Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
BigSteelBox has a vast network of stores and yards across Canada to help make moving and storage simple. Our moving service is less stressful than dealing with traditional moving companies and our mobile storage options can meet any residential, construction or commercial need.
BigSteelBox is committed to providing storage on demand. We bring the storage to you, when and where you need it. Contact us today to see how we can meet your moving and storage needs. Find a BigSteelBox location near you here www.bigsteelbox.com.
Welcome aboard friends what will be the final Friday Flight from here in beautiful downtown San Diego. I will be checking out on Wednesday and then heading back over to Las Vegas to spend a few days in Red Rock Canyon. Why? Why not, life is short and my credit is good. If you have been reading along here each week you have a pretty good idea of what I am talking about when I say what an amazing journey this past five weeks have been. I could write a good book on some of the many great experiences and life memories acquired on this holiday. I am not even sure what the odometer on my Mazda 5 reads as I simply lost track somewhere around 5,000 Ks. I have embraced every single moment and not wasted one waking minute on this journey. I was born with two gears, wide open and stopped and only use stopped when I sleep at night. On the outside looking in I know that a lot of my non Moto friends (Yes I think I have 3) are having a hard time getting their heads around the fact that none of this would be happening if it were not for my involvement in Moto. It is just a fact of the life that I lead that pretty much everything that drives me has something to do with this great sport. It works for me, when living life with my Moto passion as my moral compass, incredible things continue to happen in my life.
Will Ken Roczen be able to run up front again this weekend at round 8 in Atlanta? Photo by Frank Hoppen
This past week, like the previous three in this sunny, southern, friendly and very clean city, was once again great. We had friends from Alberta join us here for a Supercross gathering on Saturday night. The action was pretty good but after seeing the two previous races ‘Live’ the excitement level was not quite the same. But hey, who’s complaining? It is Moto and there is always a smile on my face when I watch it. Yes, and thanks to the Unger family, the company was good. I am sure many of you are looking forward to this series’ only Canadian stop at the Rogers Centre less than a month away. On the track, Ken Roczen, like he did in Arizona, showed he has plans to be on the top step after the 17 rounds are complete in Vegas. Once again the track was tight, technical and slick, which meant the holeshot that he got in the main would be almost imperative to get the win. I think the main difference this year in Ryan Dungey compared to the Ryan Dungey of old was how he pressed as hard as he did throughout the 20 lap main event. Ryan did everything he could possibly do to make a pass while keeping the bike on two wheels. Hats off to both riders as they were in a league of their own in Arlington.
Now with Ken Roczen winning two of the last three and beaming with confidence, will anyone outside of these two win? On Press Day in San Diego my wife and I headed up to the Press Box and rode the elevator with Ken Roczen and Blake Savage. My wife Gisela looked at Ken Roczen and said “Nice job in Phoenix, my husband picked you to win.” He smiled and confidently said “Good call, I picked me to win too.” Cocky? No way. Without confidence these guys do not win anything. I know you all have your own answers and favourites that you are rooting for, but something has to change quickly for some of them if they want to win. Chad Reed, who has a huge fan base, has gone backwards after his back to back seconds and was notably below his average in Arlington. Yep, Chad Reed usually rides his best with an edge on and when he has a bee buzzing in his lid, ‘Mad Hatter’ like. After reading my comments he will likely be back on track for this weekend’s race in Atlanta. Is Eli Tomac that bad of a starter? Until he does something to prove otherwise, I guess he is. I am starting to think that even though he will win one before this series is over, he and Kawasaki’s main focus may very soon be the outdoors for 2016. In the same way that Dungey earned a respectable 2nd in Arlington, I respect Tomac’s riding within the parameters of staying upright. More proof of the maturing of the one-time reckless abandon style of a younger Eli Tomac.
Some of my favourite moments during this trip has been just hanging out at a few of Southern California’s practice tracks.
The 250 West class is now back in the hands of Cooper Webb to win or lose. After a few weeks of changes at the top, it looks like Webb is once again the odds on favourite frontrunner. I was sure disappointed to see Pro Circuit’s Joey Savatgy hit the dirt last Saturday night. With the Santa Clara round still to come in a month’s time and the final in Vegas, I guess there is still a glimmer of hope for him to overcome the odds and prevail. The East portion of the 2016 250 Supercross season kicks off this weekend in Atlanta and the field is stacked. I am still sticking with the pick I made on the Pulp-MX Show during my sit in, Jeremy Martin. Everyone loves a winner and J-Mart has proven he can do just that. There are, however, quite a few faster riders this year in the East than previous years, in my opinion. I know one rider who will not be lined up on a 250 in the East that was rumoured to be stepping down to the small bike for Atlanta. Vince Friese, who I caught up with at Milestone this week, will remain on the 450. I spoke to Vince about many things including his night in Arlington on Saturday. After he and teammate Mike Alessi both qualified their Smart Top Moto Concepts bikes in the top 10, he had some problems in the main event. Vince said that he felt great in qualifying and is now on the better side of the bronchitis he had been fighting in recent weeks. In the main event he was catching a seemingly tiring Justin Bogle, and just after the tunnel he took the outside line. The outside line set him up to triple into the next corner. If you watched the race you probably remember seeing Ryan Dungey doing the same thing every lap. Unfortunately for Vince, Justin Bogle came across the track in front of him and he landed on him. The subsequent trip to the dirt cost him any shot at what he had hoped to be a top 10 finish. Vince and his teammate will look to do just that this weekend in Atlanta. I also asked Vince a few questions about the upcoming outdoor season. Without going too deep, I can tell you he, like Mike Alessi, is very excited about the opportunity to ride again in Canada.
It’s always great to see some familiar faces when you’re far away from home. Dylan Wright and his girlfriend Krista Casselman have definitely been enjoying the Cali sun.
Also at Milestone this past week I caught up with MX-101’s Dylan Wright. Dylan has opted to spend some winter training time here in California this year to address some of what he called his weaknesses. I did a You Tube interview with Dylan who I believe will have a great year in Canada and contend for a 250 title. That is should Dylan ride that displacement, I am thinking that is the plan but it never did occur to me to ask him until now. He has a 250 and 450 with him, and as he called it in the interview, has just been doing ‘Daily Grinds’ at the tracks. He has also been spinning laps with Matt Goerke and Brett Metcalfe who are both now colour colleagues on Yamaha’s. Wright, who will head into his third full year as a pro, is looking very lean and has filled out notably from the last time I saw him departing the final national of the 2015 season. I also mentioned to Dylan that I would be at the California Gold Cup MX Series finale this Sunday at Glen Helen. I asked him if he was going to ride it or thought about racing the event. He told me he would keep me posted and liked the idea of possibly lining up. I have given my wife the heads up that we are going Sunday; we’re very much looking forward to this event. These races usually provide some of the best action in the Moto hotbed that one could imagine. There are always tons of very fast big name riders that ride these kinds of races. It would be a great way to cap off the California portion of this road trip to be able to offer moral support and pit presence to one of our brightest future stars. Let’s go racing Dylan!
I had a great time visiting the Bill’s Pipes facility and getting the guided tour from the man behind the name.
After leaving Milestone we headed over to Bill’s Pipes with Trevor Unger from Ryno Power Canada. The Bow Cycle team that Trevor’s boys ride for uses the very trick looking and very effective performance enhancing Bill’s Pipes. I of course never turn down an opportunity to unearth new ground in Moto world and was all in. Not really knowing what to expect, we headed to Bill’s in Corona and it was a trip I am sure glad we made. After Trevor conducted his business with Bill’s salesman I was introduced to Bill Cervera the owner and founder of the legendary brand Bill’s Pipes. If you have not seen the You Tube edit I made of the tour I was given by this kind genuine, gracious, genius, I recommend you check it out. (It was posted here at the site on Wednesday) Bill’s Pipes has been around the sport for a long time and its success story speaks for itself. Names of Champions like Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Chuck Sun, Travis Pastrana, Damon Bradshaw, Steve Lamson and many, many more all used products built and engineered by Bill. I think it is also every bit worth your while to check out this article on some of this unique product’s rich history by reading this Trans World Article. http://motocross.transworld.net/features/forever-fast-the-story-of-bill-cervera-and-bills-pipes/#MW655ZK5mS5hDyYq.97. Bill also took pride in telling me that Trans World Motocross occupies a small portion of his large facility to conduct their business. He was also proud to tell the story of the day his good friend Mitch Payton asked him to hire a young welder by the name of Troy Lee. Cervera went on to colourfully share a few memories at the expense of his friend who eventually moved on to pursue his passion of painting. I made a point of and asked Bill if Troy Lee was as good at welding pipes as he was painting. His response wasn’t anything like what I expected. If you are reading Bill, you are probably laughing to yourself and thanking me for omitting your colourful and comical response. Thanks again Bill Cervera for the hoody that I will wear it proudly, and thank you for the royal tour you gave us of your top shelf facility.
– Until next Friday’s Flight ‘Airmail Out’………………………………….
