Racer X subscribers received the July 2005 issue about two weeks ago but it hits newsstands this week so go pick up a copy at your local newsstand or motocross shop. The July issue features another 80-page Racer X Canada insert and this is undoubtedly our best one yet. The design, content, print quality and ad quality all seemed to come together for this issue. Our magazine is really starting to flourish right now and readers can expect continued growth and quality in the future. It’s wild how far we have come in only one year. In fact, we are wrapping up our first Anniversary issue right now so that is an exciting project for everyone in our small organization.

First off, after his efforts during the U.S. Supercross series, no one was more deserving of a Racer X Canada cover than Doug DeHaan. Only a few Canadian riders have had the skill, determination and consistency to qualify for a 250cc U.S. Supercross main and Doug is one of the elite few to own that honour. He backed up his results with a second place finish in the first MX1 moto at Mission so his off-season racing and training has proved to be fruitful.

Also inside this issue of Racer X Canada you will find an extensive interview with the current king of Canadian motocross, Jean-Sebastien Roy. As a result, we finally found a use for some of Jason Griffith’s photos from “back-in-the day!”

Speaking of back-in-the-day, Ron Ashley has returned to the pro nationals as Team Manager of the OTSFF Suzuki team. We thought it was fitting to include a story and some old photos of Ron to chronicle his early times on the circuit.

Did you know that Ashley’s prior rider listing included: Blair Morgan, JSR, Doug DeHaan Josh Woods, Sean Hamblin, Darcy Lange, Mitch Cooke and Ryan Lockhart? For mechanics, big names such as Luc Caouette (now Yamaha of Troy Crew Chief), Rick Rundberg (now Morgan Racing’s Team Manager) and Derek Sorenson (now a factory KTM mechanic) worked for him. The story is intriguing to say the least.

What will it take for a Canadian rider to earn a factory ride in the USA? That question is coming up more and more these days as our riders gain speed, confidence and exposure. Rather than offer our own opinions on which riders may be worthy, we asked some key individuals in the United States and Europe. You’ll be surprised what they had to say about our riders (and how much they knew about them).

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Thanks for your support and see you at the races…