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T H E
THE 2017 ECAN
VIVE DESCHAMBAULT!
CMRC NATIONALS OCTOBER 2017 $4.95
2010-2017
FIRST RIDE 2018 YZ450F
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M A RV I N MU S Q U I N
FUSE AIR RIVE T W E N T Y_ E I G H T E E N
T H E F I R S T. T H E F O R E V E R .
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CONGRATULATIONS SHAWN MAFFENBEIER MX2 2017 NATIONAL CHAMPION
THANK YOU
TO ALL THE TEAM MARIN BIKE PROS FOR ANOTHER AMAZING YEAR AT THE 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE CMRC ROCKSTAR MOTOCROSS NATIONALS!
COLTON FACCIOTTI, MIKE ALESSI, TYLER MEDAGLIA, KYLE CHISHOLM, KAVEN BENOIT, COLE THOMPSON, KYLE KEAST, TIM TREMBLEY, DYLAN WRIGHT, JESS PETTIS, NATHAN BLES, JEREMY MEDAGLIA, MARCO CANNELLA, WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO TEAM HONDA CANADA, GDR, FOX RACING & THE ROYAL DISTRIBUTING, MOTOVAN, PILLER’S TEAM PRESENTED BY HUBER MOTORSPORTS!
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AVAILABLE AT
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M O T O C R O S S P E R F O R M A N C E // V O L U M E 17, I S S U E 4
MX P C O N T E N T S F E AT U R E S 36
25 YEARS OF CMRC PRO N AT I O N A L S
Mike McGill takes us through the Last Decade.
30 C OV E R S T O RY The Blu Cru
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T E A M M A N A G E R F O R A D AY
52
FIRST RIDE ON THE 2 018 Y Z 4 5 0 F
Palms Goes to Work for the Red Team
Palms Rides the Blue Machine at Glen Helen 58
L O R E T TA LY N N ’ S A M AT E U R N AT I O N A L
Canadian Riders Invade the Ranch 64
GETTING SUSPENDED
68
TH E D I L L A N E PS TE I N S TO RY
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RED BULL ROCKS AND LOGS
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F X R R A C I N G R I D E D AY
82
T H E 2 017 E C A N
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TH E M A R I N S TO RY
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YO U N G A N D O N T H E R I S E
Mike Haist Explains how Suspension has Evolved The Hard Way Every Time
Extreme Racing Takes Over Calgary The FXR Team Gets Together
Deschambault Hosts Canada’s Top Amateur Riders The Marin Team Goes for a Ride East Coast Future Star Ian Robichaud
COLUMNS FA M O U S L A S T W O R D S
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GUEST COLUMN
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UPSHIFT
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INSIDE LINE
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FROM THE DESK OF
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GEARING UP
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with Chris Pomeroy by Dylan Wright
with Brian Koster by Andy White
Mark Stallybrass
SPECIALS EXPOSED CAUGHT ON CA MER A
10 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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PODIUM PERFECTION
TWENTY17 I YZ250F ALL-NEW CYLINDER HEAD I REFINED ALUMINUM FRAME I REVISED TRANSMISSION
EXPERIENCED PRO OR HARD-CHARGING AMATEUR, THE REVOLUTIONARY YZ250F PROVIDES THE POWER AND AGILITY TO GET YOU FROM GATE TO FLAG BEFORE YOUR COMPETITION.
Unit shown with optional accessories
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THE JIMMY LEG Photo by James Lissimore Jess Pettis couldn’t resist going flat during practice at Round 10.
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ENTER SANDMAN Photo by James Lissimore Tanner Ward proved in the east that he belongs in the MX2 Pro class.
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COLLISION COURSE Photos by James Lissimore Mike Alessi and Dillan Epstein fight over the same line at Riverglade.
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MUD SCRAPERS
WHEEL SEALS & BEARINGS
MXP MAGAZINE
SHOWA SFF AIR TAC GLIDE KIT
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE VOLUME 17 ISSUE 4
FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES CALL SUBSCRIPTIONS: 416-635-MXP1 PUBLISHER: Charles Stancer/Mark Stallybrass V.P. OF SALES AND MARKETING: Charles Stancer EDITOR: Chris Pomeroy SALES MANAGER: Al Jaggard SENIOR WRITERS: Brian Koster, Brent Worrall, Mike McGill SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Blake Breton STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: James Lissimore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: James Lissimore, Drew Robertson, Brian Koster, Virgil Knapp, Leticia Cline, Andy White, Matt Wellumson, Kourtney Lloyd, Krystyn Slack CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Krystyn Slack, Virgil Knapp, Clayton Racicot, James Lissimore, Bill Petro, Matt Wellumson, Frank Hoppen, Hoppenworld, Summer Denzler, Matt Wellumson, Steve Dutcheshen COVER PHOTO: Cory Walters
MXP has the exclusive rights to the CMRC’s mailing list of racing license holders. Every CMRC license holder from coast to coast receives and reads each issue of MXP. In addition to this exclusive list of readers, we are partnered with several motocross and off-road enthusiast organizations across the country including the FMSQ.
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Mike Brown gets some advice from JSR, or maybe it’s visa-versa?
The 2017 champs celebrate together.
Doug Pettis came east to cheer on his son and his future son-in-law.
It’s hard to find a photo of Epstein not smiling.
This is what happens when you crash on the sight lap.
If you think Bles looks bad, you should see the other guy.
Taking a look at what’s ahead.
20 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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2 018 GEA R AVA ILABLE NOW
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Pourcel’s boss was in Deschambault to cheer on his rider.
Deschambault was so muddy that even Claudie needed goggles.
Quebec was cold for southern riders like Cade Clason.
Two Quebec legends chat in Deschambault.
Donk and the #1 plate were glowing under the RJ’s sun.
The Wrights do their best to stay dry at Round 9.
Ernie and his best friend hang out in the paddock.
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W HERE YOU GO WITH CHRIS POMEROY s it just me or have the last few months flown by faster than a factory bike? I guess it’s like this: each and every summer when you get busy with work, family, travelling, and in my case all three, each week blends into the next, and before we know it summer is over. Then the kids head back to school and we start the clock all over again. I think for everyone who is involved in this crazy industry, September 1st is almost like our January 1st as once we say good-bye to a summer of racing, we begin to think about next year. I hope as everyone reads this that you can look back and say that your summer was a safe and successful one. It honestly feels like yesterday that James Lissimore and I were making the long drive out of Kamloops heading for Whispering Pines Raceway and the opening round of the 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. During the 45-minute drive we spoke about not just who might win that weekend but also what the entire summer might look like for both of us. At the time, James had come off a few photo shoots, as well as a few trips to the USA for some Supercross events. For myself, I had just returned from Austria and the media launch for the revolutionary KTM fuel injected two-stroke, so the gate had also dropped on my busy travel season. As we arrived at Whispering Pines Raceway and said hello to the friends we see all the time, as well as people we hadn’t seen since the final round in 2016, we both smiled as we were now back with our close-knit moto family. In this issue of MXP Magazine, I write about a
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F A M O U S
L A S T
W O R D S
“ANYWAY, WITH THOSE SWEET FAMILY MEMORIES IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I ENDED UP HAVING A GREAT DAY RIDING THE NEW YAMAHA AT ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS TRACKS ON THE PLANET.”
few of my special moments from this past summer. In my Yamaha test ride story, I talk about not only the new 2018 YZ450F but also what it was like to ride on the famous Glen Helen track for the first time. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have ridden on most of the SoCal tracks, but for some reason Glen Helen Raceway hasn’t been one of them. As I drove into the track I was quickly reminded of the day back in 1990 when my family and I were on a vacation in California when my Dad took us all to Glen Helen for the 500 Grand Prix. To listen to those incredible sounding 500cc two-strokes blast up and down the hills was truly amazing. Watching those talented riders manhandle those big bikes that day was awe inspiring, and three years later when I lined up for my first ever 500cc National, I definitely thought about that day at the USGP. Anyway, with those sweet family memories in the back of my mind, I ended up having a great day riding the new Yamaha at one of the most famous tracks on the planet. The next really special moment for me came a few days later at one of the most historic tracks in Canada, Riverglade MX Park; I also write about my interesting weekend in Moncton in this issue. In my “Team Manager for a Day” story I tell the tale about my day helping out the GDR Honda Fox Racing Team at Round 8. Even though I’m around the big teams each and every weekend at the CMRC Nationals, to be able to actually work for one and go behind the scenes was both educational and very enjoyable. I won’t go into too many details about my experiences with the GDR Honda Fox Racing Team as you’ll be able to read all about them in my story, but I will say that it definitely takes a lot of effort and there are a lot of moving parts that go into trying to make a race day successful. Finally, our cover story in this issue talks extensively about the Yamaha teams and their very successful summer. From Shawn Maffenbeier, to Matt Goerke, to Kennedy Lutz, the Blu Cru riders had an incredible summer in 2017. What was truly enjoyable about watching the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha and MX101 FXR Racing Yamaha teams was the way they won their respective titles. None of the championships were just handed to them on a silver platter, they went out and earned them the hard way. From the opening round in Kamloops to the final moto in Barrie, the Blu Cru battled just about every obstacle imaginable to reach their goals. Like KTM in 2016, this season was a magical one for both of the Yamaha teams. I hope everyone enjoys this issue of MXP Magazine. From the stories mentioned above to other features like the Loretta Lynn’s and Deschambault ECAN stories, as well as a very cool story on one of the new stars of the CMRC Nationals, Dillan Epstein, this issue is full of great reading for everyone. I also hope that everyone has a great fall season of riding, and good luck to Team Canada in England at the 2017 MXoNs.
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N EVER GIVE UP WITH DYLAN WRIGHT guess the last time I wrote to you guys, it was the start of the series and things weren’t really going as planned. As you all know I was struggling a little bit and it was a difficult start to the season. As my luck would have it, I was able to turn my season around, finishing off the season with five podiums and second overall in the series. Turning a season around like I did doesn’t come easy, because after a few bad races, you start doubting yourself and your skills. The one thing that is the most important is to not give up, and keep putting faith into your program and your team. That’s exactly what I did; the team and I put lots of hours in testing and chatting about solutions. We all knew that we had what it takes to win and be up near the front, as we just kept pushing until we got there. After my first podium in Regina, SK, I knew coming east, finally with some confidence, was exactly what I needed. The eastern tracks fit my riding style a little better and I do have a little more track time on a few of them. Might I add that a lot of these podiums didn’t come easy with some falls and a mud round that didn’t go as planned, but all in all it was a good season and we have a lot to build on and learn from for years to come. Now looking back at the east coast, I feel like I have had some of the best rides of my career, and at most of them, I had the speed to win and the lap times proved that. Now we all know it’s racing and a lot can happen between when the gate drops and the checkered flag waves. This is one of my favourite parts about racing is that you never know what can happen. Let’s talk about the second overall in the series. Some people may say that I got lucky, some people may say that others gave it to me and others see the side of that anything can happen in racing. I look at it as every race day is a battle. Every Sunday
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C O L U M N
“EVERY SUNDAY WE LINE UP TO RACE IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT WIN AND PROVE YOURSELF TO YOUR TEAM, YOUR FANS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY YOURSELF.”
we line up to race is a new opportunity to get that win and prove yourself to your team, your fans and most importantly yourself. This is what I love about racing is that you always have that opportunity going for you. That being said, the championship is a war. This is a war that lasts all season long with 10 rounds and 20 motos. In the end you must be the guy that is there throughout the whole season. That’s what I did, there were motos that didn’t go as planned, but there’s one thing I never did and that is give up. Although the bike may have been bent out of shape or my body was sore, I always put it in my mind that I must keep charging while trying to get as far to the front as I possibly could, and that every point really does matter. Looking back, I only got second in the championship by one point, and it’s because of those motos that I made that one extra pass that I was able to secure that spot in the championship, and that is something that is really cool to me and makes it worth while with all those hard fought motos. I would like to send out a congratulations to Shawn Maffenbeier who is the one who ultimately won the war and the championship. Being on the podium sure does make all those motos and time in the gym worth it. It makes all the hard hours that the mechanics and the team spend in the shop worth it when they get to reap the glory of the champagne at the end of the day. All and all I am so happy that I, along with the team, was able to turn our season around and finish off the season with the final moto win. Before going out on the track, I said to Derek Schuster that you are only as good as your last race, and taking that into the winter, I really look forward to starting the season off next year where we ended this year, on top. Now let’s talk about the weekend I had at Budd’s Creek. I made the decision that I wanted to do the last two rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships south of the border. I had a lot of fun doing Ironman last year and I learned a lot doing so, so I thought it was important for me to do these again. The day I had at Budd’s Creek was a pretty awesome one. I was able to go 13-13 for 13th overall, which I was very pleased with. I felt like I really belonged there and with a little bit of work I could make it into the top 10. Again, this weekend I learned a lot and will bring it this weekend in Indiana. The tracks are gnarly and the competition is stacked, but I know I have what it takes to run their pace. I also need to send out a huge thank you to Derek Schuster and Colton Facciotti who flew out to Budd’s Creek to help me out. It just goes to show you how tight we are as a team and that teamwork really does make the dream work. I need to send a special thanks to Colton Facciotti for the endless support and advice throughout the season. I want to thank my girlfriend, Jayme Gervais, and her wonderful family for their support and lending me their motorhome to pit out of. I also want to thank all of my sponsors, fans, friends and family for their continued support throughout my 2017 Motocross Season.
26 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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F RIENDS FIRST WITH BRIAN KOSTER t’s hard to believe this past year was the 25th Anniversary of the CMRC Motocross National Series. Man, I was racing under the CMA since I was a young boy and saw firsthand its glory and its demise. Maybe it was the so called, and what I can say the contrived, “energy crisis” of the time that reduced the number of racers that put fear into every parent’s mind, wondering if they could ever fill up the family station wagon with fuel again. Or maybe it was the CMA’s lack of tracks in one of Canada’s hottest markets, being Southwestern Ontario. My older middle brother was racing several years before my first race, going back to the mid to late 1970s, where he was a regular top ten guy in 125 Junior. One thing I’m sure a lot of younger riders and new people to the sport don’t realize but back in those days on any given Sunday it was not uncommon to have well over a hundred entries in just that one Junior class alone. It was unreal how big the sport was back then, and in that 125 Junior class there was always three qualifiers before the gate was made up for the final. Add in all the other classes and the top level of the then called “Expert” class (now Pro) and it was usually an epic day at the races. Once I got to the driving age and had my own pick-up truck, the first sticker I put on the rear window was the CMA sticker, which to me was a badge of honour…and a way to silently communicate to other enthusiasts that we were cut from the same moto cloth, so to speak. As I grew up it became evident that the CMA did not warrant the esteem that I had once given them. The sport declined continually from the top down, and with the Southwestern Ontario race schedule eventually consisting of only two tracks, the writing for change was on the wall. To back things up a bit more, I grew up in the sticks and went to a country school but was lucky enough to be no more than a fifteen-minute drive to three decent sized cities (Milton, Burlington and Hamilton), so I had a good mix of country life and city culture. Being at the races was a good opportunity to meet kids from far and wide, and for parents to meet and bond with other parents and competitors as well. As for racing, you always seemed to find the riders who, no matter the track or conditions, would invariably encounter one another out on the track fighting for position. This is where I met many lifelong friends, friends who have been there through thick and thin, friends who came from motocross. One of those friends was Mark Stallybrass. Mark was from Toronto and for me that was like being from another solar system, so I thought that was pretty cool. We shared the passion of motocross, both okay riders but never quite as good as we wished we were, but boy did we try. Did we love motocross? Boy did we ever! Now this story is just telling it like it was way back then, no ulterior motives or ass kissing, just the way it was. So as the years passed and
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“THAT IS WHEN MARK SAW THE LACK OF INTEREST FROM THE CMA TO DO A DARN THING TO IMPROVE THE SPORT THAT WE SAW DWINDLING AWAY AND TOOK UP THE SOLO MISSION TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.”
we grew up a bit. Stally worked in a bike shop then graduated from College and landed a dream job within the industry at Yamaha. I kept racing after Mark sustained a near fatal racing incident, though he remained active in the race scene in his role at Yamaha. That is when Mark saw the lack of interest from the CMA to do a darn thing to improve the sport that we saw dwindling away and took up the solo mission to do something about it. With everyone thinking he was nuts, Stally took on the challenge to improve racing, first in Southwestern Ontario with a vision to one day include all of Canada. He quit a great position at Yamaha and went up against the almighty CMA. Of course, they fought him hard every step of the way and they had a good arsenal, but eventually the CMRC was born and became the leader of Canadian moto. Eventually, a CMRC National Series was born and I was there to see firsthand the trials and tribulations a new organization faces, especially with an enemy in the CMA always a stone’s throw away to try to sabotage its every forward moving effort. Twenty-five years later, the series has created a lot of jobs and helped many riders not only make a name for themselves but earn a decent living racing motocross in Canada. It’s funny how some of these same people involved in the industry don’t even realize or reflect on this fact, and all they want is more from the sport? How much more is there even available in our relatively small sport? So much has been done to improve things, and yes, there is always room for improvement in most everything in life but what will it take to satisfy those who want more? Currently, there is a connected, top shelf National Agency employed for the second year (and lesser agencies employed in the years before them) by the National Series to get outside media to the track. They work tirelessly to get local TV and newspapers to the Nationals to report on our sport and to widen knowledge and acceptance as well as draw spectators to the races. They have had a modicum of success, which is awesome, but it’s hard to try to sway this stick and ball Canadian mentality to give a damn about motocross, especially on a National news front. If you want to be prepared for many slamming doors, hung up phones and emails that go without response, be my guest. From where I stand there have been a lot of improvements over twenty-five years. Sometimes I sit up on a scissor lift behind a massive control panel of screens, knobs, levers and wires during the peak of a National day and just survey what’s going on all around me. When I see a beautifully dressed track all bannered up in colourful sponsorship glory, the pro pits full of primo rigs, and a healthy crowd of fired up spectators lining up for autographs and lining the track, I can’t help but feel good for the sport, and for the many loyal sponsors, but I believe the biggest benefactor in all this are the fans who make the effort to attend and take it all in.
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COVER STORY
T H E BY CHRIS POMEROY |
B L U
C R U
PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE
ver the years in Canadian motocross, Yamaha has been the bike of choice for champions numerous times. From as far back as the mid-‘80s with the legendary Ross “Rollerball” Pederson, Yamaha motorcycles have be synonyms with winning. Even though they went through a slight dry spell during the 1990s, the OEM with the famous tuning fork logo came back strong in 2000 with an MX1 title and then multiple championships with the Blackfoot Yamaha Team from 2007-2011. When Blackfoot decided to close shop, the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha Team, as well as the MX101 FXR Racing Yamaha Team, took over the duties of carrying the big blue flag. With support from companies like Rockstar Energy, OTSFF and FXR Racing, these two teams have been able to find success and keep Yamaha in the winner’s circle. In 2016, all of the teams were forced to sit back and watch the KTM Orange Brigade win not just the MX2 and MX1 titles, but also the CMRC Western Canadian Women’s title with Shelby Turner. Last year was without a doubt an unforgettable summer for KTM, while at the same time very humbling to all of the other teams. However, in the true spirit of the competitiveness that engulfs the sport of motocross, all of the teams regrouped and then came out swinging in 2017. This was no more evident than with the two Yamaha teams as they would spend the offseason testing and preparing for their assault on the 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. In the MX1 class, the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Team entered the opening round in Kamloops with one goal in mind: to take back the MX1 title they had lost the year before to Davi Millsaps and KTM. With team riders Matt Goerke and Tim Tremblay at the helm, the OTSFF Yamaha team came out swinging in the opening rounds. From Kamloops to Regina, Matt Goerke averaged podium finishes in the MX1 class, he even pulled off an unexpected win in Calgary on a track at which he normally doesn’t do well. However, even though Goerke and his team carried the points lead into the eastern rounds, the first four rounds of the 2017 series weren’t without struggles. After getting reeled in and passed for the lead in the closing stages of the second moto at Round 1 in Kamloops, Matt Goerke was
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“FROM THERE THE MOMENTUM JUST APPEARED TO BUILD FOR GOERKE AND HIS ROCKSTAR OTSFF YAMAHA TEAM.”
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 31
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COVER STORY
T H E
B L U
C R U
“AFTER YEARS OF TRYING AND GIVING THIS SPORT EVERYTHING HE HAD, SHAWN MAFFENBEIER FINALLY WON HIS FIRST EVER CMRC CANADIAN PRO CHAMPIONSHIP.”
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forced to do some sole searching before the series was even two rounds old. I remember sitting at the Kamloops airport just hours after the final MX1 moto in Kamloops when Matt Goerke wandered in and sat down; actually, he laid down across from me and stretched out on the bench seat. I quickly asked him what was wrong as he look completely drained. I knew the hot day at Whispering Pines Raceway had been taxing on all of the riders, but I didn’t expect one of the series’ top stars to look so tired after just one day of racing. We chatted for a while, and during our conversation Goerke told me that he not only felt as if he was getting sick with something but that he was also frustrated at how badly his bike handled on the rough Kamloops track. He was so distraught that it was almost like he thought all of the pre-season training and testing was for nothing. In Goerke’s words, he simply said, “It felt like I just had nothing to give today.” With that conversation stuck in my mind, we both said our good-byes and then headed our separate ways with a promise to talk more at Round 2 in Prince George. I bring up that story only because it shows just how big of a rebound Goerke and his team made after Kamloops and as the series continued. The next weekend in Prince George, Goerke finished second overall after a spirited battle with Christophe Pourcel. From there the momentum just appeared to build for Goerke and his Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha Team. Even with a minor chain issue in Regina, and then an abnormal non-win at his favourite track, Gopher Dunes, Matt Goerke was able to persevere to win the 2017 CMRC MX1 title, his third title on Canadian soil. Throughout the ten-round and twenty moto MX1 series, if I had to pick one race that stood out as a crucial one for Goerke and his title run, it would have to be Round 7 in Truro, NS. On a very fast and hard to pass track, in both MX1 motos, Goerke threw caution to the wind and came from way behind to finish second overall. Considering he won the MX1 title by just three scant points, the nine he made up that day on his archrival Pourcel were critical to his championship. I feel like that day in Nova Scotia encapsulated Goerke’s season, and his hard charging, never say die riding style was certainly put on display that day. It’s also worth noting that Goerke’s teammate, Tim Tremblay, racing in his first ever full season in the MX1 class, would end up finishing an impressive eighth overall. In the MX2 class, the series started off with both the thrill of victory and the agony of bad luck and defeat. Right from the opening gate drop in Kamloops, Shawn Maffenbeier, Jess Pettis and their MX101 FXR Racing Yamaha Team were class leaders. Even with moto wins in the first three rounds, they still found themselves trailing the ever consistent defending MX2 Champion Cole Thompson in the points standings. In fact, as far into the series as Round 6 in Quebec, Shawn was over 30 points behind Thompson with very little hope of catching him. Even when Maffenbeier won motos, Thompson found a way to finish in second and limit the damage. Although a championship appeared to be hopeless for Maffenbeier and his MX101 Yamaha Team, they never gave up and were set on fighting right to the end.
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 33
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“LIKE ANY SPORT, MOST PEOPLE JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS DURING THEIR HIGHLY GLORIFIED EVENTS. WHAT THEY DON’T SEE IS ALL OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON DURING THE WEEK AND BEHIND THE SCENES.”
COVER STORY
T H E
B L U
C R U
At Round 6, with Maffenbeier sprinting away to a moto win, Thompson found himself stuck behind his old AX foe Jacob Hayes. For reasons that only Thompson knows, he tried to make an unnecessary, aggressive pass on Hayes and wound up not only on the ground but also injured with a dislocated thumb. In a matter of moments, Thompson’s season went from being almost perfect to an utter disaster. Although he tried to ride the following weekend in Truro, Thompson’s season was over, and Maffenbeier quickly went from the rider who was hunting to the rider that was being hunted. On one hand, this was Maffenbeier’s goal all season long, but on the other, he was now dealing with the pressure of being the rider in control of the points lead. For Maffenbeier, who has come so close to winning titles in the past only to have them slip through his fingers, this was a difficult position to be in. The final rounds of the MX2 series is when Maffenbeier was at his absolute best, I believe. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he performed like a true champion. Even after having the bad luck of his bike expiring during the second MX2 moto at Round 9, Maffenbeier kept his eyes on the ultimate prize. Entering the final round of the series in Barrie, ON, Maffenbeier held an 11-point lead over Ryan Surratt. With an entire country watching and cheering him on, Maffenbeier stood tall and did exactly what he wanted to in the final two motos of his dream season. After winning the opening moto, Maffenbeier cruised home in third during Moto 2 and not only won the battle for the day, but also, more importantly, he won the war. After years of trying and giving this sport everything he had, Shawn Maffenbeier finally won his first ever CMRC Canadian
Pro Championship. It was a dream come true for Maffenbeier and his team, through all of the hard work and the adversity they all faced during 2017. To stand on top of the podium and hold up that big #1 plate with the afternoon sun shining on his face, had to have been the sweetest feeling in the world. Like any sport, most people just see what happens during their highly glorified events. What they don’t see is all of the work that goes on during the week and behind the scenes. To win a championship at the top level of any sport is an incredible feat, but for Yamaha to win both the MX1 and MX2 titles in the same year is pretty amazing. Throw in the fact that Saskatchewan rider Kennedy Lutz gave Yamaha the triple crown by taking home the CMRC Eastern Canadian Women’s Nationals this summer, it was definitely a blue summer at the CMRC Nationals. Last year, KTM set the bar high by dominating the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. In 2017, the Yamaha teams came back strong and answered the call. With their 2017 Champions, Matt Goerke, Shawn Maffenbeier and Kennedy Lutz, as well a host of young up and coming talented riders like Casey Keast, Marco Cannella, Josh Gedak, and Jake Tricco, the Yamaha Blu Cru has many reasons to be excited. Also, with an all-new 2018 YZ450F set to be released this month, as well as a strong two-stroke line-up, Yamaha is continuing to make sure that all their riders have the equipment they need to be successful. We at MXP Magazine would like to congratulate all of the Yamaha riders for their success in 2017, and we hope you like our Champions cover featuring Matt Goerke and Shawn Maffenbeier.
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MATT GOERKE
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MATT GOERKE __ Congrats to Matt Goerke on his 33rd MX1 Motocross Nationals title.
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O F T H E C M R C C A N A D I A N P R O N AT I O N A L S
Part 3
THE FORMIDABLE YEARS Over the years, Australian Brett Metcalfe has been one of the fastest International riders to enter the CMRC Nationals.
BY MIKE MCGILL PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE
n this, the third installment of the history of the CMRC Motocross National Series, we’ll be delving into the notso-distant past, covering the years between 2010 up until the present. Highlights from these years include the changing of title sponsors from one Energy Drink giant to another, Factory Honda’s reentry into the Canadian motocross scene, and the continuing influx of star riders from south of the border. I must begin, however, by stating a few of my personal thoughts on what it has been like putting this threepart story together, and what it was like for me to speak with some of those who have made the CMRC National Motocross Series what it is today. As an average racer, and more importantly a big fan of the sport ever since I was a youngster, I’ve literally had a front row seat for everything that’s gone on in the past twenty-five years, and I must say that it truly has been a labour of love on my part working on this piece for MXP Magazine. The
I
opportunity to talk moto with the stars of the sport in this country has been a truly enjoyable experience for me. I must say that I was a little nervous in approaching some of these guys, but Doug Dubach, Blair Morgan and JeanSebastien Roy, who are legitimate stars of the sport and riders that I have idolized over the years, were more than happy to chat with me about their illustrious careers. They donated their time to help with the story and seemed truly happy to do so. Dusty Klatt, Marco Dube, Doug DeHaan and Chris Pomeroy, all former top pro riders, couldn’t have been more willing to talk moto with me and helped immensely with this story as well. On the management side, CMRC President Mark Stallybrass, who was obviously in the busiest time of his year, would drop everything any time I called to question him on specific events from the past. On the business side of the racing scene, guys like Ron Ashley, former owner of the Two-Wheel Motorsport Team, Dave Gowland, who is now, as his former rider Doug Dubach joking refers to him, a real bigshot
with Monster Energy in the States, and Andre Laurin, who is featured in this installment of the story, were very gracious with their time and were more than willing to tell me their stories. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the people involved with motocross in this country are truly a generous and humble group, and this to me certainly explains a lot when you consider how successful and prestigious this series has become. It’s because of the quality of the people that have been involved, right from the beginning. The 2010 season and the new decade started off much like the last one had ended, with the powerful
Blackfoot team taking the top spots on the podium in the MX1 and MX2 classes in 2010 and 2011. Blackfoot’s Dusty Klatt was experiencing a serious return to form after a few years away from the Blackfoot team and took the top spot on the podium in 2010. In the MX2 class, Tyler Medaglia was able to string together back-to-back National Championships for Blackfoot in 2010 and 2011, and Colton Facciotti, who struggled with injuries in 2010, came back to win what was to be Blackfoot’s final MX1 Championship in 2011. Yes, unfortunately, 2011 was to be the final season for the Blackfoot team and their participation in the CMRC Na-
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OF THE CMRC CANADIAN P R O N AT I O N A L S Part 3 A very young Tyler Medaglia and Colton Facciotti celebrate their 2010 Championships.
The Blackfoot Yamaha ‘super team’ from 2011.
The Facciotti / Alessi battle from 2014 was an epic one.
tional Championship Series that they campaigned over the years for both Honda and Yamaha. Since the team’s inception in 2001, Blackfoot racked up an extremely impressive 10 MX1 Championships and added another 5 MX2 titles to their resume for a total of 15 CMRC National Championship titles in an eleven-year span. Of course, the team had a fantastic array of talent under contract over those years, and did have several American stars ride for them at times, namely guys like Damon Huffman and Michael Craig, but their support of Canadian talent over the years was admirable, in my opinion. In fact, other than Nevada’s Jimmy Nelson’s MX2 title in 2007, all of Blackfoot’s titles went to homegrown Canadian riders. The great JSR, of course, took five MX1 titles in a row, while Dusty Klatt chipped in with four
of his own; two on the small bike and two in the MX1 class. Facciotti scored three MX1 titles for the team and Tyler Medaglia, as previously mentioned, won the MX2 title in both 2010 and 2011. Pretty darn impressive, but why would such a successful team leave the series when they and the series were seemingly at an all-time high? “There were a few reasons,” says Dean Thompson who started out as Team Coordinator with Blackfoot in 2001 and transitioned into the role of Team Manager in 2006, the year the switch to Yamaha started. “You could say we were a victim of our own success,” says Thompson. “You see, Yamaha would basically write us a cheque at the beginning of the season and we would spend every cent of that money on the race team. Our guys would do so
well, apparent by all the bonus money that needed to be paid out at the end of the year to our riders. Championship bonuses and such would come out of our own expenses. Basically, we sucked the bank dry. Thompson goes on to add that the economy in 2010 and 2011 was not the greatest, and Yamaha, while they were still willing to sponsor the team, was looking at cutting back. “That made the decision easier,” states Thompson. “We would have had to give our staff pay-cuts in order to continue on at the same level as before. That obviously wasn’t going to fly. Plus, everyone was just getting tired,” he adds. “We had a long run at the top but it was time.” Thompson, however, looks back with nothing but fond memories of the team’s time in the CMRC National Championship Series. “Nothing but
fond memories,” says Thompson. “The camaraderie was the thing that I enjoyed the most. Everyone always says the laid-back atmosphere and the friendly vibe is the one thing that sets the CMRC Series apart from its U.S. counterpart and that really is true. We seemed to always be able to maintain a lot of respect within the pits while still being able to be a very professional race team. Don’t get me wrong, we took it very seriously. It wasn’t a hobby for us it was our job and our livelihood, but we were able to have a lot of fun as well and that’s what I’ll always remember.” Thompson is also quick to point out that when KTM came into the series they really took over where Blackfoot left off in 2012. “Sure,” says Thompson. “They picked up the Red Bull and Fox sponsorships and our riders as well so things kind of just continued.”
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Last year, Cole Thompson won his first ever Canadian Pro title in the MX2 class.
Thompson’s perfect elbows-up style makes him a fan favourite.
One of the most successful and stylish riders from the past decade was BC’s Dusty Klatt.
Indeed, KTM did make a bold and Blackfoot-like splash into the series when they went big in 2012. They chose to emulate the Blackfoot model, to a large extent, and even hired JeanSebastien Roy on, first as a consultant and eventually as Team Manager. Their attention to detail under his guidance certainly has paid off for the Austrian manufacturer as they have won the MX2 title for the past three seasons. In 2014 and 2015, Kaven Benoit took the honours while Cole Thompson won the MX2 title last season. That, coupled with a dominating run to the MX1 Championship for Davi Millsaps last season, capped off a truly fantastic year for the team. KTM’s biggest coup to date, perhaps, came last season when they hired Davi Millsaps to contest the CMRC Nationals for them. “Davi did not disappoint,”
states Stallybrass. “And while he did put on quite a show he did not completely dominate the series, showing once again the level and quality of the competition in the CMRC Nationals.” As we all know, race teams come and race teams go. It happens in every form of racing in every series around the world, so when Blackfoot left it certainly did not spell doom and gloom for the CMRC Series. “Absolutely not,” sates Mark Stallybrass. “Their riders and outside sponsors continued on in the series.” What Blackfoot did leave behind, however, was a blueprint on how to run a professional race team. “It was a business for them and they ran it very well,” says Stallybrass. “They had a very good reputation and their professionalism set a standard for others to shoot for, that’s for sure.” With the departure of Blackfoot, it gave other
teams a shot at the coveted #1 plates, and that’s exactly what the Leading Edge, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team did in 2012 and 2013. Blackfoot generally went by the policy of hiring from within, which meant Canadian. “We were a Canadian dealership,” says Dean Thompson, “We wanted people to buy from us so it would have been somewhat hypocritical for us not to have hired Canadian riders.” The Leading Edge team took a different approach, however, opting instead to hire who they thought was the best rider available regardless of nationality. And so, the influx of top US based riders into the CMRC Series had begun. The 2012 and 2013 seasons were dominated by Leading Edge Kawasaki riders. Floridian Matt Goerke won his first CMRC MX1 Title in 2012 while Fort
Dodge, Iowa’s Teddy Maier took the top spot in the MX2 division. Same team but different names was the case in 2013 as multi-time Australian National Champion and former US National Factory rider Brett Metcalfe won the MX1 Championship and was joined on the top spot of the podium by MX2 Champ Austin Politelli, who hails from the MX hotbed of Menifee, California. “Monster loved it,” chuckles Stallybrass. “They were the title sponsor of the series and their team was wracking up titles. They were thrilled.” And really the story of this era of CMRC Pro National Motocross is all about the US stars, who now view the CMRC series as a legitimate option for them to continue their careers at a high level and possibly win a championship while racing for a top team. Andre Laurin, the owner of the Rock-
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OF THE CMRC CANADIAN P R O N AT I O N A L S Part 3
Kaven Benoit was the last rider to win an MX2 title on a two-stroke.
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star Energy, OTSFF, Yamaha Team, couldn’t agree more. Although Laurin had been competing with a team in the CMRC Series since 2003, he really ramped up his effort after the Blackfoot squad left in 2011. “Nobody really took us seriously in those early days,” recalls Laurin. “I’d gone snocross racing with Iain Hayden (former competitor in the CMRC Series) back in ‘02 and he talked me into it. We actually had John Dowd ride for us in our first year, which was 2003, and he got 3rd overall in the MX1 Series.” Laurin, who uses his racing team as a branding platform for his OTSFF Transportation business, agrees that the period between 2009 and now has been an exciting growth period for the CMRC Series. “Of course, the longer you’re in the more it costs you,” laughs Laurin, but agrees the race team has been very valuable in gaining exposure for his primary business. “Blackfoot always hired the fast Canadians so I had no choice but to hire guys from the US if I wanted to be competitive,” explains Laurin. “Believe me, I’ve tried to hire Colton, as recently as 2015 as a matter of fact, but it just never worked out.” Regardless, Laurin was rewarded for his sponsorship efforts in 2015 when Matt Goerke won the team their first MX1 Championship in dominating fashion. “Yes, that was pretty sweet,” says Laurin, who is quick to add that while Georke is the only championship rider the OTSFF Team has had to date, there have been many other great riders and tight championship battles along the way. Most notably with New York native Bobby Kiniry who raced for several years for the OTSFF team and had many podiums and several 2nd place overall finishes in the MX1 class. “He was an absolute gladiator,” states Laurin when speaking of Kiniry. “I’ve had some premium athletes on this team over the years and they are all extremely tough guys, but Bobby K was on another level in that department, that’s for sure.” Laurin is unsure of what the future
In 2016, the KTM Thor Racing Team painted Canada orange with their two titles.
may hold for his OTSFF Racing Team but feels that he will definitely continue on in the CMRC Series in some capacity. He also plans to continue fielding a team in the Arenacross Series in the US but says he owes a lot of his racing success to the CMRC National Series. “The series really has done a great job of marketing itself through its sponsors, television, just everything,” says Laurin. “Without this series, I couldn’t have done what I have on the racing side, that’s for sure.” Speaking of television, the broadcast of the CMRC Nationals continues to be a cornerstone of the series’ success in not only Canada but North America. “This decade has really been more about polishing and perfecting,” says Travers. “We’ve been at this a long time now so we’re really looking at taking a good thing and making it better.” Track dressing is something that Travers refers to when speaking about perfecting their product. “When you look back at the old video from the ‘90s or the early 2000s it looks pretty bleak a lot of the time,” laughs Travers. “Something we really concentrate on doing now is try to make the track look as good as possible by the way of sponsor banner placement and such. I think that’s important and all part of the progression that we strive for.” Unfortunately, the Nationals’ long broadcast relationship with Sportsnet came to an end in 2013, after the network shelled out a fortune for the broadcast rights to NHL Hockey in Canada. “Yes, we were a casualty of that,” laments Travers, but after brief stints on a couple of other networks, the series landed a deal with TSN to broadcast the MX1 class for 2017. “It’s always good to be on a National Broadcaster,” says Travers, “and early reports from the network are good. They like the excitement, the colour, the Rockstar girls, and it’s Canadian. It’s exactly what they were hoping for.” CMRC is also in the third year of a deal that
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OF THE CMRC CANADIAN P R O N AT I O N A L S
Part 3
After switching from Kawasaki to Yamaha, Matt Goerke took home his second of three Canadian MX1 Championships.
The 2013 Leading Edge Thor Kawasaki Team was another group that was able to win both the MX1 and MX2 titles in the same year.
televises the races on MavTV in the states, RDS in Quebec, and something new for 2015 came in the form of live streaming for the first time. “The live streaming on the ConX2share app has been going well,” states Travers. “Last season, Brian Koster did the live announcing by himself for the live stream, which was an extremely difficult job. This year we are calling the races live together for the first time so that’s new and exciting.” Travers sees this as a possible building block towards live television for the races in the future. “Hey, you never know,” says Travers, “it could happen, just like down in the States.” Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the CMRC National Series, but as is the case with any professional endeavour there are always some bumps along the road. For instance, in 2015 the races at both Sand de Lee
and Walton were deleted from the schedule. Walton was of course the site of the first CMRC National way back in 1993, and the removal was met with both surprise and disbelief by many fans and industry observers. “It was a business decision, pure and simple,” states Stallybrass. “When Rockstar took over from Monster as title sponsor for the Nationals in 2014 they had some different ideas and those two venues didn’t really fit into their plans.” Stallybrass goes on to elaborate a little about the change of title sponsors that took place at the beginning of the 2015 season. “It was an economic decision,” says Stallybrass. “We had a good run with Monster, but with the addition of Rockstar I believe we have taken the level of professionalism up a notch once again. Rockstar is a very proactive company and the CMRC Nationals are their largest sponsorship vehicle in
Canada. They are very attentive, always wanting to try new things, always pushing for greater attention to detail; pushing the envelope. It really keeps us on our toes and that’s always a good thing in business.” With the removal of Walton as a venue for the Nationals, the prestigious title of longest running National in the series went to Larry Northrup’s Riverglade MX Park in New Brunswick. Northrup is a former pro racer who now operates Riverglade MX Park and the Toys for Big Boy’s Motorcycle dealership in Moncton, New Brunswick. After meeting with Mark Stallybrass all the way back in 1993, Larry and the Riverglade facility held its first CMRC National in 1995, and the track has been on the schedule ever since, which makes it the longest running Pro National in Canada. “We switched from CMA over to the
CMRC in ’95,” comments Larry, “and we never looked back. It’s been a great relationship over the years,” he goes on to add. Northrup sees CMRC as a sanctioning body that can match his passion for the sport of motocross, and that’s what attracted him to Stallybrass’s group initially. “Mark has always surrounded himself with a great group of people who have a real passion for the sport,” continues Northrup. “They’re not just there to collect license fees. They’re trying to grow the sport and make it better. That’s the goal, to make things better every year.” Over his 20+ years of involvement with the CMRC Nationals, Northrup says there have been so many great memories that it’s hard to keep track of them all, but lists Blair Morgan’s win at the inaugural round in ‘95 and some late-night track grooming with JSR in the mid 2000s when he was still with
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Photo: R. Schedl Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
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OF THE CMRC CANADIAN P R O N AT I O N A L S
Part 3
American rider Teddy Maier was one of the fastest and nicest riders to ever travel to Canada to race.
Blackfoot Honda as a couple of his favourites. “I was pressed for time and battling the weather,” remembers Northrup. “JSR jumped into one of the dozers and said he was going to help me groom the track. He stayed out there for several hours with me lending a hand. I’m not sure if all of the other teams were really pleased with it, but hey, I needed the help,” chuckles Northrup. On a more serious note, Northrup also lists the Brian House Memorial Trophy as a big part of the Riverglade MX National every year. The award is named for the late Brian House, a local at the Riverglade Mx Park racer who
passed away in 2005, and is awarded to the top Atlantic Canadian finisher at the race every year. Needless to say, Truro, Nova Scotia resident Tyler Medaglia has won this honour on several occasions. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises that has taken place in this decade of the CMRC Nationals was the entrance of Mike Alessi, the Alessi family and the Moto Concepts Racing Team into the series in 2014. Alessi is of course well known to any moto enthusiast. His debut into the pro ranks was one of the most eagerly anticipated of all times, and he had for years been a factory rider in the US as
well as a consistent threat to win the AMA 450 MX outdoor title. “He added even more credibility to the series,” agrees Stallybrass. “And hey, he didn’t win. That shows a lot about the competitiveness of the series as well.” He did come close, however, and had it not been for the fact that he ran out of gas while leading the first moto at Gopher Dunes he very well may have. Instead, in what was the other big story of the 2014 season, Colton Facciotti won his fourth MX1 Championship for the GDR Honda Factory Team, who made a return to the CMRC Series for the first time since 2006. “It’s always good to have Honda as part of the series,”
stresses Stallybrass. In fact, with the return of Honda in 2014, the paddock at the CMRC Nationals had never looked more professional. Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM and Honda were all represented by Factory Race Teams, with big shiny rigs at every round. Add to this the satellite teams like Redemption Racing KTM, Moto Concepts Suzuki and MX 101 Yamaha, and the show had never been bigger or more competitive. The little series that started out back in 1993 with one race had truly come of age.
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Palms Goes to Work for the Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing Team efore I get into exactly how the day went as acting Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing Team Manager, I first must tell you how the idea even came about. During a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon sit down lunch under the GDR Honda tent in Prince George, BC, myself, James Lissimore and the entire GDR Honda Team (including riders Colton Facciotti and Dylan Wright) began talking about what a cool story it would be if at one of the rounds of the 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals, I was to become a part of the team and work as acting
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BY CHRIS POMEROY |
PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE
Team Manager for a day. At first, we all laughed as it was mentioned in the context of a joke, but as we moved past the humorous questions of what type of playlist I’d make up for under the tent, I was asked if I knew how to run a BBQ. The more we talked about it and the more I thought about it, the more it sounded like a great idea. I mean, in the past I’ve done the Factory Rider for a Day story where I actually spent the day racing for a team, but at 44-years of age that just isn’t realistic anymore. However, what did sound very intriguing was going behind the scenes and in the trenches to experience just what the
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Dylan Wright ate a lot of roost on his way to 4th overall at Riverglade.
With me there to help in Moncton, I guess Derek had time to help out the track crew.
day in the life of a Team Manager is like at the pro level. So, without further ado, here is my story. After GDR Honda Team owner Derek Schuster and I agreed that this idea was indeed a good one, the next item we had to determine was which weekend would work the best. Originally, we thought that the Gopher Dunes National might be a good one, but then we decided that with that round being his home race, things might be too busy. We finally decided that we would do it at one of the most historic tracks of the series. The ageless and timeless Riverglade MX Park in Moncton would provide the perfect backdrop for this once in a lifetime story. When this story idea was first floated about, it was just supposed to be just for Sunday’s race. But, with credit to Derek Schuster, he wanted me to experience more and get a real feel for what it was like to be a part of his team. He insisted that I join the team for their customary Saturday evening pre-race team dinner. Of course I agreed and at 6:15pm sharp the GDR Honda Team picked me up at my hotel and we drove to this incredible, authentic Italian restaurant in downtown Moncton. As we all sat down and I put my cell phone on the table, as I normally do during dinner, I was quickly informed, by almost everyone at once I might add, that there were
Working with the GDR Honda was the best part of the day for me.
no cell phones allowed at the table. For this dinner, my iPhone 6 would have to stay in my pocket. This rule was Derek’s invention and it was done to promote conversation and team unity, two things that are essential if a team wants to have any success. Of course, it isn’t easy to have your phone an arm’s reach away and not be able to check it every few minutes, but rules are rules and as a guest at the table, I made sure I obeyed it, especially considering that the punishment for looking at your phone during dinner was having to buy everyone’s meal. With a table full of hungry riders and mechanics, this was something I didn’t want to do. Ironically, when Derek’s phone rang multiple times back to back while in his pocket, sensing perhaps an emergency back home, he quickly looked down to see who might be calling. The good news for Derek was that there was no trouble on the home front. The bad news was that someone saw him look at his phone, thus he was made to enforce his own rule and buy everyone dinner. After some great food, some good conversation and of course a lot of laughs, dinner concluded and we all retired for the evening. As the team dropped me back at my hotel, they left me with one important message - don’t be late for work tomorrow! For whatever reason, the following morning I missed my alarm, woke up to the sound of Andy White texting me that he was downstairs and ready to roll to the track. The clock read 7:04am and I was supposed to be at track for 7:15am. As you can imagine, I was in full panic mode. I really have to say thanks to Andy for going to grab some coffees, waiting for me, and then breaking every speed limit in Moncton while we raced to the track. By the time I arrived at the track, riders meeting was already halfway done, so I just hung out at the GDR Honda truck and chatted with mechanics Kyle Ward and Justin Petker about how excited I was. Soon the riders and boss man Derek Schuster returned, and in stereo they all said, “You’re late Palms!” With Dylan Wright’s MX2 practice up in a few minutes I quickly inquired as to what would be my first duty of the day. Did Derek want me to grab a headset and walk out into the middle of the track? Did he want me to head up to the starting line to observe Dylan practising his starts? With an extra-large Tim Horton’s coffee running through my veins, I was full of energy. Derek then told me to follow him into the truck so I could get to work. Here we go, I thought, my first big job of the day, bring it on! As I entered
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the truck, Derek met me with a sharp knife and proceeded to point to a stack of uncut vegetables. Yes, my first duty of the day was to cut up vegetables for a lunchtime salad, while Derek wrapped chicken breasts with strips of bacon. While slicing up cucumbers wasn’t the most glamorous of tasks to be performing as acting Team Manager, it still had to get done and done well. Also, considering I was 25 minutes late to my first day on the job, I was happy to do whatever was asked of me. After making sure lunch was prepared for when the time came, Derek and I jumped on the Honda Pioneer side-by-side and headed out to have a look at the Riverglade track. Even though the day was only a few hours old, I was quickly finding out that being the Team Manager of a factory racing team isn’t just about one task, or even just two tasks. It’s about a multitude of tasks all being done with one common goal in mind: to make sure your team has the best day possible. If one item is not done correctly, it can easily break a link in the chain of success. From setting up the truck, to getting the athletes and machines ready, to the simple task of making a salad, one job is not any more important than the other. As they say, teamwork makes the dreams work. This phrase certainly applies to the inner workings of a largescale motocross team travelling the Canadian national circuit. With practice complete and lunch inhaled by the entire team, it was time for the first MX2 moto of the day. Coming into Round 8 in Moncton, the GDR Honda Team’s MX2 rider, Dylan Wright, had been having what best could be described as a rollercoaster of a season. After a horrendous start in the first three rounds out west, Dylan had found a way to turn things around and in recent weeks had made a few trips to the MX2 podium. But, considering he was a title favourite coming into the 2017 season, the summer was frustrating to say the least. Having been in his shoes before, I feel like dealing with the riders is really the most important intangible I brought to the table in this job. Whether it’s Dylan or Colton, or any rider on the starting line, racing at this level can be a lonely and frustrating thing. Sometimes everything goes as planned and you feel on top of the world, however, sometimes you prepare the best you can and then things just go sideways. Dylan’s season definitely started off badly, but I think he deserves a ton of credit for turning it around to still being in the points battle for the MX2 Championship as the series headed for
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Team Manager For A Day
At times, even the top riders in our sport need a little direction.
“This is where I stepped in, and with my 40 years of riding experience I patted Dylan on the back and told him that on some days, as good as you are, fourth overall is the best you can do.”
Colton Facciotti didn’t have the greatest day at Riverglade, but it wasn’t from lack of effort.
its final few rounds. As we all headed to the starting line for the first moto of the day, I was full of excitement and nerves. After conferring with Dylan about which gate to choose, I stood back and watched Derek pack Dylan’s gate to perfection. Again, team work at its best as the clock ticked down to the first MX2 moto. I guess both of Dylan’s motos in Moncton could be summed up the same: They both consisted of a lot of
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hard charging, a lot of eaten roost, and two pretty solid finishes as Dylan went 4-4 for, you guessed it, 4th overall. Throughout both motos, Derek, Kyle (Dylan’s mechanic) and I went back and forth on the radios exchanging ideas about where and how Dylan might be able to pick off a few precious seconds. None of us could come up with any ideas, because he was riding as hard and as well as he could on the Riverglade track. Unfortunately, the three riders in front of him were just riding a little better; sometimes that is the way it goes. Back at the truck after both races, Dylan was upset, as you can imagine. This is where I stepped in, and with my 40 years of riding experience I patted Dylan on the back and told him that on some days, as good as you are, fourth overall is the best you can do. It doesn’t make you a bad rider or even a bad person, it’s just racing and next weekend will be better. As frustrated as he was, my words seemed to help ease the burden of his tough day at the office. Now it was onto the MX1 class. All season long the MX1 class has been an intense battle between the series’ top riders. After a sluggish beginning to the series by his standards, Colton Facciotti really began to find his groove in the east, and heading into Round 8 he had won two of the six most recent motos. However, he was coming off a bad round the week before in Truro and he wanted to get back on track. Now, even with my experience in this sport, I wasn’t going to tell Colton anything that he didn’t already know. I mean, you don’t win four MX1 titles by accident. But, when you’re struggling to find consistency in your racing, it never hurts to have a different voice in your ear. With Colton, other than helping him with his gate selection for both motos, it was more about reinforcing that he was riding well. During his motos in Riverglade, he was having a frustrating time as the top six riders were basically going the same speed. It all came down to whichever rider got off the starting gate better as to who was going to finish in front. Colton’s starts in Moncton weren’t great and he was left battling from behind in both motos. On the radio during the motos, Derek and I were once again in constant communication with his mechanic Justin regarding Colton’s progress. Could I see any better lines from where I was standing? How did Colton look on the track compared to those riders in front of him? These were just some of the questions that I was asked as the motos went on. As the races went on it became clear that Colton’s day, like his teammate,
Team Manager For A Day
Thanks to my old buddy Derek Schuster for allowing me to work alongside him in Moncton.
was going to be a frustrating one. After the second moto, we all talked about the track and the difficulty in passing that it presented, and we talked about Colton’s starts and how important they were to his results. Again, like the seasoned veteran that he is, he already knew what went wrong in both motos. However, even with Colton’s pedigree, you could tell that hearing us talk about everything made him feel better and helped him change his focus from his frustrating day at Riverglade to Round 9 the following weekend in Deschambault (a round at which he would go 1-1 for the overall win). After all of the conversations and cleaning up, moments later my day as acting Team Manager was over. The past nine hours had flown by and now it was time for all of us to start thinking about the next weekend. As I made my way around and said my good-byes to the team, I thanked them for allowing me inside their ropes to experience Round 8 with them. To get a firsthand glimpse of just what goes on during a
race day for one of our factory teams was pretty educating. From the team dinner the night before, to helping make lunch, to sitting on the side of the track cheering on the GDR Honda riders, the entire day was unforgettable. Looking back on the day I feel like I have garnered the perfect amount of experience over the years to help out a team like this. From my racing past all the way to my two cooking class credits I received in high school, in Moncton I was forced to put all of my skills to work. As the real Team Manager, Derek Schuster, said to me as I left the paddock for the day, “Palms, you did good today, even if you were late for your first and last day of work.” Spoken like a man who carries the burden of this job each and every day. In closing, I would to like to thank not only the GDR Honda Team for allowing me to help out and do this story, but to all the teams in the paddock for laughing and helping to make this day so enjoyable. I guess the next question is, where do I send my resume?
The first task of the day was making sure the cucumbers were cut just right.
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PHOTOS BY DARYL ECKLUND
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ne of the favourite parts of my job is whenever the opportunity arises to test a new motorcycle. This is not just because everything is new and fresh when you throw your leg over it for the first time, but it’s because you know deep down inside just how much time and development went into getting the bike from the drawing board to the track. Regardless of the manufacturer that is launching the new bike, the sense of pride they feel is very evident from the moment you arrive at the event. When Yamaha Motor Canada contacted me about heading out to California to be part of the media launch for the all-new 2018 YZ450F, I obviously jumped at the opportunity and gave them a very quick ‘Yes.’ At the time, I didn’t even know where or exactly when this exciting event would be taking place. As it turned out, the media launch was scheduled at the famous Glen Helen Raceway, and it took place during the week between Round 7 of the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals in Truro, NS and Round 8 in Riverglade, NB. So that meant that I had to go all the way from the east coast to the west coast, and then back east again a few short days later. It was definitely a bit of a travel grind, but well worth it as I was getting the unique opportunity to ride a new bike on one of the world’s most popular tracks. When I arrived at Glen Helen Raceway, it was 7am and the sun was still rising in the typical hazy California summer sky.
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The temperature was already 75F and rising, and the weatherman said it would peak at 105F on this particular day. It was definitely going to be a hot one, but as they say in that part of the world, it’s only a dry heat. The first thing I did when I arrived at the track was grab a coffee and some breakfast before making my way under the Factory Yamaha tent to see the bike I would be riding. Thankfully, Decal Works had shipped some backgrounds with my customary 126 on them, so after locating my brand new, white 2018 YZ450F, I asked long time Yamaha USA technician, and Jeff Emig’s former mechanic, Steve Butler to help me apply the backgrounds. After some introductions to the Yamaha staff and a few greetings to my fellow motocross journalists, it was time to get dressed and head out onto the perfectly prepared Glen Helen track. Two thousand and eighteen doesn’t just represent a new year for this bike, it entails multiple changes to the YZ450F involving almost every facet of the motorcycle. Although Yamaha has been very happy with their 450, with other manufacturers like KTM and Honda transforming their 450s into thin, lightweight, next generation machines, Yamaha felt they needed to make some changes in order to improve their already solid package. Let’s take a look at exactly what is new on the 2018 YZ450F. With a few other manufacturers now going to electric start on their 450 machines, Yamaha has now jumped on board with this easy to start feature. All you have to do is push the button on the right side of the handlebars and the 2018 YZ450F fires up in an instant. Being an old school type of rider, I never even imagined needing or even wanting an electric start motocross bike. However, after having this feature on my KTM last year, I’m not sure I could ever go back. Because of the battery that is required for this feature, it does add a little weight to the motorcycle. However, Yamaha has managed to find weight savings in other areas to maintain its current weight. For 2018, Yamaha completely redesigned their patented bi-lateral beam frame with new engine mount locations and new main spars. This not only increases the frame’s rigidity, but it also improves the mass centralization. These changes help this new bike not only handle rough straights and tight corners better, but it also makes the bike feel much lighter in the air something very important that Yamaha wanted to achieve in 2018 and beyond. The goal with all of the new 450s is to transfer as much weight as possible down and forward to assist today’s riders with cornering and staying low over jumps without sacrificing the straight-line stability. The frame changes that Yamaha made definitely accomplishes all of this. Yamaha has also made updates to the engine and to the suspension for 2018. The engine, which is already a class leader in horsepower and usability, received a complete makeover with an updated cylinder head, cam profiles, and cylinder geometry. All of these updates work in unison to help make the 2018 YZ450F powerplant even better. On the suspension side of things, Yamaha continues to stay with their KYB spring forks and KYB rear shock. Both
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have received updated settings to work with the new frame and handling characteristics of this motorcycle. In short, the engine and suspension were already very good and now they’re even better. Finally, for the new year Yamaha has broken ground with their new Tuning app feature. Not only can you adjust the fuel mapping with the reliable tuning tool available from their GYTR parts catalogue, but now you can simply download an app onto your handheld device and do it all from your phone or tablet. This is definitely a next generation feature and the first by any manufacturer. Here is the official description of this very cool new feature straight from Yamaha. “The new Power Tuner app with expanded functions for the YZ450F not only makes it easy to modify the fuel maps directly from your Smartphone, but also allows you to share settings among your team or with friends. The easy to operate Power Tuner app was developed to work on both Apple and Android platforms and is available as a free download from either the Apple App Store or Google Play.” This new feature is pretty amazing and it’s great to see companies like Yamaha on the cutting edge of technology. Considering that during the day at Glen Helen, Yamaha had a television playing with Doug Henry talking about the first time he ever rode
the four-stroke Yamaha 450 (although it was a 400 back then), so it should be no surprise that Yamaha is the first manufacturer to offer this type of app to the public. With all of these innovative features that grace the new Yamaha, the big question is, how does this bike work on the race track? From the moment I took to the Glen Helen track, I couldn’t help but notice how narrow the new YZ450F is compared to previous models. The Yamaha engineers had definitely done their due diligence and made the riding area on this bike much more comfortable. That ‘wide’ feeling that has encompassed this motorcycle for the past few years is no longer; the 2018 YZ450F now feels as sleek as any bike in its class. Also, maybe it’s because I’ve spent a lot of seasons in the past riding Yamahas, but for whatever reason I always feel comfortable on a Yamaha. As I circulated around the deeply tilled Glen Helen track, I quickly noticed that this is the fastest 450 on the market. With its smooth power delivery and torquey engine, there is definitely not a shortage of horsepower on the new Yamaha. In fact, the way they had the track set up we had to make a sharp 90 degree left hand corner at the base of Mt. St. Helen before climbing its steep slope. On this bike, getting up the enormous hill was no problem. On a few occasions, I actually left the bike in second gear and wheelied up the entire hill at half throttle. I know that every 450cc has power to spare for almost every rider on the planet, but more importantly it’s how usable the power is. As I mentioned, the new Yamaha has very strong but easy to use power that will have every rider smiling. As far as the handling of the 2018 YZ450F goes, in stock form this new bike needs just a little adjusting here and there. With the new frame and the new cornering characteristics, I felt the front forks were very soft for my ability and body weight. At 200lbs, I’m definitely on the heavy side compared to a modern day rider. With the
“T WO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEEN DOESN’T JUST REPRESENT A NEW YEAR FOR THIS BIKE , I T E N TA I L S M U LT I P L E CHANGE S TO THE YZ450F I N VO LV I N G ALMOST E V E RY FAC E T OF THE M O T O R CYC L E .”
With a redesigned frame, the new Yamaha jumps and corners very well.
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stock KYB forks, as improved as they are, I found them so soft that it did affect the handling, especially on the entrance to corners. As soon as you let off the throttle there was a tendency for the front forks to compress and the front end to drop. This gave me a diving sensation, or an over-steer feeling, which at times threw the balance off. However, after some clicks of the compression and a chat with Yamaha test rider Travis Preston, the bike worked much better, but we both decided that I’d either need to lose 20lbs or get stiffer springs. With the suspension adjustments and the track firming up a little, the new Yamaha really began to feel comfortable to me and I got a lot more aggressive. Once I started to ride with a little more urgency, the 2018 YZ450F really came into its own. With the abundance of power and the new improved handling, the all-new 2018 YZ450F was fun to ride. With Glen Helen Raceway being such a challenging track, all riders had to stay on their toes throughout the hot day. The changes made to the 2018 YZ450F have really brought this bike into the next generation. When the day was over, we all gathered under the Yamaha tent to extend our thanks and to debrief our incredible day. As tired as everyone was, there was a sense that this new bike would definitely be getting Yamaha to exactly where they want to be in 2018 - the top step of the podium right across the motocross world. MXP Magazine would like to thank Yamaha Motor Canada and Yamaha Motor USA for this incredible opportunity.
THE NEW POWER TUNER APP W I T H E X PA N D E D FUNCTIONS FOR THE YZ450F NOT O N LY M A K E S IT E ASY TO MODIFY THE FUEL M A P S D I R E C T LY F R O M YO U R SMARTPHONE, BUT AL SO ALLOWS YO U T O S H A R E SETTINGS AMONG YO U R T E A M O R WITH FRIENDS. XX // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE ¡ MXPMAG.COM
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Marco Cannella battled hard all week and finished on the podium in the 450B class.
Rylan Bly had a good week in Tennessee racing in multiple classes.
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Ross Thirnbeck was one of the most stylish riders all week at the ranch.
2017 LORETTA LYNN’S AMATEUR NATIONAL
CANADIAN RIDERS SADDLE UP AT THE RANCH WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MATT WELLUMSON
t may only be a pinpoint on any map of North America, however, the small town of Hurricane Mills, Tennessee has incredible pulling power for anyone within the Motocross community. Home of the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National, this small town annually turns into a city of Moto during the first weekend in August. The attraction of this event has impacted an increasing number of Canadian participants as the years have gone by. For 2017, a sum of 15 Canadians entered, competing within a total of 14 classes. Canadian entrants ranged from young Thomas Munro racing in 65cc 7-9, all the way up to Kyle Keast taking his professional background into the competitive 25+ class. In all cases, these riders were competing among some of the fastest and most experienced riders in North America. With the inclusion of Loretta’s Veterans such as Austin Watling, Marco Cannella in the B Class, Ryder McNabb and Preston Masciangelo in 85cc 9-11, there was a lot to cover at this event. With limited magazine space, I have drilled into some highlights surrounding a few of our riders. For 2017, Loretta Lynn’s was quite a bit different than recent years with regards to weather. With the exception of a single day, the mud and heat of the 2016 race season was absent from the ranch, replaced by
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Maguire Uruski had a fun week and finished in 25th in the 65 7-11 class.
cool temps, more cloud coverage and drier air. These conditions were more favourable to our group, and I feel it showed in the overall mood of riders and families who came down to support them. Rylan Bly and Brad Williams are two Canadians that saw some of the earliest competition at this event. Being only the second gate drop of the entire competition gave both riders nearly a clean slate to start off. At the drop of the gate, Brad Williams set the stage by rocketing away and latching onto 1st place for over the first half of the race. Williams, nearly setting the quickest lap time of that moto on Lap 2, had quite the advantage over Rylan Bly at that point. In his own words, Rylan had a terrible start, forcing him to contend with a constant barrage of roost, and people taking dicey lines on the entire track. By mid-race, Williams was still leading the pack, with Bly now goggle free but 15 positions ahead of where he started off.
Preston Masciangelo gave it everything he had in Tennessee and would go on to finish 12th overall in the 85 class.
“FOR 2017, A SUM OF 15 CANADIANS ENTERED, COMPETING WITHIN A TOTAL OF 14 CLASSES.”
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Even the kids are extremely focused at this big race.
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CANADIAN RIDERS SADDLE UP AT THE RANCH
As the race progressed, track conditions got worse overall as the dirt was still moist from the previous night, with ruts not quite being fully reliable as a whole. Conditions and perhaps a bit of nerves started to dig into Williams’ lead, followed by a mishap on Lap 6 that dropped him out of a podium standing. As a whole, his finish was still well within the top 10 with 6th, with Rylan Bly having made his way up to an impressive 13th. Bly and Williams would finish out this class in 6th & 7th places respectively, with Bly taking 3rd on the podium in Moto 2, contributing to both riders being in the top ten for two motos each. Staying somewhat on the subject, but moving into 250C Limited, we see a new rider join the fray in the form of Ontario based Ross Thirnbeck. Ross would join Rylan Bly in helping bring some Canadian style to an equally stacked C Class competition. Thirnbeck was heading into Loretta’s feeling accomplished in just qualifying for this national event, and like everyone, hoped for getting into the top 5. Overall, the best day for both riders combined was Wednesday, the second day of competition. At this point, Rylan Bly had already been on the podium earlier in the day with his 3rd place finish in the 2nd moto of 250C. For 250C Limited, his day only got better as Rylan was able to jet out of the gate with an awesome start, picking off three riders to finish in 2nd. While Ross Thirnbeck didn’t end up with a podium finish, gone were the butterflies of moto #1 and it showed in his confidence and posture on the track. With a start in the top 20, he was more than a match for that section of the ridership and was able to finish in the top 20. The biggest struggle (in my opinion) was other
traffic. Ross had great line choices, however was held up many times from getting a good charge through the 10 Commandments, as well as in sections of Storyland where good passes often can happen. Moto 3 saw Ross earn his best finish, as his start was strong putting him in a position of fighting for a top 15 finish among riders that were locked into quite an intense battle of their own. While Ross was working to better his position entering the final lap of Moto 3, a stroke of luck hit when a rider that was running in 5th had an incident, causing him to fall back within reach of Thirnbeck. Already in a position to pass, this same rider made a bigger mistake that sent him off the track. With that pass, and with Ross already capitalizing on a bad line from another competitor, he was able
the 2017 Loretta’s track, McNabb was able to capitalize on that with an awesome start. Not to be sold short, Masciangelo was also off to a top 10 start, with McNabb within his sights throughout most of the race. With two laps to go, and with riders in the foreground, a switch flipped within McNabb who now had targets in sight to take him out of the top 10 and place him within the top 5. While lap times didn’t show on his second to last lap, his line choices switched from safe to more risk taking, in order to capitalize on poor choices from other riders. McNabb would pass five competitors within the final two laps, also earning his fastest pace during the white flag lap where he passed three to finish 5th! Masciangelo finished out his moto in 12th. Ryder McNabb would end up retiring from competition during the rest of the week due to falling ill with Strep, which is unfortunate as he clearly showed great potential in his earlier competition. For Masciangelo, who had recently made the switch to
“MCNABB WOULD PASS FIVE COMPETITORS WITHIN THE FINAL TWO LAPS, ALSO EARNING HIS FASTEST PACE DURING THE WHITE FLAG LAP WHERE HE PASSED THREE TO FINISH 5TH.” jump into 14th with only two corners to go. Ross would finish out his week finishing 23-19-14 for 15th overall. In this class, Bly would finish the week on the box after a 9-2-9 finish for 3rd overall. Moving into the lighter side of the spectrum brings us to two young riders who are also veterans of Loretta Lynn’s. Despite competing in an age class capped at 11, these two riders have a competitive spirit beyond their years. Anyone who has been watching Canadian Youth Amateur racing has likely heard of both Ryder McNabb and Preston Masciangelo, who were staged for competition in 85cc 9-11. While competition had started on Tuesday for McNabb in 85cc 9-12, his first moto with Masciangelo wasn’t until 10am on Wednesday. Well rested, and with a bit of an advantage in having more laps on
Austin Watling and Marco Cannella both left Loretta Lynn’s with a lot of hardware.
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2017 LORETTA LYNN’S AMATEUR NATIONAL
CANADIAN RIDERS SADDLE UP AT THE RANCH racing 85cc bikes full time for 2017, the Loretta Lynn’s story was far from over. Preston’s hard work on 85s had paid off as he had done something he only dreamed of before. This accomplishment was not just one, but two holeshots. In a later conversation with him, he had always dreamed of walking up to the podium at Loretta’s for an interview, and was able to do it twice during one trip to Tennessee. It’s my opinion that Preston will be a tough kid to pass once his comfort and confidence are on an equal pane during intense competitions such as Loretta’s. Masciangelo would close out his week with 12-9-15 for 12th overall. Closing out the race coverage, we bring in two Loretta’s veterans with a solid history at the ranch. Marco Cannella and Austin Watling have a storied past at the ranch, and sadly this may be the last year we see both together, as both have different paths planned out for the next phase of their riding careers. Cannella and Watling would compete in two classes together, those being 450B and 250B. Despite great racing in both classes, the action and results in 450B was second to none. Moto 2 had to have been the highlight of both these kids’ weekends. At the drop of the gate, Austin Watling was in a dominant position leading into the first corner, with Cannella within the top 10 himself. Avoiding a significant pileup that impacted championship favourite Carter Halpain, Cannella had a challenge to join Watling within a podium spot. Prior to this race, Austin Watling had been struggling with suspension issues, and it was clear that he and his sponsors had figured things out. With Watling leading for the first two laps, Cannella ran his 250cc Yamaha to the limit, proving even a 250 was able to triple out of many jumps some 450 riders struggled with all week. As the moto progressed, both riders started to settle into their stride. Watling was beginning to fall subject to arm pump, which contributed to him losing a spot to Brock Papi, however his lap times continued to improve throughout the race. Can-
Kyle Keast made his first trip to the ranch this summer and came away with a hard fought 13th overall in the Junior +25 class.
Austin Watling had all of Canada cheering for him as he raced to 4th overall in the 450B class.
Brad Williams had a great week at the ranch and cannot wait to go back in 201
nella was in tow with a comfortable 3rd place, however, as long as Watling was holding steady, he didn’t have enough speed to catch him by the end of the moto. In a wild turn of events, Austin Watling went down on the face of the camelback exiting the sand section. This forced him to drop to the base of that hill, to safely re-enter competition. This was of mixed fortune for our riders as Cannella was the only rider close enough to take advantage of
this rare mistake, swapping a podium spot with his fellow Canadian. Interestingly, despite the off, Watling’s lap time was only 2 seconds behind Cannella’s that lap. Getting to see both of these kids on the podium for the same race was clearly a great experience. Two Canadians taking up three interview spots for a single moto. These spots were in the form of 2nd and 3rd place, added to Watling’s Holeshot Award. At the end of competition, Cannella and
Watling would finish off 3rd and 4th overall, with the race finishes being 4-2-3, and 15-3-5 respectively. I am personally looking forward to seeing how things pay out for 2018 for all of these riders. Now that some of had their first taste of racing at Loretta Lynn’s, and others have points they want to improve upon, it is clear that 2018 could be one for the record books! Until then, keep it on 2-Wheels folks!
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@RideDunlop DunlopMotorcycleTires.com ©2017 Dunlop Motorcycle Tires.
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Getting Suspended
The Evolution of Suspension BY MIKE HAIST
“There is still room for innovation in the future, and our bikes will continue to get better and better.”
Pictured here are the three different types of front forks that are on the market.
t has been quite some time since I have written a magazine article, however it looks like I might be at the keyboard for a few issues bringing some technical articles your way. This came about when I attended the Deschambault National and caught up with many of the industry folks that are there week in and week out making our sport of motocross what it is. Although I now work for Factory Connection in the U.S., it is always great to hit a race or two in my home country and connect with many people that I raced against, either with or for many years ago. I have been very fortunate to have spent a great deal of time in this sport and I’m even more blessed to be able to earn a living within the racing scene. When I look back over the years it has been quite a while since I became involved with our beloved sport, 29 years to be exact…wow! I have seen many things change over that timeline and would like to share with you how suspension has evolved. For those of you who do know me understand that suspension is my specialty. I am currently employed as the Research and Development Director for Factory Connection in the U.S. I have been working on suspension components since about 1992, and boy have things changed. Let’s take a look at what has gone on in the last 25 years. Back in the late ‘80s to the beginning of the early ‘90s, our motorcycles did not look radically different than they do today. I say this from a chassis and suspension standpoint, meaning there were forks, rear swingarm design was becoming stable, and rear shock absorber position and packaging was no longer going through major design changes. At that time, we were using open cartridge forks that had compression and rebound adjusters. There were two pistons working together to create the damping forces, and we had hit the “upside down” fork movement. Today we still have two pistons creating the damping forces, however just about everything else has changed at some point. From a technical standpoint, one of the biggest changes to the front forks was the advent of
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PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND FACTORY CONNECTION
twin chamber forks. This created a sealed damping unit inside of the fork; it is like putting a sealed shock into the fork tubes. This is important for many reasons, some of which are: separating the damping oil from the outer fluid (keeps hydraulic oil cleaner longer), permitting a way to pressurize the damping fluid on the backside of the compression assembly piston (aids in preventing cavitation), varying the diameter of the two pistons as opposed to being the same (hydraulic tuning advantages), and placing greater portions of the sprung mass lower on the motorcycle (changes position of center of gravity). All of those items and more all came with the twin chamber fork that maybe most of you take for granted today and don’t even know other versions of forks existed. We have, of course, the subject of spring forks versus air forks, and it does not look like the market has settled on what will be there for the long term. When I say spring versus air fork, that means what was used to create the main spring in the front fork assembly. In the case of a spring fork, we are talking about a metal coil spring, which became the common place and pretty much the only solution in general for many many years. With a symmetrical spring fork, each fork leg has a metal spring and an air pocket. As the spring is compressed during suspension movement, it obviously pushes back with a force. The amount of force being pushed back by the spring is determined by the rate of spring and how far it is compressed. As an additional force, the air pocket in the fork, which is tunable via oil level, also creates a force. Once the fork is assembled it becomes a sealed unit and there is a certain amount of air trapped inside. As the fork compresses, this air pocket becomes smaller and smaller, which in turn is compressing the air and a force is created providing a second push back force. It is the combination of the metal spring force and the air spring force that make up the majority of the spring force coming from the front end. There are other things like the pressure spring and more that add to this, which we won’t cover in this history of suspension; we will save that for a more technical article. With an “air” fork there is no metal coil spring; the main spring is also an air pocket. In order to create enough force to hold the bike up, the starting pressure needs to be quite high, and then when the fork compresses it continues to increase. Due to the high initial pressure of the “main spring” air pocket, there needs to be a way to offset all of the initial load created or the fork wouldn’t move until you hit a fairly significant bump; riding around with a solid fork until you hit something big wouldn’t be any fun at all. The methods that have been used to remove all of this MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 65
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Getting Suspended
The Evolution of Suspension
You can see in this photo just how far rear shocks have come in the past decade.
initial excessive pressure or “preload” is an opposing force fighting the main spring air pocket. This has been done in several ways but it boils down to an opposing metal spring (KYB PSF fork) or an air pocket, referred to as a balance chamber or negative chamber (TAC fork/AER fork). Some of these are tunable and some are not. Also in the market on the spring subject is the thought of placing all of the spring duties in one fork and all of the hydraulic/damping duties in the other fork versus having a spring in both forks with both forks sharing hydraulic/damping tasks. The rear shock has not seen much change from a fundamental standpoint in quite some time. We have a main shaft piston with a setting and a compression adjuster with another setting, both working together to create the damping forces that affect the handling of the bike. What has changed over the years is the geometry of the component: the diameter of the shock shaft, the inner diameter of the shock body and the size of the compression adjuster assembly. As the demands in our sport raise so do the demands on the motorcycle; on a very basic level, things need to be big enough to not break. On a deeper, technical level, the internal pressures developed for the amount of damping force being created are in a
better place providing more stable performance. There is a lot going on that you take for granted as you race across really rough terrain and stay straight and safe. Linkage, for the most part, has become static as far as layout goes. The pull rod is attached to the frame and the delta or rocker is attached to the swingarm. Dimensions, of course, vary according to the design intended by the manufacturer. This has more to do with the chassis evolution, so we won’t go any deeper than that on this subject. Know that many different linkage scenarios were tried in the ‘80s and we have basically picked one that works for us. With our brief history lesson complete, trust me when I say things have changed over the years and will continue to change. Working in this role, I am exposed to more and more information. There is still room for innovation in the future, and our bikes will continue to get better and better. Technology is allowing us to measure and collect more data than ever, and as all of that information gets understood, the development process will continue to push new solutions into the market. I hope I have the opportunity to write an article like this in another 25 years when maybe I will be plugging my laptop into a shock with a USB cable making settings changes.
66 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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Dillan Epstein
The Hard Way Every Time BY ANDY WHITE
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PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE
hy is Dillan Epstein up in Canada competing in the CMRC sanctioned Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals? Good question. I was excited to learn more about this 22-year-old from Thousand Oaks, California, so I sat down with Dillan at the Moncton National. Dillan started riding at 6-years-old and his first dirt bike was a Honda XR50. It’s either a PW50 or a XR50 that most kids start on these days. Within a few years the mini four-stroke was traded in for a KTM Senior 50. This is when it started to get real serious. If you happened to race that model in 2003, you were a somebody. Let’s fast forward to 2012 when Dillan was at his peak as an amateur. Loretta Lynn’s is a big deal and Dillan was a favourite to podium in the 250A class. The road to Loretta’s is not easy, as most parents know, and the cost of owning a fleet of bikes, the cost of the up-keep and traveling from one amateur championship to another is extremely taxing on your pocketbook. If you are a rider that has a good chance of winning the 250A class, this means you have worked your butt off for this one shot. If you podium in this class you usually end up with a solid contact from one of the manufacturers. This opportunity is gold. Your parents are now off the hook because they no longer have to pay your bills. Now they can use their money for their very first vacation. Back to Dillan - At the 2012 Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Championships, Epstein, on his Pro Circuit KXF250 rocket ship, finished with 2-2-2 motos for second overall. First place went to Zach Bell with consistent
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1-1-1 scores and Joey Savatgy with a 3-3-3. The emotions were running high. Dillan was on the box in the toughest class of 2012. A few days went by but there were no calls or emails. The talk before the event was that PC wanted Dillan badly and they had a spot on their team for him. Dillan’s father, Mitch from PC and Factory Kawasaki had met without Dillan knowing, because they didn’t want to stress him out and put pressure on him. After waiting for a few weeks the Epsteins got on the phone with PC and asked what the next step would be. Well, the news was heart breaking. Mitch said, “Sorry but we are signing someone else!” The Epsteins then started to call other teams that showed interest in their son. They all said they were told that Pro Circuit was going to sign Dillan so they signed other riders. It must have been pretty hard to stomach to go from hero to no ride. For the next few years Dillan bounced around from privateer team to team with no real solid results. In 2015, Dillan received a call from a fan who offered his race bike and some travel money for the first few outdoor rounds. The deal was, if you do well at the first three rounds we will continue to compete in the whole series. Dillan’s best result was a tenth in Moto 1 and a couple fifteenths. The call came after round three. “Sorry man, no budget. Please bring the bikes back when you can.” Long time friend Luc Caouette (better known as “Frenchy”) called him and said they needed a replacement rider to race their bike in Canada. Just a few days before the event, Epstein hopped on a flight and jumped on Austin Politelli’s Monster KXF250 at the National in Ulverton, Quebec with no testing or practicing on the bike. The results were not good. Dillan went on to explain what happened. “I got the call and
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I pretty well left my house and jumped on a flight to Montreal. Before I knew it I was on Austin’s full race bike that was set up for him. I knew what I was getting myself into and I appreciated the opportunity, but the Kawasaki was not set up for me. The bike was really hard to go fast on. I then stayed with the team and signed up for the last round of the series. While in practice, I injured my knee and that was it for the weekend.” Moving forward , Dillan had no deals, no bike and was working full time with his father. Racing supercross or MX was pretty well just a memory, at this point. Dillan explains, “I accepted the fact that I was done and it was time for a new chapter in my life. I didn’t give up, it was just the way things happened, plus I didn’t want my parents to pay my bills again. I said to myself, if I get a call, then great, if not, well it was fun and we will leave it at that.” I few months went by and a good friend of Dillan’s called him and said, “Listen, there is a team in Czech Republic that is looking for a MX2 rider, so I gave them your name.” Next thing you know, Dillan was on a plane to a country that he knew nothing about. “The team had a KTM 250F and they needed a rider, so I jumped on a flight. A few days later the team took me to a local race to get warmed up and test out the bike at the same time. I was pumped to get this opportunity. The gate dropped for Moto 1 and I was up in the top three, and I was feeling good on the KTM. The track was good but very fast, and it started to get rough. Before I knew it, one of the local pros cut across in front of me and took my front wheel out on the face of a jump. It was a dirty move, for sure. I knew some of the locals would be pissed that I got the ride and they didn’t. This one rider took me out so hard that I woke up in the hospital a few hours later. The hospital I went to was like going back in time. They had no real equipment, I couldn’t understand them, and no one spoke English. My friend tried to translate but it was like they didn’t want to listen. After a few days I realized it was a money grab. They kept pumping drugs into my body and telling me different stories everyday. It was pretty sketchy. I finally got transferred to a real hospital and things got better. I was finally released fifteen days later. I will never forget that feeling.” Things started to look up the following year. Nut Up called Epstein and offered him a supercross ride for 2016 in the Lites class for the west coast series. The problem was as Dillan explains. “I was not ready. I wanted to make sure I was 100% ready for the big show. It’s easy to go to A1 and think you’re good. I knew I had no confidence and I needed more time.” Nut Up said, “Take your time, race when you’re ready.” “I finally agreed and by Round 4 at Oakland I was ready. Go figure. That round had this jump that looked massive. I hit it on Lap 2 and I felt good, my lap times were good and the bike was good too. I made the final and finished 12th overall. I decided that since I was not in the points I would focus on outdoors. The team supported me 100%.” That brings us to 2017. Dillan had a call from Nut Up Industries that had an offer to go racing again. After a few phone calls and meetings, the plan was to team up with Ryan Surratt and head north to race the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. “Why not?” 70 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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said Dillan. “I knew that I had good equipment and I was in charge of my program, plus I knew I could finish up in the top five. I also knew I would be racing against guys that know how to twist the throttle. I figured this was a great way to get some confidence and have some fun.” At Round 1, the friendly California resident went 1-5 for the day, which gave him second overall. What a way to start off the series. By the time the series hit the east, Dillan was third in the championship points. At Round 7, Epstein went 1-1 for the overall. The following weekend in Moncton it was Dillan’s worst weekend; 7-DNF. When speaking with Epstein, I asked him if he would consider returning to the Canadian series for 2018. Dillan said, “Heck ya! I have had lots of fun and I really like how the series runs. It’s pretty low stress; you can walk over to another team and hang out, and everyone gets along. I can’t believe how green the land is up here too. I feel this year is a really good learning year for me. If I come back next year I will be much more prepared. I know the track layouts and what to expect. I would like to thank all my sponsors for the support.” As you can tell, Dillan is a really upbeat young man that loves moto. I like how he is open to race anywhere in the world and not think twice about getting on a plane to get there. It seems like every weekend Dillan got a little stronger and more confident. Is there a Canadian championship in the future for Mr. Epstein? My answer would be yes! MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 71
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Right: The riders at the 2017 Red Bull Rocks and Logs get ready to hit the track.. Below: Stephen Foord navigates the steep rock hill.
s a bona-fide dirt bike junkie, I have always been attracted to new challenges. I grew up racing BMX but the need for speed eventually led me to dirt bikes. I started out trail riding with my Dad and his buddies, but my passion for racing eventually led me to becoming a professional off-road racer. As I continued my off-road racing journey, I decided to test my skills against the best riders in the world as a member of Team Canada at the International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) competition. After this event, it became apparent to me that my moto skills (or lack thereof) needed a lot of work, and hence motocross soon became my thing. The hard enduro scene emerged a few years later and I found myself attracted to this new off-road challenge. After competing in Red Bull Last Man Standing in 2007, it became apparent that I needed a whole new skillset to conquer the seemingly impossible to ride obstacles, so hence trials riding became my new passion. Then this thing called Endurocross was created. A combination of enduro, motocross, and trials all mixed together in an exciting new extreme sport! No need to think this one through, all my favourite two wheeled interests combined into one discipline seemed like the perfect challenge just for me! My first endurocross event was an eye opener! I was certain my skillset was the perfect match, but what I did not foresee was the intensity this form of racing puts on one’s mind and body! Take your favourite off-road ride, pack it all into six lanes, add 12 to 15 riders causing complete mayhem, and see how well your body responds. The heart rate spikes to 180 BPM, your arms pump up like ‘Popeye-the sailor man,’ and the shock of it all literally makes your brain numb to any skills/abilities you may have previously had. After spending 24 hours driving to Las Vegas for my first event, I was a wasted mess after five minutes! Time to re-think this challenge… As the sport evolved into a competitive series, including several one-off events in the US and Canada, the need for a practice facility to train became real. Jibbing a few rocks and hopping a few logs during trail rides with my buddies no longer provided the intensity needed to accel in this discipline. With the blessing of the Wild Rose Motocross Association (WRMA) located in Calgary, Alberta near my home, I embarked on a plan to bring a little slice of offroad into the city, somewhere that riders whom preferred bikes with lights, bark busters, and skid plates could hone their log hopping techniques without venturing into the wilderness. Once word spread about my intentions, I was completely shocked at the reaction from our local dirt bike community. Logs, rocks, tires, rebar, culverts, and steel pipes all started arriving at the track within days. My phone rang off the hook with offers of help and donations – most of them from people I did not even know! The support was overwhelming and soon we had cleaned up a desolate area tucked away in a small corner of the property and built our very first endurocross track. Luckily for me, Red Bull discovered what we were doing and thought it was as
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Top: Lexi Pechout and Shelby Turner came straight from the Regina National to compete against Tarah Gieger. Middle: This event wouldn’t be able to run without the long list of volunteers. Bottom: The Apocalypse Scooter Club rider did everything he could to get over the obstacles.
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Left: Kyle Redmond impresses the crowd from above. Below: Women’s Pro podium with Tarah Gieger at the top.
special as our community did, and with their support in 2012, Canada’s first urban endurocross made its debut with rave reviews. Now in its fifth year, Red Bull Rocks & Logs has become a world class event attracting hundreds of competitors and thousands of spectators. World #1 plate holders Colton Haaker and Cody Webb have attended the event and thrilled us with their abilities. Industry heavy hitters from Fox, Oakley, Husqvarna, KTM, and Honda (to name a few) have attended and left with high impressions. Even though professionals are able to showcase the unbelievable feats, which can be accomplished on a motorcycle at Red Bull Rocks & Logs, the event is focused on attracting grassroots riders. These are the local riders within our motorcycle community whom could embrace the challenge of testing their abilities and fortitude. These riders comprise 95% of the dirt bike population and they are the riders most of us can relate to. There are Beginner riders whom are looking for that ultimate challenge. There are Intermediate riders whom are looking to be the next Cody Webb. There are veteran riders whom are looking for that final challenge. I have witnessed riders that cannot ride over a log, persevere to complete a lap, and that are completely exhausted but filled with overwhelming emotions of accomplishment. I have witnessed more than one
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rider physically push/pull/drag their motorcycle to the finish line. I have witnessed our youngest competitors excel and become elite riders in just five years. I have watched our Ladies class more than double, and I see more and more ladies practicing at the facility as the years go by. Each year, the track remains intact after the event, which inevitably leaves the perfect practice facility for our local grassroots riders to train on. The effect of having these riders train at WRMA on our track was evident when I attended a US endurocross event this past fall when 30% of the entries were from Western Canada and many of them from Calgary! And then these same ‘Canucks’ took the “W” in five of the seven classes! Coincidence maybe but I like to think the Red Bull Rocks & Logs track has something to do with it. Much of the event’s success can be attributed to an incredible group of volunteers whom I have labelled as the ‘A-Team.’ Over
50 volunteers unite each year in an effort to showcase our sport to the world. Each year I am overwhelmed by the response we receive from these very special people. Most of them seek out the opportunity to volunteer months in advance of the event; some of them expect to be enlisted without question. The question I am asked the most about the event is how do you do it? How can you manage an event of this magnitude? My answer is the event just takes on its own existence each year. Sure, there are countless hours involved behind the scenes with the Red Bull team, but I am continually amazed how so many details just seem to get taken care of without a second thought by the ‘A-Team.’ Kevin Pelletier of Mountain Pearl Landscapes has been involved from the very beginning. I knew of the ‘Wildman’ mainly for his brapping abilities, however during our very first practice track build, I quickly realized he had mad skills on a skid-steer machine as well. On several
Left: One thing for sure is that there weren’t any bad seats at this year’s event. Below: Corners are definitely handeled differently at this event.
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occasions during that first build, the Wildman had the entire crew stopped in their tracks while we watched him maneuver his machine like it was an extension of his own body. From tossing logs 20 feet in the air that magically fell into perfect position upon landing, to executing a 300-foot nose wheelie while using a huge cement culvert as a counterbalance; it was clear this guy was the man for the job, and he has been creating Rocks and Logs masterpieces ever since! Stephen Foord has become a Canadian legend in the endurocross world. ‘Foordy’ is a super friendly guy and seemingly knows every motorcycle rider from Canada, USA, and Europe. He has become the event’s most prominent ambassador, continually promoting the event to some of the biggest names in the sport. Thanks to his “Foordy Racing” riding schools and consistent presence at the facility, he can also be credited with the rise of an impressive crop of new riders whom are taking on the sport of endurocross. Foordy’s only downfall is that he is a bit sadistic in his obstacle creation. If left unattended for any period, he will generally blow through my rocks and logs inventory quite quickly, which is usually followed with “I hope it’s not too hard.” His last creation was aptly named ‘Foordy’s Nightmare!’ Tyler Wendlant is the perfect example of a kid that was raised with values of kindness and generosity. He obviously took his parents seriously during his upbringing, as he is the most helpful, genuine person I have encountered in my lifetime! He is the type of guy that is always first to the track and last to leave, all while giving 110% effort with a smile on his face. Not to mention he can pretty much do everything well, and all he expects in return is a new track to play on each year. During this year’s event, I was busy repairing the track tape after a long first day of crashing and bashing through it. Before I knew it, there were random people pounding stakes, fixing tape, shovelling dirt, picking garbage, and asking what else could be done?! This was yet another moment when I realized how great the people involved in this sport really are! Caring, giving, passionate individuals that are not afraid to get dirty and pitch in to help out a brother! I could go on and on about the ‘A-team,’ including all the random acts of kindness that happen each year. I firmly believe the ‘A-Team’ is my gift from the moto-gods! I want-need to express my gratitude to every volunteer, as I am continually humbled by these individuals, and they all deserve due justice for their contributions in making the event a success! Therefore, I will never take credit for the success of Red Bull Rocks & Logs. As they say, “You have to give credit where credit is due” and I genuinely feel this honour resides within the ‘Ateam’ and their incredible community spirit that is showcased each and every year.
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R i d e D ay WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DAWN MCCLINTOCK
or many years the gang at FXR Racing have been running their annual Ride Day that is held between Canadian MX Nationals. Owner Milt Reimer started the event with the idea that it would give an opportunity to up and coming riders to meet the fast guys and vice versa. The really cool thing about the FXR Ride Day is that it’s not just about the pros, the emphasis is about everybody having a fun time and you will see several local amateur riders invited to join in and share in the festivities of the day. With the break between west and east nationals this also allows the pro guys a chance to let their hair down (and that can be taken literally if you’re Hayden Halstead) after a steady schedule of race weekends. This year’s format changed slightly. Rather than having a single “Ride Day” it was extended over two days and two different riding locations. The first day was an invitation for all local amateurs to join the pros and it was held at FXR owner, Milt Reimer’s home track. The morning started with rider’s meeting and a few riding rules were established. The day was broken down into different practice sessions based on rider skill level. FXR staff were even on site and for those that ride, they cracked out their best set of gear and hopped on a bike or for others they came and watched. After a run through all 3 practice sessions everyone had worked up an appetite and there was a complimentary lunch ready and waiting for everyone to enjoy. We got to see a sneak peek of some of the 2018
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gear that was worn by some of the top pro guys and special guests. One of the highlights was to have Canadian West MX Women’s champ, Shelby Turner there to ride. She brought her red #1 plate to swap onto one of the KTM bikes provided for her and she had more of an opportunity to get to know some of the other pro riders that she might not normally have a chance to chat with. The MX101 team was there with Shawn Maffenbeier and Hayden Halstead. We missed seeing Jess Pettis who was out with broken collarbone that same week and was going under the knife to get things plated. We had MX1 riders Cade Clason, Ryan Millar and Mike Fowler there and MX2 riders Davey Fraser, Ryan Lalonde, Ryan Batman, Zach Nobrega and Anthony Spadaccini. They even had a few special guests throw their leg over a bike for the day such as team managers Kevin Tyler and Josh Snider, FXR brand manager Andy White, FXR staff Carson Soviak and Aaron Wiebe and of course FXR boss man, Milt was hanging it out with the pros on the track. Everyone rounded out the day with a BBQ dinner and a ton of bench racing. Day two wasn’t quite as spectacular weather-wise with a bit of rain and overcast but that didn’t damper the spirit of the day as everyone headed south to the famed Grunthal MX track for more riding fun. This day was exclusively for CMRC pros, local pros and invited special guests. All in all a very successful couple of days and everyone who was there can’t wait for next year’s event and another chance to ride with their FXR crew.
Above: The track looked very good with the FXR banners. Below: This is what happens when a MX track and a golf course come together.
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Right: FXR Racing’s Aaron Wiebe was suited up and looking good. Left: The legendary Kim Houde brought out all of his toys to ride. Top right: Shawn Maffenbeier showed everyone how to skip through the whoops.
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Top left: FXR boss Milt Reimer oversees all of the action. Top right: The Clason vs Maffenbeier battle was epic and it had everyone cheering. Left: It’s amazing to think just how far FXR Racing has come since its humble beginnings. Below: Andy White, Kevin Tyler and Aaron Wiebe share a laugh in between motos.
80 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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2016-11-28 5:07 PM
Vive Deschambault! THE 2017 ECAN BY CHRIS POMEROY
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2017-08-28 1:57 PM
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Vive Deschambault!
THE 2017 ECAN
Jacob Piccolo travelled all the way from BC to compete against the top riders in the east.
ver the past three decades, racing in Quebec has always been something of an adventure for riders that live outside this unique Province. With its French language, its impressive historical landmarks, and its one of a kind motocross tracks, from the moment your map tells you you’re in Quebec, you just know you’re in for some kind of exciting adventure. My first experience racing an outdoor national in Quebec Unfortunately, thanks to Mother Nature, boots was in 1991 with a race just south of Quebec City in a were needed on and off the track. town called Vallee Junction. At the time, this famous track had been an annual stop on the national tour, and with its sandy soil and steep elevation changes, it was easy to see why it was a favourite among riders. That day, like any day that I was lucky enough to race in Quebec, there were large crowds hanging over the fence cheering with a beer in their hand, with an incredible vibe for a motocross race. Yes, racing in Quebec was very exciting back in those days, just as it was in 2017. The first time I ever visited the Deschambault track was back in 1993 when I made a rare fall trip to Quebec to race a Provincial event. In those days, promoters used to pay start money to all of the top riders who were interested in coming to race. Even to this day the track itself hasn’t changed too much with its layout and sandy soil. However, the one thing that has changed drastically since that fall day in 1993 is the paddock. Back then there were very few trees in the pits as it was pretty much one large open space. Now, from the moment you enter the property, the tall trees define where you park and how much room you have. As the Eastern Canadian Amateur National (ECAN) in Deschambault has grown in popularity in the past few years, the compressed paddock area has become a big topic of discussion. Unlike most tracks where you can come and go as you please throughout the event, once you arrive at MX Deschambault and get your vehicle parked, you’re pretty much wedged in for the remainder of the weekend. This year, with credit to promoter Daniel Thibault and his crew, more space was added to the pit area and parking was improved. With more and more riders travelling to the Deschambault National each year, the extra room in the paddock area was a welcomed sight.
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“Judging by everyone’s posts on Social Media after this summer’s event, it will be even bigger in 2018 and beyond.” After the rain, racing the Deschambault track required a lot of skill and a little luck
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FROM THE SHORE TO THE SHIELD, I AM ONE EPIC RIDE.
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Discover your ride at ontariotravel.net/goride
2016-11-29 5:08 PM
Vive Deschambault!
THE 2017 ECAN
In 2016, this fine facility hosted the CMRC Grand Amateur National Championships for the first time in its history. While the event didn’t have too many entries from west of the Ontario/Manitoba border, it did have an influx of fast Ontario and Atlantic riders. Those Ontario riders must’ve gone home after last year’s event and told all of their fast friends, because this year there was a real Ontario invasion at this growing event. Ontario riders like Jake and Luke Tricco, Kobi Cox, Nick Cryer, and even BC rider Jacob Piccolo all made their way to Deschambault for the their first ever race inside Quebec. This year’s event not only featured some of the best amateur racers in Canada, it also added a Straight Rhythm race, a concert, and of course once again, everyone’s favourite, Sunday’s Rockstar Energy Drink MX National. From Wednesday to Sunday, this was the place to be in Canadian motocross. With new additions like a permanent stage and a snack bar added, Mr. Thibault told me that even more improvements are planned for 2018. In talking with the riders and families that travelled to Deschambault for the first time this summer, they all said they couldn’t wait until next year. In just a few short years, the ECAN at Deschambault has become one of the largest events in Canada. Judging by everyone’s posts on Social Media after this summer’s event, it will be even bigger in 2018 and beyond. For the 2017 ECAN, MXP sent upstart photographer Summer Denzler to cover the entire week at Deschambault. Summer is a talented 17-year-old from Ohio who loves motocross, travelling, and of course photography. Thankfully, these three things all came together this summer as she and her family travelled right across Canada following the CMRC Pro Nationals. With her brother racing in the MX2 Pro class, this adventure provided a perfect opportunity to not only shoot her favourite sport, but also to see Canada from coast to coast. We hope you enjoy these photos from Summer Denzler @sdenzlerphotography.
Unfortunately, Shawn Maffenbeier’s girlfriend, Robin Hutchinson, was injured during the Women’s race on Saturday and was forced to sit out the rest of the season.
“This year, with credit to promoter Daniel Thibault and his crew, more space was added to the pit area and parking was improved.”
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PERFORMANCE IS HERE
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ROYAL DISTRIBUTING, THE PROs & MARIN BIKES
MADE FOR FUN ride for days STORY BY ALLAN JAGGARD
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t’s no secret to anyone who knows Brian Koster, MXP’s Columnist and legendary tag team announcing partner to Marc Travers of the CMRC Motocross Nationals. Brian is one enthusiastic Mountain Biker! After an amazing business trip to Marin County, California, for the 2018 Marin Bikes National Dealer Meeting, Brian was stoked to pound the pedals even more than his usual tri-weekly rides! Immediately after finishing the day of announcing at Round 2 of the MX Nationals in Prince George, BC, Brian headed to the airport bound for San Francisco. Just north, half way over the famous Golden Gate Bridge, is where you enter Marin County, the original birthplace of Mountain Biking. After a relatively short cab ride north into the small town of Novato, Brian arrived at the Marin Bike Headquarters, joining myself and our Canadian Marin Bikes sales team members of Peter Mueller, Brad Donaldson, and Cameron Loftus, along with the head honcho of Marin Bikes Canada, my sister, Lisa Jaggard.
I
All of us were totally excited to finally see the new 2018 Marin models, and our anticipation was on high to view them for the first time. The revolutionary new Marin series, called the Wolf Ridge, has an industry changing patented NAILD suspension system. Hanging out with the Marin crew for four days was epic, and the Dealer Demo Ride Day was really special as we got to test ride all the new 2018 models, and in particular the new Wolf Ridge, which lived up to all it was hyped up to be! You can research online or read reviews at the specifically designated website www.Marinwolfridge.com. Very soon you should be able to read the official long-term test reviews by the various websites and bicycle magazines, which are currently in the works. Some of the initial review results can be judged by some of the statements like, “This damn thing works as advertised!” Basically, in a nutshell, the new Wolf Ridge series comes in three different versions, featuring a patented suspension system that allows a 160mm long travel suspended bike to climb uphill more efficiently than a cross country Hard Tail model! That’s the shocking claim made by Marin Bikes! Even 4-time National Enduro Champion Kyle Warner stated after testing that the Wolf Ridge works remarkably well on grueling climbs, and yet can tackle any mountain downhill as well as any Marin ever created in its 30+ year history! In prior years, Kyle used as many as three different models in the course of a season! For the 2018 season, Kyle claims he will only ride the Wolf Ridge, as it does it all!
Hence the Ad Line that states… “One Bike to Rule the Ride!” While brainstorming at the sales meeting, Brian and I decided that we would have to get a demo sample sent up to Canada to debut at the July 9th Gopher Dunes National. Since Royal Distributing is our only powersports Marin Bikes dealer in Canada, as opposed to a traditional bicycle shop, some other ideas came to our minds. Royal Distributing is famous not only for their long history of support for the CMRC Motocross Nationals but also for their very popular Thursday evening “Bike Nights” that happen each week throughout June and July, attracting sometimes as many as 500+ motorcyclists for evenings of live MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 89
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ROYAL DISTRIBUTING, THE PRO’s & MARIN BIKES
MADE FOR FUN ride for days
KOSTER, CHISHOLM, MEDAGLIA & BLES
music, hotdogs and just well… fun! Since Royal Distributing is the title sponsor of the newly formed Royal Distributing, Motovan, Piller’s Race Team by Huber Motorsports, we already knew that the team was scheduled for an appearance the Thursday night of July 6th, just prior to the Gopher Dunes National weekend. We thought it would be a perfect opportunity to debut the new Marin Wolf Ridge in front of a large crowd. Since the team’s star riders of Tyler Medaglia, Kyle Chisholm, and Nathan Bles all ride Marin Bikes, we thought we would try to get them out on the following Friday to test the new bike and get their feedback. It didn’t take too much convincing to have a Fun Ride Day. We suggested it might release some of the pre-race tensions leading up to this, the most physically grueling round of the series. To make a long story short, Brian did get to ride on Friday with the Pros at the nearby Kitchener Hydro Cut trails. Brian definitely had his work cut out for him as well since Tyler Medaglia is well known for his bicycle racing prowess, who has an amazing fitness level, but Brian, who’s in great shape himself, held his own with Tyler’s pace. Kyle Chisholm, an admitted road rider more than a mountain biker, really enjoyed his day too! At Gopher Dunes on Sunday, Kyle was telling me how he wants to mountain bike more as he had so much fun! Nathan Bles on the other hand hasn’t raced bicycles competitively like Tyler has, but regardless, loves to mountain bike whenever he gets the opportunity!
Koster, Chisholm, Medaglia and Bles.
TYLER & NATHAN DISCUSSING LINE CHOICES
OBVIOUSLY NATHAN BLES HAD A GREAT TIME!
KYLE CHISHOLM…HAVING FUN!
Obviously, Nathan Bles had a great time! So, with this first ride in the books, it was off to Gopher Dunes on Saturday to get ready for Round 5. Brian learned upon arrival at the Dunes that another unrelated bicycle event, this time road oriented, had been held nearby on the Friday as well, organized by photographer Billy Rainford of Direct MX. Marin Bikes Pro Rider, the ever-likeable Mike Alessi, participated in this ride with his new Marin Stelvio road bike, which he had just built the Thursday night before. On Sunday when we collected back his older Marin model, we got Mike to apply his signature to the top tube, scripting a cool memento to his amazing ride on Sunday where Mike finished first overall at this notoriously tough race. On the following Monday, Mike came to meet me at Royal Distributing to
pick up his new Marin Hawk Hill, which was the stunning new addition to the Marin Bike lineup for 2017. This bike won review tests in the 3K category in 2017 and retails for under 2K! With these events now in the past, our minds turned to the future and plans were made for another ride to be organized by Brian for Friday, August 11th just before the final round at RJ’s in Barrie. Unfortunately, all didn’t work out quite as planned, though, with a string of scheduling issues with some of the riders burdened with other obligations. Even for myself, work related issues compromised my ability to attend and all plans were almost canceled the night before! Regardless, much to my surprise, Brian, never one to miss a ride, ended up having an epic day with those that could attend, and despite some rain, Brian had a great 3HR ride with the Pros from the MX101 Team that included our newly crowned MX2 Champion Shawn Maffenbeier, and the young sensations of Jess Pettis, Hayden Halstead and a previous Team MX101 member, Minnesota native Jesse Wentland. In 2017, Jesse campaigned the Nationals via the Privateer route at selected events. Brian reported to me on Sunday at the races that it was all he could do to keep up to the pace set by Shawn Maffenbeier and Jess Pettis. Brian’s biggest surprise of the day, though, was the blazing trail speed of Hayden Halstead! All these Pros mentioned have more than a couple decades of youth on Brian, so kudos to you Brian for representing admirably the older ex-Pros! I have to honestly admit that I’m sure glad I wasn’t with you all Brian, as you probably would have had to carry me out of the woods on a stretcher! It has, however, inspired me to listen to my own marketing advice we use to promote MARIN Bikes, that being to…
Train Like a Pro! Overall, I really wish to send out a big thanks to Brian for riding with our Marin Pro Riders and seeing to it that they all had a fun and safe ride! Hopefully, with some better planning next year, we can organize a really special ride day sponsored by Marin Bikes and our retail partner Royal Distributing! As the Marin Bike caption says on some of their models… Made For Fun! Kyle Chisholm having fun!
90 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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2017-08-28 2:40 PM
BY CHRIS POMEROY
|
PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE AND SUMMER DENZLER
Young East Coast speedster Ian Robichaud is an 11-year-old kid who just loves to ride dirt bikes. When he’s not hitting jumps at the local skate park near his home in Salisbury, NB, he can be found ripping up all of the local tracks. Considering Ian began riding when he was just 5-years of age, he is practically a veteran of this sport already. After getting injured earlier this season, Ian has bounced back and recently has had a number of podium finishes. With a bright future ahead, this month’s Young and on the Rise is 65 rider Ian Robichaud.
season but I healed quickly. I’m back and feeling really strong.
subject would be Wood Shop. I like to build stuff and that class is always fun.
MXP: Getting injured is never good, but it’s great to hear that you’ve been able to come back from it. What do you think is the best race so far in 2017? IR: I’d have to say my most recent race at Pleasant Valley, NS. I raced two motos in the 65cc class. I finished 2nd and 4th for an overall 3rd place podium finish. It was a really challenging race too because the track was very muddy due to the heavy rain.
MXP: Tell me Ian, where do you see yourself in five years? IR: In five years I’ll be going into grade twelve and hopefully racing with the big boys.
MXP: First off Ian, can you tell me how old you are and where you call home? IR: I’m 11-years-old and my hometown is Salisbury, NB.
MXP: That sounds like an awesome result Ian. What do you usually do in the winter when it’s too cold to ride? IR: I usually do Tae Kwan Do and Crossfit to stay in shape for the motocross season. I like to be active so it’s hard for me to do nothing.
MXP: Can you tell us something cool about your hometown? IR: Sure Chris, we have a bike park and a skate park that me and my buddy Colby love to hit jumps on. MXP: That’s cool, kids sure do love skate parks. How long have you been riding a dirt bike Ian? IR: I’ve been riding a dirt bike ever since I was 5-years-old. I actually started in my backyard. MXP: Do you remember your first race and how you did? IR: Yes, I do. My first race was at the Josh Damery Memorial Arenacross in Sackville, NB. I finished last. MXP: Well, it couldn’t have been easy racing the first time at an AX. I know you haven’t been racing long, but do you have a favourite rider? IR: My favourite rider is Ken Roczen because I really like his style of riding. MXP: Ken Roczen is awesome, I hope he’s able to come back in 2018. Do any of the fast Atlantic riders ever give you advice? IR: Yes, David Burbine gave me advice on how to do the bus jump at Riverglade Raceway by shifting down so I wouldn’t blow the turn. MXP: That sounds like good advice. How is the 2017 season going thus far? IR: My season is going good. I’ve been on the podium four times this season in the 65cc class, but I also had a pretty bad crash and I ended up with a broken left collarbone and a broken right thumb. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to race again this
MXP: What is your favourite thing to do other than ride dirt bikes? IR: My favourite thing to do outside of motocross is driving go-karts, and I like going to the beach with my Mom. I also spend a lot of time with my family, especially my Dad.
MXP: What are your favourite types of obstacles on the track? IR: One of my favourite types of obstacles are tabletops, because if you case them it doesn’t hurt as much. I also like to attempt jumps that other riders are afraid to try. MXP: Well Ian, it’s been great talking to you and thanks for doing this. I have one final question for you and this one is perhaps the most important. Who would you like to thank? IR: I’d like to thank my team, East Coast MX and all of our generous sponsors. I’d also like to thank my family for always supporting me, especially my Dad for introducing me to motocross. He works really hard to make sure I get to every race.
MXP: It sounds like you have a pretty fun life Ian. What are you plans for the rest of 2017? IR: I’d like to try and make it through the rest of the season without crashing because I really missed riding my dirt bike when I had my bad crash earlier in the season. Other than that, I will be heading back to school soon and then just racing the remaining events in the East. MXP: Looking back at your racing results, which one are you most proud of? IR: I’m most proud of the 2017 Riverglade National race because I made the podium with a third place. It was also my hometown track. It was SWEET! MXP: You were one the gas at Riverglade, congratulations on that result. What is your favourite track to ride? IR: My favourite track is definitely Riverglade because I don’t have to drive far to get there, and I also get to practice once a week there. MXP: You mentioned that it’s almost time to head back to school. What grade are you in and what is your favourite subject? IR: I’ll be going into grade seven and my favourite
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Gearing
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94 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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The Torc1 Defy MX Lock on Grips are 100% slip free performance guaranteed. Simple installation and removal without waiting for glue to dry. oem spec throttle tube included with 22 point adjustment to put the waffle pattern right where you need it. No need to purchase any throttle cams sererately. Available in black, blue, red, orange, gray, and green. MOTOVAN.COM
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 95
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THE INSIDE LINE ANDY WHITE
brought to you by
WITH
S UCCESSFUL SUMMER WITH ANDY WHITE still find myself talking about how awesome the racing was this past summer at the 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. Every time I talk to a friend from the US or Canada we always wind up talking about how the series finished. If you look back and think on how each weekend turned out, it really came down to just how important every single point was. The MX1 class came down to a 3-point difference. Yes, I said THREE WHOLE POINTS! If you won every moto, you would end up with 600 points. With the CMRC series, it has a points system that gives you points all the way back to 25th place, while most series only offer points for the top 20 finishers. Looking at the MX1 overall, Matt Goerke, who raced for Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha, beat Christophe Pourcel, who raced for Factory Husqvarna Rockstar Fly Racing. These two riders battled hard almost every weekend and in every moto, not to mention there were also a few races that the two riders bumped and rubbed a few times. While it was contact, it was nothing too dirty in my books. The winner ended up with the #1 plate and a very nice championship bonus from the team that would be six figures. Second place would have received just under half of that, I am guessing, which is a lot less money at the end of the day. These guys would be paid in USD. So back to what I was saying about how every point counts. At one particular round, Christophe Pourcel didn’t show up at the podium after finishing 3rd for that moto. The rule states that if you finish top 3 you must report to the impound zone in front of the podium so your race bike can be held just in case there is a protest. They don’t want you going back to your truck and swapping bikes or parts. The rule says if the bike does not show up right after the race, the rider can be DQ’d for that moto (NO POINTS). The CMRC decided not to throw the book at CP, but instead they penalized him 5 positions. At the time, I’m sure the team was not happy but rules are rules. Fast forward to the last moto of the series and those THREE POINTS would have sealed the championship for CP. I’m sure there was a bit of wound licking after that and they wished they had those points back. So now we know who finished first and second in the series. The overall racing, in my opinion, was great. This was really the best racing I have seen for a very long time at the Canadian Nationals. How cool was it to see a World Champion racing our full series?! It was also pretty amazing that five different riders won the overall, and as strange as it might sound, Matt Goerke only won the overall once.
T H E
I N S I D E
L I N E
I
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“THIS WAS REALLY THE BEST RACING I HAVE SEEN FOR A VERY LONG TIME AT THE CANADIAN NATIONALS. HOW COOL WAS IT TO SEE A WORLD CHAMPION RACING OUR FULL SERIES.”
Pourcel won five overalls and Colton Facciotti had two overalls Looking at the MX2 class, there were four riders that took the overalls. It seemed like it was going to be a Shawn Maffenbeier championship after Round 1 but Cole Thompson was not going to let that happen. Actually, there was a bunch of riders that looked really good: Jess Pettis, Dylan Wright, Ryan Surratt, Josh Osby and Jacob Hayes. I actually think the MX2 class was the one to watch this past year. You never really knew who would come out of the gate with the lead. By the end of the race Shawn was the guy with the most overalls taking a total of six. That’s an impressive season for the MX101/Yamaha/FXR rider. If Cole Thompson had not dislocated his thumb I think the series could have gone in a different direction. I guess I could say that, too, if Shawn didn’t have those three moto DNFs he would have easily been the champ. Again, you never know what is going to happen with racing. You only have control until something out of your control goes wrong. Look at poor Josh Osby. He was coming on super hard near the end of the series until he and Dylan Wright touched at the Truro, NS round. Osby was almost landed on, which sent him into the fence line and almost ended his riding career. Then you have Jacob Hayes who also looked really good until he had a few mechanical issues that cost him big points. Jess Pettis, in my view, was a rider that wanted to prove that he was up for the challenge this year. He really improved from 2015 to 2016, and I feel made a big jump into 2017. Jess had one overall in Truro, NS and just came up short on a few others, too. At Round 4, Jess broke his collarbone and had to sit out two rounds. He came back just as strong as he had left that day, and his injury didn’t slow him down one bit. Dylan Wright had his ups and downs, and it wasn’t until near the end of the series that he finally found his groove. The Canadian Women’s MX National series was very impressive, too. A surprisingly good number of riders signed up. Both Shelby Turner (Women’s 1W Champ) and Kennedy Lutz (Women’s 1E Champ) didn’t take their wins that easily. They had to fight for their respective championships, and congrats to both of them for their wins. Looking back on the entire 2017 series, I felt that it went by way too fast, and I really enjoyed the racing and the caliber of riders that is making the series get stronger every year. Is it due to the riders from the south looking north and thinking that they will have more fun in Canada, or is it something else? I don’t have the answers but I’m not complaining one bit. I’m looking forward to what 2018 holds and what new faces we might see joining the ranks to ride here.
2017-08-28 5:26 PM
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G OING THE DIS TA NCE WITH MARK STALLYBR A SS he 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan is now part of Canadian Motocross history, and what a year it was. Add to that, 25 years of CMRC Nationals is also part of history. Where does it all go from here? I guess everyone will just have to sit on their hands and wait to see what unfolds, or for the keyboard warriors out there, they’ll just have to make their predictions and reveal to the world how much they know about the motocross business in Canada. What a way to wrap up the 25th year of CMRC Pro Racing! At the time of the inaugural National, professional racing was at its lowest level the country has experienced. Forward 25 years, motocross racing at the professional level is the best it’s ever been. This year, the level of competition throughout the pack has never been so intense. There were five different overall winners in the MX1 class and four in the MX2 class. That’s unheard of, or at least it is in Canada, and it was no easy feat for any of these guys. There was only won rider in the MX1 class, Dillan Epstein, that once swept both motos, which means the racing at the front for the win was no given wherever we went. And there was no lack of drama either. Pourcel’s pass on Goerke at the finish line in Prince George, Goerke’s chain falling off in Regina with two corners to go, unfortunate injuries to Thompson and Osby, several DNFs for Maffenbeier, Pourcel being penalized five positions…the list goes on. All I can say is, if you are a fan of motocross but didn’t get the chance to attend one of the events, you missed it. With all that took place, and the points standings bouncing around the way they did, I would like to congratulate both Matt Goerke and Shawn Maffenbeier for their respective MX1 and MX2 titles. It took a lot of internal and external strength for both of them to persevere, remain focused on the big picture, and not give up until the final
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“ALL I CAN SAY IS, IF YOU ARE A FAN OF MOTOCROSS BUT DIDN’T GET THE CHANCE TO ATTEND ONE OF THE EVENTS, YOU MISSED IT.”
checkered flag waved at RJ’s in Barrie. They both deserve their championships and should be proud of their accomplishments. I would also like to thank and congratulate my team at the Nationals for their dedication to making the series the best possible. Marc Travers, Brian Koster, Wendy Snelgrove, Susan Harris, Lisa Snider, Paul Kingsley, Daryl Murphy, Stu McQueen, Dave Bennett, Eric Verbeek and crew (the best crew ever by the way), and the boys at Hill’s Video Productions are the best at what they do and made commitments and sacrifices throughout the summer to make their specific tasks add up to the level the series now realizes. It would be absurd for me to take the credit when I have such a fantastic team behind me. I’m going to be watching the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight, a contest that will generate income in the neighbourhood of 1 Billion dollars. My bet is on Mayweather for a number of reasons. The guy is one of if not ‘the’ best boxers in the history of the sport. He is 49-0. I respect McGregor for his talents and world titles in MMA, but I hate to say, I’m not big on guys that chirp the way he does and make promises that you would find questionable at the least to live up to. Do you really think there will be a first round knock out? Or a fourth round knock out? Do you think Mayweather will “go for a sleep?” How could you bet on a guy that would be fighting his first professional fight, especially against a 40-year-old seasoned vet like Mayweather, who has beaten a list of competitors that no one thought was possible. If I was a betting man, I would go with the guy that has years of experience, and a proven and admirable track record, regardless of his age, rather than someone who just claims that he’s the best with no results to stand behind. A lot is on the line. Mayweather represents the sport of boxing, and if he is to be defeated by a “first timer,” what would that say about boxers compared to mixed martial artists when they step in the ring to box? “Anybody can do it!?” Mayweather and those in his corner have a plan, based on years and years of experience, and they will stick with it. I can’t wait to see the result. Will Mayweather improve on his record to 50-0? It will be humorous if McGregor praises Mayweather after the fight and gives excuses as to why he lost. I guess it’s part of the game. This year also marks the 28th year of my career in the motocross sanctioning and promoting business, which, over the years, has gained me a lot of experience in the field (or track if you may). There has not been one year that some person or group has tried to make me “go for a sleep” in one way or another. I’m still around, so in a sense, that makes me 27-0. There were many of those years that people, including some I thought were in my corner, never imagined I would come out on top and jumped on another bandwagon because they thought my ship was sinking. Sadly, there still are. Let’s just say my team and I look forward to the twenty-sixth year of CMRC Pro Nationals.
98 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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