Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
The GoldenTyre brand of off-road motorcycle tires was established in Italy 30 years ago and its cutting edge design and durability has gained visibility and traction rapidly. GoldenTyre has teamed up with the likes of world renowned accomplished off-road riders like Graham Jarvis and Johnny Walker in efforts to develop the best products in the business. These riders have validated the efforts and achievements of this relatively new product with their top results and accomplishments. The GoldenTyre flag is currently being run on the Motocross GP circuit by top 2015 contenders Jake Nicholls and Stephen Frossard.
With GoldenTyre’s broadening global recognition and on track success, Mike Nicholls saw fit to bring this great product to Canada five years ago. GoldenTyre in Canada is currently providing ‘The Midas Touch’ on the Motocross track to the likes of Todd Minnie, Jake Striechert, Michael Dasilva, Teagan Williams, Kyle Beaton and Super Mini rider Tyler Gibbs. GoldenTyre has also teamed for 2015 with Team PR-MX.ca as well as GP Moto for their Enduro team.
GoldenTyre is always on the lookout to recruit new members to join their winning team across our great country. If you are interested in giving this highly successful product a try, drop Mike Nicholls a line or a resume at www.goldentyre.ca.
Walton Raceway will be broadcasting the final motos live on the Saturday of the 2015 Parts Canada TransCan. photo by James Lissimore
Once again friends the 30 second board is officially up on your ‘Friday Flight’ into another highly anticipated weekend of Canadian Motocross racing action. Yes, there will also be a lot of action south of the border in Las Vegas this weekend as the Geico Endurocross Series resumes, and both the Amsoil Arenacross and Monster Energy Supercross series conclude. To all Canadians that have made the trek down to line up or spectate, stay safe, have fun and good luck. To this race fan the Vegas weekend always signifies that we are just around the corner from what I as a race fan look forward to the most at the top level, The Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan. I will share more on that in a moment but first I would like to speak about the conversation I had with Walton Raceway’s Mark Perrin on my Canadian Moto Show on Wednesday night.
In case you missed it, Walton Raceway will be broadcasting a ‘Live’ audio visual feed of all of the action from the final round of the 24th annual Parts Canada Walton Trans Can. I cannot say enough how much of an honour it was to be asked by Mark Perrin and Brett Lee to co-host this first ever live feed with my MXP colleague Chris Pomeroy. I feel this step is huge for not only the event but as well as every single rider and every person associated with their effort. Many make the annual pilgrimage to the fabled ‘Lee Family Farm’ in August to the site of the annual event, but let’s face it, many cannot, for a number of reasons. I do, however, suggest that if you have not been and you can in any way shape or form make it happen, you will not be disappointed. Let’s face it, the event takes a whole village of supporters to raise a Motocrosser and by the time a rider does get to an event like this there are many that cannot be there that had a part in making it possible. With this announcement, the fact that everyone that supports this event and its riders is getting something that gives them more exposure and connection to the action. Take this for example, an 85cc or Super Mini rider from the West or the East is making the trek, he tells his friends at school where and how to tune in, they do so, cheering him on feeling connected to his achievements. The positive vibe and spin-off that this broadcast will provide is immeasurable. I know it is costly but I believe it is money well spent and will pay itself forward tenfold to continue our sport’s growth. Hats off to everyone making this possible, and as if the ever evolving, out of the box thinking Trans Can was not already enticing enough, it just got even better. Pre-registration is now open at waltontranscan.ca. Even without ANQ points you can register. The race goes August 12th-16th friends, it is not too late to make your travel plans.
The Whispering Pines track in Kamloops, BC will no doubt be a tough test for the BC riders this weekend.
Many are now in the final preparation phases for the upcoming Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan that are now just 30 days away. From a race fan’s perspective, if you are anything like myself, about four months ago this could not have come soon enough. Fast forward to the now, which is truly the only stock in trade of any real value. We look to be in a good way in Canadian Motocross for 2015. In some parts of the country we are fortunate enough to be heading into our third round of action of our regional events, and across the country it looks to me like the numbers are where we want them, going up. I believe that slowly but surely most Motocross enthusiasts in our countrymen’s appetite to line up and race has come back in a big way. Time will tell but if what we saw over the course of this past winter with more Canadians making an effort to line up somewhere, it looks like the racing blood is thickening. Amateur Motocross Ontario had 500 plus entries at Moto Park last weekend, there were 335 in Raymond, Alberta, the site of this year’s WCAN, and the upcoming weekend of scheduled events looks promising.
Sand De Lee has its first race of the season this weekend, which is another ANQ, and promises to be well attended at a race track that continues to evolve to accommodate racers and their families. Johnny Grant and Kevin Tyler do an outstanding job to proactively keep things focussed forward. After speaking this week with their sophomore Canada’s Motorcycle, FXR, Yamaha’s Dylan Wright, he could barely contain his excitement to be back home in Canada and is very much looking forward to that event this weekend. I myself will once again awake at 4:00 AM Sunday morning and hope in my van to make the two hour plus trek to Whispering Pines in Kamloops to announce RD-3 of the Canadian Kawasaki CMRC South Series. I believe we will see our season’s best turnout of almost 300 entries surpassed this weekend in Kamloops. I believe our numbers our now reflecting the unity we had hoped for reuniting the CMRC body. Simply put there is just more incentive for all on many levels. More riders and their connections have committed to travel to some of the out of area races as a result. Climate in the west may be our friend but geography is not, and including everyone can be a challenge but we have made a lot of progress.
The gate will drop on the 2015 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan in exactly one month. photo by Michael Earle
This weekend’s racing action in Kamloops promises to be well supported not just because of the great job that Future West and the GKMA and their crew are doing, but to add to this is the thickening 2015 fast approaching National plot. Yes, as I mentioned earlier, we are only 30 days from gate drop of round one for all those aspiring to achieve 2015 Canadian Motocross supremacy. I am going to say that based on the numbers I have seen at the first two rounds, coupled with all the calls and messages I have fielded this week, we are in for a stellar Pro turnout. I could fill the page with names but will spare you that for now. Follow along on Sunday and I will be tweeting out results as they materialize – check me out @airmail114. I do know, however, that my friend Ryan Lockahart, who has run the table so far in this series going a perfect 6 for 6 in the 3 Moto formatted Pro Am open, will have to be on his A game to keep the streak alive. I mention Ryan as he is a savvy veteran who has helped us a lot throughout our growth in the west and his efforts to give back to the sport on many levels that often go unseen or heard deserve recognition.
When I think to the opening round of this year’s Rockstar Nationals, I cannot help but do a quick mental deduction of who, what, when, where, how many, and why? I guess that is just the racer in me who is always anticipating and ready for action. I do know whatever happens this season, the race fans will be getting their money’s worth. Last year, two of our own Canadians took home the top prizes. Yes, great for those of us with Canadian pride, for sure. This year, our current MX1 champion, Colton Facciotti, had a minor setback, which kept him off the motorcycle for a short period of time. I spoke with Colton on the phone on Thursday morning and he admitted he had to take things a little easy for a while but was now back on the motorcycle, and he is very much looking forward to the season ahead. Colton has 4 MX1 titles to his credit and stated openly that winning this year’s top prize will probably be the most challenging for him to date. He cited huge respect for the names and numbers of quality riders that we will see lined up to contest the title this season. As a race fan I am happy that 2013 MX1 champ Brett Metcalfe will be back in Canada on a Leading Edge Monster Energy Kawasaki as he will make what has become a great series even better. Brett had a great year last year filling in for Ryan Villopoto and finishing 4th in last year’s Luca Oil Motocross series south of the border. Brett will be 31-years-old this season and is not showing any signs of slowing down at all. I spoke with him this week and he plans to be in Kamloops this coming week to do some testing and then line up for the first two round of the outdoor AMA Nationals when the gate drops for those. Brett will then be lined up in Kamloops on May 31st for round one of the Rockstar Energy MX Nationals presented by Motovan, adding his classy, talented, accomplished veteran presence to the deepest MX1 field we have ever seen. It is going to be a beauty friends. I hope you can make it out to a round or two!
Wherever you strap your boots on this weekend friends, do your best to stay safe and Let’s Go Racing. Until next ‘Friday Flight’ Brent ‘Airmail’ Worrall out…………………
Can Brett Metcalfe regain the coveted #1 plate in the MX1 class?
