MX1 East Preview with Ryan Lockhart

During the first four rounds of the 2015 MX1 series, we’ve seen just about everything imaginable. In Kamloops, fans witnessed Brett Metcalfe dominate both motos on the rough Whispering Pines circuit. The next weekend in Nanaimo, it was Cole Thompson’s turn to show that he’s now fully recovered from knee surgery as he rode off to a very convincing win. At the following two races in Calgary and Regina, we not only watched three different riders win motos, but we also saw one of the title favourites, Brett Metcalfe, suffer a mechanical failure, forcing him to pull out of one moto. Because of Metcalfe’s misfortune and the diversity of winners in the MX1 class thus far, the points standings as the series moves east is very close; this championship is really just beginning.

With six very tough races remaining throughout Eastern Canada, the MX1 riders will be faced with every type of condition you can think of, and only the strongest riders will succeed. Between the rough sand tracks at Gopher Dunes, Sand Del Lee and Deschambault, to the high speed and technical track in Moncton, riders will have to show their versatility on these tracks. When the final round travels to Walton Raceway in mid-August, the rider that gets to stand on top of the podium will truly be considered the best of the best in 2015.

To have a look at which riders might have the best chance of becoming the 2015 MX1 Champion, we have called upon experienced MX1 rider Ryan Lockhart to give us his predictions. Ryan has been around this sport for twenty-five years and he’s seen it all, in fact he even competed in the first three rounds of the MX1 series in Western Canada. Let’s see who Ryan picks as his top five potential MX1 championship contenders in the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan.

Ryan feels that even though Brett Metcalfe is entering round five slightly behind in the points standings, he will still come out on top in the MX1 class. photo by James Lissimore

1. Brett Metcalfe – Monster Energy Thor Kawasaki

I’m keeping my original prediction from the Western program with Brett Metcalfe. After seeing him ride in the west there is no doubt that he has the mental and physical conditioning to be the Champ. Although the DNF hurt him in Calgary, he’s still only a few points out of the lead heading into Gopher Dunes, and we all remember how well he rode in the east two years ago. As long as he doesn’t suffer any more bad luck in the remaining six rounds, I believe Metcalfe will be holding up the number one plate after the final round in Walton.

2. Matt Goerke – Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha

Matt Goerke has really surprised me so far this season. Yes, I know that he has the credentials to be a champion and has done so in the past, however, I really thought with him coming off a winter of racing only arenacross, signing with a new team, as well as being hurt coming into round one, that he‘d struggle in the first four rounds. Well, I was most certainly wrong. He has the red plate and I think he will only get better when the series hits the sand in a few weeks. It’s going to be awesome to watch he and Metcalfe battle it out the rest of the summer. I also believe Goerke thinks he can beat Metcalfe each time they hit the track. With that said, I think it’s really just a toss of a coin on who will be your 2015 MX1 Champion.

Due to an off-season injury, Colton Facciotti entered the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals not quite 100%. However, since round one he has gotten better and better and should win some races in the East. photo by James Lissimore

3. Colton Facciotti – Honda Canada GDR

I guess you could say it’s been a bit of a slow start for Colton by his standards. In all of his prior championship winning years, he‘s come out of the gate strong and never looked back. Although he’s been getting better each weekend it seems, I feel the injury he sustained in the preseason is still lingering, which is preventing him to ride to his potential. I know that they have made some changes to the bike after the first two rounds and it seems like it has helped. In Calgary and Regina Colton seemed more like himself out there. The break in the series will be good for him and hopefully he can start winning motos once the second half of the series begins. With Goerke and Metcalfe being very strong this season, Colton will have to dig deep and find a little extra speed if he wants to win this title.

 
4. Cole Thompson- Royal Distributing Fox KTM

If it wasn’t for a disappointing first round in Kamloops, Cole Thompson could be running the red plate as the MX1 series points leader. If he can have a few more days like round two in Nanaimo, the guys in front are going to be worried. I believe he’s still getting back into the routine of racing every weekend after having so much time off the bike in 2014. As the series heads east, I think Cole is in a really good position since he won some races there in 2013. He knows the tracks, and with him living in Sarnia, Ontario, he’ll certainly be accustomed to the heat and humidity that always seems to grip the eastern rounds. Can he win the MX1 title? With the talent this kid has I’d say that anything is possible, he just has to believe that he can.

With numerous GNCC’s under his belt so far this season, and a solid first four rounds out West. Tyler Medaglia is ready for anything that the hot and humid East can bring. photo by James Lissimore

5. Tyler Medaglia – Parts Canada Husqvarna

Tyler Medaglia really has been having a great season so far in 2015. At round one he was just pure awesome, and that landed him on the podium. I feel like we will still see him win a moto and an overall before the series is over as he always seems to be better on the eastern tracks. This is by far the most competitive top five, maybe ever, in Canada, and Tyler is making all of us Canadians proud by being a contender while working out of a van with his dad as his mechanic. With Husqvarna wanting to make a big splash in the 2015 MX1 series, they couldn’t have picked a better rider to do it with as Tyler Medaglia is all heart. I also believe that he’s the fittest rider on the track, and with the tough conditions that the riders will be facing, Tyler will be physically ready for anything.