MXP Motocross 21.01

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S P 21 P R I M E P RO C A S T

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FEATURES

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28 SUPERCROSS 2021!

The new indoor series kicks off with a bang!

COVER STORY

Shawn Maffenbeier REUNITED

34 ALL IN THE FAMILY Motocross is all about family.

42 MXP CHATTER WITH BRENT CARLSON Andy White talks to the man behind the team.

46 RON KEYS: THE ORIGINAL Mike McGill profiles this Canadian legend.

28 52

52 THE 2021 DAKAR RALLY Lawrence Hacking takes us through this desert classic.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: James Lissimore, Drew Robertson, Leticia Cline, Andy White, Matt Wellumson, Sean Poitras, Lawrence Hacking, Kate McKerroll CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Virgil Knapp, Clayton Racicot, Bill Petro, Matt Wellumson, Frank Hoppen, Summer Denzler, Mike Vizer COVER PHOTO: James Lissimore MXP has the exclusive rights to the MRC’s mailing list of racing license holders. Every MRC license holder from coast to coast receives and reads each issue of MXP. In addition to this exclusive list of readers, we are partnered with several motocross and off-road enthusiast organizations across the country including the FMSQ. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT:

56 FIRST RIDE: 2021 YZ250F A day of riding with the Blu Cru

Charles Stancer 416-633-1202 charles@mxpmag.com mxpmag.com

60 INDUSTRY PROFILE WITH STEVE SIMMS Palms sits down with the new TLD GasGas Team Manager.

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18

FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Chris Pomeroy

20

GUEST COLUMN by Dylan Wright

22

FEMALE PERSPECTIVE with Melody Hodgson

64

THE BICYCLE PAGE with Allan Jaggard

66

INSIDE LINE with Andy White

MX PERFORMANCE IS PRINTED IN CANADA

10 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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2021 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION The force behind the success of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders around the globe, the 2021 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION comes with a list of industry leading technology advancements. As standard off the showroom floor, the all-new Connectivity Unit allows racers to take a more precise approach to track conditions through the customization options available with the myKTM app.

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

The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

Photo: S.Cudby

THE WINNING FORMULA.

2021-02-26 2:06 PM

P H O T O B Y M AT T W E L L U M S O N

STYLE FOR DAYS At just 18 years of age, Australian phenom Jett Lawrence has brought some new excitement to Supercross in 2021.

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P H O T O B Y M AT T W E L L U M S O N

OPENING DAY KING Once again Justin Barcia set the pace by winning Round 1 with his usual flair.

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CAUGHT ON CAMERA

S Craig closes his eyes and dreams about winning the

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNAL FROM RACES AND EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

S Who doesn’t love this thunder from down under?

S Roczen is fully connected in 2021.

S For some reason Supercross makes everyone smile. S We’ll give the racing in Houston a big thumbs up.

S So, the podium is over there?

S No, I think it’s over there, Ken!

S This year the KJSC kids need masks instead of

S The KJSC gang can’t believe how much noise the

S Thank god some things in SX have gone back to

S The world’s new handshake.

S Sometimes you just have a bad day at the office.

S Thankfully, hugs are still allowed in SX.

S We’re not sure if this is how you’re supposed to

S Webb is the new beast from the east in our books.

S Mama Roczen and baby Roczen cheer on Daddy

S From changing diapers to winning races, Kenny has

S Marchbanks is part of a new club in 2021.

S When you’re winning races bad hair days don’t

250SX East title.

earplugs.

in Indy.

S Forkner celebrates 2021 with a little bubbly.

pros make.

it all figured out in 2021.

normal.

wear a mask.

matter.

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FAMOUS LAST WORDS WITH CHRIS POMEROY

PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

SPRING FORWARD AS I WRITE THIS, THE SNOWBANKS ARE HIGH ENOUGH IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD THAT IT’S HARD TO SEE OVER THEM. ALSO, THE STREETS IN MY TOWN ARE GETTING NARROW AND IN THE PAST WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT MEANT THAT WE’VE HAD ENOUGH SNOW AND HOPEFULLY SPRING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. IT’S BEEN AN OKAY WINTER IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO FOR THE MOST PART. WE’VE AVOIDED LONG STRETCHES OF THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES THAT WE ALL DESPISE AND SINCE IT HAS SNOWED EVERYWHERE IN THE PROVINCE, SNOWMOBILE RIDERS HAVE HAD A DECENT RIDING SEASON AS WELL. HOWEVER, IT’S NOW MARCH AND THAT MEANS IT’S TIME TO LOAD UP THE BIKES AND HEAD TO THE TRACK!

E

ven though I’m not a fan of winter, I do enjoy having a break from the busy motocross season. It’s always nice to get away from the riding and racing part of it and recharge. The winter months also give me and every other seasonal rider a chance to reflect on the past year, to try and get rid of some aches and pains and then figure out how to make improvements for the following year.

Whether you’re a 50cc rider, Dylan Wright, or an old vet rider, everyone needs an off-season. Of course, with Covid-19 restrictions in place and the Canada/USA border still closed, this off-season has felt a little more confining than anything we’ve experienced in the past. But since riding has always provided us with such a strong sense of freedom, the moment we throw our leg over our bikes in the spring everything will begin to feel normal again.

I’m sure most of you have been watching the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series unfold in the U.S. From the moment the gate dropped in Houston the series has been exciting

to watch. From Ken Roczen’s early series domination to Cooper Webb’s resurgence when the series moved to the Southeast, the 450SX class has most certainly lived up to its pre-season hype. Who knows what the points standings will be by the time you read this, but I think we can all assume the battle for this 2021 SX Championship will still be going strong.

With the Covid-19 protocols and the difficulty in getting across the Canada/USA border, our talented staff photographer James Lissimore wasn’t able to make it to any SX Series rounds thus far. While it’s been frustrating for Lissimore not to be there to provide us content, Minnesota native Matt Wellumson has picked up the slack and done an incredible job. Like all of us, Matt loves motocross, and being from Minnesota his favourite riders are the Martin Brothers and, of course, Ryan Dungey. He knows them well and since he watched them grow up and climb through the District 23 ranks and then into the pro class, it has only deepened Matt’s love of this sport. The Covid-19 protocols and restrictions that Feld Entertainment has

in place at each round of SX has made covering the Series tougher than ever due to weekly Covid tests, limited access to the athletes, and having to abide by a slew of new rules. It hasn’t been easy, but I think Matt and his media colleagues have done a great job covering the 2021 SX Series.

I also cannot talk about the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series without mentioning Jess Pettis and the disappointment we all felt when he was forced out of the 250SX East Series after just two practice sessions. As you hopefully read in my weekly Jess Pettis Reports on mxpmag.com back in November and December, he entered the opening round in Houston more prepared than he’d ever had been in the past. After two hard months of training at the Baker’s Factory in Florida, Pettis was more than ready to shine under the bright lights of Supercross. However, like many of our sport’s best riders, Pettis got injured when he caught a Tuff block in practice at Houston 1 and tweaked his knee with such force that it tore multiple ligaments. It was a devastating moment for Pettis and his

“WHO KNOWS WHAT THE POINTS STANDINGS WILL BE

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL ASSUME THE BATTLE FOR THIS 2021 SX CHAMPIONSHIP WILL STILL BE GOING STRONG.” team. After so much effort on and off of the bike to prepare for the 250SX East Series, which I believe would have resulted in multiple podium finishes, it was just sad to see this happen to Jess. However, Jess is a pro and after having surgery in February he’s now on the road to recovery and will hopefully challenge for his first 450 Triple Crown Series Championship later this summer.

In this first issue of 2021, we cover everything from the opening rounds of the SX Series to former Canadian legend Ron Keys and his illustrious racing career. We also sit down and chat with a couple of our industry heavyweights in Brent Carlson and Steve Simms, both of whom are responsible for two successful race teams. Another story in this issue, and of which I’m very proud, is a feature about two families and their journey through our sport. Since Covid-19 began just over a year ago, we’ve seen bike sales skyrocket, and numerous families decide to try motocross for the first time. This new interest in our sport is what inspired me to get this story told. As you will read, these two wonderful families simply decided one day to get their kids into motocross and from there they were all hooked. Motocross has that type of power and these types of stories are everywhere. With so many obvious negatives surrounding the pandemic, the tales of new people entering our sport are most certainly one of the bright spots.

As always, I hope everyone enjoys this issue and the fine stories contained within it. And hopefully by the time you read this spring will have arrived, and we’ll all be out riding. As a sport and as a large moto family, I believe the trials and tribulations that we all go through each weekend at the track have better prepared us for what we’ve had to face with the pandemic. The fear, the uncertainty, the need to adapt quickly to new and unknown situations, on some racedays we’ve gone through all this before noon. So, stay safe, keep working hard, and thank you for reading our first issue of 2021. See you all at the track soon!

18 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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GET OUT AND PLAY

The street-legal KLX300 extends the playing field with high-grade dual-sport performance.

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2020 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. Accessorized model shown.

MXP_2021_21.01 Kawasaki.indd 1

2021-03-04 11:42 AM

GUEST COLUMN WITH DYLAN WRIGHT

PHOTOS BY JAM E S LISSIMOR E

THAT TIME AGAIN ALTHOUGH THIS OFF-SEASON HAS BEEN DIFFERENT IN MANY WAYS, I ENJOYED MINE. IT ENDED UP BEING A VERY PRODUCTIVE ONE FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH IT’S BEEN LIKE NO OTHER FOR MANY REASONS AS EVERYONE KNOWS. THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE, EVEN US ATHLETES IN THE MOTO WORLD.

A

s many of you may know, I had an injury to start off the off-season. Unfortunately, at the last round of supercross, I had a weird little crash coming out of a corner. I clipped the tough block with my rear wheel exiting the turn and it pitched me in a weird direction. I fell onto my leg awkwardly which resulted in a minor tear to my MCL. I was forced to be on the mend for quite a while trying to get mobility and strength back. My trainer, Rob Mouland, did an amazing job getting my knee back to 100 percent.

While I was rehabbing, I did a lot of research into real estate and found a house that I thought would be perfect for my fiancé and me. For me, paying rent seemed pointless when I could invest in something long-term instead.

The only catch was the house needed

some need work. But with Covid-19 restrictions and all businesses closed, I had nothing else to do but keep training and do some renovations. This is basically what I have been doing up to this point and I am super happy with where I’m at physically and mentally heading into the new season.

With a longer off-season, I was able to let my body rest up and make sure that I will be fully ready to go down south. I know the team has been working hard behind the scenes getting everything ready for the upcoming season. It is very motivating as an athlete when the whole team is working their butts off, and it makes me want to do everything I possibly can to win! Now that my bikes and parts are all together to head down south, I’m loading up to start the road trip for some warmer weather. This year, I have decided to switch up where I am going again. I feel like it keeps everything fresh for

me. It is also nice to see some different tracks and facilities, and to see where some may be better than others. This way it never gets old or boring for me and I feel like it just makes me a more well-rounded rider because I am always riding something totally new.

I am happy to say that I will be going to Club MX this off-season to train with Phil Nicoletti. That may come to a surprise to some, because of how the motocross season ended. But over the series last year, he and I had become good friends and there were no hard feelings between us. He is a great guy and a great competitor, and I have a lot of respect for people that race hard on the track, but have the same attitude as me, what happens on the track stays on the track sometimes.

I think this will be good for both of us, as we will be able to push each other and make each other both faster. Both of us work hard on and

off the bike and I’m looking forward to riding with him. I am also really looking forward to riding the all-new CRF450R. It is a new chassis, so I know I am going to have to do a little extra work and find some new settings. But this excites me, because testing is something that I am getting better and better at and any practice that I can get working and testing is good for me for the future.

And now I’m off to hit the road for some warmer weather. Hope everyone stays safe and I’ll see you all at Gopher Dunes in the spring!

“I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I WILL BE GOING TO CLUB MX THIS OFF-SEASON TO TRAIN WITH PHIL NICOLETTI. THAT MAY COME TO A SURPRISE TO SOME, BECAUSE OF HOW THE MOTOCROSS SEASON ENDED.”

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FEMALE PERSPECTIVE WITH MELODY HODGSON

GLASS HALF FULL THE SUMMER OF 2020 WASN’T TERRIBLE. HEAR ME OUT. WE’RE JUST PASSED THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF COVID-19 SHUTTING DOWN OUR COUNTRY. IT’S BEEN A LONG YEAR, AND WE’RE ALL A LITTLE TIRED, I IMAGINE. WE’RE TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT, AND IT GENUINELY PAINS ME TO EVEN WRITE ABOUT IT. WHILE IT FEELS LIKE THE END IS NEARER THAN BEFORE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS A SUMMER SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, OR A SLIGHTLY MORE RELAXED ONE, AS FAR AS RESTRICTIONS GO. SUPER, RIGHT? WELL, IT IS. ONCE YOU’VE HAD THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

T

he summer of 2020 was challenging.

Personally, my anxiety was close to unmanageable.

It was undoubtedly exacerbated by alcohol, which was my coping mechanism of choice and enemy numero uno to anxiety (thank you, hindsight, and better education).

I was physically ill every morning of the TransCan. The fear and stress of potentially being shut down at any moment during our daily inspections were too much for me to safely process. I tend to live in a world of worstcase scenarios, and last summer took it to a new level. It took writing positive mantras on masking tape and sticking them to high-visibility areas for me to break the daily never-ending negative thought cycle.

It felt like I was just hanging on. I hid behind a smile and was a shell of who I am normally. I have never experienced anything like it before, and there is no single part of me that ever wants to feel that way again. It’s part of the reason we shut down the facility early last fall. The stress and mental trauma weren’t worth running practices through to the end of Oc-

tober. The scales had tipped, and we needed a break. Why on earth, then, would I give the impression that the summer on the distant horizon will be a much better? Because I have been given the gift of time. And time, above all else, is cathartic.

Time has afforded me the ability to slowly acknowledge the immeasurable gift that last summer was. I don’t do anything slowly, except when I have to meet a deadline. I’m either all-in or all-out, all at once. Taking seven months to reach a conclusion? Unheard of in the 38 years of my existence. But as the snow that is knee-deep in Walton starts to melt, I can hardly wait for this summer. There are a million reasons to be excited for the upcoming motocross season and warmer months in general. A million.

But here’s the main reason why: We have the time.

How often have you visited a race facility and only looked at the grass between your trailer and the next?

You hunker down in a camp chair, crack a cold one, and send the kids off to entertain themselves for the next few hours before bedtime. There’s no shame in it, we’re all part of that group. We’ve been taught that it’s normal and that time is limitless, but

is it? This summer is an opportunity for more, and we need to take advantage of it. It might be our last chance for a while once life goes back to ‘normal’. Think about it. Did you go on vacation this winter? Take your kids to Florida for March Break? Maybe a few of you did, but I’m pretty confident most of us only dreamt about doing it.

What does this mean? An abundance of vacation time, which is an abundance of time in and of itself.

Brett’s a big podcast guy, and he’s continuously recommending them to me. The latest one was episode number 1,127 of The Joe Rogan Experience with Jesse Itzler. I generally do not like Joe Rogan’s style, so I wasn’t inclined to listen to it until the guys in Brett’s #RoadtoWalton challenge hyped it up. A lot of it didn’t resonate with me, and like I do with most podcasts, I took what I needed and moved on. But what stood out was his reflection on the time that’s left.

“My parents are 88, okay? I have a good relationship with my parents… they live in Florida. Let’s say my parents live to be 92. I hope they live longer, but let’s say they live five years. I don’t have five years left with my parents. I see my parents twice a year. That means I have 10 visits with

“THERE ARE A MILLION REASONS TO BE EXCITED FOR THE UPCOMING MOTOCROSS SEASON AND WARMER MONTHS IN GENERAL.” my parents. So, when I started to look at [stuff] like that, I made significant changes. Like, okay, I’m gonna get on my plane and see my parents, and when I’m in those moments, my feet are on the ground. That’s where I am.

Because I have a limited amount of time with them,” Rogan said.

We have a gift that’s being given to us. Thanks to Covid-19 and a few extra vacation days, you can now make each weekend spent at a facility impactful regarding how you allocate your time. Take the chance to treat those days like a little vacation for yourself, your family and your friends.

While everyone else is busy trying to secure a campsite at a provincial park or a beachfront Airbnb at triple the price, you already have your spot.

Now you can explore what the area has to offer at a fraction of the cost.

When you come to Walton, you can cross the road and hop onto the G2G Rail Trail, which spans from Guelph to Goderich. Ride your bicycle to Blyth, hit up Cowbell Brewing Co. for a late supper and watch the fireflies light up the Huron County skies on their patio.

Gopher Dunes is 30 minutes from Lake Erie’s sandiest beaches and longest sandbars: Long Point, Turkey Point, and Port Dover, most notably.

Sand Del Lee is steps from our nation’s capital. This summer, we took a morning and toured some pretty awesome guys around Parliament and Ottawa. The only cost was for parking.

How many times have you been to Wild Rose Motocross Park in Calgary for a race and not left the property except to drive home? This summer is your chance to explore. You’re spending approximately $20 on a campsite each night. You already know what our facilities look like – now go explore what’s in our backyards.

Not sure what to do? Ask us. We love where we live. This is your chance for more time.

Time is something I lost last summer. I can’t make that mistake again.

I want to see more than the grass between my trailer and the next. And I want to take the time to make each opportunity spent with my friends and family count for something.

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C HRISITAN C R AIG

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Shawn Maffenbeier:

REUNITED O

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

ne of the trends that we’re seeing in all sports right now is older athletes finding ways to remain successful and add years to their already long careers. In team sports, we’ve seen the likes of Tom Brady and Jaromir Jagr play at a high level well into their 40s. Now, motocross and other individual sports are a little different as athletes in those sports don’t have the luxury of having a teammate to pass to, and they’re not always on the field of play for the entire competition. Individual sports demand their athletes handle every moment of their chosen sport, with no breaks and little help. Motocross is one of these sports and that is one reason why there aren’t too many 30-year-old professional dirt bike racers. Now, Shawn Maffenbeier isn’t quite 30 years old yet, but at 28 he’s one of the oldest riders on the gate and, as I mentioned, in today’s sporting world that can be an advantage rather than a hindrance.

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since Maffenbeier won that 2017 250MX title. Time flies and if we think back to that championship run, everything just seemed to come together. Maffenbeier entered that season as the underdog to defending 250MX Champion Cole Thompson, who had dominated the class the year before. But Maffenbeier was a different rider in 2017, and whether it was the heartbreak of losing the title to Thompson, or the relaxing and motivating vibe that he was feeling under the MX101 tent, Maffenbeier got some early series confidence and never looked back. It was as if he, Kevin Tyler, and the entire MX101 Team were just destined to win that 2017 250MX title. I remember as the series wound down even some of Maffenbeier’s competitors were cheering for him, as were a few of Kevin’s fellow Team Managers. It was a great moment in Canadian motocross and one that few people will ever forget.

What came after that glorious 2017 season was more adversity for Maffenbeier’s career. After leaving

“When you look back at Shawn Maffenbeier’s career, the one feeling that comes to mind is good old Canadian pride.”

When you look back at Shawn Maffenbeier’s career, the one feeling that comes to mind is good old Canadian pride. Born and raised in one of Canada’s hardest working provinces, Saskatchewan, Maffenbeier learned at a young age that the phrase, “the early bird gets the worm” isn’t just something people say. In the Prairies, it’s a way of life. If you’ve ever heard the Tragically Hip song “Wheat Kings” then you’re aware of what it’s like to grow up in Saskatchewan. Now that I mention it, Maffenbeier reminds me a lot of the Tragically Hip band. You can use the same terms to describe both: iconic, determined, longevity, talented, humble and, of course, Canadian.

Shawn Maffenbeier represents all of these things and that is why at 28 years-old, his best days may still be ahead of him.

Before Maffenbeier’s 2017 250MX Championship, he spent several years

battling in both the 250MX class as well as the 450MX class. Although there had been some great moments, including moto wins, a second overall in the 250MX series, and a couple of trips to the prestigious MXoN’s as a member of Team Canada. Maffenbeier was close to the top of the sport, but he wasn’t quite there yet.

Enter Kevin Tyler and his Yamaha Motor Canada supported MX101 FXR Team. Kevin, a former pro racer himself, knew exactly what it felt like to always be battling for the big prize but never quite getting there. You see, Kevin was a talented and wellrespected pro rider in the 1990s and, like Maffenbeier, he figured out early on that the only way to the top was with hard work and perseverance.

In 2017, Kevin signed Maffenbeier as his top 250MX rider and the two rolled up their sleeves and went after their first championship.

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the MX101 Yamaha Team for what he thought were greener pastures on the Kawasaki Team, Maffenbeier watched his old team repeat as 250MX class champions with Jess Pettis at the helm. In 2019, Maffenbeier moved back the to Yamaha brand and a 450-class ride with the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Team.

Paired with American superstar Phil Nicoletti, Maffenbeier had a solid season going until a freak practice crash resulted in a broken collarbone halfway through the 450MX Series.

At that point in Maffenbeier’s career, no one would’ve blamed him if he felt like he was taking one step forward and one step back. But true to his character and like another Tragically Hip song, “Long Time Running” Maffenbeier regrouped and went into 2020 with a vengeance. Like the foundation of a well-constructed house, Maffenbeier’s rebuilt his confidence brick by brick. Even with 2020 being anything but a normal year for pro riders, Maffenbeier didn’t let the added variables of the Covid-19 pandemic distract him. He had a great season in 2020, with multiple podium results and a wellearned third overall finish in the 450 Triple Crown Series. Maffenbeier was exactly where he wanted to be.

Sadly, as if the world we’re currently living in isn’t unpredictable enough, weeks after the 2020 season wrapped up, Maffenbeier’s OTSFF Yamaha Team announced they were shutting down. For some, like Maffenbeier’s teammate Phil Nicoletti, it was

Shawn Maffenbeier:

REUNITED devastating news and it meant that Nicoletti won’t be back in Canada this year. But for Maffenbeier, he looked at it as an opportunity to reunite with his old buddy Kevin Tyler.

For 2021, Maffenbeier will be back under the MX101 Yamaha Tent, this time as the main rider with the team’s

“For 2021, Maffenbeier will be back under the MX101 Yamaha Tent, this time as the main rider with the team’s new 450 program.” new 450 program. As you can imagine both rider and manager are excited about the season ahead. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to work with the MX101 Team again. We had a great year together back in 2017 and hopefully, we can build on that success in 2021. I don’t know what it is about the MX101 or even how to put the feeling into words, but there a winning vibe that exist under that tent and I cannot wait to be a part of it again,” Maffenbeier said when asked about the reunion.

Maffenbeier is also reuniting with his old trainer, Todd Schumlick, of PerformX Training. The pair have worked together in the past and the time felt right to team up again. “I

really wanted to go into this season with little or no guesswork and Todd brings that to my program. If Todd says that I’m ready, then I know I’m ready. With the Canada / USA border being closed this winter I knew that getting down south to train would be challenging. With that in mind, I knew I had to change up my training, and working with Todd again was the best thing. He not only knows his stuff, but he also knows that I’m 28 and I have to train differently than I did five years ago. I’m excited for 2021, with being back with the MX101 Team and training with Todd again, I know I’m going to be ready when the gate drops.”

It’s been a long road for Shawn Maffenbeier on his journey through professional motocross, and at 28 he’s one of the oldest riders in the 450 class. But Shawn doesn’t look at his age as something that might hold him back as he battles some of his younger competitors, he embraces his experience and looks at it as an advantage. This should be a successful season for Maffenbeier, Tyler and MX101 FXR Yamaha Team.

“We’re extremely excited to bring Shawn back to the MX101 family as we begin a new chapter in 2021 chasing both classes with the MX101 FXR Yamaha team. With the relationships that pre-exist between riders and all of the key team players, I am confident that we will hit the ground running and come up with a very competitive 450 program in our first year to go alongside our championship proven 250 effort,” Tyler said when I asked him about the upcoming season.

In closing, I completely agree with Tyler’s perspective on the upcoming season and that is why we at MXP Magazine are honoured to have Shawn Maffenbeier grace our first cover of 2021.

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rcross 2021!

Parity At The Highest Level

W O R D S A N D P H O T O S B Y M AT T W E L L U M S O N

Two thousand twenty-one, a number, a landmark, and a new chapter in the fast-moving sport we call Supercross. In all sincerity, we hope that many of you have made it here unscathed, healthy, and excited for new adventures in a fresh decade.

For the moto community, we have made it together despite a pandemic, political unrest, and all associated cargo that tags along with those topics. Like a lighthouse in this fog, Monster Energy Supercross has returned and brought us the muchneeded diversion of fast-paced racing to usher in a new decade of moto.

D

ue to hard work by many folks within Feld Motorsports and many industry sponsors, we are fortunate to have a fresh supercross series to begin with! After some personal time spent talking to folks involved in the process, it became clear to me that it was no small task to secure venues, city and civic approvals, sponsorships, and full team participation in order to make the 2021 season happen.

One of the biggest hurdles was overcoming resistance to allow large non-essential social gatherings within stadiums and other large venues.

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After two months of training at the Baker’s Factory, Jess Pettis came into Round 1 ready to race.

Protocol for entry and access to these events in 2021 is different than years previous. Like many aspects of life during this global pandemic, exposure control has become a core component in daily life around the track. Rules and restrictions regarding group sizes and group interaction are all in place these days. In addition to crowd control and limited interaction with other groups, COVID testing is mandatory every seven days for riders and industry people who need access to the secure areas around the stadium. Concerns for distancing and avoiding exposure also extend to credentialed riders and industry members’ time away from the track as well.

While it may seem like an overreach to some, the safety and health of riders, workers, and other key individuals involved in this sport is paramount. To keep the race season going, everybody is tasked with doing their part to keep Covid-19 at bay so it won’t impact the health of riders and industry members. Think of it this way: a positive test result on a Saturday could also bar a rider or industry individual from entering the facility the following Tuesday without having proof of a negative PCR test.

For someone in contending for a championship, or on a tight budget for 2021 racing, that could be a devastating result. What would happen if Ken Roczen or his mechanic tested positive, or had to declare that they were exposed? Under current guidelines, it could mean that both would have to sit out at least two rounds. That is not a situation that riders or teams want to risk.

For media, a big change in protocol is related to doing on-site interviews of riders and industry

Christian Craig celebrates after taking the opening round win in the 250SX East class.

“To keep the race season going, everybody is tasked with doing their part to keep Covid-19 at bay so it won’t impact the health of riders and industry members.”

members, and to avoid interacting with spectators as much as possible.

In-person interviews, even off-site, are strictly prohibited, including events such as press day, and post-race podium interviews. Thankfully, this new limitation hasn’t been completely isolating, as using tools such as Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime are all acceptable options. Overall, the restrictions aren’t that bad, but they can be limiting when considering spot / unscheduled interviews can no longer happen.

Even with the many restrictions and changes, one of the best tricks for 2021 has to do with how normal this season looks and feels for fans. Keen observers will note most staff and media are wearing face masks, along with some distanced podium interviews. With regards to watching the sport in person, the biggest change will be the regulated reduction in stadium attendance, and the limits on Fan-fest attendance.

Outside of those items, everything feels quite standard for a supercross event, which is quite an achievement considering the complex changes happening under the hood.

Something that was not easy to miss, was the completely different start to 2021 as compared to the past 15-plus years of Supercross. For the first time in years, a lifetime for many

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Supercross

2021!

Sadly, Jess Pettis and his 2021 SX campaign only lasted a few laps as he would injure his knee in Houston.

Jett Lawrence has provided a real breath of fresh air so far in the 2021 SX Series.

younger fans, Supercross did not start in Anaheim, California. Instead, the opening three rounds were in held in Houston, Texas. For some fans, this alone was a welcome change in a sport that is not known for standing still.

With all the pent-up energy within a population of riders and spectators, the 2021 season hasn’t disappointed.

The fans in attendance have been treated to some seriously competitive racing, and some of the most challenging tracks we have seen in this sport.

As many of you have no doubt witnessed during the opening rounds of the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Series, the racing has been exciting and has provided numerous storylines.

From the early season drama with lapped riders to the battles at each round in the 450SX class, the action has been unpredictable. Throughout the opening eight rounds, no one could predict who might win the next 450SX main event. Ken Roczen’s fans had to be happy with the Honda rider’s start to the series, especially his three-race win streak in Indianapolis.

However, after only one win in the first six rounds, Cooper Webb began to find his mojo and at press time for this issue had built up some momentum.

So, while Roczen and Webb try and distance themselves from the rest of

Once again Justin Barcia came out swinging in the 450SX Series and won the opening round.

Although he wasn’t able to qualify for a 250SX East main event, Guillaume St-Cyr was happy with how his first-ever SX Series went.

the pack, the most curious thing so far is why defending champion Eli Tomac can’t get a start when it matters the most? At times, Tomac has been fast, even winning the main event at Round 2 in Houston, but since then he’s struggled with his starts. With the 450SX class being so stacked with talent this year, good starts are a prerequisite for success. Watching the remainder of the 450SX Series unfold is going to be entertaining for sure. Will Ken Roczen be able to win his first-ever SX championship? Or will Cooper Webb be able to hunt him down and win his second SX title?

For the first time in history, the KJSC kids are racing KTM Electric bikes in Supercross.

Jess Pettis does some jumping jacks in his pit area as he warms up for practice in Houston.

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Supercross

2021!

In the opening rounds of the 450SX Series, Cooper Webb appeared to be just warming up.

As far as our Canadian riders go, it’s been a mixed bag thus far in the 250SX class. After training for two months at the Baker’s Factory, Jess Pettis came into the opening round of the 250SX East Series with a lot of confidence and momentum. He had some success two years ago when he competed in a selected number of 250SX west rounds, so he was hoping to build off those finishes and go after his first podium.

Unfortunately, in the opening practice of the series in Houston, Pettis caught Tuff Block with his foot and twisted his knee. The incident ended up tearing some ligaments in his knee and forced Pettis out of the series. It was a devastating blow for Pettis and his KTM team and one that had our entire country in shock.

Soon afterwards, Pettis had surgery on his knee and returned home to heal up and get ready for the Triple Crown Series later this summer.

The other Canadian rider in the 250SX East Series was the rookie Guillaume St-Cyr from Quebec. St-Cyr was a late addition to the series, but that didn’t stop him from quickly making a name for himself. His improvement throughout the opening rounds was remarkable and although he hasn’t qualified for a main event yet, St-Cyr hasn’t been far off. Sadly, a wrist injury at Round 7 in Orlando caused a premature end to the series for St-Cyr. With the 250SX West series getting off to a later start in 2021, we cannot wait to see how British Columia rider Casey Keast fairs when he joins the fun at Round 10 in Arlington.

As I mentioned, there has been a lot to cheer about so far in 2021. From the exciting racing in the 450SX and 250SX classes to the quiet, but entertaining, KJSC races where the kids are competing on identical electric KTM50’s for the first time. With the championships still undecided, the best could still be yet to come this season. I guess we’ll just have and see what happens!

Look for Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson to win some races in the second half of the 2021 450SX Series.

“Will Ken Roczen be able to win his first-ever SX championship?

Or will Cooper Webb be able to hunt him down and win his second SX title?”

Riding for the ClubMX Yamaha Team, Joey Crown will be looking for some podium finishes in the 250SX West class.

Is this the year that Ken Roczen wins his first-ever Supercross title?

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Moto cross It’s A Family Thing

BY C H R I S P O M E R OY / P H OTO S BY H E AT H E R DAV I N S O N G R E I G

W

hen talking about the sport of motocross at the amateur level, one of the things that nearly everyone can agree on is that it’s one of, if not the best family sport on the planet. You’ve all witnessed the paddock at a typical race: row upon row of trailers and campers, all full of families who are trying to have the best and safest day possible. Parents, kids of all ages, even siblings, all working towards one common goal. It’s most certainly an amazing process and it can give a family a lifetime of memories. With the Covid-19 Pandemic creating an opportunity for so many new riders and their families to get into this sport, we thought it would be cool to take a closer look at two families who, back in 2013, went from knowing nothing about the sport of motocross to, in just a few years, lining up behind a starting gate

and travelling to races around North America.

We know what an addictive sport motocross can be and how quick it can get people hooked.

This is exactly what happened to Geoff and Heather Davinson Greig, and Sue MacNamara and Greg Cunningham. In just a few short years they went from knowing little about motocross to looking forward to racing every weekend, even heading south to train during a couple of our cold winters. Given that both families live close to me, I saw their short but successful journey through our sport first-hand and even assisted their kids with learning how to ride and race. As I said, these types of stories are everywhere in motocross as the sport is made up of so many great families. For this great story I sat down with the moto moms of the family, Heather Davison Greig and Sue MacNamara, to talk about their kids Brookelyn and Jack Greig, and Edward and Andrew Cunningham.

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The Greig's feel that motocross has given them a lifetime of memories.

Before we get into how your family got involved in the sport of motocross, can you please give me a little background and what you do for a living?

Heather Greig: Geoff grew up on a strawberry farm, so he was always riding around on dirt bikes. My brother had dirt bikes growing up as well, but he was very particular about his things, so when he wasn’t around, I would sneak into the garage and ride his bike.

I always loved to ride but I guess it was unheard of for a girl to ask for a motorbike in the early 70s. These days Geoff is a pilot with Air Canada and I’m also a Flight Attendant. We’ve both been flying for a long time and thankfully we still love it.

Sue MacNamara: Greg and I are both in the aviation industry and we’ve been pilots for what seems like a really long time now. We live in Grand Valley, Ontario, a small town about an hour northwest of Toronto. We have been in this area over 20 years and we love it. I have horses and dogs, but the boys were never interested in riding, unless it was a dirt bike. We are lucky that being in the airline industry gave us the opportunity to live abroad in different countries every summer and experience life outside of Canada. I guess we’re adventurous by nature and that definitely helped us when it came to getting into motocross.

Prior to your first taste of motocross had your kids ever shown interest in dirt bikes?

HG: They were really young when we introduced it to them, we’re talking like four-years old. We were on our

way to [Canada’s] Wonderland on a hot summer day, and as parents Geoff and I were not looking forward to it. On route to the park, we spotted some small ATVs for sale on the side of the road. We stopped and had a look, and then made a deal with the kids. We would buy these ATV’s but if we do, we’re not going to Wonderland. Well, without question the deal was done and we were turned around and headed home with two ATVs in the back of the truck. Giving up one day at the amusement park versus two years of enjoyment on those small ATVs was great decision.

SM: When Edward was in grade four his local friends were riding dirt bikes on our farm, mostly small trail bikes but he became obsessed with

Sue MacNamara and her boys Andrew and Eddie love the excitement of motocross.

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Moto cross

having a dirt bike. So before ever getting involved in racing we bought them small trail type bikes. The very first dirt bike we got was a Honda 50 off Kijiji! It was an awesome bike, both kids rode it every day for hours, building tiny jumps out of plywood, but there was always squabbling as to who got it first. The next step was getting them each a bike of their own so birthday and Christmas money was saved up and eventually Andrew got the Honda 50 and Edward got a brand-new Honda 70. From there, they just kept riding around our farm with their friends and having fun. Our horses didn’t like it, but the kids loved it!

I love hearing stories about how people got into riding and your stories are great. Okay, here is the golden question: how and why did you first get introduced to motocross?

HG: The ATVs were a big hit, but they kept trying to jump things and push the limits. They were getting bored of riding around in a field behind their grandmother’s house and they wanted more, but we knew nothing about motocross.

It wasn’t long until we traded in one of the ATVs for a small dirt bike and then we started to think about where else the kids could go riding.

We had met Sue through hockey, as our son Jack played hockey with her boys Edward and Andrew. She invited us over to her farm to ride and then through Sue we met you guys are then we began to ride together.

SM: Well, we got into motocross really by accident. Edward and I decided one day to go and watch a motocross race at Motopark. It was there that we ran into your family, Chris, as you guys were competing that day. I had known your dad for some time, as we worked together at the airlines, but I didn’t know that you guys were involved in motocross. Anyway, that day was incredible as the sport was so exciting to watch in person. Edward really loved it and soon after we started to ride with you and your son. It worked out really well, as not only did Edward and Andrew love riding with you, but since you only lived 15 minutes from us it was very convenient.

It’s A Family Thing

Do you remember it being a love of first sight thing or did it take awhile to gain traction?

HG: The first time we went to Motopark it was early spring so there were just a few riders there. From the moment I started to watch people ride I was shocked at how fast they were going and high they were jumping.

I thought, “well that’s not going to happen,” but for now the mini track might be okay. We returned a month later and the kids began riding. We had a great day and even though we were new to the sport everyone we met was so helpful and kind. From there, we just kept going back and riding more and more!

SM: Once the kids started racing, we got them new bikes and from there we were into it 100 percent. I don’t actually remember the first race I watched – it all became a blur of tracks, bikes, friends, and camping on weekends. It was great fun because there was the racing and competitive side, but then at the end of the day there was campfires and everyone hanging out. I remember

just what a cool atmosphere it was at the track and how much we all loved it.

The transition from just riding to actual racing was a fast one.

What were some of the things you did to ensure that your kids were able to fast track their knowledge base?

HG: Training was very important for us. We wanted to give the all the tools and skills needed to keep them safe.

We started out training with you and then the kids started doing camps at Motopark. After that we did the Motopark Academy and that led us to going down south in the winter to ride at MP County line.

SM: We just did a lot of practicing and training. I don’t exactly know how many hours of riding the kids did in those early years, but they rode at least four to five times a week.

Between training with you as well as at Motopark, I think it was good old fashion practice that helped them to progress.

So, the kids picked up stuff quickly?

HG: Jack picked things up quicker than Brookelyn did as she was always very cautious. We have old videos of them racing on the mini track at MP. Brookelyn was on the outside lane like a little old lady on the freeway and Jack would be lapping her. However, after a few years something clicked with Brookelyn and soon they were both battling together on the track.

Watching them improve at something and get out of their comfort zones was great to see.

SM: Yes, the kids pick up things very quick and it didn’t take them long before they were jumping and battling on the track. We are the sort of people that are all in and quite competitive. I grew up in a family like that, we spent our weekends competing at horse shows so it felt natural to see our kids competing. I also feel that we were lucky to live in an area that had not only a great motocross series to participate in, but also a lot of great tracks to ride on. It was great for my kids to either ride with you and your son or go to Motopark and ride with some of the pro riders. It really helped with their progression.

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MALCOLM STEWART

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Moto cross Also, it wasn’t just the riding part that the kids had to learn but it was all of the stuff that you parents had to learn.

Sadly, bikes don’t maintain themselves. How was it learning the process of working on the bikes?

HG: We always had great support.

Everyone at the track was always willing to lend a tool or help out. Our home track was Motopark and there was always a mechanic on staff to help out.

YouTube videos were also very helpful especially when it came to rebuilding top ends.

SM: From growing up on a farm we were always into mechanics and stuff like that. The bike specific stuff we just learned as we went. Your dad helped us with a lot of things and from there we just watched and learned.

Okay, so the early days were spent riding and having fun. At what point did you decide to go racing? Do you recall your first race?

HG: Yes, we do. It was an exciting day, a little confusing also as we didn’t understand the whole process, but again with some help from our friends we figured it out. The kids were still young, and we were so impressed with how everyone looked out for each other.

It was a muddy day and the kids kept getting stuck in the mud and it seemed that there was a parent in every corner to get them upright again and on their

It’s A Family Thing

way. At that point I think we were sold. We loved that the kids were being active, making friends, working towards goals and being part of the motocross community.

Funny story: After the first Moto, Jessica Kongmany and I were ready to pack up and go home, forgetting that there were two more motos. We still laugh about it to this day.)

SM: I am not surprised we made the transition from leisure riding to racing. Once the kids decided that they were passionate about riding, they were all in. Racing was entirely different that just riding at local tracks, but again, once we tried it, we didn’t want to stop. The racetrack is a great place to be as it’s full of families and racers all trying to do well and stay safe. The people were helpful and friendly, and we loved it. The racing part of it was very addictive and we just kept wanting more.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of waking up on raceday.

The nerves, the anticipation, all of your senses are heightened.

How did everyone in the family deal with all of that early on?

HG: For us, Geoff was always a little nervous about the bikes and making sure that everything was in good running order. For me, it was the gate drops. Once they were around the first corner, I was better. I always had a camera in my hand taking pictures [that seemed to calm my nerves]. The kids were not bothered at all. It was an exciting time for them, getting up early to go to the riders’ meetings, being with their friends, and cheering each other on.

SM: To be honest my favorite part of the day was when the racing was over.

The kids always seemed calm on race mornings, but I always felt anxious.

As they got older and faster and the jumps got bigger, I got more nervous the morning of race day. They were always relaxed as they headed off to riders’ meetings, but I would go for a run or short workout to think about something else. Edward was always so relaxed it became a running family joke that he would sit at the start line and eat a few chicken nuggets before a race.

Once you and the kids got a taste of racing there was no looking back. There were multiple races, trips down south in the winter and further instruction. You guys were all in?

HG: Yes, we were all in. We started out in a tent, and then we moved on to a tow-behind trailer, then a small RV, and then onto a 44-foot toy hauler within about a four-year period. Every weekend we were on the road headed off to a different race, it was something that we all looked forward to.

Geoff liked working on the bikes, I liked taking pictures and inviting motocross friends over to our campsite in the evening for a barbecue.

As parents we loved how the sport was bringing us all together and making our kids work together instead of fighting like some siblings do at that age. We loved listening to them talk about motocross, about the races, the riders, we liked that they shared a common interest. We also liked the fact that we weren’t running in different directions, like an ice rink and a

dance studio. In this sport the family has to be all in, and we were!

SM: Yes, we were hooked! Motocross is a lifestyle and not just a sport, as I’m sure you know Chris. We spent summers racing here in Ontario and sometimes in Quebec. The kids both went to Motopark every summer for six weeks of intense race training as they prepared for the Walton TransCan. We ended up purchasing a massive camper so we could go to Florida for March break and train for the upcoming race season. We were definitely immersed in the lifestyle. It was an amazing way to spend a lot of time together as a family, see new places, and compete in a sport all at the same time.

After a few years of racing and riding, did you notice a change in your kids? What I mean is, was this sport good for your kids?

HG: Yes, this was a great sport. Not only for them, but for the whole family.

When they think back to their childhood memories a lot of it will revolve around the great deal of time that we spent at the track. Being in the airline industry we could’ve spent our summers travelling and staying in hotels, but we chose to spend our time at the track as a family.

SM: Racing and the discipline required to train really helped my kids with important values such as commitment, perseverance and the importance of being fearless. What I mean is that it taught them not to be afraid to try something new, even when you are new to the game and everyone else has been doing it for much longer. It illustrates the importance of being unafraid to challenge yourself

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Moto cross even when it feels uncomfortable.

Discipline comes with any sport that you decide to challenge yourself in, and motocross is no different. The athletic skills and fitness required to race are some of the most strenuous of any sport. It takes commitment and community to compete at a high level in this arena.

Those are great answers and, honestly, I feel the same way. You also met a lot of great people along the way, didn’t you?

HG: Yes, we did and even though we are not as active in motocross racing, we still stay in touch with a lot of the families that we met at the track.

SM: We have met some incredibly talented people along our motocross journey, we have made lifelong friends and even though our kids are not involved in racing anymore the skills and joy they have acquired from the years of riding and training are still with them today. They both regularly ride in the summer with friends at our home track. It is a great way to stay fit while being outside and having fun.

I know this might be a difficult question, but looking back what were some of the best moments that you had your family had?

HG: Every day was a great day at the track, whether we were racing or just riding. It was quality family time, and our kids were happy. Whether it was winning a race or just conquer-

It’s A Family Thing

ing a jump or new skill. It was fun and it provided us with a lifetime of memories.

SM: We most certainly had some great and memorable moments both at the track as well as driving to the races.

Like the time we were driving to MP County Line for March break and I missed an important turn once we crossed the border in Detroit. We ended up asking a homeless person under a bridge for directions back to the Interstate. I still get laughed at for almost getting us in deep trouble in Detroit.

Compared to other sports and activities that your kids have been a part of, how do you rank the sport of motocross when it comes to fun, difficulty, and the life skills that it taught your kids?

HG: We don’t regret a minute we spent at the track – so many life lessons learned.

There is a lot of responsibility involved when you get on a bike, not only for yourself but for other riders also. If you want results you have to work hard. There is a lot of work involved off the track as well, everything from packing up to go to a race, the maintenance, as well as the physical training.

SM: I would say that motocross is probably one of the more difficult sports to master as it is multi-faceted.

Not only do you need to be a great athlete, but you need a great bike, and you need great bike maintenance. You need to mitigate the risk of serious injury because it is a very real possibility. You need to be focused and build your skills in all weather situations. It’s not

good being really fast on dry tracks only to fail when it rains hard. You need to be versatile and to be able to ride well whether you are in deep sand or hard packed clay. A lot of things have to go right in order to be successful and there is no faking being absolutely prepared.

As we’ve talked about, it doesn’t take long to get addicted to this sport. I won’t ask you for an exact figure on how much you spent, but do you think it was worth it?

HG: Yes, absolutely it was worth it. The kids gained a lot of life experiences and built a lot of self-confidence because of motocross. I am certain that it has had a lot to do with their career choices for the future. Brookelyn is currently in New Brunswick training to become a pilot and Jack is also going to follow in her footsteps in 2022.

Brookelyn had said to me that flying is kind of like motocross. At the track when she was training, she said everyday you would learn something new, like a new corner or a new jump. That process has given her the confidence to quickly figure out new things that come with learning how to fly. There is not question in my mind that motocross has a lot to do with where she is at today.

SM: Absolutely worth every penny. You can’t put a price on the lessons learned, the fun had, and the friendships made.

If another family came to you and said they wanted to get their kids involved in motocross.

Would you recommend it or tell them to go and buy golf memberships instead?

HG: For sure we would! We wish that we could wind back the clock and do it all over again, we will still be fully involved.

But life has taken us in a different direction as the kids are getting older and preparing for the future, but without question motocross was a big part of

their lives and has helped them achieve their goals.

SM: Absolutely I would tell other families to go buy some bikes and go riding.

It’s such a great way to spend time as a family. Also, I hate golf, so I’d never tell anyone to go and play that game (laughs).

So, it’s safe to say that you’re both happy with where your kids are at now?

HG: Definitely! As I said, Brookelyn is currently enrolled in Aviation school and Jack will follow her next year.

SM: Edward is now finishing up Grade 12 at Appleby College and then he’ll be going to University in September to study for a career in economics. This is a great plan in my mind because he will have enough money to pay me back for all the money I spent on motocross [laughs]. Andrew is currently in Grade 10 in The Hill Academy and hoping to pursue a hockey scholarship. Both still ride, although it’s just for fun now and they don’t race anymore.

Well, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Obviously, my family and I have been involved in motocross for more than 40 years, so I know how great the sport is. But I love hearing from other people about how and why they chose to get into motocross. I hope to see you all at the track again soon and good luck to your kids as they pursue their educations.

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MXP CHATTER WITH

BRENT CARLSON 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

S

tarting out in almost any sport, the root of the support is sustained by parents. If you are a hockey player and you are playing for a team, your parents are driving you to the rink for practice and off to other towns for games at all hours of the morning, with countless cups of coffee and endless tanks of gas burned. I am trying to think of a sport that doesn’t rely on family support, and I struggle to come up with any.

When I was a kid all I wanted to do was play hockey, soccer or baseball. Then my buddy got a small Honda Z50, and I wondered what this was all about.

That’s all it took for me to be hooked on this crazy sport called motocross.

That was 45 years ago and counting.

I just bought a couple of new bikes this past year, so the passion is not going away anytime soon. I’m not going to lie, I have said a few times after

a really bad moto or bad weekend, “that’s it, I am done with this sport!” A few days later you’re cleaning air filters and installing new tires for the next race. I can remember my grandfather saying we all have an off weekend every now and then and to not let that upset you. He was super supportive and always helped to keep me pumped up and look at the positive side. I now look back and I do appreciate the time we spent together on all those road trips to events. I was lucky to have some financial support too. If not, I probably would have never made it to the pro class and enjoyed a solid pro career.

As a race team manager or as a brand manager, I have had the opportunity to meet plenty of riders and parents. Sometimes parents are a little bit too involved with their kids, and I wonder if they’re living their dreams through them. I don’t know how many times I have heard, “my kid is going to

be the next Ricky Carmichael. You need to watch my son.” Then you have the parents that let the kids have fun with no real pressure and enjoy the weekend with other parents. Now that I have more free time at the races, I try to say hello to as many parents as possible.

I love hearing about why they are so involved in this sport. Most of the time it’s because of the family life within the moto community. After the races on Saturday parents will fire up their barbecues and sit around with other families and bench race.

So, what happens when your kid starts to really enjoy this sport and it’s costing you a lot more than you expected? From my observations, those kids don’t really move up the ladder and find themselves stuck on the sidelines with no real support.

This is the side of the sport that really sucks, and I don’t think there’s a real solution. The manufacturers only have

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I SEE YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SUPPORTING OTHER RIDERS TO COMPETE AT CANADIAN NATIONALS. THAT’S VERY REWARDING. Brent Carlson: Well to be honest, we are traveling to the races so why not load up the trailer with a few more riders and take them along as well?

The cost is not really any more in my view. I have known these kids for a long time. Trevor, my son has raced for many years and built friendships with these riders.

YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MOTOCROSS FOR A LONG TIME.

“At the end of the day, it’s racing dirt bikes.

We have lots of fun and that’s what counts.” so much budget to spend, and they can’t support everyone. Teams are looking for the kid that has the speed and the experience to win races right out of the gate. Teams don’t have time to train and test to get that kid up to speed. They are looking for the turn-key rider. That usually means the teams are looking for an American rider. Fly them in, win races and send them home.

Easy, cheap and hassle-free. You have all seen it and I have been guilty of hiring those riders too. The pressure to win is big and sponsor dollars talk.

What happens to those kids that get overlooked by teams? Well, they are on their own. They usually have dealership support, plus a few discount codes to help absorb the cost. Good examples of these sorts of riders are Keylan Meston, Davie Fraser, Wyatt Waddell, Casey Keast and many more. These guys are true hardcore racers. They just haven’t had any luck connecting with a team that will help pay the bills so they can just focus on racing. Each one of those riders have a job at some level. It’s the only way to support the dream.

This is where Brent Carlson comes into the story. I met Brent many years ago when his son Trevor was racing for the Redemption Race team based out of Ontario. Josh Snider who owed

the team was a former pro rider who had the desire to own and run a pro motocross team in Canada but didn’t have the funding. The easiest way to put good riders under your tent without spending a fortune is to sell a ride. The team usually has lots of sponsors and some level of manufacturer support.

Josh had both and Brent Carlson had a son that wanted to race. You put the two together and it usually ends up saving the parent some money but gives the rider the support he needs to get to the next level. Redemption Racing was the perfect platform. Josh and Brent share the same passion as Christians bringing the message of God’s word to the people. Josh welcomed everyone under his tent. It didn’t matter if you rode for another team or manufacturer.

If you timed it right, you might even get lunch from his mother, Lisa. If you missed out on lunch, then be on the look out when she had the box of ice cream sandwiches.

Trevor and Brent continued to attend races and along the way felt it would be nice to help other riders that didn’t get the same opportunity. Riders such as Davey Fraser have been a big part of the Carlson family for a long time. “It’s not just about racing.” Brent said. “I really enjoy attending the races and watching the kids having fun! I see these riders give everything and more and I see that. I just want to help them get to the next level.”

Riders need mechanics. Brent also made sure the riders had some qualified guys who know how to make sure those race bikes stayed together.

Dylan Kaelin and Scott Donkersgoed were called into action this past year.

They made sure the Team Carlson bikes were set up for the weekend.

BC: Yes, I have. I used to ride and race back in the day. I love the sport.

If I had more time I would love to get back out there and race with some of my old friends like Wally Levy. Those days were lots of fun. I really enjoy bumping into some of the guys from years ago and bench race.

YOU HAVE A BIG FAMILY. I AM SURE THEY PULL YOU IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

BC: I have six kids in total, four boys and two girls. Three of the boys are into dirt bikes and my other son Bryan is into other sports like rugby and hockey. My other passion is hockey.

I coach a church league and I really enjoy it.

WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAD THE PERFECT PRACTICE TRACK FOR THE GUYS TO RIDE AT.

BC: Yes, the family used to own a gravel pit for 40-plus years. It’s really easy to build a track out of mounds of sand. I would get asked, “Could you please push some of the dirt over and do this with that.” I have all the equipment so why not? It’s only dirt.

RIDERS LIKE CASEY KEAST AND KEYLAN MESTON ARE GREAT RIDERS. THEY ARE CLOSE TO GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE BIGGER TEAMS BUT SEEM TO GET PASSED OVER. I KNOW THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH A TEAM CAN DO. BC: That’s really one of the reasons I offer my help. I know these kids have the heart and the drive. I want to give them a chance to line up next to the other riders and race and have fun.

Like I have said before, I know there is only so much support out there so I feel gifted that I can offer them that little extra.

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MXP CHATTER WITH

BRENT CARLSON

YOU PROBABLY GET LOTS OF CALLS FROM RIDERS LOOKING FOR SUPPORT. BC: To be honest, I leave that up to the kids. They are the ones that say, “Hey Dad, is there any way we could help out this rider?” That’s were it all starts. The support I offer is, okay, let’s get them to the races and make sure they have what is needed to get them on some good equipment. Most of the riders I help out already have relationships with sponsors. Not only do we need parts and bikes, but we also hired a few mechanics who know what I believe in. At the end of the day, it’s racing dirt bikes. We have lots of fun and that’s what counts.

INTERESTING. I LIKE HOW IT’S NOT LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RIDER TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR YOU, IT’S MORE OF A SUPPORTING HAND TO HELP THE RIDERS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO YOUR FAMILY AND HAVE THAT PASSION TO RACE BUT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO GET THERE. LAST YEAR YOU HAD TWO TRUCKS AND TRAILERS AT ALL THE NATIONALS. THAT’S REALLY KIND OF YOU TO HELP OUT SO MANY. BC: Last year it started with one truck and trailer and then we agreed to help out another rider. Then we realized it would be too crowded in that set up.

So, I found another trailer and truck and put that on the road, then we had room for a few more. The truck and trailer’s already going so why not load it up?

DID YOU ATTEND ANY RACES LAST YEAR?

BC: We sold our gravel pit business, and we are really busy with our new company. I would love to attend the races each round, but I also have a family I want to spent time with. It’s hard to be in two places at once.

“ I would love to attend the races each round, but I also have a family I want to spent time with. It’s hard to be in two places at once.”

HAS DAVEY FRASER BEEN A BIG PART OF YOUR PROGRAM? BC: Davey is a big part of the family.

He works his butt of during the week.

He is a really good carpenter. Last week he worked most nights helping out Casey Keast get his bikes ready for his trip down south to get ready for SX.

WHEN WILL WE SEE YOU BACK ON A BIKE? I HAVE HEARD YOU KNOW HOW TO TWIST THE THROTTLE. BC: I would love to get back out on the 450. It’s sitting there ready for me. I really enjoyed racing those midweek motos at Mission Raceway. I might start working out and see what happens this coming summer.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I REALLY ENJOYED HEARING ALL YOUR STORIES. I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT A RACE IN THE FUTURE. BC: Thanks, and I enjoyed talking about the sport and the people I really enjoy talking to at the races.

My family is my life and I enjoy every minute of it.

I reached out to some riders and mechanics and Josh, the official team manager of the Carlson race program, for a few thoughts on what the Carlson family has meant to them.

“It can be challenging to make strides in this sport, I always felt like I had my place in Canadian moto but found it difficult trying to earn it and proving myself to people in the industry. When your nose is to the grindstone for so long, it wears on your mindset to keep grinding. Brent and Trevor gave me a chance a few years ago to keep progressing and ride out my prime years of racing. I’d like to believe that the opportunity was not given because of my results but because of my personality and work ethic and that speaks volumes about them as a family. There is no pressure from them nor sponsors, just expect the riders to give everything we have, be a reflection of them in how we carry ourselves and be good role models. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have made friends for life and some amazing memories.”

– KEYLAN MESTON

“The Carlson family as a whole are great people. Brent is the most generous person I know and one of the biggest fans of the sport. Giving Canadian riders like myself the opportunity to chase our dreams and stick behind us through the ups and downs really speaks to his character. He never asks for anything in return and just wants us to do the best we can. I truly can not thank Brent and the Carlson family enough for their support over the past few years.”

– W YAT T WA D D E L L

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“In running a race program over the years, I have created many relationships, not just business deals. The Carlson family and I share more than just a passion for motocross.

We share a mission to see people’s lives changed by the power of Christ. I have been blessed by their continued support in several ways from investing their time and energy to helping me grow the ministry and Redemption Racing program. What I enjoy most about our relationship is that it goes way beyond winning races, money and business deals. It is primarily a genuine friendship where we talk most about our families, personal struggles and victories. They are family to us, and I am so blessed and thankful to them. I just wish there were not three provinces between us!”

– JOSH SNIDER

“Being a part of the Carlson Racing team in 2020 was one of the most unique experiences in my career.

The team is a small outfit, purely run by those who ultimately just love the sport. The team has steadily gained traction within Canadian motocross over the past several years growing into what it is today. Their mainstay rider,

and Canadian motocross veteran, Davey Fraser has been with the team for most of its existence, and I feel like you can’t think of one, without thinking of the other.

The team has progressed from a “for fun” type of program to a competitive, podium-threat team. There aren’t many teams out there with the diversity that the Carlson team has. You have

the wily veteran in Davey, the guy coming into his own with Keylan Meston, one of the fastest, naturally gifted kids that just needs some direction in Casey Keast, and the kid that just needs a chance to show his true ability in Wyatt Wadell.

Each of these riders are at a different stage in their career and approach racing in their own way, yet still

help each other, guide each other, and support each other. The atmosphere in the Carlson pits is why it was so unique to me. The calm, laid-back feeling was simply refreshing. But don’t be fooled by any of that, when it was time to go to work, the work was taken seriously.

In my opinion, that’s the best of both worlds. At the end of the day, the Carlson

Racing team is there to have fun, enjoy themselves, and the company of like-minded individuals that chase this crazy dream we all can’t get enough of. I can’t end this without giving a giant thank you to Brent, Trevor, and the whole Carlson family, as well as each and every member of the team for making it all that it was – simply, fun.”

– SCOTT ‘DONK’ DONKERSGOED

“Our Motocross circle in Canada is very small, to say the least.

It is families like the Carlson’s that continue to work behind the scenes, for the sport that brought them joy over the years.

Trevor and his friends were once a staple in the Canadian National scene. Trevor may not be lining up these days as he is raising a family of his own. That hasn’t slowed the Carlson’s involvement in our racing scene, and they have only increased their involvement in recent years. From supporting their local racetracks and events, to giving riders the platform they need to earn career best finishes, and of course a Morning Prayer service before the day kicks off. It’s families like the Carlson’s that make the racetrack “Our Home”.”

– DY L A N K A E L I N

“Brent, Trevor and the rest of the Carlson family mean more to me than just simply being a motocross team. The Carlson’s have become family and have treated me as such since the day I met them. They put everything they have into this team and it is all due to their love of the sport and desire to help those around them. The Carlson’s have truly changed my life and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and life experiences they have helped me create.”

– D AV E Y F R A S E R

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RON KEYS

THE ORIGINAL

B Y M I K E M C G I L L / P H O T O S B Y B I L L P E T R O A N D K E Y S F A M I LY

As a teenager growing up in Oshawa, Ontario in the late 1960s, Ron Keys had a plan: buy an electric guitar and start up a rock and roll band with some buddies. It was a dream that many of his generation shared, but Ron’s father had different ideas. Keys arrived home from The Christian High School that he was attending one day to find that his guitar had mysteriously disappeared. Ron’s father decided that there was no way any son of his was going to be in any longhaired rock and roll band, so he sold the guitar, with the caveat that he would help Ron buy a dirt bike from the new Honda dealership in town to make it up to him. So, rock and roll’s loss became motocross’ gain as Ron Keys went on to quickly become Canada’s first true full-time professional motocross racer. This is his story.

I

recently spoke to the 74-year-old Keys from his home in Oshawa, while he was quarantining following an abbreviated trip to Florida that was cut short by the Canadian government’s newly activated travel restrictions. Keys admits that he was still stinging from the loss of his guitar when his father took him shopping, but it was love at first sight when he laid his eyes upon the 305 Honda Super Hawk at his local dealership.

It was the summer of 1965 and Keys and the Super Hawk soon became inseparable, and one night while hanging out with some buddies down at the local A&W, “because that’s what kids

did in Oshawa in those days,” Keys came across a group of Super Hawk enthusiasts. The motley crew had just returned from the local “scrambles track”. “I was a little dubious of them at first as they were a rough looking bunch,” Keys recounted, but they managed to convince him to join them at the track the following weekend.

“We all lined up for a little race and I won it,” Keys said about that first track experience. “At the end of the day they even had a loosely organized Dash for Cash where everyone put a little money in a hat that they had passed around.

One fellow, who apparently raced CMA motocross and actually had knobby tires on his bike was there and I beat him too,” Keys chuckled. To a man, Keys

new group of friends felt that he was certainly a natural and that he was wasting his time fooling around with them at a local field track when he could have been racing CMA events.

The following season Keys purchased a CMA Competition License and decided to get serious about racing. Getting serious meant removing the headlight and installing some knobbies on the Super Hawk which, for all intents and purposes, was Keys’ daily driver and sole means of transportation. To top off the series of modifications he replaced the mufflers with some straight pipes, which he fabricated out of some scrap metal and applied a coat of silver spray paint to the rusty pipes. The Super Hawk was ready for battle.

“My first real races came over a three-day long holiday weekend,” remembers Keys. The first race of what would turn out to be a Hall of Fame

career took place in Whitby, Ontario.

As mentioned, it was a tripleheader race weekend and on day one, in his first real race Keys managed to take second place in the Open Junior class just behind Bob Archer who was on a 441cc BSA. On day two the riders moved on to St. Agatha, Ontario just outside of Kitchener, but things did not go as well for Keys who shattered the real wheel on the Super Hawk during practice and was unable to line up for the motos because he didn’t have a spare.

Just when he thought his weekend was over, Keys was approached

by Lloyd Weston, a Honda dealer from Guelph. Weston offered to let him camp out on the front lawn of his shop that night and set him up with the rear wheel off a brand-new Super Hawk from his showroom so he could race the final event the next day. Keys gladly took Weston up on

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“TO A MAN, KEYS NEW GROUP OF FRIENDS FELT THAT HE WAS CERTAINLY A NATURAL AND THAT HE WAS WASTING HIS TIME FOOLING AROUND WITH THEM AT A LOCAL FIELD TRACK WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN RACING CMA EVENTS.” his offer to help as the final race was a big Canada vs USA Challenge Match at the legendary Copetown track near Hamilton. Keys ended up winning the Open Junior Class that day and turned a lot of heads in the process.

As the 1967 season approached, Keys felt it was time to retire the trusty

Super Hawk and move on to a more motocross specific machine. Luckily for him, his boss at the Oshawa garage where he worked agreed to sponsor him on a state-of-the-art Czechoslovakian-made 360 CZ. Keys piloted the big CZ to six straight dominating wins in the Junior class that year before suf-

fering a season ending shoulder injury.

Even though he had not completed the whole season, the powers that be at the CMA had seen enough and promoted Keys directly to the Expert Class for the following season, by-passing the Senior Class altogether. “No Senior for me,” Keys chuckled, with a tinge of disdain for ‘the powers that be’ in his voice. More on that later, though, as Keys was about to embark on his first professional season in 1968 aboard a German Maico machine.

Keys pro career however got off to a less than stellar start. “That Maico,” Keys recalled. “I just couldn’t finish a race on it. It would break in every moto.” After a string of extremely frustrating DNFs to start the season, and an inability to secure another sponsor a dejected Keys was just about to call it quits, when an unforeseen stroke of luck turned his season around. George Kirkpatrick, a fellow competitor who had recently decided to retire tracked Keys down at the garage where he worked and offered Ron the use of his 360 Greeves Challenger for the rest of the season. At the time, the Greeves machine, believe it or not, was one of the most competitive and reliable

bikes out there and the switch to the Greeves paid off immediately for Keys who began hitting the podium on a regular basis and won his first Pro Overall at Chicoutimi, Quebec.

Based on the obvious talent that he possessed Keys was able to secure his first real sponsorship for the 1969 season. George Davis, a long-time figure in the Canadian Motorcycle Industry, who was currently working with Jawa CZ out of Montreal and who had previously worked with the legendary Quebec rider Yvon Duhamel had taken a keen interest in Keys. He was impressed with his ability to win on less than stellar equipment and was able to arrange a partial sponsorship for Keys, which eventually evolved into a full factory ride for CZ. Davis became Keys coach, mentor and mechanic while he was at CZ. “I was working as a floor manager at Vic Tanny’s that winter (a fitness centre, you could say was the Goodlife of the day),” remembers Keys. When I signed with CZ I hopped into my Buick and drove to Montreal to pick up the new CZ 360. “I’m off to California,” he told Davis as he loaded the CZ into the back of his Buick. And shortly after that he was on his way.

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“KEYS DID NOT JUST CONCENTRATE ON RACING IN CANADA DURING THIS PERIOD AS HE WAS CONSTANTLY HEADING TO THE U.S. IN SEARCH OF TOP COMPETITION.”

Heikki Ylonen, a Finnish import and fellow competitor was also planning on wintering in California that year, “so I threw my bike in the back of Heikki’s pick-up truck and I flew,” Keys explained. “Heikki was supposed to meet me at the San Diego airport when I arrived but he never showed up,” Keys laughed. After a couple of days spent searching the local bike shops Keys got a lead and was able to track the elusive Ylonen (and his bike) down. After they were re-united the two friendly rivals raced and practiced with a real purpose towards being the top competitors in Canada for the upcoming season. “We rode and raced

as much as we could,” stated Keys. “I even participated in a Desert race and did quite well.”

Keys goes on to mention that he also met a lot of great people during his days in California. Bruce Baron, a So-Cal Pro Rider “kind of took me in,” Keys said. “They were like my second family when I was down there.” Baron, who racked up several top ten U.S. National results in his career, tragically passed away in a house fire in 1991.

It wasn’t all serious training, though.

Keys explained that one of their regular practice tracks, Westlake Village, which was the home of the Viewfinders Grand Prix and hosted Inter-AMA events, also featured a western movie set and was the filming location for Gunsmoke, a weekly television series. Apparently, the track actually ran through the barn on the movie set at times. As it turns out, one of the actors and technical advisers on the series was a Finn named Arvo Ojala. “Heikki and Arvo struck up a friendship,” remembers Keys. “So, we got to hang around the set and socialize with some of the actors from the TV show. That was a good time.” Keys mentioned that he even had the pleasure of meeting and riding with the legendary Harvey Mushman on a few occasions.

For those that do not know, Mushman was the pseudonym used by mega-star Hollywood actor Steve McQueen when he would check into hotels or sign up for motocross races, something he did regularly in those days.

While spending the winter months riding and training in sunny Southern California or Florida may not sound too out of the ordinary these days, it was rare in the late 1960s. It is now common for Canada’s top riders to winter and train south of the border, but it just wasn’t done 50 years ago.

Keys credits his off-season training in California as a big part of his success in the 1969 season. While he was already considered to be one of the top riders in Canada, Keys believes it was his California experience that put him over the top. Keys decimated the competition aboard his factory CZ in ‘69 and handily won the 500cc National Championship.

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RON KEYS Keys and CZ proved to be a potent combination as he won the number 1 plate again in 1970, and was, as a reward, sent by the company to a training camp in Czechoslovakia where he spent time training and practicing alongside of legends such as future World Champion Brad Lackey and Czech Factory CZ star Jaroslav Falta.

“Lackey was fast even then,” Keys remembered. “I could stay with him for the most part, but he would usually just nip me at the end of a moto.”

Keys did not just concentrate on racing in Canada during this period as he was constantly heading to the U.S. in search of top competition. In fact, Keys travelled all over America in those days. From New York to Florida to Texas and California racing in the Trans-AMA Series. Perhaps his best result in one of these races came in Grafton, Vermont where he finished a very respectable second overall to “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” John DeSoto. Other notables that Keys would mix it up with on a regular basis in those days included DeSoto and other top U.S. riders such as “Jammin’ Jimmy Weinert, Jim Pomeroy, Wyman Priddy, Barry Higgins, enduro star Dick Burleson and

even “the Professor” Gary Bailey.

Keys was making a name for himself, not only in Canada but around the world of professional motocross. That’s why it came as somewhat of a surprise when, after two seasons of total dominance, Keys was not offered a ride from CZ for the 1971 season. Ironically, it was Keys old friend George Kirkpatrick, who loaned Ron his Greeves Challenger back in 1968, and who was now in charge of the Canadian CZ effort, who sacked him from the team. To this day Keys remains a bit puzzled and angry about being let go from CZ. “I guess they were looking to hire some European talent,” Keys surmised. “He (Kirkpatrick) called me a prima donna.

I had no idea why,” Keys stated. The firing, understandably, did not sit well with Keys and he vowed to make CZ and Kirkpatrick regret the decision they had made to let him go. And that is exactly what he did.

Still stinging from his departure from CZ, Keys decided to ride for Husqvarna in 1971. “Seppo (Makinen) and I got Huskys,” Keys remembered. The crucial round of the 250 National Championship Series was in Aldergrove, British Columbia and Keys faced with some

THE ORIGINAL

extremely stiff competition. Not only were the regular contingent of Canadian Pros going to be lining up but so were Yakima, Washington’s Jim Pomeroy and Swedish GP rider Gunnar Lindstrom. Crazily enough, Key’s was not even sure if a win would secure the National Championship for him as the powers that be at the CMA in those days were not big on releasing the point standings to the riders.

“It wasn’t like today when you

can just go to the computer and look them up,” recalled Keys. “For some reason Marylyn (Bastedo) wouldn’t let me know where I stood,” This seems extremely odd but not unusual for the CMA Keys said, who cited constant disagreements with the association as one of the main reasons he retired from motocross in 1974. Keys concern over the erratic point system, although justified, turned out to be for naught, however, as he went on to win the day and the 250cc National Championship.

“Lindstron was fresh off the GPs and competing for a World Championship,” Keys recounted. “He was surprised I beat him. “I still have that trophy,” Keys said. “I was supposed to give it back at the end of the year, but I kept it,” he chuckled.

At the end of the 1971 season, Keys was once again faced with the familiar dilemma of securing a ride for the upcoming season. “Husky had a great bike, but they just didn’t have any money to offer,” he explained. Keys was not in limbo for long, however, as he was about to become the benefactor of an extremely big break. George Davis, Keys mentor and mechanic during his tenure at CZ had recently left the company and joined the Trevor Deeley organization, who were the Yamaha Importers for Canada at the time. This allowed Davis, who assumed the role of Yamaha District Representa-

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RON KEYS tive for Eastern Ontario and Quebec, to continue his support for Keys with Yamaha for the 1972 season.

“It was a big deal at the time,” remembered Keys, who received a $2,000 signing bonus for inking with Yamaha.

I thought I would do a little investigating and, as it turns out $2,000 in 1972 would be the equivalent of receiving just over $11,000 in 2021 money. Not too shabby. Along with the signing bonus Keys received a modest salary, a new truck and camper trailer and an expense account which allowed him to travel and race around North America.

The first 250 and 360 that Keys received from Yamaha were the box stock models that anyone could purchase.

“They were not up to the rigours of professional motocross,” Keys said who noted that while he was wintering in California, decided to visit one of the new hop-up shops that were popping up all over the place and had two custom frames fabricated for him by Doug Schwerma of Champion Racing Frames. “The bikes were much improved with the new frames,” Keys recalled. He rode and raced them during the off-season in preparation for the upcoming campaign. Upon his return to Canada, however, Keys took possession of two new Full-Factory YZs. They were the same bikes that Gary Jones was racing in the U.S. The first of the YZ line wasn’t released to the public until 1974.

“The bikes were really trick,” Keys remembered. “All kinds of titanium parts. The 360 weighed in at 193 pounds. Which I thought was incredibly light, but I guess the Factory Suzukis in Europe were considerably lighter.” Keys stiffest competition for the Championship that season would come in the form of Can/Am mounted Jeff Smith. Smith, a multi-time World Champion from England had recently come to Canada to work for Bombardier - Can/Am to develop for their new line of motocross bikes. Smith was undoubtedly going to be an extremely tough competitor, but Keys was up to the challenge and rewarded Yamaha with the National Championship in both the 125 and 500cc classes. Keys old buddy Heikki Ylonen won the

THE ORIGINAL

250-title making it a clean sweep of all three classes for Yamaha.

The following year, 1973, proved to be another banner year for Keys and Team Yamaha as he once again won the 250 National Championship that season along with the CMA’s coveted White Memorial Trophy for best allround performance in the Motocross Nationals. Keys also got the opportunity to line up against the world’s best motocross racers. A field that included World Champion Roger DeCoster at an International event at Copetown,

Ontario. Keys grabbed the holeshot and led the first moto before being forced to retire with a brake problem.

And as if that weren’t enough, he finished off the season by taking a box stock YZ 360 to the 48th International Six Day Enduro which was being held outside of Europe for the first time in Dalton, Massachusetts. After six days of gruelling competition and even after experiencing an electrical issue, Keys scored a very respectable silver medal for Canada at the event, missing out on Gold by a mere 1:47.

After two stellar seasons with Yamaha, the support dried up for 1974 and Keys signed on to work with his rival Jeff Smith at Can/Am. “But my heart just wasn’t in it anymore,” he recalled.

“There was a possibility of going to Europe, and I thought about that, but there was also the possibility of getting hurt or just becoming a motocross bum.” So, at the age of 28, and still at the top of his game Keys made the decision to retire. Even though more money and support were flowing into Canadian motocross at that time, it’s a decision that Keys never regretted.

Keys continued to work in-house for Can/Am for about a year after his retirement from racing, and even taught a few motocross schools for the company, but in 1976 he left the world of motocross altogether and joined the Durham Regional Police Service. Keys tenure as a police officer lasted until 1989, when he left the force to start a custom home building business which lasted for several years. After that, he joined Ontario Power Generation in Pickering and Darlington where he worked in security until his retirement last year.

While he has not raced competitively in many years, Keys love of motorcycling never diminished and he continues to enjoy riding his Goldwing to this day. In 2008, Keys was inducted into the Canadian Motorcycling Hall of Fame and, in 2016, was inducted into Oshawa’s Sports Hall of Fame. His fellow inductee on that day was former NHL Superstar Eric Lindros who apparently was quite impressed with Keys and the fact that he jumped right from the Junior ranks to the Expert level, and by-passed Intermediate altogether. It must have reminded Lindros of when he played for Team Canada in the 1991 Canada Cup even though he was only 18 and still playing junior hockey.

The sport of motocross has come a long way in Canada since the early 1970s, and Ron Keys was there at the beginning. He was an original and made the most of his opportunities. He was undoubtedly a unique and natural talent who elevated the sport in this country and throughout North America.

He was the first professional motocross racer in Canada, the first factory rider and multi-time National Champion.

While his pro career lasted only six years, he squeezed a lot out of it. The story of Ron Keys is not just a historically significant part of our sport, but also another colourful chapter in the history of Canadian motocross.

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THE 2021 DAKAR RALLY

Fun In T he Desert B Y L AW R E N C E H A C K I N G / P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y K T M A N D J U S T I N C O F F E Y

The Dakar Rally is the largest and most significant off-road motor sports event in history. It’s not even debatable – nothing else comes close.

Since December 26, 1978 when the first Paris Dakar rally left Place Trocadero underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris, adventure seekers have been testing their mettle, bravery and determination at the longest, most dangerous, (statistically) and most extreme two to three weeks an off-road rider can imagine. The Dakar rally traditionally went from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, a 10,000-kilometre trek over a three-week period every January until a fateful day in 2008 when it was cancelled in the blink of an eye due to a terrorism threat.

I

n subsequent years, the Dakar entered its second incarnation and trekked across South America until 2019. Most recently the Dakar took to its third continent and landed in Saudi Arabia in 2020. On January 3, 2021, Dakar drama unfolded again as it crisscrossed through the Saudi desert over two weeks for 7,676 kilometres, taking some unpredictable twists and turns that had its massive group of online followers on the edge of their seats.

The format of the Dakar is in a constant state of evolution. This

year, the navigation road books were handed out 20 minutes before the start of each day, which leveled the playing field among elite riders and privateers. In the past, road books were given out after the end of the previous day and because of the time available the big teams employed ‘map men’ to look over the route using Google earth satellite images during the evening. Riders and team managers would spend hours pre-planning their strategy.

Navigation is the art of rallying, and road books are a paper scroll that tells each competitor which direction to take in open country.

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“NAVIGATION IS THE ART OF RALLYING, AND ROAD BOOKS ARE A PAPER SCROLL THAT TELLS EACH COMPETITOR WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE IN OPEN COUNTRY.”

The winner is determined by the accumulated time in special stages, which can be more than 500 kilometres per day. This year there were 12 of them. The starting order is based on the previous day’s results, with one rider leaving every two or three minutes. Riding and navigating in the desert is quite a bit easier if there are tracks to follow so strategy is paramount to winning Dakar. Learning and understanding strategy takes years of accumulating experience, so the best riders are usually a bit older and have tempered their enthusiasm when riding in such dangerous conditions. More riders ahead mean a more sharply defined track and the quicker one can go because less time is spent reading the road book.

The best strategy is not to win each day but to finish in the top five and keep one’s overall accumulated time as close as possible to a podium position two or three days before the end. For example, this year’s winner, Kevin Benavides, first went to the Dakar in 2016, it took him four attempts before victory.

In my mind, the Paris Dakar is the absolute pinnacle of off-road challenges. The mystique, the sense of accomplishment and the difficulty is simply unparalleled. It’s no secret that if you take on the Dakar, you better top up your insurance policies, have lots of room on your credit cards and make sure your will is up to date. When I took it on in 2001, I knew it would be rugged. As a Dakar rookie, the odds of finishing are about one in three. Not only are the odds stacked against you for not finishing, but there’s a real possibility of not coming back at all.

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THE 2021 DAKAR RALLY The Paris Dakar Rally I did in 2001 was 21 days long and covered approximately 10,000 kilometres.

It was the last true Paris to Dakar.

Pundits have called this version ‘classique’ because it harkens back to the original Dakar where facilities were sparse. During my Dakar, some nights you slept on the ground in your riding gear, and there were usually no showers or washrooms and very few creature comforts.

In the morning you got up, shoved some bread and jam into your piehole, topped up your bike and rode another 500 kilometres or so to the next bivouac. This was the routine of the original Dakar Rally.

These days things are much different. Competitors are often wealthy business owners or professional drivers who like creature comforts like have at home. These days, nearly everyone sleeps in a motor home so the atmosphere in the bivouac has changed but the challenges remain the same: incredibly long distances in formidable terrain with stunning panoramic views.

The 2021 race saw a showdown of big guns on the fastest rally bikes in the world, and the factory-based Honda and KTM teams were the crowd favourites. Last year’s winner, American HRC rider Ricky Brabec, was in the strongest position to retake the win, but with so much at stake and so many opportunities for mistakes to occur over such a long period of time and distance, he was not able to prevail. Brabec won an early stage but was unable to claw his way back into second place at the finish.

KTM’s hopes were kept alive by the UK’s Sam Sunderland who finished third this year by simply keeping his nose clean and letting attrition eliminate most of the competition in front of him. His teammate and former two-time winner, Aussie Toby Price, sadly crashed out while in contention for the lead.

One the most inspired rides of the race was by American privateer Skyler Howes who improved his previous finish of ninth in 2020 to fifth overall this year. At one point during the rally, he held the overall lead on the third day. Insiders say Howes is being considered for a factory rider role next year.

Former factory supercross and motocross rider Andrew Short faced major disappointment this year. The American switched from Husqvarna to the factory-supported Yamaha

“NO FEWER THAN NINE OF THE TOP TWENTY RIDERS DROPPED OUT BEFORE REACHING THE FINISH LINE WHICH LEFT SEVERAL TOP SPOTS TO SOME UNFAMILIAR RIDERS.”

team for 2021, but his hopes were dashed when he filled up his 450 rally bike with fuel from the organizer-supplied gas truck. Short’s bike went a handful of kilometres further before grinding to a halt with a few litres of water in his gas tank. In fact, the entire newly formed, five-man Yamaha team did not finish. But the Dakar is like that. One can be in contention to win it for years or even decades and come up empty. Each year, the Dakar proves once again that it

takes years of experience to succeed.

No fewer than nine of the top twenty riders dropped out before reaching the finish line which left several top spots to some unfamiliar riders.

Argentine rider Kevin Benavades won his first Dakar, taking the motorcycle class winner’s trophy back to South America for the first time ever.

He rode a nearly perfect rally with very few mistakes and completed all but three of the twelve daily stages inside the top ten. He did fall heavily

on stage five but recovered to maintain the overall lead for the last three days of the rally.

Honda finished first and second this year, a feat it hadn’t achieved since 1987. HRC has invested a lot over the years and have been rewarded by winning the Dakar twice in the past two years. The Honda wins signal an end to the 20-year KTM dominance, but we now have to wait 10 months to find out who will prevail next in Saudi Arabia.

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2/12/21 9:40 AM 2021-02-26 2:17 PM

FIRST RIDE: THE 2021 YZ250F

A DAY WITH THE BLU CRU 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

ALTHOUGH IT’S NOT COMMON PRACTICE FOR US TO GO BACK IN TIME AND COVER AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE ALMOST SIX MONTHS AGO, WITH THE UNUSUAL WORLD THAT WE’RE CURRENTLY LIVING IN WE FELT THIS STORY WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE TO TELL. SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, LET’S JUMP IN OUR TIME MACHINE AND GO BACK TO LAST SEPTEMBER AND A WARM AND SUNNY DAY AT MOTO PARK IN CHATSWORTH, ONTARIO.

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“AS THE YAMAHA MOTOR CANADA TECHNICIANS GUIDED US THROUGH THE NEW 2021 YZ25F, THE FAMOUS MOTO PARK TRACK PROVIDED AN INVITING BACKDROP.”

W

hy Moto Park? Well, because MXP and a few other members of the Canadian moto media accepted an invitation from Yamaha Motor Canada to meet up at the historic track to test ride the newly redesigned 2021 YZ250F. This bike has found itself on podiums around the world and over the past few years, and just when you thought Yamaha couldn’t make it any better, they somehow found a way. This September day was a test rider’s dream with a new bike, the sun shining bright, and a perfectly groomed track all to ourselves. What more could we ask for?

The day began as most test days do with my alarm clock going off early and the hustle of trying to get out of the house with time to spare.

Thankfully, Moto Park is only a short 60-minute drive from my house which allows me time to think about the exciting day ahead without having to sit in my truck for too long. With the unavoidable Covid-19 restrictions in place everywhere, including Moto Park, the Cafe at the track was closed to normal traffic and their usual breakfast menu wasn’t available.

However, they were still serving coffee and tea for anyone who needed a boost of caffeine before riding.

For previous media events at Moto Park, the opening presentation was inside the main building complete with a slide show and some videos, but with the main building off-limits to the general public, the opening presentation was moved outside and under the bright morning sun. As the Yamaha Motor Canada technicians guided us through the new 2021 YZ25F, the famous Moto Park track provided an inviting backdrop. Seeing it sitting there idle made all of us feel

like riding, I’m sure.

As it turned out, this wasn’t just any normal Yamaha product launch, as it was the first out-of-office event that Yamaha Motor Canada had staged since the Covid-19 Pandemic began some six months prior.

I thought that was amazing and honestly, I felt honoured sitting there knowing that the fine people at Yamaha had worked so hard to make this event happen. Also, you could hear the excitement in their voices as they not only spoke about the new 2021 YZ250F but also about their time being out of the office and the city for the first time in months. If the pandemic has taught us anything it’s that getting outside in the sunshine and fresh air is imperative for our physical and mental states. Remember when we were young, and our parents would yell at us to get outside and play? Well, maybe they were onto something!

After the presentation and my second Moto Park cappuccino, it was time to get dressed and head out onto the freshly groomed track. As they always do, the Moto Park crew had the track prepped to absolute perfection and all of us were eager to get out.

Yamaha had several new models on hand for us to test ride, including two 2021 YZ250Fs (a new black Monster Energy edition as well as a traditional blue one), a 2021 YZ450F, as well as the 2021 YZ250 two-stroke. Yamaha also brought with them the new jewel of the ever-growing Dual-Purpose division, the 2021 Tenere 700. During our lunch break, I took this incredible bike onto the Moto Park track for a slow sight lap. I don’t do a lot off-road and virtually no street riding, but if I did, I would most certainly try and get my hands on the new Yamaha Tenere.

In fact, one of my friends bought one in October and, so far, he loves it.

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FIRST RIDE: THE 2021 YZ250F

Even though I spent some time riding the other bikes that the Yamaha crew had brought with them, my focus was the new YZ250F, and just like last year and the year before, I was thoroughly impressed with this bike. From the moment I threw my leg over it, I was once again blown away by its power and handling characteristics. Even though it doesn’t look dramatically different on the outside compared to the 2020 model, save for the number plate, fork guard colours, and the radiator shroud graphics, the 2021 YZ250F features multiple changes, many of which concern the engine.

Some of those updates include a cylinder head with a new intake port

The changes not only make the bike faster but also make the new YZ250F easier to ride. The power output is smooth throughout the range and whether you’re coming out of a tight corner or trying to find that little extra amount of top-end down a long straightaway, this engine has the right power for any given situation. Add in the fact that this 2021 model carries over the same great handling attributes as past models and it’s just a blast to ride overall. Like everyone, I love to ride dirt bikes and usually I’m not picky about what I’m riding.

Sometimes, however, I’ve found 250Fs difficult to ride as they simply don’t have a lot of useable power in stock form. But a lack of power isn’t an issue with this new Yamaha YZ250F as it has plenty of readily accessible horsepower. Also, with a few valving changes to the front forks and rear shock, this new bike feels incredibly connected to the track.

As the day went on and the track got rougher and rougher, fatigue began to set in and before I knew it the shadows were getting longer as

“THE CHANGES NOT ONLY MAKE THE BIKE FASTER BUT ALSO MAKE THE NEW YZ250F EASIER TO RIDE.” shape, a different exhaust camshaft profile, optimized ECU setting, larger muffler, and a new airboot, airbox lid, and air filter. The shape of the crankcase has been revised, as was the cable for the electric starter motor. Other parts of the powerplant that receive alterations include the cam chain and tensioner, transmission, clutch basket, shift cam, water pump, and water temperature sensor. All of these changes were made to achieve stronger mid-range to top-end pulling power and increase the peak power output for the 2021 machine.

the September sun got lower in the sky. I know I didn’t want this day to end, and I’m assuming that the crew from Yamaha felt the same way. After being stuck inside their home offices for almost half a year, you couldn’t blame them for wanting to remain in the country setting of Moto Park as long as they could. As I said at the beginning, even though this event took place back in late September 2020, I feel like it was still a story worth telling. We’ve learned a lot about

ourselves and our priorities during the pandemic. Riding days like these should be appreciated more than ever, as should the efforts of companies like Yamaha Motor Canada, who went out on a limb to host this event despite numerous Covid-19 restrictions and protocols. In my opinion, they should be commended. So, thank you to Yamaha Motor Canada and Moto Park for staging this incredible event. It was most certainly a day that we won’t soon forget.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2021 YZ250F OR ANY OTHER YAMAHA MODEL. PLEASE VISIT WWW.YAMAHA-MOTOR.CA.

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CANADA’S SOURCE FOR MOTOCROSS AND OFF ROAD NEWS FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS @MXPMAGAZINE

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2021-03-10 2:36 PM

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Industry Profile:

Steve Simms

UMSON M O R E A N D M AT T W E L L HOTOS BY JAM E S LI SSI B Y C H R I S P O M E R OY / P

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s we head into the 2021 race season and specifically the Triple Crown Series, few people in our industry have a tougher road ahead than Steve Simms. After having the rug pulled out from underneath him last fall when the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha team closed its doors, as the team’s longtime manager, Steve was forced to make some tough decisions. As you will read in this interview, Steve didn’t waste any time and within a few months he formed the new TLD GasGas Race Team. Steve’s new team will compete in the 2021 Triple Crown Series and it will be the first time that fans will be able to see a GasGas dirt bike on the starting at a Canadian Pro National. To celebrate this exciting moment, we reached out to Steve Simms for this month’s Industry Profile.

MXP: HEY STEVE, IT’S BEEN A LONG WINTER. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

SS: Hey Chris, since this fall it has been a whirlwind, trying to organize my next steps and pushing forward during Covid-19. I think I have settled in and sorted things for the next few years now though, so that takes some stress off.

WE SEE YOU’VE GONE SNOWCROSS RACING WITH SAM GAYNOR. HOW HAS THAT BEEN SO FAR? SS: Yes, the opportunity came up for Sam to go race snow bikes and allow him to keep riding a bike while holding his full-time job over the winter. True North has been a big help in making this all come around and making this happen.

“YES, I GOT THE PHONE CALL FROM ANDRE BREAKING THE NEWS TO ME. I HUNG UP AND THOUGHT ABOUT THINGS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN STARTED MAKING SOME PHONE CALLS.”

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT 2021, LET’S GO BACK TO LAST YEAR. HOW DID THE SUMMER GO WITH PHIL NICOLETTI, SHAWN MAFFENBEIER, AND SAM GAYNOR? SS: Last year was a fairly good year considering everything that was going on. We had some amazing highs with all of the guys, but we also had a few lows. When it’s so up and down it can be very hard for everyone on the team.

Everyone worked hard and we came away with a pretty successful season having Phil (Nicoletti) and Shawn (Maffenbeier) on the podium multiple times and Sam consistently in the Top 10 every weekend.

WE’VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES, BUT HOW SOLID IS PHIL AS A PERSON OFF OF THE BIKE?

SS: Phil can be a hard guy to read but I think overall we got along great and had some good times just hanging out away from the races. Phil stayed at our house for the summer, so we saw a lot of each other, but he is a very true and caring guy. He spent hours playing with my daughter, chasing her around on her Stacyc bike, and jumping on the trampoline. It was a pleasure to get to work with a guy like him. We still talk regularly about life and racing.

SADLY, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THE OTSFF TEAM THAT YOU MANAGED DECIDED THEY WOULDN’T BE GOING RACING ANYMORE. DID THAT COME AS A SHOCK TO YOU?

SS: It was not a complete shock to me as I felt like something was about to happen. I think a combination of things just helped Andre (Laurin) make the decision sooner than planned.

Andre was in motocross for a long time and it had just come time to move on.

He now has his desert trucks that he gets to race in the USA. I am glad he was able to find something he enjoys

doing and can be the racer himself and be successful doing that. Andre and his family are great people and I owe a lot to them all.

OKAY, SO THE OTSFF TEAM ANNOUNCES THAT THEY’RE NOT GOING RACING IN 2021. YOU IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TRYING TO MAKE PLANS TO GO RACING WITH YOUR OWN TEAM. HOW WAS THAT PROCESS?

SS: Yes, I got the phone call from Andre breaking the news to me. I hung up and thought about things for a few minutes and then started making some phone calls. I had some talks with Yamaha initially as I have been a big Yamaha supporter for many years and was really hoping we could continue something with them. However, it seemed pretty clear to me that that probably wasn’t going to be an option. I then reached out to Suzuki as I had heard they wanted to be more involved in racing. I put together a proposal to them and we were in talks for a few weeks and then it was just a “No” in the end. Then I got wind from Troy Lee Designs about the GasGas deal in the USA and that I should reach out to them.

OKAY, SO THAT IS HOW THE TLD GASGAS DEAL COME TO FRUITION? SS: Pretty much yes! TLD stepped up last year and supported our OTSFF crew with apparel and gear for the season. When they heard OTSFF shut down they mentioned that with the connection to GasGas in the USA that I should talk to them and see if we could put a deal together. I started talking with GasGas and after about three weeks of talks, we were able to put a two-year deal together for 2021 and 2022.

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Industry Profile:

Steve Simms “IT’S HARD TO NARROW IT DOWN AS I’VE LOVED PRETTY MUCH EVERY MINUTE I’VE SPENT IN THIS SPORT.” THAT IS SUCH GOOD NEWS, STEVE. INTRODUCING A NEW BRAND TO CANADIAN MOTOCROSS IS VERY EXCITING. JUSTIN BARCIA HAS BEEN DOING REALLY WELL IN THE SUPERCROSS SERIES ON HIS FACTORY GASGAS, THAT MUST MAKE YOU EXCITED TO BRING THIS BRAND TO CANADA?

SS: It was very cool to see Red Bull and the TLD GasGas Team kick-off the season with that video and their fake Anaheim 1 victory. But then to come out to the real opening round in Houston and throw it down as he did was amazing. I’m actually getting my hands on a new GasGas MC450F today, so I’m very excited.

SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO COME TOGETHER. DO YOU HAVE YOUR RIDERS FINALIZED FOR THE 2021 SEASON? SS: I have Sam Gaynor signed and we also have another rider pretty much signed as long as a few things on his end go right. We should have a press release coming out soon to announce our first rider.

IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY STRONG TEAM THIS YEAR. RECENTLY THE 2021 TRIPLE CROWN SERIES SCHEDULE WAS RELEASED. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS NEW SCHEDULE? SS: It has been quite the challenge trying to get a Triple Crown Series Schedule finalized as no one knows where each Province is going to be with their Covid-19 restrictions come June. It’s exciting that the series wants to go out west for two rounds, but it would have been nice to have a bit of an idea of this a little sooner. Team budgets are tight this year and having to travel west is a major expense and something that needs extra planning.

I am excited to go racing though and I hope everything goes smooth.

YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LARGE SUZUKI AND YAMAHA TEAMS IN THE PAST, ARE YOU EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT THE AUSTRIAN GASGAS BIKES?

SS: Honestly yes! I have stayed pretty close to all of the Japanese brands so it’s exciting to get into a new bike and learn more new stuff. We are excited to get into these bikes and start riding.

MXP: YOU’RE A RACER YOURSELF. IN FACT, YOU’RE A MULTI-TIME WALTON TRANSCAN CHAMPION. HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE RACING? SS: I am a racer. I have a huge passion for motocross. Anytime I can get out riding, I go. It’s my getaway, I can go as hard as I want or just cruise around. I have a very deep competitive side and the fire still burns strong. Walton had not been a great track for me for many years. I think I raced TransCan when I was younger as a beginner, Junior, and once as an Intermediate. I was never able to get through the week without twisting my ankles or crashing in the ruts. So, these last few years I have come to enjoy the Walton track and try to ride it more than once a year.

I’M SURE WINNING TITLES AT THE TRANSCAN HAS HELPED YOU ENJOY THE TRACK MORE (LAUGHS). WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BEST MEMORIES OF THE SPORT FROM OVER THE YEARS?

SS: I have a lot of good memories of the sport since 2002. I have done many trips with great families and riders.

Starting with Joel Saarits and his family, to Jay Burke, to riders that I got on with the OTSFF team. From Top 5 finishes with Jay and Joel to winning Championships with OTSFF. It’s hard to narrow it down as I’ve loved pretty much every minute I’ve spent in this sport.

WELL STEVE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR NEW TLD GASGAS TEAM IN THE PADDOCK THIS SUMMER. ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO RACING ONE YOURSELF?

SS: I can say I’m excited to start this new journey. It takes a lot to get a new team off the ground. Andre and Monique Laurin at OTSFF have helped me over the years to set me up with the experiences I needed to start this team. I can’t thank them enough for all the help and support they have given me over our 10 years racing together.

YOU ALSO RUN YOUR BUSINESS CALLED STEVE SIMMS RACING. YOU’VE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE BOTH AT THE TRACK AND DURING THE WEEK. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU IF THEY NEED SOMETHING DONE? SS: Of course! I still run my shop and have started to ramp that back up more. I can be found on Instagram, Facebook, or Google with a quick search of my name. I have a new website in the works but isn’t quite done yet. It is www.ssr-mx.com

A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU MOVED TO JUST OUTSIDE SHELBURNE, ON. THERE’S A GREAT GROUP OF RIDERS THAT LIVE AROUND THE AREA AND RIDE ALL OF THE TIME. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF RIDERS? SS: I moved up to Shelburne almost 7 years ago now. Where has the time gone? I met an amazing group of guys through this group. We have dedicated ride nights all summer and it’s just a great time with some really good guys. I can’t thank them enough for supporting my shop when they need products or repairs for their bikes. The group consists of all levels of riders and we have also started getting a few younger kids out also which is nice to see. We are all there to have a good time, but we push each other while on the track and have a blast doing it.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TIME FOR SURE. WELL STEVE, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. AS I SAID, IT’S GOING TO BE EXCITING TO HAVE A NEW TEAM IN THE PADDOCK AND WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW IT ALL LOOKS. BEFORE I LET YOU GO DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL WORDS?

SS: I would just like to thank all of our past sponsors and all of the current sponsors who have continued with this new venture. Also, to the new sponsors that have come on board. It’s going to be a busy summer, but I look forward to getting it underway. Thank you also for taking the time to do this interview. I can’t wait to see everyone at the races.

62 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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THE BICYCLE PAGE WITH ALLAN JAGGARD

ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY IN MY LAST BICYCLE PAGE ARTICLE, I WROTE ABOUT THE STATE OF THE POWERSPORTS AND BICYCLE INDUSTRY IN THESE CRAZY AND UNCERTAIN TIMES WE’RE ALL LIVING THROUGH. WITH WINTER WINDING DOWN AND SPRING FAST APPROACHING AND, THE SITUATION IN 2021 IS AS UNPREDICTABLE AS I PREVIOUSLY PREDICTED. I DON’T WANT TO APPEAR NEGATIVE IN ANY WAY AS THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE MOTIVE BEHIND THIS ARTICLE, BUT IF ANYTHING IS APPARENT TO THE CLOSE OBSERVER, IT MAY BE THAT CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES ARE WORSE THAN I THOUGHT.

W

atching the mainstream news media, which previously during pre-pandemic times I followed religiously, is now something I personally avoid. I just can’t take it anymore! Fear to me is the tool of the devil, so to speak, and fear means being controlled. I emphasize the word controlled as fear is a natural built-in human mechanism within each and everyone of us. This mechanism is an attribute that protects us from the many potential actions or situations that could lead to our serious injury or even death.

Now, I’m no conspiracy theorist but the constant barrage of negativity in the news media is something we have to watch out for, as it’s possible you’ll fall into the trap these negative thoughts can produce. The result of living in constant fear, will be lethargy and the inability to keep moving ahead, regardless of obstacles we face. We’re living in this type of environment at the moment and it’s hard to make plans for anything, whether it’s working, running a business, or preparing events whom so many reading this article would be interested in attending.

As a promoter, for example, you can announce your plans if you’re so daring, and kudos from yours truly to those who have done so. The reality, based

on discussions I’ve had with many promoters and various business owners in multiple industries, is you have to accept no current plans are written in stone. There’s just too much uncertainty – everything is subject to change.

This reality brings me to the driving force behind this article. I believe that we all must move forward in a spirit of positivity and plan our year ahead with a mindset of being prepared.

If you’re a bicycle enthusiast who loves to ride mountain bikes off road or even a road, gravel, or e-bike rider, then move ahead and prepare as if all will be happening in 2021 as you’re expecting.

Planning on racing motocross, cross country, MTB racing or just trail riding this year, then prepare as if you will be!

If you’re a reader of MXP because you have a family member or a friend who competes or participate in all the possibilities our wonderful sport provides, then you should be doing the same regardless of the goals you’ve set.

Prepare in advance for the spring, summer and fall you wish to have. Be certain of what you want to achieve in these uncertain times and then have the mental attitude to change and adapt if plans have to be altered. Every competitor wants to get the holeshot at the start of a race, but it rarely occurs and only just only for one. The rest of the pack goes into immediate change and adapt mode. My advice based on this inevitability is that you must

be prepared to change and adapt immediately. Think it through, then act on your revised plans and watch how your circumstances, going forward, will tend to change in your favour. If you’re able to have this type of attitude throughout your daily life it will work just the same, regardless of your goals. This will only hold true for as long as you’ve done the necessary preparation.

Have you ordered the bike you want to ride this year? If not, you’ll probably be disappointed when you can’t find what you’re looking for. Have you prepared yourself physically and mentally for the year ahead? If not, I’ll guarantee you’ll be saying you wish you had by June. Are you trying to control the fear surrounding us all? If not, you’re probably going to be spending your spring and summer hiding instead of riding!

As martial arts legend Bruce Lee, one of my personal heroes, once said: Be Water, My Friend.

Empty your mind.

Be formless, shapeless, like water.

You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.

You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.

You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.

Now water can flow, or it can crash.

Be like water, my friend.

“BE CERTAIN OF WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES AND THEN HAVE THE MENTAL ATTITUDE TO CHANGE AND ADAPT IF PLANS HAVE TO BE ALTERED.” In other words, Bruce Lee is saying we need to teach ourselves to be able to change and adapt to our environments. This is a philosophy that every man, woman and child should adopt as this is the attribute of not only champions of sport, but champions of life’s many challenges as well.

So, let’s take the uncertainty the pandemic has thrown at us and commit ourselves to the following: I will not allow fear to control my life and will constantly strive to learn to change and adapt to whatever challenges I face.

By the time you’re reading this article we should all have a clearer idea of which events we can participate in during these crazy and uncertain times of 2021.

One thing I’m sure of in these uncertain times is that those of us who are prepared will be riding, racing, or participating in 2021. Of this, I am absolutely certain!

64 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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THE INSIDE LINE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WITH ANDY WHITE

IN DEMAND

WHILE SITTING COMFORTABLY ON MY SOFA ON A RECENT SATURDAY NIGHT WATCHING DAYTONA SUPERCROSS, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT IT HAS BEEN EXACTLY ONE YEAR SINCE I WAS DOWN SOUTH ATTENDING RACE EVENTS FOR FXR. SPEEDWEEK WAS THE LAST ROUND I ATTENDED IN PERSON. I CAME HOME AFTER THAT WEEKEND AND HAVE NOT CROSSED THE BORDER SINCE. I MANAGED TO TAKE IN A FEW CANADIAN MOTOCROSS NATIONALS, BUT THAT WAS ABOUT IT FOR 2020. WE’RE HOPING 2021 WILL BE BETTER ON ALL COUNTS.

I

’m not accustomed to being home during the summer because I’m usually off and running to a motocross event somewhere in North America or overseas, but I’m not complaining that I was able to ride my Yamaha YZ450F on most weekends. That’s a first for me in 20-plus years. I even had time to get some trail riding in with my off-road friends. It was a diff erent year for sure, but I didn’t complain when I was told to stay safe and not get too close to anyone. I can confirm that I played by the rules when I was out on the track or riding that single track through the woods. At first, things were pretty normal at the riding areas until late June when I realized there were a lot of new riders that I didn’t know. I wasn’t quite sure why there were so many new bikes and riders wearing the latest gear. They

were easy to spot as they were all in the beginner practice class.

Eight months later it makes sense why these strangers were hanging out with the regular group. Looking back, I understand now that if you couldn’t leave the province or the country for a vacation you might as well invest locally. Team sports were also kicked to the curb so you were seeing dads and moms who used to ride or race motocross trading in baseball gloves and soccer balls for dirt bikes for their kids so they could

all ride as a family. The national news was reporting that campgrounds and Airbnbs were being reserved months in advance. The industry has never seen this before. Local dealers were telling me that they are sold out of dirt bikes and ATVs. This is great news for the motorsport industry which has been suff ering for several years. Those are the positives in a pandemic, and we’re all familiar with the negatives.

Twelve months later we are starting to see a brighter side emerge.

Vaccinations are slowly getting rolled out to people that need them urgently and this is great news. What I can’t understand is why we keep hearing that the government or the people in charge of vaccinations are so slow to get that magic medicine into the arms of the ones that most need it. I would have thought one year into this, everyone would have a plan of action all set up. The national news that we see is a little confusing, one minute we hear that lockdowns are around the corner, then we hear that some parts of the city are shut, but if you cross the street in that city you can go to the mall.

The next minute they are reporting that no large parties or gatherings should be taking place, then you see the size of the security line at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on the late local news. They are packed in super tight and almost on top of each other. Every province has its own guidelines, and it can become quite confusing when you see some areas that are really strict with looser restrictions in other regions. Did someone not get the memo? If we all don’t follow the rules, the pandemic will continue to win.

I, for one, can’t wait to be able to travel again and watch some good

“I HAVE A GOOD FEELING THAT THE CANADIAN SCHEDULE WILL BE AT LEAST THE SAME IF NOT BETTER THAN 2020. LOOK DOWN SOUTH, THE SUPERCROSS SERIES IS ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL.”

racing live and in person. Summer is right around the corner and associations are eager to get their schedules out but with so many changes being made to regional regulations by the government, we have to sit patiently for it to happen. I have a good feeling that the Canadian schedule will be at least the same, if not better, than 2020.

Looking down south, the supercross series is almost functioning as normal. Okay, the stadiums are not full but at least the promoters can sell tickets. The amateur racing season is also full steam ahead with Loretta qualifiers already happening every weekend. Moto in the south is stronger than ever in my view. The demand for gear and parts is off the charts and the factories can’t make or ship things fast enough. I was told by one of the big helmet manufacturers that there are 60-plus ships with containers sitting in the port at Long Beach, California waiting to be unloaded.

Unfortunately, this situation delays shipments by weeks.

When you tell your dealers and customers that you were told by your broker you will receive the goods by a certain date and they don’t arrive until three weeks later, it makes for some unhappy clients. Sorry everyone, but we don’t control the shipping docks or the forklift union. It has been very painful and stressful dealing with delays not just in our industry but across the board. Try renovating a house when just about every item is on back order. It’s not easy. I heard a few months ago there wasn’t one front tube in stock anywhere in Canada for a 21-inch wheel. Dealers and customers had to place orders with U.S.based e-commerce giants instead.

These are crazy times we’re living in.

We will emerge from this situation wiser and more prepared should we ever have to deal with something like this again. Let’s hope better days are ahead of us. Please be careful and listen to the rules so we all can get back to a normal life. I want to travel and see the world again. Do you? Stay safe everyone and hope to see you at the track someday soon.

66 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM

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