Report by Danny Brault
Photos by James Lissimore

Like we've said several times this season, just when you thought the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals couldn't any wilder, they did. First, we lost JSR to a concussion at Quebec Provincial; then Mitch Cooke and Jeff Dement were transported to the hospital after colliding in the air in the first MX1 moto; Kyle Beaton made his podium appearance since Mission `05; and Colton Facciotti won his second MX1 moto.

It was my first trip to Calgary and to the Wild Rose MX Park and I have to admit, I was more than impressed with the racing, the city, the afterparty, the people, and the stampede. The track crew (with some help from mother nature) made sure dust was never an issue, the fence lines were packed and we watched battles from first to twentieth in both classes and all four motos. I enjoyed the racing so much that I rebooked my flight so I could stay for Nanaimo. So you riders better put on another good show this weekend!

Whether it's AMA Supercross or Outdoors or the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals, the small bike class always features the best racing. KTM Canada's Eric Nye led the first MX2 moto with Jimmy Nelson (1) and Ben Evans (235) close behind. Nelson went down just after the halfway mark and it him at least 575 kicks before his bike fired up. That dropped him back to eighth place. He rode a perfect race in the second moto, however, leading from start to finish which gave him third overall. Evans rode to solid 3-3 for second overall and is now just three points behind Nelson in the championship. Nye held on for second behind Tucker Hibbert, but fell back to seventh in the final moto for sixth overall. Nye is in the hunt, too, and is just five points behind Nelson in third.

The infamous Canadian Monster Energy girls who travel the AMA Supercross/ Motocross circuit, welcomed Kyle Beaton to the MX2 podium following the second moto. Beaton rode his heart out, falling down while running second and then putting on a charge that saw him pass Evans on the final lap over the step-up to double section for second. Beaton tied Nelson in points for the day, but Nelson's win gave him third overall. Sitting comfortably in fifth, Beaton is only two points behind Gray Davenport and 13 points out of third. Check back on Wednesday for an interview with the Yamaha Canada rider. 

The Mayor of Calgary, Dave Bronconnier, was in attendance--and geared up--at Wild Rose MX Park.

The Wild Rose track offers a lot of opportunity for riders to earn style points. Eric Nye (32) and Tucker Hibbert (103) fought for the lead in the first MX2 moto, with Hibbert taking the win, the overall, and the style points. Hibbert said on Canadian MX Radio this week that his main objective is to win both motos at Nanaimo and let the chips fall where they may. 

After JSR suffered a serious concussion at a Quebec Provincial the weekend prior to Calgary, putting him out for that round and Nanaimo this weekend (and maybe longer), it was up to Suzuki OTSFF's Mitch Cooke to chase down Cernic's Kawasaki's hired gun, Paul Carpenter. Unfortunately, Cooke's weekend ended when he and Jeff Dement came together over a step-down in the first MX1 moto, which left both riders in the back of an ambulance. Cooke suffered a concussion, while Dement was left with a string of injuries, including a concussion, broken ribs, punctured lung, and numbness throughout his body. So without Cooke or JSR on the line, Carpenter stretched his points lead out to 69 over Marco Dubé.

Blair Morgan's effort in the second MX1 moto proved why his name should be at the top of the Canadian MXdN team list. Morgan was running outside the top 10 in the first moto, went down and nearly got lapped before restarting his bike. He salvaged two points with a 19th. Living up to his Superman nickname, Morgan methodically picked off riders each lap to finish third behind Carpenter and Colton Facciotti. 

It was great to see Josh Woods back at the races after separating his shoulder in Ste-Julie. Woods said he's spent some time on the bike before racing Calgary and he was Suzuki's top finishes, going 3-5 for third overall. His young teammate, Tyler Medaglia, was also on the gas in MX1, setting the fastest qualifying time, finishing fourth in the first moto and then running third in the final moto before his chain fell off.

Colton Facciotti earned his second moto win of the season, second overall and a boat load of style points in Calgary. Facciotti worked his way by Woods early in the first moto to take the win and then rode all by himself for second in the final moto for second overall. Lightning Bolt Colt, Freschotti, Fachiotti--or whatever they're calling him now--is now third in points behind Carpenter and Dubé. 

Dusty Klatt was in the house at Calgary. The Star Racing Yamaha rider didn't receive the okay to race MX1 in Calgary for Blackfoot, so he loaded up his pedal bike instead--but he still wasn't allowed to ride that! No, his team manager Bobby Regan didn't stop him, but apparently a Wild Rose facility worked yelled at Klatt to get off the BMX track. I asked Dusty if pulled out the classic "Do you know who I am?!?" line. He said, no. Klatt was kind enough to stop by the Factory Rider for a Day Funmover and sign some limited edition Red Bull posters for the fans. It was a chance for our Calgary Factory Riders for a Day, Jared and Parker Allison, learn some PR skills and they had plenty of time since both didn't race because of injuries.

Heidi Cooke swept the Women's Canadian National in Calgary. With only two rounds remaining, Nanaimo and Sand Del Lee, Cooke sits with a comfortable 17 point lead over defending champ, Jolene Van Vugt. 

It wasn't an easy weekend for Van Vugt, but she overcame poor starts to finish 2-4 for second overall. Ami Houde (71) made the podium in the first moto and finished sixth in the final moto for fifth overall.

Jessica Foster put together two solid motos at her hometown national. The Blackfoot supported rider (and employee) finished 4-3 for third overall and sits third in the championship, just four points ahead of Missy Hackett.