Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
One of the trends that we’re seeing in all sports right now is older athletes finding ways to remain successful and add years to their already long careers. In team sports, we’ve seen the likes of Tom Brady and Jaromir Jagr play at a high level well into their 40s. Now, motocross and other individual sports are a little different as athletes in those sports don’t have the luxury of having a teammate to pass to, and they’re not always on the field of play for the entire competition. Individual sports demand their athletes handle every moment of their chosen sport, with no breaks and little help. Motocross is one of these sports and that is one reason why there aren’t too many 30-year-old professional dirt bike racers. Now, Shawn Maffenbeier isn’t quite 30 years old yet, but at 28 he’s one of the oldest riders on the gate and, as I mentioned, in today’s sporting world that can be an advantage rather than a hindrance.
When you look back at Shawn Maffenbeier’s career, the one feeling that comes to mind is good old Canadian pride. Born and raised in one of Canada’s hardest working provinces, Saskatchewan, Maffenbeier learned at a young age that the phrase, “the early bird gets the worm” isn’t just something people say. In the Prairies, it’s a way of life. If you’ve ever heard the Tragically Hip song “Wheat Kings” then you’re aware of what it’s like to grow up in Saskatchewan. Now that I mention it, Maffenbeier reminds me a lot of the Tragically Hip band. You can use the same terms to describe both: iconic, determined, longevity, talented, humble and, of course, Canadian. Shawn Maffenbeier represents all of these things and that is why at 28 years-old, his best days may still be ahead of him.
Before Maffenbeier’s 2017 250MX Championship, he spent several years battling in both the 250MX class as well as the 450MX class. Although there had been some great moments, including moto wins, a second overall in the 250MX series, and a couple of trips to the prestigious MXoN’s as a member of Team Canada. Maffenbeier was close to the top of the sport, but he wasn’t quite there yet.
Enter Kevin Tyler and his Yamaha Motor Canada supported MX101 FXR Team. Kevin, a former pro racer himself, knew exactly what it felt like to always be battling for the big prize but never quite getting there. You see, Kevin was a talented and well-respected pro rider in the 1990s and, like Maffenbeier, he figured out early on that the only way to the top was with hard work and perseverance. In 2017, Kevin signed Maffenbeier as his top 250MX rider and the two rolled up their sleeves and went after their first championship.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since Maffenbeier won that 2017 250MX title. Time flies and if we think back to that championship run, everything just seemed to come together. Maffenbeier entered that season as the underdog to defending 250MX Champion Cole Thompson, who had dominated the class the year before. But Maffenbeier was a different rider in 2017, and whether it was the heartbreak of losing the title to Thompson, or the relaxing and motivating vibe that he was feeling under the MX101 tent, Maffenbeier got some early series confidence and never looked back. It was as if he, Kevin Tyler, and the entire MX101 Team were just destined to win that 2017 250MX title. I remember as the series wound down even some of Maffenbeier’s competitors were cheering for him, as were a few of Kevin’s fellow Team Managers. It was a great moment in Canadian motocross and one that few people will ever forget.
What came after that glorious 2017 season was more adversity for Maffenbeier’s career. After leaving the MX101 Yamaha Team for what he thought were greener pastures on the Kawasaki Team, Maffenbeier watched his old team repeat as 250MX class champions with Jess Pettis at the helm. In 2019, Maffenbeier moved back the to Yamaha brand and a 450-class ride with the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Team. Paired with American superstar Phil Nicoletti, Maffenbeier had a solid season going until a freak practice crash resulted in a broken collarbone halfway through the 450MX Series. At that point in Maffenbeier’s career, no one would’ve blamed him if he felt like he was taking one step forward and one step back. But true to his character and like another Tragically Hip song, “Long Time Running” Maffenbeier regrouped and went into 2020 with a vengeance. Like the foundation of a well-constructed house, Maffenbeier’s rebuilt his confidence brick by brick. Even with 2020 being anything but a normal year for pro riders, Maffenbeier didn’t let the added variables of the Covid-19 pandemic distract him. He had a great season in 2020, with multiple podium results and a well-earned third overall finish in the 450 Triple Crown Series. Maffenbeier was exactly where he wanted to be.
Sadly, as if the world we’re currently living in isn’t unpredictable enough, weeks after the 2020 season wrapped up, Maffenbeier’s OTSFF Yamaha Team announced they were shutting down. For some, like Maffenbeier’s teammate Phil Nicoletti, it was devastating news and it meant that Nicoletti won’t be back in Canada this year. But for Maffenbeier, he looked at it as an opportunity to reunite with his old buddy Kevin Tyler.
For 2021, Maffenbeier will be back under the MX101 Yamaha Tent, this time as the main rider with the team’s new 450 program. As you can imagine both rider and manager are excited about the season ahead. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to work with the MX101 Team again. We had a great year together back in 2017 and hopefully, we can build on that success in 2021. I don’t know what it is about the MX101 or even how to put the feeling into words, but there a winning vibe that exist under that tent and I cannot wait to be a part of it again,” Maffenbeier said when asked about the reunion.
Maffenbeier is also reuniting with his old trainer, Todd Schumlick, of PerformX Training. The pair have worked together in the past and the time felt right to team up again. “I really wanted to go into this season with little or no guesswork and Todd brings that to my program. If Todd says that I’m ready, then I know I’m ready. With the Canada / USA border being closed this winter I knew that getting down south to train would be challenging. With that in mind, I knew I had to change up my training, and working with Todd again was the best thing. He not only knows his stuff, but he also knows that I’m 28 and I have to train differently than I did five years ago. I’m excited for 2021, with being back with the MX101 Team and training with Todd again, I know I’m going to be ready when the gate drops.”
It’s been a long road for Shawn Maffenbeier on his journey through professional motocross, and at 28 he’s one of the oldest riders in the 450 class. But Shawn doesn’t look at his age as something that might hold him back as he battles some of his younger competitors, he embraces his experience and looks at it as an advantage. This should be a successful season for Maffenbeier, Tyler and MX101 FXR Yamaha Team.
“We’re extremely excited to bring Shawn back to the MX101 family as we begin a new chapter in 2021 chasing both classes with the MX101 FXR Yamaha team. With the relationships that pre-exist between riders and all of the key team players, I am confident that we will hit the ground running and come up with a very competitive 450 program in our first year to go alongside our championship proven 250 effort,” Tyler said when I asked him about the upcoming season.
In closing, I completely agree with Tyler’s perspective on the upcoming season and that is why we at MXP Magazine are honoured to have Shawn Maffenbeier grace our first cover of 2021.
