Honda Canada Racing Presents the Monday Gate Drop

Good day and welcome to what will be the final Honda Canada Racing Monday Gate Drop of 2017. With next Monday being Christmas Day and the following Monday being January 1st, we soon will be saying goodbye to yet another year. Honda Canada Racing has had a very successful year as they not only released their all-new 2018 CRF250R, but they also found themselves in the winner’s circle as both Colton Facciotti and Dylan Wright won motos in 2017. We want to congratulate Honda Canada Racing, and we would like to thank them for all of their support during this past year.

Yes, it’s been quite a year in our sport as we’ve had some incredible highs, but also some lows. Right from the moment the first gate dropped back at Anaheim 1, we saw some very exciting racing both in SX as well as in outdoor motocross. The 2017 Monster Energy Supercross Series was filled with excitement as the championship fight came right down to the final lap of the final main event in Las Vegas. Once the SX series wrapped up, we got right into the outdoor series and all eyes were focused on the opening rounds of the 2017 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. All ten rounds of that series were off the charts, and in the end we saw Shawn Maffenbeier win his very first National Championship and Matt Goerke win his third title in Canada. It was an amazing year of racing both in the pro ranks, as well as in the amateur ranks. There was also a lot of excitement off the track in Canadian motocross in 2017, moments that we will never forget. For this final Monday Gate Drop of the year here a few of my big news stories of 2017.

Ken Roczen:

I don’t think anyone will ever forget Ken Roczen’s crash and his subsequent back injury at Anaheim 2. From the moment he got kicked and was flying through the cool, nighttime California air, I remember thinking that this was going to be really bad. Even with the seriousness of his arm injury, I still think he got lucky as it could’ve been much worse. In those weeks and months after his crash, I thought there was no way that he was ever going to return to racing. However, here we are just a few weeks away from Anaheim 1 and Ken Roczen is not only riding but he looks like he’s ready to win again. Even if he never wins another race, this is still the greatest comeback we have ever seen in sport and I’m sure everyone will be cheering him on.

Ryan Dungey:

There is no doubt that as we head into the 2018 race season without Ryan Dungey on the starting line, there will most certainly be a huge void in our sport. Over the years, Dungey had become such a great champion and such a positive influence on our young riders. Not only has been a winning machine on the track, but off the track he’s been the consummate professional and he will not be easy to replace. The fact that he announced his retirement from this sport at such an early age definitely speaks volumes about how difficult this sport is. The racing, the training, the travel, and the risk involved every time a rider throws their leg over a bike wears on a pro rider quickly. Dungey had simply had enough of the grind and he will be missed.

Nicky Hayden:

I remember being in Austria in May when I first heard about Nicky Hayden’s bicycle accident. I was on a bus headed to Erzberg to ride the new fuel-injected KTM when one of my fellow journalists asked everyone if they had heard about Nicky Hayden’s crash? As the days went on, it became clear that Nicky probably wasn’t going to survive and that this was going to be one of the great tragedies in sport. I had never met Nicky, but in talking to people who had, everyone said what a great champion he was, and more importantly what a genuine person he was. I think his accident really hit home with everyone in our sport who uses a bicycle as a training tool. As my Grade 6 teacher once said, you never argue with a car because the car will always win. She was talking about kids walking to school, but it’s the same when it comes to bicycles. Nicky Hayden was a champion, a cherished family man, and a true two-wheel hero. He will be missed for a long, long time.

Shawn Maffenbeier:

Entering the 2017 MX2 Series, Shawn Maffenbeier was one of the riders who everyone thought would surely win some races, but I’m not sure how many thought he would win the 2017 MX2 title? After all, he had a few opportunities in the past and had come up short, and he was up against the defending champion from the previous year in Cole Thompson. However, from the moment the gate dropped in Kamloops, we saw a different Shawn Maffenbeier. Not only was he his normal prepared self, but he was also the fastest rider on the track. As the 2017 MX2 series progressed, Shawn left little doubt that he was the rider to beat. Even with a few hiccups along the way, Maffenbeier was able to secure his first ever Canadian National outdoor title during the final race of the year. It’s going to be awesome seeing Shawn in 2018 with the big #1 on his bike. If all of the rumours are true, he will most likely be riding green next year in the new Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series. Regardless of what brand he rides, Maffenbeier deserves all of the success that he gets.

Walton TransCan:

If you had told me back in the early part of this year that there would be no Walton TransCan in 2017, I probably would’ve thought that you were crazy. However, as the early part of the summer came and went with very little news from the boys at Walton Raceway, people began to wonder what was going on. Then, when long time sponsor of the TransCan Parts Canada announced in July that they would no longer be the title supporter of the event, the sad reality began to set in. For the first time in almost three decades there would be no reason for families from across Canada to travel to Walton, ON in August. With a year off to regroup, it appears that the TransCan will be back in 2018 with hopefully a renewed vigor and long-term goals. Maybe a year off is exactly what this event needed to regain the traction it was losing. With travel becoming so expensive for families, and a few other big events to chose from throughout the summer, the TransCan was becoming a tough sell with riders from the west coast. With the pro national series also returning to Walton Raceway in 2018, the TransCan should be able to once again solidify itself as the place where both Canadian amateur and pro champions are crowned.

Jetwerx:

This was another unbelievable story that began back in the early part of the year. One of those stories that seemed possible on paper but not really possible in reality. With a well funded, popular outdoor national series already in place, how could there be any support for another? But, as the summer went on, Justin Thompson was busy getting all of his ducks in a row. Then as soon as the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals concluded in August, Justin dropped the bomb that will now reshape Canadian motocross into 2018 and beyond. Now, as the new year approaches and the sale of the CMRC is now complete, it’s time to get excited about the new MRC Racing Association and the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series. However, before we turn the calendar to 2018 and the next chapter begins, let’s first look back and say thank-you to Mark Stallybrass and the CMRC for having the vision and courage to take over motocross in Canada as it lay dying on the table in 1992. Here’s to the past and here’s to the future, both are to be celebrated next year. It all kicks off on February 24th in Abbotsford, BC.

Well, that is it for me this week, and as I said, for this year. I hope that everyone has a great holiday season and I hope that the new year finds you healthy and happy. Whether you’re heading down south to ride or vacation, or you’re just hanging around home with family and friends, all the best and thank-you for reading my Honda Canada Racing Monday Gate Drops in 2017. It’s been a pleasure composing them. See you next year!!