Frid'Eh Update:Presented by Royal Distributing
MAY 9, 2008
Confidence. Whether it’s racing, a job interview, or talking to women, confidence is vital for success. In motocross, confidence is directly related to results and winning. The more you win, the more confidence you have. With the opening round of the Monster Energy CMRC Motocross Nationals only two weeks away, riders are scrambling to build as much confidence as possible before the gate drops.

A handful of MX1 and MX2 contenders fought for confidence at the first round of the Royal Distributing CMRC Ontario Provincial Championships Presented by Motovan (whoo, I’m tired now) last weekend at Gopher Dunes. As most of you know by now, it was Machine Racing Honda’s Kyle “The Welder” Keast who walked away with his chin held the highest. Keast swept the pro classes with a huge gap over second in each race, except the first MX1 moto where he diced back and forth with Jason Burke before taking the win. It was no revelation seeing Keast—and Burke—up front, as both have put 3,568,768 laps on the Dunes track, but it’s still an indication of their fitness, speed, and confidence—especially when the national tour stops by in three weeks.

Derek Sorenson sent over a little "taste" of their Monster Energy Cernic's Kawasaki team. Pretty weak, I know. I was expecting at least a shot of Dusty playing fetch with his pugs.

photo: Derek Sorenson

The locals weren’t the only ones gaining confidence at Gopher. Suzuki/OTSFF/Rockstar’s Tyler and Jeremy Medaglia also showed signs of speed in their respective classes. Tyler holeshot the first MX1 moto and led for three laps over Keast and Burke before tipping over in a corner. TM remounted, however, maintained third, and then rode a lonely race for second in the final moto. In the MX2 class, Jeremy DNF’d the first moto after suffering clutch problems, but returned for the second moto and finished third behind Burke and Keast. Both Medaglias were upset they didn’t win, but as their RG3 Suspension tech, Adam “Stu” Robinson, says, “It’s Keast’s track and you knew he was going to be tough to beat.” I believe it was also the first time TM has raced a 450 at the Dunes.

Orange Motorsports KTM’s Liam O’Farrell should also have some confidence heading into this weekend’s Provincial at Walton and the upcoming nationals. O’Farrell has followed fellow South African Kerim Fitzgerald’s footsteps to Canada, using our series as stepping stone to the U.S. O’Farrell finished 5-4 for fourth overall at Gopher, and seemed comfortable in the rough and sandy conditions. Keep an eye on the #210 KTM 450 at Ste-Julie; I can see him sneaking into the top 10. Fitzgerald did well too, finishing fourth in MX2 and seventh in MX1. Fitzgerald's riding for the Team Honda Powerhouse of Milton guys this year--so is Chuck Mesley who picked up a CRF450 from them today! "The Mez" has ridden twice since the Lethbridge AX back in February, but that won't stop him from joining the fray at Walton.

Another addition to the Orange Motorsports KTM team, Trever Hall also impressed me. I’ve seen some riders struggling to transition from Japanese bikes to the Austrian built ones, but Hall seems to have his KTM’s dialed in. Hall finished third in the first MX2 moto and fourth in the first MX1 moto, but crashes left him with a 12th and DNF in the second motos.

This just in, KTM Canada's team manager Andy White has hired on Jacqueline Ross to compete in the Women's National Series. Ross is not only fast on the track, but fast in the woods too. Check out her website, http://jromx.com/, to learn more. I accidentally wrote in Derek Sorenson's 5 mins with that Kristana Sundal is riding for KTM. I should have specified that she's riding for Orange Motorsports, not the factory team.

Marco Dubé stopped by the Dunes on his way home from Florida. After three years with KTM Canada, Dubé has switched over to the brand that he started racing with in 1991—Kawasaki. Dubé told me it’s really the Les Chutes dealership that is helping him out, and he actually bought three bikes from them. That’s right, national number 4 paid for his bikes! Fortunately, Dubé has a group of loyal sponsors who are staying behind him and making it possible for him to contest the entire MX1 series.

Marco had a great season last year, earning national number 4, battling for the lead with Simon Homans at Nanaimo, and coming this close to finishing third in the series. Dubé didn’t light the world on fire at Gopher, and admitted that he needs to speed things up before Ste-Julie. In the second moto, I thought the two-time Canadian champ rode well in the final MX1 moto, passing Sturgess Cycle Kawasaki’s Pierce Chamberlain for fifth.

Other riders who caught my eye were Kory Snelgrove, Iain Hayden, and Kyle Stephens. Joel Saarits also returned to racing after a year off. He definitely hasn’t lost that smooth riding style; he just needs to work on his fitness.

For a full review from the action at Gopher, check out our Photo Report. You can also read Keast’s thoughts on his performance here.

Oh, and don’t forget to read this incredibly detailed race report on www.machineracing.com. I wonder who wrote it?

The Provincial series lands in the tiny motocross town of Walton this Saturday and Sunday. Expect another stacked pro class—minus the Medaglia brothers—and more full gates in the amateur classes. CMRC race director Brett Lee told me they’ve made small changes to track, mainly with corner angles. He and his brother, Matt, are trying to give the track more flow. I sure hope they do, maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always struggled to get into a rhythm at Walton and can never make passes. I’m also the guy who doesn’t pass someone until they wave me by. Brett says we can also expect more changes for the TransCan and pro national in August. Jump over to www.cmrcracing.com for complete details on the Walton Provincial.

South Africa's Kerim Fitzgerald is supported by Team Honda Powerhouse of Milton this year. Chuck Mesley will join Fitzgerald on the team this weekend at Walton.

photo: Dan Stenning

Here are a few Walton notes from B. Lee....
What's going on, well, on Saturday night at 6:00pm, before the Phat 50 Pit Bike Races are running, New Orleans Pizza in Clinton is delivering hot, delicious, mouth watering medium pizza for just $10 taxes and delivery included. Fill in your order form and drop it at the gate so Mom doesn't have to worry about supper Saturday night!

To make it even more special for Mom the Huron Tourism Association has stepped up with a Ontario's West Coast welcome www.ontarioswestcoast.ca. Every mom will receive a package of local information, incentives and discounts to local attractions like the Blyth Theatre www.blythfestival.com

Every rider can enter their mother in a draw for some prizes they will truly appreciate. Benmiller Inn has offered to let you 'Take it Inn …'. This gift certificate will provide you with a “Benmiller Spa-licious Retreat for Two” You will be nestled in for a one-night stay in an Ivey Select Suite and enjoy the talents of our Culinary Artisans in the award winning Ivey Dining Room with one a la carte three-course dinner for two, our Huron County Breakfast in the morning. Also included will be a $100.00 voucher for use in our Aveda Concept Spa. www.benmiller.on.ca

Solace on Turnberry Wellness Sanctuary and Spa' in Brussels (yes the same place that offers massage thereapy for TransCan) is giving away a couple of spa treatments. www.solacespa.ca

This year, in association with Torbram Electric* and DEWALT tools, the team will be raising funds in support of the *Hospital for Sick Kids Foundation* at Walton this weekend.

Drop by the DVNTYMX display in the pits (They're the ones with the black and red TEAM TOYOTA-YAMAHA RACING tents) for your chance to win DEWALT tools and lots of other cool prizes too. Your small donation will go a long way in helping those who are in need and you'll be saying "motocross cares" by supporting this worthwhile cause.

The Walton track - and facility - looks better than ever for the Provincial this weekend.

photo: Brett Lee

Phat 50 will be hosting the Phat 50 racing Saturday night after racing at the mini track! Stop by at the Phat 50 tent, ask Keith*for details.

Later Saturday Night, stop up at the pavilion to catch Hockey Night in Canada. Yes we are moto people, but we love our hockey too. Keep your fingers crossed on this one, as Chris has been adjusting the bunny ears all week to have proper reception.

Stop by anyone of our many vendors this weekend, and thank them for support! Borhog, Two Wheel Motosports, Dark Side Clothing, PhatMX, Roost Clothing is there and they're holding a draw for an autographed Steve Lamson tee, MXP, Racer XCanada and GoVideo, will all be in the house.

 And there's free Internet in the main Pavilion!

Thanks, Brett. That was a nice sales pitch!

I know Keast was wishing that Mitch Cooke had of stuck around following the Suzuki photo shoot on Thursday to race Gopher. I’m sure it would have made for a great race, considering Cooke’s time spent chasing camels over sand dunes in Dubai. Unfortunately, two of Cooke’s good friends passed away in a boating accident and he returned home for their funeral. With that, you probably won’t see the #16 Suzuki racing until Ste-Julie.

James Lissimore hasn’t taken a day off since the sun came out. Lissimore has been busy with the Blackfoot Yamaha and Leading Edge Kawasaki photo shoots, but he managed to find time to update his blog, http://jkliss.blogspot.com/. There’s some cool stuff in there, not only from the races, but his road trips too.

Teddy Maier tries out his Monster Energy/Leading Edge KX250F in beautiful British Columbia. Cernic's team manager, Derek Sorenson, picked Maier for the MX2 title.

Brock Hoyer is the Canuck between two Yanks on Leading Edge.

The 2008 Monster Energy/Leading Edge Kawsaki line up: Nick Evennou, Teddy Maier, and Brock Hoyer. Not too bad!

photos: James Lissimore

Crystal Keast checked in with an update on Canadians racing Loretta Lynn’s qualifiers….

Just thought I'd send you a note about the Mid-East region area qualifier this past weekend at Dutch Sports Park in Michigan. That's where Dylan Kaelin was. He went 2-2 in MX Lites B Stock for the overall, 1-1 in MX Lites B Mod, 1-1 Motocross B Stock and 2-5 for 2nd overall in Motocross B Mod. Big congrats to him and I believe he'll be off to the Regional Qualifier at Red Bud on May 31-June 1. Good luck to him there.

Cole Thompson was also qualifying at the same event. He went 1-1 in the Supermini (12-15) and 1-8 in the Supermini (14-16) for 6th overall. Both of them have attended other LL qualifiers (different regions) and doing great at those events as well.

And of course another rider representing Canada VERY well is John Pauk from Calgary. He raced this past weekend at Dutch Sports too and went 2-1 for the overall in the Supermini 14-16; 1-DNF in MX Lites B Stock for 16th overall; 3-11 in the Schoolboy (12-16 B/C) for 6th overall; 2-5 in the Schoolboy (14-16 B/C) for 3rd overall.

Check this link for results.

Thanks, Crystal. On the topic of LL’s and Canadians, MX101’s Steve Dool sent this note on his son, Brad, and Dylan Wright.

“Brad had an awesome weekend at Broome Tioga for the LL area qualifier. Took fourth in the 85 stock, after a big crash on the start of the first moto, but worked his way up to 7th and took second in the second moto. Went 2-6 for 5th overall in the supermini, and won the 85 mod 12-13 class. Dylan [Wright] also had some great moto’s winning the first 85 stock 7-11 moto. Brad and Dylan qualified for three classes each.”

Brett Dailey continues to teach me the history of motocross, despite living on the opposite end of the earth.

The first time I went to California was '82 and my uncle lived near San Francisco. We were at a beach one day and Darrel Shultz came walking by. My uncle had met him before at the races so he sparked up a conversation. I didn't say a word but I was looking at him, thinking, ‘Holy smokes, that's Darrel Shultz!’

Try to imagine a 13 year old kid that had seen him in MXA but never really seen any big riders on TV or at the races and I land in California and see him at the beach. Wonder why I still have an attraction to California?

I met him again at a local race and got an autograph (won one of my first trophies as well...). Then my uncle moved to Hermosa Beach in SoCal in the middle of the summer so we drove down to LA and went to the Carlsbad 500cc national. That's the last national in the videos. Good footage of Magoo, Sun and Glover in there as well. Hope they play okay for you.

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What an inspiring story, Brett, thanks for sending those videos through. Schultz’s perseverance reminds me of Chad Reed’s supercross season and his ability to overcome injury after injury to win a championship.

This weekend the LDRMC visits the Sand Del Lee facility in Munster, Ontario. I can think of a few reasons for riders to attend this event: first, there’s practice on Saturday so you’ll get plenty of track time before racing on Sunday; it’s a great opportunity for amateurs to warm up before the Eastern Amateur National kicks off at SDL on July 1-6; and you can watch Royal Distributing/Thor/Riverside KTM Canada’s Ryan Lockhart in the Expert class. “The Newf” is driving to Montreal today to begin testing, and plans to practice and race at SDL.

Congratulations to Gavin Gracyk for earning a ride with the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Yamaha Team for the 450 outdoors—and his first ever Racer X Illustrated cover! I can’t wait to see what Gracyk does with this opportunity. The kid’s been through a lot, and it’s nice to see things are finally going his way.

Gavin Gracyk graces the cover of the July 2008 issue of Racer X Illustrated.

Cheryl Adair and a crew from Alberta invaded the final round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series in Las Vegas and the Mini Moto SX. Adair sent along this report and photos:

The 5th Annual Maxxis Mini Moto SX was held in the Orleans Arena inLas Vegas. This event dubbed “the biggest minibike race on the planet” was held in conjunction with the final Monster Energy AMA Supercross. Roughly 600 riders competed for one of the number 1 plates of the 11 classes offered. Seven countries were represented: Belgium, Finland, France, Sweden, USA and Canada. It was like a Mini-Moto des Nations! Oh, yeah, four Canadians, all hailing from Central Albert,a drove  22-plus hours and over 2000kms in hopes of making their presence know at an event ,where experts such as Jeremy McGrath and Derek Costella  are well known.

With next to no outdoor seat time on their bikes, our Canadians had some terrific lap times but Lady Luck was not dealing them anything good. Veteran of the group, Vern Hardie of Edmonton, was back for his fourth-straight year competing in the 10” Rear Wheel Amateur and 10” RW Stock-Mod classes. Although Vern says he has never qualified for a main, this year being no exception, he says he keeps going back because of the whole experience. “You meet so many people that share the same interest. I have made many friends that are also here every year.” Vern is the owner of Hard Core Minis Inc.

Heck, this track would be nice on a big bike!

The riders filled the track, the fans filled the seat for the Mini Moto SX in Las Vegas.

Expert Derek Costella takes  home the Jackpot.

photos: Cheryl Adair

 
Back for his second year was Gibbons native, Tyler Alexander Chopyk. Tyler has got to be the most enthusiastic person I have ever met. He must have made quite an impression on people at the Mini Moto SX last year because any one you talk to remembers Tyler.  Really … it’s a good thing.

Tyler entered 3 classes: 10” RW Amateur, 10” RW Stock-Mod, and 12” RW Amateur. Making it into two mains, Tyler was moving up through the pack in his first main when, around the fourth lap, another rider crossed over into Tyler’s lane, hitting him hard enough to break Tyler’s arm! You guessed it, Tyler never made it to his second main.
 
First Timers, Dallan Adair of Falun and Gregg Madden of Millet entered the 10” RW Amateur and 12” RW Amateur classes. Dallan had some outstanding lap times but mechanical issues and difficulties keeping his bike on two wheels held him backl. Not always his own doing. Regardless, I`ll keep this short: Dallan didn`t make his mains.

Gregg was able to make both of his mains and finished 10th in the 10” RW Amateur and a 20th in the 12” RW Amateur, despite sthe ame problem of keeping the bike off of its side and the fact there were 129 entries in the 12” class. Yeah, done good!
 
Will these Canadians venture south next year? At this time Vern and Tyler are doubtful, Dallan hopes to and Greg is already thinking of heading to Spokane for a race in August. Seems that most Canadian Racers also have some sort of pit bike. With no pit riding allowed at most tracks, perhaps an event or classes for these bikes could be a solution and not a problem.


Thanks for the update, Cheryl! You can also see some of Cheryl’s pics from the big bike supercross here.

Vegas, Vegas, Vegas! What a weekend it was for the superstars of Supercross in the town of money, babes, and blue bald headed guys banging on drums for money. Reed won his second title, Dungey beat the best from the East and West, and everyone else had the time of their lives watching. Steve Matthes was there, and here's what he saw.

That's all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Congratulations to the best damn html guy in the world, Mike Almond, and his wife, Jen, on their special, special day last weekend!

photo: Heather MacEachern

www.hrmphotography.com

 
You're not done yet! A free 2009 KTM 250 SX-F would be nice, wouldn't it? Check out www.royaldistributing.com to find out how you can win one!