Frid’Eh Update #13 | Jordan Melanson | Brought to You by KTM Canada
By Billy Rainford
It’s Week #13 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update this week brought to you by KTM Canada, but since we don’t have anyone running #13 for the 2023 season we decided to do something different again. We went to the end of the top 100 and worked our way backwards till we hit #97 Jordan Melanson from Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia.
I first met Jordan way back in 2007 at the River Glade National in Moncton, New Brunswick. I’m assuming he wouldn’t remember it but I was in the pits and he came up to get some autographs and I snapped his photo. He was an up-and-coming young rider in the area and probably raced the amateur day that weekend.
His story is one that is similar to many in our sport in that he charged up through the ranks and then took some time away from the sport before realizing how much he needed Moto in his life and came back to racing.
He raced the 2022 Canadian Triple Crown Series MX National at River Glade in 2022 as an Intermediate and finished 16-23 for 19th overall and 5 points. It was those 5 points that earned him a top 100 number for this year with #97.
I got in touch with him this week to see if he’d be interested in filling in for the absent #13 and he agreed. He’s been busy training down at MTF in Georgia and just returned home to finish getting ready for the upcoming season.
Here’s what he had to say:
Direct Motocross: Can you tell us your name, how old you are and where you’re from?
Jordan Melanson: Jordan Melanson, 25 years old, Middle Sackville, NS
What first got you interested in Motocross as a kid?
My mother bought me a Suzuki 50 and took me the River Glade MX for my first race in 2005.
What’s been your biggest accomplishment in MX so far?
I earned my pro number 88 in 2015 but took 5 years off to go to school and secure a career. I came back in 2019-2020 as an Intermediate so I could retrain and in 2022 I earned my pro number 97 that I will be using for 2023. Also in 2022, I did my first back flip on my 110 Honda dirt bike.
I’ve seen you at the races since you were just a little kid. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing young MX racers today?
Finding the right balance between home life, work, off-track training, and racing.
What have you been doing for training this winter?
I just got back from Millsaps Training Facility – it was a reset to put me in the right direction for the 2023 race season.
Have you been there before and can you tell us what it’s like to train there?
It was always my dream as a young kid, but coming from a single mom family she was working a lot in the winter so I did not get to go. I love MTF and Colleen (Millsaps), she reminds me of my mother – works
hard and takes no shit but always encourages riders and the training is amazing.
What will you do for the rest of the spring? Any pre-season races?
Continue to eat healthy, train at the gym Fit for Less by me, keep active with my niece and nephew (Deja & Ceaser), ride my 110 Honda, and go to a couple local races when they start.
What are your racing plans for the summer?
Do at least 4 nationals – the east coast series: Gopher Dunes, Deschambault, River Glade, and Walton.
Who will you be travelling with?
Plans are in the making; probably the same crew I went to MTF with: Dennis Harrington, Carl Heighton and his son Jace, Billy Gammon and his son Bryton.
Coming from the east coast, who were your biggest MX idols when you were a kid?
Mitch Cooke and Davey Fraser are a tie. As a kid I spent a lot of time training and riding with both.
What are you hoping to accomplish this summer with your racing?
Get a better pro number.
What do you do when you’re not riding? Work? Other sports or hobbies?
Work and I have very active life. Also, I love long hikes with my RC trucks and working on my RC trucks.
What’s the one thing people should make sure they do when they visit your part of Canada?
Go ride at Mount Thom MX track 15 mins from Truro, NS and also stop into Toys for Big Boys in Moncton, NB. They have a great staff and a wicket showroom.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Rock & Roll, baby!
Who do you think will win the MX titles (WMX, 250 and 450) in Canada this summer?
Women – Jamie Astudillo, 250 – Ryder McNabb, and 450 – Dylan Wright.
OK, thanks for playing along and letting us get to know you a little better. Good luck this season and who would you like to thank?
My #1 Fan – mom (Darlene Graves), Toys for Big Boys, they hook me up great, #2 fan – Patty Adams and Ken McCurdy, TNT suspension, Fox Racing, and tons of other people over the years.
Ryder McNabb Injured
We’re hearing about an unfortunate injury to defending Canadian 250 MX champion Ryder McNabb. Apparently, Ryder has suffered a broken left tib/fib that will require surgery when he returns home to Manitoba. We haven’t been able to speak with Ryder at the time of this post but will keep trying to find out more details. Fortunately, with 2 full months before the first round in Edmonton on June 3rd, Ryder has time to make a full recovery before he gets out there and defends his 250 title.
DMX Update/Talking Point Video
With Kaven Benoit racing the 250 2-stroke this upcoming season in the 250 class, we thought we’d do a video to talk about it and leave it up to you to discuss your thoughts and opinions on the rather flammable subject. Check it out:
OK, editing that little video took way longer than I thought it would so now we’ve run out of time. Have a great weekend, everyone. If you happen to be in the Toronto area and are heading to check out the Toronto Spring Motorcycle Show at the International Centre, be sure to stop in to have a chocolate and chat.
