Future West Moto is on the eve of participating in its first ever combined Canadian Kawasaki BC Championship Series that kicks off this weekend in Quesnel, BC. It has been many years in the province since there has been a true combined all inclusive Championship Series. The province is vast and beautiful but when it comes to unity, geography has often been a motivating factor in the lack of scheduling these types of events. It was decided in the best interest of the sport’s future, and keeping with the positive growth and upswing we have experienced in recent years, for us all to get together and make this happen. For the first time in many years we have experienced riders and families make efforts to support our Future West races out of their geographical comfort zone. We take this as a large compliment to our product and are very proud of the positive feedback we are continuing to get. We have every reason to believe that this three round series, based on the combined efforts of Future West, The Quesnel Motocross Association, BCMA, and the Vancouver Island Motocross Association, will exceed any projected expectations. Round 2 goes in Campbell River on Aug 1 & 2, and the final round is at the Kelowna Dirt Bike Club on September 5 & 6. Also, on another note, the Future West Moto Canadian Kawasaki CMRC South Series final RD scheduled for next weekend, July 25th and 26th at the Popkum Motor Park, has been moved to the Whispering Pines track in Kamloops, BC.
Future West Moto is also currently pursuing partnership for their upcoming, highly entertaining, action packed, family oriented Canadian Arenacross Series. The series, which kicks off in Armstrong, BC on October 2nd, runs over the course of five different weekends and concludes on December 5th. For varying partnership opportunities and package details to team up with this winning effort, please contact fwmstu@hotmail.com
Well friends, once again the weekend is upon us and it is time for lift off here via the Friday Flight. As I sit to write this it just occurred to me to try to calculate the amount of travelling kilometres I have done in my passionate pursuit of this sport since the new year. Well, about halfway through the calculation somewhere around the 20,000 ‘k’ mark, it started to make me a little weary. I did conclude, however, that with the the trip south very early in the year, along with treks to all local races and Rockstar Nationals, which most recently included a trip to Gopher Dunes, two things. One, I have an amazing wife, and two, I should have never thrown away my Air Miles card. I am very much looking forward to our provincial championship series send off this weekend in Quesnel. I will, however, admit that part of me wishes I could be taking the Wright family up on their offer to bunk with them for a few days and take in this weekend’s Ottawa National. Much appreciated Billy and Natalie, hope you all have a great weekend and there is always next year.
Gopher Dunes, yes it is now history, but oh baby what a weekend it was. First off, hats off to the Schusters and the host GDR Honda team for the amazing job they did with everything. The Ice Cream was a huge hit Derek, right Kevin Tyler? Let’s just say Derek hooked him up good. On Saturday afternoon after the day’s racing action, I sat in the Kyle Keast pits with Andy White and Shandell Prizbylla. It was the first time on the day I was stationary long enough to not be pre-occupied with on track or off track racing related happenings. I sat in utter amazement as to how neatly manicured and groomed every square inch of the Gopher Dunes facility was. I know I may offend a few and that is not my intention by saying the Gopher Dunes race track is the tightest groomed, neatest Motocross facility I have ever been to. This was my second year in a row at Gopher Dunes and I remember thinking to myself last year, why are there not more people here? Do they not know what they are missing? This year the crowd was up, and by far. I would say easily the venue this year contained another 1500 or more bodies. I am not sure who does the numbers on these things or if it is just the banker who nods his head and smiles or frowns when the deposit is made, but I know for fact this year attendance across the country is up.
The Dunes track with all its changes was on point and it definitely looked the part. With a new start area on the south side of the grounds closer to the pits, all blinged out in the namesake of those making it possible, it was go time. I determined very early on Amateur and Women’s Saturday that a good start would be imperative to have any chance at the podium. That was just the case on Sunday as those who made it happen early had a much easier time of it. It did not take long from where I sat in the ‘Live’ audio broadcast lift with Brian Koster (Thanks Brian) to see that the track that was on point and blazing eye candy beauty for us ravenous race fans. The track did deteriorate quickly on the day and would have many who were not prepared paying a dear price. The sand this year was much wetter and heavier, and it made for a different kind of choppy, uncharacteristically rough for the Dunes. It also saw riders go through more tear-offs than they bargained for, and this year’s version once again was a true test of one’s fitness, determination and fortitude.
Gopher Dunes marked the halfway point of the series, and it is to be noted that those who hold the Red Plates had their best round of the series to date. Even though we are a full 10 Motos in both classes away from crowning champions, the two frontrunners did buy themselves a slight bit of breathing room. They say champions win titles on their worst days and both Kaven Benoit on the Royal Distributing KTM and Matt Goerke are past champions. I cannot think off the top of my head of Goerke’s worst day in 2012 as most of that year I spent in spinal cord injury recovery. I do, however, remember vividly back to last year at the Dunes when I saw Kaven Benoit cartwheel out of control on the last lap of timed qualifying. Yes, that was definitely one of Kaven’s worst days last year and I truly believe that would be the day he would point to as far as winning a title on your worst day. With five rounds left moving forward I believe that the taming of the Dunes for both Goerke and Benoit is huge for their confidence and helps with their forward focus. Yes, confident they should be as by halfway through a trans continental marathon like the Canadian Nationals, if you hold a red plate you have earned it. What about the contenders still in the hunt? I know it’s Motocross and anything can happen, and bad days are a possibility for anyone, but I think that barring a minor miracle or two, you can now count on one hand in each class who still has a shot at these titles. Before we move on to Ottawa I would like to congratulate Westen Wrozyna in the MX2 class and Hayden Halstead in the MX1 on their career best 8th overalls. Nice work boys!
Moving forward to this weekend’s Ottawa National at SandeLee, I believe that MX101, Canada’s Motorcycle, FXR’s Jimmy Decotis will be as motivated and fired up as he has been all series. Jimmy rode second fiddle to Kaven in moto one at Gopher Dunes but gets full marks for his valiant effort in trying to make a move and a pass on Kaven in Moto 2 minus his goggles. I am not sure exactly what lap he lost his goggles but I am sure he went as many as five laps with nothing to protect him from the sand blasting to his bare face from the rear wheel of the KTM two-stroke, as well as numerous lappers. I give Jimmy full marks for effort, fortitude and alternate line choice improvisations to try to not only avoid the roost but make a pass. It was absolutely the best MX2 battle from beginning to end that I have seen in a long, long time. What made it even more impressive was that other than Jimmy looking like a sand monster after the fact, it was good, clean racing fun. I really feel like these two riders have a great deal of genuine admirable respect for each other. As we near gate drop for the Ottawa National, let’s not forget to include local heroes GDR Honda’s Jeremy Medaglia who sits in 3rd in this title hunt and MX101’s Dylan Wright. These two will both be motivated by their Gopher Dunes performance for different reasons. Jeremy had a solid 3rd in the first Moto , but the second did not go as planned as he was in a pile up exiting turn one on Sunday. Dylan Wright, however, is coming off his first career Pro podium finish at Gopher Dunes this past weekend. Last year at this same event, just as a battle was about to materialize between them, some bike issues prevented it.
The MX1 class will see a confident Matt Goerke line up aloft the other MX101 hopefuls in Ottawa and look to buy himself even more distance from his nearest foe, Brett Metcalfe. I think we will see much closer racing in Ottawa this weekend in both classes as this series will begin now to make its descent to touchdown at Walton’s finale. Another local, Tyler Medaglia, coming off his podium performance on his Parts Canada Husky, will have some added confidence this weekend and home course knowledge on his side. What about GDR Honda’s Colton Facciotti who was looking as good as he had all series and led moto one early at Gopher Dunes. Can he rebound? Of course he can, he has 4 Canadian MX1 titles to prove it. How about Nanaimo winner, KTM’s Cole Thompson? Can he win again? You bet he can.
What about the Women’s East? Does Eve Brodeur on the Duroy Motovan KTM continue to march uncontested to another title? Does the hard charging second place finisher at Gopher Dunes who really impressed me, Kim Normandin, have other plans? What about the high flying, confidently styling Kassie Boone? Does local girl Allie Argue get an early holeshot and check out? Does Abrielle Tardelli pilot here sweet sounding KTM back to the promised land of the podium? What about the KTM Super Mini Nationals? Does Tanner Ward dominate again in the Sand Del Lee sand? Once again, I wish I could be there getting these answers first hand. Do yourselves a favour friends, if you’re anywhere near Sand Del Lee, get out there, it promises to be a beauty.
A huge shoutout good luck to Marco Canella, Jake Tricco, the Moto Park crew and all their good connections this weekend at the World Junior Championship in Spain.
Until next ‘Friday Flight‘Airmail’ out………………….
