Frid’Eh Update #8 | Mitchell Harrison | Brought to You by Dirt Care
Frid’Eh Update #8 belongs to Mitchell Harrison, originally from Michigan, and is brought to you by Dirt Care.
By Billy Rainford
Welcome to Week #8 of the DMX Frid’EH Update brought to you by Dirt Care. We’re still stuck in the snow belt that is living up to its name here in London, Ontario. I feel like I should be heading out to Grade 6 right now because we used to get snow like this when I was a little kid. I’ve heard there have been more than 15 snow days this winter! We got a lot of snow in the old days but I don’t ever remember getting that many days off school due to it. Wow.
Fortunately, I’m heading south to Florida for what is always the busiest trip of the year. I’ll head out on Monday so I can make it to the Moto Money Race at Pax Trax on Wednesday.
Last year, they gave a way a ton of money and this year will be now different. I was there to watch Sebastien Racine race a 450 and he went out and set a lap record at the place! Pretty good.
Al Strickert is down in the area and is already throwing a leg over his Honda 250 2-stroke after his hip replacement in December. Yes, it sounds early to me too. I just told him to be careful. His nickname is “Spazz” so I’m not sure how much caution he’s able to exercise.
He made it through one day of riding while he broke in a fresh top end and hip joint. He grabbed Pax owner CJ Harris for a chat to let everyone know about big race that will try to fill the void left when the Tampa MX race came to an end a couple years ago:
He also grabbed CJ for a longer chat about his history and the history of the Pax Trax facility:
Hopefully, we see some Canadians there again this year trying to take the $$$.
Did I mention I’m driving the same #DMXVan down to Florida again? Well, I am. I was a little worried last time, but this time I’m just rolling with it. I’ll do yet another oil and filter change before leaving and cross my fingers that all the moving parts stay where they’re supposed to be…
Mitchell Harrison is career #8 here in Canada. He’s currently racing the 450 Supercross series on the Partzilla PRMX Team. He’s had a couple bumps along the way but is getting himself up to speed as we near the halfway point of the SX series.
He’s also holding down the fort in the 450 class after Cade Clason broke his arm in Tampa a couple weeks ago. Heal up, Cade.
Here’s a look at Mitchell’s 2024 Canadian season:
He suffered ever rider’s worst arm injury fear – the fractured scaphoid. We talk to him about that in our interview, so scroll down and check it out to see what he had to say when we contacted him this week.
Direct Motocross: OK, we need to talk about that wrist injury because this is one that every rider fears. Take us through the crash at Round 2 last summer that actually hurt your wrist.
Mitchell Harrison: It was the WCAN race the day before the actual national, and I wasn’t even going to race the final moto but I was having such a good time riding that I decided to do it. First lap of the moto I high-sided. Pretty good get off and it hurt right away, but I was out there to get practice so I just kept riding until the pain was too much.
Ya, you kept trying to ride with it. How bad did it get? What was it like to try and ride like that?
It was always hurt throughout the day, just aching. But I just thought I sprained it or something minor that I just had to get through a couple weeks of irritation. I had to basically wrap it so it didn’t move up or down. Everything hurt, basically, but what really made me want to stop was when I hit a big bump and my wrist would jar, that hurt. But like a Charlie horse it would slowly go away.
I’m guessing Gopher Dunes wasn’t much fun with a bad wrist?
Gopher was a nightmare with that wrist. That was what really made me check it out. The week before my hand started going numb and I could barely hold on, but as thick-headed as I am I still tried to race.
So, you went to get it checked out and you had surgery and even one of those scary-looking external fixators! Did you do some research on techniques and doctors? Where and when did you get it done?
I got it checked out up and Canada – had a nice 7-hour wait to get looked at. I was very surprised that I broke the scaphoid, and was immediately worried. That’s like the worst bone to brake for us. I got very fortunate that my chiropractor knows one of the best hand and wrist surgeons in Vail, Colorado. Got me in immediately. Unfortunately, I had my truck up in Canada so I had to drive 26 hours to Florida straight then hop on a flight to Colorado 4 hours later.
What were you able to do while you recovered? I guess you couldn’t golf, or did you try it one-handed?
Haha, definitely not golf. I worked on recovering my whole body a lot, and ran a lot. I couldn’t do really anything I loved to do like play guitar or golf or ride. Fortunately, I got to hike a lot, I recovered in Salt Lake.
When were you able to get back on the bike and how did it feel? How long did it take to get back to normal on the bike?
I got back on the bike mid-October. I felt normal right away… actually better. I was a bit worried how my wrist would hold up and it got sore for sure but I felt great on the bike.
You’re back with the Partzilla PRMX team racing 450 Supercross. You scored points with a 17th and a couple 16ths. How has the season been going for you.
It has been up and down again. The finishes have been good, striving for top 15 though. I hurt some ribs at San Diego that took me out that night, and tried to ride A2. It’s been tough but I’m starting to feel better, still hard to ride to full potential.
Is this the most stacked gate you’ve ever seen?
Yes. It’s sooo stacked. Unfortunately, the field has depleted a bit, but A1 was insane.
What have you thought of the tracks this year? There have been some big jumps and technical sections.
I call it “Supermotocross Quad-Up Edition.” Haha. Yeah, some big jumps, but the tracks have been fun.
Is there a round you’re looking forward to coming up?
I always look forward to Daytona. As a lot of people know, I love the outdoors, and that is a very unique event.
Is the SMX Playoff system holding Americans back from coming to race in Canada? Too much money to be made!
Yes, it definitely holds us back. There are too many points to be made in the Outdoors. I’d love to do a couple up there if the series works out for off weekends.
Do you know what your plans or Julien’s plans are for summer racing?
The plan so far is to race the US series. I love Canada and it’s done so much for my career, but I miss the US grind and fans, there’s just nothing like it.
How long will you keep chasing the series? What would you do when you stopped racing?
For as long as the opportunities keep coming. And my wife loves me racing so probably forever. Haha. I’ve always said I’d love to try the golf route, try to make the Korn Ferry Tour. People always look at me crazy but golf is a love of mine and I would love to give it a try.
OK, I’ll see you in Daytona. Thanks for chatting with us for one of these interviews again. Good luck and who would you like to thank?
Thank you! And PRMX Partzilla Blaster Power.
2025 Canadian Triple Crown Series Motocross Nationals Schedule Released
Whew, I just got my joke Instagram post up in time this week! We’ve now seen the schedule for the 2025 Canadian Triple Crown Series Motocross Nationals. It’s 8 rounds again, so that’s good. There were concerns and rumours early on that there was a chance it could be cut to fewer rounds.
We’re only going west for 2 rounds and they’re both in Alberta. This fact has ruffled a few feathers in the western part of Canada, and rightfully so. Hopefully, this changes in the future and we get all the way to the left coast again.
With the title still “Triple Crown” but with no Arenacross or Supercoss to make that moniker valid, the series has devised an interesting 3-stage system that will be further explained soon. My understanding is that teams will pick 2 riders to count each week and they can win pretty good additional money if they win with an overall team getting a big chunk at the end of the season. Of course, I don’t know excatly how it’ll all work, so we’ll wait to see it explained properly.
We’ll be at a new track in Cold Lake, Alberta, for Round 2. I’ve never seen this track, but I posted a helmet cam video from a young 85 or Supermini rider. The dirt looks like it has a lot of potential, but one comment on our Facebook page is that it doesn’t have much parking space. I’m sure this is something that will be easily resolved with a big dozer or two.
Here’s the video:
We’re also going back to Ste Julie for the first time since 2012. That date actually blew me away. I can’t believe it’s been 13 years! The track has nice natural elevation and is pretty close to Montreal, so it’s always been a good fit. Quebec deserves a second round.
I found this old Rider Round-Up from the 2011 National (Check out that microphone!):
Triple Crown Format this Week at the Arlington Supercross
The 250 West class is back in action in Arlington Saturday. Unfortunately, the distance and the Triple Crown format have it so that our 2 Triumph riders, Julien Benek and Blake Davies, won’t be lining up. But we will have Cole Thompson and Preston Masciangelo to cheer for.
Guillaume St Cyr said his shoulder isn’t all that good yet and the fact that it’s a Triple Crown makes it even more difficult so he won’t be lining up this week.
One More Motorcycle Show to Go
The final Motorcycle Show of the “show season” will happen not this weekend but next in Montreal:
Montreal
Feb 28 – March 2, 2025
Was anyone else up late watching the Canada vs. USA hockey game with friends last night? We actually hosted at our place and got to bed pretty late. It’s left me feeling a little less than energetic today, to say the least. I said when it started that I wanted a close game and then for Canada to win in overtime. I nailed that one!
Have a great weekend, everyone, and I hope to see some familiar faces down south next week. The plan is to hit the Moto Money Race at Pax on Wednesday, Arenacross Friday, Supercross Saturday, GNCC Sunday, and RCSX on Monday. It’s an action-packed schedule that will have me asking even more from the old van. We’ll have to sneak 1 night out downtown Daytona for Bike Week, too.
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