Monday Morning Coffee

Grab yourself another cup for Monday Morning Coffee opinion column as we talk about some of what happened this weekend in Motocross and more…

By Billy Rainford

Good Monday Morning on the day after Round 2 of the Canadian Triple Crown Series presented by Makita. We were in Manitoba this weekend. We say it every year and it held true again this time: Kyle McCannell and his gang do a fantastic job making this facility in the middle of the prairies look fantastic! It’s a long was from anywhere, but once you finally pull onto the property, the gravel roads and rough paved ones drift slowly away from your mind.

We were treated to perfect weather for Sunday: 22 Celsius and sunny skies. There was some wind but it was just enough to keep you from sweating and not enough to affect riders as they hit the many peaky jumps on the Prairie Hill MX track.

The last couple times we’ve been here, we dealt with the hottest conditions I’ve ever felt in Canada with wind that blew just about everything into the next country and then we had the mud bath. We deserved a good one this time, for sure.

Numbers were down but that’s to be expected when we’re so far removed from the main highway that runs east/west across our massive country. I say this all the time, but if you’re not from Canada and have never been here you wouldn’t believe that 95% (maybe more?) of our population lives along this one highway’s corridor. It has to be a unique feature around the globe. Because of this fact, we end up being in the “boonies” whenever we venture far from the #1, 401, or 20. But what are you gonna do?

I enjoy Amateur Day as much as I do Pro Day on Sunday. I like to see who our next possible champions are and who’s putting in the work to reach that level. We always see a few riders and families who are committed to the sport and I hope it pays off for them in the future. It’s not an easy road, but it’s one all of us have travelled and tried.

We gave our Dirt Care ‘Stud Status’ award to the winner of the 250 Junior class again and again it went to #165 Braxton Becker. This 14-year-old is travelling the entire series and is going to give red-plated riders fits at each and every round. If you’ve got a top Junior rider in your area as we head east, be ready for a battle because this kid is coming for them! Honourable mention to #21 Adrien Desmarais from Manitoba who was his closest rival on his 2-stroke. Adrien actually won the Fox Gibson Tire Holeshot competition on Saturday night.

Let’s get to some of the stories from the weekend.

In the WMX class, #301 Jordan Jarvis did her double duty again and raced in Colorado on Friday/Saturday and then made the journey north to Manitoba. I interviewed her about the adventure in our Race Tech Walk and Talk that is currently uploading to our YouTube channel using some pretty slow wifi. This trip didn’t go exactly how she was hoping but she made it on time, regardless.

Her rival is #1 Jamie Astudillo. These two grew up racing each other and they both say this is how their races usually go: Jamie gets the better start and then Jordan does everything she can to catch her.

Back when they were young, this usually meant catching and passing Jamie, but things look like they are changing and Jamie has found more pace and was able to hold off the charge.

Behind them, I was most impressed with what I saw from #7 Brandy McLarty. She managed to stay with these 2 world class WMX riders and showed some improved confidence that equated to speed. It will be interesting if she can take this into the following rounds and show these 2 a wheel from time to time or even beat them!

#1W Katrine Ferguson was nursing a very sore (and possibly broken) wrist/thumb this week and I didn’t think she was going to be able to race, but then there she was on the line and going for it.

With only 13 riders on the entry list, it was a little sparce this week, to say the least.

WMX:

1. 1 Jamie Astudillo GAS 1-1
2. 301 Jordan Jarvis YAM 2-2
3. 7 Brandy McLarty HQV 3-3
4. 2 Kaylie Kayer YAM 4-4
5. 1W Katrine Ferguson HQV 5-5
6. 4 Kiana Kurtz HQV 7-6
7. 3 Hannah Cole HON 6-7
8. 8 Amelie Croteau HON 9-8
9. 6 Tea Ferguson HQV 8-9
10. 11 Victoria Dillon KTM 10-10
11. 19 Thaly Girard HQV 11-11
12. 93 Peyton Belisle HON 13-12
13. 9 Ani Ferguson HQV 12-13

Points:

1. Astudillo 90
2. Jarvis 89
3. Kayer 81
4. McLarty 69
5. Kurtz 61

In the 250 class, the cream is rising to the top early. We should be able to interchange a few riders at the top as we continue east. The fast, young Americans are definitely the ones to beat, and it’ll be interesting to see who the top Canadian rider is. Speed-wise, it looks like it should be #4 Dylan Rempel, but #64 Wyatt Kerr would really like to say something about that.

Rempel came from dead last in moto 1 to battle the young hotshots for 6th and then was on pace at the front in moto 2 until a couple mistakes left him with 6-6 motos for 6th.

Kerr was up in the mix and looked comfortable at that pace for quite some time. He ended up being Canada’s #1 this week with 5-5 motos for 5th.

But it was a pretty dominant day, and first Pro win, for #31 Ryder Malinoski. He actually went 1-1 and kept the rest behind him. #227 Vincent Wey gave him the most trouble and should be right there for wins very soon. He made a few mistakes that cost him time out there too.

Oh, I didn’t want to jinx Ryder but I always pay attention to the locker I randomly pick as I hit a local Planet Fitness before a race. This week it was, you guessed it, locker #31.

Defending champion #1 Preston Kilroy will be there every week. I don’t think he’ll have an easy time this season though. We’re going to have to see “uncomfortable Preston” at a few of these rounds if he wants to keep these kids behind him.

#177 Kade Johnson has the speed to win as well. In our interview, it sounds like lapped riders gave him some trouble and he feels he’s got wins in him too. He’ll race High Point in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship and there’s a chance this was the last we see of him, but I have a feeling he’ll want to see the eastern tracks waiting for him up here.

And kudos to #16 Tanner Scott who rode through a lot of pain this week, too, after a huge crash at Round 1 in Calgary.

250:

1. 31 Ryder Malinoski YAM 1-1
2. 227 Vincent Wey KAW 2-2
3. 1 Preston Kilroy YAM 3-3
4. 177 Kade Johnson KAW 4-4
5. 64 Wyatt Kerr HON 5-5
6. 24 Dylan Rempel HON 6-6
7. 25 Cole Pranger GAS 7-8
8. 247 Tegan Kortenbach KTM 9-9
9. 27 Josh Boaz KTM 12-7
10. 41 Jayden Riley HQV 8-11
11. 38 Zach Ufimzeff YAM 11-10
12. 343 Carter Biese KAW 13-12
13. 16 Tanner Scott KTM 10-15
14. 555 Zach Phifer YAM 14-14
15. 157 Cole Dekoninck YAM 15-16
16. 51 Josh Clark YAM 19-13
17. 93 Kaes Knights KTM 17-20
18. 42 Danik Paradis KTM 20-18
19. 100 Cale Kuchnicki KTM 16-22
20. 63 Mars Millar 18-21
21. 126 Ayrton Pomeroy HQV 26-17
22. 228 Ryden Safron YAM 22-25
23. 745 Jayden Ostaszewski HON 25-23
24. 212 Niko Holmes KTM 24-24
25. 277 Seth Unrau YAM 23-26
26. 158 Nathan Snelgrove HQV 21-29
27. 761 Cass Loutitt 29-27
28. 118 Garrett Banman HQV 27-30
29. 154 Jacob Frederickson HQV 39-19
30. 415 Matthew Thompson YAM 39-19
31. 976 Joseph Pilsner YAM 32-31
32. 751 Reid Westfall YAM 31-33
33. 133 Ethen Douglas YAM 37-28
34. 178 Jaxon Weibe 30-37
35. 224 Theo Lavoie YAM 34-34
36. 195 Drake Plotts HON 36-35
37. 271 Jagger Wall KAW 35-36
38. 221 Mason Litwin HQV 33-38
39. 150 Dexter Seitz KTM 38-DNF

Points:

1. Kilroy 90
2. Malinoski 82
3. Rempel 74
4. Wey 73
5. Johnson 72

In the 450 class, we have a couple things to talk about. The first is the absence of #6 Ryder McNabb. He mentioned he was feeling sick at Round 1 where he still managed to gut out a 3rd place for his first-ever 450 podium in his first try. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is mono and he decided to sit out this week. Mono doesn’t go away quickly so this could drag out the entire summer, so we’ll have to see how this plays out.

Here’s what he said in an Instagram post:

“Obviously, this came as a complete surprise after such a strong start to the season. But I continued to feel unwell after Calgary, so we went to the doctor for a routine check-up, expecting it might be a cold or flu but a blood panel result came back positive for Mono. It’s frustrating timing coming off my first MX1 podium, being third in the championship points and heading into one of my local tracks. But unfortunately, an illnesses like this can happen to anyone and the risk associated with a spleen enlargement and rupture while Mono is in it’s early stages, the doctor has instructed that it’s not safe for me to race this weekend. It’s difficult to accept, but my focus is on making a full recovery so I can return to racing with medical clearance as soon as possible. We’re confident this is only temporary and i’ll be back behind the gate soon, picking up where we left off.” – Ryder McNabb

The other negative story was the disappearance of #15 Jess Pettis at the beginning or 450 moto 2. Jess was actually leading the race when he seemed to favour his right leg and head back to the pits.

We spoke with Team Owner Kevin Tyler after the race and he said Jess will get his knee checked out, but it sounds like this has the potential to be another setback for the rider who was hoping to win this title.

#9 Dylan Wright is now 4 for 4 to start the season. But guess what? Even with Pettis potentially sidelined this is not going to be easy for the 5-time Canadian champ.

Just watching #151 Harri Kullas ride tells you he’s going to be one to give Wright the most trouble. He has a way of making it look pretty easy out there and rides the bike like it’s smaller than it is. I was watching some of his line choices too and he’s definitely a wily veteran.

He kept Dylan is contact and even looked like he was going to make a charge for a pass late in moto 2. I’ll tell you one thing, he’s not going to tire in the hot eastern motos.

You could tell early in the day that #12 Sebastien Racine was feeling confident and comfortable. He was tossing his 450 around like a toy and looked to be having a blast on the jumpy circuit.

He put that comfort to use in moto 2 and lead past the 20-minute point of the race! He kept Wright and Kullas behind him and looked really good. He said he wasn’t happy with his first moto, but that 2nd more than made up for it and he landed on the podium in 3rd on his 2nd 450 try. He admitted it was without Jess, but it was still a nice accomplishment for the 450 rookie.

450:

1. 9 Dylan Wright HON 1-1
2. 151 Harri Kullas KTM 3-2
3. 12 Sebastien Racine KAW 4-3
4. 84 Tanner Ward GAS 5-4
5. 377 Daniel Elmore HQV 6-5
6. 14 Quinn Amyotte GAS 7-6
7. 19 Noah Porter YAM 8-7
8. 58 Blake Davies HQV 9-8
9. 482 Teren Gerber YAM 10-9
10. 36 Tyler Shewchyk HON 11-11
11. 737 Tee Perrott YAM 13-10
12. 911 Jordan Biese KAW 12-13
13. 15 Jess Pettis YAM 2-DNF
14. 101 Bryce Wadge HON 15-14
15. 270 Josh Penner YAM 14-17
16. 499 Bryant Humiston YAM 17-15
17. 62 Danny Robertson KTM 22-12
18. 85 Alex Gatt KTM 18-16
19. 132 Seth Hughes HON 16-18
20. 625 Austin Kienast HQV 21-19
21. 557 Troy Horbaty YAM 20-20
22. 757 Jesse Westfall YAM 19-24
23. 417 Jordan Toews YAM 24-21
24. 174 Nick Toews HON 23-22
25. 638 Lucas Giardino HON 26-23
26. 777 Dario Zecca HON 25-DNS

Points:

1. Wright 100
2. Kullas 84
3. Racine 74
4. Ward 61
5. Elmore 60

We had 3 Canadians racing Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Colorado. Here’s how they did:

250:

#800 Preston Masciangelo:
Qualifying: 27
Moto 1: 33
Moto 2: 29
Overall: 30

450:

#269 Connor Stevenson
Qualifying: 54
LCQ: 22

WMX:

#708 Destiny Slingerland
Qualifying: 10
Moto 1: 21
Moto 2: 21
Overall: 22

OK, I’m heading over to the FXR Ride Day at Milt Reimer‘s track just south of Winnipeg. I’ve got both the Race Tech Walk and Talk and the MTB Loop uploading to YouTube but it’s taking forever! I’ll leave them uploading as I head over to the track and will make sure they’re up ASAP.

I’ll then have the highlight/recap video up as soon as I get a chance to pull over and edit it on my way through the USA en route back to London, Ontario.

Thanks for reading and have a great week. Greg Small actually just tapped me on the back and said, “Hey, no loitering!” here in this ultra-busy Tim Hortons/gas station. He raced an off-road event yesterday and isn’t sure he’ll throw a leg over his bike again today. Andy White from FXR has me set up with some new gear so it looks like I’ll be out there showing everyone the fast inside lines today… Hey, if you’re not doing the double out of the corner, take the inside line! 🤣