Monday Maniac #32

by Gauldy107

Last week was the best of the summer yet. Ryan Lockhart and I loaded up the super van and headed out to beautiful Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for the week. We made it both ways in 14 hours. The way home would have been less than 13 if the province of Quebec could figure out how to finish a construction job, Montreal didn’t create traffic just for the hell of it, and if every day human beings weren’t so amazed by a truck on the side of the road. That caused an hour delay for little to know reason. I’m still scratching my head at that one. Needless to say we had an amazing week with some laughs and memories that will last a lifetime. Trips like these really help you realize how good you have it. I’m pretty fortunate to be able to mix a vacay with some work. Whether it was the “honey”, “Where is this traffic circle?”, “If you have credit, I have cash”, “cocky American”, “I’m awesome”, “cut like a bag of milk”,  all these moments plus a few more made on this little get away; the highlight of 2012 for this kid so far. LOL

I’m quite certain that 99% of us in this sport share the same thoughts towards the east coast races – always a good time with hard working people showing their passion for the sport. You come in with a smile and leave with a warm heart. From the gate people to the track crew to the fan, these people show us outsiders a great time and that’s why round seven of the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals was the tops once again. But when I heard that some lowlife piece of trash robbed the poor lady at the back gate, I nearly blew up. Apparently many items were stolen this past weekend from the Glade. I have never heard of this in its 35 years. How can this happen in such a wonderful place? This person is obviously the lowest of lows and will not likely ever be caught but should know that he better keep that cash he stole very quiet. If this kid ever gets found, I pity him just a little because there will not be enough pain he will have to endure for his actions. I would beat him with a DID 520 chain till he screamed for his mommy, then I’d do it again. For someone to steal from the amazing people that put on the Riverglade event proves that this kid deserves some severe punishment. I am very sorry to have scum like that enter our races and treat us all with such disrespect. A very sad moment in this sport.

I had a huge laugh Saturday morning when attending the riders meeting. Earl Doucette got on the mic and thanked us all for coming out. He then passed the mic to Jake the “water guy.” For the next two minutes I was in stitches laughing at what this guy said. It went like so…”Hey everybody and welcome to the Glade. I’m Jake and I watered the track. It’s a huge mess right now. Its gunna be a mess for a while. It’s gunna get dusty then I will make it messy again. On the long straight in the back, stay to the right. Don’t go left. There’s a big hole full of water. She’s deep and muddy but it will get dry and dusty. I can’t fix that. It’s hot. The track is going to be crappy today but we will do our best. Good luck to everyone.” Hahahahaha. I have never heard a dude be so truthful to the riders in my 30 plus years at the track. He had me and Matt Lee cracking up with his brutal honesty of how ugly it was going to be all day. Funny thing was the track was pretty mint for the most part but Jake didn’t seem to have much confidence in his abilities and felt he should warn us all I guess. Thanks Jake for the morning chuckle!!

GDR TLD Red Bull Honda’s Tyler Medaglia injured himself in Ste-Julie. He received great treatment to get him back on his feet and try to make the event this weekend. He said early in the week it was a no go then decided at the witching hour that he could do it. GDR Bannon got on a plane with all the necessary parts to turn Tyler’s practice bike into the best race bike possible and he made a go of it. Sadly, he only made it 500 yards and dabbed his bad ankle and had to DNF right out of the very first moto. I talked to Derek Schuster yesterday via TXT message. “It’s a real bummer, and I was fine with not going and getting ready for Sand Del Lee, but Tyler called and asked if there was any way we could make it happen after he felt a lot better after some more treatment on Friday. I didn’t want to say no and regret not going. Decisions like this are tough but if your riders says he’s good, then we go. I just hope we can make Sand Del lee and Tyler didn’t hurt the ankle worse in the first turn at the Glade.” Tyler still has a shot of finishing in the top five in MX1. Not close to the goals they set at the beginning of the year but still very respectable in the tough field of MX1.

We all know that Bobby Kiniry is an animal. The guy just loves to race his bike. He is going to be very busy the next two weekends as he will line for two AMA Nationals and the final two Monster Energy Motocross Nationals. His first weekend will consist of a 15 plus hour drive from his home in New York to Southwick and then back to Sand Del Lee for Sunday. In the middle of this drive he will line up for the two 30 minute plus 2 lap motos against the very best in the AMA. Then on Sunday he’ll do it all again at round 8 of the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals. Pretty crazy! He will then do it again the following weekend in Unadilla then back to Walton for the finals in Canada. I for one am amazed he wants to do this. As an industry guy I think it is nuts because it could go good or bad very easily. As a fan, I’m just pumped to have a guy like that in our sport that shows his will to succeed. He constantly works his ass off to get better. The best way to do that is race, and Bobby Kiniry loves to race not matter how tough or long the road is to get there. Good luck Bobby and see ya Sunday. You are my hero!!!

The main competitor for Kiniry and the man who has led the MX1 points from the very start of the season is matt Goerke. He has a possibility of wrapping up this title in Sand Del Lee this weekend. He has a 47 point lead over Bobby right now. With Kiniry racing so much this weekend you have to wonder if we will get his best on Sunday after such a long day in Southwick, but we all know Kiniry is tough and will give it 110%. We also know that Matt Goerke rips in the sand. He proved that by winning by over a minute at Gopher Dunes. All odds lean towards Matt Goerke taking the #1 plate this weekend and will head into Walton as the MX1 Champion. We all know anything can happen in motocross and it would be so much nicer to present Goerke in Walton with that #1 plate instead of a week earlier. I guess we will just have to see how it all plays out this coming weekend. On another note, in our latest MXP magazine with Matt Goerke on the cover, we had a write up in there saying that the Butler Brothers BTO Sports team had signed Matt full time for next year already. This was posted on Racer X a while ago. This apparently is not correct. Matt loves Canada and really wants to come back next year so Monster Leading Edge Thor Kawasaki and BTO’s Sports Butler Brothers are in the works to try to figure it all out. Stay tuned to the high stakes battle for Mr. Goerke.

The final podium position in MX2 got a little more interesting after this past weekend. Jared Allison still currently holds that position. He did a great job on the weekend with his bum knee and battled both Brad Nauditt and Topher Ingalls in both motos. Unfortunately, Kyle Beaton (the fourth rider battle for the 3rd championship spot) suffered a year ending injury after a big crash with Spencer Knowles at the halfway mark of moto 1. This is a big one for Beats. Things were going pretty well for the injury prone racer. The last four years have been super tough on my little buddy. Hopefully his recovery is quick and he comes back stronger than ever. Back to the points chase in MX2: Topher rode the best on the weekend and closed the gap between him and Jared Allison down to 6 points. Brad “Honey” Nauditt didn’t have his best weekend but is just a mere 10 points back of Ingalls. We have four motos left and these kids all want that spot as none of them have ever been this close to the podium in a championship before. We love the drama, which will unfold this weekend at Sand Del Lee.

Both the “MXP Leads the Way” program and the Motocross of Nations are both in some disarray as of right now. For the MXP side of things, I can’t seem to find riders that want to get off their ass and register for Delmont. Lots have said yes they will, or I want that money. Well, I have the money kids but I’m not signing you up, getting your bike ready or wiping your bum bum. Show some action and let me know. There are a few hurdles you have to jump to sign up for an AMA National and the longer you wait the last chance you have of making it happen. I’m at the point that the first three riders that sign up and send me their confirmation, so I know there in, gets the check for $500. If no one goes, MXP will use this money towards the fall charity event we are doing up at Motopark.

Now over to the Des Nations: Who is the final rider? Are we going? Can Tyler Medaglia still make it? So many questions. Both of these programs seem so last minute that I find it hard to do it the right way. Maybe I’m on crack thinking that way but the better prepared we are the better the whole deal will go. I wish I had more involvement in the des Nations stuff. I would enjoy it and be a little more on point. At least I hope I would. I know it’s tough and expensive. Hopefully both programs work out because they’re put in place to help our Canadian riders, but some initiative has to take place.

We are one week from the biggest race in Canada. I am super excited with all the new changes, the Jason Blaine concert Friday night, racing Plus 25 and Vet Master, watching all the up and comers, and of course interviewing the very best that hit the podium in every class after each moto. It really is a celebration of Canadian motocross and it’s only seven days away. Pumped is the word!!