MXP top 20 – #19 Ryan Lockhart

In Canada, there is perhaps no rider more popular within the motocross industry and with race fans than the man simply nicknamed the “Newf”.

In week 2, we have a rider whose career comeback credits the coin phrase “New(f) beginnings” and sits 19th in MXP Rankings, Ryan Lockhart.

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Some old school Newf from the Destoyer Film boys.

Lockhart has been through it all. At the very beginning he was a 15 year old Pro prodigy touring the country. Throughout his career he lived through some wild teenager years, raced a few AMA Supercross events, worked as a mechanic and a team manager, has won a National moto, raced as a privateer and a factory rider, he was a truck driver, man friend, industry rep, Arenacross champion, voice of insanity and voice of reason, and finally in 2012 a top Pro rider…again.

It is the focus on the 2012 season that brings Ryan “Newf” Lockhart into the top 20 Canadians. It was a season of racing that started out much differently than anyone, most of all Ryan, would have expected. Lockhart started off the New Year racing the Future West Arenacross Series in BC. For the past few seasons Lockhart spent his winters in the west coast barns, working through the week and racing on the weekend. In the most competitive indoor series in Canada, Newf earned second overall in the championship behind BC’s Brock Hoyer.

His attention turned from racing to long time friend Kyle Keast and his new role as Keast’s mechanic. The two, Keast and Lockhart, would be fixtures at Southwestern Ontario tracks while preparing for the 2012 championship run and what both hoped would be a big year. Unfortunately at the second round, Keast and Lockhart’s season dream ended in an ugly crash at the Kamloops National. A broken femur meant the season was over for Keast. In typical Ryan Lockhart lore over beers, Lockhart decided to get on the bike, ride the east coast rounds and keep the dream alive. It was as inspiring of an idea as it was crazy.

 

At the first National, Lockhart raced the tortuous Gopher Dunes event. MX1 Moto one, Lockhart rounded lap one in…second place in a talented MX1 field. Reality crept in and Lockhart ended the moto in 18^th. Regardless, the early laps of glory were another great chapter in his story. The second moto be better. Lockhart rounded corner one in first and led the very best riders in Canada (Goerke this day was one of the elite in the world in the sand). He battled through the sand, heat and fatigue and finished an impressive 18-14.

 

A bit more training and testing rewarded him with a 10^th OA at Sand Del Lee, which was a good way to lead into the final chapter of summer racing. Lockhart lined up at the Walton TransCan in the Youth and +25 classes that were also filled with top pro riders. He dominated. He beat notable riders like Iain Hayden, Ryan Gauld, Davey Fraser and Josh Woods handily. Lockhart seized a moment in his racing career, which in the past he had been criticized for not doing, and won both championships. He carried that momentum into Sunday where he would be a top 10 fixture in motos and finish an impressive 11th overall after a long week of racing.

 

 

 

The summer of Newf has led him back out west where he is currently working for Atlas Brace and riding for Cycle North Kawasaki in the Future West Arenacross, again battling for an Arenacross Championship. It’s been a full circle of racing, working, laughs and more new beginnings for Ryan Lockhart. For these reasons and more, and the pureunpredictability that he will show up at a National, Ryan Lockhart is number 19 on the MXP rankings.