MXP: Hey Newf! The big news out of this past week was the signing of Tyler Medaglia to the GDR Honda Team. Overall, this is a good deal for both sides and for Honda’s presence in off-road racing in Canada. What are your thoughts on this deal?
RL: Yes, this is a good deal for both parties. Tyler brings a lot of value to the table, and he still has some fight to challenge for a 250 championship. I also think it’s going to benefit Dylan Wright to have Tyler as a training partner. There is no question that both Tyler and Dylan are the hardest-working guys in Canadian Moto. They will feed off each other, and that will help both of them. The plan is for Tyler to stay a little more focused this winter just on Motocross, but then he will do a bunch of off-road stuff once the Triple Crown Series is over, which will also be great for GDR and Honda. I know for myself, being part of the team, that I’m excited for Tyler to be around this summer with his great attitude and the experience he can bring to the team. I think all of us at GDR can learn from him.
MXP: The first question most people had was about Jacob Piccolo. Where does Jake stand with his health, and when will he be back on the bike?
RL: Jake is still very much part of the team, but he needs some time to heal. His shoulder is not great, and as many can imagine, the health care system is in no rush to figure out what is wrong with it. We told Jake to take the time needed and get the correct answers to get healthy. We as a team, will be ready for him when he’s ready. We still all believe he can get back on top, but rushing things is only doing more damage. I honestly can’t give a timeline of when he’s back on the track, but my gut feeling is we will see him at some point next summer.
MXP: You were down in Vegas this week visiting the PulpMX show. Were you able to get any insight into who is looking fast heading into Anaheim 1?
RL: The off-season talk is always filled with riders who are “Flying at the test track,” but from what I have been told, Malcolm Stewart is looking really good. Just a little over three weeks till A1, so I guess we will find out sooner rather than later.