MXP: Hey Newf! It sounds as though the Pro Class lineup is now set for the opening weekend of the 2026 West Coast AX Championships. We’re going to put you on the spot now: who do you think is the favourite to win out of this talented field of riders?
RL: We really do have a good crop of guys this year, and I think we are going to see some close racing. Anytime you’re racing indoors, the start is crucial, but in the big red barn there is room to pass, so it should be good. To be honest, I think we will see multiple winners. The guys who are coming and have committed to race are all very close in speed, in my opinion. Amyotte, Gibbs, Rempel, Leitzel, Freehill, Davies, Brandon Ray, come on, toss their names in a hat and see who you pull out. Not one of those riders will dominate, but I think you have to favour Brandon Ray, as he is really good at these types of races and has a lot of experience.
MXP: This is now year two of you and Kyle Beaton running the show in Chilliwack. Has the process been easier this year compared to last?
RL: I wouldn’t say easier, purely because there are so many moving parts from start to finish, but I will say it has been smoother. We had a lot more time to get things organized this year compared to last year, as we got a much later start on things in 2025. It’s been good, though; we have a lot of sponsors and supporters giving us 100% backing, along with my wife, Randi, who has been helping in many different areas. None of the workload is hard; it just takes time and energy alongside everything else Kyle and I have going on. It’s important to remember this isn’t our full-time job, so a lot of time management goes into it. We are in a good spot and just counting down the days.
MXP: We were looking at some old photos this week, and one of them was of Sean Hamblin. In 2000, Sean came up from the U.S. and ended up winning the 125 West Championship on a Blackfoot Honda. Then, a month later, he switched over to the Two-Wheel Kawasaki Team for the East/West shootout round at Walton Raceway. The following year, he won a 250 moto in Riverglade before heading back to the U.S. to eventually become a Factory Suzuki rider. You knew Sean quite well, so can you give us your best Sean Hamblin story?
RL: I don’t really have one particular story about Sean, but he and I do have quite a bit of history. We became pretty good friends in 2001 when he was up here for Two-Wheel, to the point that in 2004, 2005, and 2006, I would spend winters in California staying at his place, and I was even in his wedding. Sean was awesome to me, without a doubt. After I got hurt in the winter of 2009, he hired me to be his mechanic that summer when he was on the Valley Yamaha team for AMA outdoors. He gave me a lot of opportunities, but unfortunately, after that summer things kind of went south, and we haven’t really spoken much since. It’s crazy that it was that long ago. I did run into him maybe five or six years ago when the family and I were in California over Christmas doing some riding, but it wasn’t the same. I hope he’s doing well, and I would love to catch up with him someday.
