First, let me apologize for this column being a day late. My family and I spent all of Monday driving from Kamloops to Calgary, and by the time we arrived in Cowtown, it was late, and I couldn’t complete all of this.
Our original plans were to leave the race on Sunday night, drive to Edmonton and then fly back home to Ontario. Sadly, those plans changed when my son had a bad crash at the WCAN on Friday morning and had to be airlifted from the track to the hospital in Kamloops. He broke his collarbone, scapula, and partially collapsed his left lung. The trackside medical crew at Whispering Pines, led by Steve Sulyok, was excellent, and Ayrton was definitely in great hands. Since Steve and his crew were concerned about my son’s lung issue, they decided to call in the helicopter to ensure there weren’t further complications on the long drive to Kamloops. Over the years, I don’t think there’s anything quite as unnerving at the track as seeing an air ambulance fly into the track to pick up an injured rider. However, it’s hard to even put into words the emotions running through my head when it’s for your child. Thankfully, my son was okay, and after a night’s stay in the hospital, he was back at the track watching the races while trying to manage the pain. It was obviously not the week we had planned to have at the WCAN, but after experiencing the Future West medical staff and their care firsthand, it made us fully appreciate how fortunate the riders in BC are to have them. Back in Ontario, we have Ron Cameron and his crew, and they do an excellent job also. When things go sideways, as they did for us on Friday, it was comforting knowing that from the time he hit the ground to the time he was put into the helicopter, he had the care he needed. Finally, big thanks to Steve Simms, who was also under the medical tent helping us out.
Besides that unfortunate situation, we had a great time attending the WCAN for the first time. Ryan Lockhart and his Future West crew were excellent hosts, and together they ran an awesome event. It was also fun to watch some of the fast west coast riders that I don’t get to see very often. There are definitely some talented kids on the west coast, and hopefully most of them will be able to make the drive to Walton Raceway later this summer for the Walton TransCan. The Whispering Pines track is most certainly a unique setting for a motocross race, and this year, the crew had to deal with everything from extreme heat to a little bit of rain. All week they kept the track in good condition, and then on Saturday evening, they ripped it deep and gave the pro riders one of the toughest national tracks we’re seen in a long time. As I mentioned above, despite our issues, we had a good time, and there’s nothing like a little west coast hospitality to make you smile. I also want to thank everyone who reached out to us with their best wishes for Ayrton. Whether it was via text, phone calls, social media, or in person at the track, it’s comforting to know that you have so much support when you’re faced with a difficult situation like we were.
The pro racing on Sunday was excellent, and all of the riders were tested by the challenging track and hot temperatures. As far as digging deep and suffering through a long national moto, this really was the official opening Round for the Triple Crown Series riders. As I stood by the podium after each moto you could tell these races took their toll on even the fittest riders. From Eve Brodeur winning both Round’s this weekend of the WMX Series to Ryder McNabb and Dylan Wright, all the overall winners earned their glory in Kamloops. Now the 2023 Triple Crown Series moves east to Calgary for Round 3 at the famous Wild Rose MX Park. The series hasn’t visited this iconic track since 2019, so it’s going to be an awesome event. But before we start to get ready for Round 3, here are my thoughts on the top ten finishers in the 250 and 450 classes. Please keep in mind that as I wrote this there were a couple protests and the results may change this week.
250 Class:
1.Ryder McNabb: 1-1
After winning the final moto last weekend in Edmonton, Ryder entered this past week with a ton of confidence. Not only did he race during the week at the WCAN but he also got a great day of practice on Tuesday in Revelstoke. On the rough and challenging Whispering Pines track, Ryder looked great and dominated in both motos. Moving forward, the defending 250 Champion is going to be tough to beat.
2.Josiah Natzke: 4-2
If you could pick one word to describe our favourite Kiwi, it would be steady. Through two rounds of the Triple Crown Series, Natzke has been fast and consistent, and if he can continue to ride like this, then he’ll no doubt be in the title fight when it matters most. On Sunday, Natzke rode smooth and smart, and I enjoyed watching his line choice on the rutted and rough Whispering Pines track.
3.Mitchell Harrison: 3-3
After his disastrous opening round, Harrison came into Round 2 with something to prove and some points that needed to be made up. Racing on a track that he loves, Harrison was fast in both motos and although he had a couple of tip-overs, his late moto charge to pass Benoit in Moto 2 most certainly proved that he’s one of the fittest riders on the track.
4.Kaven Benoit: 2-4
This weekend Benoit looked great with new red plates on his factory KTM, and since we both run #126, I guess I have a soft spot for the multi-time champion. Like last weekend, Benoit looked smooth and fast at Round 2, and it was good to see him ride so well on the super rough track. Also, in five motos thus far, Benoit has either gotten the holeshot or exit turn one in second. Whether it’s experience, good fortune, or a bit of both, he’s been making life easy on himself by getting great starts. After the second moto, Benoit admitted that the final laps of moto two were extremely challenging, so that is what he will work on this week.
5.Quinn Amyotte: 5-7
Considering how good Quinn rode on Sunday, it’s hard to believe that he went 5-7 for 5th overall. In the opening moto, Quinn charged to the back tire of Harrison, and at one point, it looked as though he was going to make the pass for third. However, during the final laps, Quinn made a mistake and dropped back to 5th. In moto two, Quinn didn’t get off to a very good start, and from there, he wasn’t able to charge the same as he did in the opening moto. In the end, I think Quinn should be excited with where he’s at, his speed this year has been awesome so far.
6. Jyrie Mitchell: 11-5
After a tough opening moto, Jyrie came out swinging in moto two and showed the speed and aggression that we all know he has. During these western rounds, Jyrie is kind of winging it with very limited track-side support. Once the series moves east, he should have much more support at the track, so I’d look for his consistency to improve. This kid has some serious speed, and I honestly see a podium finish in the near future.
7. Noah Viney: 6-10
With the deal to travel north and fill in on the GDR Honda Team for the injured Jacob Piccolo coming together just a few days prior to Round 2, Noah obviously didn’t have too much time to prepare. Also, Noah has only been back on the training grind for five weeks so his body is still recovering from the life threatening injuries he suffered a few months before. I was impressed with his speed in moto one and I think with a little time Noah can be a consistent top five finisher in the 250 class.
8. Hunter Schlosser: 8-9
After finishing sixth last weekend at the opening round, Hunter backed it up with another solid finish in Kamloops. Hunter obviously doesn’t know any of our tracks, so with Whispering Pines being the type of track that demands some familiarity, Hunter’s finish was pretty solid.
9. Tyler Yates: 9-11
I first noticed Tyler’s style and speed last fall in the Triple Crown SX Series and so far in two rounds of the MX Series he’s really impressed me. Tyler doesn’t back down and on Sunday he just never quit charging. Ninth overall is a solid finish but if he wants to do better than he needs to work on his starts. So far, so good though for Tyler, and I think he’s going to do even better this weekend in Calgary.
10. Tanner Ward: 16-6
After the opening moto on Sunday I had more than one person ask me if I thought anything was wrong with Tanner Ward. However, to his credit, Tanner kept his head held high and came out in moto two and rode very well. Tanner was running some new suspension this weekend on his Kawasaki, so he may need a little more time on it before we see his true speed. My feeling is that although Tanner is off to a slow start in the 250 series, we’re going to see a much better TW84 in the east as he needs a few rounds to feel comfortable.
450 Class
1.Dylan Wright: 3-1
Round 2 was a strange weekend for the 450 points leader as he struggled right from the first lap of practice to find the smoothness that we’re used to seeing. Although Dylan did get pole position again, he did not look comfortable during his best lap. Then in moto one, Dylan crashed three times, twice while leading, and ended up finishing in third. It was a very uncharacteristic moto for Dylan and he appeared to be fighting his bike the entire time. For moto two, he and his team made some suspension adjustments and Dylan’s bike looked much more balanced. Dylan did fly home after Round 1 so perhaps all of the east to west travelling had him feeling a little off. In the past he’s been very good in Calgary so, look for a much more comfortable Dylan Wright at Round 3.
2. Tyler Medaglia: 1-3
After a plethora of second place finishes last year in the 450 class, it was great to see the 36 year old Medaglia finally get a moto win. Tyler rode the rough Whispering Pines track very well and like he usually does, Tyler got better as the track got worse. During the second half of moto two Tyler found some great lines and was making a charge on Maffenbeier for second, but a sketchy moment caused him to wisely back it down and take third.
3. Shawn Maffenbeier: 2-2
Maff was fast all week on his home track and at the WCAN he easily won the motos he entered. I thought for sure that he was going to win a moto on Sunday, at times he was the fastest 450 rider on the track. In fact, with three laps to go in the final moto Maff turned the fastest lap of the race as he tried to reel in Wright. As I said, Maff looks great on his new 2023 YZ450F and I hope he can keep the ball rolling. Trust me, a moto win is definitely in his future!
4. Jess Pettis: 4-4
Although Jess had a sub-par day on paper, I personally think Round 2 was a breakthrough race for him. Obviously, Jess didn’t have the pace or comfort level on the Whispering Pines track to run with the leaders, but to hold back and not push the envelope and crash like we’ve seen him do in the past, was a sign of his maturity as a rider. If a 4-4 finish is a bad day for him in 2023, then this summer is going to be solid summer for JP15. After two rounds Jess is healthy and already has a moto win. That’s not a bad start to the series in my opinion.
5. Daniel Elmore: 5-5
How solid is Danny Elmore? I know Round 2 probably wasn’t the most exciting races that Elmore has had in the past as he rode around by himself in both motos. However, there is nothing wrong with top five finishes during the opening rounds. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do in the east as he gets more and more comfortable on his new TLD/GASGAS/SSR MC450.
6. Parker Eales: 6-7
I didn’t see too much of Parker during the motos as the 450 riders were really spread out. I know in the final moto he was going after Gibbs for 6th on the final laps but would come up just short. It was also good to see him bounce back after a tough opening round last weekend in Edmonton. Parker is a solid rider and I expect him to get better and better as the series goes on.
7. Tyler Gibbs: 8-6
Racing in just his second race in the 450 class, Tyler looked solid all day in Kamloops. I think Tyler obviously needs a little time on the bike, as well as a little more stamina if he wants to challenge for a top five finish in this class. However, moto two on Sunday was a step in the right direction as he dug deep in the heat to hold onto 6th place. Tyler seems like he’s in a good place mentally so hopefully we see some more solid finishes in the future.
8. Andy Truyts: 7-10
Sunday was another solid day for Andy, and he finished inside the top ten in both motos. I thought he looked a little more comfortable last weekend on the hard packed Edmonton track than he did on the rough and rutted Whispering Pines track, but that could be because of what I said earlier about how important experience is on this track. Either way, two good rounds to kick-off his first series in Canada is very impressive.
9. Julien Benek: 9-9
I heard through the grapevine that Julien was sick all day on Saturday so that most likely explains his 9-9 finish. Not that it’s that bad, but I think he’s capable of better results as Julien has some serious speed. Let’s hope he feels better and can get a good week of practice in before Round 3 in Calgary.
10. Jeremy Mckie: 12-8
Coming into the 2023 Triple Crown Series I thought Mckie was going to be a consistent top five finisher in the 450 class. However, so far he hasn’t cracked the top five and on Sunday he was nowhere close. I’m not sure what is going on, as right now Mckie looks uncomfortable when he’s trying to put in fast laps. I know he’s frustrated as expectations were high coming into the series. I think he needs to relax a little and just let the 450 riding and racing come to him. Other than the pressure Jeremy puts on himself, I don’t think there is any external pressure to battle for podiums right now. So relax, learn as much as you can in each race right now, and then wait for the east rounds where he knows the tracks better.
Well, that is it for me this week. I hope everyone has a great week and Happy Father’s Day this Sunday to all of the incredible moto dads out there. Thank you for reading this week and if you have any comments or questions please email me at chris@mxpmag.com.