Honda Canada Racing Presents The Monday Gate Drop

Good day and welcome to another edition of the Honda Canada Racing Monday Gate Drop. I can’t believe this is the final column of my favourite month of the year. Maybe it’s just me but May feels like it has flown by, and before we know it, we’ll be into the heat of summer. Anyway, I hope you’re enjoying spring so far and I hope it stops raining soon!!

So not only is this the final week of May, but it’s also one of, if not the most exciting weeks of the year in Canadian motocross. As of today, we are down to just five sleeps until the opening round of the 2019 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown MXTour Series in beautiful Calgary, AB. I fly out to Calgary on Thursday morning so I can hang out with my brother for a day before heading to the Wild Rose MX Track on Friday afternoon. I’m sure everyone reading this has either been to this unique track in the heart of Calgary or at the very least you’ve seen photos of it with downtown in the background. It really is an amazing facility and one that every outdoor series on the planet would love to have. With the host hotel, Hotel Blackfoot, just a two-minute drive away, this really is the perfect venue to hold the opening round of the MXTour Series. This weekend kicks off on Friday evening with an open house at the new Blackfoot Motosports store, which I’m sure will be very well attended by everyone in the industry. Then, after a good night’s sleep, we wake up and head to the track for Round 1 of this exciting series.

While this week is an exciting time for media personnel and fans alike, for the riders the final few days before the gate drops on Round 1 can be difficult on the nerves. I never did enjoy the final week before the opening round of the nationals simply because the sun couldn’t rise and set fast enough to bring in the next day. Every rider just wants opening day to arrive, and just like Christmas Day or your birthday, when you’re waiting for a day to come it can feel like forever. Also, regardless of whether you’re a rookie rider or an experienced rider, I think there’s always that little bit of insecurity in the back of a rider’s mind as they question if they’re really ready. Of course, with the first moto of the MXTour just days away, the answer to that question is that at this point you’re as ready as you’re going to be. All of the hard work is done now. The long training motos, the gym work, the exhausting bicycle rides and/or runs are complete; now it’s time to go racing. Some riders handle the anticipation better than others, but every single rider can’t wait for Saturday. On the bright side, for our national series riders, this week is most likely the best they’re going to feel for a few months.

The Champ and his GDR Fox Honda look ready to defend their 2018 MXTour 450 Title. Photo by James Lissimore

Last year at Round 1 in Calgary, we saw eventual MXTour Champions Jess Pettis and Colton Facciotti dominate their respective classes. From there they both managed their series better than anyone else and that is why they held the #1 plates on the podium at Walton Raceway. Will these two be able to repeat in 2019? I think as defending champs you have to give Pettis and Facciotti the nod as title favourites heading into this summer. They both have the speed, the fitness, and the machinery to once again get the job done. There is some uncertainty surrounding Jess Pettis and his overall health heading into Calgary, but until we hear otherwise, we have to assume that he’s ready to race. For Facciotti, the memories of his glorious summer last year came to a crashing halt in Quebec City in November so his season definitely didn’t end the way he or his team wanted. There was speculation during the MXTour last summer that 2018 might be his final year of pro racing. I think many people figured that his crash and subsequent injuries in Quebec City further cemented his decision to retire last year. However, all it has appeared to do was deepen his resolve and motivate him ever more to race again in 2019. So, there you have it, two champions looking to repeat in the 250 and 450 classes this summer and it all kicks off this weekend.

You just have to love the opening round at Wild Rose MX Park. Photo by James Lissimore

With so many questions regarding who is going to win this summer, I think the only answer we can agree upon right now is that the battle for the top spot on the podium each weekend is going to be even more intense than last year. Heading into Calgary this weekend every rider is ready to go, and with only eight rounds in the 2019 MXTour, the margin for error is less than it’s been for years. A bad moto early in the series could pretty much sink a rider’s chance at a title as there won’t be enough races to recover. There are also riders like Tyler Medaglia who have changed classes for 2019, so that’s an interesting storyline. His new teammate, Matt Goerke, appears to be really enjoying the change to Team Green so look for him to want to get off to a fast start. Dylan Wright is fresh off his first ever pro title in the AXTour so you know he’s more confident than ever. Don’t forget that last summer Dylan scored the most points in the 250 class from Sand Del Lee on, so if it wasn’t for his multiple DNF’s in the western rounds he most certainly would’ve been closer to Pettis in the final point standings. Finally, Cole Thompson appears more motivated than ever to win his first outdoor 450 title in 2019. His preparation has been better, he’s more comfortable with his bike and his outdoor settings, and I think he’s feels like it’s his time to shine. As we’ve seen in the past, though, these coveted outdoor titles don’t always go to the fastest rider or the best prepared rider. They go to the rider who at certain times in the series can simply suffer better than the rest. We saw it last year when both Pettis and Facciotti had days where I’m sure they wished they didn’t have to race, but they suffered through it and made the most of that day. Keep this in mind; regardless of how fit these riders are, the final laps of a tough outdoor moto are always miserable. If you don’t believe me just head to the podium after each moto (especially Moto 2) and see how exhausted they look. These riders leave it all on the track each and every weekend and I cannot wait to watch them again this summer.

Cole Thompson is one of the riders in the 450 class who will be looking to draw first blood this weekend in Calgary. Photo by James Lissimore

Well, that is it for me this week. Obviously, this is a busy week at the MXP HQ, so please stay tuned for a ton of pre-Calgary coverage. Also, this past weekend we saw Kawasaki riders Eli Tomac and Adam Cianciarulo take the wins at Fox Raceway in California. Both riders appeared to be on another level at Round 2 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships. After two rounds on the west coast, that series begins to move east with Round 3 this Saturday in Colorado. Finally, Happy Memorial Day to all of our friends in the USA! I hope everyone has a great week and thank-you for reading. See you at the races!