Frid’Eh Update #27 | Brad Nauditt | Presented by Troy Lee Designs
By Billy Rainford
Hello from the swamp! We are in the middle of a heat wave here in Southwestern Ontario. I know things have been rough with rain in the west, so I shouldn’t really complain too much, but 33 and humid for two weeks straight is a lot to deal with over here. It’s gotten to the point where you try to get everything you need to get done finished before it gets too hot.
Fortunately, Chris Vandelaar (AKA “Adventure Guy” on the site) and I broke a couple frame bolt on the #DMXVan last weekend, so I haven’t been able to get up to Port Perry to pick up Jeff McConkey‘s Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke. I’m not sure how I could handle getting back on a bike and testing some gear in this kind of humidity.
I’ve got an appointment this afternoon to have what we broke fixed, so I’m juuust about out of excuses. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something…
Yep, it was one of those projects that has you wondering why you didn’t just listen to the expert at the Trailer Hitch place in the first place. Hell, they’re even moto people!
I have to admit that a small part of me was happy to see someone else have troubles working on something at home. Somehow, it made all my screw ups feel a little more acceptable. A ‘Misery Loves Company’ sort of thing, ya know?
Anyway, I’m not bagging on Chris at all. He’s actually really good at working on things and fixing them. This project was doomed from the get-go with the condition of the frame bolts that have had road salt etc. sprayed all over them across the continent 5 times!
Assuming they can sort this mess out later today, I’ll head up to Port Perry to get the bike from Kristina Sundal or Flippy, wherever it’s been living for the past little while and bring it home.
Big thanks to both these people for helping this new newb get back on two wheels again. And also, big thanks to Scott Sport Canada/Mica Sport Canada for getting me back on the road with a new Scott Addict 10 that I will also pick up while I’m up in that area.
So, it’s Week #27 and that belongs to Washington State rider, Brad Nauditt. It seems like just yesterday the holeshot master was making his debut up here in Canada, but it was like 10 years ago now!
Brad made a name for himself right away and became one of those riders from the USA that we happily adopt as one of our own. Every time Brad tries to retire from competitive racing, he inevitably shows up at the line for another season of the Rockstar Energy Triple Crown Tour. But this season will likely be different.
Let’s have a quick look at brad’s 2019 season before we get to our interview:
Brad was #52 in 2019, so he was the final rider to get interviewed for the Frid’Eh Update Intro Interview last year. It feels like we just did this, so I tried to go in a slightly different direction with the questioning.
Direct Motocross: Hello Brad. You were #52 last season so it seems like we just did this! Anyway, let’s learn a little more about our favourite Spokanean (??) We’ve all expected to have seen the last of you racing in Canada the past few years and then here you are again! What keeps bringing you back?
Brad Nauditt: I don’t know, Billy, I just really love racing and riding dirt bikes and I still feel like there’s days where I can throw it down!
Did you ever chase the AMA Outdoor Nationals? Which ones have you done and how did they go?
I raced the AMA nationals in 2009 and it was a blast to race all the best tracks in the US but I wasn’t ready to really race at that level. The memories were unreal.
I remember when you first came up here. You were the holeshot master! Is that something you’ve been good at your entire racing career or did you figure something out along the way?
I always sucked at started until about 2011. I just spent a ton of time figuring out what worked for me because I hated getting roosted by everyone for the first couple laps. So I figured I would roost everyone else.
You’ve seen our entire country several times. What’s your favourite part? What do you look forward to every time you come up here?
Ahh, man, I love the west coast with all the terrain especially because it’s closer to home. But I do like staying over in Ontario and the riding is unreal out there.
You came up here last season and raced the entire AX series. How did that go for you?
I felt like I should have done a little better but that’s my fault. I still had a blast! I love racing AX but the only bummer was that most of the rounds were one night.
Then you decided to hit the MX series too. You were usually in the low teens. Were you happy with how you rode?
Overall, yes, I was happy with everything and I just struggled with the transition of bikes. I felt I should have done better but at the end of the day, that’s where we were.
Then you left after Gopher Dunes. What prompted your early departure from the series?
My results weren’t where they needed to be and it was time to call a spade a spade instead of beating my head against the wall for the next 4-5 weeks. I had no obligations to race. I was just purely doing it because I wanted to and it didn’t pencil out with everything and some family stuff that was going on back in Washington.
Can you explain to everyone what it is you do for your 9-5 (again)?
Haha. I work in Spokane and Portland and sell office equipment (copiers, printers, furniture and cyber security) and software to all kinds of businesses. It’s a family business my dad started in 1990 so I’m very fortunate to be able to work there when I’m not racing.
I hear you’ve got a couple new bikes and have even started hitting the trails. What’s the plan? Are you gonna be a woods guy now?
I picked up a couple CRF450’s from Mike Genova at Smartop and was going to maybe race Calgary, but that went out the window with Covid. So, I’m mainly just riding trails out here in WA and Idaho. It’s been so much fun just riding the terrain we have here in the Pacific Northwest.
With all the coronavirus/border stuff, I think I know the answer to this, but is there any plan to come to Ontario this summer for some racing?
No, you won’t see me. It’s too big of a pain to get there with everything at this time.
Will we see you up here racing again in the future?
I’m sure I’ll pop up for a couple races here and there. I like racing too much.
If you had to sum up the Canadian scene in one word, what would it be?
Adventure.
How about actual Canadians?
Family.
Are there Tim Horton’s in Spokane?
No. Haha. That’s defiantly not a thing here in WA.
OK, Brad, it’s always good to chat with you. Too bad we won’t get to hang out until we randomly bump into each other in California some time. Haha. Thanks for talking with us. Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank Baldface Lodge, Shift, Fox, Fusion, motosport.com, Guts Racing, Proven Moto, my family and friends for their support and Alex Haley for all his hard work! These memories will never be forgotten.
There’s a lot trying to go on in our sport right now. We just finished off what has to be considered a very successful ending to the unique 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series in Salt Lake City, Utah. There were no other options for getting the 17 rounds in, so it was really cool to see them come up with that solution. And I think we all sort of got used to watching two SX races every week!
Unfortunately, the same doesn’t look like it can be said for the upcoming Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross season. MX Sports just put out this Press Release:
MX Sports Pro Racing Postpones Start of 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Indefinitely
| Ongoing Concerns Surrounding Coronavirus Pandemic Force Proactive Response |
| MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 1, 2020) – Despite the tireless and sustained efforts on behalf of both series and event organizers, MX Sports Pro Racing has made the difficult decision to further postpone the start of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The previously announced opening pair of events were slated to begin in just over two weeks, on July 18, with the Circle K Ironman National in Indiana, followed by the GEICO Motorcycle WW Ranch National in Florida on July 25. However, due to ongoing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, notably recent spikes of positive cases in a significant number of states, series managers deem it necessary to push back the start of the series once more. MX Sports Pro Racing will now look to begin the season in August. “From the moment we were forced to delay the original start of the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in May, we have diligently worked towards developing as complete a championship-caliber calendar as possible for both our athletes and our fans,” said Carrie Russell, CEO of MX Sports Pro Racing. “In tandem with our event organizers, we have been in constant communication with local officials from the government, health department, and department of public safety for each respective venue to ensure every National is operated in accordance with social distancing measures established by each county and the CDC. “Following the recent spike in positive cases around the country, a pause is warranted as we evaluate the impact of the stall in state-issued reopening phases and newly implemented travel quarantines,” continued Russell. “Our manufacturers are the lifeblood of American motocross, and we stand by them with our support in times of need. As a result of recent developments, MX Sports Pro Racing needs to take the definitive and proactive step of postponing the start of the season temporarily, which will allow us to work through the current challenges we face.” |
| In response to this latest decision, MX Sports Pro Racing and event organizers will continue to maintain extensive communication with local officials. The evolution of the pandemic has included dramatic changes from one week to the next, and as states and counties take necessary action to confront the latest concerns of the coronavirus spread, MX Sports Pro Racing will be in a position to take immediate action when the opportunity arises to confirm events at a future date when the time is right. “It is our sole focus to host a successful season that will not only allow us to crown a pair of AMA National Champions, but will also allow our incredibly loyal fanbase to celebrate the return of racing by cheering on their favorite riders,” concluded Russell. “These are extraordinary times that have had a significant impact on our industry, and that has called for us to take unprecedented action on behalf of the well-being of our community. This sport is a family, and we will not be deterred from accomplishing our goal, despite this adversity. We remain steadfast in bringing everyone the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship they deserve. Our event organizers have put in far too much effort, while our broadcast partners, series sponsors, manufacturers, participants, and fans have all shown tremendous patience. We owe it to all of them to bring this season to fruition, and we’ll do everything in our power to make that happen.” Online tickets previously purchased for the Ironman and WW Ranch Nationals will be honored at the to-be-announced rescheduled dates. Refund requests will be honored by contacting the respective event organizers. |
| For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit: www.ProMotocross.com. |
Wow, let me first say that that was a very well-written statement! If she said that ‘off the cuff’ she should be writing poetry! With the recent resurgence of new cases in the States, they really have no other choice but to postpone.
Of course, this brings us to the Canadian series.
Jetwerx has stated that they will be making a new announcement on their little video show, Inside X, this coming Wednesday night, so we’ll have to tune in to see what new news they have for us as far as what the proposed 2020 Triple Crown schedule will look like.
I spent last Sunday at Walton Raceway for Round 2 of the AMO Ontario Provincial Championships and there were a ton of people there. The crew made sure there was a lot of signage up telling people to keep social distancing.
With over 650 entries, it was a busy day. They made sure the main area surrounding the track had no parking and it made a really big difference.Of course, we’ve all heard by now that someone from inside the facility kept calling the police to complain about it.
Fortunately, the officials that were on site were happy with the measures being taken to ensure proper distance was upheld between groups not from under the same roof.
Check out this Event Summary from Mel Lee at Walton Raceway:
Sunday Race
Riders: 377
Entries: 688
How did it go?
We are really happy with how the weekend went. Barry, Jamie, Caden and Griff worked their butts off on the track. Joe Sylvester, Owen and Brian did a great job working the parking areas with riders coming through our gate. AMO and their entire crew did a great job. And the biggest role was played by the racers and their families themselves. They worked to make it all happen and did their part. It was an excellent weekend. There were so many people who made this happen.
We used 40 acres for parking and both the north, south, and east treeline pits were filled with campers and non-campers (overnight vs day visits). Each vehicle had between 25-30 feet of space between the next, all awnings faced the same direction and all EZ-ups were situated at either the front or back of the unit as opposed to the sides. We had 6 staff parking throughout the weekend and it would have been difficult to manage parking without the additional personnel on hand. We had some great support from AMO, GopherDunes and Motopark Staff throughout the weekend.
In regards to the calls to the OPP, the officer who attended the facility was awesome – very professional yet acknowledged the ridiculousness of him needing to be there. Apparently there were four anonymous calls, two of which stated that they were on site and concerned with people not adhering to social distancing requirements and drinking and riding on the track. Brett and I both chatted with him for around 15 minutes, we offered to 1) let him drive around and investigate further or 2) tour him around. He declined, stated he had no concerns or issues with anything he saw on-site and would indicate so in his report. He stated he was satisfied with the signage we had stating social distancing requirements, no spectators, and the fact the gates were closed and said we wouldn’t see him again. Here’s the interesting part:
Gopher Dunes had the exact same things when called into Norfolk County’s bylaw officer after Gopher Dunes’ first race: caller was on-site ( but wasn’t), said they were concerned about people not social distancing, and also referenced for them to look on social media for confirmation, which is verbatim what the officer said the calls stated in regards to here with the exclusion of the alcohol. We think that was added to our calls for extra assurance that the police would attend the facility.
The day continued on without a hitch and we finished up by 6:30pm with no major incidents or ambulance calls. It is so great to see big races again. The competition in Ontario is intense, every class was so full and talent packed. It is a great thing for the Ontario motocross scene. It was definitely an amazing day and has us very confident moving towards the next race in July and the TransCan!
Mel and Brett
So, maybe the call wasn’t coming from inside the house, after all! (See Monday Morning Coffee to have that make sense)
Speaking of Walton Raceway, here’s an update from the TransCan:
Walton TransCan GNC ‘Need to Know’
The 2020 Walton TransCan GNC is fast approaching. If there was one thing you need to know it is: Sign-up today. Save money, pretty much guarantee your gate pick and relax from now until August.
What else do I need to know?
Riders are encouraged to participate in at least one Amateur National Qualifier event (ANQ) in order to pre-enter. Entry priority is determined by Regional ANQ series results and regional entry allocation.
Additional regional entries and entries for lower qualified riders will be accepted if allocated positions are not filled. Time of entry was received and paid in full does come into play in the case of a “0” points tie after full regional allocations have taken place. The bracketed number (x) below is the minimum number of guaranteed pre-entry gate positions allocated per region for each ANQ Championship.
BC (4)
Alberta (4)
Saskatchewan (4)
South Western Ontario (8)
Eastern Ontario (5)
Quebec (7)
Atlantic (4)
What if my region doesn’t have an ANQ?
If your region does not have an ANQ, you can ride ANQs in as many regions and in as many classes as you like and then pick the results which give you the best entry position. Better yet, sign up today! The earlier you register, the better your odds of receiving a gate position once the ANQ series is complete.
If your qualifier series position is lower than your region’s allocated positions, you may still get a starting position based on riders that qualified in your region that did not enter the GNC. If other regions’ entries do not fill their allocated positions, these will be filled based on the date the entry form is received. So your best bet is to sign up on-line regardless.
Confirmations will be emailed out following completion of regional qualifiers and compilation of national results. After that on an as received basis. This will include a complete participants information package.
The order of preference for first moto gate position, resolution of number conflicts and the order of standby entries are determined by qualifier position and date of entry. Your confirmation email letter should be available at sign in if there are any problems with registration, so hang on to it.
I’ve heard of stand by entries – what are they?
When the gate is full for a given class, we maintain a list of riders who want to ride in that particular class. If there are cancellations or no-shows, the gate will be filled from the standby list in the order entries are ranked.
2020 Gate Pick Order (by region)
Keep an eye on our social media to find out which region will get first gate pick!
More good news!
The most coveted prize at the TransCan is back for another year. Fox Racing Canada is proud to announce their sponsorship of the 2020 Fox Racing Instinct Bronze Boot. The Bronze Boot is awarded to the top amateur Junior or Intermediate rider accumulating the most points during the TransCan, whoever takes this award home will become a permanent part of Canadian Motocross history. Who’s your pick?
Good news for Yamaha riders! The Yamaha bLU cRU Factory Ride Award is returning to the Walton TransCan this year! Yamaha racers will once again have the chance to win a free ride for 2021 plus a parts credit and graphics kit!
This unique award gives amateur racers the chance to win complimentary use of a YZ motorcycle for the following race season, in addition to a Yamaha parts credit and a custom graphics kit. The bLU cRU
Factory Ride Award will be presented to the Yamaha rider with the most cumulative points at the TransCan. Racers may enter as many classes as they wish in order to increase their chances. Full details to follow in the coming weeks.
Game on, folks!
Steve Simms Talks about Phil Nicoletti Coming Up from USA
Since everything is so wacky right now, I thought I’d give the Team Manager for the Rockstar Triple Crown series, Phil Nicoletti, a call.
Steve Simms has been busy destroying the +30B class so far this spring but it’s almost game time to get his Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha team rolling into the season.
Of course, the concern is getting American riders up here to Canada to be able to race our series, so I asked Steve what their plan for that is.
As any serious team does, the OTSFF gang always has their t’s crossed and their i’s dotted, so they are confident Phil will be able to make the border cross early this coming week.
He has an active work visa and will be driving north in the next couple days. They had to ready their entire 14-day quarantine program for Phil, right down to who will be getting his food for him.
The only question mark remains what type of day the particular border guard is having in the line Phil chooses. (I always choose the wrong one!) Steve mentioned that a couple other riders he knows of have already made their way across and have been doing their quarantine portion of their program.
On a positive note, with the AMA Nat’s on hold, there will be an awful lot of eyes on us from south of the border when we drop the gate at Gopher Dunes on July 25-26!
Oh, and then I jabbed Steve about still racing the 30+B class, and he was fine with it.
OK, I have to head out and see how much extra this trailer hitch is going to cost me now. Have a great weekend. If you’re out west, try to stay afloat, and if you’re here in the east, stay hydrated!
