Nutrien Western Events Centre, Calgary, AB, November 04, 20223 Story & Images by Noel Flatters: Superfine Media / The DMX Western Bureau
#1 Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) brought home a double championship here in Calgary at the final round of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown Series SX/AX, claiming both the 250 and 450 classes overall. Harrison made a clean sweep of the 250 class over the three round series, taking a 16-point win over second place overall finisher #26 Julien Benek (OGS Moto) and third overall #14 Quinn Amyotte (Manluk Rock River Yamaha). Harrison was denied a sweep of the 450 class tonight by Benek, who took advantage of a last lap mistake by Harrison to take the win and second overall in the series, with Amyotte taking P3 on the night and in the series.
2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series 250 and 450 champion Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) on the podium in Calgary, Alberta.
250 PRO/AM
Mitchell Harrison (R) (Thor GasGas Racing) converts his inside gate start to the holeshot, going wire-to-wire for the race win that secured his Triple Crown SX/AX Series sweep and championship.
Harrison came into the 250 Main having thrown down the fastest qualifier and then getting first gate pick after winning the heats. Taking full advantage of the inside gate, Harrison took the holeshot over Benek, Amyotte, and #56 Blake Davies (MVP Racing / Fox Racing Canada / Husqvarna Canada).
Blake Davies (MVP Racing / Fox Canada / Husqvarna Canada) overcame a bike swap in practice to settle into P4 in the 250 Main, but a lap 8 crash left him out of the running. Davies ended up rejoining the race, finishing in 12th to salvage points for his P9 series finish.
Davies came into the final round looking to build on the momentum of his 450 podium in Medicine Hat, AB two weeks earlier, but it proved to be a tough outing for the youngster from British Columbia. His primary bike died as 250 practice was starting in the afternoon, necessitating a change to his backup (outdoor season) bike for the remainder of practice. His team was able to swap suspension and ECU to the backup before qualifying and a full swap of was completed during the intermission before the evening show. Davies then, however, crashed hard on lap 8 while landing the triple of the triple/double combination in the 250 main after a strong 4th place start. He managed to get back into the race to salvage points, but it was clearly a hard hit and it was unknown how it would affect him for the 450 Main.
Julien Benek (L) (OGs Moto) caught race-winner Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) in the closing moments of the 250 Main, but wasn’t able to make a pass in the two remaining laps.
By lap 4 Harrison had built a small lead over Benek and Amyotte, however he wasn’t able to extend and drop Benek through the middle portion of the race. At the end of lap 9 a small pile-up just before the finish line jump seemed to slow Harrison down just enough for Benek to mount a four-lap charge that brought him back onto Harrison’s rear wheel on lap 14 of this 16-lap race. Benek didn’t have enough pace, though, to make a pass attempt and Harrison took checkers and confirmed his overall 250 series sweep and championship. Benek’s P2 finish was enough to give him second overall for the 250 series, after coming into the round with a 1-point lead over Amyotte. Amyotte finished a distant P3 and took home third overall with that same 1-point deficit to Benek.
Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) takes checkers in the 250 Main to secure a Triple Crown SX/AX series sweep and championship in Calgary, Alberta.Quinn Amyotte (Manluk Rock River Yamaha) came into the final round in third overall, one point behind Julien Benek (OGs Moto). A P3 finish in the 250 Main confirmed his third place series finish behind Benek with that same one point deficit.250 Pro/Am Podium for the final round of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series in Calgary, AB: 1st – Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing); 2nd – Julien Benek (OGs Moto); 3rd – Quinn Amyotte (Manluk Rock River Yamaha)
Heading into the 450 Main with a 15-point lead, the only real questions (absent a complete disaster) was if Harrison could keep his perfect streak going and sweep both classes of the Triple Crown Series, and who would emerge from the three-way battle for 2nd overall between Benek, Amyotte, and Davies.
Enduro pro and Calgary native Spenser Wilton (HTR GasGas) popped in to race and bring some extra style to the 450 class in-between rounds of the IRC Tires Endurocross Series. Wilton made it into the main after a solid win in the LCQ. Looking forward to seeing him race next weekend’s Endurocross round in Redmond, Oregon.Juien Benek (OGs Moto) was locked and loaded ahead of the 450 Main start after a strong 250 race at the final round of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series here in Calgary, Alberta.
The race start went according to plan for Harrison with a tidy holeshot ahead of the usual suspects, Benek and Amyotte, along with a strong starting #31 Zach Ufimzeff (Manluk Rock River Yamaha). Davies, still feeling the effects of his earlier 250 crash, didn’t get off the line well, and faded to P9 by lap three, taking him out of the 2nd overall series battle. As the race entered the middle stages the Harrison/Benek/Amyotte trio had begun to separate from the field, while Ufimzeff and #24 Guillaume St-Cyr were neck and neck in 4th/5th. Ufimzeff had been steadily progressing in the series and he was really starting to shine in this race, eventually coming home in P4 on the night and 7th overall.
Series leader Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) takes the 450 Main holeshot ahead of series second overall #26 Julien Benek (OGs Moto), #31 Zach Ufimzeff (Manluk Rock River Yamaha), and series third overall #14 Quinn Amyotte (Manluk Rock River Yamaha).Blake Davies (MVP Racing / Fox Canada / Husqvarna Canada) was back racing the 450 Main after a big crash in the 250. Davies would end up P8 in the race and 4th overall in the series.“I was really sore for that 450 moto and just tried to get through it.”Zach Ufimzeff (Manluk Rock River Racing) made big gains through the series, finishing off with a P4 in the 450 Main and a 7th overall finish.Guillaume St-Cyr had a strong P5 result here in Calgary after battling with Zach Ufimzeff for the P4 spot for most of the 450 race. He also finished 5th overall in the series. “I’ll be back next year stronger and ready to get back on the podium.“Sebastien Racine (MX101 FXR Yamaha) had a tough night here in Calgary with a P11 in the 250 and a P9 in the 450. Seb finished the series in 6th overall for both the 250 and 450 classes.
Benek stayed in contact with Harrison throughout the race, applying steady pressure but never getting an opportunity to make the pass… until the final lap. Benek had closed right up to Harrison as they headed down the straight for the last time, and heading into corner 1 Harrison took the outside line with Benek taking inside. Harrison made a slight bobble on the exit of the corner killing his momentum and bouncing off a tough block, while Benek was able to nail the triple/double combination in the rhythm section before cleaning the whoops to seal the race win. Harrison recovered to finish second with a comfortable gap over third-place Amyotte.
#26 Julien Benek makes his last lap pass on #1 Mitchell Harrison to take the win in the 450 Main after Harrison bobbled on the exit of the corner 1 outside line. Harrison’s unforced error cost him the series sweep of the 450 class.Julien Benek takes the checkered flag in the 450 Main at the final round of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series, clinching 2nd overall in the process.Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing) rolls to a second-place finish in the 450 main, and an overall series championship.#14 Quinn Amyotte came home in P3 for the race and 3rd overall in the series in his final race for the Manluk Rock River Yamaha team.Your 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series overall champions. 1st – Mitchell Harrison (Thor GasGas Racing); 2nd – Julien Benek (OGs Moto); 3rd – Quinn Amyotte (Manluk Rock River Racing).Julian Benek (OGS Moto) was clearly in a celebratory mood after taking home the 450 win and 2nd overall in both the 250 and 450 classes of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series in Calgary.
Annalyse Luposhinski (Outlaw Motorsports) took a dominating win in the WMX class here in Calgary at the final round of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series.#24 Bailee Bancarz took P2 on the night in WMX.Jorrdynn Brennan rounded out the WMX podium in P3, battling through knee issues.
SUPER MINI
Dexter Seitz (Blackfoot Motosports / Fox Racing Canada / KTM Canada) took home P2 on the night and 1st overall in the Super Mini class of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series here in Calgary.Your Super Mini podium from the final round of the 2023 Triple Crown SX/AX Series here in Calgary: 1st – Javen Didier; 2nd – Dexter Seitz,; 3rd – Braxton Zeitner.
Overall
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