Editor’s Note: With Newf being busy this week with AX Chris Pomeroy will be answering your questions
MXP: Last weekend, the opening rounds of the AMO Racing AX Championships took place in Chilliwack. Overall, how do you think it went?
CP: Although I didn’t make it out to Chilliwack, I heard it was a good weekend of racing. There were several injuries, which is always a bit concerning. From the riders I spoke to, the track wasn’t overly technical, but it was a little on the fast side. It was good to see Quinn Amyotte take his first win for his new WLTN/Kawasaki Team, as well as Sebastien Racine, who won a main event on Saturday. The track this weekend looks a little more technical, so we should see some more good racing to finish off this short series.
MXP: The KTM Canada Red Bull Race Team recently announced that they have signed Josiah Natzke for 2024. What do you think of this unexpected signing?
CP: This deal did come as a bit of a surprise, as we thought KTM was just going to go with a two-rider team next year. There was talk of this for over a month, so it’s good to see it finally get done. In my opinion, this is a great deal for both sides. Natzke is a proven, hard-working rider who has fit right into Canada since arriving here last summer. He told us last week that his style suits a 450 and that he’s very excited to race one in 2024. I consider him a title favourite next year, along with Dylan Wright and Jess Pettis. And since Natzke is currently back home in NZ riding, training, and enjoying summer in the Southern Hemisphere, his 2024 preparation is going very well thus far. I’m also hearing that KTM will release an updated Factory Edition KTM 450SX-F early next year so Pettis and Natzke could have their hands on this new bike for the summer.
MXP: Going back to the Paris SX a couple of weeks ago. We saw a dominating performance from Jett Lawrence as he took the win and was crowned King of Paris. Do you think he can find this type of success in the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Series?
CP: Right now, Jett is a hard rider to bet against, and he certainly has the ball rolling. Watching him dissect the Paris track and find little bursts of speed here and there was very cool. He’s not a big seat bounce rider, so he can carry a little more speed through rhythm sections than anyone else. This is just one of the areas where Jett makes up time on a SX track. In short, he will be very good in 2024 and will win his share of races. If you’re winning races, you’re obviously in the title fight. The 450SX Championship battle between Jett, Sexton, and Tomac is going to be fun to watch. Also, I’d throw Jason Anderson into the mix, as I think he will be much better in 2024.