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12 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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www.kiska.com Photo: J. Lissimore
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MOTOCROSS WILL NE VER BE THE SAME
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22 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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FOXRACING.COM/CA
Fox.indd 1
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N O T H G U CAMERA CA
LN HA WEE W BET D NO N A D STEA , IT IS T T PE UT J E SS ABO ALL T BE R E MUS D UN HAIR AHA THE YAM X101 M E TH T. TEN
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24 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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FAMOUS LAST WORDS
W I T H C H R I S P O M E R O Y
HERE WE GO AGAIN hey say winter will come in like a lamb or like a lion and then out as the opposite. Well, if the first few weeks of our 2018 summer are any indication, we’re once again facing a roaring lion. If you recall, it was just like this two summers ago when it barely rained in some parts of Canada for five weeks. Of course, then it rained almost every day in late August. Hopefully this summer won’t be quite as dry, but we’re sure off to a warm start. As I write this, I’m preparing to head to the Ottawa region for Round 5 of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series. It’s been a few years since our pro national series has visited Sand Del Lee so it will definitely be exciting to return. So far, the 2018 outdoor series has been very competitive in both classes, and as the riders get ready to play in the sand near our Nation’s Capital, the Top 3 are very close in points.
T
In fact, for one of the rare times in our sport, two riders in the 450 class will be sharing the red plates. With Colton Facciotti and Matt Goerke both tied in the point standings after four rounds, this Chapter 2.0 of their battle for the championship is going to be a good one. These two riders appear to have the perfect racing relationship; they respect each other on the track while just barely tolerating each other off of the track. When they see each other with their helmets off, they may nod and sometimes utter the words “Hey,” but once the gate drops they will do whatever it takes to finish in front of the other. Also, what I’ve always found really interesting over the years with the Facciotti/Goerke battle is their completely contrasting styles. Facciotti is a smooth and calculated rider who relies on his body and machine being completely connected to the track. As we’ve witnessed so many times in the past, when he’s on, he’s really on. We saw that during the first four rounds out west when Colton won three motos by well over 30 seconds. Matt Goerke, on the other hand, is a throwback to the feet off the pegs,
changes his or her spots. Speaking of another hard charging, never-say-die rider, this month we have Kennedy Lutz on the cover. This is the first female cover shot that I can remember with MXP Magazine, so obviously I’m very proud. All Kennedy has done for the past few seasons is win races and win titles. In 2017, it was the Women’s Eastern Canadian Championship, and last month she dominated the Western Women’s Series and won that title as well. Her dedication to this sport is unmatched in the Women’s class. Also, her desire to give back to the sport off the bike is something she should be very proud of. As you will read in her Cover Story, Kennedy has decided to step back from racing to pursue other interests. Whether she returns to racing in the future or not, Kennedy Lutz will go down in history as one of the best female riders this country has ever seen. I hope she enjoys this cover, and I wish her all the best in the future. Also, in this summer issue of MXP Magazine, we have an interview with the King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath, as well as the first ride on the all-new 2019 KX450. Mike McGill takes us back to 1975 where the aforementioned KS O O Matt Goerke probably “IT L OUGH H would’ve fit right in. Andy AS T UMMER S White tells us all about E H T IS 8 his trip to the British GP, 1 0 OF 2 G TO and Lawrence Hacking N takes us to Mongolia for GOI OTHER N an Adventure ride. I hope BE AONE everyone enjoys this T O H E issue, and I hope that H ” T . AT everyone has a safe and NALS O I T NA wonderful summer. See you at the races!
throttle wide open, Bob Hannah-type rider of the late 1970s. At times, I’m not sure if he cares or even knows that his bike isn’t pointed in the proper direction, he just keeps it pinned! I have the utmost admiration for both riders, but for different reasons. For Colton, I love how he’s taken his unbelievable talent for riding a dirt bike and combined it with a high level of fitness and determination, and here he is going for his fifth Canadian 450 title. Also, Colton’s longevity in this sport has been amazing - very Ross Pederson-like. As for my admiration of Matt Goerke, I just flat out respect how he rides as I could never imagine riding like that. Since Day 1, my style has revolved around trying to be smooth and using good lines to my advantage. Over the years, people have said that I ride like this because I was just never fit enough. While at times my fitness wasn’t the best, it had nothing to do with how I approached a race track. Trying to be smooth and having great flow is just how I ride, fit or not. Anyway, I guess the lesson here is that it’s very hard to change your overall riding style. You can tweak it and make improvements, but a leopard never
26 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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GUEST COLUMN
W I T H D Y L A N W R I G H T
NOT AS PLANNED P H OT O
came into this season ready to battle for a championship. I was fit. I was healthy. I was confident. I’d been eating well, training hard and putting in the time testing so I would be comfortable on the bike when I headed to the first gate drop of the season. I’m on a great team and I have a great program. So, I was counting on strong results. The West has generally not been kind to me, so I was trying to approach things a little differently this year. I’ve been working on smoothing out my riding and was focused on minimizing my mistakes. My original goal was to make sure I finished in the top 5 and in championship contention heading into the East. Sadly, the trend of the “stress test in the West” continued for me. Since Round 1, I have proven myself to be a championship contender … in every single moto. I’ve had the starts. I’ve had the speed. I’ve been in or near the lead. What I don’t have are the results and the points to show for it. It was a ‘rocky’ start to my season … literally. Round 1 was a ‘rock’ to my case leading to DNF #1. Round 2 was a ‘rock’ to my radiator leading to DNF #2. Round 3, I ‘rocked’ it to the top of the podium with my first ever 1-1 finish as a pro. At Round 3, I was finally able to prove my competencies as a racer, pulling off a 1-1 in the mud and rutty conditions. I carried that momentum into Round 4, pulling off a 2nd place in Moto 1 and running on the leader’s rear wheel in Moto 2 with a couple of laps to go. I had a strategy to make a pass for the win when I suffered my 3rd DNF of the season. There are no words in the English vocabulary to accurately reflect my feelings as the crank decided to go and I came to an abrupt halt on the side of the track. I won’t lie, it took all the willpower I had to work through the various emotions – anger, frustration, disappointment, sadness – to maintain my composure. After 2 DNFs and an overall win, and with other riders facing some
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challenges of their own, I thought maybe … just maybe … there might be enough racing left for me to claw my way back into championship contention. But as I suffered DNF #3 and my bike died, so did my hopes for the 2018 season. So much hard work and preparation seemed to be getting flushed down the drain. With half a season of motocross racing still left to go, it’s cruel to arrive at the realization that the 250 championship is out of reach and that the possibility of representing Canada at the MX of Nations has pretty much disappeared. So, as a racer, how are you supposed to stay motivated? For me, all that’s left is to “Ride for Pride.” Every gate drop is a new start. It’s a new race. It’s another chance for me to prove that, while I may not be in the points chase, I will always be in the chase for the lead in each and every moto. While I try to press the reset button, I also realize that as early as Round 2, people started to ask questions. They started speculating and making statements like, “Is Dylan Wright a bike eater or is it a bike issue?” Could a rider and a team really have this much bad luck? This is a contract year; will Dylan still have a ride? With two DNFs in as many rounds, people immediately started to work with this year. As for the GDR playing the “blame game.” team, they have been extremely supBut let me tell you something, in portive and conscientious. These guys my last five years racing as a pro, and have been working on bikes for years during the many amateur years that and have successfully managed to get preceded that, I’ve learned a lot. The them through many seasons before this teams that have supported me will tell one. Sure, there is a lot of fine tuning you that I have had to admit (someinvolved when you are pushing the bikes times reluctantly) when my technique to the absolute limit to was part of the problem. They will get maximum horsealso tell you that power out of the bike, I worked my butt off but unfortunately, we E R A to address the issues found the limit! E R “THE ORDS IN that were within I’m not saying that my control. But not I don’t make misNO W NGLISH E everything is in takes. I know I do. THE BULARYLY a racer’s control. What I am saying A E C T A VO CUR Let me let me asis if you take a step C TO A ECT MY sure you that I have back and look at this L pushed this new bike situation objectively, REF INGS AS L hard over the past I truly believe that E K E F N many months preparthe start to the 2018 CRA TO GO E H T D TO E ing for this series, and MX season has been D I DEC I CAME ALT it has proven to be nothing but a series H a great, high-perof unfortunate events AND BRUPT F O A E forming bike. I love the for me and my team. N D I A ES way it handles and it For those of you N TH ACK.” O definitely has a few thinking this is marR T THE more horses for me keting spin or that
I am defending myself and my team, I just want you to know the facts. I am painfully aware of how this all looks. You and I are both wondering if I have a future in this sport. Events like these definitely take the “fun” out of racing and make a guy wonder if all the work, sweat and tears are worth it. Well, I am going on the record saying that it is definitely worth it. If you’ve been watching the races and have not just been reading final results after the weekend, you’ll know that I can win and that I am one of the fastest and most determined racers out there. I feel the need to provide you with some facts to counter all of the speculation. I can honestly say that I am proud of my racing this year. As we move to the East, a lot of questions are being asked. Did I consider moving up to the 450 class? No, I didn’t. I feel like I definitely have some unfinished business left to do in the 250 class and that’s what I plan on doing by finishing out the year with as many moto wins and overall wins that we possibly can!
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FEMALE PERSPECTIVE
B Y E S T R E L L A C E M O V I C
GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY hank you MXP Magazine for giving me the opportunity to talk about my recovery from my accident last year in November. I know we had a chance to speak earlier this year about how my recovery was going, however, unfortunately I do not remember doing it. That in itself starts off where I’m at now because I can remember a lot of things now that happen from day to day. However, my cognitive skills, memory being one of them, definitely still need a lot of work and I am working on that by doing stuff like reading,
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playing games like crosswords, puzzles, and word searches to improve my cognitive skills. In May when I met with my neurologist, he was really happy and impressed with how far I’ve come so far. All of my doctors were telling my mom and dad that they were blown away with me because I was eating, talking, and walking way quicker than I was supposed to, and they told us it had a lot to do with how healthy and athletic I was prior to my accident. After the injury that I had, 10% of people will be in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives and 30% are not able to hold
a job and be independent. I am lucky to going to the gym every day and trying have gotten a job at Hollister and work to get back to my normal self. I’ve ask at my dad’s office during this time of my friends whenever I see them, “Do being off a bike. I am more than excited I seem more normal yet?” (laughs). I for my appointment with my doctor in was very excited because last week Jacksonville in October where he will when I went to Gully Mor to watch be taking scans of my brain to see how racing, I did the 30 second bored for a far I have come, and hopefully I will be couple races and it made me so happy! cleared to ride again by then. After Gully Mor we went to Moto Park At the end of April I was fortunate for the final two rounds of the MPCup. enough to graduate from my therapy My brother raced and he rode very well. that I was attending since January. Although I’d obviously rather be racing I know that I would not have been myself, it’s still exciting to be back at anywhere near where I am now without the track and watching my brother all my therapists and therapy that I race. It was also my mom’s birthday so had while I was in Jacksonville, Florida. we all had fun celebrating that. Although I hated it and I dreaded going I’m very excited for the summer all the time, I am extremely fortunate because we’re going back to GPF for to have gotten the opportunity to the month of July, and I’m going to attend and learn from there. So since the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National I am homeschooled and I am 19 years with the Neely family this year. Then, old, I am supposed to be graduated we will be back home in Canada for already, but I still have a few electives the months of August and September left that I am supposed to take. My before heading back to doctors told me I won’t be able to do GPF again to train for school for the next 1-2 years the winter. Hopefully because of my memory. I (finger’s crossed), I will E I’V have decided that I need be back to riding, trainE C N T “SI U to finish school and then ing, and racing again. O I can at least begin tryI can’t thank everyone BEENTHE ing to start it again, so I enough for all of their OF TAL I P have started attempting support during this very S HO WITH it so far. I am excited for difficult time and during D AN MILY later on this summer this whole time of my A because 6D has reached recovery. I know that I MY F N I’VE I out and emailed my dad couldn’t have gotten this AGA GOING that they are very happy far without all of you and N E BE E GYM for me that I survived I will forever be grateH T TO Y DAY through this accident ful for everything that and they are inviting me everyone has done for EVERRYING T down to their factory in me. In closing, I pray that AND GET California to see how a everyone out there has TO Y M helmet is made! Earlier a fun and safe summer K TO L C A B A this year they also asked riding. M R NO F. my dad to ship them my SEL helmet that I was wearing during my accident. They examined it to determine if the helmet was affected. This will help their engineers when designing future helmets. Since I’ve been out of the hospital and with my family again I’ve been
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ALL-NEW ENGINE DELIVERS FASTER LAP TIMES ALL-NEW SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS FOR IMPROVED HANDLING ALL-NEW ELECTRIC START FOR QUICK AND EASY STARTING For more information visit www.kawasaki.ca and www.teamgreencanada.ca ©2018 Canadian Kawasaki Motors Inc. Always ride responsibly. Always ride within the limits of your skills, your experience and your machine. Wear an approved helmet and protective clothing. The actions depicted here took place under controlled conditions with professional riders.
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WO N D E R WO M A N BY CHRIS POMERO
K E N N E D Y
or the past few seasons, the women’s movement in Canadian motocross has been gaining strength by leaps and bounds. Not only have they had their very own bi-coastal national series, but each year more and more girls are getting introduced to this incredible sport. Women’s motocross in Canada is also very fortunate to have numerous positive role models for the sport that young athletes can look up to. Kennedy Lutz is one of these riders that has not only excelled on the track in recent years but off the track as well. She is a great rider and also a great spokesperson for women of all ages. Her focus, dedication, and race results have been incredible throughout the past two seasons. So, without further ado, let us introduce multi-time Canadian Women’s National Champion Kennedy Lutz as MXP’s newest Cover Girl.
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MXP: Hey Kennedy, what have you been up to since the final western round in Manitoba? KL: Hey! I haven’t been doing much other than studying and writing finals last week. I just finished my last final of grade 11. I’m a year behind in high school because of all the time I’ve spent training and racing over the years. I took school online through Distance Learning since Grade 8, but this year I decided to go back to public school. I’m also working a part-time job so I’m still keeping pretty busy.
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Last year I was more serious about racing so I was more prepared and there was a lot more hype going into it. MX101 helped me get my bike to each round and they made me feel like a part of the team, which was a cool experience. I enjoyed the west coast because it was the most fun I have had on a bike in a while. I had the biggest smile on my face every moto. I wasn’t critical about my riding and I didn’t put any pressure on myself. I was just out there for a good time. Racing this year was way more laid back than I’m used to. I only practiced one night in between in each round, and then my Dad and I would pack up the motorhome at the end of the week and head to the next round. It felt like old times and it was good to end on a positive note.
“ I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO THANK MY DAD. HE’S THE ONE WHO GOT ME INTO RACING AND HE’S SUPPORTED MY DREAMS SINCE THE BEGINNING. HE BELIEVED IN ME AND NEVER GAVE UP ON ME.”
MXP: Well, congratulations on the West Women’s title. What did you do to celebrate? KL: I celebrated a little Saturday night after the race with some friends but then I spent all day Sunday studying. Nothing special but I have all summer to enjoy myself. I’m spending the July long weekend at Lake of the Woods in Ontario so I’m really looking forward to that! MXP: You won the East title last year in dominant fashion. How would you compare the two titles? KL: I think both titles were equally important to me. 32 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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WONDER WOMAN MXP: The east is notorious for having tougher tracks and more challenging conditions. Would you agree? KL: Yes and no. Since us ladies raced on the amateur day last year, the tracks weren’t crazy rough, they were typical racing conditions for me. The only exception would be MX BonConseil, the amateur day had some deep ruts. The majority of the tracks out east are sand so it’s definitely more of a workout than the tracks in the west. Since we raced on the pro day this year and they didn’t flatten all the bumps before our races, the tracks actually got pretty gnarly…well the last two rounds anyways. I enjoy the rougher tracks, though. Not everyone can ride those tracks, which is a good speed separator. That’s what national level tracks should look like! MXP: What was your favourite track from the east series last year? KL: I want to say Gopher Dunes. I love sand and it was wide open everywhere! But I actually also liked the way the Bon-Conseil track turned out. It poured rain the night before and it got pretty muddy and rutted. It was more of a backyard track, but it was more fun to ride than I expected. Some might disagree because it was a narrow track, but I think the dirt made up for it.
“ RACING ISN’T A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME ANYMORE AND I WANT TO START PREPARING FOR UNIVERSITY.” muddy but I still had a blast. The lines went everywhere so I just looked ahead and held the throttle on. I’m pretty sure I didn’t have the best style, but I was having fun so that’s all that mattered. Minnedosa was nice because I had my whole family there to cheer me on. The layout of the track was sick. I had no nerves on the starting line, but when the gate dropped my adrenaline was pumping and didn’t stop. I don’t know why but I was just so excited to be racing. I couldn’t have been happier with how the last round went. MXP: So, after two championships in a row, you have decided to maybe head in a different direction in your life. Can you talk about what is next for you? KL: Before the series even started this year I knew in the back of my head it would probably be my last time racing at a national level. Racing isn’t a top priority for me anymore and I want to start preparing for university. I’m pretty competitive with everything I set my mind to so I always put 100% of my focus on
one thing and I never do anything half-assed. I was contemplating whether I should race the women’s nationals this year because I wasn’t sure how prepared I would be. It ended up being the best decision I could’ve made. I don’t even know if I’ll own a bike next year, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep up with workouts. The active lifestyle will always be a part of my life. MXP: That is great news. What made you decide to go this route? KL: I don’t have the same intensity on the track anymore and I think it’s because I didn’t see a future in racing. The goals I once had didn’t seem important to me anymore. There was nothing to motivate me to keep training and racing at the level I was at. I’ve gotten to the point in my life where I’m happy with everything I’ve accomplished in racing and I want to start planning for my future.
MXP: So, going back to this year. You came out at the opening round in Calgary and won both motos. Then at Round 2 things didn’t go as well. Can you take us through your day at Popkum? KL: Practice went okay but the track wasn’t my favourite. There were no lines and I wasn’t a fan of the hard-packed dirt. In the first moto after the restart, I got the holeshot but then I fell over in a turn on the second lap. When I got back up, I was in third place and then I just fell into a groove, not really pushing myself or trying to make my own line to pass. In the second moto, I got the holeshot again but Tara (Gieger) passed me on the third lap and that’s where I stayed for the remainder of the race. Tara looked good in Popkum and it was cool to race against her. I went 3-2 so that gave me 2nd overall on the day, which I was happy with. MXP: Was the Popkum track difficult to ride? It sure looked like it. KL: That track was super rocky and slippery. The jumps were pretty fun, but yeah, it wasn’t my favourite. MXP: Thankfully, you came back and won in the mud at Round 3 and then finished it off in style at the final round in Manitoba. Those two weekends must’ve felt sweet. KL: Yeah, Prince George and Minnedosa were my favourite tracks in the west this year. I’ve never been to either of those tracks but I was impressed. Prince George was
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To be honest it wasn’t the first time I’ve thought about taking a step back from racing. At the end of 2016 I was pretty close to quitting motocross entirely. I felt like I was putting in a lot of work but I didn’t feel like I was improving. I don’t know what it was, but I wasn’t feeling myself. I didn’t enjoy riding really, it came to the point where I didn’t even want to see a dirt bike. After Walton (2016), I decided to go home and take a break until I was feeling ready to train again. I laid around the house for five months with no motivation to do anything. It was in January of 2017 when I decided to get back into training. After a couple months of training, I raced Freestone (U.S. Amateur National). I got a championship that week and I battled with some top U.S. women, which really boosted my confidence and motivated me to come back. It gave me a reason to train and it was something to strive for. The mountain didn’t seem so high to climb. Last year I won the Eastern Canadian Nationals, which was very rewarding for me. The lows in motocross just make the highs that much better. There’s no better feeling crossing the finish line and knowing you put everything you had into it. MXP: Where do you see yourself in five years? KL: Let’s hope I’m not still in high school by then (haha). But actually, I plan to be out of University by then and working towards starting my own business. It doesn’t matter what I set my mind to, I always want to try my hardest. MXP: If you look back to your racing, what are some of the memories that you most cherish? KL: I think the best memories were spent during training camps because I’ve made friends from all over the place. I was thirteen when I started spending lots of time away from home. I’ve trained in Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana, and I’ve met a lot of great people that have supported me along the way. So many moms and dads have stepped in to help me and I couldn’t have done it on my own. I’ve gained so much independence and lifelong skills. I’ll definitely miss the friends I made the most.
MXP: If you could pick one race that you think is your best ever, what would that race be? KL: That one is hard. I don’t know if one race sticks out. The best races are racing with the boys. I love going into the first turn ahead of all the guys and not letting them pass me without a fight. I’ve had some of the best battles in the B and C classes in the states. I’ve always been an aggressive rider, and in the boys’ class there is always someone to chase or someone chasing you. One moto that sticks out is a Loretta qualifier I raced. It was the end of the day and the track was pretty beat up. I was in 2nd or 3rd and everyone was settled in their position. But I had more energy in me and I couldn’t let the guys beat me. I was catching the leader a little each lap but I was still fairly behind. When the last lap came around I tracked down first and passed him at the very end. I don’t think anyone was expecting it and it felt good to push to the end.
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WONDER WOMAN MXP: I know the answer might be long for this question, but who would you like to thank for helping you achieve the success you have had? KL: I would really like to thank my Dad. He’s the one who got me into racing and he’s supported my dreams since the beginning. He believed in me and never gave up on me. He’s gone through so much himself, but his kids are always his top priority and I’m very grateful for him. Another huge part of my success was the help I received from Rob and Sherry Burkhart. I started training with them at the end of 2013 and they took me in as their own and pushed me to my limits everyday. They were like parents to me and they’ve taught me so much, not only in motocross, but in life as well. I’m thankful for all the moms at Real Deal MX who have treated me so well. I’m thankful for the people that believed in me when I doubted myself. I don’t think people realize how little words of encouragement can go such a long way. I work so hard and sometimes I get discouraged when I don’t get the results I want, but it’s always nice to be reminded that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. It’s also very humbling to see how many girls look up to me and I hope more girls can show the guys how it’s done. I’ve had many sponsors along the way. Schrader’s in Yorkton has stuck with me since the beginning. I also want to thank my current sponsors FXR, Yamaha Canada, 100% goggles, Atlas Brace, TCD Racing, Hinson Racing, 6D Helmets, Gaerne, and Fusion Graphix.
“THE BEST RACES ARE RACING WITH THE BOYS. I LOVE GOING INTO THE FIRST TURN AHEAD OF ALL THE GUYS AND NOT LETTING THEM PASS ME WITHOUT A FIGHT.” MXP: Final question, what do you think about women’s racing these days? There seems to be more and more girls riding these days, and this year the Women’s National class is racing on Saturdays with the men. What are your thoughts on the state of women in this sport right now? KL: I didn’t get to experience women’s motocross when it was a professional series so I can’t compare it to what it used to be. I think right now women’s motocross in Canada is fairly decent. Everyone has a different opinion about what an ideal series would look like. Everyone wanted to race on pro day but now that we race on Saturday with the guys, nobody likes the rough track and we aren’t the highlight of the day. Personally, I liked the track on pro day but as far as everything else goes, we were way better off on amateur day. The media had more time for us and we were more of a priority. Lots of people also want to combine the east and west into one big series. None of us ladies are receiving enough support to be able to afford that. It’s way more affordable committing to four rounds and I think it’s way more realistic. Considering there wasn’t going to be a women’s series four years ago until Denaye and Camille stepped in, we are grateful for what we have. I think it will only improve from here.
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THE WINNING COLOUR
THE BATTLE FOR THE RED PLATES B Y C H R I S P O M E R O Y A N D P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E
There is no doubting the significance of the colour red in our lives, it’s everywhere. In fact, in the annals of sports psychology the colour red is associated with winning. A recent study confirms previous reports that athletes wearing red uniforms win competitions more often than opponents dressed in other colours. Tiger Woods was someone who definitely has proven this theory as his customary Sunday red shirt has carried him to countless victories during his long career. Even to this day very few golfers, if any, wear a red shirt on Sunday when Tiger is playing. In motocross, we bring together the colour red and winning a little differently, but with the same importance. For the past few seasons the rider that is leading the points standings at the Canadian Nationals is able to use bright red backgrounds on his number plates. This leaves little doubt to fans, media, as well as the other riders which talented rider is leading the points! 38 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE ¡ MXPMAG.COM
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NOT Y L ITE AND N I F DE ETTIS ET E R WE ERE P E TO G N T A S TH SUES W RE ABL LIZE O R E RID ANY IS RS WE CAPITA KES.” O “TW AVING H RIDE THEN STA I M H OT S AND ELSE’S B . I TT TART O NE I O C Y S C R FA REAT EVE G
o far in 2018, we’ve seen multiple riders who have carried this honour throughout the opening rounds of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series. In the 450 class, Colton Facciotti grabbed the red plate at the opening round and doesn’t appear to want to give it back. After four rounds in the 450 class, Facciotti and Matt Goerke are tied in the points standings, so they do what very rarely has been done before, they will share the red plate at Round 5 of the series. In the 250 Pro/Am class, the coveted red plate started off on the blue MX101 FXR Racing Yamaha of BC rider Jess Pettis. Pettis dominated the opening two rounds and appeared poised to carry this honour for the rest of the summer. However, lady luck stepped in
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at Round 3 in Prince George when Pettis suffered a mechanical failure on his Yamaha. This cost Pettis a lot of points and sadly the red plate. Of course, in the cut throat world of professional sports, one athlete’s misfortune usually results in another athlete reaping the rewards. In this case, last year’s 250 Champion, Shawn Maffenbeier, who has been remarkably consistent so far this summer, grabbed the points lead from Pettis as well as the red plate. It was most certainly a see-saw battle out west as every rider on the starting line wanted to get their hands on the red plate. Now, as we begin the second half of the 2018 Triple Crown Series, let’s take a look back at exactly how we got to where we are. The opening round for 2018 was moved to the Wild Rose Cycle Park in Calgary, AB for the first time in
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THE WINNING COLOUR
THE BATTLE FOR THE RED PLATES
HE G S T F O IN E N “O NGE TH TS IS A STR T SPORMES U I T O E B M A O R YOU S T THA HARDE MORE THE AND THE WIN A O TRY WANT T NT, THE YOU AIN EVE ULT IT T CER E DIFFIC ” MOR DO SO. IS TO
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our sport’s history. This unique track provided the riders with a challenging first set of motos with the beautiful Calgary skyline in the background. As with most opening rounds, some riders were struggling with their bike set-up while others were just plain struggling. Two riders that were definitely not having any issues were Pettis and Facciotti. Both riders were able to get great starts and then capitalize on everyone else’s mistakes. By the time dust settled on Wild Rose Cycle Park, the first set of the bright shining red plates went to Pettis in the 250 Pro/ Am class, and Facciotti in the 450 class, ironically matching Facciotti’s red GDR Fox Honda. It was a special
day for these two riders, as they were very excited to take their well-earned momentum into Round 2 at Popkum Motor Park in BC. As the riders gathered for Round 2, we witnessed another first in Canadian motocross. Never before had a round of the Canadian nationals visited the track in Popkum, and everyone was very excited. The Province of BC also has some special significance to the points leaders as Pettis calls Prince George, BC home and Facciotti used to live not too far from the site of Round 2. With numerous members of both rider’s families in attendance, you just knew their motivation level was high. Both red plate governors had
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THE WINNING COLOUR
THE BATTLE FOR THE RED PLATES
consistent days on the slick and dusty Popkum track. They weren’t quite as dominant as they were seven days before, but the Pettis/Facciotti duo were once again able to win their respective classes and hold on to their red plates. It was a very challenging day at Round 2 as the track demanded the utmost focus and throttle control. One false move could’ve spelled disaster at any moment. In the past whenever the series has welcomed in a new track, it sometimes has taken a year or two to get “worked’ into having pro riders race four motos on it. The Popkum track was no different as the bright BC sunshine and the harder packed surface played havoc with the large pro classes. However, even with the difficult conditions, the riders were able to entertain the fans in all four motos before making their way northeast to Prince George, BC for Round 3. Last summer when the series visited Prince George, for then what was Round 2 of the 2017 series, every
rider enjoyed racing on the Blackwater track. Nestled in the dense wooded wilderness about 45 minutes from the city center of Prince George, the track is basically on the side of a steep and large hill. From the moment the riders leave the starting gate they begin their journey up and down the hills of the Blackwater circuit, before finishing on a flat straight full of jumps. While Facciotti had only been to this new national track once before, Pettis calls it his home track as he lives only 20 minutes away. With his family’s estate being in such close proximity to the track, Pettis obviously had a strong legion of fans supporting him. One of the strange things about sports is that sometimes the harder you try and the more you want to win a certain event, the more difficult it is to do so. This was the case for Pettis as bike problems in Moto 1 left him on the sidelines with just a few turns to go. With a heavy heart, and an overheated
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Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
Photo: Cudby / Shepherd
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS Elevating the sport might mean something different from one person to the next. To Husqvarna Motorcycles, it means taking a pioneering approach to evolving man and machine while never resting on your laurels. Together with Jason Anderson’s tenacious mentality and our 115-years of dedication to progression, we celebrate reaching all new heights with our first-ever Supercross premier class win. Congratulations Jason Anderson and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team- a pioneer’s journey is never over.
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THE WINNING COLOUR
THE BATTLE FOR THE RED PLATES
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Wheel
clutch, Pettis was forced to sit at the side of the track and watch not only his race slip away but also his cherished red plate. As the riders left Round 3 and headed east, Shawn Maffenbeier earned the honour of brandishing his green Kawasaki with the red plate in the 250 Pro/Am class. With Maffenbeier being the defending champion in the class, he, more than anyone, knows how important it is to take the points lead into the difficult eastern rounds. In the 450 class, Round 3 was anything but roses for the points leader Facciotti. All day long his one step forward/two steps back luck cost him some very valuable points. When the day was over at the Blackwater track, Facciotti’s 7-7 moto definitely stood in the shadows of his closet competitors for the first time this summer. As the riders moved on to Round 4 and the immaculately wellprepared McNabb Valley Raceway in Manitoba, Facciotti once again gave up a few points to Matt Goerke. This is why these two no-love-lost rivals are heading into the east tied atop the 450 class point standings. If you
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recall a few seasons ago, these two athletes took their championship battle right down to the final moto of the series. To add to the drama of that final moto, both riders crashed into each other in Turn 2 and were forced to play catch-up all race long. In the end, Goerke won the 450 title, however, Facciotti’s charge to a podium finish in that moto will go down in Canadian moto history as one of the best ever. With the colour red so synonymous with winning and success, which riders will carry the red plates this summer when it matters most? When the final flag falls on the series at Walton Raceway in late August, will it be Maffenbeier or Pettis in the 250 Pro/Am class or will another rider step up in the final few rounds? In the 450 class, will Goerke and Facciotti continue their tug-of-war over the red plate or will perhaps Kaven Benoit keep his KTM on a roll? These are all important questions, of course. But, they are questions that won’t be answered until the bright red summer sun sets on this 2018 Triple Crown MXTour Series.
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WWW.WHEELSPORT.CA 1390 YOUVILLE DR, OTTAWA, ON, CANADA K1C 2X8 2018-07-06 10:38 11:56 AM 2018-05-25
MXP Cha tter with
JOEY CROWN BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY JAMES LISSIMORE
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MXP: I feel like you should change your name to Mr. Consistent as that is exactly what you were in the first four rounds. Were you happy with how things went in the west? JC: Yes, I thought everything was good in the west and I’m happy with my finishes. I thought I rode well and put myself in a good position as we begin the eastern rounds, but I’m a little bummed that I wasn’t able to get a few moto wins. MXP: Coming into this series what expectations did you put upon yourself?
oming into the 2018 racing season, Michigan rider and honourary Canadian Joey Crown had very few options for racing a pro series. After a great amateur career, which included multiple Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Titles, Crown was more than ready to turn the page and race the pro class full-time. However, with all of the factory teams full in the USA, Crown was forced to turn to his adopted homeland for his first full-time professional ride. Thankfully, the Redemption Racing KTM Team stepped up and offered Joey a ride to compete in the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series in the highly competitive 250 Pro/Am class. Since the series began in late May, Crown has been remarkably consistent aboard his KTM. Racing on tracks that he’s never even seen before, Crown was on the podium three times in the first four rounds, and as he prepares for the eastern rounds, he sits third in the point standings. We caught up with Joey Crown just days before the gate dropped on Round 5 at Sand Del Lee, a race that he’s very much looking forward to.
C
JC: Well, I always want to win and in the past I’ve been guilty of putting too much pressure on myself. I guess I came into the west rounds hoping that I would be in the top five. I figured that if I could make it through the west in the top five and stay healthy, then I would be better in the east. So I guess I’ve exceeded expectations in the first four rounds. MXP: Has it been difficult racing on tracks that you’ve never seen before? JC: At times it was tough, but overall it wasn’t too bad. Calgary and Popkum were challenging because they were just so hard packed and dusty. It was really hard to be aggressive without making a lot of mistakes, so I just kind of relaxed and tried to stay up. MXP: Then at Round 3 you led the opening moto for a few laps? JC: Yes, that was a lot fun to be up front and leading a moto again. The conditions were still muddy at that point so it was hard to get some flow and pull away. Then I got into lappers and I just got tight. It would’ve been nice to win that moto, but considering that prior to Calgary I hadn’t raced for eight months, I’m still getting comfortable.
“ Everything has been good so far. The Redemp tion Team is grea t and they’ve given me everything I need to win.”
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“I think if I can get a mo to win and get the ball rolling then I can make a run a t this title, tha t is my plan anyway.”
MXP Cha tter with
JOEY CROWN
MXP: Not only were you coming off an injury, but this is also the first time racing a KTM. How has the new bike and new team been? JC: Everything has been good so far. The Redemption Team is great and they’ve given me everything I need to win. We’re not the most well funded team in the paddock, but we’re a tight group and we want to win. My teammate (Josh Osby) and I have been on the podium at each round and that it is what matters for everyone. As I said, the team has given Josh and I what we need to win races and to win this championship, so now all we have to do is take care of our business on the track. MXP: How was the switch from Kawasaki to KTM? JC: It’s been okay, actually, better than I thought it would be. I’d been on Kawasakis for so long, and as far as big bikes go, that was all that I knew. As soon as I signed with KTM I went out and got a KTM350 and right away I felt comfortable. It’s taken a while to get used to the steel frame and how the KTMs react to different situations on the track, but overall everything has been good. I think I’m now at the point where I feel like my bike is right where I want it.
MXP: Your team is also running different tires than what you’re used to. How are the Hoosier Tires? JC: They’re pretty good overall. We only run them on the rear because they don’t make front tires yet. For years I’ve only ran Dunlop Tires so I’m really used to how they work on every type of surface. It’s taken a little time to figure out the feel of these new Hoosier Tires, but they work really well. We’re actually getting a new model here soon so I’m excited about that.
MXP: Also, speaking of your KTM350, you polished it up and took it to Southwick to race the national there, and you finish really well. JC: Yes, my plan was to do Muddy Creek and Southwick during the break from the Canadian Nationals. Muddy Creek didn’t end up working out so we freshened up my 350 and headed to Southwick. It ended up being really fun and I had a great second moto, so I was happy with that. MXP: How did you find the speed while you were running close to the Top 10? JC: It was definitely fast as those guys have been racing together for a while now. The conditions were really tough at Southwick as the track was rough and it was pretty hot outside. I think we were all tired during the second moto so we were just trying to survive. Weston Peick got me on the last lap, which wasn’t great, but I was happy to finish where I did. MXP: Now it’s onto the east with conditions you’re much more accustomed to. JC: Yes, I do know the eastern tracks better, and with being a Michigan kid I’m used to the humidity. I’m really excited to get back at it and finish these final five rounds really strong. I think if I can get a moto win and get the ball rolling then I can make a run at this title, that is my plan anyway. MXP: Well Joey, you’ve raced up here so much over the years that it almost feels like you’re half Canadian. You have a lot of fans up here and I’m sure they’ll all be cheering for you in the east. Good luck and thank-you for doing this. JC: Thanks for calling Palms! So far this series has been fun and I look forward to the future. This is also my first pro series so it’s been an adjustment racing every weekend. However, each weekend I’ve gotten better and hopefully the next few will be even better.
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BANGERS AND MOTOCROSS 2018 BRITISH MXGP W O R D S A N D P H O T O S B Y A N D Y W H I T E
Looking back, this season has been really exciting for the FXR Moto Division. We had our best year in supercross with two podiums from Jimmy Decotis and Kyle Peters aboard the JGR Factory Suzuki Lites team. We also had some solid rides by the HEP Suzuki team of Kyle Peters and Henry Miller. Overall, I was happy with the investment we made in this year’s supercross program. Not long into the SX season I started having some interest in our motocross gear from new markets like the UK and France. ooking back, this season has been really exciting for the FXR Moto Division. We had our best year in supercross with two podiums from Jimmy Decotis and Kyle Peters aboard the JGR Factory Suzuki Lites team. We also had some solid rides by the HEP Suzuki team of Kyle Peters and Henry Miller. Overall, I was happy with the investment we made in this year’s supercross program. Not long into the SX season I started
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having some interest in our motocross gear from new markets like the UK and France. The brand already has solid sales in Scandinavia, Holland and Germany. I knew the UK market was pretty big, so having people knocking on our doors was a good thing. It wasn’t long after we had a bunch of independent reps from those markets asking about the product. Before I knew it, we had signed some reps and I was planning my trip to the UK to meet up with the new crew. I was excited about the opportu-
nity because I knew it would be a solid market for us given the interest from the public already. I looked on the MXGP schedule and I noticed that the British MXGP fell smack dab in the middle of when my trip was scheduled. Perfect timing! I knew this would be a fun venue to check out, so I booked my ticket, reserved my hotels and I was off. I used to live in the UK when I was a kid. A few of the key things I remember, like driving on the other side of the road, the Brits talking with an accent, and I
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SS A L E C YS. T I R U U G O V 0 A 5 S F 4 G E Y N I H M L T “ R E E B E H R O E A T K I I HAS DERS L CAIROL NET, RI TONY LA O P T N AND IFFERE HESE TW R D . T IDE FO A E S N I O -W OTH R BULL D E SPE ERS B / RED EXT RID RY KTM T PIT N .” R ’ O E N T H O C T D O FA HEY H C A T TO E BUT
THE TRACK IN MATTERLEY BASIN LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A MOTOCROSS DREAM.
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BANGERS AND MOTOCROSS 2018 BRITISH MXGP
LK A W OU U Y O S N Y HE PIT ETTY E H R “ W ND T P E U ARO SEE SOMG RACE N CAN L LOOKI AN RUN COO S. YOU CTORY BIKE- ON FACN I FULL PMENT I EQU PE .” O EUR
knew that fish and chips with mushy peas tasted pretty darned good. When you fly over to the UK you usually leave Canada in the early evening. The flight itself is about 6-7 hours long so this means you arrive bright and early in London. Once you take off, you are served dinner right away, then shortly after you try to grab a few hours sleep before they serve you breakfast three hours later. When you land you are usually pretty tired from the 2 to 3-hour nap. The rule is: don’t nap once you arrive. If you do you will be messed up for days. Once I arrived I had a connection as I was heading on to Manchester. That’s where my new FXR rep lives and that’s where we were starting the trip. Day one is a bit of a right off to be honest. You’re tired from the lack of sleep, plus you’re in a new time zone. Day two, we headed off to a few MX dealers to see what they thought of our product line. Now remember, the cars are driven on the wrong side of the road. (At least that was my thought.) Our new rep, Dave, thinks we drive on the wrong side. I reminded him that most of the world drives on the right side. It was very strange sitting in the passenger seat. I must have hit the non-existent
brake pedal on my side a few times and I was sure glad that I was not driving. At the end of the day the word was that the UK dealers liked our product and they were ready to book! This was great news. It’s now Saturday morning and it’s time to head to Matterley Basin. This track is well known in the motocross world as the MXON was held there last year. It’s located southwest of London just past a small town called Winchester. You would never find it if the signs were not pointing to it. The track is located way off the main road in a big valley. When you pull into the parking you see why riders love this track. The valley is huge and the track goes for miles. It’s a mix of Ironman and perhaps a little bit of Red Bud. Saturday at the GP is for practicing and qualifying for the main races on Sunday. There are three support races this weekend, EMX250, EMX300 and VMX. All three support classes are pro level and they are part of the European championship. The pit area is loaded with unreal set ups. It looks a little like a Formula 1 pit in some way. Red Bull has their fancy set up, and Monster and Rockstar have theirs too. Each row of the pit is assigned to a manufacturer. The only manufacturer that was not here was Suzuki. Their team folded at the end of last year. When you walk around the pit you can see some pretty cool looking race bikes. You can run full-on factory equipment in Europe. The Factory KTM of Herlings and Carolli look impressive. The MXGP classes get way more practice on the tracks than the riders in the US typically do. Each MX class gets two full-on 20-minute practices, and then later in the day have a full-on 25-minute moto. Why do they race on Saturday you ask? Well, they use this race as the riders’ gate pick for Sunday. As you can imagine, the track is pretty blown out by 4pmSaturday afternoon. Remember, in Europe they don’t fix the track. They leave it all weekend long. The only area they will touch is the start straight and the jump face, but not all, just a few. Okay, now you have completed 2 x 20-minute practices, a full-on 25-minute moto, and it’s still Saturday. The teams work all night long washing the bikes and getting them ready for Sunday’s 2 x 30-minute motos. The other rule at MXGPs is you can’t wash your race bike at your truck. You need to take it to a special compound where there are 20-plus wash bays. Sunday rolls around and the first moto of the day is the support class at 8am. These poor guys get to race on
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IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE FXR RACING BRAND DOING SO WELL IN EUROPE.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT THE LONDON BRIDGE WAS NOT FALLING DOWN.
LOOK AT THESE BEAUTIFUL BIKE WASH BAYS THAT ARE AT EVERY MXGP.
THE ROCKSTAR HUSQVARNA PADDOCK WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE NICEST AT THE BRITISH GP.
ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T HAVE BIG SEMI-TRUCKS AT THE MXGPS, THEY DO HAVE SOME VERY NICE LOOKING TEAM TRANSPORTS.
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 53
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BANGERS AND MOTOCROSS 2018 BRITISH MXGP
ONE OF THE MANY COOL THINGS ABOUT ENGLAND IS ALL OF THE OLD HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
THE MATTERLEY BASIN TRACK IS A RIDER FAVOURITE ON THE MXGP CIRCUIT.
a very muddy track because the track crew made sure dust would not be a problem for the fans or riders. Right after they are complete the MXGP guys get a 20-minute practice again and then there is another support class. Each support class gets two motos, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. One of the local British riders, Steven Clarke, who happens to be supported by FXR, clinched the win for the day in the EMX250 class. I was super pumped for him. Once the support classes are complete it’s time for the GP guys to put on a show. Believe it or not, the race fans are still rolling in at this point. I would say there were about 30,000+ fans for the day. I counted 30 or so Union Jack flags, as the locals are there to cheer on there favourite British GP riders like Tommy Searle. When Tommy rode by the fans would blast their air horns or fire up their chainsaws. These are true race fans. It was cool to see that there were lots of other flags from other countries. GP fans are loyal, love MX and travel the distance to cheer on their guys. My favourite class has to be the 450 guys. Riders like Herlings and Tony Carolli are on a different planet, speedwise. These two riders both ride for factory KTM/ Red Bull but they don’t pit next to each other. Herlings is under the Austrian factory set up and Tony is under his own set up that is based in Italy. They ride the same brand of bike but they are not teammates. Once the gate dropped these two jetted out front with Tony leading the way. The pace is so unreal. The third-place rider is a straight away off the pace. Herlings plays the game where he sits a few seconds behind Tony so he gets to watch his lines. Herlings will try different lines to see if they are better or not. If Herlings tries a line and loses some time he will just push hard for a lap, and before you know it he is right on Tony’s rear fender again. When Herlings gets the signal that there are four laps to go in the race, this is where the bullet clicks it up a gear and knocks off 2-3 seconds a lap. Both motos Herlings blew by Carolli and took the win. The crazy part is that their last four laps of the race are usually the fastest laps of the entire moto. The MX2 GP class was good but there was no real battle to watch. These riders
from all over the world are committed and they give 100% from the beginning of the race right to the checkered flag. The Red Bull factory riders dominated the day, and they seem to be the two main riders each weekend. Now that the race day was over it was time to head to London, find the hotel and relax after two long days of walking and talking. That night we decide we are going to head into London the next morning before our flight at 3pm. The next morning, we met up at 6am and took the double decker bus to the Heathrow Airport where we jumped on the subway to Piccadilly circle. So far, the plan was working out nicely. Everything was going well until stop number four on the subway. I forget what stop it was but I swear 500 people got on our section. One minute I had lots of room then suddenly zero. I had people pushed right up against me. I looked at my colleague and he was laughing. We had 10 more stops to go! Finally, we reached the station and we worked our way off the subway. I advise anyone looking to ride the subway in London to take it after rush hour. Once downtown we walked around like tourists. We took in Buckingham Palace. The sign said the queen was out for the day, so we carried on to the Thames River. We hopped on the water taxi and made our way to London Bridge. Lots of rich history in this country to be seen. Later that morning we worked our way to the parliament buildings, which is where that famous clock they call Big Ben sits. Unfortunately, the clock was under construction but that was okay, there were a lot of other things to look at. Make sure you have good shoes on and plenty of time to check out the sights because the time flew by. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to the airport. At the end of the day I really enjoyed my trip to England. If you want to see a MXGP and tour a country, head to the UK. I guarantee you will have a great time...provided the weather cooperates. See you at the races. airport. At the end of the day I really enjoyed my trip to England. If you want to see a MXGP and tour a country, head to the UK. I guarantee you will have a great time…provided the weather cooperates. See you at the races.
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JIMMY DECOTIS JGR SUZUKI FACTORY RACING
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THE 2018 FXR RACING RIDE DAY GOOD TIMES WITH GREAT PEOPLE B Y B R E T T L E E • P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E
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AT THE END OF THIS INCREDIBLE DAY IT WAS TIME FOR EVERYONE TO POSE FOR A LARGE GROUP SHOT.
TERREN GERBER SAT BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THEIR WHITE SPRINTER VAN. HIS MOM, TERESE, WAS RELAXED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE VAN READY WITH A BOOK. TERREN AND HIS MOM HAD TRAVELED FROM THEIR FARM IN ALBERTA TO THE ROCKSTAR ENERGY NATIONAL IN MINNEDOSA, MANITOBA. DAD WAS LEFT AT HOME FARMING. THE NATIONAL, TWO DAYS PRIOR, HAD DELIVERED TERREN A 7TH OVERALL AND HAD HIM SITTING IN 9TH IN THE NATIONAL 250 PRO SERIES. A GREAT POSITION FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FROM CORONATION, AB. THEY WERE HEADED HOME THE NEXT DAY, BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY THE VAN TURNED TOWARDS A SMALL TRACK ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WINNIPEG. IN FACT, THERE WAS A LONG LINE UP OF PICKUPS WITH BIKES HEADED TO THE RELATIVITY UNKNOWN TRACK FOR THE 4TH ANNUAL FXR RIDE DAY. MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 57
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THE FXR RACING BRASS GIVE THE RIDERS FINAL INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO HITTING THE TRACK.
ONE OF FXR’S TOP ATHLETES, MIKE BROWN, WAS ON HAND TO RIDE AND TEACH A MOTOCROSS SCHOOL.
AS ALWAYS, THE RIDE DAY BEGAN WITH A RIDERS MEETING.
JESS PETTIS SHOWS PERFECT STYLE AS HIS DRIFTS THROUGH A CORNER.
FOR THIS IMPORTANT RIDE DAY, THE FXR CREW HAD THE TRACK PREPPED TO PERFECTION. MILT REIMER DOES HIS BEST TO KEEP MIKE BROWN IN SIGHT.
VERY FEW PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET LOVE RIDING AS MUCH AS MIKE BROWN.
AARON WIEBE SHOWS THE REST OF THE GANG HOW IT’S DONE ON THE LOAMY TRACK.
CADE CLASON AND JESS PETTIS TALK ABOUT WHAT’S FOR LUNCH DURING ONE OF THE MORNING MOTOS.
Located on the outskirts of Winnipeg, the FXR ride day was on the private track of FXR founder, Milt Reimer. It is typical dark Manitoba soil, winding down the side of a river. Big trees throw a lot of shade and the track is just...perfect. “It was really cool last night, being in the room with all those guys like Mike Brown, Jimmy Decotis, and Milt knowing my results from the past weekend. He knew all the guys’ results. I don’t know how he watches everyone,” said Terren as he drove. The night before, the FXR crew put on a BBQ at their headquarters. Milt and the entire crew had personally greeted everyone, showing off some of the back story to the brand that has grown by leaps and bounds in the past
few years. “This room you cannot take any pictures in,” smiled FXR’s Andy White as Milt quickly shook everyone’s hand before heading back to the BBQ duties. The “room” was covered in sample photos of 2019, 2020 ideas and colour ways of new FXR gear lines. It also had a spattering of Jess Pettis, Brown and Decotis’ jerseys sitting neatly folded. “All the rider gear is done in house and it’s all custom,” continued White. “We do our own sublimation and sewing, everything is customized inhouse for our athletes. We can turn ideas out really quickly. There are four in-house seamstresses who sew new designs and the custom stuff you see on athletes. Of course, like all gear companies our mass production is overseas.” What does make
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TERREN GERBER WAS ONE OF THE RIDERS MOST IMPRESSED WITH ALL THAT FXR RACING DOES FOR ITS TEAM OF RIDERS.
BROCK HOYER SHOWED UP AND LOOKED BETTER THAN EVER ON HIS ROCKSTAR ENERGY YZ450.
ROOKIE SENSATION MARCO CANNELLA IMPRESSED EVERYONE WITH HIS SPEED ON THE TRACK AS WELL AS HIS GREAT DEMEANOUR OFF OF THE TRACK.
FXR’S MAIN MAN, MILT REIMER, WAS ALL SMILES ON THIS AWESOME DAY.
OF T U O AND T LONG N I ING AS NO FULL P P I “D S, IT W K WAS HAT TREEHE TRAC YING W Y: A E H T RE T RS ENJOTO ENJO G.” O F BE IDE LOVE F RIDIN R F O ERS DAY O D I R ALL GREAT
DAVEY FRASER STOPPED ON HIS WAY BACK EAST AND HAD A GREAT RIDE.
THE 2018 FXR RIDE DAY WASN’T JUST ABOUT THE PRO RIDERS. THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF HAPPY AMATEUR KIDS ON HAND TO ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES.
FXR special is the fact they have two of their own factories, FXR Thailand and FXR Korea, to produce all their off-road and snow lines. While many gear lines are often produced in the same factories in Asia, FXR has it own locations. In their race shop, the riders and families gathered as heaps of burgers made their way out. It was an opportunity for Milt to thank everyone for coming. He thanked each of his riders and went through his memory of their Saturday national, sharing the memories like any race fan would. Looking around the room, he called each person by name and talked about their results, the ups and downs, the passes, and made sure they knew they were part of the family at FXR.
For a young pro battling deep in the pack each weekend, like Terren Gerber, it was a direct injection of confidence. Someone was watching. Gerber slid his van into park, and looked around the manicured track to see Andy White, FXR rider support guru Dawn Mc Intock, Lead Designer Matt Hamm, and other FXR faithful, give some instruction and direction at the riders meeting. There, Milt welcomed the riders again and finally said...”let’s get riding!” Successful companies are built on passion. Milt and many FXR staples were the first to toss their legs over the bikes. Milt, flanked by motocross legend Mike Brown, was the first to hit the track. Dipping in and out of the trees it was not
OFF THE TRACK, ALL OF THE RIDERS ENJOYED SOME GOOD FOOD AND EVEN BETTER BENCH RACING.
long before the track was full of riders, enjoying what all riders love to enjoy: a great day of riding. Morning raced by, lunch sandwiches were spread out across big tables, and everyone found a shaded spot to talk and bench race. The afternoon soared by, and as the white sprinter with Terren Gerber and his mom backed out of the pit area, a dirty faced Milt Reimer was still wearing his gear said. “That guy is hardcor,e” smiled Terren. “I loved it,” said Terese from the back seat. That was just so cool. So many good people, fast riders and lunch, it was so good. It almost felt like a family reunion.” It was. That is what it was - a family reunion.
IN BETWEEN MOTOS, JIMMY DECOTIS FOUND ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO ENTERTAIN HIMSELF.
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MOTO
1975 BY MIKE MCGILL
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PHOTOS BY BILL PETRO
A FULL GATE OF CANADIAN EXPERTS (PROS) PREPARE TO BLAST OFF AT THE WELLAND MOLSON’S ROUND.
Motocross in Canada has come a long way since its formative years back in the mid to late ‘60s. Motocross, as most of us know it, didn’t really start taking shape in this country until the early ‘70s, and it may surprise many readers to know that by 1975 the sport had grown to unprecedented levels in this country. In fact, the moto boom was so big in Canada that our professional racing series rivalled the U.S. in its prestige and professionalism.
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This explosion in popularity culminated in what many believe to be the greatest motocross race in the history of this country. The 500cc Grand prix of Canada was held on the 29th of June, 1975. It took place at a legendary natural terrain track in Copetown, Ontario just outside of Hamilton. The sport of motocross in Canada has evolved tremendously in the last thirty years, no doubt. After rebounding from the brink of near extinction in the early ‘90s, CMRC developed a successful National series that pumped some much-needed new life and new blood into what could have arguably been seen as a dying sport at the time. Over the next three decades, CMRC continued to build Pro racing in Canada into what it is today - an extremely
professional, nine race National series that attracts top talent from not just Canada and the US but countries around the world. Of course, things change, and that’s usually a good thing. This season JetWerx has taken over our National Series and added some Arenacross and Supercross-style racing to the mix, along with our traditional outdoor series. So far, things have been good and it looks like the new regime is set to take the sport to even higher levels in the country. But let’s get back to 1975 shall we. I realize that most readers of this fine publication were not even born when the great Copetown GP took place but, you must believe me, it was a great time in the history of the sport.
THE MAN, ROGER DECOSTER, LAUNCHES THE BIG RM 500, 70’S MOTOCROSS STYLE AT ITS BEST, IN THIS SPECTACULAR BILL PETRO PHOTO.
I consider the “Golden Age” of motocross to span the period from the early ‘70s into the mid-‘80s. It was new and exciting; the first of the extreme sports I guess you could say, although surfers may disagree. And nobody referred to it as “extreme” at the time anyways. It was a time of relative prosperity in North America, and the bikes were cheap. Especially so after the big Japanese manufacturers began flooding the market with good quality, affordable racing machines in the early ‘70s. Pretty much any young guy looking to get into a cool new sport could afford to buy a bike and go racing at the time. And that’s what they did. In droves. Sales of motocross bikes have never come close to what they were during this period. Of course, the manufacturers took full advantage of this great surge in popularity and began fielding full factory racing efforts in hopes of attracting even more people to the sport, and of course selling more bikes. Motocross, as most of you will know, originated in Europe and was already well established there at this time. The top European bike manufacturers of the day were brands like Maico, which were built in Germany. Sweden provided the Husqvarna to the mix while the Czechs made CZ machines, although not as technically advanced as the Maicos or Huskys, but were decent, bulletproof bikes that were significantly cheaper to buy than the aforementioned higher-end brands. Spain was responsible for providing the growing masses of enthusiasts with the Bultaco and Montessa brands. Beautiful looking machines but not so reliable. While the early ‘70s were dominated by the European brands, it wasn’t long before the Japanese big four of Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda came into the scene full force. Once Honda released the 1974 Honda Elsinore, a technically superior and very
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IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW BETTER YOU WOULD ASSUME THIS WAS A PHOTO OF A MOTOCROSS DES NATIONS SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE. NOT THE CASE HOWEVER, AS THIS WAS THE SCENE OF THE 1975 CANADIAN 500CC GP IN COPETOWN. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NEVER ANY ACCURATE ATTENDANCE FIGURES KEPT BUT MOST FIGURED IT WAS AROUND THE 15,000 MARK.
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1975 reasonably priced machine, the days of dominance for the European manufacturers became immediately numbered. It may come as a surprise to some to realize that the racing scene in Canada was really happening in the early ‘70s. So much so that the manufacturers began searching outside of Canada trying to find riders capable of winning Championships. Sound familiar? In fact, as early as 1971, Canadian Kawasaki signed a Finnish ace named Kari Nissinen to come over and ride their new machine while Canadian based Bombardier signed former World Motocross Champion Jeff Smith from England to come over to race their new prototype bike, which would eventually come to be known as CanAm. Canada’s top rider during this period was Newcastle, Ontario’s Ron Keys. Ron was Canada’s first real professional Motocross racer. He competed often in the US and was sponsored by several manufacturers over his career including Greeves, CZ, Husqvarna and Maico. Ron won the Canadian Grand National Championship aboard a Husky
CANADIAN KAWASAKI TEAM MANAGER CARL BASTEDO ASKING JAN-ERIC IF HE’S GOT ENOUGH TEAR-OFFS ON HIS CARRERA GOGGLES PRIOR TO A START AT THE WELLAND MOLSON SERIES ROUND IN 1975.
in 1971 but his big break came in 1972 when he was hired by Yamaha to debut the brand new YZ brand for the Japanese manufacturer. He rewarded them by capturing the 125, 250 and 500cc National Championships, beating out former World Motocross Champion Jeff Smith of England in the process. It was a clean sweep of all the classes for the man from Newcastle, Ontario. Ron followed that great season up by winning the 250 Championship again for Yamaha in 1973. Obviously, each company wanted
to have the big winners representing their brands, and at that time they were willing to bring in some outside talent and spend some serious money to do it. In 1974, Kawasaki enticed Swedish Factory Husqvarna ace Jan-Eric Sallqvist to come to Canada and race for them. “I’ll never forget it” remembers former Team Kawasaki Manager Carl Bastedo, “Jan-Eric was in St. Gabriel du Brandon, Quebec for a race. He was with Husqvarna at the time and I just walked right up to him and made him an offer, right in front of Gerry Young who was the Canadian importer for Husqvarna during that period.” Bastedo admits that he and his Kawasaki brethren were a little brash at the time. “I just sprung it on him,” chuckles Bastedo. It was a great deal for him, though, and obviously he accepted it.” 1974 also marked the emergence of Molson’s / Laurentide breweries as sponsors for Pro racing in Canada. Molson’s, and its Quebec counterpart Laurentide, sponsored a 5-race series throughout Ontario and Quebec, and the National Championship consisted of two rounds for the first time that season. Thunder Bay, Ontario and Kamloops, BC hosted events that were dominated by the Kawasaki mounted Sallqvist, who took the Championship in the 250 and 500 classes respectively. Kawasaki did not have 125cc machine at that time. While the bulk of the prestigious events took place in the Ontario and Quebec regions during this period, I would be remiss if I did not mention the vibrant moto scene that was developing in Western Canada as well. Perhaps the top talent out west during this period was Burnaby, BC legend Bill McLean. Bill won the 125 National Championship for Yamaha Canada in 1973, his rookie pro season. By 1974, motocross in BC was ripe with other talented riders such as the brother combinations of Larry and Dan Mackenzie, and Bob and Wally Levy,
as well as Rick Sheren and Can-Am rider Jim Small to name a few, but Bill always stood out a little bit from the rest. In 1974, McLean had another great season winning the BC Provincial Championship and finishing second overall and first Canadian in the National Championship. Unfortunately, Bill suffered a badly broken leg the following season, which knocked him out of racing for almost two years. All this backstory leads us to 1975, the peak of the “Golden Era” of Canadian moto. By this time there were, if you can believe this, seven, yes seven, factory teams vying for Championships and prize money in Canadian racing. Team CZ featured Vlastimil Valek, an extremely fast Czech GP rider and former World Champion, as well as George Chap, another Czech import. Husqvarna, had Swedish GP rider Gunnar Lindstrom, who some will also remember went on to invent the Gunnar Gasser aftermarket side pull throttle which took the moto world by storm in the late ‘70s. They are still made and in demand today for the ever-growing vintage bike market. Lindstrom’s teammate at Husqvarna was Seppo Makinen, who had recently immigrated from Finland. Yamaha had BC riders Bill McLean and Larry McKenzie in the fold along with Japan’s Nobuyasu (Nicky) Kinoshita and Finnish immigrant Heikki Ylonen. The Suzuki team was comprised of Finnish import Kari Nissinen and Japanese rider Masaru Ikeda. CanAm had the former World Champion, Great Britain’s Jeff Smith, Californian Mike Runyard and Washington States Buck Murphy on their payroll. Surprisingly, the smallest team on the circuit that year was the Honda team that consisted of just two BC riders, Dan Amor and Marv “Captain Marvel” Cross. The biggest team in Canadian moto in 1975 was the Kawasaki Team. “I had a $200,000 race budget in 1975,” remembers Team Manager Carl Bastedo. “Yvon Duhamel took some of it in road racing, although Kawasaki Motor Corporation US supplemented his budget.” The team was comprised of Sweden’s Jan-Eric Sallqvist, who is now an official with the FIM, Californians Jeff Wecker and Eddie Cole (Cole went on to found Answer Products on his return to California), along with Finnish immigrant Jorma Rautiainen. BC’s Bob Levy and Ontario riders Jay Kimber and Paul Duncan rounded out the squad. Jan-Eric’s mechanic and head mechanic for the team was
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Californian Cliff White who, after his tenure in Canada and upon his return to California, worked for American Honda, eventually becoming the Race Team Manager for Honda prior to his retirement. Not everyone at the time thought this influx of foreign talent was such a great thing for Canadian motocross, however. Many Canadian riders complained that the “foreigners” were taking possible jobs and money away from them, and that it just wasn’t fair. Some things in motocross never change as we can see. It got so bad, as a matter of fact, the editor of CMA Magazine at the time, Mike Kerlee, a native Californian himself, felt he needed to address the situation in an article he wrote entitled “Lo, The Perfidious Foreigner.” In the article Kerlee describes the plight of the Canadian Pros and their sponsors who felt “they had little chance against the kind of competition provided by Sallqvist, Kinoshita, Murphy et al. The argument is that it’s not fair to bring in experienced pro-class riders to pick up the top money and prizes, leaving little for “real Canadians.” The article goes on to suggest that perhaps some of these hired guns should have to establish residence in Canada for a certain period of time before being allowed to compete for National honours. In the end, however, the author felt that the increased level of competition and prestige the top foreign riders provided to the sport outweighed the negative effects on our Canadian boys and the practice should be allowed to continue. So why were there so many teams filled with wold-class talent back then you may be wondering. “Money of
THE BIG NUMBER 1 PLATE. JANERIC SALLQVIST RAILS THE CLIFF WHITE TUNED “KAWAVARNA” AT THE OSHAWA ROUND OF THE 1975 MOLSON SERIES.
course,” laughs Bastedo. As mentioned, Bastedo had a large budget to work with that year as the manager for the Kawasaki team. “All the factory riders, we called them experts back then,” states Bastedo, “had a salary, and they made lots of prize money. Sallqvist came over because I guaranteed him a base salary of $30,000, and all of his expenses were to be covered. That was a lot of money in those days.” Bill Fullerton, who was hired by Suzuki Canada in 1974 as their chief mechanic, sheds some more light on the situation with the foreign riders in the mid-seventies. “It was so competitive between the manufacturers back then,” remembers Fullerton, who currently runs a parts distribution business for Bombardier in Bracebridge, Ontario. “All the companies were so eager and aggressive in their efforts to gain market share that they were putting some big money into racing in those days. Of course, at the time we didn’t really realize how big and competitive it was. We were just busy doing our jobs. We were great friends off the track and real rivals on race day.” Fullerton spun the wrenches for Kari Nissinen and Japanese rider Masaru Ikeda in ‘74 and ‘75. “Suzuki hired me to develop a racing program and we worked a lot of hours trying to make that happen.” In ’76, Suzuki hired Californian Jim Turner to ride for them and Turner responded by winning the National Championship from Sallqvist, who had moved over to Maico at the time. Fullerton goes on to explain that after the Championship in ‘76 a new President took over at Suzuki Canada and, according to Fullerton, “decided that they had achieved their goal of
HEAVY HITTERS. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, BRAD LACKEY, GERRIT WOLSINK, MARK BLACKWELL AND EVENTUAL WINNER PIERRE KARSMAKERS DISCUSS THE DAY’S EVENTS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE GP.
reaching an appropriate market share and there was no more need for a race team. “Yes, there was no Suzuki program at all in ’77,” remembers Fullerton. “Obviously, I thought it was a bad decision but the new President had absolutely no interest in racing so that was it. No more team.” On top of their salaries in 1975, the riders were eligible to take a piece of two points paying World Championship GPs with a $15,000 purse, a 4-round National Championship Series with an $8,000 purse plus a $10,000 overall purse, a 5-round Molson’s Series in Ontario paying $5,000 a round plus a $5,000 overall purse. Same for the 5-round Quebec Laurentide Series. That’s 16 well paying races plus Provincial Championship races, which where always scheduled around those
events. The purse at Provincial events was a minimum $2,000, so as you can see there was plenty of cash available for those who were willing to go for it. And to top it all off, all the manufacturers were offering decent contingency money for all the big races. Approximately $1,000 for a race win was pretty much the standard for the time. Bastedo estimates that Sallqvist easily could have earned between $50-60,000 in salary, prize money and contingency during the ‘74 and ‘75 seasons. Not too shabby. In fact, I did some basic research and figured that would be worth around $275,000 in today’s dollars. Now, I’m not sure what today’s top riders in Canada make. I’m thinking it’s got to be decent, but I’m not sure it’s anywhere near that much. “And he wasn’t the only one,” stresses
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1975 Bastedo. “Jan-Eric made the most but there were at least 15 other guys making a good living racing in Canada at that time.” But how could this be, you may be wondering? Bastedo explains, “Throughout the ‘70s, motorcycle sales in Canada were skyrocketing. The Japanese manufacturers went from selling 30 thousand units in 1970 to 100 thousand by 1979. The industry has never seen growth like that before or since.” Bastedo goes on to explain that the Japanese business philosophy back then was based more on volume rather than profit. “That changed in the ‘80s, but during the ‘70s they just wanted to flood the market with their bikes and they were not as concerned so much with making huge profits. That explains in part why they were willing to spend big money on racing. Of course, our overhead was nothing like it is today either,” explains Bastedo. “Back then with Kawasaki we had a van, and people thought we were being extravagant. Look at the pits at a National today. It’s not too hard to tell where all the money goes.” So, the ‘70s really were a wild and wonderful time in Canadian motocross. “Electric” is a word that could be used to describe the moto scene at the time. And it all seemed to culminate with the running of the Canadian 500cc GP at Copetown. Copetown was no stranger to holding big races. As early as 1970, the track was playing host to Inter-Am and Trans-AMA races, which featured top riders from Europe and America along with our Canadian hopefuls. Always organized and prepared by Hamilton’s Steel City Riders, a club that has remained active to this day, the Copetown stop was always a favourite of the top European riders on the circuit. All the big-name riders of the day were in attendance. The list of Euro stars included 4-time World Champion, Suzuki’s Roger Decoster, and Gerrit Wolsink. Defending World Champion Heikki Mikkola was on the factory Husqvarna and Pierre Karsmakers was the lone USA Honda entry. Bengt Aberg was there representing Bultaco
HOMEGROWN HERO. IN A FIELD THAT WAS DOMINATED BY PREDOMINATELY FOREIGN RIDERS, BC’S LARRY MCKENZIE STOOD OUT. HERE LARRY DEMONSTRATES THE CLASSIC CROSS-UP ON BOARD HIS FACTORY YAMAHA.
along with Americans Brad Lackey Husqvarna, Tony DiStefano – Suzuki, and Steve Stackable - Maico. Canada’s hopes of course lay with Swedish import Jan-Eric Sallqvist on the Kawasaki, although the term Kawasaki may be a bit of a misnomer in this case, which is just the beginning of another great and colourful story surrounding this event. You see, Sallqvist, prior to coming to Canada, was a factory Husqvarna rider back in his native Sweden. Jan-Eric was not happy with his KX 500 that season so his mechanic, Cliff White, in an attempt to make the bike more competitive, converted the factory Kawasaki into what became affectionately known in the pits as the “Kawavarna.” The legend of the Kawavarna was recently confirmed to me by Bill Fullerton, who was close friends with Sallqvist’s mechanic Cliff White back in those days. “Both Cliff and Jan-Eric were not impressed with the amount of horsepower the Kawasaki was producing. They didn’t feel the bike was competitive,” remembers Fullerton. “The bike Cliff built for Jan-Eric had a Kawi bottom end with modified cases and a Husqvarna top end on it. Cliff was a real perfectionist so the build was immaculate. He hand-made a beautiful pipe for it, of course, and it also had Husky forks and wheels on it as well.”
Fullerton goes on to add that, “while they didn’t advertise the fact that the bike was in large part a Husqvarna, everybody knew it, but that’s just the way things were back then.” Jan-Eric was able put the Kawavarna into the top 10 overall that day, carding 11-9 moto scores for 9th overall. In an interesting side note, Canadian Kawasaki was the title sponsor of the GP event that year, and in, I guess you could say, an ironic twist, their top guy was out on the track riding what essentially amounted to a green Husqvarna. Classic! As a ten-year-old motocross fanatic at the time, the Copetown GP race weekend was like a dream come true for me, so, for that reason, I thought I would relay a story that captures some of my experiences from that memorable weekend. My father was helping out an Ontario Pro/Expert Rider named Brian Forsyth, who was racing the 250cc support class on a YZ 250, so I got to go along and hang out in the pits all weekend. Can you say Heaven! Armed with my scrapbook filled with photos I had painstakingly cut out of a Popular Cycling magazine (what a nerd), I cruised the paddock on Saturday afternoon checking out the legendary figures of motocross and securing a few key autographs. Steve Stackable, a long, tall Texan who raced for Factory Maico USA, was the
first to sign for me. I was lucky to get him because it was hot that weekend and when he wasn’t on the track he seemed to spend most of his time sleeping under his van. My dad was a hardcore Maico man so he approved of that autograph. Next on my list was Bengt Aberg. The Bultaco factory rider and two-time World Champion was parked right beside us in a van…by himself. Things were a little different back then. Unfortunately, I had not included Bengt in my scrapbook but he graciously agreed and signed his name beside a photo of American Bultaco rider Jim Pomeroy. Things were going well and by the end of the day I had landed signatures from most of the big players including the current champ Heikki Mikkola, fellow Husky factory pilot Brad Lackey, and American Suzuki aces Toney DiStefano and Billy Grossi. I was quite pleased and having the time of my life yet the Holey Grail of MX autographs still eluded me. The Suzuki squad was the only team that had any semblance of security around their pits and DeCoster had been elusive on Saturday. In fact, I had only caught a couple of glimpses of him lurking around the back of the Ryder rental box trucks the team was using. Sunday morning got off to a less than stellar start. My dad’s guy, Brian, got his foot run over in practise by American hot-shoe Frank Stacey.
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YAMAHA CANADA BROUGHT NOBUYASU (NICKY) KINOSHITA OVER IN ‘75 TO COUNTER KAWASAKI AND JAN-ERIC SALLQVIST. HERE THE TWO RIDERS SHARE A LAUGH PRIOR TO THE START OF THE 500CC GP IN COPETOWN.
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1975 Brian was pissed when he got off the track and confronted Stacey over the incident. For a minute it looked as if it could get ugly but fortunately cooler heads prevailed, although Brian was out for the race, which was a bummer. I couldn’t worry about that, though, as I had more pressing matters at hand DeCoster! “Don’t bug him,” said my Dad as I trudged off, scrapbook in hand, “it’s race day!” “I won’t,” I lied, as I made my way towards the Suzuki pits. I wasn’t too optimistic as I made the short walk over but as I got closer my spirits were buoyed. There he was, sitting in a lawn-chair by the fence chatting with Tony D. I flipped my book open to Roger’s page and walked up to him, being careful not to interrupt the conversation. The Man looked at me and I held out my book and a pen which he took from me. Instead of just signing it and handing it back to me, as most of the other riders had done, he studied the picture for what seemed to me to be an unbearably long time. Finally, he looked at me, then back at the picture, then at me. “That’s not me,” he said matter-of-factly. What? What was he talking about, of course it was him. I didn’t know what to say so naturally I just stood there dumbfounded and said nothing. “That’s not me,” he repeated, “It’s him,” he said as he pointed to Tony D. “Get him to sign it.” What the heck? Why was he doing this to me? I was panicking and didn’t know what was going on. I had already gotten Tony’s signature the day before but what was I to do? I shuffled towards “The D,” feeling totally dejected. Tony stood there staring at me looking less than impressed, and then it happened. They both started laughing. I looked back at Roger and with a big smile on his face he reached out and took my book from me and signed the photo. Wow! They really had me going there for a minute. “Thanks,” I mumbled still feeling a little confused. The feeling of confusion, however, was soon replaced by one of total victory. I had done it! I had landed my White Whale. The autograph was mine and I rushed back to the van to show my Dad.
I must say, it really was one of the most memorable experiences of my young life and I look back on it fondly and vividly to this very day. In the end, both DeCoster and Mikkola, who were duking it out for the World Championship that year, had DNFs in the second moto, and Pierre Karsmakers, based on his 2-2 moto scores, took the win ahead of Wolsink (4-1) in 2nd and American Tony DiStefano (6-3) in 3rd. The headline in Motocross Action magazine read - “What could have been the climactic battle of the GP season turned into a personal victory for Pierre Karsmakers.” For some reason I’ve never forgotten that. It was the one and only 500cc GP victory of Karsmakers’ long and illustrious career. So, there you have it moto fans. The year was 1975. Canada played host to several more World GPs over the next few years, and while successful, none were as big as the ‘75 Copetown race. Never before or since has there been such a variety of riders and teams competing for moto supremacy in this country. It certainly was a great time to be a motocross fan and proved to be a big part of the colourful history of motocross racing in Canada.
ANOTHER JAPANESE RIDER WHO MADE THE TRIP OVER TO CANADA IN 1975 WAS MASARU IKEDA. IKEDA RODE FOR SUZUKI CANADA AND WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A 125 SPECIALIST, EVEN THOUGH HE RODE ALL THREE CLASSES.
“ALL THE BIG-NAME RIDERS OF THE DAY WERE IN ATTENDANCE. THE LIST OF EURO STARS INCLUDED 4-TIME WORLD CHAMPION, SUZUKI’S ROGER DECOSTER, AND GERRIT WOLSINK.”
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OW R R A N GN D I W S E E N D N A S R I E K H T “T FLAT AN E T E AND UGH THAS MAD O THR AREA H OF THE T SEA 450 ONE ES ON K THIS NEST BI .” THINMARKET THE
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2019 KAWASAKI KX450 BY
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As it almost always is during this time of the year in Southern California, the day started off sunny and warm as I arrived at Pala Raceway. This is one of the famous California tracks that I’ve never had the pleasure of riding, so obviously my excitement was high as I drove through the front gate and into the paddock area. Once inside the gate, I was treated to a perfectly groomed track and my very own personal 2019 KX450 to ride for the day. t almost all of these OEM media launches, each member of the press will get their very own bike, as well as technicians from the factory and suspension company that the bike is running for that particular year. On this day I had the pleasure of working with Travis Murphy from Kawasaki and the guys from Showa USA. Having your own bike is crucial for test days, because usually with multiple changes to the new model, most of the day is spent trying new settings to see how each one feels on the track. After getting a few static photos and reacquainting myself with a few old moto media friends, we had a quick riders meeting and then it was time to ride!
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HERE IS A QUICK RUNDOWN REGARDING NEW FEATURES THAT GRACE THE 2019 KX450: Hydraulic Clutch - This is new for 2019 and it’s the first time that this easy-to-use feature has graced a Kawasaki motocross bike. Even if you’re a rider who thinks they don’t need a hydraulic clutch, trust me, once you try this one you won’t want to ride with anything else.
Electric Start - This is the same type of easy-to-use feature as the hydraulic clutch. If you have never had a bike with an electric start, then you’ve really been missing out. All you have to do is push a button and boom, your 2019 KX450 is running and ready to ride. Redesigned and Lighter Aluminum Frame - In this day and age of the modern day four-stroke, lighter is better. For 2019, the KX450 has a slimmer, lighter and more rigid frame. With new, flatter lower frame rails and the engine being used as a stress member, this new frame offers the perfect amount of strength, rigidity and balance. Showa 49mm Coil Spring Forks with A-Kit Technology - To demonstrate just how good these new forks are, during the presentation, the representative from Showa informed us that these forks are almost exactly what the factory guys use. If you’re a little heavier then you may need slightly stiffer springs, but overall these new spring forks are amazing. The rear shock has also been updated to work in balance with these new forks. Also, the bottom mounting bracket for the rear shock has been moved slightly to allow more space for the new airbox and engine intake system.
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Longer Header Pipe - For 2019, Kawasaki has lengthened the header pipe by 105mm to help give the KX450 a little more bottom end. The resonator has also been enlarged to help reduce the sound. Overall, this powerplant package is one of the best in the 450 class. Master Cylinder and Larger Rear Brake Rotor - With a larger brake rotor on the rear and a revised master cylinder on the front, these new brakes work great. Kawasaki has also made the front axle larger to help reduce flex in the front end. This also helps to give this new KX450 a better feel while braking and cornering. Throttle Body - For 2019, the KX450 now comes with a larger 44mm throttle body for greater air flow and increased performance, especially at higher RPMs.
Flatter Fuel Tank - For years the KX450 was definitely the widest bike in its class, which gave it a big and heavy feel while riding. Not anymore! This new narrow and flatter design through the tank and seat area has made this 450 one of the thinnest bikes on the market. Air Filter and Downdraft Intake System - This new design is both maintenance friendly and helps to increase the overall power of the engine. The air filter can now be accessed from the side of the bike without taking off the seat, which makes changing a filter extremely easy. The new intake system also allows the 2019 KX450 to breath much better, giving the engine more usable power.
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IS H T , E M E O H T “T OF NT E N IS O PORTA T IM S THA T S MO IBUTE AVE: ATTR MUST HSTAY 0 A 45 ILITY TO THE O B T A D E TH NECTE D MAKE CON ND AN L LIKE E U GRO IDER FE NTROL O R THE ’RE IN C TIMES.” THEY AT ALL
The 2019 KX450 has been completely redesigned! With electric start becoming the new norm on the modern day 450 machines, Kawasaki decided to go one step further and become the second OEM to offer a hydraulic clutch system. With more durability and peak power offered with the 2019 KX450 engine, as well as one of the best suspension kits on the market, this new Kawasaki is looking to win races and of course magazine shootouts. Also, even though there are a number of new features on the KX450, it still has trusted items such as DFI Ignition Couplers, adjustable handlebar mounts, and adjustable footpeg mounts. This is by far the most adjustable 450 machine in its class. After an hour or so of getting some static shots, it was finally time to ride. The conditions at Pala Raceway were very good as the track had been watered, groomed and tilled deep. The crew at Pala Raceway took great pride in hosting this event, and they did a great job of having the track groomed to perfection. To join us on the ride was the Kawasaki Brand Ambassador, the King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath. He’s been working with Kawasaki for the past few years promoting their product, and it was definitely an honour to ride with him.
With the soft and loamy track to start off the day, it gave me a great opportunity to see how the new KX450 motor worked with the multiple changes made in 2019 to help make this engine produce more rider-friendly power. Over the past few years I’ve always found the KX450 to have a little too much power. These days, the key is to have more linear power that pulls right through the entire range; for 2019 Kawasaki has nailed it. Whether you want to short shift or allow it to rev out, the motor responds very well. As the Pala track rutted up and became rough, I was able to ride the KX450 around mostly in third gear due to the new engine, and it worked very well. Another area where I noticed a big improvement was with how this new bike accelerated out of corners. As most of you know, sometimes the power of a 450 can be too much and the rear wheel can get loose. This causes you to back off the throttle and lose precious time. With the smooth and buttery power of the ’19 KX450, it was easier to roll on the throttle as the rear wheel remained hooked up. To me, this is one of the most important attributes that a 450 must have: the ability to stay connected to the ground and make the rider feel like they’re in control at all times. The 2019 KX450 does this very well!
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E RID T S FIR
2019 KAWASAKI KX450
TO S I Y KE WER E H S, T AR PO GH Y A SE DRE LINE THROU019 E H “T O HT OR 2 G M I R E HAV PULLS ANGE; F D IT.” E THATENTIRE RAS NAIL THE ASAKI H K AW The next item I noticed very quickly in my early laps was how well this new Kawasaki handled. With the new 49mm Showa Coil Spring Forks (with A-Kit technology), the action of the front end is smooth and predictable. For 2019, Kawasaki also made updates to the Showa shock as well. With the new front forks, the revised shock and changes to the chassis, the 2019 KX450 has been thrust into the class of great handling 450s. One big change for 2019 that is noticeable right from the moment you sit on the bike is Kawasaki has really flattened out the seat and tank area. Once on the track, I was able to slide forward and back very easily as I transitioned from corner to corner. Of course, with the all-new hydraulic clutch, it made it very easy to feed in some clutch whenever you needed it. As the Pala track dried out and got more and more challenging, I felt like the 2019 KX450 got better and better. One adjustment I made for our afternoon session was moving the
handlebar clamps forward one spot. Being a little taller of a rider, I felt like this gave me more room in the KX450 cockpit, and I definitely felt more comfortable. Everyone in attendance had a great day of riding at Pala Raceway. All of the changes and updates made to the 2019 KX450 have turned this bike into a class leader. I found this new Kawasaki to be very easy to ride and extremely rider-friendly. Because of this, I feel this bike will suit every level of rider, whether that be a novice or pro. In closing, I’d like to thank Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Kawasaki USA for the great opportunity to go to California to not only test ride the new KX450 but also to spend a day riding with the legendary Jeremy McGrath. It was most definitely a day I won’t soon forget. The 2019 KX450 has arrived at Canadian dealerships as we speak with a MSRP price of $10,399.
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WITH JEREMY MCGRATH BY CHRIS POMEROY | PHOTOS BY DREW RUIZ
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e’re sure that you would all agree that Jeremy McGrath needs no introduction. Not only is he a 7-time Supercross Champion, but he is currently one of the true ambassadors our sport. This coming November, Jeremy will be 47-years-old, but he still stays in great shape and finds time to ride. In his current role as Kawasaki USA’s Brand Ambassador, McGrath keeps busy riding and travelling to various events around the USA. We managed to catch up with the man they still call ‘Showtime’ recently in California to chat about life, his past success, and just about everything else. We hope you enjoy this One-on-One interview with Jeremy McGrath as we sure enjoyed doing it.
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MXP: Hey Jeremy, I know it’s a hot day here at Pala Raceway and we’re all tired from the riding, but thanks for doing this. Let’s begin with me testing your memory. JM: Okay, I’m ready. Go for it! MXP: How well do you remember the 1990 Toronto SX? JM: Oh man, that is going back way back. That was actually the only time I’ve ever raced in Canada. I was on a Team Green Kawasaki with #125 on it. I don’t even remember why I went to that race. It was just my Dad and I, and we stayed at that cool hotel right at the stadium. MXP: I was also in that race as I was just a 16-yearold rookie. I remember you being there and I had heard your name a few times. That was definitely a long time ago. I didn’t have a great race; do you recall how you did? JM: If I had to guess I believe I finished on the podium or close to it. That was the year before it all started for me as the following year I rode for Team Peak Honda and won the 125 West SX Championship. MXP: So here we are at the press launch for the 2019 KX450 at Pala Raceway. What is your current role with Kawasaki? Did you help develop this new bike at all? JM: Not really, actually. I’m not really involved with the R&D Department so I don’t really do much testing on the bikes before they get released. Once the bikes are released then I do help test a little with the race team. My official title is Brand Ambassador for Kawasaki USA. So, I will help out with pretty much anything they need to help promote the brand, whether that’s with bikes, ATVs, or side by sides. Also, this past season in SX we started doing those Science of Supercross episodes. It’s just a variety of different things really, but I like it and I enjoy staying involved.
MXP: I enjoy watching those Science of Supercross videos. I think they’re informative to not just the mainstream public but also to the diehard SX fans. And who better to do them than you, the rider who really introduced the sport of supercross to the masses? JM: I enjoy doing them and I think we got better as the season went on. The graphics and the way the information is presented is good, and the subject of each one was good, also. I think they keep getting better and I hope we can keep doing them in 2019. Supercross is one of those sports where there is just so much going on behind the scenes with the machines, the teams, and the riders. If you can get some of this information out to the people watching, it without a doubt makes the broadcast more interesting. MXP: Do you still ride a lot? JM: It depends on what I have going on and what time of year it is. Obviously, during this time of year when everything is dry I don’t ride that often, unless we have something like today going on. I’m planning on racing Mammoth this coming weekend so I have been riding a little more to prepare for that race. During the fall and winter I usually ride a little more because I’m helping test a little with the race team, and because the conditions are good. MXP: So, life is pretty good right now for Jeremy McGrath? JM: Life is good. I’m busy, but not really busy, which is good. My family is great. We had a big health scare with my wife a few years back, but now she’s cancer free and doing very well. Our two girls are great, one is actually going to be starting middle school next year, so I’m not sure where that time has gone. Life is pretty good, thanks for asking. MXP: We all know the wear and tear that this sport can have on someone. You’re going to be 47 in November. How is the body feeling these days? JM: My body feels pretty good, I mean right now my hands hurt from riding today, but other than that everything is good. These days I’m trying to make an effort to stay fit and eat healthy. I feel like I got a little lazy there for a bit and put on some pounds. I have a bunch of mountain bike trails right near my house so I go biking quite a bit with some buddies. My knee still hurts a bit, especially when I’m riding more, but overall, I feel pretty good so I’m not going to complain. Ask me again in five years though and we’ll see (laughs).
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MXP: Well, it’s not easy getting older so I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling good. Okay, let me test your memory again. Going back to 1993, you had an okay beginning to the SX series that year. At Anaheim you made that famous pass on Jeff Stanton to take the win, and within just a few laps, history was made. From Anaheim, you went on a serious roll and ended up winning the 1993 SX Championship. I recall seeing you for the first time that season at the Tampa SX and I was just blown away by how different you looked on the track compared to everyone else. JM: That was when it all started, 1993. I think it was a crucial time in the sport because it was the midst of changing. The old guard was gone and everyone, with the exception of Damon Bradshaw, was still using a lot of old school techniques. When I came into SX and brought in some of the style that I had used in BMX, it was stuff that no one had ever seen. I was staying low off jumps and carrying speed right through jump faces. It was ground breaking at the time and I think it caught all of the other riders off guard. At the time, Jeff Stanton and Mike Kiedrowski didn’t know how to stay low off a jump. They were strong as hell, but that didn’t always help in SX. So, when I came and started winning, it was honestly easy at the beginning. And the more I won the easier it got. MXP: Now you’re making me really remember those years as well, and you’re correct, no one was doing that stuff. It was like when James Stewart started scrubbing off jumps to stay low, it changed how people rode dirt bikes. JM: For sure, that is one thing that is so cool about our sport is that it’s constantly evolving. If you also remember, I had things my way for a lot of years and then RC came in and brought a whole new level of corner speed with him. That is what got me when it came to RC; I could still jump better than he could, and go through the whoops better, but his corner speed was unreal and I just couldn’t match it. After RC came James Stewart and so on and so on. It just never stops, riders keep getting better and better. MXP: What do you think about the riders of today? The top guys today like Eli Tomac,
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Jason Anderson and Ken Roczen are sort of like a combo of all of you past champions. Would you agree? JM: Most definitely, the riders today are just amazing and I cannot believe how fast they’re travelling around the tracks. The techniques are very good now, but remember, we can’t forget that over the years the bikes have really improved. Some of the stuff that today’s riders are doing now, I couldn’t have done them on my old two-stroke. Same with RC, he went fast on those early four-strokes that were heavy and hard to ride. Imagine if he had one of these new bikes? MXP: While we’re on the subject of the sport today, what in your opinion can be done to keep these top riders healthy? Or is it just the nature of the today’s sport? JM: That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Honestly, I’m not sure there is one answer, or even two or three answers for that one. Ever since the beginning of two-wheeled competition there have been crashes and injuries. It just seems like we’re hearing about things more now with Social Media and the internet. The riders today are fitter and stronger than ever before, there is no doubt about that. However, the trade off is that the bikes are faster, and it’s easier to go fast on them now than at any point in history. When the riders fall off, they’re going roughly 10 MPH faster, so more injuries are going to happen. Maybe changing a few sections of the tracks that cause problems would help. For example, look at the one that Cole Seely crashed on in Tampa, there was just no need for the jumps in that section to be so peaked. Other than that, I say make the tracks more technical and slow the riders down. As they say on the roads, speed kills!
“That is what got me when it came to RC; I could still jump better than he could and go through the whoops better, but his corner speed was unreal and I just couldn’t match it.”
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MXP: I want to talk about what I feel is one of your biggest accomplishments, and that is your outdoor title in 1995. It came at a time when you were on top of the world in SX but no one thought you had any interest in outdoors. JM: Well, that was because I didn’t really (laughs). I mean I had some success racing the 125 class outdoors but that was actually pretty easy for me. Prior to 1995, I just had loved SX so much and I obviously had a lot of success indoors, so I kind of thought why change anything? I remember staying with Jeff Stanton in 1993, and he and his wife would get up early and go running every morning. They’d ask me if I wanted to go and I would say no it’s okay, and then I’d sleep in while they went running. I must admit that I would feel a little guilty, but during those days I just relied on my talent and my ability to know how to ride a motorcycle.
MXP: So, what changed? JM: It was a couple of things, actually. First, I wasn’t a big fan of Jeff Emig at the time and he was always known for his outdoor ability. He was just so cocky back then that we never really saw eye to eye. So, I had people saying stuff about how good Emig was outdoors, and then I had other people saying that I would never be a true champion of our sport if I couldn’t win an outdoor 250 Championship. Well, for anyone who knows me, I hate being told that I can’t do something. So really, I just made up my mind to get in shape and it went from there. I started training hard off of the bike, I started doing long motos in the heat, and I also took the time to learn how to set my bike up for rough outdoor tracks. I just changed everything up, including how I approached a rough, miserable track. I just got so fit and prepared that I didn’t care how rough it got, I just knew I could blast through a 35-minute moto without issue. It was such a cool feeling to get to that point in my riding. For me, even now, nothing is as gratifying as hammering out a long moto on a rough track.
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MXP: That is a very cool story. So, you killed the outdoors in 1995, you almost went undefeated in the 1996 SX series, and then you should’ve won the 1996 outdoor title again but you crashed in Millville. JM: Yes, I don’ t have too many regrets in my career, but that crash in 1996 was just foolish. It was totally my fault, I was just at a point where I thought I couldn’t do anything wrong. I thought I was invincible and it caught up with me. Oh well, things happen for a reason I guess. MXP: This may be a difficult question to answer, but through all of your success is there one race that stands out as your best? JM: If I had to pick one I would have to say that the 1996 MXoN was incredible. I had healed up from an ankle injury and I just wanted to kill everyone in Spain. The track suited us, for sure, as it was full of massive jumps. At the time I don’t think some of the Euros had ever jumped that far. It was just a great day and we all rode great. I even crashed in one moto and then came back and passed everyone. I just felt so connected to the bike that day, it was pretty amazing. So, that race and maybe Anaheim in 1993 stand out as my best.
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MXP: Definitely two of the most memorable races during the 1990s without a doubt. While I have you here I want to ask you about Chad Reed. It looks as though 2019 will be his final year racing professionally. I believe that with Chad’s retirement it will officially mark the end of a great era in our sport. You, Carmichael, Stewart, Reed, Villopoto, and Dungey, you will all be retired and fans will have to find new legends to cheer for. Now, obviously riders like Tomac, Roczen and Anderson are all great, but they’re not like you guys were. What do you think of Reed still out there racing? JM: Well, I definitely see what you mean about it being the end of a great era. The sport is changing and at times it doesn’t even look like the old sport. However, as far as Reed goes, I have mixed feelings on him really. On one hand I think he’s a great champion in our sport and it’s great to still see him out there. However, on the other hand I just think it’s such a waste and I wonder why he even bothers? I don’t really understand why he’s out there battling for what this year was really a top ten finish. I love the guy and I still love to watch him ride, but there comes a time in every champion’s career when you have to say enough is enough. MXP: Jeremy, it has been a pleasure to sit here and not just chat with you but also to go down memory lane with you. Thanks for taking the time and I look forward to the next time our paths cross. All the best and I’m sure I speak for all of your Canadian fans when I wish you good luck with whatever the future holds. JM: Thanks for doing this. It was great to talk with you and reminisce about old times.
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HE N T R “FO ENSIO HE/ P , SUS NICIAN O PUT TECHNEEDS TLL OF SHE THER A F THE E O TOG PIECES MAKE THE LE AND AT Z PUZ ICES, TH SEN CHO LL-CHO HE E T IF W E BOTH AND Y MAK R HAPP YCLE RIDEMOTORC LL.” E THE ORM W F PER 80 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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GETTING SUSPENDED THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE B Y M I K E H A I S T P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F M I K E H A I S T A N D J A M E S L I S S I M O R E
Over the course of 25 years of going to the races at a national level, things have changed, to say the least. Back in the mid-nineties, the factory effort was a box van, a rider and a mechanic. If you fast forward to current day, bigger teams either employ a full-time suspension technician or their suspension needs are handled by an outside suspension company. The package of chassis and suspension performing well together has become quite a technical challenge as the demand on motorcycles has risen and keeps rising with each passing year. Things like suspension spring raters, suspension dynamometers, data loggers, and chassis spreadsheets are now available and are being used extensively to help drive this part of today’s racing. With all of those tools available, you need to be able to make sense of it all so there is a direct, positive impact to the performance of the motorcycle, otherwise the effort and expense is for not. t race events things typically start out by setting up the bike before the first practice. Notes from having previously raced there should be of help to start the baseline setting for the day. If it is a new track then it is much more of an experience thing. Walking the track and getting a feel for what the demands will be on the bike will help steer the initial settings. Settings like fork alignment, fork height, clicker choices, sag settings, choices of linkage and more are all considered to create the complete motorcycle that will be ridden. Once first practice is complete, a debrief from the rider is conducted and discussion from spotters is added. If data is being collected, that gets studied and then choices are made as necessary for the second practice. That routine repeats itself for the next practice going into Moto 1 and then again going into Moto 2. For the suspension technician, he/she needs to put together all of the pieces of the puzzle and make choices, that if well-chosen make both the rider happy and the motorcycle perform well. We will take a look at a few of the tools that are being used to drive the decisions of the suspension technician.
A
Here you can see Risi George from the OTSFF Rockstar Energy Drink team installing the second fork leg during the initial build. The setting gets chosen during the week and should be a close starting point for the upcoming event.
Spring Raters At a basic level, springs are always of consideration, and there might be more to it than one would think. Within our suspension components there are several springs, some metal coil springs and some air. By using the right combination of them, many tuning choices are made. Things like bottoming resistance, ride height, ride frequencies and more all come into play by simply choosing the springs. There are even influences on the hydraulic damping characteristics that are controlled by some springs, ie. fork pressure springs, shock high speed compression adjuster springs, and fork BCV springs that come to mind. As one digs deeper into the subject of springs, there is a great deal of considerations, like weight, stress levels, volume and more become a balancing act. As in most things, you can’t take the best of everything all at once. In order to have all of this information, one typically uses a spring rater and the design sheet.
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GETTING SUSPENDED THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Data Logger Data loggers have come a long way in the last 10 years or so and are now accessible to just about anyone. Part of the challenge with the data logger is having the ability to do something with the information once it is collected; that is where the suspension specialist comes in. Picking out the right suspension shaft speeds and identifying how to make the right change for what the rider is describing takes time to become proficient. Once an understanding has come about, it provides information that previously was basically always a guess. A data logger does not tell you what to do; it is a measurement tool like the others we have discussed.
D AGE AN N A NC LL M “WE RMATIO N TO O INFO LIGHT TIONS D SHE H SITUAWISE G TOU N OTHERSIMPLY WHE WOULD WITH YOU TO GO E HAV GUT.” R YOU
Here is what a spring rater looks like. This machine allows you to insert a spring and compress it to various heights to collect the data required to generate a spring rate graph.
In between practice 1 and practice 2, a fork spring change is being completed. This is not the norm, rather it is adjusting for when the base set up is off far enough that the rider/team feels they can make the change and be fairly confident it is for the better. There are weeks you are pretty close and weeks when the track shapes to be something other than expected.
Suspension Dynamometer (Dyno) A suspension dyno is a tool that measures the damping forces being created in a suspension component. There are many ways to use the dyno, and each has its own specific tuning knowledge wrapped up within the answers that come out of the report. You can look at things like hydraulics only, total assembly forces and more, depending on what you are trying to study. The dyno provides information in relation to speed; the suspension tuner must know what suspension movement out on the track correlates to what speed in order to be effective at using the dyno. In order to know what the speeds are, it is common to use a data logger to record the suspension speeds experienced out on the track.
Here is one of the tools of the trade: a suspension dyno. The dyno shown here can run a multitude of tests: sine waves, triangles waves, square waves and more. This model of dyno can also playback track data that has been recorded with a data logger.
An example of data being shown that includes motorcycle speed, fork position/speed and shock position/speed. With just a few channels of data being recorded, a great deal of information can be seen.
Chassis Software When the chassis is being considered, things get messy rather quickly. This is one of those tuning subjects where when you make one change you are typically also affecting something else. Most of the chassis adjustments are interdependent, which makes choosing adjustments rather tough mentally without the use of software. As a simple example, when you change the triple clamp offset, if you do not also adjust the fork tube height then you have changed the front ride height. This is due to moving the front end in or out on an angle, which moves the position of the front axle. Similarly, if you change a linkage and this affects the rear axle position you will have also changed the rake and trail.
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Putting it All Together Clearly, the suspension technician does not have all of the tools of the trade with him/her at a race event. The background knowledge of using all of these tools helps to make better decisions out in the field. A great deal of information can be reviewed right at the track when stored on a laptop for access at an event. By combining the rider feedback, the visual feedback, and sifting through all of the various data available, clearer choices are made. Well managed information can shed light on to tough situations when otherwise you would simply have to go with your gut. Let’s run through the first round of the Canadian Nationals at Calgary with the OTSFF team. Everyone showed up ready to go and hit the track for the first practice. We talked with the riders after that practice and Matt Goerke felt pretty good. He did have some concern with comfort for his hands, which had us make a change to the forks to help make the pounding easier on his hands. Thirty minutes is a long time to hold onto something that is not comfortable. Dillan Epstein was not very comfortable with the initial set up, so some changes were made to both the fork and the shock to rotate the bike towards the rear as he felt it was kind of rear high - front low. The second practice was better for both riders with Dillan looking for more from the rear shock. This was confirmed by visual cues taken from a spotter. It was time to make a bolder move - a whole new shock setting was used going into Moto 1. This was either going to be better or it would basically hurt the results. Sometimes you have to take the educated choice. This time everyone agreed to go for it. Both riders had to come from behind, but clearly the bikes were working well, so no further changes were made for the rest of the day. All in all, the initial set up for one rider was pretty close, the other went through some pretty big changes in order to get things right. Pre-season testing is great but when it all comes down to it there is nothing like a real race to find out where things are really at performance-wise. I hope this has shown you some of the inner workings of the suspension technicians’ world at the races in today’s day and age.
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CATC with Justin Thompson 84 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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TCHING
UP B Y C H R I S P O M E R O Y // P H O T O S B Y J A M E S L I S S I M O R E
“OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A FEW ROUNDS LIVE ON TELEVISION IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SO WE HAVE TO STAY WITH SATURDAYS.” MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 85
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CATCHING
UP
with Justin Thompson
CATC
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TCHING W
ith a full arenacross series and half of the outdoor national series now under their belts, Jetwerx is now more excited than ever for the rest of 2018. As we get ready to head east for the remaining rounds of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series, Jetwerx CEO Justin Thompson is more than happy with how everything has gone, but he also feels that there is a lot of work to do. To get his thoughts on how everything has been going, we decided to track down the busiest man in Canadian motocross.
NOT THAT THE OPENING WASN’T GOOD OR ANYTHING, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE SINCE THEN EACH ROUND HAS BEEN GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. WOULD YOU AGREE?
UP HEY JUSTIN, LET’S JUMP RIGHT IN AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW EVERYTHING WENT DURING THE FIRST FOUR ROUNDS OF THE MXTOUR.
I think everything has been going pretty well. Obviously, it’s been a steep learning curve with the outdoor portion of the series, but since the opening round in Calgary we’ve made adjustments and improvements. So far, I’m happy with everything.
Totally Palms! We started with making changes to the day schedule after Calgary and since then it’s been great. With so much racing packed into one day, the schedule we ran at Round 1 obviously didn’t work. So, we looked at where could find some time here and there, and now I think we have a great schedule.
THE RACE DAY SCHEDULE DEFINITELY IS JAMMED PACK AND VERY ENTERTAINING FOR THE FANS. THERE REALLY IS VERY LITTLE DOWNTIME. YOU ALSO HAD TO TRAVEL TO TWO TRACKS THAT HAVE NEVER HOSTED NATIONALS BEFORE; HOW WAS POPKUM AND MANITOBA?
I think both went pretty good considering all of the things that we had to deal with. Popkum had some issues with us not being able to water properly, so that was tough. Manitoba was great and I think we proved that Province was ready to host a national again. I will also say that regardless of what happened on race day, all four facilities looked incredible when the teams pulled in there on Friday morning. That part of it made me very proud.
ALSO, THE RACING WAS AS GOOD AS IT EVER HAS BEEN IN THE FIRST FOUR ROUNDS. WERE YOU IMPRESSED WITH THE RACING IN THE WEST?
I don’t think we had one boring moto in the west, all of them were exciting. I think the fans in attendance and those watching at home definitely liked what they saw on the track.
“NOW, WITH THE SXTOUR IN THE FALL, OUR SPORT CAN REMAIN IN THE SPOTLIGHT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. IT’S ALL ABOUT GROWTH.”
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WHILE WE’RE NOT PRIVY TO THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS, BUT HAVE YOU BEEN HAPPY WITH THE ATTENDANCE THUS FAR?
I think it could better, for sure, and there is a lot of room for improvement in that area. In Calgary, which in the past has been one of the strongest markets for Canadian motocross, we not only moved the race to Saturday but we also moved the date up three weeks. To go to late May from Father’s Day weekend definitely hurt the attendance, but we think those numbers will improve in the next few years. We knew the numbers might not be great during this first year. It will take a few years for Saturdays to gain traction.
WILL YOU STICK WITH SATURDAYS MOVING FORWARD AND INTO 2019?
Saturdays are here as it’s just the best day to have nationals. The riders like them, the teams like them, the media like them, and Rockstar Energy and all of our sponsors like them. It took a few years for Saturdays to work in the USA and we feel like it will be the same here in Canada. Our goal is to continue to have a few rounds live on television in the near future, so we have to stay with Saturdays.
THAT IS VERY EXCITING. WITH THE FIRST FOUR ROUNDS OVER NOW, HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR THE FINAL FIVE ROUNDS?
We knew the west was going to be difficult as there were a few items to work through. However, they went well and now it’s onto the east and will most likely be the most challenging races of the series. We have five rounds to go and both the 250 Pro/Am class as well as the 450 class are close in points. Our live streaming numbers are going up each weekend so these eastern rounds should be very exciting.
WITH THIS NEW TRIPLE CROWN SERIES, EVEN WHEN THE MXTOUR ENDS AT WALTON RACEWAY, THE FUN ISN’T OVER. THIS TRIPLE CROWN SERIES IS GOING UNTIL NOVEMBER.
For sure, that is the best part of this new adventure. In the past, the outdoor nationals were great and the racing was really exciting, but then after the final round everything shut down pretty much for the year. Now, with the SXTour in the fall, our sport can remain in the spotlight until the end of the year. It’s all about growth. Stally and the CMRC did a great job for so long. My goal now is to build on what they did and try and take the sport to a new level in Canada.
WELL, EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HOW HAS THE COMMUNICATION BEEN SO FAR WITH THE RIDERS AND TEAMS, THEY’RE PROBABLY THE HARDEST GROUP TO KEEP HAPPY?
Well, they have the most invested so they want everything to be right. I think we’ve done a great job of listening to their concerns and then addressing them each week. So far, I think it’s been great and I look forward to working with them to keep improving.
WELL JUSTIN, THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH US. WE HOPE YOU AND YOUR CREW GOT SOME REST OVER THE BREAK AND WE HOPE YOU’RE READY FOR THE EASTERN ROUNDS.? The break was definitely a good time to catch up on my sleep and relax a little. Now it’s back to work and back to racing.
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BY LAWRENCE HACKING | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BMW
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MW’s motorcycle division has, over the past 8 years, organized one of the most dynamic adventure motorcycle events on the planet. Every two years since 2010, three-person teams from every corner of the World meet and ride a tour that embodies the GS adventure bike spirit and lifestyle. The GS Trophy is touted as the benchmark for hard-core adventure riders to see how they measure up. The trip is so well done with such attention to detail that it makes every adventure rider a little bit envious of the riders who qualify for their respective national teams. Always in an exotic location, the BMW GS Trophy pits the selected teams against each other in a wide variety of challenges; some on the bikes, some not. This year the wide-open spaces of Mongolia was BMW’s choice to host the GS Trophy. Mongolia is a much sought-after destination for many motorcycle adventurers, and many consider Mongolia as the ideal location for the GS Trophy. Mongolia’s terrain is perfectly suited for the 1200cc machines that were supplied by BMW to each of the participants this year. The format of the GS Trophy has been consistent over the years, the competition runs for a week, the daily distances are usually quite long and the teams
B
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are guided by a BMW assigned ‘Marshal’ each day. Each day the teams alternate riding with another team to encourage a mixing of international cultures; this is considered part of the overall experience. Each day has different pre-planned challenges, possibly two or three per day, each challenge can be a very difficult physical undertaking. Sometimes sheer strength is an asset, delicate riding skill is paramount to success, or something completely unrelated to motorcycling can be part of the scoring. For example, this year, teams were asked to test their skills at archery (archery being a traditional Mongolian skill). Each challenge is awarded points, and every evening at dinner the team standings are announced amid cheers and applause. The social side of adventure riding is highly celebrated during the GS Trophy. Everyone, including the many BMW staff members, the marshals, and the multitude of media people and locals, all share the experience with one another. For the second time, female competitors were invited to try to qualify for the GS Trophy. Selected female ADV riders flew to a qualifier event held in South Africa. Two Canadians made the trip all the way to Johannesburg then on to the BMW training facility
called Country Trax at Amersfoort last November. Our own Louise Mitchell was one of the two Canadian women who attended the international female qualifying round. Louise and her compatriot, Valerie Theroux, did not make the cut for the GS Trophy, however, they did enjoy the qualifier to the fullest. Louise spoke of her experience recently. “I was stunned when I was told I was selected to go to South Africa to try to qualify, I had no idea! It was such an honour and such an incredible experience.” A schoolteacher, Louise did not have an easy time getting out of her duties at her school. “It was a long process getting permission from my principal, but once I had the green light my students really got into it and followed my journey. I think is was good to show young people that you can live your dreams,” Louise continued. For 2018, a total of 18 teams went to Mongolia. India sent a team for the first time and two all-female teams from Eurafrica and Ausamerica made the trek to Genghis Khan’s homeland. Surprisingly, the combined Eurafrica female team won the 6th day overall with some exceptional scores in the archery and time trial. The Canadian team was made of three talented
riders: Bela Herman, Jamie Jones and Joel Goulet; each of the winners earned their place through a series of regional qualifiers then a National qualifier held at Horseshoe Valley, near Barrie, Ontario organized by BMW GS certified instructor Clinton Smout. All three Canadian representatives are accomplished riders, and in each are in great physical shape. One of team members was Bela Herman. He rides his BMW GS 800 all year round to his job as a heavyduty mechanic in Toronto; Bela is a tough as nails, mechanically skilled, and a very talented rider. He has tried a number of times to qualify for the team, narrowly missing out on the 2016 GS Trophy that took place in Southeast Asia, but he was more than pleased that he was able to ride in Mongolia. Bela confirmed this in a recent telephone conversation. “It was like I won the lottery just being able to participate in the GS Trophy. It was a great, great experience. I was impressed with the simplicity at which the Mongolian people live, yet they are so generous, kind - they open their doors to show you their yurt. It was amazing. It was a privilege to ride with the best GS riders in the world. We were all like-minded, we enjoyed the scenery, the riding and adventure.” Bela continued, “The weather was perfect, be-
“ A total of 2,350 kilometers were ridden over the 8 days. The longest day was the first day at 470 kilometers.”
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tween 15 to 25 degrees mostly, it was extremely dry, you could ride all day, drink a ton of water and never pee. The riding was very rugged and perhaps a bit dangerous. In fact, lots of people were hurt. During the marshal’s pre-ride the week before they had four hard fall; one marshal sustained an injury and couldn’t continue. It was an indicator of how tough the GS Trophy was. They (the organizers) were very well prepared, though, everything was taken care of to the highest degree.” Although a relative newcomer to adventure biketype riding, Jamie Jones has been on two or four wheels his entire life. Jamie is an accomplished trials rider who works as a stunt coordinator for the movie and TV industry. His work in his field is renowned. You will have seen him fly motorcycles through the air in movies such as ‘Romeo must Die’ and the ‘Evel Kneivel’ movie. Jamie’s skills as a rider and his easy-going personality earned him a place on the GS Trophy team. When asked about his experience in Mongolia, it was easy to draw Jamie Jones’ story out. From the tone of his voice I could tell he was pleased with their trip. “It was incredible, truly the ride of a lifetime. It was so well organized. I was really impressed with the Mongolia event coordinator. She had her team on a very tight leash and moved the over night camps with precision every day,” said Jones in a recent conversation. He continued, “It (the GS Trophy) was extremely physically demanding. Out of the 114 (3 person x 18 teams and a large number of media people) participants, a dozen did not finish. The medical support team consisted of four doctors, one helicopter and a number of support trucks. Many people were airlifted back to the hospital in Ulan Bataar. The terrain was really tough, we rode a lot of sand, there were lots of people who had no experience riding in those conditions, and that’s where the problems started.” The event began at the tourist Camp Chinsiin Khuree just outside of the capital city of Ulan Bataar. There the GS Trophy participants were housed in
traditional Mongolia ‘gers’ or yurts, which are round tent-like structures that the nomadic herdsman live in as they have done so for centuries. A ger is a perfect accommodation for adventure travel in harsh climates. They are warm, cozy and dry. Often they are very clean and comfortable and have a small woodstove that provides heat. For the remainder of the 8-day ordeal, each of the riders slept in their own tent and sleeping bag. It should be noted that the temperatures in Mongolia could fluctuate from very hot during the day to very cold, especially in the night. From the first day of the 2018 GS Trophy, the competition heated up and the long daily distances wore down the riders. A total of 2,350 kilometers were ridden over the 8 days. The longest day was the first day at 470 kilometers. The 12-hour day took its toll and riders started dropping out early. The competition was very close throughout the week. Team USA started out strong, however they relented to Team South Africa by week’s end. The Canadians ran mid pack most of the 8-day event showing flashes of brilliance in some challenges including winning the archery test. Ultimately, the Canadians finished in 14th spot out of 18 teams; the team, according to Jamie Jones, resigned themselves to fully enjoying the experience of the GS Trophy rather than get caught up in the heated competition. “The goal was to enjoy every day and every kilometer. We met some fantastic people, saw incredible landscapes and were treated like royalty wherever we went. It truly was a privilege to be a part of the GS Trophy. It is one of the highlights of my life,” said Jamie. “We tried our best in each of the challenges. It was tough, we won the archery challenge, but I do that at home. At the end of the day, it was a great experience,” he continued. When all the scores were tabulated, South Africa took home the win for the second year in a row with Team USA coming secon, a scant 2 points ahead of Team France.
Final Standings 1 South Africa 338 2 USA 286 3 France 284 4 Latin America 246 5 Mexico 236 6 Korea 221 7 UK 196 8 Germany 193 9 Russia 171 10 Australia 170 11 Argentina 162 12 Southeast Asia 155 13 China 144 14 Canada 13
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THE TRADITION CONTINUES... WALTON TRANSCAN CANADIAN MOTOCROSS GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
WALTON, ONTARIO
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AUG 13-18 2018 The final round of the Rockstar Energy Pro Motocross National Championships
SATURDAY AUGUST 18
VENDORS MUSIC RACING CAMPING AND MORE
WWW.WALTONTRANSCAN.CA @WALTONRACEWAY
2018-07-06 1:52 PM
ROYAL DISTRIBUTING PRESENTS UN
ND ON T H E A G R
puts on. I ended up 6th in the 50cc class. I was really nervous and I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I was pretty happy with my result. The kids were way faster than I thought they would be but I held my own.
IS
MXP: I love hearing stories of riders and their first races, it’s fun to hear how it all got started. I know you haven’t been racing long but do you have a favourite rider? CW: Dean Wilson, he’s super
E
YO
T HE UP A ND COMING R IDE R OF T HE MON T H
funny and really nice. We went to the Seattle Supercross and we got to hang out with him, and he let me sit on his bike. He also gave me his goggles from that race. Also, my best friend, Dexter Seitz, got me Dean’s pants and jersey for my birthday. I now have them hanging on my wall.
CASHWRIGHT By Chris Pomeroy / Photos by James Lissimore
Cash Wright is one of these very fast amateur kids that has been tearing up the tracks each and every weekend. Cash and his family call Calgary, AB home, and they love living there and enjoying all that the vibrant city offers. Keep an eye on the KTM rider as he’s sure to be a household name very soon. We caught up with the kid with a very cool first name for this month’s Young and on the Rise.
MXP: First off Cash, can you tell me how old you are and where you and your family call home? CW: Sure Chris, right now I’m
9-years-old and we live in Calgary, Alberta. Also known as cow town.
MXP: I’ve always loved the nickname “Cow Town” for Calgary. Can you tell us something cool about your hometown? CW: We have a motocross track
that overlooks downtown, which is pretty cool. Some pictures when you jump the “International” look like you’re jumping buildings. We also have some cool events like the Calgary Stampede. My grandparents take me to the Stampede parade every year; my grandpa’s favourite part is the pancake breakfast. We never miss that.
MXP: When I was your age my parents took me to the Stampede and I remember eating pancakes on the street, such a cool experience. How long have you been riding a dirt bike? CW: I started riding in August
of 2015. For my very first time on a bike I was using hockey shoulder pads and shin pads as my gear. (laughs) I started out riding mini motos on Tuesdays at our home track in Calgary. When I first started I was nervous, but I really enjoyed it. I don’t think I will ever stop.
MXP: That’s amazing that you’ve progressed so fast. Do you remember your first race and how you did? CW: Yes, it was in 2016 at the Spring Series that the WRMA
MXP: Do you have any riders that give you advice or try to help you? CW: I would say I’m lucky to
have a lot of awesome people around me. JC Seitz is probably the biggest, he always helps me and tells me things that can make me better, safer and faster. Another one would be Pat Shippit. He’s always encouraging me to do the big jumps, to be aggressive and not be afraid to jump past people.
MXP: It definitely sounds like you have a good crew around you. Can you take us through how your 2017 season went? CW: Last year started really well when I was racing the Spring Series in Calgary. After two rounds I was 2nd overall in the standings. We decided to go to Kelowna the next weekend to race out there because the weather was really bad in Calgary and they cancelled the next round. I ended up crashing in the first practice and broke my arm. I missed almost two months but got on my bike again as fast as I could. I had some pretty good races in the AMSA series as well as at the amateur nationals. Then in the fall series in Calgary I finished 2nd overall in the 65cc class and 1st overall in
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the 85cc Junior class on my 65. I guess it ended up being a pretty good year after a not so good start.
MXP: It’s good that you were able to rebound and make the most out of the season. What would you say was your best race in 2017? CW: I think the fall series in
Calgary when I finished 1st overall in the 85cc Junior class on my 65. That was pretty cool. When I was in front of the pack I got a big shot of adrenaline. It was a super cool feeling being out front and having everybody chasing me. That fall series was when I first started to hit the step down and the international on the pro track.
MXP: Motocross racers and winter usually don’t get along. What things do you do in winter to stay active and entertained? CW: I have been on a downhill
ski race team with N.A.S.A. the last three winters. I really like going fast so skiing fits in perfectly. I’m usually the cliff drop/jump tester on the team. I love to just send it into the deep powder. I also train in Muay Thai two times a week year-round. I just earned my second white Prajied from my Kru, Trevor. I like doing the tournaments, it’s fun fighting against new kids and learning lots of self defence. My family is always doing something active so it’s pretty busy all the time.
MXP: You will have to let us know how your first trip to California goes. Looking back at your racing results, which one are you most proud of? CW: I have a couple that stand
out, but probably the 2017 CMRC Amateur Nationals in Kamloops. I finished 3rd overall in the 65cc 7-9 class. The first day was a bit rough until I figured out the track. It was a super fun few days with some super fast kids. We got some really cool trophies and got to stand up on stage to say thankyou to everyone. They also put the top three bikes in front of us on our stands. It made us feel like we were pros and I’ll never forget that.
MXP: That is an amazing story, Cash. What is your favourite track to ride? CW: So far, my favourite track
in the USA would be Horn Rapids; they have some really awesome rhythm sections and big jumps. I’m looking forward to going back soon. In Canada, my favourite track is Drumheller; it’s a crazy jumpy track. All the jumps are pretty big. The crew there does a pretty good job of trying to keep the track fresh.
MXP: You see, you should never try to hide stuff from your parents. Let’s talk about school for a minute. What grade are you in and what is your favourite subject? CW: I’m just finishing up Grade
MXP: It sounds as though you’re a very busy kid. What is your favourite thing to do other than ride dirt bikes? CW: I really love to wake surf,
it’s just so much fun. I also like going to B-Line, the new BMX park in Calgary. Sending back flips into the foam pit is awesome. One day I want to try a back flip to the rezi.
MXP: My son got to go there a few months ago and he loved it. Have you had a chance yet to head south during the winter to ride? CW: No, we haven’t gone yet. I’ve done a couple races in the USA but haven’t gone too far south to train or ride. We are hoping to fit it in this year. I am really excited to go down and ride some different tracks. I think we will be going to California.
started feeling worse so I told them I needed to stop. Let’s just say we didn’t stop in time. I will probably never forget that moment. Pretty funny but really embarrassing at the same time.
MXP: It sounds as though you love to jump. What is your funniest or scariest road trip story? CW: Well, the trip to Kelowna
when I broke my arm was pretty memorable. The day before we left I was really sick and tried to hide it from my parents so I could go. But … it didn’t turn out so well. We stopped at a gas station to meet our friends that were going out to Kelowna too. I wanted to ride with my buddy in his sprinter van. After a while of driving I started to feel sick. I didn’t say anything right away but I
4. I really like Math but I think science is my favourite. Trying new experiments and being creative in my science book, that is always fun. We got to experiment with a LEGO set and try some cool stuff with it.
MXP: Well, I’m glad to hear that you enjoy school. What are your racing plans for 2018? CW: My plan is to be smooth, smart, safe and fast. I’ll be trying to get the best results I can and get faster and faster. I’m heading to Walton in August with the west coast team, so I’m really looking forward to that. I think it will be a really fun, cool experience; maybe a once in a lifetime thing.
“I HAVE A COUPLE THAT STAND OUT, BUT PROBABLY THE 2017 CMRC AMATEUR NATIONALS IN KAMLOOPS. I FINISHED 3RD OVERALL IN THE 65CC 7-9 CLASS.” MXP: That is very exciting and I hope to see you back on the podium again. Where do you see yourself in five years? CW: I hope to be doing qualifiers and making it to Loretta Lynn’s, maybe on a 150. I am kinda tall so if I keep growing maybe I’ll be on a 250 or something of that size. I don’t know. I guess I’ll just keep taking it one race at a time and see where things go.
MXP: That is a great way to look at things. Okay, I have you ask you this. Where did your parents get your name from? Cash is a pretty cool name. CW: Thank you, but to be
honest I don’t know. I really like it though. I have picked up the nickname “Cash Money.” The nickname suits me because I plan to make a lot of money when I grow up.
MXP: Sounds like you have everything figured out. That’s not too bad for a 9-year-old. Finally, who would you like to thank? CW: I would like to thank my
Mom & Dad, my sponsors; CWF, Ryno Power Canada, Olympia Trust, Fox Racing Canada, Giusti Wine, and I can’t forget my little sister. She also rides, so watch out boys, she’s coming for you.
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THE MENTAL SIDE
W I T H S E A N P O I T R A S
DEALING WITH INJURIES P H OT O
BY
JA M E S
L I S S I M O R E
ne of the most mentally demanding events to ever affect a competitive athlete is coping with and hopefully overcoming a debilitating injury. There are many factors that can determine how an individual may respond to the struggle of rehabilitating an injury. For example, how the injury occurred, the severity of the injury and whether or not it was avoidable.
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LL ES A RAL T E L “ATH A NATU E HAV PETITIVE COM THAT E EDG BE BOTH N CA FUL AND HE T HELP FUL TO N O T I R T HU BILITA A H RE ESS.” C PRO
MICRO VS. MACRO
A macro-injury is a single impact major event that causes a debilitating physical injury. A micro-injury is a physical ware and tare style injury, which the individual may or may not have been aware of leading up to their current state. Consider any injuries or set physical setbacks you may have encountered over your career. What was the toughest part of your comeback? Did you have any strategies that helped you with your rehabilitation program? Did the type of injury (micro or macro) change the way you responded to the situation? With micro injuries, athletes have a tendency to dwell over the possibility that they could have done something to prevent the injury before it reached its current debilitating state. The idea that they should have noticed or attended to the injury while it was still minor is very common and can create mental set backs for rehabilitation. Macro-injuries can provide athletes with a different set of mental woes. Since these injuries are typically dramatic, memorable and often times quite painful, athletes can encounter posttraumatic stress-like responses with regards to their rehabilitation program and their performance in their return to play. These may include things like depression or increased anxiety towards the rehab program. Once fit to return to play, some athletes struggle with the fear of reinjury or balking behavior (hesitation) that proper precautions have not been taken or anticipated.
So, what can athletes do to better mentally prepare for their rehabilitation program and eventually their return to play? It all starts with attitude! The injury, whether or not it was in your control or not, is in the past. How you choose to respond is what will determine how effective the rehabilitation process is, and how favourable the eventual performance outcome will be. Our perspective of a given situation often dictates our attitude. Injuries are, for obvious reasons, typically perceived in a negative light. Identifying the aspects of your situation that you know you are in complete control of, embracing the challenge of overcoming it and coming out stronger is the ideal attitude.
GOAL SETTING
When it comes to an injury rehab program the obvious outcome goal is to recover and return to play. It is important to break down that goal into much smaller process goals to help track progress and facilitate a more functional and strategic approach to reaching the end goal. With the help of an athletic therapist, physiotherapist, medical doctor, coach or trusted mentor of your choice, break each
goal into smaller steps or points that need to be accomplished in order to progress forward. Athletes all have a natural competitive edge that can be both helpful and hurtful to the rehabilitation process. With the development of tightly designed rehabilitation goals, those competitive traits can be directed towards the completion and dedication of the plan. This is the best strategy for successfully completing a rehabilitation program. But what about when it comes time to return to play?
TRUST YOUR TRAINING
Trust is ultimately the deciding factor when we talk about the fear of re-injury or any performance balking. Consider how you believe trust is built in other facets of your life (ie. relationships, friendships, abilities, etc.). Comfort and familiarity may be one piece that comes to mind. Past experiences and reassurance may be two others. Trust is built differently for all individuals. It will be your job to identify how you can (re)build trust in your training and your rehabilitation. The best cliché for the next strategy is to practice with a purpose. Utilizing the time and experiences
you can leading up to your return will be key. Visualization and mental rehearsal may be the only ‘in play’ experience you may get for months. And like anything, visualization is a skillset that takes practice to perfect. To start, pay attention to one of the five (or six) senses at a time while running through your mental rehearsal. Think of a simple and structured task in a training setting to use. One by one, go through all six senses (vision, sound, touch, smell, taste and BONUS emotional responses). Do your best to imagine what those experiences will all be like independently. Track how long you can stay ‘locked into the visualization’ and always try to increase that time for yourself. Creating an alternate reality is ultimately the desired outcome, and with that reality, there is no injury that can ever keep you out of the game. Self awareness of all of these factors will at very least create a more controllable and structured comeback for any athlete coming off an injury. If done consistently, the mental strategies discussed above can increase your trust and confidence in your abilities following a stint on the DL.
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MANAGER’S MEMOIRS
W I T H D E R E K S C H U S T E R
THE ROLLER COASTER P H OT O
o say that motocross racing is a roller coaster of energy and emotion would be an understatement. After several years of operating a motocross team the goals may change as expectations increase, the trials and tribulations may seem less foreign and more manageable from experience, but the energy and emotion does not dissipate one bit. Money, countless late shop nights with the mechanics, riders away from their homes training for months on end, testing, testing, testing, it all comes to fruition here. It’s what we are building up to, it’s down to these 30 minutes at a time on the track for our riders, our mechanics, every team member, and what we have spent months and months working towards. What transpires during these 30 minutes can take your thoughts and emotions in many directions. Now let’s get to the roller coaster. The very first moto of the season, Dylan gets a good start and is riding a solid race in the top three all moto before things unravel. I radio Kyle to tell him I think I can see the bike smoking, but it’s too late to relay the message on Dylan’s pit board. Moments later I’m able to confirm that the bike is smoking. I have about twenty seconds to make a decision on what to do before Dylan gets to where I’m standing on the track and I make the decision that the bike is smoking far too heavily for him to continue; I need to flag him off of the track. Unfortunately, the bike gives up with Dylan about 100 feet away from me and it’s a total engine loss due to a broken ignition cover from a rock. My heart sinks, and I quickly help Dylan get his bike off of the track as a million thoughts are racing through my mind. Myself, Kyle, and Randy, our team driver, are now all with the bike and look at each other without conversing. I know they have the same pain that I feel. Those months of preparation seem like they have just gone down the drain even though it’s only one moto and we have seventeen more to go this sea-
T
BY
JA M E S
L I S S I M O R E
son. There isn’t much time to feel sorry for ourselves, though, because the 450 moto is in staging and time is limited to get the 250 ready for Moto 2. Now Colton is on the line and we go through our same routine while the gate drops and the moto begins. This time it’s another great start for our team and Colton wastes no time to work his way into the lead. From there, he builds on the lead every lap until the checkered flag flies leaving myself and the other team members with a completely different set of emotions and energy. It gives a sense of confidence that you know all of that work in the off-season is paying off and maybe a little reassurance on our pre-season preparation. Colton repeated his opening moto performance in Moto 2, so we left Calgary with an overall win. A week later we are back at it, boarding the roller coaster, and it’s no less of a wild ride than week one. We have now brought in Jake Nicholls feeling 100%, took a hard hit very from England who rides for Honda in early in Moto 1 and had to battle England on a one-race deal. Thoughts through some pain for the rest of the and scenarios continue to roll through day. It’s again bittersweet after the my head. Was this a good idea? A bad race: Dylan has a perfect day, Colton idea? Could this help Colton? Could it is feeling the effects, and the team is hinder him? In the end it was a great angered by a late moto incident with experience bringing Jake here, scoranother rider. ing himself and the team a podium Week four, Colton still holds the finish; you will likely see him back this points lead, but his condition has summer. For Colton, it was a win and worsened during the week and he is a bigger point lead. For Dylan, it was feeling the effects of being sick, barely another DNF, another rock, another able to keep down water. Dylan, on the let down, and another ride on the other hand, is still digging himself out roller coaster. of a hole in the points chase, but has Week three things are rolling along. a new sense of excitement coming off The series is in full swing and what his win from the previous weekend, we know is we need to get through wanting to chip away at it even further the race day without a DNF with before heading back Dylan. Additional precautions are east. Colton does made to assure we have his best to salvage done everything we some points and we S TH N could mechanically leave the west tied O N EM for Dylan, and he atop the 450 standHOS PARATIO T “ Y E makes the most of ings. E R H P T E OF K it by winning both For Dylan, it’s I E L N motos, capturanother complete SEEM JUST GOAIN E ing the overall roller coaster. HAV N THE DR H and taking a big A solid second place W G DO THOU chunk out of the finish after leading E N N E EV NLY O points deficit that most of the moto, E he faced. But the but he’s down on IT’S O AND W EEN O roller coaster was himself for several MOT SEVENT HIS T E ready to come back mistakes made late V O A H E TO G down, as Colton, in the moto and R O M N.” who didn’t come wants to redeem O S SEA into the weekend himself in Moto 2.
We go back through the routine, the gate drops, Dylan rounds the first turn, then Kyle gets the radio transmission that Dylan has made it out of the first turn clear, near the front of the pack, and he wastes no time making passes to get into second. Now it’s time to track down the leader and try to back-up the previous week with another overall win and chip further away at that points deficit. But it wasn’t meant to be. While applying major pressure for the lead and looking for the right spot to make his move in Moto 2, Dylan’s bike quit. It was not a rock this time, it was simply the team trying to push Dylan’s bike to the absolute limit, giving him the best possible package that we can deliver. We ever so slightly missed our mark, costing Dylan a third DNF. Even as upset as Dylan was, he showed great character as he stood on the sidelines cheering on his competition. That feeling that I get from the time we await the gate to drop until the checkered flag flies, watching Dylan hold it together while having to make that gut wrenching walk back to the pits, and that feeling of watching Colton hoist the first-place trophy over his head gives me the raw emotion of everything that happens on a race day that keeps me coming back and wanting more. It’s that adrenaline build up waiting for that next ride on the roller coaster we call motocross.
MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM // 97
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THE INSIDE LINE P H OT O
BY
JA M E S
WITH ANDY WHITE
WIDE OPEN he last few months have been pretty busy for me. I travelled to the UK for sales meetings, California to meet with the US media, and then to FXR head office in Winnipeg for marketing plans for the 2019 MX line. I get asked what time of year is our slow season. To be honest, I think I had an answer for that question a few years ago. It seems to be pretty well wide open twelve months a year now. As the FXR MX line grows, we get more interest from new regions and new countries. At the same time, the company grows so we
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BROUGHT TO YOU BY
L I S S I M O R E
need more and more people at the head office to match the demand. It’s a good problem to have. It’s called growing pains. There are only 24 hrs in a day and 7 days in the week. Sometimes I wish we had 6 days between weekends. The riders sometimes forget that it’s not easy to pull product from the warehouse, screen it, and have it in their hands for Thursday when they put the order in on Tuesday. I usually say, oh, that’s going to be a real challenge, but I have some really good people at FXR that put in the extra effort to get it done.” Listen up riders, if you need gear for the weekend, please let us know a minimum of at least a week to ten days. Okay, I feel better now. Each summer, FXR releases their new MX line up to the media, dealers and riders. This year is no different - the plan is to release it on July 6th. We will have a display and riders on hand at the Sand Del Lee national. We will have a few riders wearing our new 2019 product as well. The plan
is to do the same at Red Bud and in Europe. The one thing for the launch that’s always tricky is, who do you put in the new gear? It would be cool to have all our riders in it, but that would be pretty well impossible. We have to pre-order the gear months in advance so we can have it in our hands for the special events. The catalogues need to be printed a few weeks before the gear is released, which means we need our riders in the new gear months before it is released. It’s a fairly time-consuming process, and it takes months to get the end result. So, my apologies to the riders that didn’t get some 2019 to wear right away. The actual new stock will be in the warehouse a few days after the release. While we are preparing the 2019 MX gear release, we are already deep into the 2020 and 2021 selections. My head is already spinning, because there are so many options and colours to pick from. Determining what colours are going to be trending in a year or the
next two years is the biggest gamble. It’s not like you can look in the crystal ball and ask what is going to sell in 2020 or 2021. As we are working on those matrix, we are still racing in the current gear, the 2018 selection. Welcome to my world. Now the next item on the list is, what do male riders between 15-20 like? What do the vet riders between 25-50 like? Remember, they are the ones that have the cash to race. They are also the ones that buy the gear for their kids. I would like to tell you how we figure it out but that wouldn’t be right. One day…maybe. Next on my list is, where do I market the new gear? What will get me the best bang for my money? Remember, FXR MX gear has only been around for the past 3-4 years. We don’t have the history like the other big players like TLD, FOX and Thor. There are 17 other gear companies that sell product in Canada and the US. Europe has other companies that I’m sure you have never even heard of. The one area I really enjoy in this job is being able to look at where the sales are coming from in the world. With today’s E R A E technology I can look up, W ILE for example, a banner ad “ WH PARING from Motocross Action. PRE 019 2 I can see how many THE EAR click-throughs we had. I G E MX ASE, W can also see who bought RELE LREADYE product, right down to A how much they spent. It ARE INTO TH 1 P makes life much easier 2 E 0 DE AND 2 today than 10 years ago. . 0 S 2 20 CTION When a magazine sales SELE rep calls and says, “Your banner ads are killing it. Are you ready to commit to another 6 months?” I look at my numbers on my side and decide if it is really a good deal or not. There is no more guessing. Factual numbers tell the truth. It’s like lap times on a track with a transponder. The future is here to stay.
98 // MOTOCROSS PERFORMANCE · MXPMAG.COM
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2019
YZ250F
/// TUNE. RACE. WIN. POWER TUNER SMARTPHONE APP I ELECTRIC START I ALL-NEW ENGINE & FRAME
PUT DESTINY IN YOUR OWN HANDS.
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