Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
by Ryan Lockhart
Heading into the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan, the MX1 class certainly boosts a talent-packed field. For the first time since the early 2000s there will be three former National Champions lined up at the opening round, all ready to prove that they’re the best. As well as these former champions, there is also a host of other MX1 riders that are all looking for a chance to claim their very first title.
The three former champions that we’re referring to are the 2012 MX1 Champion, Matt Goerke, the 2013 Champion, Brett Metcalfe, and of course last season’s MX1 Champion, Colton Facciotti. These three riders will start the 2015 series after taking very different roads during the off-season. For instance, Goerke competed all winter in the highly competitive Amsoil Arenacross Series while Brett Metcalfe rode the first six rounds of the 2015 AMA Supercross Series.
The other rider in this trio is the man who will carry the #1 plate into the opening round in Kamloops. Instead of racing, Colton spent most of the winter training at the Georgia Practice Facility in Cairo, GA, training and preparing for the 2015 season. While all three of these riders enter the series with different stories, they all have the same agenda, which is to become the 2015 MX1 Champion.
The MX1 supporting cast is pretty amazing as well, which includes names like Tyler Medaglia, Bobby Kiniry, Cole Thompson, Kyle Keast, Nathan Bles and Dylan Kaelin. These riders will no doubt be a factor at each and every round of the 2015 series.
Another item that all of the MX1 riders will have to deal with is the diversity in track conditions of the western rounds. At round one in Kamloops the riders will be tested with a very rough, sandy track, which will test their endurance right from the first gate drop. At round two in Nanaimo the conditions will be hard packed and relatively smooth. At round three in Calgary the riders will have to navigate severe elevation changes and massive jumps before the western swing concludes at the high speed track in Regina. If the MX1 riders want to have a successful first four rounds of the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan then they’ll have to be focused and prepared to adapt quickly to changing track conditions.
As we’ve done the last two years, we called upon Ryan Lockhart to give us his MX1 class predictions. Ryan will actually be lining up on the starting gate at a few of the western rounds so few people know this class better than him. The last two years Ryan has correctly predicted the MX1 champion. Will he once again be correct? Only time will tell as the 2015 series makes its way across Canada. Let’s join Ryan as he looks into the MX1 crystal ball.
Brett Metcalfe is ready to try and take back the MX1 title that he won in 2013. photo by Lissimore
#1. Brett Metcalfe: Monster Energy Thor Kawasaki
It’s pretty hard to bet against Brett Metcalfe coming into the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals presented by Motovan. When he was up here in 2013 he was recovering from a major injury and just getting back up to speed, and if you recall he won the MX1 title that year. This year he’s coming off a very successful 2014 where he finished a very impressive 4th in the U.S. Outdoor Series riding for the factory Kawasaki team. This year he’s familiar with his Monster Energy Thor Kawasaki Team, plus he also knows the tracks of the series as well as all of the logistics this time around. Will he win every moto? No, but I can see him being on the podium every weekend and being very tough to beat for the championship.
#2. Colton Facciotti: GDR Honda Canada Troy Lee Designs
I have such a hard time doing these because you can just never count out a guy like Colton. I know that his off-season has gone really well but a small injury has slowed his momentum down a little. Entering his second season with the crew at GDR Honda, I believe they will have the bike even more suited to Colton so his equipment will not be an issue. When Colton is fit and comfortable no one can beat him, however the question is will he be ready for the first round. I think Colton will win his fair share of motos and will be a podium guy every weekend. If he does then 2015 could set up to be a year to remember with Metcalfe and Facciotti going at it head to head for ten rounds.
Colton Facciotti and his Honda Canada GDR Honda hope to have the same success they had together last summer.
#3. Tyler Medaglia: Husqvarna Parts Canada
Good ol’ Tyler, this guy never ceases to amaze me with what he can do on a race track. The last two years people always seemed to have counted him out, but then he’s always been right in the mix by the mid-way point of the series. With the 2015 series beginning in Kamloops I think this is a big plus for Tyler, because in the past Nanaimo has never been a strong round for him. Kamloops will be a great momentum builder for him as he will undoubtedly come into round one in great shape. Will he be able to deal with the pressure for the championship? I hope so. If he manages to finish on the podium once again in 2015 then he will have had his best season ever.
#4 Matt Goerke: Rockstar Energy Drink OTSFF Yamaha
Our 2012 MX1 Champion in fourth? Well, here are my thoughts as to why this may happen. I believe Matt Goerke will win motos and Matt will have days when he may be untouchable. However, I think it will take him a little time to adapt to the new bike and team. He has been hard at it since January battling it out in the Amsoil AX series, which didn’t end until early May. This may be an issue as it will give him limited time to test his Yamaha for the fast and rough outdoor tracks. On the upside, he knows the tracks and he’s won a championship in Canada before so you just can’t count him out. I also think that Matt is a smart enough rider to know that while it’s important to finish well in the first few rounds, the race for the championship doesn’t really begin until round five at Gopher Dunes.
Matt Goerke will enter the 2015 series on the mend after suffering an injury in early May. Once healthy though he should be a factor in the championship chase. Newf has the 2012 MX1 champ finishing in the top 5.
# 5 Cole Thompson: Royal Distributing Fox KTM
It just kills me putting Cole fifth in this championship as he‘s a proven MX1 winner. This kid is good, really good. With this being his first full season competing in the entire national series it might take him some time to adapt to the western tracks, but when the series heads east I think that’s when we’ll see the real Cole Thompson. He’s had a full winter to test and get ready so I know he’ll be ready. He’s also coming off a very serious knee injury that forced him out of action for most of last year. With that in mind, he will be sure to come into Kamloops hungry, but also a little rusty.
The interesting thing is that all five of these riders, in my opinion, will win motos and be podium threats every weekend. Whomever comes out on top in this 2015 MX1 battle will certainly have earned it and we may be about to witness the greatest year of racing this country has ever seen.
