Frid’Eh Update #37 | Kyle Murdoch | Brought to You by Dirt Care

By Billy Rainford

Brought to you by Dirt Care

Week #37 belongs to Kyle Murdoch from Massachusetts. | Bigwave photo

Welcome to Week #37 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update brought to you by Dirt Care. This Friday finds me at The Dome at America’s Center in downtown St Louis. I’ve only ever driven through this place on my way somewhere south and west of here. I remember doing it for the first time as a little kid in Grade 8 on a summer holiday drive from London to Dana Point, California.

I had just gotten into Motocross and had a used 1980 Kawasaki KX80 that we bought without a kickstart on it. The guy said he had it and would get it to me, but you know how those things go.

Not do tangent off for too long here, but it was the same summer that saw us randomly drive back to Dana Point from Tijuana, Mexico, to see a sign that read, “USGP Sunday.” Yes, we were driving through Carlsbad and yes we actually went to the race that weekend. It was amazing to get to see big, bad Carlsbad Raceway in all its glory.

Anyway, we drove through St Louis on the way west and came home a different route on the way east. We were in a massive boat of a car called a Dodge St Regis. It was luxurious and drove like a pillow.

So here I am again, “several” years later. They say it can be a bit of a rough place so I’ve got a hotel booked 15 minutes west of here in a place called Collinsville, IL. You can actually find a colour-graded map of where things are the most “murdery” and this area was all green. I hope green is good!

We’ve been having intermittent problems with the site lately (some digging makes it sound like a bit of a scam…) so this Update will be our interview with Kyle Murdoch.

Here’s a look at Kyle’s summer up here in Canada:

Here’s what Kyle had to say this week. | Bigwave photo

Here’s what Kyle had to say when we spoke wit him this week:

Direct Motocross: Hello, Kyle. Thanks for taking some time with us for one of these Frid’Eh Update Interviews for your week. Since this is our first time doing one, let’s back things up so people can get to know you better. Could we start be telling us where you’re from, how old you are, and how you got into Motocross in the first place?

Kyle Murdoch: Hello to everyone, my name is Kyle Murdoch I’m from Winchendon, Massachusetts. I got into MX through my dad, he began racing in his twenties after riding as a teenager. He brought home a PW 50 when I was 4. I took to riding right away and loved it. It was bound to happen for me.

I like to ask people what other sports or interests they have besides Moto. What would you be doing if not racing dirt bikes?

Other activities I enjoy are still two wheel based. I ride my gravel bike and mountain bike a lot and enjoy going to down hill parks. I have been playing golf when I can and just hanging out with my friends!

Like most, Kyle got his start because his father raced when he was younger. | Bigwave photo

You likely don’t know this, but my favourite question is about how you chose your original racing number. Does yours have a story?

My current number in the states is #560. When I got my pro license in 2018 I had to pick a three digit number. My whole youth career I was #56. So to add a zero made sense. My dad’s races number was #559 so that also helped me select that number. We’ve been back to back numbers since.

And who did you come up through the ranks with? Who was your biggest rival on the way to the pro ranks?

A lot of the guys I came up the ranks with were the guys from the states racing with me this summer. Joe Tait , Larry Fortin , Cam Dufault to name a few. There are other pros in the NE area that I’ve raced with my whole my racing career. I’d have to say is my biggest rival is my good friend Joe Tait. We have been racing each other hard for years and are good buddies off track.

This is a shot from Gopher Dunes 2024, but Kyle first came up here in 2018. | Bigwave photo

Did you watch Canadian MX on tv when you were younger or how did you come to know about our series up here?

Honestly, no I didn’t. I heard other racers talk about Canada racing. The local pros talked about it when I was younger. It wasn’t until I personally went pro in 2018 and was encouraged to go try Canada racing!

When did you first come up here and what was the motivation to do so? From what I can find, it was Deschambault in 2023?

Actually, I did one round (Gopher Dunes) in 2018 in the 450 class! I did it on my Tc250 2 stroke, I think I went 14-18! We were in Michigan at Redbud the week before, so it made a lot of sense to go through Canada on the way home and try it out!

What’s the biggest difference you notice between racing up here and racing AMA stuff down south?

The vibe in Canada feels easy, but exciting. Your able to show up every weekend and know your going to have 2 motos to race. You know you’ll be up fighting for good position. In comparison to here in the US your not sure if your even going to qualify for the motos that day nd if you do your 20-40 place battling. On top of that it is getting really difficult to even be accepted into races down here by MXsports. Canada is very welcoming, the tracks are killer , and stiff competition.

Kyle will be back in 2026 to run the #29. | Bigwave photo

I looked you up on the Racer X Vault. You’ve raced 6 AMA Pro Motocross Nationals and 5 of them were at Southwick! You Massachusetts riders sure love the sand, don’t you?!

Yes I have raced 5 at Southwick and 1 at Highpoint! With Southwick being the home track, just over an hour from my house and with how many times we ride there throughout the year we I feel like we have a-little bit of an upper hand! I’ve always enjoyed the sand and ride it well. I look forward to the Wick every year to put on for the NE crowd!

I’m guessing your favourite track up here is Gopher Dunes, then? I have to ask, Southwick or Gopher, which is more brutal?

My favorite track up north is between Gopher and Sand de Lee both softer tracks for sure. It is tough to say which is rougher between the two. Gopher is bottomless sand where Southwick has a much harder base to it. They both get brutal in their own ways.

You ended up 11th in the 250 class this year. 1 point and you were 10th! Can you sum up your summer up here?

I placed 11th this there year, I am happy with that! I only did five rounds, so I never really had a goal or paying too much attention to the points while racing. But to see that I was able to do that well this year makes me really want to race a whole series and see how I’d stack up!

What have you been doing since our series ended? Do you have a 9-5 when not on a bike?

We’ve had a few more races here in NE to finish out the season, but the season racing is coming to a close. I’ll go back to work through the fall-winter months.

He wouldn’t really commit when asked if Gopher Dunes was tougher than Southwick, but we know. | Bigwave photo

What does your winter look like?

Winter for me is the usual, I’ll be in the gym a lot prepping for next year. I will then around Feb/Mar I try to make the jump south to FL to start riding and warming up for the season.

Can we expect to see you up here next summer running your new #29?

I will definitely will be back in 2026 running the #29! I am looking forward to it and hopefully do more rounds as well!

OK, thank you for answering all my questions for Week #37. Good luck in the future and who would you like to thank?

I’d like to thank my Dad, Family/Friends, Central Mass Powersports, Kawasaki/Team Green, Troy Lee Designs, Factory connection, Pro circuit, Dubya, DID, DBK, ACERBIS, ODI, OGIO ,Onium Goggles ,All balls racing , Guts, Twin air, Dirt Care.

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