Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
MXP: Hey Newf! Looks like the AMO Racing AX events in Chilliwack are shaping up nicely, as yesterday, the pro purse and hotel info were announced. Obviously, some things will be different with AMO Racing coming in to run it, but will items like the track builder and indoor paddock all remain the same?
RL: Yes, you are right; things are shaping up great. Most aspects will remain the same with indoor pitting and a badass track. We will have Kyle Beaton back building the track this year, which is always a bonus for the racers. The Beer Garden is back for 2023, and we’re going to a triple crown style format for the pros and a few other cool ideas. We are all excited, and things are moving really fast. All amateur and pro info is released, and you can find that on AMO social media or http://amoracing.com/
MXP: Last weekend, the Triple Crown Series resumed in Medicine Hat, and once again, Mitchell Harrison won both main events. Harrison was good, but how impressed were you with the speed of Julien Benek and young Blake Davies?
RL: I will start with Julian. He really rebounded from what was a lackluster Gopher Dunes SX. From what I have seen and have been told, Gopher was a bit of an eye-opener for him, and he needed to get his crap together. He has a crazy amount of talent, but at the end of the day, he just needs to work harder. From looking at his Social Media, he has been training hard, which will lead to confidence, which is what we saw last weekend. He rode with confidence, and with better starts, he could have got a main event win. Blake was super impressive as well. There is no question that growing up in the barn of Chilliwack has helped him with his indoor skills, and it was great to see the kid get a podium. I would bet he will be even better in Calgary, knowing that he can compete with those top guys, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him back on the podium before the series ends.
MXP: This week, Chase Sexton released a video of his first couple of rides on his new Red Bull Factory KTM. We know it’s hard to tell from a video, but does he look better than he did on his HRC Honda?
RL: Anytime Chase rides, he looks good! He has such a great style, but yes, he does look really good with the big number 4 on the KTM. It will be interesting to see how the switch relates to racing once the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Series begins. It was public knowledge that he wasn’t always comfortable on the Honda, so we will see if the KTM suits his riding style better. He did win the 450SX Championship this year, so let’s see if he’s even better on the KTM.
