By Danny Brault

Photos: Allison Kennedy

With a super-friendly personality, clean cut appearance and giver riding style, it’s hard not to be a Kyle Beaton fan. Two weekends ago at the Montreal supercross, Beaton had a bet with M2R’s Rob Goth, that if he won, Goth had to quit his smoking habit. Unfortunately, the 17-year-old lost the gamble, but won a personal battle—he finished his first Montreal SX! After a brief stint in the top three, Beaton finished fifth after colliding with Ryan Lockhart in a tight corner. This past weekend at the opening round of the Canadian Arenacross Championships in Toronto, Beaton put consistency, speed and, of course, his WFO riding style together for a win in the final 250 moto Saturday night.

RXC: Kyle, let’s go back to Montreal. What happened there?

Kyle Beaton: It wasn’t too bad, I finally finished my first Montreal race, I guess you could say. So it feels pretty good to do that. I did okay there with a fifth. I just wanted to make it through the weekend; so just finishing was good. I just took that into perspective and brought it here this weekend. I knew i had the speed this weekend, but bad starts, crashes and bad luck kind of hung me up. Finally I got it together in the last moto. My buddy (Ryan) Lockhart gave me some tips for that last moto.

What did Lockhart say to you?

He pulled me aside before the final moto, and saw I was kind of a head case in the first moto, going all out in the first couple laps. So he just told me, ‘Get that start, be consistent, stay smooth, don’t make any mistakes, don’t worry about anyone behind you and ride your own race.’

Did you two settle your incident from Montreal in the parking lot yet [laughs]?

He already settled it for himself yesterday, so…. [laughs]

Ryan Lockhart: Whoa, that was a low blow!

So other than the poor spectator turnout, what did you think of the Toronto AX?

Well yeah, the spectator turnout was pretty bad. But I guess Toronto’s known for that. The track was in an ice hockey arena, so it was a little tighter than we’re used to back home. We adapted to it and there was a lot of bar-banging out there, but it worked out for the best.

Will you be racing all the Canadian AX rounds?

I should be doing Winnipeg next weekend, for sure. I haven’t booked any flights or anything, but I will most likely do the rest of the series.

How come you were running the Morgan Racing decals over the weekend?

Rick (Rundberg) stepped it up this weekend and helped me out. He’s been taking care of my bike since Walton; getting it ready for Montreal and what not. He decided to come out here and hook me up with some gear and help me out as a wrench, and I appreciate that. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have been up there on the box.

Will you be riding with Morgan next year?

Well it’s up to what Yamaha wants to do next year, I’m not sure. I will most likely ride for Yamaha again, but as far as a team, I’m not sure.

So I hear you will be moving to California in January with the Wilsons?

I did this apprenticeship program that gave me 16 credits, so I get to graduate in January now. It should be good. I can spend some time training and riding and I’m going to move down to California with Dean Wilson. They offered to take me in down there. I will probably come home a few times to spend time with the family and race with the guys up here.

You must be excited to be free to put all your energy into racing?

School’s been pretty hard with all the traveling I’ve been doing. Mom and dad want me to take school more serious than racing right now, so if I get hurt I have something to fall back on. School is definitely good, I get good grades; it’s a back-up plan.

Do you think it is important to attend high school?

They have to go to high school; they have to have a life. I have so much fun through the week at school, and then even more fun on the weekends. I think kids are too young to really be doing home schooling, concentrating 100 percent on riding when they’re still 16 and younger. But I guess it’s up to them and what they want to do.

So are you a rock star at school?

No. I try to keep that on the down low. I’m not like that, telling everyone I’m pro this, pro that and I got all this money and new truck and all these bikes.

Well being a professional athlete, the girls must be chasing you around.

I don’t know. [laughs] I guess I’ll find out when I get home this weekend.

Who would you like to thank for the win in Toronto?

Yamaha of Canada, M2R helmets, Morgan Racing, Wrex gear, Alpinestar boots, Oakley, Ogio, and my mom and dad for staying behind me for all these years and knowing that I could do it.