Monday Morning Coffee

By Billy Rainford

I had two of the coolest days I’ve had in a long time this past weekend. The Vet and Vintage event at Gopher Dunes was one for the ages, as Frank Schuster, Lawrence Hacking, and Glen Nicholson all put their heads together and gathered some huge names from our sport’s past.

If you’re too young to remember the names that were there, it’s no problem because I’ve already typed too many words to keep your attention and you’ve moved on to 5-second Tik Tok videos, anyway…

Obviously, the big deal was that 43-time Canadian champion Ross “Rollerball” Pederson was the guest of honour for the weekend and he was actually there to soak in some well-deserved accolades from all of us who were there.

Doing what I do on a regular basis, I”m not one to go all “fanboy” over anyone at the races. However, Ross is the Canadian GOAT and was a huge part of my racing life when I was a little kid. It was always a BIG deal when you’d show up at a race to find out HE was there.

That’s my mom in the glasses at Hully Gully back in…1983 or 4 when Ross showed up at Hully Gully and we all gathered around to gawk as the poor guy tried to get ready in the back of his boxvan. I was a little kid and this was a huuuge deal.

So, when I heard the list of luminaries that were going to be at the Meet and Greet dinner on Friday night, I jumped at the occasion to be there.

I have so much stuff to go through that I can’t begin to post anything inside this MMC column. I will get to work this afternoon and start getting stuff up from both days.

I did manage to get an interview with Ross on Saturday after they’d all been on the track together for the first time in nearly 40 years. I wanted to wait until they had that chance to be on the track before I spoke to them all but it also meant that the wind had picked up and they were all starting to jump into vehicles to get to the airport to get back home.

I mention the above because when I spoke with Ross, we had to hide behind the Gregoire Motorsports trailer to get out of the wind, but someone next to them had their generator or power washer going and it made a lot of noise in the background.

I always use the Audacity program to tweak the audio in my interviews to, among other things, make our voices level to each other. Unfortunately, what this meant was that I also pulled the sound of the background noise up to the same level as Ross’s voice! Dammit.

That’s why I decided to pull the original video and podcast of the interview down and redo the audio for it. I want all this stuff to be in the permanent archives of our sport, so if I could make it sound even just a little bit better I figured it was worth the hassle.

It’s still not as nice as I would have liked it, but here’s our interview:

Video:

Podcast:

I’ll be sure to get to work as soon as this column is done.

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If you’re wondering where a few of the fast youngsters from Alberta were this weekend, I’ll tell you. Jayden Riley, Hayden Dupuis, Cash Riley, Kade Dupuis, and Braxton Becker were all in Crawfordsville, Indiana, at the final round of the 2023 GNCC Racing series at Ironman MX.

YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) – Bike – Class Results
Place	Nbr	Name	Hometown	Brand	Laps	Elapsed
1	360	RYAN AMANCIO	NEW MILFORD, CT	KTM	7	01:32:19.611
2	006	BRODY AMOS	LEXINGTON, IN	HQV	7	01:32:30.739
3	414	CALEB WOOD	DONALDS, SC	KTM	7	01:32:57.627
4	010	JAMES JENKINS	HOUSE SPRINGS, MO	GAS	7	01:33:24.859
5	154	BRAYDEN BAISLEY	CROSSVILLE, TN	HQV	7	01:34:58.050
6	404	JAYDEN RILEY	PENHOLD, AB	HQV	7	01:39:28.770
7	077	LUKE NEWTON	BOONVILLE, IN	KTM	7	01:40:24.291
8	073	CALEB JOHNSON	MILLFIELD, OH	HQV	7	01:40:58.530
9	163	KOLE PARLIN	EAST LEROY, MI	GAS	7	01:42:53.340
10	447	KEATON DICKEN	PETERSBURG, KY	HQV	7	01:44:04.235

85 (7-11) – Bike – Class Results
Place	Nbr	Name	Hometown	Brand	Laps	Elapsed
1	472	HAYDEN DUPUIS	CALGARY, AB	HQV	7	01:43:35.719
2	082	BROOKS BULY	NEW WILMINGTON, PA	KTM	7	01:51:02.659
3	142	BRODY BOLAND	WELLSTON, OH	KTM	6	01:30:04.519
4	078	DEEGAN CAPLINGER	MORGANTOWN, IN	KAW	6	01:30:05.480
5	499	CALEB JOHNSON	GRAND VALLEY, PA	KTM	6	01:34:57.069
6	411	ACE TOKAR	MONONGAHELA, PA	KTM	6	01:35:15.559
7	064	WYATT JOHNSON	MONMOUTH, IL	GAS	6	01:35:16.761
8	210	MADDOX HUDNALL	DENNISON, OH	GAS	6	01:35:50.456
9	628	KARSON GEORGE	CHARLESTON, WV	GAS	6	01:36:59.690
10	107	LEVI HOWARD	LEXINGTON, KY	HQV	6	01:38:04.530
11	401	NOLAN HUDSON	JACKSON, OH	GAS	6	01:38:47.556
12	469	ELI POE	ANDERSON, IN	KAW	6	01:38:47.907
13	364	CALEB JOLLY	MARINE ON ST CROIX, MN	YAM	6	01:39:12.678
14	813	BRODY HAUGH	WAYNESBORO, PA	YAM	6	01:40:21.894
15	479	TATUM SWYGMAN	OSTRANDER, MN	GAS	6	01:41:11.343
16	477	BRAXTYN CHANEY	ACCIDENT, MD	YAM	6	01:41:11.899
17	486	ROCSON WOODRUM	MORGANTOWN, IN	KAW	6	01:41:23.099
18	200	LEVI HORTON	MARTINSVILLE, IN	YAM	6	01:41:24.219
19	129	BRAXTON BECKER	CANADA, //	HQV	6	01:42:32.998
20	351	KOLE KIELPIKOWSKI	LUXENBURG, WI	YAM	6	01:42:59.259

65 (7-8) – Bike – Class Results
Place	Nbr	Name	Hometown	Brand	Laps	Elapsed
1	775	TRIPP LEWIS	GREENCASTLE, IN	HQV	5	01:27:59.934
2	551	BEN MCDOUGALD	CLEVELAND, GA	HQV	5	01:29:05.471
3	183	DAVEY FAIRFIELD	FRANKFORT, KY	HQV	5	01:29:32.626
4	458	BRINN BULY	NEW WILMINGTON, PA	KTM	5	01:31:57.220
5	471	KADE DUPUIS	CALGARY, AB	HQV	5	01:32:05.591
6	716	TODD R TOLAND	CLAYSVILLE, PA	HQV	5	01:32:29.100
7	557	KRUE K RUSSELL	BOONVILLE, NC	KTM	5	01:33:00.683
8	402	TY RUSSELL	LEWISBURG, WV	HQV	5	01:33:05.330
9	555	CASON KNECHT	WEST LAFAYETTE, IN	KTM	5	01:36:48.014
10	498	KANE MORRISON	FAIRMONT, WV	HQV	5	01:36:53.385

XC1 Open Pro – Bike – Class Results
Place	Nbr	Name	Hometown	Brand	Laps	Elapsed
1	017	JOSH V STRANG	AUSTRALIA, //	KAW	6	02:41:00.439
2	514	STEWARD BAYLOR JR	HODGES, SC	KTM	6	02:41:01.570
3	969	JONATHAN GIRROIR	BOONVILLE, NC	KTM	6	02:41:02.139
4	314	GRANT BAYLOR	HONEA PATH, SC	KAW	6	02:41:04.468
5	212	RICKY A RUSSELL	DUVALL, WA	YAM	6	02:41:05.930
6	530	BENJAMIN M KELLEY	HARWINTON, CT	KTM	6	02:41:49.238
7	001	JORDAN ASHBURN	LIVINGSTON, TN	HQV	6	02:41:58.678
8	342	CRAIG B DELONG	MORGANTOWN, PA	HQV	6	02:42:15.800
9	178	LYNDON SNODGRASS	DENVER, NC	KAW	6	02:46:00.340
10	206	JOSHUA M TOTH	WINSTED, CT	GAS	6	02:48:47.318
11	282	MICHAEL WITKOWSKI	TRAVELERS REST, SC	HON	6	02:54:14.199
12	739	TREVOR AARON BOLLINGER	MORGANTON, NC	HQV	6	03:02:43.476
13	356	PHILIPPE CHAINE	CANADA, //	KTM	6	03:04:36.219
14	312	JUSTIN STARLING	RIVERVIEW, FL	YAM	5	02:46:58.579
15	989	THADDEUS DUVALL	WILLIAMSTOWN, WV	GAS	3	01:19:44.751

Full results HERE.

Final Series Standings:

Hayden Dupuis finishes 2nd in the series by 2 points! Both he and eventual winner Brody Boland each had one bad round where they finished 21st. Hold your head high, Hayden.

85 (7-11) – Bike – Class Points				RND 1	RND 2	RND 3	RND 4	RND 5	RND 6	RND 7	RND 8	RND 9	RND 10	RND 11	RND 12
Place	Make	Nbr	Name	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Total Points
1	KTM	492	BRODY BOLAND	3	6	2	2	3	1	1	21	1	2	2	3	172
2	HQV	472	HAYDEN DUPUIS	1	5	4	21	1	4	7	1	3	3	1	1	170
3	KTM	411	ACE TOKAR	2	3	3	1	2	2	26	24	5	1	3	6	167
4	KTM	042	HUNTER HAWKINBERRY	5	4	5	4	5	3	10	2	2	4	20		155
5	KTM	996	GAVIN ABBOUD		1	1	5	23		9	4	6	7	5		130

XC1 Open Pro – Bike – Class Points				RND 1	RND 2	RND 3	RND 4	RND 5	RND 6	RND 7	RND 8	RND 9	RND 10	RND 11	RND 12
Place	Make	Nbr	Name	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Total Points
1	KTM	514	STEWARD BAYLOR JR	1	2	4	2	8	2	2	8	4	1	10	2	244
2	HQV	342	CRAIG B DELONG	5	3	1	4	2	4	5	1	6	2	1	8	236
3	KTM	530	BENJAMIN M KELLEY	2	1	3	5	3	3	8	6	1	4	9	6	219
4	HQV	001	JORDAN ASHBURN	4	5	7	3	4	7	1	4	2	5	4	7	200
5	KAW	314	GRANT BAYLOR	6	6	6	8	1	8	6	5	5	8	5	4	173
6	YAM	212	RICKY A RUSSELL	3	4	11	1	6	6	7	3	11	3	2	5	169
7	KAW	017	JOSH V STRANG	8	9	2	6	5	5	4	10	8	7	3	1	167
8	KTM	969	JONATHAN GIRROIR	10	11	5	7	7	1	3	7	3	10		3	145
9	HQV	739	TREVOR BOLLINGER	14	8	10	12				9	7	6	6		50
10	GAS	523	LAYNE C MICHAEL	9	10	9	10	10			2	9	9	14		47
11	GAS	989	THADDEUS DUVALL	7	13	8	9								15	27
12	KAW	178	LYNDON SNODGRASS										12	13	9	17
13	GAS	010	RYDER LAFFERTY											7	16	14
14	BET	347	EVAN SMITH										11	8		13
15	KTM	356	PHILIPPE CHAINE											11	13	10
16	GAS	814	OWEN MCKILL											12		9

XC2 250 Pro – Bike – Class Points				RND 1	RND 2	RND 3	RND 4	RND 5	RND 6	RND 7	RND 8	RND 9	RND 10	RND 11	RND 12
Place	Make	Nbr	Name	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Finish	Total Points
1	YAM	198	LIAM DRAPER	6	2	9	3	10	2	2	1	1	3	1	2	260
2	KTM	035	ANGUS RIORDAN	3	5	1	5	5	7	4	2	3	2	2	1	251
3	HON	990	CODY J BARNES	7	7	3	2	3	3	1	7	5	5	4	4	227
4	HON	014	RUY BARBOSA	4	6	4	1	1	4	5	3	2				191
5	HON	282	MICHAEL WITKOWSKI	8	16	5	8	7	1	3	9	6	4	6		172
6	KTM	118	MASON SEMMENS	5	9	8	4	2	9	9	5	14	7	3	12	172
7	BET	981	JONATHAN T JOHNSON	10	8	11	11	9	6	7	10	10	1	8	8	163
8	GAS	010	RYDER LAFFERTY	1	1	7	17	4	5	6	4	DNF	11			155
9	KTM	922	GRANT W DAVIS	12	4	15	6	17	14		8	4	8	5	3	140
10	KTM	328	JESSE ANSLEY	11	10	16	9	6	11	11	11	7	DNF	9	6	124
11	BET	347	EVAN SMITH	9	11	2	12	8	8	8	6	8				123
12	HQV	235	BRODY JOHNSON		13	13	16	12	12	10	13	13	6	10	5	108
13	KTM	053	NATHANIEL TASHA		15	12	10	DNF	10	DNF	12	11	10	7	11	91
14	KAW	178	LYNDON SNODGRASS	2	3	6	7	13								83
15	KTM	356	PHILIPPE CHAINE	14	14	10	14	11		12		12				60
16	YAM	116	ZACH M OSBORNE					14	13	13			DNF	11	13	41
17	HQV	886	ALEXANDRE GOUGEON		12	14	13									24

Full series standings HERE.

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Josiah Natzke 2-2-DNS at Huka Honda MX Fest in Taupo, New Zealand. From what I can gather, our friend from NZ finished 2nd to Cody Cooper in moto 1, 2nd to Jack Treloar in moto 2, and then didn’t start or finish moto 3 as he’s shown with 22-22-0 points in the class results.

Full results HERE.

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Jeffrey Herlings Breaks Collarbone AGAIN

If it weren’t for bad luck he’d have no luck at all! Oh, what could have been for this once-in-a-lifetime talent.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @showpony.edits

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Triple Crown SX/AX Round 2 – Medicine Hat

Noel Flatters from SuperFine Media was in charge of the content for DMX at Round 2 of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown SX/AX Series at Co-Op Arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta, on Saturday.

Here’s a look at the results:

250 PRO / AM

Overall Nbr   Name Moto 1  1st   #1   MITCHELL HARRISON  LEESBURG, FL  1st    2nd   #26   JULIEN BENEK  MISSION,   2nd    3rd   #14   QUINN AMYOTTE  WETASKIWIN, AB  3rd    4th   #4   JACOB PICCOLO  ABBOTSFORD, BC  4th    5th   #25   DANIEL ELMORE  CANADA, BC  5th    6th   #12   SEBASTIEN RACINE  CASSELMAN, ON  6th    7th   #44   DYLAN REMPEL  BERSLAU, ON  7th    8th   #31   ZACH UFIMZEFF  WETASKIWIN, AB  8th    9th   #48   DEVYN SMITH  MAPLE RIDGE, BC  9th    10th   #43   CLAYTON SCHMUCKI  RED DEER, AB  10th    11th   #56   BLAKE DAVIES  MISSION, BC  11th    12th   #67   RYAN MARTIN  KELSO, WA  12th

450 PRO

Overall Nbr   Name Moto 1  1st   #1   MITCHELL HARRISON  LEESBURG, FL  1st    2nd   #26   JULIEN BENEK  MISSION,   2nd    3rd   #56   BLAKE DAVIES  MISSION, BC  3rd    4th   #14   QUINN AMYOTTE  WETASKIWIN, AB  4th    5th   #24   GUILLAUME ST-CYR  VICTORIAVILLE,   5th    6th   #12   SEBASTIEN RACINE  CASSELMAN, ON  6th    7th   #31   ZACH UFIMZEFF  WETASKIWIN, AB  7th    8th   #44   DYLAN REMPEL  BERSLAU, ON  8th    9th   #25   DANIEL ELMORE  CANADA, BC  9th    10th   #43   CLAYTON SCHMUCKI  RED DEER, AB  10th    11th   #85   BLAKE OSATCHUK  REGINA, SK  11th    12th   #4   JACOB PICCOLO  ABBOTSFORD, BC  DNF

Round 2 – November 4 – Calgary, AB

Defending champion #1 Mitchell Harrison showed why he’s always a threat when the gate drops and went 1-1 in the Pro classes. #26 Julien Benek is going things alone and did himself proud by taking 2nd in both classes. #14 Quinn Amyotte showed us he’s still improving and landed on the podium in 3rd place in the 250 class. #56 Blake Davies gets MVP of the night as the 15-year-old lands on his first-ever podium, taking 3rd in the 450 Main.

We’ll have a Race Report up on the site ASAP, so watch for that.

The question we all wanted answered is, “What happened to fastest qualifier #4 Jake Piccolo?” I spoke briefly with Jake’s dad, Dan Piccolo, this morning. It also happened at Gopher Dunes where he gets very sick when his heart rate goes up, so they are trying to find out what’s causing it. He will get some tests done and try to get to the bottom of. All the best, Jake.

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Kade Walker – NGPC Pro 250 Champion

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Next up for me is the Dubya World Vet Championships at Glen Helen, Nov 2-5. I’m really looking forward to hanging out with everyone and reporting on what should be some very competitive racing.

After that, I’ll be at the Mini O’s at Gatorback in Florida the 3rd week of November.

OK, I’ll get to work on some things that are rreally starting to back up on my hard drive. I still have to finish “Faces at the Races” from the MXON and post the video! I’m so far behind. And of course, the sun finally came out here so I’m going to want to hop on a Scott bike of some sort and get a pedal in too!

Have a great week, everyone, and be sure to check back here on the site and on our social media pages as I get to work on some of this content I need to get out!