Motocross Performance Magazine Canadian Motocross news leader
Springhill, NS is well known for being the hometown of two of Canada’s favourite people. First is singer and songwriter Anne Murray, who has called the quiet town her home for many years, second is Canadian motocross legend Ryan Lockhart. Over the years Lockhart has travelled around the globe looking for fame, fortune and success on two wheels. While it has definitely been a long road for “The Newf”, he has never given up. Last year he found a home on the west coast working for the Atlas Brace/Matrix company and he is happier than ever. I caught up him while he was preparing for his night job at this weekend’s Kawasaki Canadian Arenacross Championships in Cloverdale, BC.
Ryan has lead his fair share of laps so far in the Kawasaki Canadian Arenacross Championships and will be looking for his first win this weekend.
Q: Hey Newf! I’m very impressed, you sound so official when you answered the phone; I like it.
A: I’m all business now Palms, I think I suit it well.
Q: So what is new? Have you been riding much?
A: Actually I haven’t been riding that much since the last round in Chilliwack. The weekend after the last round I went down to the USA and rode an arenacross, but since then it’s been hit and miss. I had a small issue with my bike. While it was getting fixed the weather was good here, but other than that the weather hasn’t been that great.
Q: Are you going to be able to ride the Cloverdale track this week?
A: Yes, I have some track time booked tomorrow night so I’ll be able to get some riding in before the race. I’m really looking forward to moving from Chilliwack to the more traditional AX-type track in Cloverdale. It will be a little more of what I’m used to.
Q: You’re one of the few riders that races a 450 in the Pro class. How do you think it will work on the tighter Cloverdale track?
A: I’m not really sure. I’m looking forward to trying it out though. Hopefully it will be good, as long as I can get it to turn, then I should be fine.
Q: I noticed at the last round on the bigger track in Chilliwack that while the 450s that you and Ross Johnson were riding were faster in the first half of the main event, the 250s seemed to be faster the second half. Is that how it feels for you?
A: Definitely, I don’t feel like I get tired during the main, it just feels like the 250s are able to carry so much more speed around the Chilliwack track. Hopefully this weekend, with the tighter track, they won’t have the same advantage. We’ll see, maybe the guys riding the 250s are just faster.
In 2012 Ryan wrenched for Kyle Keast, the two made a great pair and Newf had Keast riding better than ever.
Q: Whatever it is, the racing has been awesome so far in this series. You know, on my way home from BC after Chilliwack I was thinking about how to make a series like this one work in Ontario. I thought about it for a week and then I taught a riding school in Tillsonburg when it was -10c outside and the bikes wouldn’t start. Everyone was cold, it was tough. I realized then that a winter series just doesn’t work out here. There are just too many obstacles.
A: Yes, it’s too bad because there are a lot of riders in the east that would probably race it. Out here, it never really gets that cold so the ground doesn’t freeze and you don’t have to heat the buildings. People are just used to riding almost all year so it just makes sense to have a race series. Over the years it has sure helped the talent out here as the young riders just keep getting faster every year.
Q: They certainly are. The kids like Gibbs and Keast are flying. I think the cost to run a series out here would just be way too high unless you could find the perfect building and the perfect location. Anyway, at least there’s one series going on right now in Canada. What are your thoughts on the supercross series so far?
A: I think it’s been alright. So far the racing has been okay. One thing I’ve notice is that the racing in the heats and semis has been kind of boring. It’s like if the riders are near the top five in heats then they just cruise around. At least before there seemed to be more intense racing. Also, I don’t like that they cut the number of laps down to six in the heats; they go by too quickly. I do like that they now take 22 to the mains. That is long overdue, for sure.
Q: If they took 22 to the mains back in 2006 and 2007, you would’ve made a ton of mains. You just missed so many times.
A: I know, I was just telling someone that the other day. There were so many times that I finished in the top five in the LCQ, I was so close but back then, there was always three or four really fast guys in the LCQ so I could never beat them.
At the 2013 Parts Canada TransCan Ryan rode flawless to capture the +25 Championship.
Q: The way you’re riding these days, maybe you should make a return, Seattle maybe?
A: That would be cool (laughs).
Q: How are things going at your day job at Atlas and Matrix?
A: Things are great, we’re doing really well. It’s great to go to all the tracks and see so many riders of all ages wearing our braces and using our products. With Atlas, we have that new trade-in deal where you can trade your old brace for a new one. That is going over very well. Everything is great and we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far. Our new Atlas chest protector is coming out in the spring so we’re looking forward to that too. I think that is going to do very well.
Q: You guys are awesome. The way you take care of the young riders, they’re the grassroots of our sport and they’re all wearing Atlas Braces.
A: Thanks Palms, I think it’s because everyone at Atlas are racers so we know what the riders are looking for. It’s been a fun ride so far.
Q: Well Newf, thanks for taking for my call and good luck this weekend in Cloverdale.
A: Thanks, I can’t wait to get back at it. I hope you can make it out here again soon and race the Legends class again.
