Frid’Eh Update #2 | Daniel Elmore | Brought to You by RP Race Performance
By Billy Rainford
We’d like to welcome RP Race Performance to our valued list of partners. RP is out of Quebec and you’ll likely be seeing a lot more of them in the very near future at our Canadian Triple Crown Series this coming season. 😉 Check them out on their website or on their Instagram page.
Welcome to Week #2 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update presented by RP Race Performance. Winter has finally arrived here in Southwestern Ontario. No, I haven’t had to shovel or bust out the snowblower yet, but the grass is covered and we’re heading south of -5C in the upcoming days. We have a new dog (an Aussiedoodle named Olive) who has never seen snow before, so she’s loving it. More importantly, so are we because snow is just wet, not dirty, so getting home from the dog park usually just means a towel and not a stop in the bath tub. If you have a dog, you know how much they love the tub…
OK, I know you want to see what she looks like:
It may be snowing here, but it will likely be raining in San Francisco for Round 2 of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at Oracle Park. The forecast is saying 90% chance of light rain and they’ve already made the decision to cancel the riding portion of Media Day, so we could be in for some interesting conditions and possible surprise on the top of the box.
Last time we expected a mudder, the crew did a great job with the track and it ended up being perfect, but I was also in New Jersey last year when they had to clear the entire stadium until the lightning stopped. Jessica Longname from Tree Three Media will be in charge of our on-site coverage, so be sure to watch for that. I know nobody cares about the conditions for the photographers, but the track will likely be taken care of but the edges (where photogs walk) will likely be a nightmare. I know, I know, world’s smallest violins being played now…
The joke in the above photo is that we’re not allowed to wear any bright colours or patterns that might distract viewers at home, so solid black footwear is what we try to wear.
OK, no, Daniel Elmore isn’t #2 for 2024 at our races, but he’s the highest finishing rider to choose a number outside of the top 52 (weeks per year), so I figured this was our chance to get him featured in a Frid’Eh Update for the season. We don’t have a #2 in our series (insert joke here).
Daniel has chosen #377 as his career number. He finished 5th in 450 MX, 4th in 250 SX, 8th in 450 SX, and was 3rd overall in 450 Triple Crown points.
Daniel worked his butt off in the winter months before heading into the 2023 season. He didn’t know where he was going to land but Steve Simms gave him a chance on his TLD SSR GasGas team which was announced in February while Daniel was training at Club MX. Mike Bonacci and the gang at Club all love Daniel and his work ethic.
Daniel came through for the team throughout the season and was looking forward to moving ahead with them into the future. Unfortunately, Steve had to make the decision to cease operations of his team and has taken the position of Team Manager over at WLTN Kawasaki, leaving Daniel without a home heading into the off-season.
I know he’s spoken to various teams in Canada with hopes of securing a ride befitting his accomplishments and future potential. I’ve heard there’s even a chance he finds himself with some support from Steve’s new home at the Walton team, but nothing is for sure.
We contacted Daniel this week and here’s our conversation:
Direct Motocross: Hello, Daniel. Happy New Year. Since we don’t have a #2 in Canada and you are the highest ranking rider with a career number outside the top 52, this week is in your honour! How were your Christmas Holidays and New Year’s Eve? What did you get up to?
Daniel Elmore: Hi, Billy! Happy New Year to you as well and thanks for doing this. The holidays were good, thank you.
You don’t usually show a lot of emotion, but are you a big Christmas guy? What’s your family tradition?
Haha, ya, usually not. We actually don’t really do anything for Christmas aside from hang out with family and friends which was nice. But if I’m being honest, I never even stopped working. Haha.
What do you do for work?
I work in the logging industry with my dad.
What else do you do up there in Telkwa, BC in the wintertime?
Well, I love snowboarding but unfortunately I haven’t been able to do much as I have an old ankle injury I’m still trying to fix. Fingers crossed, in the next couple weeks I can get up the hill. Haha. Aside from that, I really enjoy hitting the gym and if I’m around in the summer months I like to mountain bike and cliff jump into the lakes around here.
Let’s talk about your 2023 season. You ended up 5th in the 450 MX portion of the series, just a few points behind Shawn Maffenbeier in 4th. Can you sum up you season for us? What were you best and worst rounds and were you happy with your results?
All in all, it was an awesome season! Obviously, I would have to say Sand Del Lee was my best round; scoring my first podium was something special. I also had a string of bad luck that ran through the Calgary and Gopher Dunes weekends, finding myself on the ground in 3 out of those 4 starts. Also, Deschambault was brutal, as I was incredibly sick the whole week. But I pushed through everything to come out 5th in the standings so I’m really happy with that.
And then you did the 3 SX/AX rounds and managed to get yourself up into 3rd overall in the 450 Triple Crown points. 10-9-7 were your results. Can you take us through those races? I don’t think of you as a big indoor guy.
Although the 3rd overall is cool I don’t think it really means much to anyone. The racing was good but my performance in the 250 class was much better, scoring 8-5-5 for 4th in the points. And yup, you are very right about me not being an indoor guy! I grew up not even looking at an indoor track and pretty much just threw myself into it. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made, though, and it will only get better!
How did Steve Simms break the news to you about the TLD SSR GasGas team shutting down its operations?
Well, last fall he’d already told me there was a slight chance it wouldn’t be running, but we weren’t too worried about it. But I guess it would’ve been over a month ago now he texted me saying he was closing the doors. It’s super unfortunate for the industry as a whole, but as for me I am just extremely grateful for the awesome year I got to spend with them.
Do you have anything lined up for next season yet? Are you talking to any team owners? Doesn’t MX101 still need a 450 rider?
Honestly, I tried everyone I could think of that I had any chance of getting on with. But as of now there is nothing. I thought with my performance last season it would be something I wouldn’t have to worry to much about, but that hasn’t been the case.
Do you have training plans for this winter?
Yes, I will be trying my best to head to SOBMX in early February.
Let’s say nothing materializes under an awning for next summer, what would you do? Will you and Orrin hit the road together?
Maybe get my own awning? Haha. I’m not too sure yet. I am going racing either way and Orrin will be along, I’m sure. But that leaves me without a mechanic because he’s racing MX2! Haha. But things have a way of working out, so I’m not too worried.
What’s the weirdest thing you have to do before a race? Do you always put your gear on in the same order or anything like that?
Nothing too weird. I just try and hype myself up as much as I can then say a prayer at the 30-second board. I think the weirdest thing is that I always have a certain drink between the sight lap and the gate drop. Top secret. Haha
Now I’m going to watch for what the drink is next season! Good luck getting everything sorted out. I’m sure you’ll land on your feet. Who would you like to thank?
Thanks again! Yep, like I said, I am going racing and I’m going to give it 100%. I would like to give a huge thanks to the entire crew of the TLD GasGas SSR team for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. It was an awesome experience with awesome people. As of my sponsors right now I have nothing set in stone but I will in the coming weeks.
Wow, Daniel finished 5th in the 450 MX class last summer and is at risk of being left without a full ride in 2024. That’s like if Adam Cianciarulo‘s (AMA Pro Motocross 450 – 5th) team stopped and he was left having a hard time finding work for the upcoming season. Sometimes, I fear for our sport here in Canada. Good luck, Daniel.
Zach Ufimzeff Racing Dortmund Supercross this Weekend
The 2024 ADAC Dortmund Supercross takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Germany and we have #15 Zach Ufimzeff over in Europe racing for the first time in the SX1 class.
Zach is a pretty quiet guy at the races, normally, but he has a lot of fun on his Instagram page.
Be sure to give him a follow.
You can watch all 3 nights live on the ADAC YouTube page starting at 1:45pm Eastern:
Manluk Not Going Racing in 2024?
Speaking of Zach, we’re hearing the unfortunate news that we’re losing yet another full team heading into 2024.
We haven’t been able to confirm with team owner Frank Lubke so we don’t want to say it’s 100% just yet, but that means we’d lose 3 teams heading into 2024 – TLD SSR GasGas, Thor GasGas, and Manluk. As I said a few lines up, sometimes, I fear for our sport here in Canada. We’re losing teams but gaining podcasters!
1. We’ve heard the western swing of the Canadian Triple Crown Series MX Nationals may not make it into BC this summer. We’ve also heard that things may change before we see the official schedule due to be released on January 15th. We’ll have to wait and see…
2. Parts Canada not supporting a team in 2024? If so, when was the last time that happened? Some time in the 1990’s maybe??? They supported the Thor GasGas team in 2023 but it no longer exists. They did pick up a couple brands we do some work with, though – Muc-Off and Scott Goggles.
3. With both GasGas Canada teams closing their doors, how will the brand be represented at our races in 2024?
4. Jake Piccolo to miss early rounds of 2024 season? I spoke with the parents of the former 250 national champion and we’re told he has an appointment with a specialist later this month in Ottawa and they’ll know more then. Stay tuned…
5. There were rumours of us gaining 2 new Pro teams for the 2024 season. I’ve now been told that it won’t be happening after all. 3 out, 2 in is now just 3 out. Not great…
6. Daniel Elmore to get some help from WLTN Kawasaki?
Julien Benek Racing San Francisco Supercross!
Yes, you read that correctly. #500 Julien Benek will be on the line at Round 2 in San Francisco this weekend. You’ll remember, he went into A1 with mono and then broke his right thumb in free practice. He still raced the 250 LCQ and finished 2nd to move onto the Main where he finished 19th.
He suffered an avulsion fracture (skier’s thumb) and will need surgery to reattach the ligament. Unfortunately, insurance won’t cover the surgery in California so he said he’s going to race this weekend because it’s on the way home. What an absolute legend!
From Wikipedia:
Gamekeeper’s thumb (also known as skier’s thumb or UCL tear) is a type of injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb. The UCL may be merely stretched, or it may be torn from its insertion site into the proximal phalanx of the thumb;[1] in approximately 90% of cases part of the bone is actually avulsed (sheared away) from the joint.[2] This condition is commonly observed among gamekeepers and Scottish fowl hunters, as well as athletes (such as volleyballers and soccer goalkeepers). It also occurs among people who sustain a fall onto an outstretched hand while holding a rod, frequently skiers grasping ski poles.[3]
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of gamekeeper’s thumb are instability of the MCP joint of the thumb, accompanied by pain and weakness of the pinch grasp. The severity of the symptoms is related to the extent of the initial tear of the UCL (in the case of skier’s thumb), or how long the injury has been allowed to progress (in the case of gamekeeper’s thumb).
Characteristic signs include pain, swelling, and ecchymosis around the thenar eminence, and especially over the MCP joint of the thumb. Physical examination demonstrates instability of the MCP joint of the thumb.
The patient will often manifest a weakened ability to grasp objects or perform such tasks as tying shoes and tearing a piece of paper. Other complaints include intense pain experienced upon catching the thumb on an object, such as when reaching into a pants pocket.
Like I said, what an absolute legend!
Too Much Jett Lawrence in the Media?
If you read the comments on any Instagram or YouTube posts (something I can only suggest purely for entertainment value, but to avoid if you’re the subject), you’ll definitely be seeing some backlash on all the coverage Jett Lawrence has been getting. Some have even gone so far as to speculate on him going undefeated this Supercross season. Ludicrous! Or is it…
Maybe undefeated is a stretch but I don’t think you can argue against the fact that Jett looks like he’s ready to be the future of American Motocross.
I had an interesting conversation this week and it was pointed out that Jett is only 20 years old right now. He’s already gone undefeated in the 450 class outdoors and just won round 1 of the 450 Supercross series. So that’s 1…
Jeremy McGrath – The King of Supercross – holds the record with 72. With riders’ career lasting longer than they ever have, it’s safe to assume we may have 10 years to go with Jett in the class. If he wins 7 races each year he’s going to be at MC’s numbers. Can he win more than 7 per season and shatter the record? Yep.
OK, so I’m not guilty of thinking he’ll go undefeated this season, but I did just mention him and Jeremy McGrath in the same breath! Guilty as charged. Sorry, folks, don’t hate the player…
Mission Motos are No More
Tough news out of Mission, BC:
From Lower Mainland Motocross Club
Regrettably, we must convey the news that the Mission Raceway/BC Car Club Association has decided not to renew our lease effective immediately.
LMMC is currently looking for new space to call home (DM us if you have any suggestions)
The track located at the raceway will be turned into a parking lot with a projected revenue of 250-300k per year
Thank you to the Mission Raceway for hosting our track for over 50-plus years giving families and youth a place to grow and learn.
Stay tuned for the Annual General Meeting announcement where we will discuss the future plans further.
Amsoil Championship Snocross
Amsoil Snocross Series heads to Michigan this weekend. Canadian Yanick Boucher will be one of the Canadian motocross regulars on the line when the Snow Bikes get their first round.
Check out some familiar Canadian names from Round 1 in December:
Pro Lites (Sleds)
| Rider | Hometown | Sled | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crayden Dillon | Zephyr, ON | Ski-Doo | 42 |
| 2 | Anson Scheele | North Branch, MN | Ski-Doo | 38 |
| 3 | Adam Ashline | Hartland, VT | Ski-Doo | 38 |
| 4 | Baily Forst | Thief River Falls, MN | Polaris | 37 |
| 5 | Nickolas Lorenz | Kenosha, WI | Ski-Doo | 31 |
| 6 | Topi Posti | Rovaniemi, 10 | Ski-Doo | 30 |
| 7 | Eric Downs | Jordan, MN | Polaris | 29 |
| 8 | Troy Horbaty | TYNDALL, MB | Ski-Doo | 29 |
| 9 | Trent Wittwer | bemidji, MN | Arctic Cat | 26 |
| 10 | Evan Christian | Finley, ND | Polaris | 25 |
| 11 | Emeric Legendre | Sainte-Julie, QC | Ski-Doo | 24 |
| 12 | Tyler Archambault | Mancelona, MI | Polaris | 23 |
| 13 | Tyler Oomen | Hart, MI | Arctic Cat | 21 |
| 14 | Kenny Mandryk | Neebing, ON | Ski-Doo | 21 |
| 15 | Oskar Englund | Sundsvall, AB | Arctic Cat | 18 |
| 16 | Josh Sheppard | Grosse Ile, MI | Ski-Doo | 12 |
| 17 | Cale Callan | Phelpston, ON | Ski-Doo | 12 |
| 18 | Jeremy Beaulieu | Saint-Denis sur Richelieu, QC | Ski-Doo | 11 |
| 19 | Kolton Krajicek | DENISON, IA | Arctic Cat | 11 |
| 20 | Cael Firth | Innisfil, ON | Ski-Doo | 10 |
| 21 | Dylan Roes | Lowville, NY | Ski-Doo | 8 |
| 22 | Jesse Kirchmeyer | Arcade, NY | Polaris | 7 |
| 23 | Devin Denman | Beaver dam, WI | Arctic Cat | 7 |
| 24 | Nathan Mailloux | Ste-Sophie, QC | Ski-Doo | 7 |
| 25 | Mitchell Gross | Princeton, MN | Arctic Cat | 5 |
| 26 | Drew Freeland | Corcoran, MN | Ski-Doo | 4 |
Pro Am Women (Sleds):
| Rider | Hometown | Sled | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inanna Hauger | Boyne City, MI | Polaris | 75 |
| 2 | Cerissa Blessum | Petersburg, ND | Arctic Cat | 69 |
| 3 | Tausha Lange | Miltona, MN | Ski-Doo | 68 |
| 4 | Ava Mccurdy | Lindstrom, MN | Ski-Doo | 66 |
| 5 | Malene Cottew | Vadso, 20 | Ski-Doo | 64 |
| 6 | Naeli Lebel | Chicoutimi, QC | Ski-Doo | 60 |
| 7 | Cecily Bernaiche | Acworth, NH | Polaris | 57 |
| 8 | Makenna Kleiman | Duluth, MN | Ski-Doo | 55 |
| 9 | Hailey Belanger | Bracebridge, ON | Ski-Doo | 54 |
| 10 | Courtney Moras | prior lake, MN | Polaris | 44 |
| 11 | Nikella Callan | Phelpston, ON | Ski-Doo | 42 |
Pro (Sleds):
| Rider | Hometown | Sled | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elias Ishoel | Oppdal, 16 | Ski-Doo | 44 |
| 2 | Emil Harr | Sorsele, AB | Polaris | 41 |
| 3 | Kody Kamm | Kansasville, WI | Polaris | 36 |
| 4 | Francis Pelletier | ST Felicien, QC | Ski-Doo | 29 |
| 5 | Gustav Sahlsten | Umeå, AC | Ski-Doo | 29 |
| 6 | Hunter Patenaude | Hartland, VT | Ski-Doo | 29 |
| 7 | Jordan Lebel | Chicoutimi, QC | Ski-Doo | 28 |
| 8 | Jacob Yurk | rochester hills, MI | Arctic Cat | 27 |
| 9 | Oskar Norum | Bjurholm, AB | Polaris | 24 |
| 10 | Evan Daudt | Remer, MN | Ski-Doo | 24 |
| 11 | Adam Peterson | Medford, WI | Polaris | 21 |
| 12 | Ryley Bester | Prior Lake, MN | Polaris | 21 |
| 13 | Marcus Ogemar | Ostersund, Z | Ski-Doo | 20 |
| 14 | Daniel Benham | Deer River, MN | Arctic Cat | 19 |
| 15 | Taylor Mccoy | Bracebridge, ON | Ski-Doo | 14 |
Snow Bikes:
Snow Bikes head into their round 1 this weekend in Michigan. Watch for motocross regular Yanick Boucher from Hearts, Ontario.
OK, enjoy the races this weekend, everyone.
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