MXP: Hey Newf! It looks like you took a well-deserved vacation last week. The week was also your lovely wife Randi’s birthday, so Happy Birthday to her. How was your vacation, and were you able to forget about Moto and unplug for a week?
RL: Some people may think well-deserved might be a bit much, but what I can tell you is it was a nice break and a good chance to spend 5 days with my wife Randi. Everyone needs that once in a while. It was a good trip and to get to stand next to my good buddy Bruce who got married down there was a lot of fun. I wasn’t completely unplugged as it’s coming into the busy season for Matrix and Atlas plus GDR team stuff is in full swing. There were lots of emails and phone calls still to be had but it seems to go smoother when you have a Margarita in your hand (laughs).
MXP: A lot has happened in the past week in Canadian motocross. On Friday, the 2025 Triple Crown Series Schedule was released. What are your thoughts on the eight-round schedule?
RL: I think we are all just happy to see it on paper, even though we all speculated on what it was going to be. I really like these stages and I’m excited to get some more information on it. Ste. Julie is back which I also like as it usually sets up to be a good round, and having two in Quebec is never a bad thing. All of the BC riders are upset about no BC round, but that decision is easy to understand. There is nowhere to go. Whispering Pines is done, Nanaimo is too expensive to get to, Popkum is a no-go, and it’s just too much work for the small club in Prince George. There is a new 180-acre facility that is being built just outside of Kamloops that is going to be ready to start riding at in late May, and will be National ready in 2026. This is good news not only nationally but locally as well.
MXP: Last weekend was the Arlington SX and the second Triple Crown event of 2025. Once again, Chase Sexton probably should have won but didn’t. Heading into Daytona this weekend, is Chase still the favourite to win the title, or has Cooper Webb taken over that honour?
RL: I think we were all left a little speechless after what happened in that final race with Chase. What he did by throwing it away was dumb, but when you are in that situation there are a lot of thoughts running through your head. Chase is still and has been the fastest rider and these next few rounds will be so important for him to click off some wins. If Sexton lets Webb get 12 to 15 points up heading into the final five or six rounds, he’s going to be in trouble.
