Monday Morning Coffee | Presented by PR-MX.ca

Monday Morning Coffee | Presented by PR.MX.ca

By Billy Rainford

Follow along with the PR-MX team competing in the 2016 Monster Energy SX series and click the site for any products you need.

Well, there’s another weekend in the books. Did you know that if you count from the age 20 until 80, that gives you 3120 weekends to enjoy. Actually, I was hoping that number would be frighteningly low and scare us into living every moment to its fullest, but that sounds like a lot of weekends. So, go ahead and sleep through a few of them! It also sounds like a lot of Monday Morning Coffees, too.

OK, so after all the hype and talk about tracks opening up here in Southwestern Ontario last week, I woke up to a snowstorm today! It’s true. We went from washing our bikes in the driveway to scrambling around the garage wondering where we’d banished the shovels to. Turns out, I’d hung mine under up near the front underneath the spot where we hang our bikes and that last preposition (Google it, Bowker!).

Actually, looking at the weather forecast, it’s going up to 11C (44F) tomorrow and this will be nothing more than a light dusting of snow this morning. It should be our last Monday Coffee with any white stuff in the air until next Christmas. Unfortunately, the overnight forecasts are still dropping below the freezing level, so we’re not going to turn on our garden hose just yet.

Uh oh, that reminds me of my first flashback of the morning…

So, we live in Canada and the the winters can get pretty cold. Back in the day, having a pressure washer for the races was a pretty big deal. We had been through a couple lean years when the only way we were cleaning my bikes between races was with a long flathead screwdriver and one of those little canisters you pump up with your hand for pressure. Dark days, indeed.

Oh, man, where do we start with this photo?! – Bigwave Sr. photo

One spring, we showed up at the races with the most powerful electric power washer anyone had ever seen. You, literally, couldn’t put you hand in front of the nozzle or it would be cut in half. It plowed through the dirt and mud faster than a hot knife through butter! Man, that was living.

Fast forward to the end of a long season and cooling temperatures. The amazing washing machine got plopped into the garage for the long winter hibernation. Guess what nobody told us? That’s right, you need to drain all the water out of the pump if it’s going to sit anywhere in the cold.

Next spring, guess what happened? Obviously, the water in the pump froze and expanded, breaking it and making it unusable. It was an expensive lesson and we never saw that washer again. The new one was gas-powered and worked like a dream. We had an unusually muddy summer that year and we were happy to have learned our lesson and moved on unfettered.

You’ll never guess what we forgot to do that fall…

Whew, since I’ve been typing, the snow has stopped, the sun is out, and the snow is basically gone. Go fire up your pressure washers!

Detroit SX Official Results

250SX

450SX

So, you all know, by now, that #1 Ryan Dungey was docked 2 positions and went from 1st to 3rd in the results. I was at the race and can remember looking over and wondering if the top guys weren’t going through that section a little fast when the rider was down. It turns out, Dungey did.

From www.supercrosslive.com:

In front of a crowd of 46,259 inside Ford Field a controversial finish in the 450SX Class saw Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey take the checkered flag, only to later be penalized two positions due to an on-track infraction, awarding Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson his second career Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, win. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, GEICO Honda’s Malcolm Stewart became the fourth different winner in as many races, dominating en route to the second victory of his career and seizing control of the championship lead.

Dungey began the 20-lap Main Event by earning his fifth SupercrossLive.com Holeshot Award of the season, but he quickly lost the spot to his Red Bull KTM teammate Marvin Musquin. That change of position didn’t last long as Dungey reclaimed the lead on Lap 1. Musquin settled into second while BTO Sports/WPS/KTM’s Justin Brayton and Anderson battled for third, with Anderson gaining the advantage on Lap 4.

On Lap 7, Dungey approached a red cross flag for a downed rider, requiring riders to roll each jump until clear of the incident. The championship leader failed to adhere to the flag and as a result was penalized two positions by race officials. Racing continued and a mistake by Musquin on Lap 17 put the Frenchman on the ground briefly, forcing him to lose second to Anderson. Dungey went on to take the checkered flag but Anderson would be awarded the win. Anderson earned the first win of his career at the season opening race in Anaheim, California, in January.

Musquin was awarded second, his fourth straight podium finish, while Dungey dropped to third, keeping his record podium streak intact at 27 races.

Last week’s winner Ken Roczen, who currently sits second to Dungey in the championship standings, overcame a start outside the top 10 to put his RCH Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki Factory Racing machine in sixth. Dungey’s points lead extended to 39 markers over the German rider. Anderson solidified his hold on third, moving to within 53 points of Dungey and 14 of Roczen.

So, does this make this photo worth millions? No?

Our buddy, Guy B, over at Vital MX spoke with Roger Decoster afterward. You can listen to the conversation HERE.

AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis

Next round is Round 3 at the FMF Steele Creek in Morgantown, North Carolina, April 2.

2016 James Stewart Freestone National Champions

Wortham, Texas

*Thank you to Racer X for doing the heavy lifting on this one!

Canadian Finishes:

#22 Preston Masciangelo

#101 Matthew Cemovic

#265 Estrella Cemovic

#141 Eve Brodeur

#617 Cooper Hicks

Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing 2016 Team Meet ‘n Greet

The Friday night before the Toronto Supercross we were invited to check out the Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing team over at the Red Bull offices in downtown Toronto. We were over at The Houston getting things ready for the busy nights ahead and got there after the team had been set up for photo ops and everyone had begun hanging out and bench racing. Here are a few photos from the night:

Adam Turner and #14 Jeremy Medaglia will be hoping for big things in the MX2 class this summer.

This was probably my favourite shot of the night, and it was from my hip. Fox Head Canada’s Jason Moore showing off the slick new Fox gear.

This helmet was painted up for Cole Thompson. Unfortunately, it didn’t see action but I DID see it in several cool photos from around the city.

This WAS the best shot I got of Chris Pomeroy!

Wayne Carroll and Todd Kuli enjoying a tasty beverage.

Good tunes were being spun all night long.

GDR’s Derek Schuster talking shims or something with suspension guru Joe Skidd from SSS.

This was as close as I got to #2 Colton Facciotti and then he was gone…

This was NOT the best photo I got of Vital MX’s ‘Guy B’ and that’s why I’m using it.

Guy B and Tyler Spikman talking about the relationship between low light sensitivity and it’s effect on shutter speed.

Adam and Donk get in on the conversation that somehow gets turned to T handles.

That’s Taylor Ciampichini, Billy Mullen, and Kyle Thompson.

A signed Ryan Dungey jersey.

That’s Canadian moto legend, Doug Dehaan in the middle.

Derek Schuster.

Birthday boy, Kevin Tyler, holding court.

Cheers, Kevin!

New mother of twins, Kerri Schuster, and MOD, Barb Schuster.

Have we talked about Frank Schuster’s big news yet? Thanks for a fun night, Fox/Red Bull. It’s going to be a great year!

RTBA Films is Working on a Pretty Cool Video Feature

Our friend, Matt Koeleman, out in BC is working on a feature moto video – Against All Odds – that talks about what it takes to make it in this crazy sport. Here is a little teaser for what’s to come. We can’t wait to see the finished product!

Kieran Doherty’s ‘Across the Pond’ Podcast – Final Episode

Kieran Doherty is back from his ‘World Tour’ in Britain where he competed in the Arenacross UK Pro Lights class. Congratulations, Kieran.

OK, I’ve let this cup of coffee get cold and it’s time for a refill. Have a great week and enjoy you upcoming Easter Weekend. No, there’s no Supercross but, hopefully, the weather is good where you are and you can get out on that new bike and tear it up! Thanks for reading.