Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
by Gauld107
Well, here we are, another Monday and another week gone in 2012. This was a good week though. Lots of gossip concerning Canadian motocross, the KTM Canada AX series kicked off in BC, and of course the big cash payout – the Monster Cup on Saturday night. It’s been super quiet since Walton for the most part so to fire you up again this week for moto is like getting a B12 shot. From all angles both the AX and the Monster Cup seemed to have very good nights. The gossip I have is good stuff as well as another rider looks to be signing with a certain Kawasaki team for 2012. That would make three now for the team but nothing is totally confirmed so no names will be released. You readers can play the guessing game till it is finalized. So with all that it makes it easier to have something come out of my flapping gums on Monday morning.
The man of KTM AX was GA Checkpoint Yamaha rider Spencer Knowles. With a few more nights of that kind of domination and we will have to change the name from “Beats Barn” to something that could go well with his name. Hmm, thinking………………..
Photo by John Bowman
Let’s start with the KTM Canada AX series. Two nights of racing kicked off the 12 round series in Cloverdale, BC this past Friday and Saturday night. Making the switch over to Yamaha for 2013, AX Champion Brock Hoyer was looking to show that the #1 belongs on his bike, but another Yamaha rider had something to say about that. Spencer Knowles on his GA Checkpoint YZs took home all four main event wins. This is very big news in the Knowles camp. Usually Spencer has trouble putting together consistent races. Well, that theory went right out the window with the waxing he did to all the competition at the first two rounds. The riders chasing him were Ryan Lockhart, Brock Hoyer, Jeremy Medaglia, Dylan Kaelin, Brad Nauditt, Josh Snider, and a host of others. From what I read on Twitter (which was way too weak, I’ll get to that) it sounded like a great start to the year. Here is my complaint about the event: For years now the national series has caught tons of flack for weak PR. This should never be an issue now with how good social networking is. It takes about 3-5 seconds to lay down a tweet and let your followers know what’s going on. Hell, you can do this through Facebook as well. I understand that peeps are busy during an event, but for there not to be a constant lap by lap or even every 3 lap update from each of the pro main events each night is a letdown in my eyes. There were literally about 5 tweets all weekend from anybody at the event. MXP actually asked a friend to do it for us and he let us down because he was cold on night one. Obviously that guy will never be asked again to help out in this type of situation. Maybe I’m wrong with all this and I should relax and just wait for the job to get done whenever it gets done. Just roll with it the way we always do here in Canada with the attitude of “whatever.” Even the riders can’t do it for their sponsors. I saw two tweets from Ryan Lockhart and Brock Hoyer thanking his sponsors. Two riders, that’s all. If I was a company sponsoring other riders in that series I would be a tad disappointed to never get an update or a thanks or anything via Twitter or Facebook. Again, maybe I’m crazy to think that taking 5 minutes to throw a few tweets about the night is too much to ask? But the riders still expect the sponsors to get them their FREE everything right away. Doesn’t seem fair to me but again, maybe I’m a wacko the way I think. The next round is November 2nd and 3rd. All of the Pros that chased Spenny around all weekend have two weeks to figure out how to get in front of this little fella.
Ryan Lockhart gives Dylan Kaelin a little rub. Nothing like smashing a fellow racer to make the night more memorable.
Photo by John Bowman
The Monster Cup Battlefield. Photo by Rich Shepherd
How fricken cool is the Monster Cup? Sitting and watching it on TV just gets you so amped up for the 2013 AMA SX season. The track looked super fun and had some cool options for the guys to play with, and there were tons of amazing looking Monster Girls everywhere. The best racers in the world, minus a couple, and of course the million dollars that was up for grabs. How perfect of a night? Last year Ryan Villopoto took home the million with ease. The event just launched and a Monster rider took home the big piece of cake. Now this being the second year, along with a huge list of talent coming, and Villopoto sidelined for 6 months, it would be hard to think he could do it again. I mean how many people really picked him to do it again? How could you after watching the majority of these racers battle all summer, stay in shape, and on the bike? Well, he once again showed us why he is the man in this sport. He didn’t get out of the gate first but moved his way into the lead and won the opening main event, setting the stage for another chance at the million. Ryan Villopoto absolutely owned all the competition in that first main event. As soon as the checkered waved I was thinking that all the riders in the pits must have been deflated and lost any type of confidence or upper hand on Poto they thought they may have had. I think Dungey would have been right there till he had bike issues. What Villopoto did was pretty cool and will no doubt give him the nod to the top of the “favourite” list for the championship once the gate drops for SX starting in January.
Canadian Westen Wrozyna made the trek to Vegas. His results weren’t what he was looking for but the experience was priceless, I’m sure. Photo by Rich Shepherd
An endless supply of beautiful Monster girls. Wouldn’t mind a few of those under my Christmas tree. Come on Santa!!! Photo by Rich Shepherd
Top three overall from the Monster Energy Cup: Tomac 3rd, Dungey 2nd, and Justin Barcia grabbed a hundred grand for his efforts.
Photo by Rich Shepherd
The rest of the night didn’t work out for Poto as he threw it away on the first lap of the second main. I saw it on TV and it looked pretty silly but it happens to the best, proof right there. This gave a chance for another rider to take the overall, which was still worth 100 grand. Enter young, crazy, throttle to the bar Honda rider Justin Barcia. He went 2-1-2 for the overall win and showed us he could be a threat for some wins this winter. I think he’s a little too wide open and on the edge to win the title but he will win some races in SX for sure. It was a sick night of racing to watch.
Monster Energy Cup Overall Results
- Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., Honda
- Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda
- Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda
- Josh Grant, Corona, Calif., Yamaha
- Kyle Cunningham, Aledo, Texas, Yamaha
- Jake Canada, Corona, Calif., Suzuki
- Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Kawasaki
- Mike Alessi, Hilliard Fla., Suzuki
- Ryan Villopoto, Seattle, Wash., Kawasaki
