MXP: Hey Newf! You were pretty close with your predictions on how a couple of our Canadian riders would finish at Ironman Raceway last weekend. What are your thoughts on how Dylan Wright and Jess Pettis did on Saturday?
RL: Overall, it was a successful day, and the boys did Canada proud. Qualifying went well for both of them, and both were inside the Top 10 in Moto One. It was a bummer for Jess in Moto Two with the first turn crash, but Dylan dug deep and got another top 10. For anyone who followed along closely, Dylan’s day had the potential to be a lot better. He blew the start in the first moto and came from 30th to 8th. In the second moto, Dylan got a great start and was battling with AC for 6th before he went down. He remounted and charged from 18th to 9th. It was still very good, but that 8th overall could have been a 5th or 6th with a little luck.
MXP: This week, the track map for the opening SMX Playoff Round in Charlotte was released. We believe the schedule will consist of two 25-minute main events, which should be interesting. What are your thoughts on the track, and how do you think these playoff events will be?
RL: Everyone is curious how this will play out. I thought the two mains were 20 minutes each. For me, I think it will be important for them to really get the track right. I would like to see them rip or dig the outdoor portion of the track so it develops ruts and bumps. Unlike the hybrid tracks we have seen over the years with the Monster Cup events that were just hard and slick. I like the concept of these final three events, and I really hope it works.
MXP: It must feel good to be back at home after a hectic summer. What does your schedule look like for the next few weeks?
RL: Things have been pretty quiet for the last few weeks. I’ve been grinding away with work stuff and cleaning things up from the summer. Kids head back to school on Tuesday, so I think we are all looking forward to that (laughs). We have two races left in the Future West Series, but not until mid-September. We’ll get back on the bikes next weekend and get to work to finish out the series strong.