Frid’Eh Update #31 | Noah Viney | Brought to You by RP Race Performance
Week #31 belongs to Ottawa-born Noah Viney from Murrieta, California, and is brought to you by RP Race Performance.
By Billy Rainford
Welcome to Week #31 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update brought to you by RP Race Performance. We’ve got a week off both above and below the border as Loretta Lynn’s finishes up on Saturday. We’ve got a good list of Canadian riders down in Tennessee and I’ll go over who they are a little further down the page.
There is a lot to talk about as we head into the 2024 TransCan at Walton Raceway followed by the final round of the Canadian Triple Crown Series MX Nationals. Let’s call it the “Drew Adams Effect.” More on all that down the page, too.
I decided to line up for the Thursday night MTB race series at Boler Mountain here in London last night. I’ve been on the bike a lot but haven’t tried to go fast against other people for a long time, so I thought, “What the heck.”
It turned out to be 32C and super humid at 6:30pm and it wasn’t exactly conducive to high level racing. At least it wasn’t for me!
I did the 3-loop race and I really considered pulling off the course after the 2nd loop, but it’s one of those things where you just never pull out of a race. I kept going and just slowed down a little bit so I could actually make it to the finish line.
I rode out there on my bike as a warm up and I’m so glad Emily came out in the van because I was dead and couldn’t cool down at the end. I rode right past her and tried to coast up and down the entrance road as she went and fired up the AC in the van for me. It was a lifesaver, for sure.
I know it was the same for everyone, but wow that was a tough one!
I bring this up because we’re heading into the 2024 TransCan and we will be giving away our DMX Total Devotion Award sponsored by Club MX and it’s this type of thing we’re looking for in a recipient.
No matter what happens during next week, keep a positive attitude and just keep doing your best because people are watching and you could be the one who wins the award and a free week at Club MX!
Noah Viney from Ottawa, Ontario, has now called California home for a long time, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s from Canada and he’s #31 for the 2024 season up here.
He’s got a big upcoming season planned that starts with the TransCan next week. Here’s our conversation:
Direct Motocross: OK, we saw lots of you last summer up here in Canada but not this season. You were planning on racing some up here anyway but then got the fill-in ride on the GDR team when Jake Piccolo got hurt at Round 1. How did last summer go for you up here?
Noah Viney: It went well. I came off injuries heading into Kamloops last year so I did not feel as prepared as I wanted to be, but I got stronger through the summer. I really liked being on the GDR team. It was a really good atmosphere and the mechanics, staff and equipment were really good. I had some tough races with weather that I am not used to (living and training in SoCal), but it was a really good learning year for me. I felt strong at Walton, but fell in both motos hurting my overall results.
Your best finish was a 6th overall at Gopher Dunes. Did that surprise you since it’s the sand track on our schedule or did your track at home help prepare you for that?
I have always liked riding sand more than hard packed so I knew I would like Gopher. I feel like I rode ok that round but got lucky with getting good starts. I had a goggle issue in one moto with the rain, but still managed a good overall. Being at Gopher and not having to fly in also helped because I had good rest before the race. Derek (Schuster) arranged for me to stay with his mom and dad, so that was really helpful.
After the season ended, what did you get up to?
I raced the SMX futures round in Los Angeles. I felt really strong and was sitting in 3rd and moving forward, but the rider in front of me missed the rhythm and I landed on him and crashed. I think I finished 9th. After SMX I got an opportunity to join MCR Smartop Honda with Tony Alessi and crew but unfortunately I had a string of injuries this past fall and winter. This really put me behind and was really frustrating.
And then you raced the Supercross Futures at A2. How did that one go?
I did race Futures in LA (A2) but I caught a flu and was really sick so I did not ride to my potential. After A2 I sustained a broken collarbone riding my sand track (not even Supercross!) so again I was fighting back to be healthy.
How did you get hooked up with the gang at MotoConcepts and get the ride with them?
I have been around Tony Alessi and his mini racing program since I was riding 65cc bikes. He used to run a Supercross series at Milestone and Glen Helen for amateurs on mini bikes and I did really well at those events and won many races and awards. The MCR team also rents our SX track for training and photoshoots, so I have been around Tony and the team for many years.
One day I rode with the team and I think they liked what they saw. My dad had talked to Tony in the past, but this time there was some more interest. They put together an opportunity for me that would lead to racing WSX and Supercross if I performed and improved.
I started off with some really bad luck, injuring myself twice, but I have been fighting to be back, stronger and healthy each time and I guess I have earned my spot.
You raced your first Pro SX at Denver. Can you take us through how that all went for you?
Well, I was really just back riding for about 2 weeks and there was an open spot for 250’s at Denver so the team decided to take me racing. I qualified 17th and got 2nd on the start in my heat race. I was shuffled back to 4th by lap 2 after making some little mistakes and then a rider went down in front of me and I ran into his bike and went down. I was last after that and fought back to 13th. In the LCQ I got the holeshot and went down so I did not make the main.
You didn’t go race Mammoth this year. I know you love that place. How come?
Yes, I love racing Mammoth. I have always been good at that track, but the team decided they wanted me to continue to get stronger and focus on WSX. It is a high speed track with a lot of risk and the team felt it was best to not race that race this year.
You’ve had a few injuries this past year. Are you 100% now?
I actually am 100% right now. I have been cycling 150 miles a week, riding moto, supercross and my drill training track and strength training 3 days a week. The time away from racing has made me hungry and the focus on training was needed for me to be stronger on the 250. I gained some weight and I grew. I feel strong on the bike. I have raced a local SoCal Pro race and won the 250 class and this weekend I have another warm up race at Glen Helen before I fly to Toronto on Tuesday with my mechanic so that I can race the Walton TransCan and the final round of TripleCrown Motocross. I have not raced a lot but I feel ready.
You’re coming to Walton? Awesome. There’s quite a bit of drama and excitement going into this final round between Drew Adams and Kaven Benoit. Do you think you can get in there and add to it? Have you been paying attention to this dogfight?
Yeah, I have been watching. It’s pretty awesome to see it happening. Drew has really been awesome racing tracks he has never ridden and racing a series for the first time. Kaven is better than he was last year and he just keeps getting better and fighting for the championship. It’s awesome. As for mixing it up, I have no idea really where my pace is, but I know I can start well and I like racing Walton. I know I am faster now than I was last year. Also, my friend Krystian Janik is racing and he is going to be fast too. Should be an awesome round!
Your dad was telling me that your plan is to race 250 WSX this coming season which means you’ll be heading to Vancouver. Is that still the plan and how are preparations coming along?
Yes, I will be racing all WSX rounds this year with the MotoConcepts team. I have already been on the Supercross track and will transition to 3 days a week on SX after Walton. My plan is to get great starts and run up front and that is what my team is expecting as well. We will be prepared – Tony will make sure we are.
So, I always count you in as a Canadian racing down south. Are you still a Canadian at heart, even though you’ve been down south so long?
I am a Canadian Citizen and a Canadian at heart as well. I am really close with Leith Ness and his family as well as my cousins. Our family is close and we spend a lot of time with them, so yeah I love being a Canadian. I really want to race the Canadian Series again – I feel like there is some unfinished business up there. Let’s see, maybe next year there will be an opportunity to race the series next summer.
What’s the biggest thing Americans do differently than Canadians that you’ve noticed?
I think the racing atmosphere is different in Canada. I think that is probably the biggest thing I have noticed. I think racers in the US and Canada are both serious and want to win, but there is a more laid back feeling in Canada with everyone racing, the teams and the fans.
After WSX, what’s your racing plan for this coming season?
What is next is based on my performance, but my goal is to race 250 West with MotoConcepts.
OK, thanks for catching up with us. Good luck with everything and I’ll see you next week! Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank Mike Genova, the owner of the MotoConcepts team, Tony Alessi, the manager of the team, Vince Friese for training with me and for getting holeshots on me sometimes, my dad who is always building and working on something to help me and the team, my mom who has always been there supporting me, Ryno who still helps me training on the bike, Charles Ng and Icon Fitness for the off bike training and all of our team sponsors.
2024 Team Canada MXON Shin Dig and Fundraiser at Walton
Get your tickets for the 2024 Team Canada MXON Shin Dig and Fundraiser after the final Sunday at Walton Raceway.
Sunday, August 11 · 6:00pm – 11:30pm EDT – Walton Raceway
Well, by the time this arrives it will be the end of the 2024 Triple Crown Series season. As usual we will be closing it out at the iconic Walton Raceway. Let’s all take a minute to appreciate the series, the teams and the riders. We all end up in the field each year and so for this year we have decided to have everyone over for dinner!! We will have food, yard games, non-alcoholic bevvies.
All proceeds will go to Team Canada Motocross of Nations. Join us!!
More details and tickets HERE.
Final Round at Walton Raceway Could Be All-Time!
OK, here’s the deal, we’re heading into the final round of racing next week and things are heating up to levels we may have never seen before. By that I mean we’ve got people coming for the final race from all over the world!
Yes, we’ve had deeper fields during the rest of the summer, but the 2024 Walton round is one you don’t want to miss!
250 Class
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
I think it’s pretty safe to say that the 250 class is the one that we’re keeping the closest eye on. #26 Kaven benoit leads #300 Drew Adams by 8 points with just 2 motos left to go. Drew is obviously a little faster but Kaven has used his 36 years of experience to stay consistent and take the red plat into Round 8.
Drew said on the stage last week in Deschambault that the are “no friends on the track” at Walton.
I say it’s the one we’re paying closer attention to because we all know that Kawasaki USA will do what they can to get someone up here fast enough to get between the 2 riders. Krystian Janik is already coming and he could be the one who helps Drew get the extra couple points he’s going to need.
If Drew wins both motos and Kaven finishes 2nd, Kaven wins the title by 2 points.
We’ve also got Dylan Walsh coming over to ride a WLTN Kawasaki. When I spoke with Brett Lee he wasn’t 100% sure if Dylan would be on a 250 or a 450. I feel like there will be some pressure from the green team to put him on a 250 just to add to the mix of riders who could tip this championship in their favour. If he races a 450, it won’t make sense to me.
He’s sitting in 5th place in the championships and should be a factor in either class here.
Krystian Janik will make his return to Canada for the final round. He’s another rider on a Kawasaki who could get himself between Drew and Kaven and affect this championship.
Noah Viney will be at Walton and you know he’s going to be out front off the start.
But don’t forget, Drew is on probation after the protest from KTM Canada for his receiving a pit board outside the designated area at MX Deschambault. He’ll want to try to force the issue with Kaven but won’t be able to do anything aggressive without risking actual penalty or even a DQ.
450 Class
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
With a 10-point gap to Josiah Natzke for Jess Pettis, he has a bit of wiggle room in this final round. Both riders are fast on this track and the title will come down to one of these two riders.
It was pointed out to me that Josiah wasn’t picked to represent NZ at the MXON in England this year and he’s not thrilled about it. He will want to show his pace and let them know they made a mistake.
#331 Adrien Malaval from France was 4th in his first ride last week at MX Deschambault. He will race all week at the TransCan and likely be much more comfortable on the bike. He could be a player.
Ryder Thompson is coming up from the USA after racing the B classes at Loretta Lynn’s. He had a 5th in a moto in both 450 B and 450 B Ltd..
Defending 450 champion Dylan Wright will return to action at Walton and will like to prove a point of his own. It looks like he won’t be on Team Canada MXON after his serious injuries left Team Manager Kourtney Lloyd with some tough decisions to make. Watch for the official team announcement early next week.
No, Dylan can’t win the title, but he can change the available points for the top 2.
Both #808 Preston Kilroy and #109 Aaron Tanti will want to finish the season on a high note. Throughout the summer, these 2 have been the only ones showing the ability to run the pace of Jess and Josiah.
We’re calling all this the “Drew Adams Effect” and it will be interesting to see who else makes the trip north for this final round. We’ll let you know as soon as we know!
We also hope this means more top A/Pro Sport riders from down south see our series as a good stepping stone for them, just like it has been for Drew, and we get more high level talent when the gate drops for the 2025 season and beyond.
Let’s go!!!
Tanner Ward’s ‘Ride with Me’ Is Coming Up Again!
It sounds like KTM Canada has Marvin Musquin set up with a bike for the ride, too, so that’ll be pretty cool!
See you there!
Marvin Musquin Racing PreMix at Walton
Marvin Musquin will arrive at the track on Thursday and help put with various KTM activities. I’ll try to get him for an interview either just before or just after he does the KTM Rig Tour at 6:30pm on Thursday.
Champion Sam Gaynor raced Jimmy Decotis last week and now he’ll line up against Marvin Musquin. That’s also pretty cool.
OK, perfect timing. I’ll press SUBMIT on this Update and then go watch the final 250 Pro Sport moto with Drew Adams.
Unfortunately, we won’t have #80 Preston Masciangelo in this one after a big crash in turn 2 resulted in a broken collarbone that required surgery.
Here’s my list of Canadian riders at Loretta’s:
80 Preston Masciangelo – Pro Sport
52 Brock Henry – Pro Sport
94 Kiana Kurtz – WMX, Girls (11-16)
48 Jayden Riley – 250 B Ltd., 450 B
63 Cole Pranger – 250 B Ltd., 450 B Ltd.
18 Nicolas Lemire – 250 C
63 Jamieson MacDonald – 250 C
66 Drew Roberts – 250 C Ltd., 250 C Jr. (12-17) Ltd.
47 Tegan Kortenbach – 250 C Ltd., 250 C Jr. (12-17) Ltd.
81 Nathan Snelgrove – 250 C Jr. (12-17) Ltd.
44 Mike Bottos – 50+
23 JR Gionette – Micro 3 (7-8) Ltd.
30 Mason Murdy – 65 (10-11) Ltd., 65 (10-11)
26 Chandler Powell – 65 (10-11) Ltd., 65 (10-11)
38 Hayden Dupuis – 85 (10-12) Ltd., 85 (10-12)
99 Braxton Zeitner – 85 (10-12) Ltd., 85 (10-12)
51 Evan Thalman – 85 (10-11) Ltd.
13 Tyler Kirby – Supermini 1 (12-15), Supermini 2 ( 13-16)
12 Alek Guadagno – Supermini 1 (12-15), Supermini 2 ( 13-16)
83 Jayden Debodt – Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C
10 Brandy McLarty – Girls (11-16)
82 Rosaly Sylvestre – Girls (11-16)
No comments!
There are no comments yet, but you can be first to comment this article.