MXP: This weekend is the famous, or infamous Riviere du Loup AX. You’ve been to this race a lot over the years and it’s probably time that you make another appearance. Can you give us your best memory and your best result?
RL: This was always a race on my calendar back in the day and I would love to get back there one of these days. As you know, it’s one of those races you have to see to believe the hype and vibe that surrounds it. I believe it was 2004 and I ended up doing RDL and a maritime provincial at Riverglade on the same weekend. Raced RDL Friday night, drove all night to get back to Riverglade for Saturday, raced four motos and was fortunate that they modified the race day schedule for me and was done by about 2pm in the afternoon and then drove the 5 hours back to RDL and got there just in time for heat one Saturday night. I remember being like 45 min out from the stadium and getting dressed in the truck. We arrived and rolled right onto the line for the heat. Oddly enough, that year was my best result getting 2nd. I hit the podium lots, but came up short to actually win the whole event.
MXP: Last week at the GDR Honda Team Intro Dylan Wright spoke about all of the changes to his 2026 CRF450R. In your opinion, do you think his bike will be better in key situations, like when he has to go full beast mode?
RL: The goal is always to give Dylan the best bike and package every year, so he can put himself in situations where he doesn’t have to go into that beast mode. The direction that he went with chassis and suspension, has him comfortable and allows him to hit bumps on the track like he wants to. In the past, the motorcycle always seemed to work for him when he could find the smooth way around the track. As we all know, Dylan likes to hang it out and ride in a zone that sometimes doesn’t allow the smooth lines to come into play. So yes, I think the bike is right where he needs it to be.
MXP: It looks as though this is the final year for the Calgary National. Very sad, as you raced the first ever national there in 2000. What are some of your best memories from racing at Wild Rose MX Park?
RL: Sad for sure, but the good news is that it sounds like there are a few options for a new track. Honestly, I have never done well in Calgary and I’m not really sure why. I always struggled with the hard pact choppy rut and never really had the results that maybe my season should have produced. The memories are always great there though, I always love waking up and going to the track with the epic view of the city and a lot of the time the race is round one, so it’s always nice catching up with everyone. With my position of Team Manager for GDR heading out to Shaw Valley for the first practice has became a tradition for you and I, so I always look forward to that.
