MXP: Unfortunately, it was announced this week that GDR Honda rider Dylan Rempel injured his wrist while training for SX at the MTF track in Georgia. What are your thoughts on this, and do you see it affecting his off-season?
CP: I think you just used a key phrase there, and that is “off-season.” Up until this point, Rempel has really had no off-season, and with his future plans to go to Chilliwack and Brazil, he wasn’t really going to have one. As much as they’re a part of this sport, crashes and injuries are obviously never a good thing for any rider. However, I feel like this could be a blessing in disguise for Rempel, as this now gives him some forced time off. It doesn’t sound like the injury is too serious, so he’ll most likely be back on the bike before Christmas. As relaxed and carefree as this kid is, with the Triple Crown Series, the SMX Next events, the MXoN, and a few other events in between, he’s been non-stop for a long time. I don’t care how focused, talented, and determined you are, at the end of each season, you need to shut things down and reset. Your brain needs it, your body needs it, and every part of your program needs it if you want sustained success as a pro athlete. Don’t worry though; I feel like once this setback is over, Rempel will be better than ever, and I look for 2027 to be even better than 2026.
MXP: During the past few weeks, we’ve witnessed several Canadian riders racing SX on the world stage. Next weekend, Cole Thompson will also be lining up at the iconic Paris Supercross. You’ve raced several overseas SX events in your career, what is it like to fly to another country and race a strange bike against riders that you’ve probably never raced before?
CP: I think the last overseas race I did was in Bermuda in 2007, so it has been a while. But in the 1990s, I did race several German SX events, as well as one in Mexico, and they were all really fun. I’m sure it’s a lot different now as far as having things organized before you fly to wherever the race is. In my day, you sometimes didn’t really know what was going on until you arrived at the race. Obviously, you knew where you were going and that you had a bike and team waiting for you, but unless you were one of the top riders, there were a lot of unknowns. The first time I went to Germany in 1996, all I knew was the name of the hotel where I was staying and that I would meet JSR and Jean-Guy Rollin there. I flew from Toronto to Frankfurt with my giant gear bag. Once I landed in Frankfurt, I dragged my bag (there were no wheels on bags in those days) through the terminal to catch a train to the main station in downtown Frankfurt. From there, I boarded another train for the three-hour trip to Leipzig and took a taxi to the hotel, only to find out that JSR and JGR hadn’t checked in yet. With no cell phones, I had no way of knowing where they were or where the arena was. So, I went for a long walk around the city and took in the sights. Anyway, the next morning JSR knocked on my hotel door, and from there we made our way to the arena (they call them Messes in Germany), where I was introduced to my team and found out that I’d be racing a Yamaha (even though I rode Hondas back home). Thankfully, the event was three nights, as I needed two days of racing to get used to my new Yamaha. Overall, it was a very tiring weekend, but also a lot of fun. I feel like Cole Thompson has it all figured out, but my advice for any rider heading overseas is to try and enjoy the process and everything that comes with travelling the globe. It really is an honour to get invited to any overseas event. Good luck to Preston Masciangelo this weekend in Perth, and best of luck to Cole Thompson in Paris next weekend!
MXP: This past summer, we witnessed a very entertaining Triple Crown Series. In your opinion, what was the best National round of the summer?
CP: Great question! The Triple Crown Series certainly made some big strides this summer with organization and all of the tracks coming together to make things better. The improvements didn’t go unnoticed by the teams and riders, and when everyone is happy, the racing on the tracks usually reflects that. Without giving it a lot of thought (I’ll save my entire answer for my Golden Elbow Awards story next month), it’s hard to pick which National was the best in 2026. I mean, each one had elements that would go towards being chosen as the National of the Year. I think I can say, though, that the Moto of the Year was the second 450 moto at Round 2 in Manitoba. For over 20 minutes in that race, there were four or five riders all battling for the lead. Sebastien Racine was the early leader, but Dylan Wright, Harri Kullas, and Tanner Ward were all right there for most of the race. It was very entertaining, and the Pilot Mound track was also set up well for this type of battle.
