Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
The Legends of Canadian Motocross project is aimed at preserving the history of Canadian Motocross and all of those whose contributions have become legendary. It is as much an educational tool as it is a resource and cornerstone to the legacy of Motocross in Canada. The funds raised will help young promising riders fulfill their dreams of competing on the international stage.
This website provides a wealth of information to the industry and to the general public including a ‘Members Only’ secure area where special benefits of association are available. Learn more about becoming a member of this great project and find out what benefits may come your way at www.locmx.com A mobile display will be available to attend at upcoming events throughout the 2015 race season and will act as a place for Legends to meet race fans, interact and share memorable stories of our rich vibrant history in Canadian Motocross.
Once again friends welcome aboard the highly anticipated ‘Friday Flight’ into the weekend. I cannot believe how quickly the past week has flown by, I guess across the country we’ve officially entered the home stretch of winter with springing our clocks ahead and will be collectively happy to put winter behind us for another year. I know many of the who’s who in our sport at the top level as well as the up and coming have already been hard at work spinning laps and lining up at various events across the continent for a while now. An absolute must to cope not only with the passionate itch, but to stay competitive in a game where resting on ones laurels is not an option if you want to compete, let alone win.
Brent Worrall gives a couple of Walton fans a tour of the Legends Of Canadian Motocross tent last year.
I guess with so much going on in the moto world this past weekend (coupled with losing an hour to the good) it has been a busy week for most. I was super pumped to be focused on the progress on the Daytona Supercross happenings and even though there were no real big surprises on the score sheet, the racing was excellent. I guess there are always a couple of concerns with the evolution of this event, one of course being the weather and the other being the length of the track. There are time constraints with the network commitments that factor into how long the lap times on the biggest race surface of the year actually are at Daytona. The race took place on a great race track with the deepest gnarliest ruts the series has yet to see and it was comforting to know that the North Atlantic would surface before concrete would. Ryan Dungey is doing his best imitation of his boss ‘The Man’ Roger DeCoster and at the rate he’s going to have this series wrapped up sooner rather than later. The usual cast of usual suspects are doing there hot cold thing and Dungey seems to be the only one holding the ‘Trump Card’ of consistency. I will admit that even though it looks like Ryan will win the title, the possibility of the unspeakable still exists and that the racing outside of the points lead has been great. I do very much look forward to seeing a healthy Weston Peick on the race track in the future as for a guy who could not make main events a few years back he has proved that he can run with the leaders. Marvin Musquin’s ride was of his best of the series at Daytona and his outdoor skills and rut railing abilities were once again the cream of the field that rose to the top step of the podium at nights end.
With the Daytona Supercross in the books my next challenge was to stay charged up until the gate dropped on round two of the World Motocross GP in Thailand, with the help of a Rockstar Energy Drink mocha I was set and once agin locked in my happy place. Epic racing in both classes on a level playing field, as this race was at a venue that was new to the series and after what we saw in qualifying in Thailand it looked to play right into Ryan Villipoto’s wheelhouse. It was hot, humid, hard packed amd every bit as Supercrossy as round one. I heard varying reports on temperature but it was somewhere in the neighbourhood of 36-39 degrees with humidity added on top of that and scores of riders paid the price. Just before the conclusion of the first MX-2 the current number one plate holder Jordi Tixier collapsed and would not line up for moto two after being one of many riders to receive fluids intravenously for their condition. Villopoto’s first moto score in impressive fashion was a statement to all that he had an off week at round one and was ready to fight like the champion he is for this title. Moto two however saw Ryan start outside the top five and not push as hard or make up ground as quickly as I thought he would; however he would leave moto 2 with enough points on his third place effort to take his first World GP overall victory. The race in Thailand also saw six time defending champ Antonio Cairoli make statement of his own with the second moto victory going away with Ryan Villopoto some 22 plus seconds adrift of his effort.
Ryan Villopoto showed the world what he’s capable of last weekend in Thailand by winning his first ever MXGP.
Sunday morning arrived a little earlier than I thought it should but nonetheless I was once again amped up to get the day doing with some live coverage from the first round of the GNCC series in Florida. Racer TV provided a live video feed and I was not sure what to expect, or if I would even get a glimpse of our Canadian hero Tyler Medaglia. They started to introduce the Pro riders in sequence and I did not know if Tyler would even get a mention; well as I said to Derek Schuster on my Canadian Moto Show Wednesday night I almost jumped off of my couch when Brookfield, Nova Scotia’s Tyler Medaglia was introduced and greeted the spectators and online viewers with one of his patented sick rear fender drag slow motion wheelies. Unlike all the riders introduced before him with bikes clad in Bark Busters and every other bell and whistle imaginable for the off-road discipline Tyler was there on his stock Husky that was complimented by his new THOR look. Tyler you are my hero buddy, you killed it and I truly believe on your maiden voyage with that great result of 5th place are well on your way to being our countries version of Mike Brown. Nice work Tyler, I’m sure I am not alone when I say I am super pumped for you and your whole family that was there helping out and experiencing that once in a lifetime moment first hand.
The Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross at Daytona was also one of many highlights of my moto filled weekend following the progress of our large Canadian contingent and those who spend time on our soil at some of our big races. I am probably picking up a shovel by shouting some love out to some and not including everyone, but hey my legs need the exercise so here goes. MX-101 Sand Del Lee Yamaha’s Dylan Wright was lined up in the 450 and 250 A and finished a solid 13th and 17th respectively with starts that he admitted were not his best. I would also like to not only congratulate Gatineau’s Krista Cassleman on her 16th place finish in the ladies amateur class and thank her for the photo’s she e-mailed me of the big number 34 and Dylan’s set-up. Other notable Canadians included newly signed KTM rider Tanner Ward getting his feet wet on the new equipment along with the likes of Marco Canella, Austin Watling and many more who look to have a leg up when the gate drops here in April. It also looks as though Metamora, Michigan’s Joey Crown has found a new level as he had a super impressive battle highlighted by some last lap shaking and baking with Austin Forkner in the schoolboy class for an impressive victory.
Ross Pederson and Jim Holley say hello to the Toronto Fire Department last year during the Toronto SX.
Once again the upcoming season is upon us and it will not be long until we will be headed to our local tracks and the ANQ’s in quest of the big events that will be a true test of ones progression form the previous year. In the west the Kelowna Dirt Bike Club had their first riding day this past Sunday and the Popkum Motor Park has been open all winter. The GKMA has a work bee scheduled this weekend and if you are an enthusiast and in the area they would love to have you help out as many hands make light work. It was 20 degrees in Kamloops yesterday and I assure you Willie Watchell and the crew will have that place ready to rip for round one of the Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals on May 31st.
Before this weeks Flight takes off I would like to talk a little on the namesake of the column, The Legends of Canadian Motocross. I, like many of you have been around this sport for a long time and have seen many things both good and bad come and go. I didn’t know a lot about this project when I first caught wind of it and did not know what to expect or what was involved. I can tell you though since meeting and teaming up with Bill Petro (the man behind this project) I am 100% sold on it’s value and Bill’s passion for the preservation and archiving of this sports rich vibrant history under one data base. I truly believe that the lifeblood of the sport consists of riders that are currently coming up through the ranks, however the pioneers and forefathers are the backbone. Preserving and taking advantage of the history of the sport is a great way to ensure that it survives and can pay itself forward to future generations in a very broad foresighted way. This passion once afflicted never leaves and by bringing some of this sports legends back to some of these events has proven to rekindle the love and often precipitates involvement. Renewed activity from our pioneers and legends can have a huge snowball effect and inevitable positive spinoff for our longevity. If Motocross is in your blood, there is a spot in the sport for you somewhere and it does not always have to be on the racetrack. I would have never imagined I would be doing what I am now and enjoying motocross as passionately the way I am through the Canadian Moto Show platform; connected to my kind of people. I not only believe in this sport but the quality of individual it breeds and would love to see as many as possible young and old at the races. This Legends project is one way to ensure that not only the history survives but that we have as bright as future as possible.
It was great to our G.O.A.T with a that famous smile back on his face in Toronto last year.
I interviewed our greatest of all time Ross ‘Rollerball’ Pederson and one of his fiercest rivals Jim Holley on my Canadian Moto Show on Wednesday night and spoke with them both about the importance and significance of this project. Have a listen and good luck to our own Ayrton Pomeroy this weekend at the Indianapolis Supercross in his KTMSXJR. race.
Have a safe weekend friends until next ‘Friday Flight’ Brent ‘Airmail’ Worrall out……
