KTM CANADIAN ARENACROSS – ON TRACK WITH RYAN LOCKHART

Happy New Year to you guys as well. I wish I could say that I am 100% but I am still struggling with my knee. I guess you could say I’m not too happy with the BC medical system haha. I had an appointment with a surgeon yesterday but it turned out that I was reffered to the wrong sergeon. So it’s still a waiting game. I’m ready to push through it though.

I have been really busy since the last Chilliwack. I have been racing the AX series just across the boarder in Monroe, Washington. It’s been going really well and the competition has been great. I always say that the best practice is racing so that’s what I have been doing. I also headed down to California over the holidays and got some great riding in.

I have made some great changes with the bike. Before AX started I didn’t get to much riding in, so this break has been great. I feel much more comfortable with my setup now and I think it will show with my riding. It’s never a fun thing making a lot of changes the day of the race.

Thats a good question!! At the first 3 rounds I was giving my best but just couldn’t seem to make it happen in the mains. I’m older now and it’s really hard for me to ride over my head and push that extra little bit. I know that when I’m riding to my potental that I have the speed to win, I have showed that in my heat races. To me its not all about winning every race it’s about racing and being the best I can be.

It doesnt matter if it’s a heat race or main event. Everytime the gate drops every single guy including myself is my competition. Nauditt, Abrigo, Spenny, Hoyer, Josh Allen and all the local kids are riding great this year. Makes for great racing.

I like riding the same bike in both, makes it a lot easier for your set up and it’s much better for costs also. I will tell you this though, I sure do miss the old days where we rode 125 and 250 two strokes, I feel like in those days it seperated the riders a lot better. It really showed who the best guys were when you had to jump back and forth between bikes and it also made it a little more exciting for the fans as well. There is no better sound than a 2 stroke indoors.

Ya poor Donk had to take a step down to Chiz hahah, no it’s all good, I’m happy for the position that Donk is in, thats a great gig for him. I actually stole Spencer Knowles’ guy Greg Bell for the rest of the series. Nobody can back a gate like that guy, so look for a lot of holeshots from me.

I like it. I think its going to attract a lot more of the ” weekend warrior” guys. It will make it more affordable and more attractive for guys. With the series starting early to it’s a good thing, everyone likes the start of something new and fresh.

Schools have been great. Teaching the kids is something I love and I have been doing the schools for you guys for years now and it never gets boring for me. There is no better feeling than helping a rider in the morning and seeing them improve. Especially when they get the results at night. The schools really help the riders with confidence and gives them that exta edge for the racing program. The school is $60 for two hours from 8-10am each Saturday race day. Contact jamiefwp@telus.net to reserve a spot.

I wouldn’t be racing at all if it wasn’t for Kourtney Lloyd, her whole family and Cycle North. I have never ridden for a shop that was so into racing and willing to give me all the tools to do well and have fun at the same time. It’s been a long time since I was able to say that I’m having fun racing again. Also want to thank Kawasaki Canada, Atlas Brace, Matrix Concepts, 100%, 1.7 Cleaning Solutions, Derek from Troy Lee Designs, FMF, Rod at RMR Suspension, Rekluse, Kevin from Mongoose Machine, Golden Tyres, Scott Delaplace, Kyle Beaton, Pat Oconner, Bruce Greenough and Donk.

See you guys there!