Frid’Eh Update #32 Presented by Atlas Brace

By Jeff McConkey and Billy Rainford

Week #32 goes out to Quebec rider, Michael DaSilva|Bigwave photo

Welcome to week #32 of the DMX Frid’Eh Update this week presented by Atlas Brace and their new line of braces for 2017. #32 goes out to the Quebec rider who loaded up his truck and headed west with his girlfriend in May to compete in all 10 rounds of the 2016 Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals. It was all set to be a summer of racing and experiencing all Canada has to offer from coast to coast. Unfortunately, once the series hit round 3 in Calgary things didn’t go to plan for Michael DaSilva.

Michael finished 16th in Kamloops and 14th in Nanaimo in the ultra-competitive MX1 class. However, a hard crash in Calgary left him with a tingling and numb feeling in his hand. Of course, he tried to compete but eventually decided it was best to pull off and wait to have things checked out. The end result was a dreaded broken scaphoid that will keep him out of competition the rest of the summer.

He’s currently helping his younger brother, Chris, with his racing and is at his side right now at the Amateur Championships at Deschambault. We grabbed him for a quick chat while he was busy with pit board duties to find out what he’s been up to. Here’s what he had to say:

Direct Motocross: Hello, Michael. You ended up with #32 for 2016. Can we back up and talk about how 2015 went? What were the highs and lows for you?

Michael DaSilva: 2015 was all right. The highs were definitely Regina, Ulverton and Deschambault, mainly because they were the tracks where I was closest to finishing inside the top 10! As well as my holeshot at Ulverton! My lows happened where I DNF’d in Nanaimo and Calgary. I blew out almost all of my spokes on three different rear wheels on race day in Nanaimo and DNF’d my first moto in Calgary for unexpected reasons! (Laughs)

Michael loaded up and headed west with his girlfriend, Michaelle, to contest all 10 rounds of the Nationals in 2016|Bigwave photo

You headed into this season with high hopes and were on the road with your girlfriend. How did this plan come together?

Well, it mainly started with me just asking her about coming on the trip with me, and as time went by she and I both grew more eager to head out west together and conquer the four west rounds as a team. She even got to pit board me!

You started off with a 16th and a 14th out west. How did those two rounds feel for you?

Kamloops, where I got my 16th, was a little frustrating for me because I was up in 14th for the first part of the moto until I stalled it due to my rear brake staying stuck down from my own mechanical error. I went on to stalling it 2 more times in that moto and with the heat I was just beat! 19-15 moto scores for 16th.

Nanaimo went a little better with a 12th in moto one, I was looking forward to the second moto. I was on (Shawn) Robinson‘s tail and spun out a little. Once I lost sight of him due to spinning out I kind of lost my groove and went back a little but still got a top 15. So all in all it was an improvement on the week before.

Then you had some trouble. Can you take us through what happened in Calgary?

Well, needless to say, Calgary definitely has been a troublesome round for me over the years. This year, I was practicing a start and the first part of it wasn’t tilled and once I went to put down the front end it hit the tilled stuff and just stuck into the ground and sent me flying! I landed on my wrists and broke my scaphoid. At first I wasn’t certain if it was broken or just a bad sprain so I tried racing anyways but the pain was just too much! I DNF’d both motos that day.

Unfortunately, Michael’s bad luck in Calgary continued. He crashed and broke his scaphoid, ending his season at round 3|Bigwave photo

You’ve still been going to some of the rounds. What have you been up to since your crash?

Since my crash I’ve been mainly focusing on getting my brother’s racing game back on track and it’s been getting better every weekend. This week at the amateur national in Deschambault he’s got a win under his belt after 2 of his motos. Other than that, giving courses here and there and having fun at the races keeping my sponsors happy by maintaining visibility as it is also very important.

When will you be able to start riding again?

I’m not certain when I’ll be able to start riding again, unfortunately. As of right now, the last time I saw the doc 4 weeks in it hadn’t begun to heal. Next checkup is August 17th so I’m hoping for the best!

What will your training/racing plans be once you’re back at it?

My training plan will most likely be upped a little. I’ll try and and get some bike time in this winter and come back to the races better than ever. I feel like although the off time is upsetting and quite unfortunate it will do me some good and make me come back with a fire in me burning brighter than ever! As for the race season, hopefully I’ll be able to do all 10 rounds again.

What do you think of how competitive the 450 class is this season? Where would like to fit into that tough group?

Well, considering my overalls consistently getting better each round, I was hoping to see myself inside the top 10 before the end of the west. The class is stacked, no doubt, and I hope it stays that way for next year to show everyone what kind of speed I’ve actually got.

So now the waiting game is on while his wrist heals|Bigwave photo

So, your younger brother, Chris, is racing the Amateur Championships at Deschambault. We’ll be there Saturday. How is the event going?

Yeah, Intermediates are filled, which is awesome! And so far so good for Chris. A couple crashes but he’s been fast all week. With a good start and no mistakes he could win another moto just like he did in Schoolboy 2.

Which track do you miss racing the most while you’re out with an injury?

The track I miss racing the most is definitely Deschambault. I love this track and to be watching everyone race and sitting out, it really sucks!

What’s next for you?

Next step for me is to get myself in the best shape I’ve ever been to come back faster than ever and do so all within the times of school and work. I cant wait to be back on the bike and racing again!

Who would you like to thank?

I’d like to thank Équipements les Chutes, Kawasaki Canada, Motovan, BLK RDR 80, Oakley, Leatt, TCX Boots, Liqui moly, EVO suspension, Skull Candy, Rockwell, ODI grips and bars, Five gloves, Michelin, Bolt hardware, White Motorsports, SMX motocross, Torc 1, Kutvek Amerika, VR steve driver, Pro Circuit, my Family, girlfriend and all supporters. Thanks!

Injuries are a big part of our sport, and it seems we’re all just waiting our turn to be on the sidelines. Good luck with your recovery, Michael, and thank you for taking the time to talk with us with your cell phone in one hand and your brother’s pit board in the other!

Week #32 is presented by Atlas Brace.

Jeff McConkey

Hey, guys. It’s Friday and we’re on our way back to Quebec for the Deschambault round. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I personally love the Quebec rounds. The fans are just plain crazy. They love their motocross, techno music and Kaven Benoit. The layout of the Deschambault track is a pretty cool one. It’s sandy, has elevation, and allows the French fans to be able to almost touch the action. I’ve seen quite a few complaints about the amateur week so far on social media, but you can expect the Pro National to run as smooth as always.

Rockstar Energy Drink MX Nationals

In MX2 action, Cole Thompson will be looking to get back to his 1-1 winning ways. Dakota Alix will be full of confidence after earning the overall last week in Moncton, and Dylan Wright will look to continue his fantastic rides. Look for Shawn Maffenbeier to rebound after some bike issues, and I think after another week of healing, Brad Nauditt should be feeling much better. Mark Worth had one of his best Canadian weekends yet last week, and will try to keep the ball rolling. I don’t think we should see any surprises in the results this weekend. Thompson will be the guy to beat, and like always, I don’t really see it happening. I think Dylan Wright will be a little extra motivated with the action heading back to the sand, but I think Cole will still be in control. Jess Pettis had an amazing ride here last season, so I expect the #20 to be much closer to the top 3 this weekend. Here are my predictions for the 9th round:

MX2

1st Cole Thompson
2nd Dylan Wright
3rd Shawn Maffenbeier
4th Dakota Alix
5th Jess Pettis

Jeff has #4 Cole Thompson pegged for the win this week at Deschambault|Bigwave photo

In the MX1 class, this could be the weekend where Kaven Benoit gets his first 450 moto win. Yes, Davi Millsaps is still the heavy favourite, but we have 4 motos left in the season. I don’t see Davi taking any un-needed chances, plus Benoit will be that good at Deschambault. Benoit has been steadily improving each and every week, and he has now inserted himself into the number 1 Canadian spot. This kind of puts KTM Canada in an awkward position for 2017. Both Benoit and Thompson are coming off fantastic seasons. Both riders ride the 450 very well. If there is one 450 positon available for 2017, and Cole does not want to ride the 250, what do you do? That’s a very tough call, and I’m glad I do not have to make that choice. In the end, let’s hope KTM can round up enough money to keep both riders happy and riding orange for the future.

Matt Goerke does not want to give up the number 1 on his bike, and you can bet that he will be ready to hang it out in the sand to make up as many points as possible. 51 points with 4 motos to go is not impossible, but it’s not going to be easy. Matt will need some luck on his side, of which he hasn’t had much lately. I think it will be very tough, but if anyone could do it, Goerke would be the guy that I’d put my money on. Here are my predictions for this weekend:

MX1

1st Matt Goerke
2nd Davi Millsaps
3rd Kaven Benoit
4th Brett Metcalfe
5th Mike Alessi

And will #1 Matt Goerke get the win in the sand?|Bigwave photo

Women’s East Nationals

The Women’s East National series returns to action after taking a 2-race break. Unfortunately, 2nd place in points, Jacqueline Ross, has called it a season and maybe a career. That opens the door for fellow Americans, Shannon Fleming and Brittany Gagne, to fight for that first position behind champion Eve Brodeur. I truly don’t believe that we have seen the best Brodeur yet, as nobody in the series has the raw speed to push her. She is a multi-time champion and will no doubt capture yet another. I think young Megan Brodeur will be on the gas this weekend, and one to watch as long as she can stay off the ground. I think she has the most raw talent of the class, but she hits the dirt too much. Here are my predictions for the 3rd Women’s round:

Women’s East

1st Eve Brodeur
2nd Brittany Gagne
3rd Shannon Fleming
4th Megan Brodeur
5th Kim Normandin

Can anyone step up and challenge #1E Eve Brodeur this week at round 3?|Bigwave photo

Speaking of women racers, how about Kennedy Lutz down at Loretta’s? Young Kennedy is opening eyes in both the Women’s and Men’s classes. She scored a very impressive 7th in the 450C class and doesn’t look to be slowing down. I really hope she is making the trip to Walton at the end of the season to have a nice little showdown with Eve Brodeur.

Kennedy Lutz is in Tennessee racing Women’s 14+ and 450C|Bigwave photo

That’s it for me this week. I’d like to send a big thanks to Mike Parliament at MB1 Suspension Canada. Mike hooked up our DMX test bike with some suspension last week and I made the trip to Motopark for the day. The stuff handled everything fantastic and I still can’t wipe the smile off my face. Also, a big thanks to Jason and the gang at GP Bikes in Whitby for hooking me up with a fresh new Arai helmet to protect my melon.If you are anywhere in the GTA, a trip to GP Bikes is a must. Street or dirt, these guys have it all. Please give them a look as they are the dealership behind the Big Steel Box Redemption Racing KTM team, and are a great bunch of people. Have a great week, and always #smileforBC!

Billy Rainford

Thanks, Jeff. And hurry up and get ready for our drive east on the 401 to Quebec City, would ya?! I’m trying to get updates, pack, and watch how all our Canadians are doing down at Loretta Lynn‘s. As I type, Austin Watling and Carter Hutcherson just finished a competitive 450B moto, taking 6th and 11th respectively.

Now, you may be wondering why we’d have driven all the way back to London, Ontario, from Moncton last Sunday only to turn around a couple days later and drive east to Quebec City. Well, just having a couple days at home really helps recharge the batteries after a long summer on the road chasing the series. Having said that, I sure wish I was already out east…

Points As We Head into Deschambault

Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing Update

The injury bug will flow over into round 8 for the Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing team. We spoke with team owner.manager Derek Schuster today to find out who we can expect to see in action from the 3-rider team.

Jeremy Medaglia: Jeremy will not be in action again this week as he continues to battle post-concussion symptoms from his hard crash at round 2 out in Nanaimo.

Colton Facciotti: Colton will sit out this week, but hopes to see some seat time this coming week. The good news is that after being checked out by the doctor there is no damage to the rotator cuff in his shoulder. He suffered a 2nd degree separation of that shoulder but there’s a chance we’ll see the big #2 Honda at RJ’s and Walton.

The team had intended to have Jesse Wentland race Colton’s 450 this weekend in Deschambault, but no sooner had they come to an agreement and Jesse suffered had separated his shoulder riding down in Florida.

Brad Nauditt: Brad will be the only rider under the awning again this weekend. The team will be running on a relative skeleton crew with only Brad, his mechanic, and truck driver manning the fort. Brad is still feeling the effects of his crash in Pleasant Valley but is ready to race for the team.

Jesse Wentland was set to fill in for Colton Facciotti at Deschambault this weekend until he separated his shoulder in practice|Bigwave photo

Chad Reed and Cooper Webb to Make Up Factory Yamaha in 2017

Check out the story from Racer X that will have Chad Reed and Cooper Webb compete on 450’s in 2017.

Read the story HERE.

Cooper Webb and Chad Reed for Factory Yamaha in 2017|Bigwave photo

Motovan Amateur Championships at Deschambault

There is one more day of competition left at the inaugural Motovan Amateur Championships at Deschambault. We spoke with CMRC President Mark Stallybrass today and he is quite happy with how smoothly it is going and by the number of riders who showed up to battle for titles.

Tomorrow is ‘Championship Saturday’ so be sure to check in with us on Twitter and Instagram for all the up-to-date photos and results.

You can find results online HERE.

Canadians at Loretta Lynn’s

There is another Amateur Championship going on at the same time that you might be aware of…

Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Championships are underway down at the dude ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Although the event traditionally sees one day where riders are forced to deal with some rain and mud, this year the event started that way with a big storm to welcome the riders.

They are back on schedule after falling behind due to the weather and racers are well on their way to titles and personal accomplishments. Just making it to ‘the ranch’ is a feat in itself, but the putting together 3 solid motos in 2 classes is the real goal.

Here are the Canadians to keep an eye on. We’ll have full results as soon as we get to our hotel later tonight.

53 Nick Denniston – 250 C/450C

28 Shane Mercieca – 250 C/250 C Sr. (12-16) Ltd.

91 Blair Nauta – 250 C Ltd.

81 Kobi Cox – 250 C Jr. (12-16)

71 Carter Hutcherson – 450 B/College (16-24)

42 Austin Watling – 450 B/College B Ltd.

74 Cole Wilson – 450 C

44 Kennedy Lutz – 450 C/Women (14+) Amateur

17 Ryan Gauld – Junior 25+/Vet 30+

13 Brenner Lammens – 51 (4-6) Ltd.

22 Preston Masciangelo – 65 (7-9) Ltd./65 (7-11)

46 Tanner Scott – 65 (10-11) Ltd.

79 Cameron Wrozyna – Mini Sr. 1 (12-13)/Mini Sr. 2 (12-14)

52 Jake Tricco – Supermini 1 (12-15)/Supermini 2 (13-16)

46 Marco Cannella – 125 (12-16) B/C/Schoolboy 1 (12-16) B/C

84 Tanner Ward – Schoolboy 1 (12-16) B/C/Schoolboy 2 (13-16) B/C

67 Emma Saarela – Girls Sr. (12-16)

Faces at the Races|Riverglade National|Presented by Toys for Big Boys

In my never-ending quest to supply as much information as I can on a daily basis, driving to the races on the weekend makes completing that self-imposed task difficult. So, in an effort to up the content here, if you didn’t get a chance to look over my favourite column this week from Riverglade in Moncton, get comfortable and scroll slowly…

Cutting out some Hayden Halstead stickers for the fans.

Pre-signing some posters for the fans. It’s all about preparation, folks!

Keeping a close watch on heart rate during bike prep.

Artsy tool box pic.

Riley Brough and Morgan Burger heading to a pre-work-shift meeting.

“I’m gonna count to 5 and when I turn my head you’d better have your feet off my bike.”

Eve Brodeur and her dad, Sylvain. Eve wasn’t feeling well so she decided not to race Sunday.

The Redemption Racing MX2 guys. Anyone else have a Timbuk 3 song in their head now? (Google it, Bowker!)

Kevin Tyler surveying the action.

Andy White with a front row seat for the action.

THE James Lissimore in action.

Jay Burke’s new Facebook profile pic.

I’m sure I was standing in that exact spot 30 seconds before I took this shot. Great minds?

Josh Cox was NOT thrilled I took this shot. Oh well, I won’t use it…

Mike Smith always pretends he hates having his photo taken. Actually, he may or may not have mooned me right after this shot was taken.

Yep, pretty much sums it up.

Checking qualifying times on the way back to the pits.

Hi ho, hi ho…

Who are two guys who have more holeshots than everyone else put together for $800 please Alex.

The guys in their fresh pink FXR jerseys for Sunday.

I claim this gate in the name of MX101!

Mike Alessi knows how to prep a gate.

Davey Fraser lays claim to his gate.

It’s cool to see all the 2017 gear popping up at the races these days.

Westen Wrozyna with a sweet new coif.

CMRC Head Referee Paul Kingsley.

#512 Jonathon Kellebrew from Houston, TX did not have a great day.

#50 Alex Jeffery prepping his gate in his slick new Fly gear.

Sylvain didn’t have his daughter’s gate to prep, but he found one.

The Rockstar gals at the line.

Brad Coles and Mark Stallybrass talking about old times.

#164 Dakota Alix took both holeshots and won the Royal Distributing Triple Crown $800.

I knew I saw the signal in the sky!

Matt Goerke heading to the line.

Cade Clason staying in the zone before a moto.

Behind every man is a…5-time champion?

Keylan Meston enjoying being with people before the gate drops…he was all alone once it did!

Paul Delaurier getting Davi’s gate set the way he likes it.

Alex Harvill getting set to have a great day.

Justin Roney decided to race the MX1 class last week and will stay there this week.

Candid Rockstar gals

Ryan Batman with his sight lap get up. You gotta love it!

Holy cow, it’s a Destroyer Films sighting!

Eve and Alexandra Raymond.

We caught Doug Pettis with a rare raceday smile.

Mike gets his TV interview.

Kaven was a popular rider up on the podium.

Davi went 1-1…again. Yep, it’s ‘Sweet River’ Millsaps!

Heading back to the pits after the podium presentations.

Shawn Maffenbeier staying cool before a moto.

Reuben Springman getting Kyle ready for a race.

‘Steve The White’ before a moto.

Dakota Alix in his slick 2017 Fox gear.

Here’s a better look.

Cole Thompson and ‘Steve’ pre-moto.

Cale Foster with Jess Pettis’s bike.

Eric Bujold with a little last-minute adjustment to JC’s bike.

Mike and Mark Worth.

Waiting for Guillaume St Cyr.

Ryan Lalonde and his dad are one of the many father/son duos cruising the nationals this summer.

Jason Benny is due for a solid finish this weekend at Deschambault. I’m calling a top 10.

Cedric Moore has been the top Intermediate rider throughout the east but he hurt his calf. Hopefully, he’s good to go for this weekend.

I told you Dave Hewitson is doing something different these days!

Somehow, this bbq ended up under the EZ Up right at the stage. It smelled delicious!

Cole goes full ‘Blue Steal.’

She was Ky’s replacement for the Riverglade round.

Robbie Feder at the stage.

Dylan Wright thinking about catching first place.

Royal Distributing Triple Crown time!

Papa Alix.

Andy listening carefully for ‘Canadian MX Weekly Wrap Up’ information.

Dylan Delaplace checking the results board.

Dylan Kirchner prepping his gate.

Richard White at the line.

Or maybe this is his new profile pic…

Max Tanenbaum is a nice addition to our top 10 riders.

He and his dad are traveling in a Sprinter van.

Davi getting set to head out and dominate.

Davi being careful to avoid the helmet cam.

Tyler Medaglia.

Morgan Burger.

Kaven Benoit.

Shawn Robinson.

John John Pauk was back in action and made a move in the right direction with a 16th overall.

Swag beggin’.

Earl Doucette gets some special recognition from his Riverglade partners.

There may have been some watery eyes in this group, but I won’t mention any names…Larry Northrup.

Tyler Medaglia wins the Brian House Memorial as top Maritime rider.

That’ll do it for this week. Paul says, “See you in Deschambault…”

Royal Distributing Holeshot Awards|Riverglade

We’ve been putting together these Royal Distributing Holeshot Awards videos over the past several weeks. This past weekend out in Moncton, Dakota Alix was able to pocket the Triple Crown for getting both MX2 holeshots. That means, the total ($200 + $200) gets doubled and Dakota walked away with $800 Sunday. Not bad for about 200 metres-worth of work! Here’a look at the video:

Royal Distributing Riverglade Holeshot Awards from Directmotocross.com on Vimeo.

DMX Canadian MX Weekly Wrap Up Show|Presented by FXR|Riverglade National

We’ve also been putting together these recap videos from each round where Andy White and I go over the racing action behind about 15 minutes of racing footage captured throughout the day.

I’d like to thank FXR, Factory Ride Suspension, Royal Distributing, Forma Boots, and Mika Metals for stepping up and supporting this endeavor. Andy is great and calling up all the information from a packed day of racing.

We’ve only got 2 more of these to go before the series comes to an end. If you didn’t get a chance to watch this latest installment, here it is for you now:

DMX 2016 Riverglade National Recap Show|Presented by FXR from Directmotocross.com on Vimeo.

Parts Canada TransCan at Walton Raceway

I can’t believe it’s already almost time for the annual Parts Canada TransCan at Walton Raceway. Although the event won’t culminate with the final round of the Pro Series, it will end with a Pro event for $30 000!

Brett Lee got in tough with us and had this to say today:

There were a lot of comments about sand, however this was the third year that sand was put on the track. So much soil got carried off on bikes, compacted by the equipment, or washed away that it continually needs to be replaced.

Kyle Keast came in to try a different layout for 2016. The track is going to be in front of the fans more, not use some of the hills, and be a little faster in some sections. It actually may be tougher for people to use the track to remember to accelerate instead of brake in some sections.

The guys are hard at grass cutting and fence painting this weekend and move into final dressing next week.

GDR Offering Support

Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing will be onsite all week with their team rig offering parts and free tech support to all Honda riders. Both factory mechanics will be there to help and offer up the same parts that all the GDR riders have been using all year.

Follow https://www.facebook.com/TransCan for daily updates leading up to and during the event. Share and spread the word to people and check out some of the best amateurs ad pro riders in Canada.

KTM Canada will be doing their annual spaghetti dinner and will have their riders there to help serve up heaping loads of pasta! If you haven’t tried JSR’s pasta, you need to!

There are a few openings in some classes. No question, the very best amateurs from coast to coast are signed up for the 25^th Annual Canadian motocross tradition.

The 2016 Motocross of Nations fundraising team will be on site all week. Raffle tickets, cool auction items, and team swag will be available for people to kick in and help the team out.

Besides the concert, there will be a lot going on at night. Make sure you pack your lucky troll doll for bingo, track building items, Stryder bike, and cowboy boots. There is a lot to do!

Thanks for the update, Brett. The TransCan is always the best week of the outdoor season.

Intermediate Class at Parts Canada TransCan

Speaking of the TransCan, this should be an amazing year to line the fences and take in some intense Intermediate action! Think about it, we’ll have Marco Cannella, Casey Keast, Tanner Ward, and Austin Watling all battling it out for wins. We should have had #127 Connor Arsenault in there to make it a 5-rider fight, but he is nursing a broken hand suffered at Pleasant Valley. Get well soon, Connor.

What this means is that while these 4 battle for wins, a Junior rider may be able to dominate and steal the Bronze Boot out from under them. It is going to be a great year in the B class!

Casey Keast is headed for Walton from Kelowna to make this Intermediate battle at the Parts Canada TransCan one for the ages|Bigwave photo

Canadian AX Tour Manufacturers Cup

That’s it for week #32. Thanks for checking in and have a great weekend. We’ll leave you with this short clip of #118 Davi Millsaps dominating at Riverglade last weekend. Check out the section where he just makes his own line and stays smooth. He does that everywhere.