MXP: Hey Newf! The summer of 2024 is now upon us. Are your plans the same as they’ve been for the past few years?
RL: Yes very much the same as years past. After Pilot Mound last weekend, I drove to Gopher Dunes to drop off our trailer and bikes. I hopped on a plan Wednesday night and will be home for the next few weeks, and will be back at Gopher for Round 4 with the family. We will be traveling for the rest of the rounds on all the amateur days, along with ECAN and TransCan. It should be another good summer of making memories.
MXP: We had a little inside information that there was a chance that Dylan Wright might race last weekend, Round 3, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise. Can you give us a little more information about how the week unfolded and how Dylan was able to race? Also, how was he during the day on Sunday?
RL: As of Wednesday, there was a small hope that there might be a chance once he was released from the hospital. We were super lucky that Jim Frederickson was able to take Dylan into his facility in Red Deer to do some long days of rehab, plus driving in Jim’s motorhome doing therapy on the shoulder along the way. It was a game-time decision Sunday morning on whether he would be able to ride. The day was extremely tough for Dylan, not only physically but mentally. When you are a champion like Dylan, going out there and only being able to give 50% is a tough pill to swallow. I was extremely proud of him as he pushed through the pain and did what he could to keep this championship dream alive. Time will tell here over the next few weeks on what the next step is, but as you know, Dylan and the team will be doing whatever they can to be ready for the dunes.
MXP: Ryder McNabb had a solid day at High Point Raceway last weekend. Is his results what you expected them to be so far in the Pro Motocross Championships, and can he become a consistent top-ten finisher?
RL: If you look at the guys who are beating him, then ya, it’s to be expected for sure. He has four rounds under his belt and has seemed to find his place in that 13-16 range. What I would like to see is some more good starts and run in that 10-12 range in the moto’s for a bit. That will get him more comfortable with the pace. 13-16 is great don’t get me wrong, but I know he has more in the tank.
