Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
MXP: Hey Newf! First, we heard that your son Meston was accepted into the Arlington round of the KTMJRSX program on February 25th. That is great news and I’m assuming the entire Lockhart family will be heading to Big D?
RL: We are very excited about this opportunity. It’s a once in a lifetime chance for these 7-8-year-old kids to experience being treated like a factory rider racing in front of 40-plus thousand people. With Meston, it was either get picked this year or else he wouldn’t have had the chance next year since he is a tall 7-year-old and most likely won’t be on a 50cc next year. I hope he enjoys the experience and remembers it for a long time. It’s just the three of us heading to Arlington as our youngest Bowen would be completely out of control at a supercross (laughs).
Anaheim 1 is now in the books. The 250SX West main event wasn’t that exciting but the 450SX main event was the complete opposite. Multiple riders had the chance to win, but in the end, it was the Champ, Eli Tomac on his new 2023 YZ450F. What did you think of Tomac’s performance, and are the rest of the riders in the 450SX class already in trouble?
You’re right; the 250SX West class was a bit underwhelming as the Jett got the Holeshot and just put his laps in. The 450 was one for the record books though. It almost reminded me of the 2002 Pontiac SX, as there were so many lead changes. There was one point of the main where it seemed like no one wanted to win. Tomac was an absolute beast and looked even better than last year, and the amount of confidence that must have given him after crashing and still being able to reel those guys in is crazy. I felt bad for Malcolm Stewart as he was riding really well, but that mistake was ugly. Sexton had more speed but looked tired, and Kenny on the kickstart bike was solid and will get better. Overall it was a great race, but with all the weirdo things that happen and come along with A1, I think San Diego will give us a better indication of where everyone is.
The word came down on Wednesday that the Oakland SX is being postponed until February 18th. What do you think about this unprecedented decision? I raced the 1998 Tampa SX, and it was horrible as it rained all day long, and the track was almost unrideable so I really dislike muddy SX races. What is the muddiest SX you have ever raced?
It was the right decision. If anyone has watched the news, it’s a natural disaster in Northern California right now, and it would have been a mess even if they could have built a hybrid track. The rescheduling of the event is going to be tough as it will have them going from Texas back to Oakland and then to Florida. Poor privateers! I feel that with the amount of rain they got and what is coming on Friday and Saturday, the track would be unrideable.
2006 San Francisco was crazy. It was so tough to make it around and it was raining so hard in the night show. That year I was doing the SX series out of the back of my pick-up truck, and I didn’t have a pressure washer or any water to wash my bike. In between races, I was cleaning my bike by splashing water on it from a nearby puddle. It was miserable, but I do remember only missing the main by a few spots, so I guess it wasn’t all bad.
