Frid’Eh Update #25 | Daniel Elmore Interview | Brought to You by Troy Lee Designs

Frid’Eh Update #25 | Daniel Elmore Interview | Brought to You by Troy Lee Designs

By Billy Rainford

Welcome to Week #25 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update this week brought to you by Troy Lee Designs. After a long drive home from Round 2 of the 2023 Canadian Triple Crown Series MX Nationals at Wild Rose MX in Calgary, Alberta, it’s nice to be sitting at my own desk in my own office. Don’t get me wrong, I love road trips, but it’s always nice to walk into your own home through your own door!

I don’t really have any exciting stories to tell you from this last drive except maybe to mention that people in Fargo, North Dakota, have to be some of the nicest people on the planet. I seem to always grab an inexpensive breakfast at McDonalds when I’m on the road so I can sit and fire up some wifi and this trip was no different.

As I sat in Fargo working away, one of the employees came by and actually asked me how I was enjoying my breakfast. Now, it took almost everything I had not to come back with a sarcastic comment about how I’d love the opportunity to go into the kitchen and thank the chef for my Egg McMuffin and hash browns, but I just politely said, “Great, thank you” instead.

Of course, Alex Parker from the Thor GasGas team couldn’t believe it when I told him how nice they were. He stands firm that the people out where he’s from, the maritimes, are the nicest people on the planet. It’s a good argument! Having said that, as nice as they are out east, Alex is at the top of my list of people I’d want on my side if things were ever to go sideways in a bar. He’d pummel half the place on his own and have a big smile on his face while he did it!

Now where was I again?

I’m home in London, Ontario, and don’t have a race to attend this weekend. Oh wait, my old buddy Cary Hitchen who got back into riding again last summer (I’ve mentioned him several times) is racing a TVR event on the back track at Gopher Dunes that I wouldn’t mind watching. If I don’t go check that out, you’ll likely find me up at the beach in Grand Bend playing some 2’s volleyball.

#25 is Daniel Elmore from Telkwa, BC. Daniel’s riding has been on a solid incline the past couple years, and now his next step is to figure out how to crack the top 4 of our 450 series. It seems like he’s got everyone covered, besides Dylan Wright, Jess Pettis, Shawn Maffenbeier, and Tyler Medaglia – our current Royal 4.

Daniel spent another winter training at Club MX where he’s known as “Danny.” They love him down there! I’m going to have to sit down with him and have him take us through his now legendary cycle from Club to Myrtle Beach and back. Mike Bonacci really enjoyed summing it up for me when I was there this past year.

Here’s a look at Daniel’s season so far:

Here’s what he had to say when we got in touch with him this week:

Direct Motocross: Hey Daniel, thanks for chatting with us again this week. We’re 3 rounds into the series now, so let me ask you about each track:

What did you think of Edmonton? There seemed to be some disappointment with Round 1.

Daniel Elmore: Hi Billy, yah, no problem and thanks for doing this!  Yes, 3 rounds done!  Edmonton was crazy. I try to be careful with how much I say but sometimes we need to speak up. That was unacceptable. We don’t train for 2-4 months every spring, spend all that money, and take all these risks to pretty much have no choice but to race on that. Sketchy and dangerous are my way to describe round 1.

What did you think of Kamloops? Everyone I talked to seemed to think it was the toughest Whispering Pines they’d ever seen!

Yes, Kamloops was brutal! It was pretty fun and challenging though. An awesome mx track!

And what did you think of Calgary? That one also seemed to be really demanding this year.

Well, aside from some tough luck and the concrete start, I think it was pretty good. It was gnarly deep and super tricky.

So far, you’ve finished 7, 5, 8 and are sitting 5th in points. 5th is where we all seem to have put you, but bet you’re not happy until you’re fighting with the top 4 guys, right?

Yah, I’m sitting 5^th in points. It’s one of those things where I’m happy with it but for sure want more. We’ll get there!

You came from dead last to 8th in moto 2 in Calgary. Was that your best ride so far?

Possibly my best ride so far. I was closing on 7^th but just didn’t quite have it. I definitely had top 5 speed just unfortunate circumstances.

I’d hazard to ay you’ve got everyone else besides Dylan Wright, Jess Pettis, Shawn Mafenbeier, and Tyler Medaglia covered. What is it that you need to work on/do to bridge that gap?

Honestly, I’m not too sure at the moment. More experience? Ha ha.

What’s your plan for the break before we head east?

Well, I’m currently back home but fly out to Ontario in a few days.  From there I will pound out a week-and-a-half of hard training before Gopher Dunes.

What track are you looking forward to racing coming up?

Definitely Riverglade, I love that place!

Is AMA Supercross or AMA Pro Motocross something that’s on your radar? What’s your plan?

It would have to be paid for.  I’m at the point in my life where I can’t afford to go backwards financially.

Hey, I saw Orrin flagging. How’s his recovery coming and when is he back racing?

Haha. Yes, he was flagging.  His recovery has been slower then expected for sure; it was a pretty complicated wrist fracture.  He’s hoping to be back riding in a month.

You and #20 Jeremy McKie are only 3 points apart. Do you guys talk at the track? Is he your closest rival out there?

I don’t really know him, so we haven’t talked much. 

How does team owner Steve Simms think your series is going so far? Will you guys be happy with 5th in this championship?

I think he’s happy with it so far.

Do you guys have the new bike where you want it?  

I think so. A few tweaks here and there but we’re not making too many changes.

OK, good luck the rest of the summer. Thanks for doing this and who would you like to thank?

Thanks, Billy! Obviously, the entire TLD, GasGas, SSR Team, Troy Lee Designs, Oakley, FMF, Pirelli, Motul, Sunoco, bn3th apparel, North Country rentals, Alpinestars, Olivia’s café, Matrix Concepts, and everyone else, thank you!

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We take a couple weekends off in our series before we get back to action at Gopher Dunes on July 9th. Oh, and if you’re hanging around the London area after Gopher Dunes, here’s the line-up for the RBC Rock the Park downtown:

Wednesday: Mumford and Sons, Vance Joy, Bahamas, The Trews.

Thursday: Volbeat, Papa Roach, Halestorm, Default.

Friday: Ludacris, TI, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Mya, Chingy.

Saturday: Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Cypress Hill, Silverstein, The Dirty Nil.

You can just chill out along the river and listen for free.

We’ve got a week off in the AMA Pro Motocross schedule too! Enjoy a calm weekend for a change, if that’s in the cards for you.

We’ve got Ryder McNabb and Noah Viney racing the Combine next Friday at Red Bud. We’ve also got Mitchell Harrison to keep an eye on Saturday.

We’ll have Matt Huggett from Two Twenty Six Media heading to Buchanan, Michigan, to cover this one for us. He told some great road trip stories on his trips last summer, so watch for another one after Red Buuuuuud!

Wyatt Kerr Update

#19 Wyatt Kerr crashed in the first 250 moto in Calgary resulting in a long list of scary injuries. Here’s his dad, Andy Kerr‘s, post on Facebook when it happened:

“Many have already heard, but Wyatt Kerr had a pretty bad get off in moto 1, he lost traction going over the tunnel jump, and landed on the concrete tunnel on his back. He has a couple broken vertebrae, a cracked pelvis, lacerated lungs and internal bleeding. Please message me vs him, he could use some prayers and good vibes. I will post updates as we get them. He is in good spirits and started complaining so that is some good news. He wants to apologize to the flagger as he was really worried for him. Looks like we are hanging out in Calgary a little longer than planned.”

And this one is from Wednesday:

“Still a couple more tests and baseline xray before he can be released. We are hoping for Sunday at the earliest. The surgeon contacted me last night and the his surgery was text book and he was really happy with the result. He says Wyatt will be every bit as strong and healthy as he was prior to injury. There will be a journey of rehab and restrictions. I am passing the communications back over to Wyatt as he will keep everyone posted as to his progress. We are sorting out the details on how to get him home. I will be driving back either tomorrow or Friday. His lovely nurse’s will accompany him on the plane and getting him home. Thank you again for the prayers and well wishes, I am sure Wyatt will return messages and calls over the new few weeks. We will post when he is home, thank you love you all.”

Good news that surgery went so well and Wyatt will be back to normal soon.

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I’m moving pretty slowly today and had a pretty good sleep-in. It’ll take ma a day or two to get back up to speed, but I will. Have a great weekend and we’ll get back to normal business hours ASAP.

EARMUFFS!