For fans the Monster Energy Cup is a pretty awesome event. For the riders, especially the young riders who were racing, this event is filled with a lot pressure to perform.
As a lead in to this story, I’d like to share with a story of one particular night of racing back in May of 1987. In those years, the Toronto Supercross used to take place at the old Exhibition Stadium, or the ‘mistake by the lake’ as it was sometimes affectionately referred to. As a part of the show the Toronto SX promoters used to have an 85cc half time race, nothing too big, just four or five laps to help fill up the program. It was obviously very exciting for the kids involved, and for the fans, the 85cc race sometimes ended up being the most entertaining race of the night.
Anyway, in 1987, I was one of the lucky riders who got to line up during the night show in front of the thousands of fans who were in attendance. I remember quite vividly what a pressure situation it was racing in those conditions. I wanted to win but I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of everyone there. Right before the start of the race, my Dad gave me specific instructions to not charge too hard into the first turn as it was full of busted up hay bales and quite slippery. I nodded my head in agreement as if to say “yes Dad, I got it all under control” and waited for the race to begin. Well, the gate dropped and I got to the first turn first. I then began to hydro plane on the slippery hay, couldn’t get stopped for the right hand turn and ended up blowing straight through the first turn and off track onto the concrete and crashed. I got up wondering how and why I could just make that stupid mistake. I’m sure my Dad was wondering the same thing, probably out loud though!
I made that crucial error because of pressure, the pressure to not only win a race but to do it in front of the huge crowd and the environment that a big supercross produces. I was thinking about my 1987 race while watching the talented Canadian kids that were competing in this same environment at the Monster Energy Cup on Saturday night. All four of our young riders were under tremendous pressure to perform and they did it with speed, style and a lot of Canadian class. To hear the announcer yell out that “this fast kid came all the way from Canada” made all of us in the stands very proud. During the race, I was sitting with two of Canada’s most formidable observers of talent, Ryan Lockhart and Iain Hayden. We were all in agreement that the Canadian kids that were racing that night, and a few that were back home in Canada, are the most talented batch of kids that we’ve ever seen in this country. The future is very bright for all these kids and many more in Canada. Let’s take a look at how each Canadian kid did at the 2014 Monster Energy Cup.
Preston Masciangelo is no stranger to the pressures of competing in big races. In Vegas he stayed cool and took home the KTMJRSX All Star race.
Preston Masciangleo:
“I had a really good time in Las Vegas, not just at the race but also hanging out with my family. During that last lap I was really nervous because I could hear him right behind me. Once I crossed the finished line I was very surprised at how big of a lead I had. I didn’t know that he had crashed. Saturday was a night that I will never forget. “
Preston is a young Ontario rider who certainly seems likes he’s on the fast track to stardom in this sport. At just eight years of age, he’s already a Parts Canada TransCan Champion, an American AX Champion, and the winner of the KTMJRSX race at this year’s Toronto SX. The KTMJRSX race at the Monster Energy Cup was made of the winners from all the 2014 KTMJRSX races so it’s the best of the best. I’m not sure if there’s a video yet of Preston’s race from Saturday but I can tell you that it definitely kept us on the edge of our seats.
From the drop of the gate, Preston seemed bent on winning the three lap main event. After his so so practice sessions, it was clear that he was saving his best for when it mattered most. Refusing to buckle to the pressure from the screaming fans or the screaming KTM 50s who were right on his rear fender, Preston stayed cool and led the entire race. It was a great way to end what was no doubt a long and stressful day for Preston and his entire family. For his efforts, Preston not only got to stand on top of the podium but he also got to keep his race winning KTM 50 as his big prize. Preston’s name will now go in the history books with other riders who have been victorious in this class, names like Mike Alessi and Ryan Dungey just to name a few.
Casey Keast and his very cool retro Fox gear looked great at the Monster Energy Cup while racing against some of the best Supermini riders in the World. Casey rode great and went on to finish to 7th overall. photo by James Lissimore
Casey Keast:
“I felt great on Saturday, it was too bad that I had that crash in practice but sometimes that stuff happens. I was pretty bummed when I saw that red flag, I thought “Uggghhh” this is just my luck. On the second start I ended up third and I felt great for the rest of the race. Unlike last year when I felt like everything was new, this year I felt a lot more comfortable”
Right from the start of practice at the Monster Energy Cup, Casey Keast looked very comfortable on the tough track. Whether it was in the technical jump sections or on the long straights, his bike and his style looked great. Racing against some of the best Super Mini riders in the world, Casey not only held his own but at times he looked like the best rider on the track. During the final main event of the night, Casey turned the third fastest lap time of the night proving that he belongs on a supercross track. If it wasn’t for a small mistake late in the race Keast probably would’ve made the podium. In the end, he went 6-7 for 7th overall. This was very good finish and a great rebound from his bad practice crash.
Young Ontario rider Tanner Ward looked very comfortable on the tough Vegas track. Unfortunately for Tanner he suffered some bike troubles and wasn’t able to finish. photo by James Lissimore
Tanner Ward:
“Saturday definitely didn’t go as planned. My bike over heated in the first moto and in the second moto I was a part of the big crash in the rhythm section, which is when my water pump housing broke. I felt great on the track; it was really fun riding on a track like that. The big triple and the finish line are probably two of my favourite jumps I’ve ever hit. It was a learning experience this year and I’m excited for next year already”
Tanner was very fast all day, despite being a little underpowered on his Honda CRF150. Having raced the Monster Energy Cup last year, Tanner was very familiar with the pressure filled event. All day, his speed was good and his lap times weren’t far off those of the top few riders. During the main events, Tanner starts suffered and he was forced to play catch up all night. When all was said all done, his bike problems and moto finishes overshadowed just how well he rode. Hopefully, Tanner can stay healthy and come back strong at the 2015 Monster Energy Cup.
Christopher was fast all night at the 2014 Monster Energy Cup. However on the first lap of main event 2 he was involved in a nasty pile up and was forced to DNF. photo by Jim Arbogast
Christopher Fortier:
“Saturday didn’t go so good for me. The first practice I did one lap and one of my radiator hoses came off which caused me to crash. I wasn’t able to do the practice so I had to wait for the next one. The next one went pretty good and I jumped everything and got the track dialed. The third and final practice was a qualifying practice. On the second lap, I crashed in a corner and broke off my front brake lever, so I had no front brake, which is very hard to ride without. The first main event I had a bad start and passed a few kids on the first lap. I got up to around 8th and I crashed in the Amsoil arch. It was really muddy and I slid out. I got back up and my front brake lever fell down and I couldn’t use it. I’m not sure which place I got but it was bad. In my second main even I had a great start. I was in fifth and I passed Mitchell Falk in the corner before the rhythm section. Then Garrett Marchbanks bumped into Joey Crown, Joey cased a jump right in front of me and I landed on him. I got a concussion and couldn’t see well out of my right eye. I went to the medics and that was the end of the night for me. I had a tough night but I had fun and I really enjoyed the race.”
Christopher is a fast Canadian rider who now spends almost all of his time living and training in the USA. As with most of the kids in the Super Mini class at the Monster Energy Cup, Christopher was very fast all day and looked great on the slick and technical track. Unfortunately, Fortier suffered from bad luck all day and never really got to show his true speed or potential. During the first lap of the second and final main event, Fortier was involved in an awful pile up with a few other riders, which caused him to go down himself; he couldn’t finish. Although Fortier left Las Vegas a little sore, he took with him the experience of racing one of the highest profile events in the world. Fortier, Ward, Keast and Masciangelo all withstood the immense pressure of the 2014 Monster Energy Cup and did this country proud. It was great to see some of our talented kids succeeding on such a big stage. In my opinion, I think our young Canadian kids are doing just fine in this sport.