Frid'Eh Update:Presented by Royal Distributing
FEBRUARY 9, 2007

By Danny Brault 

It’s cold here in Canada right now. When December and early January were filled with mild temperatures and rain, I thought we might not ever see the mercury drop below zero and it would only be a matter of time before the CMRC, CMX, CMA or one of our thousands of sanctioning bodies would begin the spring series schedule. Instead, old man winter proved me (and I’m sure many others) wrong and snuck up on us quicker than Jason Lawrence in a bowl corner.

You can’t let the cold scare you, however. We’re Canadian and we’re built to endure these harsh conditions.

Speaking of endurance, Star Racing Yamaha’s Dusty Klatt is showing just how much he can endure as he lives his dream. Through the crashes, burns, walls, and welcome love taps from proven supercross stars, Klatt put together his best ride yet at Anaheim 3 last weekend with a 12th in the Lites main event (which was also his fastest practice time). It still isn’t the result he's expecting, but it’s a step forward.

His team manager, Bobby Regean, says he didn’t hire the Canadian champ for supercross wins; he’s Star Racing’s outdoor hope. Reagan even said that he expected Klatt’s younger teammate, Matt Lemoine, to achieve more success in supercross, but when they leave the stadiums, it will be Dusty’s turn to lead.

Klatt put together his best ride yet in the Western Region with a 12th at A3.

photo: James Lissimore

Dusty turned the big two-two yesterday. To celebrate his birthday, we’re sending out limited edition Dusty Klatt/ Trans Am/ Star Racing stickers (a big thank you to Brad Coles from Label It (1-877-91-LABEL) for printing those up, and to our designer Dawn McClintock and editor JTG for coming up with the design concepts). To get your super-cool #344 sticker, please send in a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Racer X Canada
1093 Brydges Street
London, Ontario
N5W 2B5

Remember, supplies are limited so act quickly!

Want a limited edition Klatt sticker? Just send a self-addressed stamped envelope to RXC.

Dusty was born on February 8, 1985. Let’s see what other notable events took place on the date:

1924 – First State execution using gas took place in Nevada
1931 – Actor James Dean was born
1991 – Roger Clemens signs a record $5,380,250 a year contract

Team Solitaire’s Brady Sheren made some improvements at A3. In practice his lap times put him around the 25th mark, much better than his times a two weeks ago on his WWR YZ250F. Sheren gave us an update on www.mxforum.com.

We caught up with Brady to see how things were going with the new team. "I’m just plugging away," said Sheren. "Things are much better here. Just more organized than at Warthog and I feel way better on the bike. I’ve just been working on a lot of starts and a lot of sprints and that sort of thing. I’ve been riding with Ryan [Clark] during the week and Ricky Renner just flew in yesterday, so I’m riding with him too."

BTO Sports/ Butler Brothers Honda’s Doug DeHaan has been posting great lap times at every round, but he was actually a couple of seconds off the pace in Anaheim.

“I got one good start this weekend in the LCQ; I was around fifth coming into the first corner but by the end of the timing section, Vallejo and someone else stacked it up right in front of me and I was already in the air, so I landed on them and crashed. Actually, getting back on to the track, I wheelied into some haybales and that put me into neutral and I fell again ... so that was my weekend.”

“I haven’t got a start since round one," continued Doug. "The Canadian rounds went pretty well as far as starts went, but since then I haven’t been able to buy one. That’s pretty much the key. You just ride so much different when you get a good start and you are in contention.”

Always the journeyman, DeHaan will look ahead to Houston. The entire Butler Brothers team has been doing well though in 2007, with DeHaan’s LCQ win and 15th in Vancouver, Jason Thomas’ 14th in Phoenix and two main events from Bryan Johnson, a former member of the Star Racing Crew, the team continues to build each weekend.

DeHaan (77) has struggled with starts since the Canadian WSXGP rounds.

photo: James Lissimore

The entire Butler Brothers crew is going a great job of supporting the working class heroes, finding results and coming up with cool ways for exposure—like their BTO Sports commercials during supercross races on Speed and CBS. Good job, guys! I can only handle those cheesy Amp’d Mobile “I love my phone” commercials for so long.

Be sure to tune into coverage of this week’s race in Houston, Sunday at noon EST on CBS. And the Lites action from A3 is on Speed tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. EST.

From the stadiums to the barns, Canadians are tearing it up.…

Last weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s Darcy Lange walked away with three wins (extending his total wins to 23), a second-place, the Bookoo AX title, $25,000 and a brand new 2007 Honda Ridgeline truck. It was quite a weekend for the three-time AX champ, who strolls into Uncasville, Conneticut tonight with a great chance to win $50,000 out of the $200,000 purse for the U.S. Open of Arenacross at Mohegan Sun Arena.

You can listen to the race live on both nights, beginning at 7:15 p.m. EST or watch it live. Just go to www.racearenacross.com for details.

Lange has to be filled with confidence from his domination of the BooKoo series, and it will no doubt transfer over to the East Coast when he begins riding for the Monster Energy/ Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. While most of the riders entered in the East have only been practicing, Lange will be coming in hot off a championship, race experience and with the support of Mitch and the boys. Can’t wait!

The Alberta Arenacross Championships went off last weekend in Lethbridge. Ryan Lockhart, Chuck Mesley, Aaron Barr, and Bart Stephenson were some of the most notable names in the pro classes, and Manitoba’s Ryan Millar stormed the amateur classes on his KTMs. Not only was it a chance for the Westerners to watch some great racing, but they also had the opportnunity to raise money and support for Chris Bonneau.

RXC’s Alberta contributor, Shane Eaton, passed along a few notes from the event:

Gerry Nelson, Todd Heggie, and a bunch of other guys had raised a ton of money by taking donations for them to shave their heads. At the halftime, they shaved
their heads, but the barbers only did half of it and then the guys went into the crowd to raise more funds so they could finish the job.

People were so generous; it was unreal. (The freshly bald Gerry Nelson is now referred to as “Doctor Evil.”). A shop in Lethbridge donated a quad and it was auctioned off for two thousand dollars more than it cost! Photographer Cheryl Adair made up a collage print of Chris, CJ and Anne; it went for two thousand dollars and the buyer gave the
print to the Bonneau family.

Every little bit helps!

photo: Shane Eaton

I simply cannot put into words the atmosphere. On more than one occasion, it brought tears to this jaded, old cynic’s eyes.

As far as the racing goes (which was really secondary), Newf dominated and was pulling monster holeshots all weekend. Mesley, Barr and Stephenson were usually battling for second and third. Luke Firth was looking really good and was fourth in both mains on Friday. It was funny listening to the young, shy pro's podium speech:

Announcer: Luke, how is the track ?
Luke: It is good.
Announcer: Come on, Luke, I know you are a rookie pro, but you are not on
50s anymore. You have to say more than three words. How is the track?
Luke: It is really good.

Ryan Lockhart, who just signed on again with OTSFF Suzuki for the MX1 Canadian Nationals, checked in with us yesterday. Like Eaton, he was impressed with the support for Chris.

“It was an awesome race. We raised so much money for Chris Bonneau; that was awesome. I donated some money to him, so did Mesley. They pay you for your qualifier win, so we donated our money from that. Then, me and Drew from Evolved Nurtrition put together a package—along with Suzuki OTSFF. We put together a training day, ‘A Day with Newf,’ before the Calgary national.”

“I’m going to come in on the Thursday or Friday [before the Calgary national], and we’re going to go to Drew’s gym with the winning bidder—it went for $1,700. They’ll come in and do the same training program as me and then go for dinner and then Saturday at the race, they can come walk the track with me, wear a pit shirt, hang out at the semi. And then on Sunday the same thing, hang out in the pits, riders’ meeting and up in the SkyJack.”

Lockhart and his man friend, Kyle Patten, are heading down to Georgia to begin training for the nationals and he’s signed up for the Orlando and Daytona supercross rounds. They will be bunking up with his teammate, Tyler Medaglia, and his mechanic, Steve Simms at Blackfoot’s old crib at GPF. Don’t worry, there are four beds so there won’t be any spooning going on … hopefully.

Crystal Keast forwarded me this note and photo from injured rider Chris Perneroski’s girlfriend, Melissa. You may remember a few updates on Chris from the website, and the fundraising the Southwestern Ontario community helped out with at the provincials.

Hello, Everyone!  Well I've got good news. Chris has now moved to Chedoke in Hamilton. If some of you don't know, Chedoke is rehabilitation for people with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI).  His Mom, Dad, Sister and I moved him down on Tuesday.  When we were leaving Ross Memorial hospital, he seemed so excited.  He seems very happy at his new temporary home. He was smiling all day.  He had his very first physiotherapy session at Chedoke and did awesome! He was kicking the ball and peddling a bike.  I just know that he will kick butt there and gain so much more mobility and independence. His family and I will be staying at a place called "The Unity House." So everything is going well and I just know that Chris has the determination to reach all of his goals!!!

Thank you for your thoughts and Prayers!!

Melissa

Chris Perneroski and his girlfriend, Melissa.

photo courtesy of Melissa Windsor

While most people were probably trying to stay warm last weekend, most of the RXC crew was out enjoying true Canadian winter sports.

Allison Kennedy and I made the ten-hour drive from London (well, twelve-hours for Allison from her home in Meaford where they've received over a metre of snow in the last five days) to Lavaltrie, Quebec for the second round of the Quebec Ice Racing Championships. Promoter Buddy Ford made us (the only two Anglophones in Lavaltrie) feel right at home and we’ve already marked down the event on our 2008 calender.

With 4,000 spectators fueled by poutine and Coors Light, over 200 studded dirt bikes, ATVs, and cars, and techno music blaring from the loud speakers, it wasn’t too difficult to enjoy ourselves. On Saturday, I entered my first-ever ice race and finished 7th out of 12 guys in the 450 Junior class (come on, that’s not too bad!). With the races only five laps long for amateur classes, starts are very important, especially when you’re on the second line. And if you’re buried in the pack, say goodbye to vision; try to picture the dustiest MX track and then times that by two. Entering corners, I was just praying that no one was down in front of me.

On Sunday, Buddy had me climb into his studded-up Honda Civic for the Auto practice. Now that was scary—but really, really entertaining. I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time I was behind the wheel. Buddy gave me the exact same advice for the car as he did for the bike: “Just giver!” Thanks, Buddy. I didn’t get in too many laps, since I kept getting flat tires; one in practice and two in my heat race. Hey, what would an adventure be without a couple of “It’s not my faults?”

Karel Benoit leads his older brother, Kaven, in the 450 Pro class at Lavaltrie last weekend.

Buddy Ford (left) set aside a special "no-place" plaque for me--and a Coors Light.

This was fun!

photos: Allison Kennedy

Two of Quebec’s latest motocross offerings, Kaven and Karel Benoit, really impressed both Allison and I in Lavaltrie. With only one season under their belts on ice, the two brothers were mixing it up with the #1 plate of Dominic Beaulac and KTM Canada’s factory racer, Andrew Ranger. The eldest brother, Kaven, had great starts on Sunday and finished on the podium in the 450 Pro and 450 Pro/ Am classes. Karel showed speed (he set the fastest lap time on Saturday), but he might have been pushing a little too hard and it left him in the snow bank far more then he liked. Watch for these two in the MX2 East series this year, they'll be the pair railing the corners.

The series continues this weekend in Shawinigan. So check it out if you’re in the area. You can visit www.cmrcquebec.com for a schedule and results.

Back in Ontario, our designer Dawn McClintock, and production manager, Christa McCall, toured up to Haliburton for a snowmobile excursion. Dawn sent along a few notes from the event:

Last weekend we had the priviledge of participating in the Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run. This is a fundraiser to financially assist women who are currently battling the disease. It was held at Delta Pinestone Resort in beautiful Haliburton, Ontario.

The trails set out straight from the resort and were challenging. The lack of snow during the month of January provided us with one heck of a rough ride for the first part of the run but, man, it sure was fun. The entire course was 160 km long with a lunch break at the halfway mark. The event offers riding at every level of skill from beginner to the pro team, The Hooter Haulers. And believe me, when I say “Haulers," these girls haul! By the time we had stopped for lunch at the halfway point, word at the restaurant was that The Hooter Haulers were already back at the resort warming their toes by the fire, sipping beverage of choice.

This event continues to grow and they have started a chapter in Quebec. Their goal is to expand so that each province is represented. In total, these women raised $204,000 in pledges with another $20,000 due to come in, bringing their 8th year total to over $1,000,000. WAY TO GO LADIES!! They already had women on their waiting list for this year's pledges so there is a huge need for financial assistance.

You can find out more about this event or to apply to the trust by
Calling 1-877-436-6467 or visiting these two websties:

http://www.breastcancersnowrun.org/
http://www.kellyshiresfoundation.org/

The Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run in Haliburton.

photo: Dawn McClintock

On the topic of sleds, Blair Morgan Racing’s Iain Hayden finished 7th at his first ever Winter X in the Snocross final. Unfortunately, team owner and five-time Winter X gold medalist, Blair Morgan, didn’t even make the main event. Morgan tangled up with another rider in his heat race, keeping him from the main. Rumour has it someone placed kryptonite into his fuel, but VP denies any such thing.

On again/off again supercross racer, Tucker Hibbert, won the Snocross event. That gives the 22-year-old a total of five medals, one of which is a gold from 2001.

Alberta’s Ryan Simons picked up the bronze medal and Canadians Katejun Coonishish, Mathieu Morin and Brett Turcotte all finished inside the top twelve.

Go to www.expn.com for full results, photos and coverage from Winter X Games 11.

OTSFF Motorsports' Peter Raymer is cleaning house in the CSRA Regional and National series’ in his first season in the pro class. Raymer really proved his speed when he beat 2006 CSRA champ, Hayden. Hopefully, Raymer can make it through the snocross season healthy, and we'll see him on the starting gate in Ste-Julie.

Back to the world of moto …

Canadian freestylers Benoit Milot and Jeff Banks had a big weekend in Fresno, California at the Selland Arena. The two Canucks stole the show at the IFMA event and stole the wins over the two nights.

Click here for details from the event.

Milot and Banks won in Fresno.

Western Canada’s craziest off-roader, Guy Perrett, hasn’t let the snow and cold stop him from riding. Check out this cool youtube link.

Anyone in the Southwestern Ontario region looking to kick their training routine into overdrive might want to look into TLAP (Train Like A Pro). It’s a personal fitness studio in Whitby, owned by Columbus Blue Jackets Adam Foote. Next week’s session is scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. TLAP’s trainers, Tim Weber and Mark Fitzgerald, can handle 10 people per session and will take everyone through an intense workout, focusing on core strengthening.

To find out more, please contact TLAP  at 905-430-4349 or email timweber@trainlikeapro.com or Justin Moore (Ignition Racing) at 905-683-3785.

Next weekend is the biggest hockey game ever in the history of puck and stick: The Canada vs. USA Racer X Illustrated/ Racer X Canada Hockey Tournament. RXC’s General Manager, Brett Dailey, and our gossip columnist, Steve Matthes, will coach the Canucks. It is odd that neither of them will be actually playing or skating (I thought every Canadian was born with a stick in hand).

I guess Dailey was too busy washing Mike Harden’s race gear and lighting stolen cars on fire at the Raglan Pit to focus on his crossovers.

Matthes, apparently, had to deny any knowledge of hockey to get his work visa in the United States.

Anyhoo, there will be plenty of talent on the visiting bench (too bad we can’t say the same for the home bench—the smack talk begins!) along with plenty of refreshments (the tournament is sponsored by Corona, believe it or not), so we should be fine without Trevor and Cory suiting up.

Until next week, keep your stick on the ice!