Frid'Eh Update:Presented by Royal Distributing
JULY 4, 2008

By Danny Brault

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Frid’Eh Update! This week we’re in Munster, Ontario for the first ever Eastern Amateur National MX Championships at the Sand Del Lee track.

Kevin Tyler, Johnny Grant, Steve Dool, and their entire MX101 crew have been working their butts off to ensure that every detail is covered for their first big amateur event. So far, so good! Everyone’s impressed with the job they’ve done; although, it’s not totally surprising as MX101 always does their best, whether it’s a provincial or national event.

It’s unfortunate that more riders didn’t show (you’re missing out!), but it is a first time event and it’s hard for families to book off the time for both SDL and Walton. I think when everyone leaves here this weekend, they’ll spread the good word and numbers should double in `09. And why wouldn’t they? MX101 and their sponsors have offered up some great prizes and awards (trips to GPF and MTF, a $500 cash prize from MXForum, holeshot awards from Royal Distributing), track prep is second to none, results are posted immediately after the motos on MX101.ca, and, overall, it’s just a pleasant atmosphere to be around. Kudos again to MX101 for their hard work! A big thanks also goes out to KT for loaning me a bike to race, and Jay Moore for giving me a comfortable place to sleep and high-speed internet to post daily updates.

Sand Del Lee has the details covered this week.

photo: Brault

I had heard entries are somewhere around the 450 mark, which isn’t too bad considering that this event was announced rater late in the year. We’re definitely not short on rider quality, however. Richard Grey, Dylan Kaelin, Danny Riverin, Jesse Pearce, Bradley Dool, Jason Benny, Johnathan Parise, Dylan Wright, Cole Varty, Michael Da Silva, Eric Jeffrey, Zack Zagar, and Jocelyn Killough are just a few of the top amateurs we have out here at SDL. It’s also cool to see pros Colton Facciotti, Ryan Lockhart, Matt Eastman, Ryan Gauld, Kenny Clark, Shawn Robinson, Pete Raymer, and Alex Gauthier taking in the action. You know you’re doing something right when you can get pros to spend a week racing!

For coverage from Day One of the EANMC, click here. For full results, go to www.mx101.ca

First one through the Red Bull arch receives Royal Distributing Holeshot Bucks!

photo: Brault

Last week was the Western Canadian Amateur Motorsports Championships in Raymond, Alberta. I’m still catching my breath and suffering arm-pump from the Temple Hill track! Other than some nasty winds that made it difficult to keep the dust down, and long days at the track (racing until 8 PM everyday is way too late, IMO), things went well. Racing is always good at Raymond. For whatever reason, there are battles to be found everywhere. The battle of the week has to go to Manitoba’s Ryan Millar and BC’s James Moran who went back and forth in nearly every intermediate moto. Millar took home the MX1 and MX2 Intermediate championships—and the Gaerne Bronze Boot—while Moran captured the GP title. Behind those two, it was a battle for third between Todd Sewell on his Yamaha two-stroker and Spencer Knowles. Pete De Graaf’s son, Nico, mixed it up in the 250 and GP motos as well. Nico seems to have smoothed out his riding; now if he can just hit the gym more than once a week, he’ll be a real threat next year.

Probably the most memorable moment at Raymond came off the track this year. At the awards ceremony on Saturday evening, Lethbridge Suzuki’s Dustin Hayes tricked his girlfriend, Jen, into thinking he was handing out a “special” award. The special award turned out to be big diamond engagement ring for Jen—and she said, yes! Congrats, guys!

For recaps from each day of racing from Raymond, check out these photo reports:

http://www.racerxcanada.com/news/4990/raymond-photo-report-day-one/

http://www.racerxcanada.com/news/4999/raymond-photo-report-day-two/

http://www.racerxcanada.com/news/5004/raymond-race-report-day-three/

Dustin Hayes' girlfriend shows off her "special" award in Raymond. It's a good thing Hayes made the move or I would have - how can you not love a girl who looks like Jen and isn't afraid to muck it up in the trenches!

photo: Lissimore

After watching the Raymond Amateur National, I really believe that Alberta’s Shelby Turner is going to be the next big thing in Canadian women’s motocross. Racing a KTM 85, she finished third overall in the Ladies class at Raymond, even sticking a wheel in on Karly Pozdnekoff at times. I know Shane “Eddie” Eaton’s a big fan of Turner's. Check out this email he sent to us before Raymond:

Hey man, I was just reading muffinman's post on the racing today and just want to remind you that I told you last year that Shelby Turner is going to be a good one; you guys should get on the bandwagon early! Her family is pretty hardcore into dirt bikes. They do a lot of cross country and such, but they usually hit Raymond. Check the results from previous years; Shelby has at least two top ten overall finishes against the boys. Of all the Alberta amateurs that I saw last year in all the classes, I would put her in the top three for Alberta’s next big thing!

Go Alberta!

Thanks for the reminder, Eddie. I think it’s interesting that she’s into off-road racing, as another certain fast female (Jacqueline Ross) who is currently leading the women’s nationals has raced some GNCC events…

Could Shelby Turner be the next big thing in Canadian women's MX? We'll see!

photo: Lissimore

Rumour has it that Grey “Gary” Davenport is going to be in Nanaimo and Edmonton, possibly filling in for Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Teddy Maier. After injuring his ankle in Morden, Maier sat out Regina and he may require even more time to heal. Apparently, Canadian Kawasaki wants three riders on the track for Leading Edge, so Grey has been called up. Davenport has been a contender in the past when he raced for Richmond Racing Kawasaki in 2006 and Suzuki OTSFF in 2007. He’s also very skilled on the shale rock of Nanaimo. It was there that he earned a ride with Richmond after finishing second overall on a bone-stock KX250F in `06.

I talked with Campbell River, BC’s Andrew Belin on MSN this week and he told me that we’ll see him in Nanaimo. The workingman’s hero, Belin, is racing an RM-Z450 and should be good for a couple of laps, but he admits that his fitness isn’t the best after working all summer. Watch out for #46 regardless—he knows the fast lines at The Wastelands.


Royal Distributing: Enter to win a KTM 250-SXF

The big money race at Wild Rose MX Park kicked off on Tuesday and Wednesday. From what I hear, pro rider turnout was decent but the promoters hoped for more amateurs. Obviously, it would be tough since Raymond was only three days prior. My traveling buddy, Chuck Mesley, was at Wild Rose looking for some extra fuel money. Mesley rode all three pro classes (MX1, MX2, and Open) and walked with $2400. I think he said he finished with five wins, three podiums and an eighth in MX2. He also said that the track was in great shape and was pretty relieved that he stayed out west, rather than driving home to pet his dog. Oh, and hug his girlfriend.

“I’m glad he thought that,” said Wild Rose’s Krystle Glydon in an email this week. “I’m sure he is [happy] coming home with a cool $3000! Wild Rose would sincerely like to thank all the pros that came out; they put on a great show. What really makes a big pro money race like this worthwhile for the club is when pros come in at the end of the day and really appreciate what the club has done for them. Almost every pro, when picking up their payout, gave a big thanks to the staff for all of their hard work and genuinely were appreciative.

“At one point, I thought Drew Clegg was going to reach across the table for a big group hug he was so happy! As a club, we’re glad to be able to give back to the motocross community in memorial of Brent [Colelough] and his family.”

I will agree with you there, Krystle; it’s not easy keeping these “pros” happy so you must have done something right! I apologize for not having more info on the Wild Rose event, but I’m swamped right now. Look for more on the website next week. On that note, I just want to remind readers that we can’t be everywhere, every weekend, so if we’re missing out on something, please shoot me an email to dannyb@racerxcanada.com with some details, race info/recap, photos, and results. We will post it!

Team Canada has finally been announced for this year’s Motocross of Nations set for Donington Park in Great Britain. Blackfoot’s Colton Facciotti returns for the third-year in a row after his breakthrough performance at Budds Creek last year where he raced a 250F and was the top finishing Canadian. Facciotti will pilot a 450 this September in MX1. Joining Colton is Cernic’s Kawasaki’s Dusty Klatt in MX3 and Suzuki OTSFF’s Tyler Medaglia who is racing MX2. Kyle Beaton is slated as the alternate.

I think everyone is satisfied with this selection of riders, but I’m not sure about putting Medaglia back on a 250F. I know he prefers the big bike, and, by his results and riding this year, is certainly stronger on one. Facciotti also said this week at SDL that he’d have no problem dropping back down to a 250F again. “I used to think that I was a better on 450, but I think I ride a small bike just as well,” Facciotti says. “I could care less which bike I’m on.” Hmm, something to think about Carl….

Fundraising begins ASAP for Team Canada. Team manager, Carl Bastedo, told me in an email this week that shirts, hats and posters will be available for sale in Moncton, Sand Del Lee and Walton and the CMA are selling them in BC and Saskatchewan. You can also order them through blackfootdirect.com. He also adds that they’re getting more support than ever from the teams involved. I hope everyone—fans, the industry, teams, media—support this year’s effort more than ever. We have a strong lineup of fast young racers who are capable of duplicating our 10th place overall from last year. If you’re interested in simply donating money towards Team Canada, shoot myself or Carl an email at carl@motoparkracing.com. Every Loonie counts!

Here’s a funny little email that Steve Matthes received:

Hi Steve,
Enjoy your Observations Column! My wife just brought home Guitar Hero Aerosmith edition. If you pick an Aerosmith song, an animated Steven Tyler along with the rest of the band comes on and plays. I thought this guy looks familiar; (my observation) he's a dead ringer for J-Law, check it out! Wonder if he can ride? Eh!  (Only Canadian reference I could think of from viewing the Trailer Park Boys.)

Steve Speak

Matthes’ kept the site busy this week while I’m floundering around in the sand. Check out his latest Podcast with Jake Weimer here and his Observations from Lakewood here. Oh, and I better mention little Steven’s The Bottom Line Show on live.motocross.com or he won’t send me my new PC pipe.

Sorry, Matthes isn’t the only one who’s helping out big time; our Kiwi buddy, Brett Dailey, is also picking up the slack and posted this 5 mins with the real “Superman” Blair Morgan. I really like this question Dailey asked Blair:

If Colton asked you for advice on how to handle the rest of the series, what would you say?
I’m not sure; he’s pretty good. We’re always talking about stuff but I think he’s kind of got his own thing. I don’t really want to give him too much advice because I don’t want to jinx him, you know? He says that JSR is always telling him to do stuff, like he has big feet and he’s always hanging his feet out in the corners and JSR is always telling him to keep his toes on the pegs and stuff so he doesn’t twist his ankle. And then Colton says, “I wish JSR didn’t say anything, because now I’m thinking about it [an ankle injury] when I’m riding.” So I just don’t want to tell him too much. He’s just on a roll; I think he can go faster. In Regina, he came off that first moto and he wasn’t even sweating. I think he’s got everything under control.

Flawless, Dailey!

PerformX Racing’s Todd Schumlick sent us his latest “Training with Todd” column this week. Check it out here. It details Todd’s program with Kyle McGlynn leading up to the Morden national.

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to cut this edition short, as I need to slip over to SDL for some racing. Thanks for reading!

See you at the races!