Frid’Eh Update #50 | Ben Nelko | Brought to You by Dirt Care
By Billy Rainford
Welcome to Week #50 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update brought to you by Dirt Care. I’m sitting here in the middle of yet another snowstorm here in Southwestern Ontario. We’ve had more snow already this season than we’ve gotten in some of the past 10 years altogether! It’s been wild around here. And of course, we took our snowblower over to a small engine repair place last week and have been getting slammed.
Fortunately, all of our neighbours have blowers of their own, so I’ve gone out and stood in the middle of our driveway with a little shovel and each time one of them has offered for me to use their machine.
It’s meant we’ve had to put the motorcycles and the bicycles away about 2 months early this season and that sucks. You make all that fitness headway during the summer only to have you struggling to keep some level throughout the winter to be ready when spring finally arrives. Anyone down south should consider themselves luck. I love winter but I also like being out on 2 wheels.
We’re heading to our first Christmas party of the season tonight and it should be a good one. Check out this photo from the late 1980’s when we all went to a karaoke bar near Christmas. We put this little 4-man group together and called it “Johnny Appleseed and the Pits.” Would you believe we’re actually singing the Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers duet, “Islands in the Stream”? We are. 3/4 of this group will be at the party tonight, so maybe we can put the band back together.
It’s actually pretty cool that Ben Nelko‘s week follows his friend Evan Smith‘s week for the Update Interview. We’ve never done one of these with either of them and they both have an interesting story. Ben raced Gopher Dunes and Sand Del Lee in 2024 and earned enough points to earn the #50. He made it up to Gopher Dunes again in 2025 and finished 19th (14-29).
He’s currently racing and leading the GT Arenacross series in the in the US and is racing this weekend in Lebanon, Missouri. Here’s what this multi-talented rider from Pittsburgh, PA had to say when we contacted him this week.
Direct Motocross: Hello, Ben. It’s funny that your week falls right behind your buddy Evan Smith’s. I like backing it up to the beginning with riders we’ve never done one of these interviews with. So, can you tell us where you’re from, where you call home now, and how and when you got into dirt bikes in the first place?
Ben Nelko: Ya, I’m pumped to be on fried eh! I’m from Pittsburgh, Pa and that’s where I am currently living. I’ve bounced around a bunch throughout my career, but always end up back in Pittsburgh. Man, I don’t really know how I got into dirt bikes (to this level). I’m the only one in my family that has ever raced! I did start young though, my dad messed around on quads and bikes when he was younger so that’s pretty much how it all started.
You grew up racing moto, right? Did you hit all the usually Amateur Nationals and Loretta’s? What was you best performance from those days?
Ya, I did grow up in moto and I actually didn’t go to Loretta’s till I was in A class! I qualified every year but as everyone knows it’s expensive to go down there so we never really chased it much. I think my best finish there was like 7th or 8th in Pro Sport, but that was just a moto, I never had a real good overall. I used to crash a lot. Haha!
I know that at some point you went to off-road. Can you take us through why you went into the woods? You had some great results though!
Ya, I actually went to the off-road side of things at the end of 2019. I was super burned out after doing all the east coast SX and the full series of outdoor nationals and just needed a reset. I actually met a family at my local track that started an entire team for me called 760 Motosports. It was crazy to me because we just met and they gave me like a full factory deal! Haha We actually ended up getting factory Husqvarna support! I rode for them until I think 2021 and had some really good results.
I ended up going from that team to a Honda team in 2022 and won the NEPG Pro 2 Championship and Full Gas Sprint 250 Pro Championship! Then the next year Stew Baylor signed me to his KTM team. That was cut short from an injury, but yea, I had some good success in a short off-road career and I’m definitely thankful for all those that made it possible for me.
I have a photo of you from 2019 at Red Bud, so you’ve really done it all! What is your AMA Pro Motocross history?
Ya, I raced all the nationals in 2019 with 3D Yamaha. I had a pretty killer year too, I scored some points and had some pretty sick rides that year! I never did real great at outdoors but was in the top 20 a few times.
And I have to ask you about getting Evan up here for his first-ever gate drop at Gopher Dunes a couple summers ago. How did that come together?
Honestly, I think he was trying to figure out what he was gonna do for his summer break! He usually goes somewhere cool and chills while he has time off from GNCC. He was riding moto with me and going fast and he was like, “Let’s do it!“
How many tracks have you ridden up here in Canada and what’s ben your best result?
I’ve only been to Gopher Dunes and Sand Del Lee. I think my best overall in 450 class was like p-12, but I’m not positive on that. I definitely was top 10 in a moto at Sand Del Lee though!
I looked on your Instagram and you also did Day In the Dirt Down East. How was that?
I love Day in the Dirt! I’ve down Down South 2 times and Out East 2 times! I’ve never won it though. It’s the one race I want to win and I’ve been 2nd or 3rd pretty much every year. Haha.
And now you’re indoors racing the GT Arenacross series on the big #3 Yamaha. How has that been going for you?
Indoors is going great. I’m currently holding the red plate and trying to win my first AX championship. I will actually be racing round 3-4 when this comes out! It’s been great though, I won round 1 and second round 2 so I’m on the right track right now.
I see on IG that you showed someone the correct way to make a point in a corner. How was that later in the pits? Do you enjoy the aggressive riding in AX?
I live for the aggressive riding! Haha. Honestly though, the guys I race with are all pretty respectful; we don’t just smash each other unless it’s absolutely needed. The situation you’re talking about was different, I had to be a bully that time. I usually don’t have problems back in the pits. I’ve always been bigger than most riders. Haha.
What does your winter look like?
Winter looks like a bunch of Arenacross and on the off weekends spending time with my kid and fiancé at our condo at the ski resort! We snowboard a lot so we spend a lot of time on the mountain if I’m not traveling.
And what about Supercross? What have you done and how did it go?
I did all the east coast SX! I was kinda thrown into it though 1 year because a team needed a rider. I didn’t train for it or anything. I made all the night shows but never had a real good result. Honestly, if I keep riding the way I am right now there is a real good chance you will see me at some east coast rounds.
Evan said Camp Coker was gnarlier than Gopher Dunes. What’s your opinion on that?
YES, Camp Coker and Florida GNCC are completely different animals! I’ve never felt pain like I did at both of those tracks. Gopher is definitely gnarly but I would put it 3rd on the list.
Will we see you up here in Canada again in 2026?
I would love to come back to Canada in 2026 if the funding is there or if I can find someone down here to support it! I’ve always wanted to do the full series. I don’t know, we will see! Definitely Gopher and Sand Del Lee.
And how did you get hooked up with Mitch Cooke and Tyler Medaglia at Callus Moto?
I’ve been wearing Callus now since 2023. I’ve been friends with Tyler for a while and just asked him how to get in the gear. I’ve never actually met Mitch but they have helped me so much the last few years. I’ll be with them till I’m done for sure!
OK, thanks for chatting with us this week. Good luck in AX and who would you like to thank?
Anytime. I’m looking forward to coming back to Canada! Steel City Medical, Callus, Podiumworks, MX6 Racing, 6D, and really just everyone in my corner!
Cole Thompson Returning to Canada for Arenacross
We will see the return of Canadian Cole Thompson at an Arenacross in Canada when the AMA FIM Arenacross Championship comes to the International Centre in Toronto, Ontario, January 9th and 10th for a double-header.
In conjunction with the 50th Annual Toronto International Motorcycle Supershow, the top Arenacross riders in North America will race in front of a Canadian crowd. The series will also make a stop in Calgary, Alberta, January 30-31.
Cole has ridden for fellow Canadian (actually, he recently got his US citizenship) Chris Elliott from Thunder Bay, ON and Ryan Clark on the Heartbeat Hot Sauce Yamaha team for 250 West Supercross for a few years, but is contracted to compete in the AX series this season.
While the team’s semi truck will be at Anaheim 1 SX, a crate will arrive in “The Big Smoke” with a couple 450 Yamaha race bikes for Cole, and as Chris pointed out, one for Robbie Wageman “just in case.”
Chris also said that there’s a chance we’ll see Cole at select AMA Supercross rounds on a 450 when the schedule allows. We may also see him racing 250 East, but no decisions have been made as of this article.
Their 250 West squad will consist of returning rider Robbie Wageman and Nique Thury who has landed on his feet with the team.
Cole last won indoors in front of his home Canadian crowd in Sarnia, ON in 2022 when he took the win in the 250 class Main ahead of Tanner Ward and Devin Simonson.
Your entry fee to the motorcycle show also gets you into the separate theatre to watch the racing action. Get your tickets and more information HERE.
Daniel Elmore Returns to Costa Rica this Weekend
Tyler Gibbs Supercross Plan Still on Schedule
Like every racer, when you hit the dirt so close to your next big racing plans, the first and only concern is those race plans. Tyler Gibbs went down at the West Coast AX last month and was forced to sit out a round of racing. Of course, the concern was for his safety and then for his Monster Energy AMA 250 West Supercross plans.
His last post on his Instagram page was after rounds 1 and 2 with nothing since then, so we gave him a call and a message to try and find out how he’s doing. He was at the track riding, so that’s great news. His dad, Paul Gibbs, told be he just banged his knee up pretty good but that he’s riding. Next stop, A1!
Carson Brown and Ken Roczen on Pastrana’s RMZILLA 500 2-Stroke
I don’t normally just promote random videos from YouTube, but if someone can show me any better content than what Carson Brown has going on there and on Instagram, I’m all eyes and ears!
His latest video in the ERA (Any Racer Anywhere) series puts him up against Ken Roczen (they also went head to head on 125’s and 250’s) on Travis Pastrana‘s Suzuki RM 500 2-stroke (of course) named RMZILLA.
Carson is having too much fun (and likely making too much money) doing these videos on social media, but says he’d come back to racing if it were a factory offer. Anyway, if you haven’t seen this latest one, here you go:
Julien Benek on a 125 2-Stroke
We’ve got the potential for our very own 2-stroke maniac here in Canada. Have you seen Julien Benek on Luke Svensson‘s Yamaha 125 2-stroke out in the Lower Mainland? Listen for him letting off the throttle once during this lap. Hint: You won’t find it anywhere:
OK, I have to make sure my Cousin Eddy outfit is all ready to go. Have a great weekend, everyone.
No comments!
There are no comments yet, but you can be first to comment this article.