With this week consisting of the final few days of 2025, it’s supposed to be a week of both reflection and celebration. A time to not only look back at the past year, but also to look ahead to next year and what exciting possibilities 2026 will bring. Unfortunately, this week has began with some tragic news as both Brad Lockhart, and Jason Frenette have passed away. Now, I’m not going to go into the cause of death for either gentleman, however, I can say that their deaths were both sudden and unexpected. So, as we get ready to say good-bye to yet another year, I’d like to take a moment to honour Brad and Jason.
The first time I met Brad Lockhart was back in 2000 when his older Brother Ryan “Newf” Lockhart and I were both riding for the Two Wheel Kawasaki Team. With the CMRC Nationals beginning out West at the Wastelands MX Park in Nanaimo, BC, and Newf still being at the young age where he needed some Family support at the races, Brad (who was just a little kid at the time) and his parents also made the trek out to the opening rounds of the series. That year the Two Wheel Kawasaki Team was quite large with six riders under the tent. However, despite the number of riders, and different personalities, we all got along well, and the team was quite close. Obviously, with Brad being a little kid at the time, we could always count of him to make us laugh by either saying, or doing a lot of funny kid things. Just like his older brother Newf, Brad loved being at the races, and as he transitioned through his teenage years and into adulthood, the love for being at the race track continued, I believe it was his happy place. Even in 2024, when Brad was the truck driver for the GDR Honda Team, whenever I saw him at the races, he had a smile on his face. Whether he was helping set up the tent, taking the teams support cart down to the starting line, or grilling up something on the BBQ, Brad looked happy and content with where he was in his life. Unfortunately, that sense of well-being didn’t last, and here we are reflecting on the life that was for Brad Lockhart. I know he had some life struggles that made the people closest to him both mad and sad all at the same time, but all I can judge him is for is the way he treated not only me, but also my family. Every time he saw us at the track he was quick to say hello, gave hugs to my wife, chatted with my son Ayrton about his racing and treated us all with kindness and respect. I’m going to miss seeing Brad at the track, and I’d like to finish this tribute to him by wishing the entire Lockhart Family the best during this difficult time. Rest easy Brad, and I hope you’ve finally found the peace you’ve been searching for.
Last night, as I was sitting in the dark with the power out at our home, I received a text from Cal Nowicki letting me know that Jason Frenette had passed away suddenly. Ironically, after not seeing Jason for years, I had just run into him briefly at the WSX event in Vancouver last month. He hadn’t changed a bit from what I remembered and it was good to hear that he was back riding, and actually had his good buddy Sean “Chief” Endzerza build him a track recently at his home in Red Deer. After reading Cal’s sad text, I immediately began thinking about some of the great memories I have of Jason, and also how fleeting life is. One moment, we’re here and everything appears fine, and the next moment life can change and we’re not here anymore. Now, I’m not completely clear on what life was like for Jason in the years since he retired from pro-racing, but I do know that during the 1990s he lived life to the fullest, and never wavered from his pursuit of excellence in MX/SX. I admired his determination both on the track, as well as off the track, and I always enjoyed sharing a laugh with him whenever our paths would cross.
The first encounter with Jason and his Mom Connie, was on a scorching hot day in Manitoba at the 1987 80cc and Junior Class Amateur Nationals. At the time, I was considering the fasted 80cc rider in the East, and Jason was the kid to beat in the West. With Manitoba being the middle of the Country, it was only fitting that our showdown for 80cc Class supremacy was taking place there. East vs West in a one day, two moto format. As I mentioned, before this race, I had never met Jason, and with no Social Media or even normal Media back then, I didn’t know anything about him until my Family and I showed up at the track in Manitoba. Even during Saturday’s qualifying races, we didn’t get introduced to each other, as he won the first qualifying race, and I won the second race. However, once the gate dropped for the opening moto on Sunday, we would get to know each other quickly as we battled hard from start to finish. We passed each other a few times during the 20 minute moto before I was able to make one late final pass to take the win. After some recovery, we were back at it in moto two, battling for the lead during the opening laps. At about the halfway point of the race I had a five second lead, and I think for a brief moment Jason had slowed down his pursuit of the moto win. However, a small lapse of concentration on my part caused me to wash the front end in a corner, breaking my clutch lever completely off, and handing the lead back to Jason. After remounting and going into full panic mode, I probably put in some of the fastest and most creative laps of my life, and not only reeled Jason back in, but also passed him back with three laps to go. I don’t even know how I pulled those laps off with no clutch lever on my KX80, but I did, and for years after, Jason would tell me that he didn’t know how I did it either. Unfortunately for me, I would crash again on the final lap when I looped out in a set of whoops, giving Jason the moto win and the overall win, as well as the Canadian 80cc Class Championship. It was complete stupidity on my part, however, in the big picture, a lifelong friendship with Jason was born out of respect that can only come out of a battle like the one we had that day.
Fast forward to the mid-90s when Ocala, FL was the place to go to train during the winter months. At the time, I was training for the Canadian Nationals, while Jason was following the USA SX Series as a true privateer. Jason had a painted panel van which I used to jokingly call his “Boogie Van”, and we would always end up riding at the same practice tracks in and around Ocala. He was so determined to make it in the USA, and because of those dreams, Jason didn’t race too many Canadian Nationals during the 1990s. In fact, the only race I remember him coming to in those years was the Montreal SX, as well as several SX events in Germany. Even though we didn’t see each other a lot, whenever we did run into each other we conversed like old buddies. It’s hard to believe that so much time has now passed since those fun times training in Florida, and it’s even harder to believe that Jason Frenette is no longer with us. I want to send his Mom Connie my deepest condolences during this difficult time. RIP Jay, you were a true moto warrior, and it was an honour to line up with you.
