Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
The barn in Armstrong, BC
by Brent Worrall
photos by James Lissimore
The Future West Moto Canadian Arenacross series kicked off on Friday night in Armstrong, B.C. with a bang. In keeping with Future West’s ultimate goal of growing and expanding this always entertaining discipline of the sport, targeting a new market by weekend’s end proved a step in the right direction. The small farming community, which is home to one of the province’s largest agricultural fairs, was primed and ready for what many who attended would witness for the first time. On Friday, as I attentively watched pro practice, I observed many who I did not recognize or had not seen at an event. I know for a fact many were there for the first time and I felt compelled to approach one lady who was standing close by watching wide eyed and open mouthed. She confirmed it was the first she had ever seen a dirt bike on a race track and was quick to ask what time racing started so she could be back in time with her family. Friday night’s attendance I would put at near capacity in the 3500 seat venue and on Saturday night that number rose significantly.
There were many questions that only time would answer, and as for who, what, when, where and why, this is how it unfolded in my eyes. On Thursday evening I met up with many of the major players that would contend for this year’s top prize, and of the many I surveyed there was skepticism as to how the outside start would play out. Would the weather hold out? Would there be enough room for twelve race bikes to funnel through a 14’ 6’’ door, avoiding contact before entering the venue in quest of all the Future West champagne glory and gold? From first gate drop to last, in spite of threats of downpours that were bookends to the weekend’s racing, the start proved successful as did every other aspect of racing in the new venue. Future West General Manager Stuart McQueen and the whole team did an awesome job and has every right to be smiling.
On Friday night, the opening ceremonies went off in a festive manner, which saw in-house announcers Ryan Gauld and John Wren get everyone in attendance amped up with their loquacious linguistics and pre-race introductions. The series’ top contenders as well as the future of the sport in the form of all of our 4-8 year old rippers paraded out to the mid-track spotlight and were formally welcomed to the Armstrong crowd. Eleven year-old 85cc rider, Williams Lake, B.C.’s Thomas Kaizer, would lend his talented voice to our country’s national anthem to officially signal the fact that this year’s edition was now a reality.
Cycle North Honda rider Ross Johnson was on fire all weekend in Armstrong and will take the series points lead into rounds 2 and 3 next weekend.
The on-track action in all classes was tight and fiercely contested to the wire in most finals, and the clay surface that literally came from a nearby golf course would soon tighten up and keep riders on their toes. Hard packed, very tight, well laid out and only containing one right hand corner of 180 degrees. Fittingly, this corner would provide the most drama on the weekend and give riders of all levels and abilities troubles at the worst spot possible as only a few short feet upon its exit was the finish line.
As first rounds go, apart from a few minor incidents, there was not much in the way of what nobody likes to see. From my view, it looks like most will see gate drop at rounds 3 and 4 in Cloverdale.
The Pro racing was as action packed as ever and I truly believe this series will heat up in a hurry. The foundation for what I am talking about was laid in the first Pro Lites qualifier as Leading Edge Kawasaki rider Teddy Maier and Cycle North’s Shawn Maffenbeier came together and more, in the same turn that troubled many. When the gate dropped for all the cash in the first main event of this year’s edition, it was Teddy Maier who entered the barn with a lead that would be uncontested and entitle him to stamp the first set of boot prints on the podium’s top step. Ross Johnson, the expectant father on a Cycle North Honda, would run a solid opener and collect 22 points for his efforts, and teammate Maffenbeier would get third.
Adam Enticknap is a welcomed addition to the series as he’s a threat to win every time he lines up.
The first Valley Moto Sport Kawasaki ‘Dash for Cash’ of 2014 would come down to a sword fight between two Cycle North combatants, Adam the ‘Seven Deuce Deuce’ Enticknap and Ross Johnson. This crowd pleasing, entertaining dynamic of our series would see an all-out, or all-in if you will, dog fight to the finish where Enticknap would edge out Johnson by the narrowest short and curly of his beard. For his efforts, the #722 would earn $100, more than the face value of his license plate number taking home $822; hard earned, colourful Canadian dollars.
Nice work Adam.
We soon found ourselves witnessing the first highly anticipated big bike class event which would see Cycle North’s Ross Johnson from Tenino, Washington enter the barn with the lead and fend off his hard charging teammate, Adam Enticknap. I noted and mentioned to Adam after the race that there were sections on the track that he would make time and others that Ross seemed to hook up better. He agreed and noted that he was happy with the result and stated that he had not yet been on a tighter arenacross circuit to this point in his career. This Pro Open would also see Brock Hoyer on his RMR Suspension Yamaha charge hard from behind and close in on the leaders at the checkers giving the former Arenacross champ 20 points to deposit in his title chase account. I want to mention how impressed I was with Dylan Schmoke on the Cycle North Husky who had his best Canadian Arenacross finish with a hard earned 4th on opening night.
Saturday night saw the building packed to capacity, and after a repeat performance of the previous night’s stellar opening ceremonies, the battlefield was once again primed and ready for action. The Pro Lites would see the previous night’s winner Teddy Maier with a repeat Holeshot, and pursued by PR-MX.ca’s Jake Anstett who was clad in some sick looking, colourful JT Racing gear. Jake was charging hard and looked good. It did not really surprise me as he looked great in practice; I had the likeable Washingtonian pegged for a great result. Unfortunately for Jake, he collected a tuff block with his front wheel on the left hander at the end of the rollers, was sent to the matt and would be forced to remount his two-stroker after most of the pack made their way by. Teddy Maier would taste victory in the Lites class for a second straight night. Shawn Maffenbeier would earn a hard fought second over third place finisher Ross Johnson.
After playing nice in the opening Lites main on Friday night, things went a little sideways during the Open main as Maier and Maffenbeier would come together and end up on the ground.
Saturday’s Valley Moto Sport Kawasaki Dash for Cash would see a methodical wheel to wheel contact battle between Adam Enticknap and Teddy Maier. With the capacity crowd cheering and responding to every twist and turn as the battling duo approached the final turn, which seeing Enticknapp with a slight advantage, you had to know Adam had his mind set on protecting the rights to the inside line of the final turn with the same tenacity and voracity as he would the content of his next rap mix! Wrong! He came in a little hot and left the door open for Teddy to pirouette his Kawasaki on the radius of a turn that was as small as my social circle after feasting on a meal of garlic cloves. Teddy would win a lumpy bag of Valley Moto Sport gold valued at $1149. Nice work Teddy.
The final Pro Open would once again be led in gate to wire fashion by the previous night’s winner, Ross Johnson, making him the second repeat Pro winner of the meet. Johnson was pursued throughout most of the race by his teammate, the #722, and Leading Edge’s Teddy Maier. Enticknap had spots on the race track where he made up noticeable ground but struggled exiting the technical left hander that led into the rollers. Teddy charged steadfastly and hard, and was finally able to stamp a pass that would stick in the same place that gave him all the Valley Moto Sport Kawasaki Dash for Cash gold, entitling him to 22 valuable championship chase points. The 7 Deuce Deuce would finish 3rd, Noah McConahay 4th, and G.A. Checkpoint’s Brad Nauditt 5th.
Ross Johnson takes an 11 point series championship chase lead with him over Teddy Maier as the series takes the weekend off for Halloween and resumes in the newly renovated Cloverdale Agriplex, November 7th-8th. If you could not make Armstrong, luckily for you there are three racing weekends of this great action packed series left, which will be broadcast ‘Live’ at www.canadianmotoshow.com. A special good luck and well wish to Ross Johnson and his girlfriend Jade as they are expecting the birth of their son on Wednesday
It’s great to see so many teams getting involved in the 2014 AX series. The Monster Energy Drink Thor Kawasaki Team is hoping for big things from their duo of Teddy Maier and Jess Pettis.
