Yamaha Motor Canada Presents Style Check- Abbotsford MX1 Preview

After months of anticipation, we’re now on the eve of the inaugural Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series, which is set to kick off this weekend in Abbottsford, BC. With the opening rounds of this series being indoors in the tight arenas of Abbottsford, Calgary, Sarnia and Barrie, the riders will be in for some very intense racing. As we all know, racing indoors can bring out the best and the worst of some riders. Trying to score points, as well as staying out of trouble, will be at the forefront of every rider’s mind. Since the beginning of time in this sport, we’ve seen riders who are sometimes better at indoor racing than others. The shorter races, intense atmosphere, closeness of the crowd, and the need to get great starts are all things that great indoor riders love. With just two sleeps until the gate drops on the 2018 season, let’s take a look at a few of the main players in the MX1 class and those who will be going for the year-end $100,000 Triple Crown Payout.

MX1:

Matt Goerke – Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha

Although you would think that Matt Goerke’s style is best suited to the rough and challenging outdoor tracks in Canada, he does have a lot of indoor experience. With many SX and AX main events on his long resume, Goerke is definitely a favourite to win the opening round this weekend in BC. If Goerke wants to win this weekend, he will need to bring his cat-like reflexes to Abbottsford, as good starts are a key to success. Goerke also possesses an aggressive side to his riding that we rarely get to see on the wide open outdoor tracks. This means that when push comes to shove, he won’t be afraid to push and shove! As the defending MX1 Champion from 2017, Goerke knows how important it is to get off to a good start in this series. Look for him to be very good during these early indoor rounds.

Dillan Epstein – Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha

This weekend will be Dillan Epstein’s first race for the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha Team, so I’m guessing that he will be a little nervous. In 2017, we saw the resurgence of Epstein as he won a few MX1 motos and finished the series 7th overall. He was very fast and confident last year and I expect him to be the same in 2018. Of the top riders, I think Epstein has the least amount of indoor experience, so look for him to be very cautious this weekend. I love this kid’s story, so hopefully he can get through these opening indoor rounds in one piece and come out swinging in the outdoor rounds.

Colton Facciotti – Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing

As we’ve witnessed so many times over the years, there is nothing that Colton Facciotti cannot do. With a ton of AX experience on his resume, I would expect Colton to be very fast this weekend and also one of the Triple Crown Series’ favourites. Not to mention, he will be racing this weekend in front of his family and friends, so he may be a little more motivated to win. Knowing Colton, he will be riding smart and not taking too many unnecessary chances. However, when the gate drops for the main event, Colton will be a threat to take the win.

Colton Facciotti’s bike is ready to go for the opening rounds of the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown.

Cole Thompson – KTM Thor Racing

Heading into the 2018 series, Cole Thompson is without a doubt one of the favourites to win the 2018 Triple Crown Series. After two seasons in the MX2 class, in which he won a championship, Cole is back in the MX1 class and is ready to win. He is also one of the only riders in the field who has gained a lot of indoor experience during the past few seasons as he’s raced the 250SX class in the Monster Energy SX Series. Like all of the top riders, Cole has been training down south and appears to be ready for his best season to date. At 24 years-old, he’s just reaching his prime in this sport. Also, as the sole KTM MX1 rider this weekend, look for him to come out swinging in Abbottsford as he will be carrying the orange flag.

Tyler Medaglia – Monster Energy Alpinestars Piller’s Kawasaki Racing

Tyler Medaglia is definitely one of the dark horses as we enter these first few indoor rounds. For 2018, Tyler will be racing a Kawasaki for the first time. I’m not sure how much testing time he has on the green machine, but the one thing I do know is that Tyler is a grizzly veteran who simply knows how to race. Whether he’s had one hour or one hundred hours on his new Kawasaki, when the gate drops Tyler will be a threat to win. In fact, if Tyler won the first four indoor rounds of the Triple Crown Series I wouldn’t really be surprised. After all, he knows how to race indoors and he knows how to be aggressive. Couple that with his innate ability to always get great starts and Tyler has to be one of the favourites. I think that’s one of the big things that will make this upcoming series so exciting; everyone I just mentioned has a chance to win races. Also, when you take these riders and then throw in names like Carson Brown and Keylan Meston, you’ll have a gate full of riders capable of winning main events in these opening rounds. It all gets underway this weekend in Abbottsford, BC, so buckle up and enjoy the opening race of the 2018 Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Series.