Good day, I hope everyone seems to be having fun with their last few days of February. In 48 hours, we are going to welcome March in and shortly it is going to be spring. I do know everyone seems to be ready impatiently for these milder days when you possibly can merely load up your bike and head to your favorite monitor, or at very least any monitor that’s rideable in March. If you happen to recall, our shy groundhog from Wiarton, Ontario predicted an early spring just a few weeks in the past, so I’m positively holding him to his phrase.
Whereas we anticipate nicer climate in Canada, down in Texas it was sizzling and heavy with motion contained in the spacious house of the Dallas Cowboys. We had a number of Canadians competing in all the courses proper from the KJSC to the 450SX class, so there was loads to be happy with on Saturday night time. Let’s take an in depth take a look at how every of our proficient Canadians completed in Arlington.
KJSC- Meston Lockhart (10th Total)
Let me start by saying that the outcomes on this class actually don’t matter because the essential factor is the expertise that the KJSC occasion supplies the riders and their households. It actually is, a as soon as in a lifetime alternative for these children and good on KTM for making the KJSC occur for therefore a few years. For many of our Canadian children who head all the way down to this race, it takes them just a little further time to get snug and to disregard the awe-factor of driving an actual SX monitor, in addition to simply typically being within the setting of Monster Vitality Supercross. So, typically their greatest laps and greatest driving come within the last moments of the principle occasion within the night. This seemed to be the case for younger Meston Lockhart as he bought off to a foul begin and was pressured to play catch-up. Within the last two laps, Meston discovered his groove and made a number of late race passes to finally end 10th general. It was a strong experience and I’m betting that he had an enormous smile on his face after the race and I’m additionally fairly sure that he slept like a child that night time.
SX Futures- Preston Masciangelo (11th Total)
This was Preston’s first ever SX Futures race and though he got here into Arlington with not a variety of seat time, because of accidents suffered to each wrists again in December, I believed he rode nice on Saturday night time. It is a powerful class with not solely a strong variety of quick children on good tools, but in addition with the inexperience of most of those younger riders, staying out of bother isn’t all the time straightforward. I’m certain Preston would have preferred to complete inside the highest ten in Arlington, however contemplating he broke and dislocated each wrists again in early December I believe he must be proud. He’s solely going to get higher and stronger within the coming weeks and months.
250SX East- Quinn Amyotte (10th in LCQ)
Coming off his strong efficiency just a few weeks in the past in Tampa, I’m certain that Quinn got here into Arlington with excessive hopes of qualifying for the 250SX East primary occasion. Nonetheless, with Saturday being a Triple Crown formatted occasion qualifying for the night time present is tougher than it usually is. With an LCQ required simply to make it into the night time present, a variety of good riders, together with Quinn had been left having to pack up earlier than the nationwide anthem was being performed. As Quinn is unquestionably discovering out these LCQ races are nuts and in case you’re not close to the entrance on lap one the possibilities of getting right into a qualifying place is subsequent to unimaginable. The optimistic factor is that Quinn appears to be like to be driving nice and if he can pull off a begin this weekend in Daytona, he ought to have the ability to get that a lot nearer to a spot in the principle occasion.
450SX- Guillaume St-Cyr (46th in Qualifying)
St-Cyr was driving strong like he all the time does in SX however he simply wasn’t in a position to put in that one quick lap that will get him into the 450SX LCQ. Clearly, I wasn’t there to see the place St-Cyr may’ve made up the time he wanted to, however both means I’m certain he was glad simply to be on the monitor and racing in essentially the most prestigious collection on the planet. I might count on St-Cyr to be just a little higher this weekend in Daytona the place the monitor is a bit more of a hybrid SX monitor.
450SX- Julien Benek (22nd in 450SX LCQ)
Julien Benek has been driving nicely these days, and final weekend in Oakland we noticed him qualify for his first primary occasion of 2023. With this being a 250SX East occasion Benek moved as much as the 450SX class merely for the chance to maintain racing. Benek appeared good early within the day and was exhibiting some fairly respectable velocity on the difficult Arlington monitor. Sadly, a crash within the opening few laps of the LCQ price Benek any likelihood of qualifying for the night time present. Hopefully, he’s going to line up once more this weekend in Daytona and provides the 450SX class one other go.
As you possibly can see our Canadian riders represented nicely in Arlington and they need to all be proud. Over in Florida yesterday just a few of our prime professional riders had been competing in an area race that ended up paying some nice cash. Tyler Medaglia, Ryder McNabb, Jess Pettis, Cole Thompson, and Wyatt Kerr had been all on the beginning line, seeking to make some helpful US {Dollars}. Ultimately, it was a full Canadian battle up entrance as Medaglia held off the KTM duo of McNabb and Pettis to take house the massive prize on the day. I spoke to Tyler briefly this morning and he mentioned that he’s feeling good and that the race yesterday was enjoyable. With a number of races occurring within the Sunshine State within the subsequent few weeks, together with the well-known Daytona SX this coming weekend, that is the prime time to be driving and coaching in Florida. Good luck to all of our Canadian riders competing within the subsequent few weeks down south.
The racing on the entrance of the pack on Saturday night was as soon as once more thrilling. Within the 250SX East class, Nate Thrasher proved to be essentially the most constant rider within the class and took his first general win of the season. Thrasher appeared nice all day, and within the three primary occasions, he took benefit of some errors from factors chief Hunter Lawrence. Within the 450 class, issues bought even wilder because the slippery monitor took its toll on just a few of the highest riders. Factors chief Eli Tomac in all probability ought to’ve received the general, however a uncommon mistake whereas main the night time’s last race price him any likelihood of profitable. Chase Sexton then took over, and he appeared like he was going to win each the third primary occasion and the general. Sadly, he bought caught up with a lapper, opening the door for Cooper Webb, who continues excelling on every primary occasion’s closing laps. The extent of driving Webb is ready to obtain late in every primary occasion is unbelievable, and he’s proving up to now this 12 months that you just can not depend him out within the second half of the race. I’d search for Tomac and Webb to have one more epic Daytona battle this coming weekend, as each riders have been good there up to now, and each are driving so nicely proper now. So is Sexton, however I’m not sure if he has the main focus but to win a 450SX primary occasion on the collection’s roughest and most difficult monitor. I used to be considering after the race on Saturday that these three riders (Tomac, Sexton, Webb), and in addition add in Jason Anderson, who additionally has the velocity to win each weekend, are driving at a tempo that I don’t assume we’ve seen because the days of RC, Stewart, and Reed. It’s unbelievable the tempo their driving and the way laborious they look like pushing for your entire race. It’s enjoyable to observe, and this weekend must be much more thrilling.
So final week I spoke concerning the WLTN/Canadian Kawasaki/SevenMX Workforce finalizing their rider line up for 2023, then on Tuesday morning the TLD/GASGAS/SSR Workforce introduced that they are going to be going with Tyler Gibbs and Daniel Elmore for this 12 months. It’s nice to see Gibbs again with the SSR Workforce for 2023 as I consider he discovered loads final 12 months and with that in thoughts he must be higher this summer time. The 250 class is stacked with expertise for 2023 so the margin for error could be very small. Inconsistency and crashes harm Gibbs final summer time, so if he can discover a method to end each moto this summer time, then I’m certain his confidence will develop and he’ll turn into that constant prime 5 and podium finisher. As for Daniel Elmore, nicely, that is simply a type of feel-good tales and I’m glad for each Daniel and Steve Simms. Elmore will now get the additional assist that he’s been working in the direction of and Steve will get that strong, hardworking, low upkeep 450 rider he’s been in search of. I’m anxious to see how Elmore does this summer time and if he can construct on his outcomes from final 12 months. Proper now, each riders are coaching laborious at ClubMX in South Carolina, so search for them to be able to go when the gate drops on the 2023 Triple Crown Collection. So with this announcement that signifies that all the primary spots are actually stuffed on our Canadian groups for 2023. As they are saying, the music has stopped and in case you don’t have a chair then you definitely’re sadly out of luck. I nonetheless can not consider that we are going to not see Marco Cannella behind a beginning gate this summer time. We all know he turned down a 250 deal from the WLTN/Canadian Kawasaki/SevenMX Workforce in addition to a 450 deal from the TLD/GASGAS/SSR Workforce, so it’s not like he didn’t have alternatives to go racing in 2023. He informed me on the cellphone just a few weeks in the past that he simply didn’t really feel snug taking both deal as he didn’t need to waste anybody’s time. I can respect that as up to now that hasn’t all the time been the case with just a few of our riders, however I’m nonetheless going to overlook Marco this summer time as I’ve all the time loved watching him experience in addition to his cerebral method to the game.
In case you missed it here’s a video we shot final weekend on the Toronto Bike Present:
Nicely, that’s it for me this week. I hope everybody has an ideal week and a strong starting to March. Hopefully Mom Nature bought Wiarton Willie’s memo and she will be able to get spring rolling right here quickly. Thanks for studying and when you’ve got any questions or feedback, please e-mail me at chris@mxpmag.com.
