NORTHERN NOTES: ROCKIN’ REGINA

 

By Danny Brault
Photos by James Lissimore

We’re back to Regina. Darryl Murphy can rest easy now.

Yes folks, after a six year drought of Canadian National Motocross, Regina is back on the schedule in 2014, getting another helping this Saturday—yes SATURDAY—of the big show—plus some live rock ‘n’ roll music following the final moto. Not a bad way to celebrate a return to the nationals: an event on a Saturday AND some mainstream entertainment to draw in more (new) spectators.

Before we move along too far, I do need to give series promoter Mark Stallybrass a gentle nudge to move every  round of the Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals onto a Saturday. That’s when everyone wants to party, and then take Sunday to recuperate. Monday mornings can be rough after enjoying a few too many cold ones on a hot Sunday afternoon. Can we vote on this?

Okay, so we’re back to Regina, Moto Valley Raceway, what does that mean for the series? Looking at the results, it’s interesting, not necessarily meaningful, that only 3 of the top 10 riders in the MX1 class have raced at Regina before, and only 2 in the top 10 of MX2. Could this play as a benefit to those selected few who have ridden on Saskatchewan soil? Guessing by the way Mike Alessi and Vince Friese have ridden in the first three rounds, probably not. They’ve figured out brand new tracks quickly, setting the best lap times, winning motos and making it look like they’ve been racing in Canada all along.

Fast guys are fast guys no matter where they go, it seems. Some do struggle to get comfortable in a far off land like Canada (remember Mike Craig, Casey Johnson and Damon Huffman? Great riders but couldn’t win in Canada) but that hasn’t been the case for the two visiting Smartop MotoConcepts riders. They will enjoy the Regina track (unless it gets really dry and worn) with its elevation changes and fast, flowy layout. I’ve only been to Regina once, but I thought it looked like a good, outdoor motocross track. The only curse is the soil needs careful attention and a strong water supply, or else it gets baked and burnt (the two-strokes won’t have as much advantage here, unless they make it REALLY wet and keep it tilled ALL day).

Local hero, Swift Current SK’s Shawn Maffenbeier would love for his first win of the season come at his region’s national. He’s riding well, sitting third place in MX2 points, showing that he belongs there, but the Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha rider has tasted victory now and wants more of it. It’s a fairy tale for racers to come home and win in front of their friends and family, and I’d love to see Shawn pull it off this Saturday.

The only other MX2 rider to have ridden Moto Valley is Jeremy Medaglia, who, like Maffenbeier, is getting anxious for a win as we approach the halfway mark of the series. Still acclimating himself to his Monster Energy Leading Edge Kawasaki, Medaglia has been on the podium, but also out of the top 5 twice. He’s 7th overall in points, but is only 9 points away from third.

In MX1, we have Colton Facciotti, Tyler Medaglia and Teddy Maier who have raced in Regina. Again, considering the handiwork of Mike Alessi thus far, especially in Calgary last Sunday, it’s hard to say these three really have an advantage over Mike or Josh Hill for that matter.

Thinking of the depth of talent we have in the series this year, it was quite similar the last time we were in Regina for a national, which was 2008. Back then, both classes also featured lots of big names and talent. In MX1, we had Colton Facciotti, Dusty Klatt, Jeff Gibson, Blair Morgan, Tyler Medaglia, Simon Homans, Jeff Northrop, Marco Dube, Mitch Cooke, and more. It was Facciotti who ruled that day, followed by Dusty Klatt and some paint swapping duals between Tyler Medaglia and Northrop, and then Medaglia and Morgan.

In MX2, we saw Kyle Beaton trying to hold back temporary visitor, Tucker Hibbert, who came up on his Monster Energy Yamaha and stole glory from the full timers. Behind them there was Eric Nye, Mason Phillips and Ryan Lockhart on KTMs, Teddy Maier, Jeremy Medaglia, Brock Hoyer, Nick Evennou, Aron Harvey, and South African Kerim Fitzgerald.

As we mention Tucker Hibbert, the Minnesota native is confirmed to be racing in Regina this weekend, this time in the MX1 class. It’s the first time Hibbert has raced a 450 in Canada, and after Regina, he will continue doing so at three of the AMA Nationals. Hibbert’s appearance could throw a wrench into the points, depending on how things pan out. Hard to predict where he will fit in, but hopefully it adds to the already dramatic racing we’ve seen so far.

Back in 2008, it was Tyler Medaglia getting aggressive with Northrop and Morgan in MX1; in 2014, we have Tyler’s younger brother Jeremy getting into some heated discussions with Vince Friese in the MX2 class. As a fan it’s good to see a little healthy hate between competitors. I’m not saying these two hate each other, but there’s something developing … it should be like the old days, where guys aren’t really buddy-buddy so much and really gut it out for wins.

Nope, things haven’t changed much since the Canadian Nationals last visited Regina. We have two stacked classes, a little drama to spice things up and Tucker Hibbert is joining in on the reunion. Thinking of guys sneaking in a race or two, we’ve heard from KTM Canada’s Race Manager, Andy White, that Tyler Villopoto is going to race Sand Del Lee on July 20th, and then the two Quebec rounds in Deschambault and Ulverton. A KTM? Nope – Husky! This could be good. Villopoto won a moto at Deschambault last summer, and will look so good whipping it up and scrubbing his butt off on a 250 two-stroke. Good call, H’Andy!

Have a good weekend, eh!