Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
When you look back at this past year in Canadian motocross there are many great stories and many great performances. In both the amateur and pro classes, we all witnessed riders push their limit on the racetrack while battling for moto wins and championships. Even though it was a shorter season than we’re used to seeing, it didn’t lack any of the great race action that we’ve been accustom to seeing in Canada. As I’ve done for the past six seasons, this is the time of year that I sit down to compose my annual Golden Elbow Awards that celebrate the memorable moments from the past year. Whether it was Dylan Wright’s Championship-winning rookie season in the 450 class, or Jess Pettis returning from injury to captured his second 250MX Title, there were multiple moments worth talking about. With just a few days remaining in 2020, let’s finish up this year’s Award winners.
Rider of the Year: Dylan Wright
As we sit here and enjoy the final hours of 2020, a new year is almost upon us and with it comes renewed hope that we will soon be returning to some sort of normal life. Let’s face it, no one was prepared for what we had to deal with during this past year and simple logic would tell us that 2021 can’t possibly be any worse. However, if this year has taught us anything it’s that you just never know what’s around the next corner. Thankfully, we’re an adaptive species and when given a difficult situation most of us are programmed to make the best of it. So as we prepare to part ways with this unforgettable year, let’s celebrate one more prestigious Golden Elbow Award.
When I was picking the 2020 Rider of the Year it came down to two riders who enjoyed almost identical seasons. Jess Pettis and Dylan Wright both dominated the 250MX and 450MX classes respectively, winning the same amount of motos and scoring almost the same amount of overall points. Although their riding styles are somewhat different, they do share the same drive, determination, and focus, this is why they’re both multi-time champions. As you can imagine it was challenging to find any separation between these two, but in the end, I chose Dylan Wright as the 2020 Rider of the Year, and here’s why!
The first reason I leaned towards Dylan for this award was that in 2020 he racing for the first time in the 450 class. Coming into this year a few people in our industry thought that it would take Dylan a few seasons to figure out the bigger and more powerful 450 machines. This type of thinking was warranted as for the first couple of years in the 250 class, Dylan was fast, but also prone to making some costly mistakes. Could he hop on a 450 and in just a few months figure it out enough to challenge for a title against experienced riders like Phil Nicoletti, Matt Goerke, Cole Thompson, and Tyler Medaglia?
As much as motocross is an individual sport, I think we can apply the team concept of “you’re only as good as the group around you” when it comes to Dylan’s success in 2020. Between the GDR Honda Team Manager Derek Schuster, mechanic Justin Petker, and six-time 450MX Champion Colton Facciotti, Dylan had a lot of knowledgeable people in his corner. So when you add up all of his hard work, great preparation, and team mentoring, Dylan entered the Triple Crown Series with a boatload of confidence. After the opening round where he swept all three motos, Dylan’s self-belief grew even further. In the second round when he went from almost dead last to the lead in ten minutes in Moto 1, he let everyone know that he could win from any position. To me, that moto was devastating for his competition as they were left trying to figure out how they were going to beat the red #9, instead of just worrying about their own riding. From there, all Dylan had to do was remain patient and not get too far ahead of himself, something I’m sure Facciotti helped him with. Dylan would go on to win the 450MX Championship at Sand Del Lee, a track he ironically grew up just down the road from.
When the 450 series moved indoors in September Dylan put the stamp on his incredible rookie season by winning a main event at the opening round of the SXTour at Gopher Dunes. Unfortunately, a knee injury forced him out of the final SXTour round as well as a chance to compete in the final two rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships in the USA, but not before he clinched the 2020 450 Triple Crown Series!
It was a great year for Dylan Wright as he silenced his critics and proved to himself that he can be a 450 Champion. Considering that Dylan is still in his early 20’s you have to assume that his best days are still ahead. I’d personally love to see him race a few USA Nationals in 2021 and then go to either Europe or race the USA outdoor series full time in 2022. Also, with Pettis moving up to the 450 class next year, these two are most certainly going to have some intense battles in 2021 and beyond. In the meantime, congratulations to Dylan Wright on being my pick for the Rider of the Year!
