Words by Ryan Lockhart
Photos by James Lissimore and Mike Vizer
In the months leading up to the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan, fans and media alike have been drooling at the thought of how exciting the MX1 class is going to be this summer. With riders like Brett Metcalfe, Colton Facciotti, Davi Millsaps and last year’s champion Matt Goerke, at any one time there could be at least six riders that can win. From Kamloops to Regina, these MX1 riders will be tested as they never have before.
As well as seasoned MX1 veterans like Goerke, Facciotti, Metcalfe and Alessi, this class will also feature MX1 rookies like Kaven Benoit, and Vince Friese. These riders will have to adapt very quickly to the big 450 machines, as well as the intensity of racing in the premier class. Additionally, the veteran US Supercross ace Davi Millsaps will be making his debut at the Canadian Nationals. When the gate drops in Kamloops for Round 1, the ground will be shaking as the most talented group of MX1 riders ever to line up in Canada blasts off.
Another item that all of the MX1 riders will have to deal with is the diversity in track conditions of the western rounds. At Round 1 in Kamloops, the riders will be tested with a very rough, sandy track, which will test their endurance right from the first gate drop. At Round 2 in Nanaimo, the conditions will be hard packed and relatively smooth. At the third round in Calgary, the riders will have to navigate severe elevation changes and massive jumps before the western swing concludes at the high speed track in Regina. If the MX1 riders want to have successful rounds in the west of the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink Motocross Nationals presented by Motovan, then they’ll have to be focused and prepared to adapt quickly to changing track conditions. As we’ve done for the past two years, we called upon Ryan Lockhart to give us his predictions as to who might take the top five positions during the opening four rounds of the MX1 class.
Ryan Lockhart feels that Matt Goerke will once again be the rider to beat in 2016.
1st. Matt Goerke – Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha Team
Matt Goerke really impressed me last year. In my mind, he came into the series extremely underprepared, but showed so much heart right from the get go. Regardless of where he started in each moto, he always found a way to the front quickly and never really finished off the podium. I believe his preparation is much better this year, and even though there will be guys that can beat him in speed, no one can beat his heart and grit to win back to back titles. Obviously, with the added competition that Matt will be facing in 2016, defending his MX1 title is going to be very tough. However, I believe he will be the points leader when the series concludes at RJ Motosport Park in Barrie, Ontario.
It will be interesting to see how Brett Metcalfe adapts to his new Yamaha in the early rounds of the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals?
2nd. Brett Metcalfe – Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha Team
It’s my feeling that throughout the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals Brett will be the fastest rider. He was last year and that won’t change this summer. I like the fact that he has switched to the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha team during the off-season; I think change is good. So you may ask why I think the fastest guy won’t win the championship? I believe that his inability to consistently get good starts will hurt him as they did in 2015, and unless he can improve on them this year, he will have a hard time coming through the pack with the amount of depth in this class. Racing the Australian Nationals this past winter will help big time. As long as he can start in the top thee he will win. I think the 2016 MX1 title will be a toss-up between Metcalfe and his teammate Goerke.
Colton Facciotti is coming off a very successful 2015 which saw him come up just short of winning the MX1 title. Will he be able to get it done this summer against some very stiff competition?
3rd. Colton Facciotti – Honda Canada Racing Fox GDR Honda Team
It’s really tough to put Colt in this position, because we all know a healthy Colton is a serious threat for any championship. Last year he came in very underprepared because of a pre-season injury, but once he got things figured out he won the last three Nationals and only lost the championship by a mere six points. He will need to get moto wins right off the start if he wants to contest for this MX1 championship. Colton can’t afford to be a slow starter this year, he will need to be in it to win it right from the start, which we all know he can. I also believe the first two tracks of the series really suit Colton, so he should be fast right out of the blocks. Just like Chad Reed in Supercross, when we’re talking about the Canadian Nationals, you can never count out Colton Facciotti. Although I think that he may come up just short of the MX1 title again in 2016, he will be in the fight right until the final moto of the series.
Mike Alessi is back in Canada this summer and is looking to win his first professional outdoor championship.
4th. Mike Alessi – Monster Energy Alpinestar Kawasaki Team
It’s so awesome to have Mike Alessi back in Canada for 2016. Mike has a huge fan base and adds the spice that is perfect for the Canadian Nationals. What’s going to be odd is seeing Mike on a new bike and with a different team. I believe he’s going to win a lot of races and be in the title hunt all summer long, I just don’t know if he will have the consistency needed in the early stages of the series to make a run at the title. As we all did in 2014 when Mike was racing in Canada, I’m sure we will marvel at his raw speed, especially in the early stages of each moto. For the past decade, Mike has been one of the best starters on the planet and I’m sure that won’t change in 2016. As I mentioned before, Mike Alessi will add a lot of excitement to this series and I can’t wait to see how he does.
Perhaps the biggest news heading into this summer is the arrival of Davi Millsaps to the MX1 class. Regardless of how he finishes in the MX1 class, Millsaps is sure going to be fun to watch during this ten round series.
5th. Davi Millsaps – KTM Canada Thor Racing Team
I honestly feel a little strange putting Davi Millsaps in fifth overall in this MX1 series. After all, Millsaps is a former Supercross Lites Champion and a 450 main event winner. However, he’s coming off a few serious injuries that have knocked him out of the last few series he’s entered. While he’s without a doubt the biggest name to head north to compete in our serious, I think it will take him some time to figure out the tracks and how things work in Canada. Hopefully he is healthy and 100% committed to winning this title. If he is and if he can get some wins early in the series, he will be a title threat this summer. Regardless of where Millsaps finishes in the final standings, it’s truly on honour to have him in Canada and hats off to the KTM Canada Thor Racing Team for making this deal happen. I’ve spoken to a few people in the USA who know Millsaps better than I do, and they all agree that he’s capable of doing whatever he puts his mind to.
In closing, this was by far the most difficult series to predict as it will be the most competitive year ever in Canadian Motocross. In addition to my top five picks, I would also throw in Tyler Medaglia, Kaven Benoit, and Vince Friese into the mix. These three riders are all capable of winning motos and being on the podium at every round. Like everyone else, I cannot wait for the 2016 MX1 series to get underway as I’m sure it will be one for the ages.