Frid'Eh Update:Presented by Royal Distributing
MARCH 28, 2008

Toronto: home of the Rogers Centre, CN Tower, Maple Leafs, and some really tasty street meat.

photo: James Lissimore

By Danny Brault

This is it, folks. (Sorry for stealing your DVD title, Destroyer Films!) The moment we’ve all been waiting for: Dusty Klatt won the Toronto SX!!!

Oh, wait, sorry, the Toronto smog is messing with my head. No, the Cernic’s Kawasaki rider probably won’t win Toronto (it is racing, however, and you never know), but here’s hoping the Campbell River Crusher has a good race in front of his fellow Canooks!

Read here for Dusty’s take on his SX season so far.

But Dusty isn’t the only guy to cheer for in Toronto. Heck, just read Matthes’ SX Preview to see why we should cheer for just about every guy signed up. In the Supercross class, Chad Reed, Kevin Windham, Davi Millsaps, Josh Hill, Ryan Dungey, Andrew Short, and all of the 450 juggernauts resume their war after a two-week hiatus.

Then, in the Lites class, there is the epic, unofficial battle for top Canadian honours. With Kyle Beaton, Brady Sheren and Tyler Medaglia fresh off AMA SX, they have to considered favourites. But with a few quick Americans nestled in the mix—Browning, Woods, Cunningham, Skinner, Boni, and the Sewell brothers to name a few—it’s going to be a north versus south battle royal. I’m not sure who the favourite is, but Royal Distributing KTM Canada’s Ryan Lockhart has a good idea how the race will pan out:

“Well, I’m serious when I tell you this, and I know you’re not going to think I’m serious. But there’s a good chance I’m going to holeshot it—cause I am good starter—and I’m going to lead for a half a lap and then get shuffled back to 10th. And that’s where I’m going to stay.”

The dirt inside the Rogers Centre is much softer than year's past. It's pretty much sand, so expect ruts and bumps to build up quickly once the riders take to the track tomorrow afternoon.

photo: Danny Brault

We featured an article on the site that went through the last three Toronto races, to see which riders had Breakout Races. Now a thread has started on www.mxforum, arguing over whether Canadians can really have a “breakout” race in Toronto because it’s not a true AMA SX with a deep talent pool. I’m sticking to my guns and saying that, yes, a good result or ride in TO can earn some recognition and provide a valuable stat on the old resume. The top contenders in Toronto have all elevated their game since putting in solid rides in WSXGP, and they look to move forward.

It hasn’t been easy for our riders to make it to Toronto. Pierce Chamberlain and Kyle Keast are both riding borrowed, non-current Honda CRF250Fs; Lockhart drove across Canada with his KTM 250 SX-F covered in duct tape and a tarp in the back of his Dodge; KD Beets had to ring up Chris Pomeroy and Don Valley Toyota for support; and I’m not sure what Zeb Dennis’ deal is, but I know he won’t be showing up with factory suspension or titanium bolts. Regardless, all of these guys will ride well despite their lack of supercross training, and one of them might just land on a podium in front of 40,000 fans.

Canadian stepchild Michael Willard won’t be making it into Toronto. The Cycra Racing Honda rider injured himself after dropping a piece of farm equipment on his foot. (That’s a new one!) Sources say nothing’s broken, it’s just swelled up, but he could be off the bike for a week or two.

Suzuki City is in the city, and KTM is ready to race.

photo: Lissimore

This is a bit random, but I was chatting with Derrick Medaglia this week (Tyler and Jeremy’s dad) and he had some interesting advice he offered his boys. “I always try to remind them about good races and battles or certain guys they used to beat,” he says. “You need to do that sometimes to remind yourself of what you can do.”

I don’t know, maybe some of you racers out there can use that in your own racing career when you forget how fast you can really go.

Back to the Toronto SX. Live Nation held a press conference yesterday inside the Baseball Media room at the Rogers Centre for MX for Children. It was a great opportunity for kids and fans to meet Canadian riders Tyler Medaglia and Kyle Keast and I wish I could have done stuff like that when I was younger. Tyler and Kyle were more than gracious with everyone and took the time to sign posters, hand out stickers and hats, and take pictures with the wee ones. Following their meet and greet, the lads—along with City TV’s Athlete of the Week, Dylan Kaelin, and Willy Browning—rode a small, completed section of the track. Much Music was even down on the floor, and VJ Wayne had some fun with Keast and Medaglia, making them blush with some pretty vulgar questions. Sorry, kiddies, I can’t share what was said.

Machine Racing Honda's Kyle Keast took some time off welding iron to take photos with fans, sign posters and kiss babies at the MX for Children conference.

photo: Brault

Live Nation’s Denny Hartwig couldn’t get over VJ Wayne. “Is that guy like a national TV figure up here?” he asked me. Obviously, I said no. Ricky, Julian and Bubbles are our national TV figures.

What did the riders learn from riding 14 percent of the track before everyone else? It’s soft. One of the track workers said they had to haul 15 load of dirt out of the stadium because there was too much frost in it. To help dry things out and prevent ruts, they spread out concrete mix. Neat, eh?

It’s a Tim Ferry designed track this weekend and he is from Florida and he’s back racings, so maybe he paid off Dirt Wurx to bring in new dirt to give him an advantage. What do you think, Steve?

VJ Wayne shows off his little stick to Tyler Medaglia during an interview for Much Music. Tune into Much next Wednesday April 2 for coverage from press day.

photo: Brault

For all of your Toronto SX needs, check out Brett Dailey’s awesome (but length titled) Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Toronto SX but Were Afraid to Ask post.

One thing Dailey left out was that we’re holding an autograph signing from 5:30 to 6:30 PM tomorrow at the Racer X Canada booth. Colton Facciotti, Blair Morgan, Kyle Keast, Tyler Medaglia, Chuck Mesley, Kyle Beaton, and Ryan Lockhart will all be on hand to sign limited edition RXC posters that feature all of our printed covers. So stop by the booth, grab a signature, and say hello!

I’m surprised it took me this long to touch on the other “press conferece” held at the Rogers Centre (well, Renaissance Hotel). In a nutshell, all motorcycling disciplines, enthusiasts, promoters, sanctioning bodies, and manufacturers are banning together in Canada, under the umbrella of the Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada (MCC). Overall, this is a good step forward for not only motocross, but all forms of two-wheel activity in Canada. World Enduro Canada (WEC), the Canadian Motorsport Racing Club (CMRC), and the Parts Canada Superbike Championships (produced by Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP) are forming together to achieve international recognition, increase sponsorship and marketing opportunities and really improve things in Canada. (Click here for the full press release and details.)

However, this is doesn’t mean the MCC automatically earns FIM affiliation, but I’m sure it will shortly. If it does go through, the CMRC plans to step up and support a proper and well-funded Motocross des Nations effort.

Want to win an Ogio 7900 Series Gear Bag? Then visit www.destroyerfilms.com now!

I was chatting with Suzuki OTSFF mechanic Nick DiCristofaro (sp) today and he informed me of Dave Desrosier’s condition. Desrosier, Gavin Gracyk’s mechanic, was a victim of a hit and run a month ago and is still in terrible shape. From what Nick tells me, Dave is starting from scratch and basically has to relearn everything.
“No one needs to send a ton of money, but $10 here and there adds up,” says Nick. If you’re looking to help Dave, please send cheques to the address below:
(Please make cheques payable to The Dave Derosier Benefit Account.)

OTSFF Motorsports
Attn: Nick Di Cristofaro
260 Edgley Blvd.
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada
L4K 3Y4

You can also joint this Facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12975686382&ref=mf

Crystal Keast passed along this note and link:

“How are things going? Hope to see you this weekend. I'm pretty excited. Should be a fun time—motos!! Oh and I don't know much of anything about superbike but thought
this was cool:

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/article.jsp?ID=1000057924&typeID=102&type=news

Emerson Conner from Burlington had a decent lap time. Thought I'd share that with someone and why not you. Do kids have to be invited to participate in these things? Kind of like a tryout based on the amateur results?

www.redbullusa.com/rookiescup

Thanks, Crystal!

KTM Canada has really stepped up this year. Team orange is now offering contingency for KTM racers, along with a trackside support program. In times likes these, it’s nice to know you can earn a little coin racing your dirt bike. Click here for more details.

Who’s faster: Mitch Cooke or JSR? Find out here.

Okay, time to go paint this town red! See you at the races!

A good start is very important in supercross.

photo: Brault

Two great guys at the Great One's restaurant.

photo: Lissimore