Frid’Eh Update #44 Presented by KTM Canada

By Jeff McConkey and Billy Rainford

Week #44 belongs to BC rider, Jake Streichert | Bigwave photo

Welcome to the 44th week of 2017 and the DMX Frid’Eh Update, this week presented by KTM Canada. BC’s Jake Streichert was the rider who earned #44 for 2016 but we never got to see him line up with it last summer. The last time we did see the likeable rider on the rise was at Gopher Dunes in 2015 when he crashed and had to finish his season unexpectedly.

Jake’s 2015 season:

We’re always interested to find out what keeps ex-Pro riders busy after they leave the competitive racing life, so we got in touch with Jake to see what he’s up to these days. Here’s what he had to say:

Read on to find out what Jake is up to these days | Bigwave photo

Direct Motocross: Hello, Jake. We haven’t seen or heard from you in quite some time! Let’s back up a bit, first. Can you give us a little background on you? Where are you from? How did you get into racing? Where did you go to highschool. Where do you live now?

Jake Streichert: Hey, Billy! I’m from South Slocan in British Columbia, Canada. Basically the middle of nowhere. I didn’t start racing more seriously until 2009 when I first went to Loretta Lynn’s. Before that, it was just all fun and games. Locally doing some races here and there. I was in school until ninth grade then home schooled for the rest due to racing and living down south in the winters.

So, you showed up at round 1 in 2015 and had an impressive result (13th overall). You had to be excited about the summer at that point, no? Take us through that day, and what you were thinking.

At Kamloops I went 14-15 for 13th overall. It was my professional debut in the MX1 class. I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew I was on the best bike possible, I knew I did the off season work so I really wanted to just survive to go into the next round. Top 15 I believe was the goal. The team was awesome and we were able to accomplish it for round 1.

In 2015, Jake showed up at Round 1 in Kamloops and finished 13th overall | Bigwave photo

You stayed in the top 15-20 for the rest of the western swing. How did those go, and what were you thinking as we were about to head east?

As the west rounds went on, I didn’t do nearly as good as I was wanting to do in Nanaimo and Calgary but it was all a learning experience. When it came to round 4 in Regina, I think I was so disappointed with my results that I knew I had to do something to make up for it. I was able to qualify 9th, then get the holeshot in the first moto and finish 10th. Definitely was the highlight of my professional career and always will be.

Then you headed east with high hopes and qualified 14th in MX1 at the toughest track in North America. Unfortunately, the day didn’t go well. Can you tell us about your DNF-DNS result?

Gopher Dunes….. That was an interesting weekend, for sure. In qualifying and practice I felt solid. I was happy with the bike and track and I really wanted to carry on my results from Regina. First moto at Gopher Dunes I got a horrible start. I tried to move my way up and ended up swapping in the sand rollers and hit my head. And as they say, the rest was history, I guess.

So then we didn’t see you again. What happened next for you?

After Gopher Dunes I was in the air if I wanted to continue racing and really what I wanted to do with my future. I ended up making the call to throw the boots in and go to work. It was tough, very tough. I ended up taking two months off to get my head straight and after I felt back to normal I got my work clothes together and went logging with my dad.

You earned national #44 for 2016 but we didn’t get to see you run it. What did you get up to this summer that kept you from racing?

National #44 is pretty cool. Not ideally what I wanted. Wasn’t enough to go back racing (Laughs). I guess what kept me from racing was work. I ended up parting ways with my dad and logging. I bought my own excavator and have been working like crazy to try get ahead while I’m young.

What keeps you busy these days?

These days like I said, I’ve been working non-stop. Haven’t had a weekend off in a while. From working with Cal (Nowicki) and Trevor (Cerny) at Devil’s Lake Yamaha, I’ve learned to work hard when you’re young and it pays off. And that is my plan.

Do you miss the Pro racing scene…EVERY DAY?

I miss being at the races and the people. I can honestly say I’ve probably rode 10 times since Gopher Dunes. My goals have changed and my focus is all on work now.

There’s a good chance we won’t ever see Jake line up for a Pro national again. Good luck in the future, Jake | Bigwave photo

What do you miss most?

What I miss most about racing…. It has to be the satisfaction of finally winning or doing something that you’ve worked day and night for and you can finally check it off. But winning felt good. Especially my final year as an Intermediate.

What track do you think about in your mind?

The ideal track I think about in my mind would be Club MX. The baddest place you’ll ever go as a motocross rider. God’s playland.

What’s next for you?

What’s next for me? I plan to keep working until I can purchase another piece of equipment and slowly expand. I enjoy playing in a big sand box everyday and actually making it on my own.

You didn’t race this summer, but is there anyone you’d like to give a shout out to since we’ve got you here?

Everyone in the moto industry that has helped me with racing or even outside of racing I have to thank. Trevor and Cal at Devil’s Lake for not only helping me with racing but for looking past racing and showing me work ethic and what hard work can get a guy. Big thank you to everyone for making my motocross career everything I could want.

Thanks for the chat and good luck in the future. Maybe we’ll see you at a round or two out west in 2017…

Thank you very much for the time, Billy! I appreciate it. (Laughs) There is the slightest chance. Only the man above knows.

Week #44 is presented by KTM Canada.

Welcome To Our World! A world consisting of race circuits, endless roads, and dirty cross-country tracks. Unwavering dedication is the key to our sublime overall performance. Get inspired by our passion for racing life and prepare yourself for the next adventure with KTM!

JEFF MCCONKEY

Hey, guys. It’s been very chilly here in Southern Ontario. The mercury has been dropping, and it was looking like the fantastic fall riding was almost over. Thankfully, Mother Nature is a crazy B, and the temps are jumping up next week allowing us to continue to ride.

RUMOUR MILL

Speaking of temperatures rising, how about Jess Pettis! This guy is on fire. He is obviously the guy to beat indoors right now. Can a rider be the most improved 3 years in a row? If they can, you can bet that Jess is going to put the work in to make it happen. He was a great fit last season on the MX101 FXR Yamaha team, but with silly season here, I’m sure he’s getting a lot of interest. So speaking of silly season, when is it going to heat up? The few rumours floating around so far are pretty decent.

We ‘Caught Up’ with Jess yesterday. You can read the interview here:

Catching Up with…Jess Pettis

By Billy Rainford

Prince George, BC native, Jess Pettis, has been steadily improving and has had the eyes of the motocross industry on his since he was quite young. His rise to prominence at the Pro level almost looked to have stalled a couple years ago and it left some of us wondering how far he would go. And then 2016 happened…

Jess showed up, seemingly as a rider reborn at round one of the Rockstar Energy MX Nationals at Whispering Pines in Kamloops, BC and finished 3rd in the first moto of the series! He was taller, more solid, and had a new-found air of confidence about him. He finished out the MX2 season 5th in points.

Fast-forward to the 2016 Future West Arenacross Championships and we have ourselves a rider looking to go undefeated. Jess has won all 4 of the main events so far as we head into Penticton this weekend for round 5. We grabbed him for a quick chat as he left the gym getting ready to race this weekend.

#20 Jess Pettis showed up at round 1 this past summer and finished 3rd in the first MX2 moto of the season in Kamloops and is undefeated in Future West Arenacross action so far this fall | Bigwave photo

Direct Motocross: Hello, Jess. First off, congratulations on the first couple rounds of Future West Arenacross! But we’ll come back to that in a sec. Let’s first talk about your 2015 outdoor season. What happened between 2015 and 2016?! Something changed and we want to know what! You grew, for sure, but what did you do over the winter that seems to have helped so much?

Jess Pettis: I made the switch to train in Florida during the winter instead of California. I went down and trained and lived with Colton Facciotti at GPF. While I was down there, I got a call from MX101 as they needed a rider for the year. We were able to make it work and between a great winter of training and the MX101 crew it was a great outdoor season.

OK, so you went into the 2016 outdoor season after working with Colton at GPF. What were you hoping for at the first round?

I was hoping to be a top 5 guy, and get through the first round safe.

You went out and held on for 3rd place in the first moto of the year! What were you thinking at that point?

I was super stoked and was so happy all the hard work had payed off and I knew where I stood. The first round everyone wants to prove how good there off season was.

He spent some time at GPF this past winter training with 4-time champion, Colton Facciotti | Bigwave photo

You finished the season 5th (just 5 points off Brad Nauditt in 4th). What was the highlight of the summer for you?

My highlight would have been either my first ever podium at the first round or ending it with a bang at the last round and earning 3rd overall on the day with 3-4 moto scores.

What did you get up to when the outdoor season ended in August?

I went home, went to the lake for a weekend, and went hunting. I was able to get myself a trophy elk which felt like I won a championship… so that was awesome.

OK, so now we’re heading into round 3 of the Future West AX Championship. You’ve won the first 4 main events! What’s going on out there?! Are you getting great starts? Are you an AX specialist all of a sudden?

Ya, first round went really well. I was able to get good starts and put myself in good positions. I have been in Kamloops for 3 weeks making sure I was 100% ready coming into it.

Can you take us through both nights in Armstrong, BC?

The heat races went really good [Friday night]. I got both holeshots in the mains and didn’t look back. I made sure I didn’t make many mistakes to allow the other guys catch up. I was able to win both mains my about 4 seconds.

And Saturday night was pretty well the same deal. I actually got together with (Shawn) Maffenbeier in the heat race, so I had a terrible gate pick. But pulled both starts again and led all 15 laps.

So, now we’re heading into round 3 in Penticton, BC and you’ll have the Canadian AX Tour guys to face, too. What are you hoping for this week against guys like Chris Blose?

Ya, Penticton should be good. A couple more fast guys will be there which will make it fun. Hopefully, get good starts and keep the momentum going is the plan.

We haven’t been at the races yet this fall. Who’s been your toughest competition? Are you in tight battles?

Ya, there are definitely some gnarly guys. There’s Supercross Pros Noah McConahy, Chris Howell, there’s Ross Johnson, Maffenbier, and some other good Canadian Pros which all keep me on my A-game.

This series will be done in December. What will you do over the winter? We’re hoping to have more Canadians to cheer for in AMA Supercross!

I would love to do the west coast Supercross, and I feel this year would be good to get my feet wet. There’s still some stuff to figure out but we will see.

What will you do to get ready for 2017 Canadian Nationals?

It depends if I’m doing Supercross or not. Possibly back to GPF or maybe California. We will see.

Consistent podium finishes are what he’s looking for in 2017 with occasional wins mixed in | Tyler Spikman photo

Are you signed on to the MX101 FXR Yamaha team again?

My contract goes until December with MX101, so we will see and I hope so. Great group of people.

Hey, how tall and heavy are you now?

5’8″ and 155 pounds.

How are your folks doing? Is your dad smiling at the Arenacrosses so far?

They’re doing good as always, and yeah after last weekend there was no reason not to have a smile around our pit.

What are your hopes for the rest of the AX series? Sorry, had to ask.

(Laughs) Keep the ball rolling.

What about next summer? What will make you happy at the end of next season?

I feel I’ve learned a lot, and know what to expect. Hopefully, be on the podium consistently and, of course, [it would] be nice to get wins but play it round by round.

Jess has dreams of competing at the highest level of the sport — Supercross | Tyler Spikman photo

Is your long term goal to race AMA Supercross and Outdoors?

Yup, for sure. Everyone’s dream as a kid growing up in the sport is Supercross. Or if not, at least mine was.

Who’s taking those hot photos of you riding out west?

Darren Marr. I’ve been getting all sorts of bangers for my Instagram (Laughs).

OK, thanks for the chat today. Good luck this weekend and the rest of the AX series. Who would you like to thank?

Thanks, Billy. I’d like to thank MX101, FXR, Yamaha, bLU cRU, Rockstar, SSS suspension, Al Brown Motorsports, 6D, Forma, Ride Engineering, Marin bikes, Renthal, Nihilo, R&R Automation, Cycra, FMF, Dunlop, Prince George Motorsports, Mom and Dad and all the other amazing supporters.

Word on the street is that amateur star, Joey Crown, has a verbal agreement with Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing. If that is true, that instantly puts Joey as a serious title contender in MX2. I’ve also heard rumblings that Cole Thompson is wanting a 450 ride for 2017. Where does that put him? If I were KTM Canada, I’d throw the bank at Kaven Benoit trying to lock him up long term.

Michigan phenom, Joey Crown, to Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing for 2017? Could be… | Bigwave photo

Can GRD Honda dig up some more money and run Colton Facciotti and Cole on 450’s? Now that would be a very strong team. I’ve also heard that there is a good chance that Mike Alessi could be back on a green 450, but I wouldn’t expect the same for Vince Friese. So there could be one open seat under the green tent. It sounds like former champion, Matt Goerke, is locked in for another season, which is great news under the Rockstar OTSFF Yamaha tent.

I hope this next rumour is false, though. I heard that Brett Metcalfe could possibly be hanging up the boots. Now we haven’t seen Brett since his season ending crash at Deschambault. Let’s hope this one is wrong and we get to see more of Brett as he was starting to look really good on the Yamaha. As I stated before, these are all just rumours, so we will to wait patiently and see.

Check out this week’s ‘On the Radar’ featuring Seth Hughes | Bigwave photo

A very short week for me, I apologize. I will try and come back stronger next week. Be sure to check out this week’s ‘On the Radar‘ with Ontario rising star Seth Hughes. Also, don’t miss this week’s ‘Out of the Blue‘ with Julianne Daniels brought to you by the great people st Shrader’s. Before I go, I’d like to wish a very big Happy Birthday to Kaven Benoit. This guy just keeps getting better and better every year. Have a great weekend and remember to #smileforBC!

BILLY RAINFORD

Thanks, Jeff. And we’ll excuse you for just this week as I know you’ve been doing double time at your 9-5 and also made an out-and-back drive to Husqvarna Canada yesterday.

Wow, what a whirlwind of a week it’s been for me! Here’s what happened: I woke up and got set to spew out some kernels of knowledge, wisdom, and ramblings in my weekly ‘Monday Morning Coffee’ column when the phone rang. It seems the person who was set to head out to Temecula, California, to try out the new WP suspension set ups on a bunch of new off road bikes wasn’t able to make it. KTM Canada‘s, Claudie Lapointe, was on the other end of the line and asked what I was up to the next couple days. Could I answer the bell and head to sunny and warm California to ride some dirt bikes? Yes, yes I could.

The line-up of bikes for the 2017 WP Media Launch at Cahuilla Creek MX this past Tuesday | Bigwave photo

I’ll be posting a full article on the day’s festivities, so I won’t say too much here, but it was an amazing way to spend what would have been an 8 degree and rainy day back home in Ontario. Let me start by saying I don’t fly United very often and the last two times I have I’ve been screwed over pretty severely at O’Hare in Chicago. Instead of flying into San Diego and having a short drive to my hotel, I had to search for another flight that evening to LAX (horrible) and then drive halfway to Temecula that night and get to a different hotel at 1:30am (and I was on EST so it was 4:30 to me). The time before that, I had to spend the night in Chicago and catch another flight west and almost missed Colton Facciotti’s TLD ride at Pala! Anyway, I’m sure there aren’t many out there crying for me right now, but it still sucked.

The guys at WP had a pretty gentle loop (about 6 minutes for a fast guy) that took us out into the desert around the motocross track that showcased the suspension in fast sections, rocky sections, and tight sections. I probably shouldn’t have taken the Beta 430 out first as it seemed to be a little too much bike in the unknown tight stuff for me. My plan was to give it another shakedown after I learned the course, but I never got around to it, so I’m sorry, Beta.

If you’re wondering why riders like Ryan Dungey, Antonio Cairoli, Colton Haaker, and Marvin Musquin are doing so well, it’s no small part due to the suspension they’re on. I’m not exactly Pro-level desert off-road rider, so when I got on the Yamaha YZ 250FX with the softer set up, I was instantly more comfortable and my lap time was cut down substantially. Before you spend money on fancy graphics, take the time to get your bike’s suspension done properly. It will improve your riding instantly.

It takes no less than the skill of Simon Cudby to make me look good on a bike! | Simon Cudby photo

So, we break for lunch and I grab a seat under the tent, out of the sun. I look to my left and there’s none other than KTM North America President, Jan-Erik Burleson (JEB as I call him ;)). I turn to my right and there’s probably the most talented dirt bike rider in the world, Rockstar Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker. Yes, I had to ride off road in front of these guys. And yes, I realize I was the last rider they were interested in watching. I doubt they even saw me throw a leg over a machine.

Have you seen the latest Colton Haaker video?! Feast your eyes on this, if you haven’t:

Anyway, watch for a full article on a great day out in the desert soon here on the site. Thanks for the fun, WP!

MP County Line Now Open Near Panama City, Florida

Finland – Tampere Supercross Nov 11-12 | Ryan Lockhart and Kyle Springman

It looks like we’ll have a couple Canadians to cheer for in a couple weeks over in Finland! Yep, Ryan Lockhart and Kyle Springman will be heading to the land of reindeer and Matti Nykanen (Google it, Bowker!)

You can head over to the official site and check out the entry list HERE. Does Ryan have an international victory left in him? He may!

Amsoil GNCC | Season Finale at Ironman MX

Be sure to tune in to watch the final round of Amsoil GNCC racing on Racer TV when Canadian Tyler Medaglia heads to Crawfordsville, Indiana, Sunday*.

On a side note, I always wondered about this:

IRONMAN® is a registered trademark of World Triathlon Corporation, used by permission.

There ya go.

Watch for Tyler Medaglia at the final round of Amsoil GNCC racing this week at Ironman MX. The event will be broadcast LIVE on Racer TV | Bigwave photo *EDIT: Tyler will NOT be racing this weekend as he is getting ready for Cross Nationals*

MXF Race Rig FOR SALE | Price Reduced $50,000

15’x60′ pro awning system with windows and rain gutters. Also can be set up just on the trailer at 15’x30′.

Triple slide 3200 em renegade coach with only 59,000 miles. 450 hp 12 speed. 30′ renegade stacker with 6000 lbs lift.

Lockers and front closet and cabinets. Triple axle.

It’s a one of a kind rig. We have folded our team and are down sizing. Looking to sell ASAP.

$50,000.00 price reduction for a quick sale. Please contact Gareth at tmkproductionservices@telus.net

MB1 Suspension Now accepting Race Resumés for 2017 Season

We are currently accepting resumes for the 2017 season. Open to all skill levels.

Join the team with the best rider support available.

Email: mb1suspensioncanada@gmail.com or call 226-270-2785

FMX World Tour | London, Ontario

When I found out the FMX World Tour was returning to my hometown of London, Ontario, I figured I should head down the road and check out the action. I wasn’t sure how the format was going to work, but the guys did the old “Canada vs. USA vs. The World” routine and it went over well for the nearly-full house — the kids loved it.

They had a talented group of BMX and FMX riders to entertain the crowd of a reported 2500 but Templeton, Massachusetts, native, Brody Wilson, was the headline FMX name.

The show started at 7:30 and kept the crowd entertained for a couple hours with non-stop action (aside from the short break they took mid-way through the night).

Here are a few shots of some of the jumps and action from the October 22nd night.

I showed up in the afternoon to check out the arena and grab my media passes. The guys were securing the run-up to the big ramp.

Everyone was pretty laid back and had some fun getting used to the floor and jumps.

It always helps to know what you’re doing next.

I liked the shots that showed the Bud Gardens and the London Knights signage.

And my favourite move is till and old fashioned moto-style cross up

The bike gang was chilling in the green room.

The stage was set for a great night of entertainment.

The BMX guys were part of the Craz E Crew Stunt Team.

Tossing some swag into the crowd early in the night to get them going.

The mostly-young crowd loved the antics of the riders as they hyped them up

They had the upper level curtained off and the lower bowl was just about full.

Acknowledging the crowd.

My weak attempt at getting artsy for a moment.

The FMX riders getting introduced to the crowd.

London’s own, Matt Hutchinson, took care of the video side of the action.

No matter what else gets done, the crowd still loves a good old backflip. They went nuts every time a rider went upside down.

Checking for puck marks in the rafters.

Spotting the landing.

High fives for the enthusiastic fans.

They were eating up the action all night long.

Kyle Snelgrove and his family won the trip to the event after writing in and telling them what it took to get them all together for the night.

Checking to see where they are in the night’s schedule.

Russ the Announcer did a great job keeping the crowd revved up for the entire show.

They pretended it was going to be difficult to clear him on this jump. The kids thought it was great!

Part of the International Challenge portion of the show.

This one could be my personal favourite.

I can’t imagine doing this the first time!

And the winners are…

Not to be outdone, the BMX riders also put on a great show.

Yep, you’ve got clearance.

If Kassie Boone (right) were healthy, I think we would have seen her hitting the ramps that night. She said that was what she’d love to be doing.

That’s some pretty good extension.

It’s physics, folks.

This little guy gets a high five.

I guess I was wrong when I told you I waited for you to be ready for this photo, Kassie. I’ll edit it out…

These little guys were pretty pumped to have met Brody and the rest of the riders.

The riders all got together at the end of the night to sign autographs.

Most of the kids stayed until they got one from every rider. Thanks for an entertaining night, guys. See you next year?

WOSSAA High School Senior Cross Country Running Championships

I did something a little different yesterday afternoon and shot some photos at the regional cross country championships at WOSSAA (Western Ontario Secondary School Athletics Association). “Wossa” is all you have to say in these parts.

If you’re interested, I posted a bunch of photos over on our Facebook site that you can check out HERE.

Cole Thompson Update

I managed to get in touch with Brigden, Ontario’s Cole Thompson today to find out what he’s been up to and what his plans are for the near and distant future.

Good news! Cole Thompson is probably going to be signing on with KTM Canada for the next 3 years! The dotted line doesn’t have his signature quite yet, so we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but it looks like we should see Cole defend his MX2 title in 2017 and then move back up to the MX1 class for 2018-19. That’s great news for the Orange Team and Canadian fans.

What does the winter hold for the talented 23-year-old as far as Supercross is concerned? Well, he would love to get back out there and race the 250 East Supercross series but hasn’t got anything sorted out as yet. He is first taking care of his Canadian outdoor contract and will then move on to what this winter has in store. You may even see him on a KTM 250 traveling in his RV with his mom and dad again, just like the good old days. He said he’d really like to race Toronto and Detroit in front of his home fans.

He’s been jetting back and forth to Costa Rica competing in their Pro MX1 series. He’s missed 2 rounds and is a long shot for the title, but he’ll head back in a couple weeks to hit the final round. His plan is to probably stay east to train this winter in the Florida Georgia are to get ready.

Good luck, Cole. It will be great to have you racing for wins here in Canada for the foreseeable future.

Yes, it looks like Cole Thompson will be defending his MX2 title on a KTM here in Canada for 2017 after all. MX1 for 2018-19? | Tyler Spikman photo

Tim Gajser | The Rookie: Road To Glory | Part 1

‘The Rookie: Road to Glory’, a documentary that takes you on Tim’s journey through his debut season in the premier class of the World Motocross Championship. The documentary goes into depth, unveiling the highs and lows of Tim’s season as it unfolds. The 20-minute movie also takes a peek into an important facet of his personal life that has kept the Gajser family in a close-knit bond.

Have a great weekend and don’t forget to tune in to the live broadcast of the Arenacross racing that will see the Future West series line up next to the AX Tour regulars out in Penticton!

We’ll be sure to post the link Saturday here on the site.

See you at the races…

Frid’Eh Update #44 Presented by KTM Canada