and fruits are healthful and are great additions to meals or blended into shakes.

Don’t forget the power of flaxseed, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed, sunflower seed and raw natural nuts that can all be added to cereals, smoothies and desserts. Sweeteners can be deceiving; the only ones that are good in moderation are stevia, coconut nectar, agave nectar, natural raw honey and organic maple syrup. Any other sugars have zero nutrition and are very harmful to the body and mind. We all know Motocross is the toughest sport in the world, using your mind, body and every muscle in your body, so let’s put performance foods and fuels into your bodies and win some Championships.

BANANA FIG CINNAMON ENERGY BARS:

• 3/4 cup soaked dries figs • 2tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp nutmeg • 1 small banana • 1/2 cup sprouted buckwheat sea salt • 1/2 cup of walnuts or nuts you like • 2 tbsp of hemp seeds • Process everything except the hemp seeds in a food processor.

• Once you have cut the bars, sprinkle them with the seeds.

“CHAMPIONS DO NOT BECOME CHAMPIONS WHEN THEY WIN THE EVENT, BUT IN THE HOURS, WEEKS, MONTHS, AND YEARS THEY SPEND PREPARING FOR IT.”

28 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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ALL-NEW ENGINE DELIVERS FASTER LAP TIMES ALL-NEW SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS FOR IMPROVED HANDLING ALL-NEW ELECTRIC START FOR QUICK AND EASY STARTING For more information visit www.kawasaki.ca and www.teamgreencanada.ca ©2018 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. The actions depicted here took place under controlled conditions with professional riders.

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“WHEN EVERYONE ARRIVED IN CALGARY FOR ROUND 1 OF THE ROCKSTAR ENERGY TRIPLE CROWN MXTOUR SERIES, FACCIOTTI APPEARED TO BE IN MIDSEASON FORM.”

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COLTON FACCIOTTI

COVER STORY

HIGH 5

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

C

oming into 2018, Colton’s season looked a little different than it had for the past ten years. Not only was he contracted to compete in the nine round outdoor MXTour Series but new for this year was the addition of eight indoor races. With the 2018 series changing promoting groups, Colton’s workload almost doubled in size. With a busy race schedule ahead, Colton decided to change his off-season preparation. The first call he made was to his former trainer Todd Schumlick, who in the past had trained not only Colton but also Blair Morgan as well as JSR. Schumlick, who recently has been more focused on training professional mountain bike riders, jumped at the opportunity to work with his old friend and together they came up with a plan for 2018.

In January, Colton headed south to GPF in Cairo, Georgia to begin training for what would be one of the longest seasons of his pro career. Other than the added instruction from Schumlick, another change in Facciotti’s 2018 program was the need to practice his indoor skills.

With almost half of his 2018 races being on tight indoor tracks, riding on the GPF SX track was all of a sudden a must. Not only was it a necessity for Colton to get some training on an indoor type track, but it also seemed to help him with his reflexes and aggression. Even though he played second fiddle to Cole Thompson through most of the early season’s AXTour rounds, it became clear that we were witnessing a new and improved

BECAUSE OF HIS YOUTHFUL LOOKS AND LAID BACK DEMEANOUR, I THINK MANY PEOPLE FORGET HOW LONG COLTON FACCIOTTI HAS BEEN RACING THE PRO CLASS. COLTON’S LONG AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER, WHICH BEGAN IN THE EARLY 2000’S, HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE. NOT ONLY HAS FACCIOTTI NOW WON FIVE 450 CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUT HE’S DONE IT WHILE BATTLING SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST RIDERS, AS WELL AS COMING BACK FROM SERIOUS INJURY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. WITH HIS FIRST 450 TITLE COMING A DECADE AGO, FACCIOTTI HAS PROVEN THAT PERSEVERANCE IS ONE OF HIS BEST ATTRIBUTES.

Colton Facciotti. With the days of his first gate drop of the season being at the opening round of the outdoor series behind him, the Colton we saw in those AXTour events was hungry, aggressive, and fast.

When everyone arrived in Calgary for Round 1 of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series, Facciotti appeared to be in mid-season form. From the opening 450 practice, he not only was setting the pace but his fastest laps looked to be coming very easily. When a rider with Colton’s natural talent is able to set the fastest lap time in qualifying, all while looking like he’s out for a walk in the park, you know his competition is

in trouble. From the dust and slippery conditions of the opening two rounds, to the heat and sand of Sand Del Lee, to the final three rounds of the series, Colton found a way to not just win motos but dominate them. With seven moto wins and four overall wins in the nine round MXTour Series, no one can say that he wasn’t the most dominant rider. To have Colton help me with this story, I sat down with him after the final round in Walton to ask him a few very important questions.

Here is what he had to say on his training, his season, as well as what he’s thinking for 2019. We hope you enjoy this story, and congratulations to Colton Facciotti on being this month’s Coverboy.

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KNOWING THAT THIS SEASON WAS GOING TO BE A LONG ONE AND WITH THREE SEPARATE SERIES, DID YOU PREPARE ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN IN YEARS PAST?

COVER STORY

COLTON FACCIOTTI MR. 5-TIME

THIS IS YOUR FIFTH 450 TITLE IN TEN YEARS. HOW DOES THIS ONE COMPARED TO THE OTHER FOUR? Well, to be completely honest I think this was the toughest, actually. All summer long there were a few of us that proved capable of winning races. Right up until the final round the title was really up for grabs. I only had a 22 point lead heading into Walton so anything could’ve happened. Each weekend it took everything I had to finish where I did and those guys didn’t make it easy on me. I think considering that there were five riders who could win on any given weekend, this championship was the most difficult.

Also, let’s not forget that I’m getting old Palms. (laughs)

For sure I did. Obviously there was the riding part where I had to get back into doing laps on a SX track. I definitely hadn’t done many of those lately. Off the bike, with getting older and my body starting to break down a little bit, I reached out to my old trainer, Todd Schumlick, to help me get ready for 2018. Todd has helped me so much over the years, but for the last two seasons or so I’ve just done stuff on my own.

However, for this year we changed my program up a little and not only added in some new exercises but we also focused more on recovery and consistency. This sport definitely doesn’t get easier as you get older so you have to keep evolving and trying new things. Right from the start of this season I felt great and that gave me a lot of confidence.

CONSIDERING HOW SICK YOU WERE AT SAND DEL LEE, WAS THAT THE TOUGHEST ROUND FOR YOU THIS SUMMER? From the standpoint of how I felt physically before the day even started, yes, SDL was very difficult. But with the way the track was set up and with how slippery it was, the racing part actually came easy to me that day. It’s funny how that works, you can be sick and not feel like even looking at a dirt bike but then once you hit the track things just happen. I would say that Prince George and Gopher Dunes were my toughest rounds this summer. In Prince George I crashed pretty hard in the first moto and that kind of slowed me down. Then I got taken out in Moto 2 and didn’t have a great finish in that race either. It was a rough day for sure but I was still able to hold on to the red plate. At Gopher Dunes I rode as hard as I possibly could and still only went 3-3 on the day. That day was really tough and I was glad that we had a weekend off before the next race in Moncton.

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I’VE HAD A GREAT CAREER AND I COULD WALK AWAY RIGHT NOW AND BE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH WHAT I’VE DONE IN MOTOCROSS, BUT I STILL LOVE RACING AND I’M NOT SURE IF I WANT TO BE DONE.

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AS YOU SAID, YOU CAME INTO WALTON WITH A 22 POINT LEAD. YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO WIN BUT YOU DEFINITELY COULDN’T AFFORD TO MAKE ANY BIG MISTAKES. YOU HELD OFF A HARD CHARGING MATT GOERKE TO FINISH SECOND IN THE OPENING MOTO AND THEN IN MOTO 2 YOU WERE FORCED TO PUSH HARD RIGHT UNTIL THE END. CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE FINAL MOTO? I got off to a second place start behind Benoit, and then he went down on the first lap so I then had a clear track. On Lap 2, I almost went down myself but thankfully I saved it. From there I just kept pushing and trying to keep a small gap over Thompson. As long as I knew where he was then I knew I was okay. We were going pretty fast and putting down some fast lap times, then with two laps to go he finally slowed down and I was able to gap him. After the first moto I think I spilled some water on my bike at the podium because when we got back to the truck it smelled funny. At the time we didn’t know what the smell was, and with so much riding on the next moto we decided to switch bikes and race my back-up bike. It was just one of those situations where we probably didn’t have anything to worry about but why take any chances. I can say that between my mechanic, Justin, and Joe Skidd, my suspension guy, my bike was so good all summer long.

OKAY, HERE IS THE QUESTION THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW. OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE THE SXTOUR COMING UP AS WELL AS THE MXON IN RED BUD. BUT HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO AFTER THAT AND WHAT YOU MIGHT DO IN 2019?

It’s always been in the back of my mind this season. Is this my last? If I win the title should I retire on top? The way I’m approaching it is to just get through the SXTour and the MXoN’s. I really want to continue to ride well at those events.

Once the final round in Hamilton is done then I will make a decision. I mean, you know it’s tough to know when the right time is to walk away, because in this sport once you do, it’s almost impossible to come back. I’ve had a great career and I could walk away right now and be completely satisfied with what I’ve done in motocross, but I still love racing and I’m not sure if I want to be done. I’m definitely not getting any younger and these days it’s taking longer and longer to recover each week.

COLTON FACCIOTTI MXTOUR STATS

OVERALL WNS ................................ 4 OVERALL PODIUMS ................. 6 OVERALL TOP 5 ........................... 8 MOTO WINS ..................................... 7 MOTO PODIUMS ....................... 12 MOTO TOP 5 ................................. 14 HOLESHOTS ..................................... 2 WORST MOTO FINISH ...... 7TH SERIES POINTS .................... 463 SERIES FINISH ....................... 1ST

COVER STORY

COLTON FACCIOTTI MR. 5-TIME

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JESS PETTIS ROCKSTAR ENERGY 250 MX TOUR NATIONAL CHAMPION ROYAL DISTRIBUTING/FXR/YAMAHA/MX101

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2018-08-22 11:41 AM

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CATCHING UP WITH

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

Just a few short years ago, Jess Pettis had almost had enough. At the time he was only a couple of years into his pro career and things had not gone according to plan.

Injuries, a lack of sponsorship and a very dim light shining at the end of the tunnel had Pettis applying for a job at a local Prince George sawmill. However, after a last-minute call from the MX101 FXR Yamaha Team inviting him to be Shawn Maffenbeier’s teammate, Pettis felt like he had been given a second chance. Fast forward to now and Jess Pettis is your new 2018 MXTour 250 Pro/Am Champion. After being the fastest 250 rider all summer long, Pettis was able to ride solid at the final round at Walton Raceway and edge out KTM rider Joey Crown for his first ever outdoor pro title.

Moments after his podium celebration, we caught up with Pettis to discuss just what went into winning the 2018 MXTour Championship.

Jess, this season appeared to be one that was up and down and full of both good luck and bad luck. Take us through this past summer.

I think I came into this season both physically and mentally prepared to win races. At the opening round in Calgary I proved that by going 1-1, and then at Round 2 I again won the overall. After that I started to have some bad luck and that’s when things got a little stressful.

But that’s motocross and nothing ever comes easy. Through the tough times my team kept me upbeat and together we ended up getting it done.

You had a DNF at your home race in Prince George and then another at Sand Del Lee a month later. Was there a time when you got down on yourself and felt like this was another year that wasn’t meant to be?

I mean after you have a couple of DNFs you start to doubt the entire process, it’s almost impossible not to. However, I’m a fun kid and most of the time I’m just out there enjoying what I’m doing, so it’s really not my nature to get down on myself or the people around me. As hard as it was, I honestly just tried to remain positive and take care of what things I was able to.

Since I’ve known you you’ve always had that never give up attitude, and since turning pro you’ve had to overcome a number of setbacks. Was there ever a time when some doubt crept into your program and you thought about maybe doing something else?

For sure Palms, I wouldn’t’ be human if I didn’t start having some doubts a few years ago. When I was a privateer my family and I did the entire series on our own, and I think I finished 9th that season. Anyway, the following season I didn’t really get any offers and that is when I began to think that maybe this motocross thing wasn’t meant to be. Then at the last minute MX101 Yamaha called me and offered me a ride. I’m so thankful to them for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to be the best rider that I could be.

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CATCHING UP WITH

Jess Pettis To win you have to do a lot of things right, and it’s easy to make mistakes.

That is one reason why this season was so special.

It wasn’t easy at all, but I was able to still get the job done.”

I’ve always felt that pro motocross is still an adult sport and that regardless of how fast you are when you’re a teenager, it still takes time to mature into a rider capable of winning championships. Would you agree with that?

For sure, I mean no one knows better than me about how that works. It’s taken me a few years to figure things out and work on my race craft. It’s a tough sport and it only gets tougher as you progress into the pro class. Even in the 250 class I’m racing against very experienced riders who have won a lot of races. To win you have to do a lot of things right, and it’s easy to make mistakes. That is one reason why this season was so special.

It wasn’t easy at all, but I was able to still get the job done.

I guess a little adversity only makes you stronger.

Exactly!

You mentioned earlier that you were both physically and mentally prepared coming into this season. What things did you do during the off-season to help get you ready to win races and ultimately the 250 championship?

I ended up going to California for over three months and worked my butt off riding and training. Most of the costs were out of my own pocket so I pretty much invested in myself. I feel like when you make the commitment to invest back into yourself good things will happen. That is basically it - I worked hard down south, I rode a few supercross races which helped with my confidence, and then I just came into Calgary healthy and ready to go.

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I think one attribute that every champion has is the ability to handle pressure well.

During the final motos at Walton Raceway you had every reason to crack and make a big mistake, but you didn’t and rode very smart.

Thanks! I definitely had some nerves in the morning about what might happen during the day, especially when the track was muddy. However, I really tried to get through practice and then have a good first moto. I got a little lucky when Joey went down in the first turn and had to come from behind. After I won the opening moto I started to feel pretty relaxed.

Then in Moto 2 I just tried to stay out of trouble and ride my own race.

Well, congratulations on winning your first title. It must feel so special. What is the next for you in the coming weeks and months?

I’m heading home to relax and regroup.

Then in a few weeks the SXTour starts up, and then in October I’m headed to Red Bud to ride for Team Canada at the 2018 MXoN. I’m so excited to represent Canada at Red Bud, I think we have a strong team and I think we can go there and show the world how good Canadian motocross is.

I know it’s had some ups and downs, but this season really has been a dream season for you. I really appreciate you talking to us and all the best in the next few weeks. Enjoy your first outdoor Canadian pro championship. I have a feeling it won’t be your last.

Thanks Palms!

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AFTER THE RAIN ON THURSDAY, THE CONDITIONS WERE ANYTHING BUT GOOD.

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FEATURE

WHEN YOU TRAVEL TO RACES, YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO GET AWAY FROM THE TRACK TO SEE SOME SIGHTS.

ROAD TRIP 2018 DESCHAMBAULT ECAN WORDS BY CHRIS POMEROY • PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND BERNADETTE POMEROY

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT MY YOUTH AND THE DAYS SPENT DRIVING TO AND FROM EVENTS WITH MY DAD, THOSE ROAD TRIPS DEFINITELY PROVIDED SOME OF MY VERY BEST MOTOCROSS MEMORIES. LIKE ALL PARENTS, MINE INVESTED ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF TIME AND MONEY TO MAKE SURE I ATTENDED MOST OF THE BIG MOTOCROSS EVENTS IN CANADA, AS WELL AS THE NORTHEASTERN USA. COMPARED TO HOW MOTOCROSS FAMILIES TRAVEL NOW, THINGS WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BACK THEN. ALL OF THE KIDS AT THE ECAN WERE RACING HARD ALL WEEK LONG.

I

n our family race truck, which could really only travel three hours between fuel stops, we only had a radio, a cassette player, and a CB radio that I think my Dad installed incorrectly as we could only speak to another truck if it was within 50 feet of ours. We also had a sleeping bunk where you could lay down and get some much needed rest.

As I said, it was very primitive compared to the modern day amenities that we all travel with now, but we made the most of it. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent reading a road map so we didn’t get lost. Even to this day I still travel with a Rand McNally Atlas in our truck, but we rarely use it as it serves more as a piece of literature for my son to read when he’s bored out his mind. So while an eight hour drive to Deschambault (my first drive to Quebec in more than a decade) appeared to be a big task, it also served as yet another great family road trip.

With my wife deciding to work until the last minute and then fly to Quebec City, my son and I hit the blacktop heading east to Quebec at 5am on the Wednesday morning before the 2018 ECAN. This event has been going on for

several years, and since its inception, it has been trending upwards in popularity. I have been going to the pro portion of this event since 2013 and each time I get back home my son has begged me to take him the following year. So after reminding him repeatedly that patience is a virtue, I decided that this would be the perfect year to load up our truck and head to the sands of Deschambault.

The first leg of our road trip was fairly uneventful and I only had to hear “Are we there yet?” a few times. In the past I’d had only been to Deschambault on the weekend, so it definitely felt different arriving at this beautiful track on Wednesday afternoon. Although the road to the track needs some work, once you

OEMS LIKE COBRA CANADA WERE AT THE ECAN TO OFFER THEIR RIDERS TRACKSIDE SUPPORT.

THE ECAN PODIUM WAS THE PLACE THAT EVERY RIDER WANTED TO VISIT.

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FEATURE

WHO SAYS RACING DIRT BIKES ISN’T HARD WORK?

ROAD TRIP 2018 DESCHAMBAULT ECAN PADDOCK TOURS IN A GOLF CART WAS A FAVOURITE PAST TIME AT THE ECAN.

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KAVEN BENOIT THRILLED HIS HOME FANS WITH A MOTO WIN AT ROUND 8.

QUEBEC FANS SURE DO LOVE THEIR RACING.

arrive at Motocross Deschambault you’re greeted by a visually appealing facility and one of the most amazing tracks in Canada. What started out as a track with a small pit area and very little infrastructure to support a large event, over the past five years improvements have been made and money has been invested to help make Motocross Deschambault a premier race facility. In fact, in the past year alone over $200,000 was spent on items to help make this track and property better.

Track owner Daniel Thibault and his crew are very serious about this event and its longevity.

As you would expect with any large amateur event, the 2018 ECAN was well represented with regards to support from the OEMs. With the pro national taking place on Sunday, all of the factory supported teams were on hand all week to provide the amateur riders with whatever they needed. During each day of the ECAN there were stories about how one of the factory teams assisted an amateur rider with fixing something and getting them back on the track. One of the best stories came from the Cobra Canada support truck when together with his dad, rebuilt the motor of a 50cc Ontario rider Brenner Lemman’s Cobra in just 35 minutes. Basically, they got that last bolt tightened and Brenner rushed to the starting line just in time for the gate to drop for his moto. To me, those are the special, behind the scenes stories that make events like the ECAN so gratifying to attend.

Once the gate dropped for the amateurs on Thursday morning, so did the rain. For about 45 minutes on Thursday morning the skies opened up and the Deschambault track did its best to absorb the storm. As the 65cc and 50cc classes blasted off the starting line, there were rivers of mud flowing on the track. The kids did their best to navigate the challenging conditions, however the mud got the best of a few of them. After some of our smallest riders were done playing in the slop, the next bunch of motos had to face the same conditions.

But as quickly as the rains came, so did the did the bright sunshine, and within a few hours the track began to return to normal. Other than the incredible rides on Thursday from top amateur riders like Crayden Dillon, Jeremy McKie and Jake Tricco, the weather was the most talked about subject.

With the exception of summer-ending injuries to top Ontario Intermediate riders Nick Cryer and Quinn Amyotte, Friday and Saturday came and went without

AFTER ALL OF THE AMATEUR RACING WAS DONE, IT WAS THE PROS’ TURN TO HIT THE TRACK ON SUNDAY.

EVEN FOLK HERO LARRY ENTICER WAS IN QUEBEC TO ENTERTAIN HIS FANS.

incident. Both days were very hot and muggy with temperatures above 30c, but the rain held off and the racing on the track was exciting. On Saturday the amateur riders got an extra treat as all of the pro riders were on site to check out the track for their race the following day. This gave our sport’s young riders a chance to mingle with and get autographs from our country’s elite riders.

With all of the other rounds of the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour taking place on Saturdays, this one-off Sunday race at Round 8 was certainly special. When the amateur battles on the track finally concluded late Saturday

afternoon, it was time to celebrate with the popular Deschambault ECAN awards ceremony. After three days of tough racing, it was fun to sit back, relax and watch some of Canada’s best amateurs receive recognition for their 2018 ECAN achievements. The night’s biggest prize, the Yamaha Canada Factory Ride Award, went to Ontario Intermediate rider Jake Tricco. For his dominating class wins at the 2018 ECAN, Tricco won a free 2019 Yamaha of his choice. Not too bad for three days work!

With the amateur racing all done, the sun came up on Sunday morning and welcomed with it Round 8 of the

IN FACT, IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE OVER $200,000 WAS SPENT ON ITEMS TO HELP MAKE THIS TRACK AND PROPERTY BETTER. TRACK OWNER DANIEL THIBAULT AND HIS CREW ARE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS EVENT AND ITS LONGEVITY. MXPMAG.COM · MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE // 45

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ROAD TRIP 2018 DESCHAMBAULT ECAN FEATURE

QUEBEC RIDER JEREMY MCKIE TOOK HOME SOME WINS AT THE ECAN.

2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series. This series has been a battle at each round, and coming into Deschambault, both the 250 Pro/Am and 450 class championships were both still up for grabs.

As it’s been since the national series began visiting the Deschambault track, Sunday saw its usual large crowd pour into the scenic track. For KTM rider Joey Crown and Cole Thompson, Round 8 was a repeat of the previous round as both riders came away victorious.

These overall wins helped both riders close the points gap in the chase for their respective class titles. By the time you read this, both MXTour championships will have been decided for 2018. I can tell you that regardless of which rider ended up winning the 250 Pro/Am and 450 titles this summer, the racing was incredible at each and every round.

With so many interesting story lines coming out of Round 8, the highlight had to be local hero Kaven Benoit taking the first 450 moto win. The partisan crowd was going crazy as Benoit raced around the track. Two years ago, Benoit was able to win the overall in the 450 class with 2-1 moto scores. This time around his 1-6 moto scores kept him off the top step of the podium. At the end of the day, the fans didn’t seem to care as Benoit’s first moto win was exactly what they came to see. Although we have passionate fans in all parts of our great country, when a Quebec rider is leading their hometown national, the atmosphere is truly incredible.

With their favourite hometown rider taking a moto win and Dylan Wright, Joey Crown and Colton Facciotti taking the other three, Round 8 was one of the best races of the 2018 series.

THE DESCHAMBAULT TRACK HAS SURE COME A LONG WAY SINCE I FIRST RACED THERE IN 1993.

After four days of intense motocross competition, it was time for my family to point our truck west for the long drive home. After making a dinner stop and filling up with gas for the final time, we still had six hours of driving to go. With my wife and son fast asleep and the sun long set, I couldn’t help but reflect on our road trip to Quebec and back. Deschambault is a great track and a great facility. Daniel Thibault and his talented crew continue to make improvements as they try to make the ECAN a national destination for our amateur riders. I know that we cannot wait for the 2019 ECAN. With exciting racing all week long, as well as a side trip to Old Town in Quebec City, our motocation was both fun as well as educational.

See you next year Deschambault.

WITH SO MANY INTERESTING STORY LINES COMING OUT OF ROUND 8, THE HIGHLIGHT HAD TO BE LOCAL HERO KAVEN BENOIT TAKING THE FIRST 450 MOTO WIN. THE PARTISAN CROWD WAS GOING CRAZY AS BENOIT RACED AROUND THE TRACK. 46 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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Photo: R. Schedl Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!

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THE WALTON SEQUEL OY WORDS BY CH RIS POM E R

G O R E A N D A U S T I N WAT L I N PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIM

“THAT’S A WRAP!” THE NINEAS THEY SAY IN HOLLYWOOD,LL FOREVER BE REFERRED TO EPISODE MOVIE, WHICH WI GY TRIPLE CROWN MXTOUR AS THE 2018 ROCKSTAR ENERDIAN MOTOCROSS HISTORY. SERIES, IS NOW PART OF CANA TOUR HAD IT ALL: DRAMA, LIKE ANY MOVIE, THE 2018 MX WELL AS AN EVER-CHANGING ACTION, VILLAINS, HEROES, AS U WERE CHEERING FOR EACH PLOT. DEPENDING ON WHO YOLA ES S TO UGH, CRY AND SOMETIM WEEKEND, YOU HAD REASONIN EN WH R, VE WE HO .

FRUSTRATION JUST SHAKE YOUR HEAD T, ON THE WALTON RACEWAY SEG. WN DO THE FINAL SCENE WENT DIN EN DA NA CA IN THIS MOVIE HAD A HAPPY, MADE

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ONE OF THE TRANSCAN AWARDS THAT EVERY RIDER WANTS TO WIN.

THE VAST RIDERS GATHERED IN D TO “SO AS ALL OF THE PRO HA CEWAY, THEY FIRST ATEUR PADDOCK AT WALTON RA TH CANADA'S TOP AM WI T GH LI OT SP E TH E AR SH TRANSCAN WAS BACK ON LT WA 18 20 E TH AS RS RIDE .”

AFTER A ONE-YEAR HIATUS

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THE WALTON SEQUEL

AFTER AN INCREDIBLEI ROOKIE SEASON INI 2017, TANNER WARDI HAD TROUBLE FINDINGI CONSISTENCY THISI SUMMER.I

EVEN THE SMALLEST KIDS HAD FUN PLAYING IN THE WALTON MUD.

DYLAN WRIGHT STYLED HIS WAS TO THE 250 CLASS WIN AT THE FINAL ROUND.

THE 2018 WALTON TRANSCAN HAD AN INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR AS FELIX LOPEZ CAME ALL THE WAY FROM MEXICO

DURING OPENINGI CEREMONIES,BRETTI LEE WELCOMESI EVERYONE BACK TOI WALTON.I As we all get older and hopefully wiser, each year it seems like time goes by faster and faster. This past summer, for instance, just flew by. It honestly feels like yesterday that we were all in Calgary waiting for the first gate to drop on the new MXTour series.

That day was very special as it was the kick-off to our new outdoor series.

Of course, for those in attendance, the one thing we will all remember is sitting there at 6:30pm waiting for the final gate to drop. Round 1 in Calgary will go into the history books as one of the most exciting days in Canadian pro motocross, as well as perhaps the longest day in Canadian motocross.

Thankfully, the Jetwerx crew scrapped that schedule and by the following weekend in Popkum, BC, the racedays ran like a well-oiled machine. From the opening round in Calgary to the final round at Walton Raceway, the 2018 MXTour series visited six of our beautiful provinces and had our riders battling in every type of condition. In the end, and for the first time that we can remember, both the 250 Pro/Am BLAKE DAVIESI WAS ONE OFI THE MANY FASTI WESTERN KIDSI THAT TRAVELLEDI TO WALTON.I

title as well as the 450 title were won by riders who have British Columbia listed on their birth certificate. Yes, it was a BC sweep this summer as Jess Pettis and Colton Facciotti took home our coveted championships. For Pettis, this marks his first of what could be many future Canadian titles. For Facciotti, this is his fi fth 450 Canadian National Championship, a number that ties him with the great Jean Sebastien Roy. Not that his legacy wasn't already firmly intact, but this 2018 championship really elevates Facciotti's name into the conversation of who is the best ever Canadian rider. Some still feel like Ross Pederson will always carry that torch as his career numbers are untouchable, others say that JSR's fi ve titles in a row puts his name at the top of the list. With Facciotti now winning fi ve championships and with his pro career currently spanning almost two decades, there is an argument to be made that Colton Facciotti's name belongs at the top. Regardless of which rider is considered to be Canada's G.O.A.T, each is a brilliant champion in their own right and each has made this country proud on numerous occasions. If we could somehow have a MXoN dream team that consisted of Pederson, Roy and Facciotti, the gold medal just might be ours.

So as all of the pro riders gathered in the vast paddock at Walton Raceway, they first had to share the spotlight with Canada's top amateur riders as the 2018 Walton TransCan was back after a one-year hiatus. For fi ve long days, our young riders battled on the 46-year-old track for the chance to call themselves a Canadian champion. It was good to see the TransCan after a year off. When it was announced last summer that there would be no 2017 event, it appeared as though the TransCan had been written out of the Canadian motocross script.

However, thanks to Jetwerx and a very motivated Walton Raceway crew, the TransCan was rebranded and reborn for 2018. Even with this event taking last year off, once inside the Walton gates this time around, it felt like we had never left.

With three motos per class scattered over the span of fi ve days, winning a TransCan is never easy. Because of the time of year and the track’s proximity to Lake Huron, you can

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SHAWN MAFFENBEIER STRUGGLED TOWARDS THE END OF THE MXTOUR AND ENDED UP 3RD OVERALL IN THE 250 CLASS.

THE MOTO AS WELL IN W TO ON T EN W IS TT PE R PRO “UP FRONT, S FIRST CANADIAN OUTDOO AS TAKE HOME HI CHAMPIONSHIP.”

YAMAHA RIDER JAKE TRICCO DEFINITELY PUT ON A SHOW IN THE INTERMEDIATE CLASS.

DON’T YOU JUST HATE WHEN MUD GETS IN YOUR EYES?

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ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS AT THE 2018 TRANSCAN WAS SEEING KYLE KEAST AND HIS DAD ON THE PODIUM.

AFTER WINNING THE FINAL ROUND, FACCIOTTI NOW HAS FOUR WALTON SWORDS AND FIVE CANADIAN 450 TITLES.

almost always bet on at least one day of rain during the week. This means that to win a Walton TransCan title you usually have to deal with at least one mud moto. For 2018, only the Ladies class, as well as maybe the new Under 30 Int/Pro class, was spared by Mother Nature. Every other rider had to brave some pretty adverse conditions at this year’s event. But hey, as they say in the TransCan pits, it wouldn't be Walton without some rain. With just under 600 entries this year, as well as a decent spectator turn out for the pro national on Saturday, it appears that the Walton TransCan has been born again and is here to stay. Now all the Walton crew has to do is build a retractable roof before 2019.

With the amateur racing complete and the awards handed out, the sweet sound of Marc Travers’ voice serenaded the Walton patrons on the Friday night prior to the pro national. Thankfully, Travers' sultry voice drowned out the sound of falling rain as for the third time in a few days, the skies above Walton Raceway opened up. On Saturday morning, the sound of partying in the pits gave way to the sound of multiple bulldozers as the crew was busy clearing the mud off of the track.

With two championships on the line, this had to be an unwelcomed sight

for Jess Pettis and Colton Facciotti.

However, with the hot August sun now shining above, the Walton track was drying at a rapid pace and soon it became clear that the riders were going to have a pretty good track to race on.

As the opening 250 Pro/Am moto lined up at the starting gate, there were just three points separating Jess Pettis and rookie Michigan rider Joey Crown. When Head Referee Paul Kingsley motioned to one of the Rockstar Energy girls to turn the 30 second board sideways, every single person at Walton Raceway held their breath.

Then as the gate dropped with a clunk and the riders rocketed into the first turn, the battle for the title was over before it really began. With Jess Pettis up front, Joey Crown was picking himself up from a Turn 1 pile up. Crown went from dead last to 8th in just four laps, but then got a bad case of arm pump that stalled his forward progress. Up front, Pettis went on to win the moto as well as take home his first Canadian outdoor pro championship.

In the 450 class, Facciotti came into Walton with a 22-point lead over Cole Thompson, so all the Honda rider had to do was keep Thompson in sight. In both 450 motos, Facciotti did just that and finished just ahead of his closet rival. In what might've

AT THE END OF THE DAY JESS PETTIS WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHOW OFF HIS NEW NUMBER.

ON FRIDAY, FORMER TRANSCAN CHAMPION DEAN WILSON SHOWED UP AND GOT TO DO SOME INTERVIEWS WITH THE KIDS.

THE WALTON SEQUEL been the final outdoor national of his long career, Facciotti's second moto victory at Round 9 was sheer brilliance. After inheriting the early lead from Kaven Benoit, Facciotti kept Thompson at bay for exactly 29 minutes before Thompson couldn't sprint any longer. To watch these two champions race on the rutted Walton track just a few bike lengths apart for half an hour, was pretty impressive. If this was Facciotti's curtain call, then he certainly made it a memorable one for everyone watching.

Colton Facciotti's final moto performance definitely encapsulated the week at the 2018 Walton TransCan. It was an entire week of great performances from riders of all ages.

Having the TransCan back once again gives our young riders a national stage to showcase their amazing talents.

Ironically, both Jess Pettis and Colton Facciotti are multi-time TransCan amateur champions, proving to everyone that if you win during the week at Walton Raceway then you just might be able to graduate and one day win on the weekend. With the sun setting and the credits rolling, I drove out of the Walton theatre for the final time that week. As I passed through the gate, the nice lady who greeted us all week long poked her head out of the small hut and yelled, “See you next year.”

After being almost gone forever, it now appears that the Walton TransCan will be back next year and beyond. With so many interesting story lines each and every year, the Walton TransCan is a sequel I don't mind watching over and over again. See you in 2019, and congratulations to all of the TransCan winners, as well as to Jess Pettis and Colton Facciotti. That's all folks!

COLTON FACCIOTTI’S KIDS WERE PRETTY HAPPY THAT THEIR DAD WAS ONCE AGAIN THE CHAMP.

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Kyle Thompson M X P

C H A T T E R

With

BY CHRIS POMEROY • PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE

As we approach the final leg of the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series, we can look back at the past few months and really see just how far the Jetwerx crew has come. What started out as a very challenging opening round to the series in Abbottsford has transformed itself into a well-oiled machine. It hasn’t been easy by any means, but thanks to a terrific staff and some entertaining racing on the track, the 2018 series has turned into an unforgettable one. One of the key figures at the track is Kyle Thompson. “Frank” as he’s known to everyone in the industry, pretty much has his hands in everything on race day, from assisting the track crew to running the Live Streaming online broadcast show. Kyle is one of the essential pieces to the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series and we were able to sit down with him for this month’s MXP Chatter.

HEY KYLE, THANKS FOR TAKING SOME TIME TO SPEAK WITH US. WE ARE NOW TWO THIRDS THROUGH THE 2018 ROCKSTAR ENERGY TRIPLE CROWN SERIES. ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SLEEP OR WHAT?

I would love some good night’s rest, it’s been a journey and a constant grind trying to bring this dream into reality. Lots of moving parts and tons of good people that are working with us to make sure this first year is a success.

“SUPERCROSS IS GOING TO BE COOL, THE SERIES WILL FEEL LIKE A MORE HYPED ARENACROSS SERIES, BIGGER TRACKS, MORE RIDERS OUT THERE BATTLING AND WE WILL GET A GLIMPSE OF WHO THE TOP GUY IS GOING TO BE HEADING INTO 2019 AXTOUR.”

CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH WHAT YOUR ROLE IS WITH JETWERX AND AT ALL OF THE EVENTS?

I have tons of small roles, from event organization, working with the venues and track owners, all ticketing and event registration, as well as marketing and social media. Then come race weekend I try my best to be some assistance to the track crew, but most of the time I am spread thin and being pulled away from that. Then on race day comes the most enjoyable part of my job, being the Live commentator for our ‘Triple Crown Live’, which has been so much fun learning and being able to talk about the amazing riders we have racing the series. After the race it’s back to the nitty-gritty, getting the trailers packed up and back on the road. I am very thankful for every single person on our crew, they are all passionate Moto people that love the sport just as much as myself. Justin and I couldn’t do it without them.

COMING INTO THIS VERY AMBITIOUS 2018 ROCKSTAR ENERGY TRIPLE CROWN SERIES, JETWERX HAD A LOT ON THEIR PLATE WITH THREE SEPARATE SERIES. HAVE THINGS GONE THE WAY YOU IMAGINED?

Well, we started the year with an absolute mess. Don’t get me wrong, Abbotsford went well on all aspects but the dirt. It will be remembered for a long time; campfire bench racers will always remember the Arenacross mudder of 2018. Other than that, it’s been going well. Arenacross for us was easy in the sense that we have done it before, but the difficult part came from the fact that it had never been to this magnitude. More money equals more problems (laughs), along with the fact that every single round had either a snow or ice storm. We didn’t get out of Barrie’s Molson Centre until Tuesday at 11pm.

On to Motocross, and right off the hop we dealt with some major scheduling at Wild Rose. We tried adapting a mix between the old schedule and our new one, instead of just building the new structure that carried out from Round 2 on. I will forever have nightmares of Wild Rose. It gave me major anxiety and stress, from the wind storm in the morning to the long day of racing these guys had to go through. All in all, lesson learned and we have things a lot tighter moving forward, with a huge thanks to Daryl Murphy and Paul Kingsley, those guys have been on point and taking the timing of things very serious.

But to answer your question properly, I believe the image we have for this series is there. We have more plans to improve things moving forward but the groundwork is solid. I believe the riders, teams and fans are excited for the future of Canadian Motocross.

NEVER BEFORE HAVE WE HAD A UNIFIED SERIES IN CANADA THAT INCLUDED AX, MX, AND SX. WHERE DID THE ORIGINAL IDEA COME FROM TO RUN ALL THREE TYPES OF RACING? I don’t know anywhere in the world that combines three types of racing into one mega series. The idea came from a marker board at our old office, which was a small off-building on Justin’s property. Obviously, we wanted to continue doing Arenacross, and our plan to take a stab at Motocross was something that was in the works since our first AX race in Canada back in 2015. When we started laying down a schedule and talking with venues, it only seemed right to add in the Supercross. The main goal we had was to extend the length of the race season, for the riders, mechanics, media and partners. More racing equals more coverage, and also more opportunity for our riders to improve their career and make more money. We went from a two and a half month season to a nine month season, with only three months off. I think that gives so many people more opportunities to improve their program, from a sponsor to team driver and all in between.

BACK IN THE PLANNING STAGES OF THIS SERIES, WHAT WAS THE INDUSTRY’S REACTION TO THIS TYPE OF THREEPRONGED SERIES?

Some people grabbed right on to the idea and loved it, others said it’s too far-fetched for this small of an industry here in Canada, and only the outdoor motocross would last. Looking back at the year, and the fan base we have seen in Arenacross compared to Motocross, I think indoor racing is a much more marketable style of racing. For our partners that work with the Triple Crown Series, I truly believe the indoor racing gives them new outside-the-industry eyes on their product. People that typically wouldn’t go out and stand in a field on a hot summer day might be the people that head to an arena for three action packed hours of racing in the comfort of an air-controlled building. Those are the people we need, “new blood” to our sport.

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OKAY, I’M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. GIVE OUR READERS YOUR TOP 3 FAVOURITE RACES FROM 2018 SO FAR? Ahh, I have to say my favourite right off the hop was McNabb’s. That family and track is a breath of fresh air to the moto world. For a first-time event they were unsure what to expect, but the track prep and manicure of the property was fantastic. The willingness to do whatever it took to pull off the event was amazing.

It also didn’t hurt that the racing was unreal in both classes.

Solid second I would say was Sarnia Arenacross, I couldn’t believe the response we had with our hometown crowd, that arena was pumping. My Facebook feed for the next weeks was literally all pics and status on how awesome the event was, so that felt great to see positive feedback. Not to mention baby brother Cole had an unreal night of racing for all his local fans, I was proud and happy for him.

Third on my list is seeing the return of Walton national. The TransCan is a staple in Canadian Moto history, and it’s the place where our best amateur riders can showcase their skills, and the final race of the MXtour doesn’t feel right anywhere else.

YOU’RE ALSO A FITNESS GUY AND ON THE SIDE YOU RUN THE FRANKFIT TRAINING ACADEMY. WHY DO YOU THINK WE’RE SEEING RIDERS LIKE FACCIOTTI, MEDAGLIA, AND BENOIT BE ABLE TO STILL BE SO COMPETITIVE AT 30-YEARS-OLD? WE’RE ASSUMING THAT WHEN YOU TAKE ON A PROJECT OR SERIES OF THIS SIZE AND IMPORTANCE, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE EVERY ISSUE THAT MIGHT ARISE. HOWEVER, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF ADDRESSING CERTAIN ISSUES AS SOON AS THEY COME UP. WHAT ARE SOME OF THINGS THAT YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED AND HAD TO FIX FROM WEEK TO WEEK?

Like I talked about before, with the indoors we had dirt issues and with the outdoors it was race day scheduling, along with many other minor issues.

I think the biggest thing for us was to be open minded. If an issue came up, we found the best way to resolve it and keep pushing forward. We pride ourselves in quality of the product, and with good quality comes good experience for all involved. So, some things may be overlooked but once brought to our attention we do our best not to make those mistakes again. I think it’s been a smooth transition so far, I am really excited about the future.

AS YOU SAID ABOVE, YOU’VE BEEN PART OF THE LIVE STREAMING BROADCAST FROM WEEK TO WEEK. THE RESPONSE FROM THE LIVE STREAMING BROADCAST HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. YOU MUST BE PROUD OF HOW THIS SHOW IS COMING ALONG.

The Live Broadcast has been so fun, it’s been a huge learning curve for me, but I have had awesome coaches along the way. Working with Ryan Gauld has been great, he could run the commentary by himself (laughs). He’s taught me so much and I will continue to learn from him. As well as Brett Lee, he’s had some experience behind the mic so working with him has helped my transition into calling the shots on the TSN/Fox sports shows. Let’s face it, we have had unreal commentating over the last 25 years.

Marc Travers and Brian Koster left some huge shoes to fill, and I do not put myself on that level at all but I will work hard to have the best quality show possible.

The show wouldn’t even be possible without the amazing crew behind the

scene. These guys work hard to ensure we capture the best racing action and to create the best experience possible for those fans at home. So mad props to the broadcast crew, I am super proud to be part of the new face of Canadian Moto.

YOU’RE ALSO A FORMER RACER AND A PRETTY GOOD ONE AT THAT. HOW IMPRESSED HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE LEVEL OF RACING SO FAR IN 2018?

The level of these top guys has been insane. The racing for the top spots in both classes is never certain and it’s been anyone’s game. Especially in the 450 class, you can sit and stare at the live timing screen and be blown away. There are literally six riders going blow-for-blow at fast laps for 35 minutes. Outdoor racing has been at an all-time high. Indoors, so far, has been good but I think it will take a bit more of an adjustment before we really see an unreal show. All in all, our riders will continue to progress and the racing is bound to get better and better.

To be honest, I feel like 30 is the new 20 these days. Not only do these guys bring years and years of experience at that level, but I know for myself I am fitter now than when I was 20, so I feel like these three riders are in the best shape of their lives. I truly believe that the body takes well to training at the 25-35 year range. The only thing I see failing with these guys is the motivation to keep the grind up, and that’s what it is at that age, these guys have been racing/training and traveling for the last 20+ years and it gets old. I really believe this is the best Colton has looked in the last 10 years, maybe due to the fact that he started racing back in February or some extra motivation with the big cash prize. I don’t think Tyler will ever get sick of racing, he will be our version of a John Dowd or Mike Brown, just always wanting to compete at the highest level. As for Kaven, I feel like he has plenty of solid years left in him, just maybe slightly burnt out from the last few years of nagging injuries. At the end of the day these guys could easily be top riders on any given team for a good 5 years to come.

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Kyle Thompson M X P

YOU’VE SEEN SOME OF THESE RIDERS TRAIN FIRST HAND. EXPLAIN TO US JUST HOW HARD THEY TRAIN AND HOW MUCH COMMITMENT IS NEEDED TO BE THE BEST AT THE PRO LEVEL?

I have worked hand-and-hand with a lot of these guys coming through the ranks. One thing I like about the Canadian riders and families is the fact that they are not “selling the farm” to bank on a career in Motocross. Right now, Canada has enough funding at the high end to support a handful of guys, so these riders will put in the best effort possible but will take the time to enjoy their time in racing, because it may not be a long time.

For the riders that are making a career out of it that I have worked with, like a Tanner Ward or my brother Cole, they treat this racing like a full-time job. Cole will get up with one goal in mind: eat, train, ride, bike maintenance and always search for that next level. He treats it like a 9 to 5 job, and that’s what it takes. Sure, he loves riding a dirt bike, but the hard work has to come with it. You can see these things from an early age, the riders that hate losing more than they like to win, those are the guys that will commit their lives to winning races.

OKAY, SO THE MXTOUR IS OVER AND THE RACING WAS INCREDIBLE. NEXT UP IS THE SXTOUR, HOW IS THAT SERIES LOOKING?

MXTour was a blast. The racing, the traveling across the country and just being able to meet everyone along the way.

Supercross is going to be cool, the series will feel like a more hyped Arenacross series but with bigger tracks, more riders out there battling, and we will get a glimpse of who the top guy is going to be heading into 2019 AXTour. I’m excited for it, having Montreal back after a good 6 years hiatus. I think starting there will create a really cool vibe going into the following rounds.

ARE THE TRACKS IN QUEBEC CITY AND HAMILTON GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A NORMAL TIGHT INDOOR RACE?

We just did a walk-through of the Videotron Centre in Quebec. It is an outstanding venue. It will be similar to the Aussie SX series, tighter than a traditional AMA supercross but bigger than Arenacross.

Both venues have retractable seating, creating a cool “gladiator” feel to it with the high walls and having the fans look down on the racing, also adding much more track space. Either way it is going to create awesome racing and something new to the country.

C H A T T E R

With

LOOKING BACK AT THE PAST 365 DAYS, WHAT ARE YOU AND YOUR TEAM MOST PROUD OF?

That we have elevated and changed the look of a series. I believe that we have received more attention to our series in this year than what we have in the past. Not that there was anything wrong with the series in the past, but nowhere in the world has there been a series of this size, ranging over 9 months with three disciplines. I think us as a team have built something guys can be proud to race, with more prestige and coverage for all riders and teams involved.

WE KNOW IT MIGHT BE TOO EARLY TO LOOK AHEAD, BUT WHAT CAN WE EXPECT AS FAR AS THE TRIPLE CROWN SERIES IN 2019?

We have the base work laid out, we need to keep building off that and introducing some of our ideas we had for the series that just weren’t ready for production. Each year we will fine tune what we have and try to bring more to the table. We are constantly working on new things to add, but not all our ideas have made it to the table yet. Stay tuned!!

WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS SPORT IN 5 YEARS OR EVEN 10 YEARS?

I hope to see it flourish, from grassroots to the seasoned pros. I’d like to see more prestige put on the amateur scene like what we are trying to do by building the Parts Canada Amateur Opens, which will hopefully turn into teams helping out young racers coming through the ranks. I’d also like to see more guys be able to make a career out of this sport. That will most likely take more outside industry support, but like the saying goes “if you build it, they will come.” I think we have built something to attract the outside world into our sport. All in all, we are determined to make this sport in Canada world renowned. We have made the right steps, we just need to keep moving forward.

KYLE, THANKS FOR YOU TIME. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SXTOUR THIS FALL AND WHATEVER ELSE IS ON THE HORIZON. Well, thanks for giving me the chance to talk with you guys, and I am excited for the future.

“I’D LIKE TO SEE MORE PRESTIGE PUT ON THE AMATEUR SCENE LIKE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO BY BUILDING THE PARTS CANADA AMATEUR OPENS, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY TURN INTO TEAMS HELPING OUT YOUNG RACERS COMING THROUGH THE RANKS.”

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ES SS GH NG ND VE IN AS DA IT UR HIS 06.

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DUSTY KLATT IN 2006 WOR DS BY MIKE MCG ILL • PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF DOMINANT PERFORMANCES OVER THE YEARS IN THE CANADIAN NATIONAL MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS. ROSS PEDERSON WENT THROUGH HIS ENTIRE CAREER, FOR HEAVENS SAKE, SUFFERING ONLY A HANDFUL OF DEFEATS ON CANADIAN SOIL, AND JEAN SEBASTIEN-ROY STEAM-ROLLED HIS WAY TO FIVE CONSECUTIVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES IN DOMINATING FASHION BETWEEN THE YEARS 2001 TO 2005. AS RECENTLY AS 2016, DAVI MILLSAPS MADE HIS WAY TO CANADA AND LAID A COMPLETE BEAT DOWN ON THE MX1 CLASS, BUT IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT NO ONE HAS EVER DOMINATED OUR ELITE CLASS IN THE WAY THAT DUSTY KLATT DID ABOARD HIS BLACKFOOT HONDA SPONSORED CRF 450 BACK IN 2006.

K

latt took the overall at 6 of the 9 rounds that season and finished 2nd overall at another two. The only blemish on his record during that illustrious season came at Shadow Valley Raceway, in Morden, Manitoba when a DNF in the first moto caused him to miss the podium for the one and only time that year. What made Klatt’s feat even more impressive was the fact that he was racing against his Blackfoot teammate and Canadian MX legend Jean Sebastien Roy who, while in the twilight of his career, was still more than a worthy adversary for Klatt. It was truly an incredible season for the Campbell River, BC native, and one that deserves to be examined a little more closely. Who better to break it down than those who were directly involved.

Dusty Klatt 4-Time Canadian National Motocross Champion

Joe Skidd Former Racing Director - Blackfoot Motosports Racing Team

Andrew McLean Former Lead Technician, Blackfoot Motosports Racing Team

Jean Sebastien Roy 6-Time Canadian National Motocross Champion Before we get into the 2006 season, however, it would be worthwhile to look at what Klatt was able to accomplish in the previous two seasons leading up to that epic year. In 2004 and 2005 the CMRC MX2 Championship was still a regional affair.

Dusty Klatt: In 2002, I wasn’t doing all that well in school. I was always riding my bike and going to the races. I was totally focused on racing and it was around that time that I decided that I wanted to try to make motocross my career. I told my Dad that I wanted to do it on my own. He had helped me a lot but I knew that if I was going to be successful I would have to do it on my own.

Joe Skidd: I think it was 2003 when Dusty really came on to our radar. I think it was at Walton, the final race of the season, and he had a great ride. He didn’t really have much support at all and I think he finished on the podium.

He had nothing to work with, but clearly, he had talent.

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Joe Skidd: In 2004, the whole Blackfoot team was restructured. We took it to another level as a fully funded professional team. No more volunteers. We decided that we were going to hold tryouts to fill the open spots on the team. Dusty was one of the guys that we invited to tryout. We were looking at Dusty to ride the CR 250 in the MX1 class alongside JSR, initially. He really shone on that bike and he did very well at the tryouts.

We were looking at everything, of course, not just their performance on the track but how they conducted themselves off the track as well. We were very impressed with Dusty, and initially we hired him to go directly to the big class. Unfortunately, our 250F guy, Turbo Reif got hurt right before the first race.

Dusty Klatt: Yes, it was 2003 and I had a great ride at Walton. It was the last race of the year and my Dad, sister and I drove out there in our van and I ended up getting 2nd overall in the 250 class, which was the premiere class at the time. Right after the race the guys from Blackfoot came over and started talking to me.

JSR: I first noticed him back in ‘02 I think it was. He was riding a Kawi and doing well.

At Blackfoot during those days we were always looking for up and coming guys, especially Canadians, and at the time there were not really a lot, maybe a half dozen guys. Colton, obviously, and Dusty were the two that really showed a lot of potential.

He came to Blackfoot in ‘04 and you could tell he really wanted to make it happen. He had a lot of drive. I was close with Jason Mitchell (Blackfoot Manager) and he would often ask my opinion on things like that.

We figured Dusty was the guy.

Dusty Klatt: I remember it well. It was May the 4th, 2004. When I got to Calgary and at the track that morning it was 2°c and snowing.

Great, I thought, this is going to be messy.

By lunch time, though, the temperature had gone up to 19°c. It was quite a jump in temperature. There were four of us at the tryout. Turbo Reif, Jeremy Lusk, Paul Perrinbos and myself. We were going to ride the 250F and the CR 250 two-stroke. They set us up to do a simulated race and of course I fell on the first lap. I acted as if it was a race though, so I got up and went for it. I never gave up and I think they liked that. My lap times on the two-stroke were only 1 second off JSR’s so they hired me to ride the 250 two-stroke full time. Then right before the first National at the Wastelands in Nanaimo, Turbo got hurt so they moved me down to the MX2 class to ride the 250F. So, I was full time in the MX2 class in the West, and when we went East I jumped up to the MX1 class, although I did ride some MX1 races in the West as well, usually just the second motos.

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A SEASON OF E ANC DOMIDN USTY KLATT IN 2006

Joe Skidd: Dusty dominated the MX2 class in ‘04 and then he did the same in ‘05.

He really adapted well to that bike and it showed. I know he rode a lot of BMX and I think that helped him, for sure. His style was just well suited to it and that class was no pushover. There was some serious competition in the MX2 class at that time, so it was not a fluke. He was the guy.

Dusty Klatt: A lot of skills that I learned on my BMX transferred to moto. A lot of the techniques like putting the bike into different spots and man-handling the bike.

Racing evolves and changes over time. I was racing both classes in ‘04 and ‘05 and getting a lot of time in on the four-stroke 250F. Even in ‘05 I was riding the 450F all during the off-season but then I dropped down to the 250 for the Nationals. I’ve never really been much of a clutch rider, so the four-stroke really seemed to suit my style.

Joe Skidd: In 2006, the whole Blackfoot Team went four-stroke. JSR had to adapt to the four-stroke where as Dusty had it way more figured out, obviously from riding the 250F as much as he did or had. The 450 was not a nimble bike back in those days, it was more like a drag race from corner to corner to ride one effectively.

Dusty obviously had a lot of ability and amazing throttle control. He seemed to be able to make a berm out of things that weren’t even there. It was like he had x-ray vision that year when it came to riding the tracks. The creativity he learned from riding the bicycle, along with his strength and creativity. It was like he saw things that weren’t even there.

Dusty Klatt: JSR was always the most physically ready every year to start the season. I just said to myself, how can I bring myself up to that level. As a twenty-one-yearold kid, what do I need to do to compete against him. So basically, I just studied his program when I got a chance and did pretty much what he did. I developed a routine: Breakfast, gym, track, BMX and then some road cycling or running, and I stuck to it. When the 2006 season started I was feeling confident. I felt good on the 450 and I felt really good physically. I knew I would never fade in a race.

JSR: Okay, first I want to give you a couple of excuses (laughter) and then I’m going to give Dusty all the credit that he deserves for that season. I was coming off five straight titles but age was starting to take over a little bit. I was 32 at the time and I was feeling a little beat up coming into that season. I had a crash and cracked a couple of ribs just before the season started, and I was transitioning to the four-stroke that year as well. I felt that I didn’t have good control of the front end of the bike, so I was losing the front end quite often. So, I had less than 40 days on the bike prior to the opening race of the season and I knew I was not as prepared as I had been in years past.

I probably could have pushed it and Honda would have let me stay on the twostroke for another season, but they had stretched it, really, in letting me ride the CR250 in ‘05. Also, I had enjoyed riding the four-stroke indoors in 2002 so I said, “Why not, let’s try it.” Plus, I thought It would give me some motivation to try something new, but outdoors I did struggle with it.

Even so, I did realize it was time for the change, though. Even in ‘05 when I would go to RC’s (Ricky Carmichael’s) to train, he would laugh and ask me why the heck I was still riding that smoker.

Dusty Klatt: My goal was to win. I knew JSR was going to be my biggest competition, but I started strong and just kept it going. At the first race in Ste-Julie I won my Saturday qualifier. In fact, I won every Saturday qualifier I was in that year. My lap times were usually always the quickest, even though JSR won that day. He went 1-1 I believe but I got 2nd in both motos and I knew I was going to be there. JSR was always going to be tough in the East, especially in Quebec, but I was confident that when the series went West I was going to do very well.

Joe Skidd: I wasn’t surprised at all at how well Dusty did in ‘06. He was always a quiet guy but very professional and a very hard worker. That was his year to stretch his wings.

He had tons of confidence and you could tell he was really enjoying it. We really had a lot of fun that year. I know some people may not believe that because we always seemed very serious to the outsiders at Blackfoot, but we did have a lot of good times, and with the support that Dusty had it really was a perfect storm for him that season. I would put our bikes up against anything in the US Nationals. They were that good. I worked on the MotoGP Circuit for nine years for guys like Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi, so I believe I am qualified to make that statement.

Dusty Klatt: The team was very professional.

Joe, Andrew, Dean (Thompson) and Jason (Mitchell) and I tried to reward their efforts by being as professional as I could. They taught me a lot about staying focused, even away from the racetrack, and they were all super hard-working. I was very fortunate to be on that team, for sure. They did everything right.

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A SEASON OF NCE DOMYIKLNATA T DUST IN 2006

JSR: I won the first National but Dusty was right there. Mentally and physically he was well prepared and after that he just went on a roll. I admit I was a little bit surprised at how well he did, I knew that he was super strong on the 450 but that year we had not trained much together in the pre-season, so I wasn’t aware of just how fast he was going. He was a BC guy so he trained in California, whereas I would go down to Georgia in the winter. The only time we met up and did a bit of riding together was at the preseason photo shoot for the team.

He was young, fast and aggressive. He was already a specialist on the four-stroke, and he was just charging harder and faster than anyone else. He got great starts, what seemed like every moto, and his corner speed was just amazing - way faster than me.

Joe Skidd: Dusty was definitely focused, and focus can cover a broad range of things. It was like nothing else mattered to him that year. He was able to tune everything else out and just concentrate on training, diet and his dirt bike. The rest of the world just kind of ceased to exist. So, it definitely wasn’t luck, that’s for sure. He was confident, he felt secure being part of that team and he was happy. He had all the ingredients for success.

JSR: Again, I have to say that I was a little surprised at how consistent Dusty was that year but the ball was really rolling for him.

I would say that year was by far his best, as far as the 450 was concerned. He was just charging so hard; his sprint speed was amazing and he was giving it. He never rode defensively, he was so confident and strong.

He was so big and strong that he really had the ability to move that big 450 around.

Dusty Klatt: My mental game was sharp that year. I was able to find lines that other people couldn’t, or if there wasn’t a good racing line I would just make a new one.

That’s what comes with confidence. You know, not being afraid to go outside of the main line, I seem to remember doing that a countless number of times that year - finding those lines. That’s what I was known for.

Plus, I was a bigger guy. Around 190 pounds at that time, so I had the ability to move the bike around more than some of the other guys. These are all the things I try to teach my students these days: How to find the best lines and move the bike around.

Joe Skidd: We wanted nothing but the best for Dusty, so we weren’t upset at all when he went south the following season. In fact, Jason Mitchell played a big part in putting that deal with Star Yamaha together. We wanted to give him the chance to show what he could do down there. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out all that well. The bikes were not near as good as what he was used to with Blackfoot.

Dusty Klatt: The plan always was to go down south full-time at some point. Jason helped me out a lot with that so after I won the MX1 Championship in ‘06 I got a great opportunity and signed with Star Racing Yamaha in the States. Bobby Regan at Star Racing gave me a great opportunity to race for his team. At the first race in Anaheim things were going well, I was running 4th in my qualifier, but I went down in a whoop section and my bike landed on top of me.

I sustained some pretty severe burns to my back and shoulder. I kept trying to ride through it though. In fact, the very next week in Phoenix I was running 3rd for about half of the main when old J-Law came along and cleaned me out. That was a bummer and I struggled after that, with the injury and a few other things. As I mentioned, I was a bigger guy and most of the guys in that class are featherweights. They weigh in ay about 140 to 160 and at the time I was around 180 pounds so, on a 250F that makes a big difference. I think at the next race I dropped to like 17th or something, but I worked my way back up and by the last race in Seattle I got 8th. Pretty good but they were expecting more so after that we parted ways. It was pretty much a mutual agreement.

Andrew McLean: 2006 really was a great season for Dusty but there was a lot of other amazing stuff that he did, too. One of the most memorable for me was Moncton in 2009. Dusty fell on the first lap and by the time he got up and got going again he was like 1:20 behind the leaders. Colton (Facciotti) checked out, but by lap 2 Dusty was only 45 seconds behind the second-place guy, Paul Carpenter. Dusty was circulating about 7 seconds a lap faster than Carpenter. We kept throwing the pit board out early so Carpenter could see how fast Dusty was gaining. We were all having a great time with that. It took about 5 laps and Dusty blew by him so fast it practically sucked the graphics right off his bike. Next lap, Carpenter came by giving his mechanic a ‘what the eff just happened?’ gesture. It was awesome. That’s also the same race that Dusty uncorked the Klatt-a-pult. That was amazing. Off-the-hook airtime.

62 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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A SEASON OF DOMINANCE DUSTY KLATT IN 2006

Dusty Klatt: Yeah, 2009 Moncton. First lap I was following Colt and we both almost went down over this little stepdown. He was able to save it, though, and I didn’t. By the time I got going again I was about 30 seconds behind the last place guy. I’d looked at that jump the year before but never did it.

It took some serious guts to do it back then. The second half of the jump was actually a double. The take-off was tall and steep, and the consequences for not making it were huge. It measured out at 129ft in total. They’ve messed with that jump way too much over the years, in my opinion. That’s a problem with this sport these days as far as I’m concerned. Don’t take a jump like that and start playing around with it until all the sudden beginners start thinking they can do it. It leads to way too many injuries.

Andrew McLean: He just never quit.

That’s probably what I would say sticks out the most about Dusty. That and the fact that he’s one of the most naturally gifted riders I’ve ever seen on a bike. He always looked like he was part of the bike. Some of his best rides ever came at the Motocross of Nations in’ 04 in Lierop and again in ‘08 in England. He pulled holeshots and led laps in his qualifiers. He was a big part of the team in those years.

But getting back to ’06, winning the Montreal Supercross that year was another big moment for him. Probably the biggest win of his career.

Dusty Klatt: That’s a tough call. It was a special win seeing as it was that one big event every year. It was probably my biggest winning race, and it was without a doubt my biggest earnings race. Winning the first 450 title in ‘06 was my biggest accomplishment.

That was the biggest goal, and dream, growing up racing. It was hard-fought and I achieved it. Following it up with Montreal was the icing on the cake. It’s a close call but I’d say winning Montreal was amazing in front of the French crowd and beating all the other talent from out of the country that came to do the event.

Dusty Klatt went on to win another National MX1 Championship, this time for Blackfoot Yamaha in 2010. It was to be his fourth and final Canadian National Championship, and by 2013, at the age of 28, Dusty had already made the decision that it was to be his last season of competitive racing.

He wanted to take a serious run at one more Championship and then go out on top. Unfortunately, a serious knee injury ended his season before it really got started, which put him into a slightly earlier retirement than he had planned.

These days Dusty lives and works as a welder in his hometown of Campbell River, BC. While he hasn’t raced a dirt bike in quite some time, he stays involved in the sport by working as an instructor for a selected group of young racers. He has maintained a great relationship with his old employers, and the Husqvarna he rides is compliments of Blackfoot Direct. He admits that some days he thinks about attempting a comeback and that he misses the racing scene. There’s no doubt that he still has the talent and he’s only 33. For now, however, he cherishes the time he spends hanging out with his son, Aaro, and working with his young students.

Dusty Klatt was one of the all-time greats of Canadian moto and his 2006 season will certainly go down in the books as one of the finest ever. Another colourful chapter in the history of Canadian Motocross.

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GETTING SUSPENDED WITH MIKE HAIST

“WE CHOSE TO STAY THE COURSE AND LET THINGS PLAY OUT FOR THE SECOND PRACTICE AS THE TRACK WOULD GET ROUGHER AND THE CHOSEN INITIAL SETTING WAS THERE TO TAKE ON A ROUGH SAND TRACK.”

Race Day Suspension Tuning Uncovered WORDS BY MIKE HAIST • PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND MIKE HAIST

It all comes down to race day… you have prepared all week, traveled some distance and you are ready to find out how you will fair against your competition. Winning a race has many aspects to it, and when you get the combination right you get to stand on the top step of the podium. In the last issue we covered many of the different tools that a suspension tuner has access to that can help with the final choices for the suspension/chassis package. With that hopefully a little clearer, let’s run through a race day and see how those tools get used at a national race event.

T

he preparation for the upcoming event usually starts right at the end of the previous event, like right after, within the hour.

The team will sit down and go over the day, both strong and weak points get discussed, and the performance of the day gets compared to the competition to create a benchmark, be it positive or negative.

Generally, everyone packs up, heads home, and then it gets rehashed again on Monday morning either at the race shop or via various types of communication (phone calls, video conference, etc.). After all of the discussion, a plan is put into action and the settings get put into the suspension components for the upcoming event. Let’s take a look at how the race day evolves starting right from the beginning of the day.

For our example day, I am going to write about the Deschambault National where I was working with the OTSFF race

team. The riders I worked with that day were Matt Goerke, the defending champion of the series, and a newcomer to the team, Dillan Epstein, who has shown many signs of promise at past events.

Both of them use quite different settings and are tailored to their own personal preferences and riding style.

Going into the first practice the rider starts with a package that was chosen during the week, and that was put on the bike. During the first practice the riders go out and get up to speed on the race track and learn the layout, try various line choices and size up a complete lap. With qualifying coming from both practice sessions, the riders need to push even in the first practice as at times this is the faster of the two and will decide your gate pick for the first moto. The rides will come in from this first outing and then the day truly gets going.

After the initial outing, the riders provide their feedback, which is noted. Next,

the mechanics, managers and anyone else that was watching also provide input and the person responsible for the settings takes all of this in. Lap times are then looked at and data is reviewed if available. At the event we are covering in this article, Matt was concerned with the set up as he was off the pace that the leaders were running. We chose to stay the course and let things play out for the second practice as the track would get rougher and the chosen initial setting was there to take on a rough sand track.

Dillan, on the other hand, was happy with the bike and time was spent studying lines in the data to help choose a race line that would get him closer to the front of the pack.

By the end of practice two it was pretty clear we weren’t going to get a tough and rough sand track. Matt was still pretty far off the pace and it was time to make bigger changes. The rear shock was swapped out for one with a different set-

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GETTING SUSPENDED WITH MIKE HAIST

Race Day Suspension Tuning Uncovered

“WE WENT THROUGH THE DATA OF BOTH RIDERS TO HELP PICK THE BEST MIX OF LINES, AND OBSERVATION FROM SPOTTERS ADDED MORE IDEAS HAVING WATCHED OTHER RIDERS.” ting, the fork tube height was changed along with the front tire. Better turning was being sought after as was traction and drive from the rear. Dillan had a good second practice and did not want to make any changes going into the first moto.

If we think back to the last article it is easier to make these changes when you have access to information. The shock setting change was chosen by looking through previous dyno runs. This allows the suspension person to make a choice with a known amount of change.

There was a question about changing the rear spring or not, and being able to look through that information helped in choosing to stay with the firmer spring that was on the shock from the initial build. A chassis layout software was not used at the race, however having run software like that many times in the past, either in testing or at race events, you start to get a feel for some of the simpler changes, and most importantly, you will understand what else gets affected by moving the fork tube height.

Our sport does not have anything that models tires, or if there is I am not aware of it so that one becomes an experience thing and the rider at times can help with that choice.

The first moto was raced and things did not work out as planned. Matt was better than in the practices so the bike set up went the right way but he was

still off the pace. Dillan finished third and wanted to keep everything as it was for Moto #2. Line choice was important, and both the riders and the team had input for the second moto. We went through the data of both riders to help pick the best mix of lines, and observation from spotters added more ideas having watched other riders. With clear choices made we felt pretty good about going into the next moto.

During the final race of the day both riders uncharacteristically were victim of crashes. Matt was able to remount and get going to finish the race, but Dillan’s situation was a lot tougher as he rode back to the truck for medical attention. Racing can be pretty tough some days and the OTSFF team had their fair share dished out to them at Deschambault.

With this harder day behind the team, discussion was had and things got packed up to start the entire process over again. There are weekends you get it all right and you are the lead rider out on the track, but then there are more difficult days like Deschambault. With all of the variables that need to be accounted for, it is quite a challenge to get the chassis and suspension right. The rider needs to be on point and much more like engine packages and tires, not to mention a race is a race and anything can happen there.

68 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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2018-08-31 12:33 PM

FIRST RIDE

2019 HUSQVARNA MX LINE-UP B Y

C H R I S

P O M E R O Y

/

P H O T O S

B Y

S E B A S

R O M E R O

When you think of Orlando, Florida, famous places like Disney World and Universal Studios immediately come to mind. These vacation destinations provide a lot of fun for people of all ages, regardless of the time of year. However, for the motocross world, in recent years the Orlando area has been known for much more than just being the home of Mickey Mouse and Goofy. This area is now home to some of the best motocross riders on the planet as well as a few of the top training facilities in the USA.

L

ocated about 45 minutes from the gates of the Magic Kingdom is the small city of Clemont, FL. This central Florida town isn’t known for much in the grand scheme of things, but in the past few years it has become home for many of the top motocross riders in the USA. Top riders like Dean Wilson, Marvin Musquin and Ken Roczen all call Clemont home, and they enjoy the laid-back atmosphere, as well as the numerous practice tracks in the area. Just outside of Clermont is one of the most famous training facilities in the world, the Baker’s Factory. This facility is owned and operated by Aldon Baker, the official trainer for the Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. Obviously, I was very excited that Husqvarna had chosen their official training facility as the track for the Global media to test ride the complete line of 2019 Husqvarna dirt bikes.

As we drove through the gate at the Baker’s Factory I was as excited as a kid on the monorail heading into Disney World. My first thoughts were of the great champions that had driven and continue to drive through this exact same gate on the way to their day of training. Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Ken Roczen, Zach Osborne, Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson (I know there are a few more but those are the names that stand out) all have made this drive from Clermont to the Baker’s Factory in search of motocross training perfection.

I don’t think I was the only media person on the bus to feel this as it was pretty quiet as we came to a stop in front of a large building.

Although I had seen this

facility in a few videos and also on television, I really had no idea what to expect.

After getting off of the bus the first thing we did was walk to a large building for a meet and greet with the man himself, Aldon Baker. While everyone listened intently, Aldon explained the thinking behind this awesome facility and how it was transformed from what it was, to its current state. Today, Baker’s Factory is just over 100 acres of pure motocross joy.

It’s separated into two compounds - one for the upcoming riders and one for the top team of riders of Anderson, Musquin, Tickle and Osborne. The ‘B’ side, where we rode all day, has a full shop and eating area, a bike wash bay, a full supercross track, and an amazing outdoor track.

We rode on the outdoor track and I can tell you that it’s one of the best training tracks I have ever ridden on. It was rough, rutted, full of cool jumps, and its mixture of clay and loamy dark Florida sand made for perfect practice conditions. The other side of the property, the ‘A’ side, included a bigger shop complete with a space for bike work, as well as a full gym for off-the-bike training. This side also has a large outdoor track and two supercross tracks. One supercross track was designed for a baseball-type stadium with west coast dirt, while the other was designed for a football stadium with more east coast-type soil. Like any world class training facility, the Baker’s Factory leaves nothing to chance and completely takes the guesswork out of the riders’ training programs. It was amazing to get the full guided tour by the man who created it all in the first place.

After all of the introductions, including a welcome speech from Zach Osborne, who was on hand to greet the journalists, we all suited up and hit the track for an amazing day of riding. With the temperatures soaring to 95F, with a sizable amount of humidity, it was definitely going to be a very challenging day of riding. After the introductions we all got dressed and the track was opened for riding.

I decided that I would start with the smallest bike in the 2019 Husqvarna line-up and go from there. Let’s begin with the 2019 TC125.

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AFTER ALL OF THE INTRODUCTIONS, INCLUDING A WELCOME SPEECH FROM ZACH OSBORNE, WHO WAS ON HAND TO GREET THE JOURNALISTS, WE ALL SUITED UP AND HIT THE TRACK FOR AN AMAZING DAY OF RIDING.”

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FIRST RIDE

2019 HUSQVARNA MX LINE-UP

2019 TC125

This quarter liter rocket ship was one of the most fun bikes to ride on the rough Baker’s Factory track. With an engine that is now putting out just over 40HP and a dry weight of under 190lbs, the new TC125 is a dream to ride. Even on the most challenging parts of the track I was able to throw this bike around and make it do exactly what I wanted it to do. With a new, more rigid frame, WP 48mm AER Forks and a revised WP rear shock, the 2019 TC125 feels completely connected to the track. For a rider who is moving up to the 125 class from the mini class, or a rider who just wants to ride a fun bike, this TC125 is perfect. Also, we cannot forget the Hydraulic clutch, new self-cleaning foot pegs, and Pro-Taper handlebars that come stock on the 2019 TC125.

“THE ADDITION OF LAUNCH CONTROL WITH THE FC MODELS MEANS PERFECT ACCELERATION OFF THE LINE, WHILE CLASS-LEADING ERGONOMICS AND TRACTION CONTROL KEEP THE RIDER IN FULL CONTROL.”

2019 TC250

With two-strokes being so prevalent now in motocross, Husqvarna takes their two-stroke technology very seriously. For 2019, the TC250 features a few changes to make this bike more rider friendly than previous models. To lessen engine vibration, Husqvarna has installed a new laterally mounted counter balancer shaft. Once on the track this new TC250 two-stroke is buttery smooth and very easy to ride. With all of the high-end components that come stock on all of the 2019 Husqvarnas, the TC250 is one of the best 250 two-strokes on the market. With the Baker’s Factory track getting very rough, by the time I rode the TC250, I was amazed at how well this new bike handled and how easy it is to maintain forward momentum. All you have to do is point the front wheel, turn the throttle and the TC250 goes exactly where you want it to. With the same high-quality WP Suspension on both the front and back of this new bike, large bumps and hard landings were easy to handle. Despite being tired from the rough track and the extreme Florida heat, this was one bike that I wanted to ride all day at Baker’s Factory.

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2019 FC250

This was another Husqvarna model that I was excited to ride, as Zach Osborne has had so much success recently on the FC250. For 2019, Husqvarna decided to take a bike that was already great and make it even better. New for 2019 is a Pankl transmission, revised EFI map settings, and a new Diaphragm Steel clutch. This new clutch is not only 190g lighter than the previous one but it’s also more durable. The clutch basket is also engineered from a single piece of CNC machined steel. This allows for the use of thinner steel liners, which helps contribute to the small and compact engine design. Once I hit the track on this new FC250, the first thing I noticed was how fast it was. With some very tight turns and large jumps at Baker’s Factory, having some good old horsepower was important. With just a snap of the throttle it was easy to get out of the turns and over the jumps in perfect control. I also noticed how good the straight-line stability was with the 2018 FC250.

With deep holes everywhere on the track, keeping the bike pointed in the proper direction was crucial.

With a slightly more rigid frame and WP Suspension, I felt completely connected to the ground.

2019 FC350

Although I spent some time riding the FC350, it’s pretty much unchanged for 2019. I do like how the FC350 feels as it has obviously more power than the FC250, and it still feels really light.

For the average rider who wants a bike with decent torque and power but still something light, then the FC350 is your bike. However, if you’re racing mostly against 450s, then it will be sometimes difficult to compete. I had fun riding the FC350 and found that it didn’t make me as tired as riding the FC450, but I was also able to accelerate better and get over jumps easier than I was on the FC250. Overall, the 2019 FC350 is just a great motorcycle.

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FIRST RIDE

2019 HUSQVARNA MX LINE-UP

2019 FC450

Being a tall rider and one that spends most of his time riding 450s, I felt very comfortable on the new FC450. With an all-new cylinder head and updated map settings, this 2019 Husqvarna FC450 puts out 63HP, and at just 222lbs, the power to weight ratio is the best in its class. Also, with same Pankl transmission as the FC250, as well as one of the most durable 450 powerplants, this bike is ready to win more championships. On the track, I felt completely at home on the new FC450. The bike felt light and was easy to point and shoot, but it also had a very smooth and linear power. As I did with all of the new Husqvarnas, I felt really connected to the ground on the 2019 FC450. There was one particular section on the rough Baker’s Factory track that was full of square edged bumps and ruts.

With the WP Suspension, the smooth power and of course the steel frame, the FC450 got through with no issues. This new bike is fast, balanced and very easy to ride. With the steel frame and lower center of gravity, this new FC450 has a great front-end feel. This means that you can enter into a corner, plant the front wheel and turn exactly how you want.

“ON THE TRACK, I FELT COMPLETELY AT HOME ON THE NEW FC450.

THE BIKE FELT LIGHT AND WAS EASY TO POINT AND SHOOT, BUT IT ALSO HAD A VERY SMOOTH AND LINEAR POWER.”

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All in all, this was an incredible day of riding at one of the most famous practice tracks on the planet. With a large crew of technicians to help out, testing the 2019 Husqvarnas at the Baker’s Factory was like a dream come true. The entire line-up of new Husqvarnas were all extremely rider-friendly, and even though I don’t spend much time riding this brand, it didn’t take me long at all to feel comfortable. From the TC125 right up to the FC450, each bike was great in its own right. When you test a bike on a very rough and challenging track like the one we rode at Baker’s Factory, there is no hiding a bike’s inadequacies. Throughout the entire line-up of 2019 Husqvarnas there really wasn’t anything that I would want to change.

Being a 200lb rider, I would go a little stiffer on the suspension just to feel more comfortable but that’s about it. I also was able to ride one of the FC450s with a complete FMF exhaust system installed on it. The FMF system really freed up the engine, and I noticed not just an increase in smooth power delivery but also less engine braking when charging into corners. With Husqvarna and FMF now involved in a partnership, FMF exhausts are being designed to work in perfect unison with the 2019 Husqvarnas.

Even though the track was rough and the temperatures levelled out at about 95F for most of the day, all of the media guys and girls had an incredible day of riding in Florida. The new 2019 Husqvarnas were all fun to ride, and of course the hospitality shown to us by the Husqvarna crew was amazing.

After the long day of riding we all travelled back to the hotel to get cleaned up for dinner. With our dinner plans being kept a surprise, we all knew it was going to be something special. With another bus ride of about 30 minutes, we arrived at the Paddlefish Restaurant, which is located on an old riverboat at Disney Springs. The food was spectacular and the atmosphere was perfect for everyone to talk about the awesome day of riding. After some great food and a lot of bench racing, we all went back to our downtown Orlando hotel for a good night’s sleep. It was a very memorable couple of days in Orlando and I’d like to thank everyone at Husqvarna Canada and Husqvarna USA for this incredible opportunity.

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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

Back in July I was asked who I would like to write a story about for the next issue and I really had to think about it for a few days. That weekend I was also headed to Gopher Dunes for the sixth round of the Triple Crown MX series. I had an idea who I was going to talk to and as the day progressed it became very clear who it would be. It was Hayden Halstead from Southern Ontario who has raced the national series for three plus years. We all know him but do we really know him that well? I have supported the team with FXR product from 2015 so you would think I should know him fairly well.

I thought I did until I started asking questions about his past. I knew Hayden has worked his butt off to get where he is today but I didn’t realize how much his family has sacrificed to give their son this opportunity. I don’t know too many parents that will give up their summers to support their kids at this level but the Halsteads are dedicated and it shows. This season Hayden is showing everyone that hard work really does pay off in the long run.

“THIS SUPPORT HAS NEVER STOPPED FROM MY PARENTS AND FAMILY. ONE YEAR WHILE RACING WALTON, MY DAD WORKED MIDNIGHTS ALL WEEK AND STILL WAS THERE DURING THE RACING ALL DAY.”

ONE ON ONE WITH HAYDEN HALSTEAD

It's probably not the best time to catch up with you but since you're available, let’s roll with it.

What happened at Deschambault?

Well, they have a huge double at the track and a couple of the 250 guys hit it that week during practice. There was zero room for error, it was one natural hill to another. I knew the couple top MX2 riders would probably be hitting it, so if I wanted a really good qualifying time I would have to as well. During qualifying on my first heater lap I hit it and landed on top. It was rough but I still got a good lap time. The next lap, I must have been in a gear too low and did not realize it until it was too late. I couldn’t have cased the jump worse. It was like casing a supercross triple but going twice as high. I knocked myself out on impact so I am not too sure what happened after that. I left the hospital that night with a fractured and compressed T-12 vertebrae, stitched up lip, a couple of loose teeth and a mild concussion (luckily).

It’s been a week since the crash and my back is feeling better. I have to take it easy for 3-4 more weeks to let the vertebrae heal.

Let's go way back to when it all started.

How did you get into racing motocross?

Both of my parents rode street bikes and my Dad raced at Shannonville. When I was 6 we used to go trail riding as a family. They saw my potential and how much I enjoyed riding. My parents sold their nice house in the city for an old farm house with land for a track. Am I ever-grateful for that now! Moving out to the farm was the best and still is.

They built me a track and put a lot of work into it. Looking back now it was busy for them.

They would both take me to go practicing at least twice a week, and the other days our backyard track would be watered and ready for me after school. They never asked me

to ride, I always bugged them.

Eventually I started racing. My first race was at the Paisley Rat Track in 2004 on a 65cc.

I don’t remember much from that weekend but I remember I had a blast! This support has never stopped from my parents and family. One year while racing Walton, my Dad worked midnights all week and still was there during the racing all day. Now my parents and girlfriend fly to the races to help me on the weekend, then they work during the week. It’s amazing having such a helpful family.

I remember back in 2015, Dawn McClintock asked me if we had some budget for Hayden Halstead. I think I said, “Hmmm, who’s that?" You were a pro rider from the London, Ontario area that knew how to ride sand well. Was that your first real year of racing the nationals?

In 2014 my parents managed to get me to all the east coast rounds, which were awesome.

Our goal was to race the whole series, but doing the west and east swings when you are a privateer and barely old enough to have a job was pretty hard. So yes, 2015 was my first year going west so I could race the entire national series. That winter before the season I got a job working 60-70 hours a week and then still trained in the gym after every day. I got in touch with Mike Dasilva and we planned on attacking the west coast together. We took Mike’s truck and trailer, a 22-foot enclosed trailer with homemade bunk beds and a shower. My Dad flew out to help be our mechanic. It was also his first time on the west coast. We sure did learn a lot that summer, racing, travelling and learning how to live on the road. It was one heck of a summer with lots of stories to reminisce about now.

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The team is amazing. Everyone involved with the team is there and supportive because they have passion for motocross. No one is getting rich. They’re helping because they enjoy it. We all just love the sport and it has evolved for most of us to this point. My Dad is a work horse. The guy never stops. He is always making sure my bikes, truck, trailer and everything we need is running smoothly. My Mom works her butt off as well.

Cooking for the entire crew at six rounds is enough, let alone extra catering to her son’s racing needs.

My girlfriend is busy too, helping with food, helping my Dad, and of course helping me before and in between motos. That is really the tip of the iceberg of how my family helps. It has been great being on a team that is made up of a bunch of like-minded people. The managers, Kevin Tyler and Johnny Grant, as well as the team sponsors are there to help in every way they can. It gives you a lot of confidence knowing that your sponsors are like family and will stand behind you!

The last couple of years this team has produced some great results. Your teammate last year won the championship on the same equipment you're on. That must make you feel pretty confident when you ride up to the starting line?

It definitely does; seeing guys like Shawn Maffenbeier be successful by winning the championship last year, and now Jess Pettis continuing with the red plate not only gives me trust in the equipment but also in the team and mentors/supporters around me.

“SO, THIS WINTER I WENT DOWN TO CLUBMX. THERE IS A LOT OF TALENT THAT TRAINS THERE DURING THE WINTER. I REALLY FOCUSED ON STARTS AND SPRINTING.”

Let's fast forward to 2018, you’re on one of the best teams on the circuit. You're supported by Yamaha Canada, your dad is your mechanic and your mom is the team caterer / nurse. What do you think of the team program. You must be pumped to be on this team?

When you first signed with this team it was a special type of contract. I don’t think I have ever heard of that before. You drive the rig from round to round plus you race in the 250 class. I see other teams have drivers that drive and race the vet class on amateur day. You race the pro class and you are also a top 5 rider. I am sure the other riders look at you and say, “Man, this dude just kicked my ass and here he is tearing down the set up and driving the team’s rig to the next event.” What are your thoughts on that?

My contract consisted of a handshake and has evolved into a great partnership. In the beginning I was looking for a way to get my bikes and myself to the west coast so I could race the entire series. I had no expectations for anything in return. I was a truck driver in the off-season and figured I could help out the team and maybe pit behind the trailer with my ez-up. MX101 ended up helping me out huge. They welcomed me in like family and treated me just like the other two contracted riders.

My thoughts on my “contract” are kind of more from the privateer’s perspective. I am proud of what I have accomplished with what I have worked for and feel like I have earned what I have been given. I think you have to do it this way, the harder the work the sweeter success is in my mind, so what if I have to drive 35 hours to the first round in Calgary and work a normal job in the fall, so do all the other privateers. From that first year until now has been a steady progression for the team and I. Basically helping me as much as they possibly can and same with the team’s supporters, there is no difference in equipment or support for anyone on the team. That is the best kind of support, I would much rather have a “we are here if you need anything” approach rather than “here is what you are getting this year,” and I will always be grateful to all the people helping me now and over the years.

This year you have really stepped it up.

What did you do differently in the offseason compared to other years?

I haven’t always had the time to train like some of my competitors in the past. Each year with a bit more support I have been able to get away for a couple months in the spring to train. The last couple years I just did my own thing like most of my fellow racers do - working out hard after work in the winter and then going somewhere warm to do motos.

In the past, training consisted of 30-minute motos almost every day and a cycle or workout. My fitness had always been a strong suit. Sprinting the first couple laps and starts have been what I need to work on. In prior years, my first few laps would be off the top guys’ pace and then I would close the gap, getting faster as the race went on. So, this winter I went down to ClubMX. There is a lot of talent that trains there during the winter. I really focused on starts and sprinting. We would practice real life gate drops. Not starts by myself, actual starts with other racers every day. Same thing with sprinting, real sprints out of a gate with other fast pros. This slowly built my confidence to get me to that next level I have been looking for. Real confidence came over two months of kicking ass down at Club every day, not just doing motos by myself. I wasn’t reaching my potential by training alone, I was focused on catching someone in front of me that might be way ahead, having to go faster for longer than I even thought possible.

Obviously, you're improving each year.

What do you have to work on this winter?

This winter I am going to continue to work on starts and raw sprinting speed. I will probably go back down to ClubMX. It is definitely the spot for simulating race conditions and building real confidence like I was talking about. It also allows me to get in the racing mindset so I can practice properly to find out where I should be focusing my efforts.

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I remember last year

you raced both class at RJ’s. You were looking to improve your national number.

Was that the plan for Walton this year?

Actually, it was two years ago that I completed all four motos in both classes. That was insane! I ended up getting 10th overall in both 250 and 450. Last year the points got tight at the end of the year between Casey Keast, Davey Fraser and myself. Last year was almost crazier. Davey and I started battling in Moto 1. I took a huge rock to the knee during the battle and decided after to pull out of the 450 races and focus on the next MX2 race. Davey and I had one of the most epic battles that came down to the last lap in Moto 2. This year I am very hungry for a podium after two 4th place finishes. I never even considered that ironman move since I am so focused on getting one more spot in MX2!

I see you like to keep things light on race days.

You have to have fun, right?

I know that there is a switch that flips in my mind when the 30 second board goes up and things get a lot more serious. I feel like you have to keep it light to allow yourself to not over think things and just trust your skills and preparation. Keeping things light helps me stay positive and eager to race. By the time Saturday morning rolls around I am so excited to race that I can hardly handle it!

I hear you want to train with Mike Brown in the off-season.

Are you sure you want to put yourself through that?

Of course, I would be down for that. I feel like my generation of riders have no clue about anything before Instagram. He has one of the most respectable resumes on the planet in all disciplines of riding. I have had a bunch of races and FXR events we have both been at to get to know Mike a bit. He definitely has a wealth of knowledge that would be awesome to tap into. I look up to the guy because he shares the same passion of just loving two wheels. I feel like it would be super fun to spend some time together and ride everything in sight!

I feel you’re a much better east coast guy.

Do you like sand tracks?

I grew up 25 minutes east of Gopher Dunes. I wouldn’t call myself a much better east coast rider. I think the results just seem to show that I am. I do enjoy the sand tracks but I enjoy big ruts even more. I definitely tend to perform better when the track is rough no matter what type of dirt it is. The tracks in the east are usually sand or a sand mix, which almost always makes for a rough track. The west is hard and smooth and it throws me off a little. I spent the winter of 2017 in California to help with my hard pack skills and I think it paid off.

This year I felt right at home on the west coast. Popkum was the hardest and had the least amount of ruts. I felt great there and since then I have been excited to ride that style of track. It is way more fun for me now!

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Unfortunately, the season didn’t quite finish the way the team or the Halsteads expected. Motocross racing can be exciting and the best sport in the world, but sometimes riders get hurt and that part of the sport really sucks. Hayden came up short on the 120-foot double jump at Deschambault during practice. That crash knocked him out for the series. It’s so tough to see these kids having awesome results one day and the next they are sidelined with an injury. I can bet we will see Hayden back at the nationals in 2019, and I tell you we will be seeing him on the podium a lot in 2019. Get well soon Hayden.

ONE ON ONE WITH HAYDEN HALSTEAD

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F TO A (#82) GETS OF SAM GAYNOR

HIS MOTOS. T IN ONE OF GREAT STAR

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E E S S E NS E 2018 CANADA TAKES ON TH NATIONAL LORETTA LYNN'S AMATEUR M AT T W E L L U M S O N WOR DS AN D PHOTOS BY

IS HERE AND THAT MOST OF 2018 HARD TO BELIEVE THAT MID-AUGUST ESTLY FEELS LIKE THE SUMMER HAS COME AND GONE ALREADY. IT HON D AND WE SHOULD STILL BE IN THE MOTOCROSS SEASON HAS JUST STARTE THE NATIONAL. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MIDDLE OF QUALIFIERS AS OPPOSED TO EXTEND THE SUMMER MOTO SEASON INVENT A SLOW-MO BUTTON TO HELP OF US IN NORTHERN CLIMATES. A BIT LONGER, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSEON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM REGARDLESS, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT IONAL. THE 37TH ANNUAL LORETTA LYNN’S NAT

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AN RIDERS OUR CANADI PERFECT EK HAD NEAR NS ALL WE CONDITIORETTA LYNN’S AT THE LO ONAL. TI NA R EU AMAT

ADIANS “OVERALL THERE WERE 14 CAN OMPETE C TO N W O D IP TR E TH E AD M O WH SSES.” IN 15 HIGHLY COMPETITIVE CLA

TENNESSEE TITANS

F

or myself, the 2018 National at Loretta Lynn’s also felt off due to the unseasonably cool temperatures. It honestly felt more like late spring in Thunder Bay than it did late July in Tennessee. For many, it was a curious but welcomed change from the typically tropical heat normally experienced by competitors at this event. On that note, this summer had yet another great roster of Canadian competitors who qualified this summer.

Overall there were 14 Canadians who made the trip down to compete in 15 highly competitive classes. Throughout the week, not a single gate drop was missed by these riders regardless of how good or bad their week was going. From there came results that would make any single US AMA district proud and hopefully Canada as well. By the time the event concluded there were 14 top ten moto finishes, 4 of them resulting in trips to the podium. Those stats look better than many US states participating in this

event, many of which had far more riders than Canada. All said, those weren’t the only achievements worth noting during Loretta Lynn’s this year.

After a night of terrible sleep, Sam Gaynor was definitely subjected to trial by fire by being in the first moto of the entire event, 450B. At the drop of the gate, Sam was released alongside some of the fastest amateur riders in the world, and while making a solid charge to the first turn everything suddenly went wrong.

The kid that worked so hard to earn two tickets to the ranch suddenly found himself on the ground in the first corner.

From there, he found himself the unfortunate subject to a brutal onslaught of bikes and riders trying to find a sweet spot in the start of the moto. Down but not out, Gaynor had two choices: charge hard or coast through the moto to make a comeback in Moto 2. Sam chose option #1, a sometimes dangerous option as the bike condition and overall physical status are never apparent to us riders moments after a crash.

Sam took this gamble and charged hard from nearly last place into 27th by the first lap. Lap 2, nine more riders saw the white #82 number plate blaze by. Then on Lap 3 four more, and on Lap 4 seven more passes. By the time Sam passed the white flag he was already within the top 10 and still had his sights on one more position. As if on a mission, he turned a bad moto into a solid 8th place finish. In a flash of luck, great skill and determination, Sam had the speed and consistency to put himself within the top 10 in speeds - the hunt was on!

Moto 2 saw both a new month as well as far better track conditions for Gaynor.

An impressive start within range of a holeshot set the stage for a fast paced, nail biting Moto 2. Good lines and consistent speed kept Gaynor within the top 5 nearly the entire moto, despite others pecking at his rear tire throughout the race. Needless to say, in this class he had some stiff competition that created quite a bit of churn in the top 4. Even with a couple setbacks, Gaynor was able to lock himself into a solid 5th, all while keeping his overall well within the top 10.

Before we go into Sam Gaynor’s final moto, let’s detour over to 450C class and follow the #74 KTM of Mikael Savard.

Unlike Gaynor’s machine, Savard came into competition on one of the few 250 two-strokes. From the start of Moto 1, it was clear he was out to set the pace for others in this class; Savard immediately started to set an incredible pace for others to follow. As if there was nothing to it, Savard set the fastest lap time in Moto 1, and by the time the checkered flag came out nearly had a 20 second lead on his competition. Savard was now thrust deeply into the championship hunt!

Heading into Moto #2, the soft spoken Mikael Savard had a clear target on his back and was the man to beat.

In what likely felt like a replay in slow motion, Savard wasn’t able to repeat the rocking start he had in his first moto. He began his second moto outside the top 10 and was now in a situation similar to Sam Gaynor’s first moto crash. Savard now had the critical decision to either coast or push hard to fight for a solid overall. Savard’s decision was clear to anyone watching. He pressed on and not only picked off five riders in this moto, he also set the fastest lap times of anyone in that race yet again. His finish was strong enough to keep him in 1st overall thanks to a disqualification of one competitor.

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THOMAS RENDELL WAS HAPPY WITH HOW HE RODE

THE MOMENT THAT EVERY CANADIAN RIDER DREAMSYOUNG ABOUT.

The final days of competition down in Tennessee started to harken back to the previous feeling of being trapped in a sauna. We were back into familiar feeling weather with intense heat that sent everyone scrambling for shaded areas or air conditioning. This heat meant that mechanical issues were springing up more often, as well as overall rider physical endurance. The stage was set for a true test for our riders in their final motos.

Sam Gaynor, like before, was in the first class to have its third and final moto.

The guy that would have been happy to have earned a top 20 finish was now a contender for a top 5 at his first ever trip to Loretta’s. Gaynor would have to work for that position, though, while he avoided disaster at the first corner this time; he was now deep in the bulk of competition fighting for a top 15 spot. Two laps in he was in the heat of battle with the 7th, 8th and 9th placed riders. Despite the #17 Husky of Hunter Calle smoking enough to fog up other’s goggles, his bike had just enough to fend off Gaynor, putting our Canadian in 5th, locking him into 4th overall in 450B. Sam had an overall finish far better than he ever expected. Speaking to his dad on the way down, he said, “Top 20 would be good, top 10 we’re ecstatic, and top 5, I don’t know what we’re going to do.” On Saturday, the final day of competition, he eventually picked an awesome way to celebrate. His celebration was on the podium earning 3rd place in the final moto of his other class, 450B Limited.

Holding the Canadian flag on the Tennessee podium went down as one of Sam’s biggest moments, one that rivalled his top 4 overall finish he later told me. With his overall now officially pushing him into the A class, Sam stated that he had zero regrets and strongly encourages other Canadians to give this event a shot! With all the awesome happenings going on for Sam Gaynor, I am sure Mikael Savard was even more motivated to make a first overall in 450C one for the record books.

At the drop of the gate for Savard’s final moto, it was clear that he was on a mission to make that championship happen. Finishing his first lap in 3rd place, he was just over 3 seconds off the leader but had him clearly in his view as they started to round the wall of heroes.

With the constant churn of the top 5, and with one rider being heavily docked, Savard needed to finish within the top 5 and preferably ahead of #43 Kyle Props.

Heading into lap 5, Savard was in point position, leading the pack, but had only a minor margin keeping him in 1st. As opposed to pushing himself too far, he held steady and decided to ride smart and kept his ego in check. At this time, his biggest threat to the championship was advancing from 17th.

Savard’s smooth tactic paid off in the end. While he did have a minor mishap pushing him back to 3rd, Savard had a good enough finish to make his championship dream a reality. Coming off the track we saw him signalling a #1 to our camera (video) and could see his huge smile even through his helmet and goggles. Savard, the quiet and soft spoken Canadian, had earned himself a championship. What a way to close out his first trip to Loretta Lynn’s ranch.

To all that made it to Loretta’s, you did Canada proud in both qualifying and never giving up on the experience. I hope that others that attended mirrored the sentiments that Sam Gaynor shared with me during our talks. For him, he encountered lots of helpful people, and his fun was not limited to his time on the track.

His biggest advice for everyone thinking about trying out for Loretta Lynn’s, and using his punctuation - “GO!!!!!”

IN TENNESSEE.

RS WERE ULTRA FOCUSED EVEN OUR YOUNGEST RIDE

ON THE STARTING LINE.

“SAVARD’S SMOOTH TACTIC PAID OFF IN THE END. WHILE HE DID HAVE A MINOR MISHAP PUSHING HIM BACK TO 3RD, SAVARD HAD A GOOD ENOUGH FINISH TO MAKE HIS CHAMPIONSHIP DREAM A REALITY.”

VERY PROUD THERE WERE SOMEDADS .

CANADIAN

ONTARIO RIDER TANNER SCOTT HAD A GOOD WEEK IN TENNESSEE AND FINISHED 25TH IN THE 85CC 9-12 CLASS.

AFTER A GREAT RIDE IN THE 450 CLASS, MIKAEL C SAVARD NOW JOINS THE LIST OF CANADIAN RIDERS TO WIN A LORETTA LYNN’S AMATEUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.

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THE FRENCH

TOUCH FORGET ABOUT WINE AND CHEESE BECAUSE MOTOCROSS IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF FRANCE’S HOTTEST EXPORT COMMODITIES. FOUR CONSECUTIVE MX OF NATIONS VICTORIES, A CONSISTENT PRODUCTION LINE OF MXGP, AMA AND ENDURO SUPERSTARS HAVE PUT THE COUNTRY FIRMLY AT THE FRONT OF THE PACK IN THE GLOBAL DIRTBIKE SCENE. IN ITS WAKE, SHOT RACE GEAR, THE NUMBER ONE GEAR BRAND IN THE FRENCH MARKET, HAS STARTED ITS WORLDWIDE EXPANSION. WE WENT TO THE SHINY NEW SHOT HEADQUARTERS IN EVREUX, FRANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BRAND.

W O R D S B Y M X P S TA F F • P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y S H O T R A C I N G A N D J A M E S L I S S I M O R E

T

he last twelve months have been pretty productive for Shot’s star riders. From the historical double MXoN, ISDE victory of Christophe Charlier to the many podiums of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory team in the MX2 GP class and Luke Renzland in AMA 250SX- Shot has definitely been making an impact. “And let’s not forget about Graham Jarvis,” says Ghislain Huot, the Shot Race Gear CEO. “Jarvis is without a doubt our biggest icon. Graham is in his fifth year with Shot now and he’s simply unstoppable!”

The British extreme enduro legend has six Romaniacs wins behind his name and added an incredible fourth Erzberg Rodeo to his already incredible career tally this season. More than an ambassador, Jarvis is the perfect illustration of Shot’s strong position in the off-road market. “I would say 60% of our

customers ride enduro or cross-country.

So even when some people think it’s less glamourous we’re really an off-road brand in every sense of the word!”

FROM BOOTS TO GEAR Although the Shot brand has been gaining momentum both on track and in the market, the 2017 company revenue has reached a record €13.5 million, it’s not new. Officially launched in 1993, Shot’s first product was a pair of boots, aptly named Nitro. “You know that feeling when you’re on the track, you see a passing opportunity and you go for it? That’s what Shot was for us! My Dad ran a distribution company called Powersports and we represented JT, Arai and UFO in France.

These brands didn’t have boots in their range so we decided to make our own.”

The Shot Nitro boot proved to be a successful product, pairing interesting features and a good quality with an attractive price point. That same formula was used in 1999 when Shot

launched its first gear set. Unthinkable for the present day, the brand entered the gear market with just one colourway and one ambassador. The versatile French Thierry Bethys, equally at home in supercross as outdoors, effectively became Shot’s first posterboy.

Ghislain takes us to the showroom where the very first gearset is on display.

“When I took over the company in 2000 I

realized that we had to focus on our own strengths. We couldn’t afford to spend the big bucks on marketing and star riders like, for example, No Fear did in those days. Our focus was very different.

We wanted to market mid-level products that offered great value for money.”

While Shot still follows the same guiding principle, the company is pushing hard for advanced technical features too.

SHOT CEO GHISLAIN HUOT WITH GRAHAM JARVIS

RIDING WITH THE BOSS Unlike many of his peers, motocross was not a family affair for Ghislain Huot (41). Born in Paris, St-Germain-en-Laye to be precise, Ghislain got intrigued by dirtbikes after his family moved to Evreux. “Our neighbour had a motocross bike and he often leant it to me. In the end, my Dad bought a bike of my own. Because I got involved with motocross, my Dad was bitten by the bug as well!” In spite of his late start, Ghislain learned quickly and did reasonably well in the amateur ranks. Admittedly, France didn’t lose a moto legend by Huot deciding to evolve on the business side of the sport. However, the Shot boss definitely has all the basics covered and is still a solid rider himself. “Unfortunately I don’t have the time to ride as much as I would love to. Let’s say nine to ten times a year but I alway enjoy when I get the opportunity to hop on a bike. When we have a ride day with the media I always put some motos in, and it’s always nice to see how you get a different type of communication when people realize that they’re talking to a fellow rider.” Now wouldn’t it be something to have a seperate race where all the bosses of gear companies line up?

We’re pretty sure Ghislain Huot would be up for that!

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to respecting deadlines. After that you start negotiating the price. Last but not least we also had to learn how to work together with factories in the far east.”

Remarkably enough, the very same factories are also used by Shot’s competitors, mostly the American brands!

Taking into account all aspects when developing new gear is a labour-intense process. With a range that’s ever expanding into hardwear with helmets, boots and protection, Shot Race Gear has currently 450 items in its catalogue.

While the brand continuously looks at the best way to produce their offerings, the option to go to the far-east can be seen as a catch-22. “Costs in Asia are rising too but overall it’s still the most interesting choice. However, to get good prices from the factories you need a certain volume. For brands that are in decline it’s a huge challenge to meet these quantities.”

THE RULES OF PRODUCTION From the showroom we take the stairs and move to the development department. This is where the proverbial magic happens when it comes to defining the features and materials of new collections. “For us it’s normal to live and work in the future, so to speak,” explains Lucie who is the head designer.

“Right now we started working on the 2020 collection. You could compare it a bit to the evolutions with motocross bikes. Some years the innovations are mainly on the outside, other years a line receives a complete overhaul. It’s my job to bridge the gap between how products are supposed to look, the features and qualities they need to have and to brief the factories on how to deliver on that brief. If you think our job is only about colours and styles you could not be any further from the truth! The construc-

tion methods, fabrics, the sublimation process and the pattern we start from are all super important.” And so is the search for the right manufacturers too.

All of them are based in Asia but the differences in quality and professionalism are huge.

“It was out of necessity really that we needed to go to Asia for our production.

Even when we started you had no factories specialized in MX gear in Europe.

Finding the right partners to produce was a big learning curve,” explains Ghislain, who started in marketing at the company but went into product development soon afterwards. “The first few years I visited all the manufacturers in Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Thailand myself. I was in Asia for about four to five months a year back then. Of course you want the most reliable factories in terms of quality and when it comes

LIGHTWEIGHT PIONEER If many players in the market use the same production methods and even the same factories you’d be tempted to think that all products are actually interchangeable. In actual fact, every brand has its own philosophy and style.

“Even before the biggest brands jumped on the subject we had been developing lightweight gear that puts a functional fit on the bike central. If a smaller brand innovates like that it takes a while to be picked up! Not so long ago pants weighed one kilo more. Now weight is becoming more and more of an issue because riders realize it adds to their comfort when they’re riding. That’s what we call the Maximize Your Energy principle.” Ghislain proudly points to the scales with a pair of 2019 Devo Ultimate pants on them. The display reads 500 grams for an entry-level pant. This makes the Devo probably the lightest motocross pant in the world in its class.

Sales manager Jacques-Olivier Cleau walks in and takes an Aerolite jersey, Shot Race Gear’s top line, from a rack.

“The attention to detail in how the shirt is put together is something that not everyone is mindful of. Yet if you look closer it’s amazing! The fit, the way the jersey is stitched and the different highly technical materials for different panels make a big difference on the bike. Many riders still remember the time when a motocross shirt was more or less the same as a heavy cotton football shirt.

We’ve definitely moved away from that a long time ago. Performance fit for maximum flexibility on the bike, vented panels for optimum airflow are just a taste of what’s to come. You can expect more of these advanced features in the near future.”

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THOMAS COVINGTON WENT TO EUROPE BEFORE MAKING HIS PRO DEBUT TAG HOME. HE’LL RETURN TO THE US IN 2019 WITH THE ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA TEAM OF BOBBY HEWITT.

SHOT’S LEADING LADY: EVE BRODEUR.

CANADIAN RIDER KEYLAN MESTON BATTLED HARD ALL SUMMER IN THE MXTOUR SERIES TO FINISH 7TH OVERALL IN THE 450 CLASS.

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MILESTONES FIRST EVER OFFICIAL RIDER: Thierry Béthys FIRST SUPPORTED GP RIDER: Mickaël Pichon in 1995 FIRST BIG INTERNATIONAL WIN: Dakar 1997 with Stéphane Peterhansel FIRST TITLE: French Champion with Thierry Béthys in 1995 FRENCH SX TITLE: Serge Guidetty (250cc in 2002) FIRST GP MOTO WIN: Alessio Chiodi in 2004 (MX2) FIRST GP WIN: Alessio Chiodi in 2005 (MX2) FEMALE ICON: Livia Lancelot (vice-world champion, X-Games medalist) FIRST MOTOCROSS WORLD TITLE: Yves Demaria in MX3 in 2004 MOST ENDURO WORLD TITLES: Pela Renet (E2 in 2012 and 2014) LAST ENDURO WORLD TITLE: Mathias Bellino (E3 in 2015) EMX125 TITLE: Jordi Tixier (2010) JUNIOR 125 WORLD TITLE: Jordi Tixier (2010) FIRST ISDE WIN: Pela Renet (in 2012) FIRST HELLS GATE WIN: 2014 with Graham Jarvis MOST HARD ENDURO WINS: Graham Jarvis FIRST MXON AND ISDE VICTORY IN THE SAME YEAR IN MODERN HISTORY: Christophe Charlier (2017) MOST QUALIFYING WINS: Thomas Covington (5 victories in 2017) BEST GP ROOKIE: Thomas Kjer Olsen (3rd in MX2 in 2017) OTHER NOTABLE PAST RIDERS: Marvin Musquin, Romain Febvre, Conrad Mewse, Jake Nicholls, Joël Roelants, Sebastien Pourcel, Thomas Pagès, Tyler Medaglia, John Dowd, Max Anstie,

STAR POWER The old adage “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” might have morphed in the digital age although it remains very relevant today. Successful and popular riders help to gain awareness with the obvious end goal to increase sales.

Competing for talent at all cost, however, is not part of Shot’s DNA. “We have always been careful not to enter bidding wars for riders or invest super agressive in marketing. It’s so easy to overspend without knowing the returns,” explains Huot. Despite the bigger war chests of the competition, Shot Race Gear is having a strong run with its sponsored riders lately. In MX2 GP’s and (extreme) enduro, Shot is either on the podium or at least running close to the front.

Shot’s Athlete Manager Serge Guidetty offers an insight in the process of choosing the riders who are right for the brand. “At the end of the day, our riders generate interest and excitement for our products. From experience we know that the chances of success are much better with a strong organization around the riders, rather than when they race privately and are on weak teams. That’s why if it’s possible, we prefer to work with factory teams. These teams already put in a good effort to promote their racing as well. That’s another bonus. Coincidentally we support Husqvarna riders in both motocross and enduro. It’s not that we didn’t consider other options but many gear brands have longstanding relationships with manufacturers. Husqvarna is the new kid on the block and so are we on the global stage of the dirtbike world. I think it’s a great fit!”

For 2018, Shot has a line-up with heavy hitters like Graham Jarvis, Thomas Kjer-Olsen, Thomas Covington and the returning Alfredo Gomez. “To have the right riders who are doing well is one thing. With our marketing we’re pushing more to connect what we do with the

KYLE CHISHOLM CONTINUES TO BE A FAN FAVOURITE EACH YEAR IN THE MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS SERIES

LUKE RENZLAND WILL BE NO DOUBT LOOKING FOR MORE PODIUMS IN 2019.

Shot Race Gear stars with what our customers experience and what they expect from us. Of course it’s awesome to have someone like Graham (Jarvis) who doesn’t stop to communicate. He’s like a social media machine, with over a million of fans on Facebook and more than 588.000 followers on instagram!”

THE MAGIC SAUCE Since the last financial crisis the motorcyle business has changed a lot.

Consumers become more demanding, markets have shrunk or in the best of cases stagnated, e-commerce has exploded… “Before we saw shops carrying several gear brands. Some even sold four or five brands. I think that shifted completely,” says Huot. “A lot of shops only offer two brands now. That’s why you need a strong image and a good feeling for what each market needs.

Having said that, the Shot CEO proudly showed us around the 4500 m² warehouse. With a huge stock and strong logistics, shared with the Powersports Group, Shot can offer dealers attractive delivery times. From its Evreux logistical hub, the company directly serves France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. Other countries are under investigation too, but rather than rushing, Shot likes to take the right steps, one by one. But without exaggerating, the potential for growth outside its home country is enormeous for Shot Race Gear. Sales Manager Jacques Olivier know he has a big challenge ahead of him: “What might be the best approach for one company is maybe not the right for another. We want to take a look at each market individually and decide what our strategy should be. In some important European countries like Germany and Italy we’re not even present for the moment. But we’re convinced that we’re in a good position to replicate the succes that we have in France, our magic sauce if you will, also abroad.”

THE FRENCH

TOUCH GO WEST Talking about international expansion brings us to North America, Shot’s biggest and most ambitious target. While the American motocross brands dictate trends worldwide, Shot has made a remarkable entry in the world’s biggest dirtbike market last year. Rather than going on a solo adventure, Shot decided to take the leap with a powerful local alliance, the ambitious MTA/Motovan distribution group. “Rome was not built in a day and conquering a huge market like the USA doesn’t happen overnight either,” Ghislain smiles. “The competition is fierce over there but Shot has been well received. American riders and media think that we have something different and fresh to offer. We established a good foundation in the US supported by a media campaign in all important magazines. Now it’s time to go to the next level.”

In line with Shot’s own strategy, the groundwork of presenting the brand at the dealer level preceeds an even bigger push in terms of marketing. “That’s the only viable way really because the fees for top riders in the US are extreme. At this point we can not afford to spend 500,000 euro or dollars on one rider!

It’s obvious that a top-3 rider in the AMA is a lot more expensive than in the World Championship. But we continue to build our presence step by step. Team Traders Racing with Luke Renzland and Jayce Pennington will run in our gear again and they’re arguably one of the strongest privateer teams in the US. So that’s cool. They will race the Lites class on the East coast. We just signed with Kyle Chisholm too. I’m really happy with Kyle because he has a strong profile in the US. Chisholm is one of the best privateers and fans know him in Europe too because he won the Bercy Supercross and in Germany.” Even when he was unlucky with his injury at the MXoN in Matterley Basin, Alabama native Thomas Covington is another asset for Shot’s American campaign.

Even when the economical impact of the US is very significant, the aspirational element is another driving factor. “You could say that the American market accounts for close to 80% of the global market but what happens in the US is also an example for people riding dirtbikes everywhere else. If you want do well in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, you need to make an impact in the States. And of course European riders follow the American scene as well. In that sense the marketing dollars in the US still have an effect elsewhere.

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YOUNG PRESENTS

AND ON THE

RISE E IS R SETH WITH

HUGHES

BY CHRIS POMEROY / PHOTOS BY SUMMER DENZLER

SETH HUGHES IS A FAST, YOUNG ONTARIO RIDER WHO JUST LOVES TO RIDE. AT JUST 17 YEARS OF AGE, SETH’S RACING CAREER IS DEFINITELY TRENDING UPWARDS. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS SETH HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THE MOTO PARK TRAINING ACADEMY AND COUNTS THEM AS A BIG PART OF HIS SUCCESS. AFTER A GREAT BEGINNING TO THE 2018 SEASON, SETH WAS RECENTLY BITTEN BY THE INJURY BUG AS HE UNFORTUNATELY GOT HURT AT THE WALTON TRANSCAN. HOWEVER, WITH HIS HARDWORKING ATTITUDE AND HIS ABUNDANCE OF TALENT, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT HE’LL BE BACK STRONGER THAN EVER. FOR THIS MONTH’S YOUNG AND ON THE RISE AMATEUR PROFILE, WE CAUGHT UP WITH KITCHENER, ONTARIO NATIVE SETH HUGHES. FIRST OFF SETH, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW OLD YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CALL HOME? I am 17-years-old, and Kitchener, Ontario is where my family and I call home.

THAT IS A GREAT AREA OF ONTARIO. CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING COOL ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN? We have the best outdoor BMX bike park at McLennan Park.

THAT’S COOL! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING A DIRT BIKE? I have been riding a dirt bike for 14 years, so even though I’m still young, I’ve been riding for a long time.

THAT’S AMAZING THAT YOU’VE PROGRESSED SO FAST. DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST RACE AND HOW YOU DID? I remember a little bit about my first race.

It was at Gopher Dunes for a TVR race. I don’t remember how I did but ever since then I have loved racing my dirt bike.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE HOOKED RIGHT AWAY. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE RIDER? One rider that really stands out to me is Eli Tomac. I love his raw speed, and his talent blows my mind. I also really admire his work ethic.

TOMAC IS A GREAT RIDER TO TRY TO LEARN FROM. DO A LOT OF YOUR FELLOW ONTARIO RIDERS GIVE YOU ADVICE? For sure, at Moto Park, during our six weeks of academy, we have Zeb Dennis, Austin Watling, and even Bobby Kiniry came up. All of these guys gave me great advice about riding and racing.

DESCHAMBAULT AND WALTON ARE NOW OVER BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE RACING TO GO THIS YEAR. HOW HAS YOUR SEASON BEEN SO FAR? My season has had its ups and downs but definitely more ups. I had a bad crash at Walton and now I’m off the bike for a few weeks. Hopefully my injury will heal up quickly and I can get back racing before the end of the season.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS YOUR BEST RACE IN 2018?

My best race in 2018 was definitely the Moto Park Cup events where I won the Schoolboy class.

YOU RODE GREAT AT THOSE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR CLASS BEING STACKED. MOTOCROSS RACERS AND WINTER USUALLY DON’T GET ALONG. WHAT THINGS DO YOU DO IN WINTER TO STAY ACTIVE AND ENTERTAINED? In the winter I actually head down south for about four months to ride and escape the cold weather.

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SO, YOU’RE A NUMBERS KID! I KNOW YOU’RE INJURED RIGHT NOW BUT WHAT ARE YOUR RACING PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2018?

SH: After my Walton injury I’ve had to rethink my plans for the rest of 2018. My first plan is to heal up and get healthy again. From there my plan is to try to do a few races at the end of the season.

HERE IS A QUESTION I ALWAYS LIKE TO ASK: WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? In five years I see myself mixing it up with the boys in the 250 Pro/Am class and possibly trying to qualify for an AMA Pro National.

SO, YOUR SOLUTION FOR DEALING WITH WINTER IS TO GET OUT OF IT COMPLETELY. GOOD THINKING! WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO OTHER THAN RIDE DIRT BIKES? My favourite thing to do other than riding dirt bikes would have to be hanging out at the track with all my buddies.

WHEN YOU GO DOWN SOUTH TO RIDE DO YOU JUST GO TO MP COUNTY LINE? Yes, I was lucky enough to be put into an online school this past year so I was able to be away for multiple months. My favourite training facility would definitely have to be MP County Line, for sure. I love everything about that place - the track, the people, the nice weather, even the palms trees.

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR RACING RESULTS, WHICH ONE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? It may not have been the best result but it would have to be my Loretta Lynn’s finish when I ended up 21st overall. Just making it there takes so much hard work and sacrifice. I was really proud of myself for that one. Hopefully I can head back there again and improve on that result.

I’VE NEVER BEEN TO LORETTA’S BUT I’VE HEARD IT’S AN INCREDIBLE EVENT. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRACK TO RIDE? My favourite track to ride would have to be Red Bud. I really like the layout and the soil. It gets really rutted and is difficult to ride. I also like the jumps there.

I AGREE, RED BUD IS ONE OF THE BEST TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. OBVIOUSLY, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TRAVEL A LOT, BUT CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR FUNNIEST OR SCARIEST ROAD TRIP STORY? Well, there have been a few, for sure. I think the scariest was when my family and I were on our way home from Florida and there was a crazy ice storm coming through. The roads were awful and no one seemed to know how to drive on ice.

I didn’t think we were going to make it through, but thankfully we did.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT SCHOOL. WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT? I’m going into Grade 12 and my favourite subject is math.

MY FAVOURITE TRACK TO RIDE WOULD HAVE TO BE RED BUD. I REALLY LIKE THE LAYOUT AND THE SOIL. IT GETS REALLY RUTTED AND IS DIFFICULT TO RIDE. I ALSO LIKE THE JUMPS THERE. THOSE ARE GREAT GOALS SETH. WITH THE WAY YOU’VE BEEN RIDING LATELY I’M SURE WE’LL SEE YOU LINING UP FOR THE PRO CLASS SOON ENOUGH. FINALLY, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK? I would like to thank my Mom and Dad, my little brother Ezra, Moto Park and the crew there, Iain Hayden, Zeb Dennis, Ryan Gauld, Austin Watling, MotoMech Canada, FXR Racing, Bell Helmets, Scott Googles, New Era and Mikey Walker, Barry Cullen Chevrolet and Castrol Oils.

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ATLAS BRACE TECHNOLOGIES INC.

FLY RACING

FOX

Atlas Neck Braces are known for their patented flexible design, providing maximum comfort and mobility. Combining a simplistic minimalist design with flexibility, suspension, and the largest brace-to body contact ratio (in the smallest overall package) makes the Atlas Air Brace a clear category leader.

The All new fully flexible and highly breathable Barricade Long Sleeve Suite by Fly Racing, fits snug and has a body contoured front to fit best in a riding position.

Removable chest and back padding with centre zip on chest for easy on and off.

Since its inception, the Fox Instinct Boot has proven itself to be the world’s fastest motocross boot by winning the past four Supercross and motocross championship titles. This year, the boot receives a brand new Duratac rubber compound for improved durability and grip.

flyracing.com

foxracing.com/ca

ATLAS AIR BRACE Q $349.99

BARRICADE LONG SLEEVE SUIT Q $179.95

INSTINCT BOOT Q $659.95

4

FXR RACING

FACTORY RIDE MX BOOT Q $350 FXR’s all new MX boot has been engineered to meet the performance demands and durability standards of any boot in its class.Built on a onepiece, non-hinged chassis, the boot is designed to provide maximum dorsal and lateral support all hard landings and impacts.

fxrracing.com atlasbrace.com

5

PARTS CANADA

LIMITED EDITION VISION TECH 10 BOOTS (ALPINESTARS) Q $749.95 A benchmark boot in motocross, the Tech 10 further advances the innovations that make it the most technical motocross boot ever.

Limited Edition ‘Vision’ Tech 10 fuses all the performance. Microadjustable, easy to operate, lightweight buckle: continuously developed for uncompromised performance and durability. Available at your local Parts Canada dealer.

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FOX

V1 HELMET Q $229.95 The all-new Fox V1 helmet has been redesigned and now features Fox’s exclusive Magnetic Visor Release System to manage rotational forces. This feature removes the three visor screws and replaces them with magnets to allow the visor to release from the helmet in the event of a crash, while also securely staying in place when needed.

foxracing.com/ca

partscanada.com

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LS2 HELMET

SUBVERTER Q $279.99 Unique in its category, the Subverter is a KPA lightweight helmet with the most aggressive design! With thirtyfive (35) separate ports, its ventilation can be described as extreme!Using an innovative integrated synthetic sliding system, the helmet protects you and systematically decreases risks of head trauma in the event of a fall.

kimpex.com

8

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PARTS CANADA

PARTS CANADA

This DOT and ECE 22.05 approved helmet has been developed with a dual density EPS liner and features extensive venting. A fully adjustable visor and flexible nose piece helps deflect roost.

The rear shell shape is designed to easily reposition the goggle strap. Available at your local Parts Canada dealer.

At only 1260 grams, this carbon helmet has a Multiple density inner liner with removable cheek pads and is fitted with E-2 last generation of MIPS. The patented visor system allows easy release in crash situations as well as the A-Head patented system for adjustable top pad height.

And emergency release.

Available soon at your Parts Canada dealer.

SECTOR HYPE HELMET Q $139.95

partscanada.com

SM-10 MX HELMET (ALPINESTARS) Q $849.95

partscanada.com

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SHOT RACE GEAR

THOR MX

ZOX HELMETS

FURIOUS SCORE Q $119.95 The furious score one piece motocross helmet has a synthetic reinforced shell with a shock absorber chin bar insert.

The ‘’Morpho Conforming’’ liner is fully removable and washable to ensure that you can remove all dirt after a heavy ride. This helmet is composed of 3 sizes of shell for a perfect fit, 2 adult 1 kid.

shotracegear.com

SECTOR MIPS BOMBER BLACK/ MINT HELMET Q $159.95 The furious score one MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System®) Brain Protection System (BPS) absorbs and redirects rotational energies Dual density EPS liner for extensive venting Injection mold polycarbonate/ABS shell Vented adjustable visor Removable/washable moisture wicking liner Flexible rubber nose piece DOT and ECE 22.05 approved

MX10 Q $199.99

The MX10 is a premium lightweight fiberglass competition MX helmet loaded with features, including a superior CoolDry™ liner for comfort, maximum venting and a high-end automotive paint finish.

zoxhelmets.com

thormx.com

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ACCURI FORECAST GOGGLES Q $109.95 This revolutionary mud specific goggle is a complete system comprised of working parts that function seamlessly together. Wider film, smoother pulls, and an advanced cleaning system contribute to achieving our goal of providing the maximum amount of vision. In the Box: mud flap, 2 rolls of film, and micro fiber bag.

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ENZO VISION

SHOT RACE GEAR

FOX

DT-1 manufactures tearoffs for most all makes and models of goggles. All tear-offs are manufactured in house in the USA. 20 pack 14.99$ 50 pack 28.99$

The Shot Iris goggle is equipped with 3 density face foam and front ventilation for optimal air flow. The high quality Iridium lens provides a clear view of the track. Its semi-rigid frame is rear-off ready to ensure a clean lens.

The Fox 360 Kila Jersey combines world-class durability, comfort, and mobility. Fine-tuned by Fox athletes, proven by victories on the biggest stages in motocross the Fox 360 Kila Jersey offers remarkable durability and comfort.

shotracegear.com

foxracing.com/ca

TEAR OFFS Q $14.99

mddistributions.com

IRIS GOGGLES Q $39.99

360 KILA JERSEY Q $74.95

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FXR RACING

COLD CROSS RR JERSEY Q $120.00 FXR’s all new windproof jersey makes for a must have for the fall riding temperatures. Windproof polyester front and sleeve with 6000mm/3000g/m2 waterproof/breathability.

Polyester back for comfort stretch and venting while riding.

fxrracing.com

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THOR MX

PRIME PRO JET BLACK/RED ORANGE Q $59.95 PRIME PRO JERSEY - Hybrid fit with set-in style tailored sleeves - Taped collar and cuffs - Minimal seams for maximum comfort - Fully ventilated arms and back panel - Moisture-wicking material keeps you dry - Tail silicone print helps keep jersey tucked in - Flat-stitched seams minimize irritation

ride100percent.com thormx.com

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THOR MX

PRIME PRO JET PANT BLACK/RED ORANGE Q $169.95 Ultra lightweight precurved chassis design Inner compression short Abrasion tolerant Poly/ Spandex blend Premium grade full grain leather inner knee panels Inner knee panel with aramid fibers to reduce knee-brace wear Expansion stretch panels on waist Strategically placed vented mesh panels Laser cut holes for ventilation Inner waist silicone band

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MIKA METALS

PROTAPER

ZETA

SHINKO TIRES

- Featherweight chassis design for total mobility - Fitted and ventilated stretch backhand material - Fully perforated palm for airflow - Extended, angled slip-on cuff for easy access - Silicone treated finger tips for improved lever control - Wrapped inner-thumb for durability

Mika Metals Hybrid Sprockets are the ultimate application in lightweight long lasting sprockets. It’s unique design means the majority of the sprocket is made from aerospace aluminum, while the teeth are made from hardened steel. This means you get the durability of a steel sprocket without all the weight. It is one of the longest lasting and lightest sprockets.

Our Twister Throttle Tube is constructed from premium-quality anodized billet aluminum.

The sealed radial ball bearing and polymer bushing provide smooth, consistent throttle twist action, while the surface knurling ensures a viselike grip bond. Twister Throttle Tubes are compatible with ProTaper handlebars, as well as Renthal ⅞” models.

Replace those narrow heavy OEM foot pegs with this light weight aluminum pegs. It also provides superb traction with the replaceable spike cleats, while giving your bike that factory racing look! Check it out today!

Shinko’s newest Hybrid Soft/Intermediate Terrain Enduro/Extreme single track trail tire finds traction in the most extreme conditions.

Perfect for Soft/ Intermediate terrain and available in popular 18” and 19” sizes.

mddistributions.com

protaper.com

AGILE GLOVE RED ORANGE/BLACK Q $27.95

HYBRID SPROCKET Q $139.99

TWISTER THROTTLE TUBE Q $112.99

ALUMINUM FOOTPEG Q $132.99

525 HYBRID CHEATER Q FROM $139.95

zeta-racing.com shinkotirecanada.com

thormx.com

thormx.com

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MENTAL SIDE Confidence

BY SEAN POITRAS • PHOTO BY JAMES LISSMORE

When describing any of the greatest riders, athletes or performers of all time, there tend to be some common qualities they all share.

Many people would comment on their natural individual talent on the track or in their given sport. Coaches, teammates and those close to the individual may describe their hard work and dedication in practice or in the gym. One quality that can be recognized by anyone who has had the opportunity to watch any of these great athletes perform is their noticeable confidence in their ability to succeed.

M

e are all confident in some aspects of our day-to-day lives. Whether it is confidence in the meals you prepare or confidence in your ability to launch 20 feet in the air on a dirt bike, it is a feeling or state of mind that we can recognize and often describe. So why do we lack confidence at times we need it most? Where does our sense of confidence go during times of increased pressure or stress?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONTROL YOUR CONFIDENCE WHEN NEEDED MOST? The tricky part in understanding and controlling confidence is the fact that it can be perceived and defined differently from individual to individual. The way we each experience the effects of our own

confidence and interpret the confidence we see in others is very unique.

SELF-AWARENESS We are the experts on ourselves. One of the main reasons why mental skills training can be so difficult is we don’t always pay much attention to the way our minds are working for us, especially when they are performing well. If I were to ask you to describe how confidence feels, what would you say? If I asked you how

you believe confidence helps you, could you tell me? What does confidence, or a lack of it, do to hurt you?

A good way to learn more about your relationship with confidence is to consider some other facets in life where you do feel confident. Try to notice some of the common characteristics they share.

Some may include time, repetition, skill, comfort, trust, leadership or support systems. Do your best to better understand why these different characteristics might have affected your confidence level, and perhaps identify which pieces are missing when it comes to motocross.

Another approach to improving your self-awareness of how, when and why you feel or don’t feel confident, is to highlight situations where your confidence was high and when it was low. Example: Motocross training vs. competition. We know that the actual task doesn’t change from training to competition, so why does it tend to feel so different when it comes time to compete? One theory suggests that it comes down to one simple word emotions. One major difference between a mindset in training compared to competition is the emotional responses experienced when competing.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT Performance anxiety occurs as a result of an anticipated risk. The risk in competitive motocross would be winning vs. losing, and or performing to your best potential, achieving goals and meeting your own expectations vs. performing poorly and not achieving your goals or expectations. Once our brains detect any potential risk or threat to us, it sends the body into a fight or flight mode.

Athletes and performers often notice this response before a big game or event, where the body readies itself for action.

In this mode you may detect an increase in heart rate, causing more blood flow to the extremities. Sweaty palms and muscle tension are also associated with this response. This fight or flight mode is often perceived as a negative response to stress and anxiety, however, this is when the body is physically most prepared for action. Mentally, the fight or flight response gets a bit trickier. We

“ANOTHER APPROACH TO IMPROVING YOUR SELF-AWARENESS OF HOW, WHEN AND WHY YOU FEEL OR DON’T FEEL CONFIDENT, IS TO HIGHLIGHT SITUATIONS WHERE YOUR CONFIDENCE WAS HIGH AND WHEN IT WAS LOW.

have this natural response as a result of our evolution. Back when we would hunt or be hunted, the fight or flight response was necessary, as most potential threats would be other larger animals that would be trying to eat or kill us. Even though that is not much of a concern in today’s society, our brains still work the same way. The amygdala is the area of the brain responsible for the fight or flight response. It is located in the oldest part of our brain, which means that it still operates the same way it did hundreds of years ago.

Sometimes it is difficult for our old brain to tell the difference between a real threat to our safety and well being, and a minor threat to our wins and losses columns.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE

Researchers have found that there are four pillars to consider when building confidence in any facet of life.

1. PAST EXPERIENCES If you have experienced any form of success or victory as a result of your efforts leading up to this point, you have the bases for a dose of confidence. (This is important to consider when setting goals to achieve).

2. VICARIOUS EXPERIENCES Witnessing someone else, who you can compare yourself to, achieve success or possess the skill sets you desire can also build confidence. This is the ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ theory.

3. ENCOURAGEMENT/VERBAL PERSUASION Receiving positive feedback or encouraging messages from an individual you respect, idolize, learned from or all of the above.

4. PERCEIVED CAPABILITY This is arguably one of the more crucial components to building confidence as it appeals to our personal subjective view of our own abilities and competence. This is also the most vulnerable pillar our confidence rests on.

Confidence is without a doubt one of the more complex and fragile mental components of any performance. Self awareness of how your confidence impacts you on the track is the first step towards gaining more control over it. Work towards creating opportunities for yourself to build confidence and with practice you can tap into your most effective state of mind when needed.

9 MOOT OTCOR C 24 8 // M O SRSOPSE SR F OP REMR AFNOCRE M · MAXNP MCAEG .·C M O MX P M A G . C O M

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EVOLVED NUTRITION WITH DREW ROBERTSON

Making a Plan Here we are in September, the nationals just ended, some provincial and regional racing is still left, for the most part the season is over, so we need to prepare and plan for the offseason and ultimately next year. Let’s take a look at a sample schedule and see how you can fit this into your routine as you de-load and head into off-season training.

M

onday is typically used as a recovery day. Now this doesn’t mean just sitting around, you want to go through the Dynamic Warm-up (you can email me for a copy), then depending on your age and activity level, you’ll want to perform some aerobic-type of activity for 30-60 minutes each of those days. Ideally you would know your heart rate zones. To give you a basic idea, your aerobic zone is a 6 out of 10 on the effort scale, and you should be breathing hard but still be able to talk. In addition to the aerobic work, you want to stretch and foam roll one day and do yoga for 30 minutes the other day.

Tuesday would be a good day to ride and get in some cardio work. Do the Dynamic warm-up, go riding, then you’ll want to eat and recover for a while before doing your cardio work. Below I have listed a couple of cardio options. Make sure to change the cardio up and don’t stick to just doing one workout the whole time.

Wednesday is usually a big day; you’ll want to get some riding in, a workout, as well as a cardio session. First thing in the morning before riding, go through and perform the Dynamic warm-up, then ride, making sure you stay hydrated during that time. Afterwards when you get back home you would do a small circuit followed by some cardio training.

Circuit 1

Circuit 2

Circuit 3

20 REPS OF THE FOLLOWING:

20 PER LEG WALKING LUNGES

1000M ROW

20-FOOT SHUTTLE RUN

20 PUSH-UPS REST 1 MIN

REST 1 MIN

TOES-TO-BAR PUSH-UPS

5 ROUNDS

4 ROUNDS

20 X PUSH-UPS

Circuit 4 EVERY 2 MIN FOR 20 MIN 10 X KB DEADLIFT 10 X INVERTED ROW

REST 1 MIN 4 ROUNDS

Cardio options could look like this: Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

ROW 500M – SPRINT

JOG 10 MIN TO WARM-UP

SPIN BIKE OR ROAD BIKE:

SPIN OR ROAD BIKE

REST 2 MIN 5 ROUNDS

RUN HARD 1 MIN JOG 2 MIN

SPIN EASY 10 MIN PEDAL HARD SITTING – 30 SEC

SPIN EASY 10 MIN FIND A LARGE HILL, PEDAL UP THE HILL SITTING FOR 3-5 MIN, USE A HIGH GEAR.

REPEAT RUN/JOG FOR 30-45 MIN COOL DOWN 10 MIN JOG

PEDAL EASY SITTING – 30 SEC REPEAT 30/30 FOR 30-45 MIN COOL DOWN 10 MIN

PEDAL DOWN THE HILL EASY TO RECOVER REPEAT 5-6 TIMES

“IN ADDITION TO THE AEROBIC WORK, YOU WANT TO STRETCH AND FOAM ROLL ONE DAY AND DO YOGA FOR 30 MINUTES THE OTHER DAY.”

Thursday, I typically repeat Monday, using this day as a recovery day, meaning: aerobic cardio, stretching, foam rolling and yoga.

Friday is a rest day, to get food ready, work on bikes, do your shopping, things like that.

Saturday and Sunday are big days, like Wednesday you’ll want to ride, workout and do cardio. On these days make sure you have packed enough food and water with you to take to the track. You’ll want to make sure you don’t run your own tank dry, so-to-speak, as the workouts and cardio session that will follow the riding will suffer.

The reason for this layout is based on micro cycles in training. You want to stimulate the body, allow it to recover and adapt over time. This pattern of stimulus and work is preparing you to perform at races, which typically happens Saturday and Sunday. This pattern isn’t set in stone and you can manipulate it for yourself, remembering

to give yourself a recovery day or two.

These always follow your biggest days of activity. Have two, maybe three days of high volume and high intensity work.

Allow yourself a rest day each week; this day is best used preparing food, working on bikes and so forth.

In many articles I have written for MXP I have talked about schedules; you need one to be successful, so sit down and write down the days of the week you’re going to ride, when you’re going to workout, and when your rest days are. If it rains and you can’t ride what you would do is double up on either the workout or the cardio session for that day.

If you have any question make sure to email me: drewr@athleticdevcentre.com Make sure to follow us on Instagram: @EVOLVEDSPORTSCIENCE Till next time, rest, recover, plan and have fun.

Drew OOOOOUUUUTTTT!

96 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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THE INSIDE LINE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WITH ANDY WHITE

“SO IF YOU’RE A CANADIAN PRO OR PRO-AM RIDER AND YOU'RE LOOKING TO RACE FOR A CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM DOWN THE ROAD, YOU'RE IN A GOOD POSITION.

Networking We’re deep into the outdoor season and it’s that time of the year again when you start thinking about your plans for 2019. The question is, are you in the driver’s seat or do you have to make the phone calls and start networking? That’s the big question. Has your race season been one of those years where other manufacturers have been taking note that you’re THE guy that they need on their team? Are you able to sit back and wait for all the offers to come in?

I

f you race in Canada and live here or somewhere else, you probably know there are not that many teams or options available. Some of the teams here are looking at Canadian riders to sign while others will just sign the fastest rider they can afford. I was in that position when I worked for KTM Canada. I had a job to do and that was to get KTM on top of the box and win as many races and championships as possible. I also had to do it on a shoe string budget. That was the big challenge. My manager would tell me each year, “Go win a championship but you probably have a lot less budget than other teams.”

So back in 2005 I had motorcycles, a parts budget and a bit of cash. I needed to find the fastest guy that I could afford. My go-to rider was Michael Willard out of Ohio. I was introduced to Willard

by my Pirelli tire sponsor. The email I received was, “If you’re looking for a super fast rider that can win races, call Willard.” I thought okay, who is this kid?

Well, it didn’t take me long to find him.

He was the only kid in Ohio riding a KTM in those days. Willard had nothing really going on so it was an easy sign. Looking back now that was like finding a diamond in the rough. We were fortunate that Michael won just about every race I entered him in.

Fast forward a few years later, my manager tells me that he wants me to sign Canadian riders only now. We had talked about our US riders winning in Canada and then they head home to ride. Do we really get the bang for the buck that way? I would say no for a manufacturer but it works for me currently as a clothing sponsor. If my rider wins in Canada and he is from the

US, he will still have to ride at his home track. The locals know that he is winning races.

So let’s look at a rider like Matt Goerke for example: he wins on a Yamaha in Canada sponsored by a Canadian team. Matt heads home to the US. Who wins on this program? I think Yamaha US does. They have a Canadian champ living in their country. It’s not their budget they’re spending so that’s a pretty big bonus for them. Look at a rider like Shawn Maffenbeier: he wins a Canadian Championship, he lives in Kamloops, BC, Canada, and he rides with local Canadian kids. Who befits on this deal? Kawasaki Canada and his Canadian sponsors, in my opinion.

So if you’re a Canadian pro or pro-am rider and you’re looking to race for a Canadian national team down the road, you’re in a good position. I would say

most Canadian teams are looking for a top Canadian rider before they look elsewhere. So moving forward, you need to make sure you are friendly with all the team managers and sponsors.

Word to the wise, never burn a bridge in Canada, it’s way too small of an industry to do that. Be very open and network when you can. Try to race the big events. Don’t just race local events. Get out there and try racing against new riders on different tracks. If you can afford it, try to qualify for Loretta’s. If you can put in some solid rides at Loretta’s you will get noticed! I guarantee that.

Now are you in the driver’s seat or are you still knocking on doors? If you are a rider that teams are talking to, how do you decide what team is best for you? That’s a million dollar question.

The best bet is listen to what the team has to offer. Make sure you have all your questions ready before you meet.

Is there an opportunity for you to stay with the team more than just one year?

Will that team really support you over the winter? Will they supply you with bikes, parts and a training budget? Are the bikes they are offering you reliable?

Getting paid a salary is awesome but will you be able to make some bonus money round to round?

If you’re not in the driver’s seat but your results are pretty good, this is where your networking and social media skills had better kick in big time.

Try to sell yourself to sponsors, and set goals that you can achieve. Don’t tell a potential sponsor you feel you’re going to be the next champion or podium rider if you’re not. Every moto related company you ask for support has a manager that knows what’s going on, and if he or she doesn’t know you, they will research you. Be straight up, over deliver and you will be a hero. Remember, this industry is smaller than you think.

When you’re building a race resume, please keep it simple. Past results and future goals are what you need to put on paper. Add a few pictures of you racing and make sure they are of you grabbing a holeshot or styling. Managers will take a second look when you include these important details. Please don’t tell us this sport is expensive and send a detailed outline of what it costs you to race. We already know this. You want it to stand out so that the manager will notice the effort you put into it. Take your time to do it properly and you will be surprised the difference it will make. Good luck and see you at the races.

98 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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2019

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