Monday Morning Coffee

By Billy Rainford

Emily and I made it back from Nashville pretty late last night. Because she also had Monday off from work, we were really in no hurry to pack up and leave what is now a top3 city in the United States for us. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I dislike country music but you shouldn’t let your musical preferences stop you from visiting Nashville.

Music City is officially ranked 10th in the Fastest Growing Cities statistics I looked up. They’ve got Austin, Texas, listed as #1. However, I drive through a lot of cities and I’ve never seen anywhere appear to be progressing like what’s going on in Nashville (Kitchener/Waterloo has also seen a complete transformation the past few years). It’s got one of the coolest layouts of any city I’ve been to. No, it doesn’t have mountains or an ocean, but it makes up for it with an amazing vibe and really impressive design. Seriously, if you plan to make a holiday out of one Supercross race in 2024, I’d strongly suggest you keep Nashville in mind (assuming we come back, of course).

It was also nice to meet up with Kyle McKannell and the Manitoba gang at a restaurant/bar after the night at the stadium was finished. It would have been a very late night were it not for the 7am start time and being finished by dinner time! I hated it and then I loved it.

Kyle owns the Prairie Hill MX track in Pilot Mount, MB. They were on the Canadian Triple Crown Series schedule last season but aren’t returning this summer. Kyle said he’s definitely interested in being on the calendar again in the future, however. Anyone remember how hot it was last year?! I’ve only felt heat and humidity like that once before in my life and that was Loretta Lynn’s back in 2010. Anyway, thanks for a good hang and being able to share in the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ big win to move to Round 2! As we drove away, I said to Em that I forgot to snag a selfie together! Next time…

It’s a good thing we went straight to the restaurant from the stadium (even though I was all muddy after not bringing anything to change into) because there is no way we would have managed to get ourselves together and headed out after feeling the comfort of that hotel bed. No way.

As I was saying earlier, Nashville is one of my favourite places in the USA. We always go online to try and find groovy little places to eat and when we woke up Sunday morning we did just that. It turned out we were literally 1-minute away from what most were calling the best breakfast in Nashville – a little home-made-into-a-restaurant in the middle of a neighbourhood called The Nashville Jam Co..

My dad always said, “How can you screw up breakfast?!” I consider myself a bit of a greasy spoon connoisseur (never spelled that word before) and I can say that I’ve seen screwed up breakfasts before.

Emily ordered an omelette and I went with the complete basic of 2 eggs, potatoes, crispy bacon, and their homemade biscuit.

We sat back and enjoyed some conversation with a young guy who came in alone and sat beside up on out bar-like seats that looked out the front window. He was on the spectrum and was an encyclopedia of local knowledge. He listed the top 10 best places for breakfast as if he were under oath and we’re happy to report that the place we were currently seated was at the top of the list.

What a nice kid. He said he didn’t know much about Canada except Newfoundland, the place where Toronto is, and the other one he couldn’t pronounce. Em and I both said “Saskatchewan” at the same time and he said, “Yep, that’s the one!”

His breakfast of biscuits, bacon, and coffee may not have been the healthiest of plates I’ve ever seen, but, man, was he ever right!

As I said, we weren’t in a big hurry to leave, but when I looked at my watch and factored in the time change back home, I figured we’d better start the long trip up I-65 to I-71 to I-75 across the border and home. We stopped at a Costco just south of Cincinnati and grabbed a few electronic bits and pieces and made it home around 12:30am. Not too bad.

Oh yes, there was a race too…

The biggest news of Round 15 in Nashville was the injury list. Unfortunately, a few riders went down and out.

#2 Cooper Webb – he’s out for the season after crashing in turn 3 of 450 Heat 1 when he and #1 Eli Tomac took turns taking each other high early. It would have been fine but it was so early in the race and riders were all so close that when Cooper hit the ground #9 Adam CIanciarulo couldn’t avoid him and nailed him in the head extremely hard.

The end result is a concussion and so Cooper will sit out Denver and Salt Lake City.

#44 Benny Bloss – Benny crashed in the same rhythm section that took #21 Jason Anderson down. Benny didn’t return for the LCQ. His Rock River Yamaha team has simply said he’ll be back.

#78 Grant Harlan – Grant went down hard and left the track holding his arm as he sat on the back of the Alpinestars Medic Mule. He looked at me a shook his head.

#12 Shane McElrath – Shane wasn’t hurt but he was forced out of the Mai when he blew a shock and headed back to the pits early.

#50 Marshal Weltin – Marshal wasn’t hurt either but he hit a downed rider in 250 Heat and smashed up his bike too badly to finish the race.

#247 Brock Papi – Brock made contact with #63 Max Anstie down the start straight in the 250 Main and went down hard. He laid motionless for a split second but then bounce to his feet to collect his bike. He made it back up to race pace and even made some passes but couldn’t continue after lap 5.

#51 Justin Barcia – The sketchy dragon’s back that each rider talked about at the press conference bit Justin. We’re hearing he sustained a broken collarbone and that would, of course, mean an early end to his impressive 2023 Supercross season.

There were some positives to take away from this round, though. How about Partzilla PRMX getting all 4 of their riders into the Mains?! We’ll talk more about that in an article on its own but congratulations, Guys.

#46 Justin Hill and #751 Josh Hill have done it again! They finished 5th and 10th in the 450 Main to pad their sibling numbers a little more as brothers to finish inside the top 10, doing it twice now.

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MXGP of Portugal

MX2 – GP Classification

Pos Nr Rider Nat. Fed. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total 1 93 Geerts, Jago BEL FMB YAM 25 25 50 2 74 de Wolf, Kay NED KNMV HUS 20 22 42 3 39 Van De Moosdijk, Roan NED KNMV HUS 18 20 38 4 80 Adamo, Andrea ITA FMI KTM 22 16 38 5 516 Laengenfelder, Simon GER DMSB GAS 16 18 34 6 96 Coenen, Lucas BEL FMB HUS 12 14 26 7 44 Elzinga, Rick NED KNMV YAM 14 12 26 8 253 Pancar, Jan SLO AMZS KTM 15 11 26 9 24 Horgmo, Kevin NOR NMF KAW 9 15 24 10 198 Benistant, Thibault FRA FFM YAM 8 13 21 11 11 Haarup, Mikkel DEN DMU KTM 13 8 21 12 125 Weckman, Emil FIN SML HON 11 9 20 13 22 Braceras, David ESP RFME KAW 10 7 17 14 79 Coenen, Sacha BEL FMB KTM 5 6 11 15 72 Everts, Liam BEL FMB KTM 0 10 10 16 51 Oliver, Oriol ESP RFME KTM 4 5 9 17 517 Gifting, Isak SWE SVEMO GAS 7 0 7 18 579 Bruce, Bobby GBR ACU GAS 2 4 6 19 17 Toendel, Cornelius NOR NMF KTM 6 0 6 20 365 Monne Viles, Adria ESP RFME KTM 0 3 3 21 23 Hammal, Taylor GBR ACU KTM 1 2 3 22 696 Gwerder, Mike SUI FMS KTM 3 0 3 23 18 Voxen Kleemann, William DEN DMU KTM 0 1 1 24 64 Ciabatti, Lorenzo ITA FMI KTM 0 0 0 25 12 Chambers, Jack USA AMA KAW 0 0 0 26 912 Rizzi, Joel GBR ACU HON 0 0 0 27 67 Martinez, Yago ESP RFME KTM 0 0 0 28 254 Marques, Alexandre POR FMP HUS 0 0 0

MX2 – World Championship Classification

Pos Nr Rider Nat. Bike Total ARG SAR SUI TRE POR ESP FRA LAT GER INA INA CZE BEL FIN SWE NED TUR VIE GBR 1 93 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 265 10 25-25 10 22-25 8 14-20 7 25-14 10 25-25 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2 80 Adamo, Andrea ITA KTM 229 9 20-20 3 16-15 6 20-22 8 22-22 8 22-16 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 74 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 220 5 15-11 9 25-22 9 22-18 3 16-18 5 20-22 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 4 198 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 206 6 22-13 7 18-20 10 18-25 9 18-16 3 8-13 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 5 516 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 201 8 13-16 8 20-14 0 16-16 10 12-25 9 16-18 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 6 39 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED HUS 191 4 18-14 2 13-16 7 25-13 5 15-15 6 18-20 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 7 72 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 157 7 16-8 5 12-13 5 13-15 6 20-20 7 0-10 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 8 24 Horgmo, Kevin NOR KAW 143 2 12-22 6 14-12 0 12-14 2 10-13 0 9-15 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 9 96 Coenen, Lucas BEL HUS 130 3 0-12 4 15-18 0 15-5 4 14-12 2 12-14 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 10 253 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 115 0 11-9 0 9-11 3 11-12 0 8-11 4 15-11 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 11 44 Elzinga, Rick NED YAM 102 1 14-18 1 0-0 2 10-10 1 9-10 0 14-12 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 12 125 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 89 0 7-10 0 10-9 0 9-11 0 13-0 0 11-9 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 13 11 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KTM 70 0 0-15 – 4 4-7 0 11-8 0 13-8 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 14 22 Braceras, D. ESP KAW 58 0 9-0 0 4-5 1 6-8 0 4-4 0 10-7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 15 51 Oliver, Oriol ESP KTM 50 – – 0 11-10 0 8-6 0 6-0 0 4-5 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 16 67 Martinez, Yago ESP KTM 37 0 10-6 0 7-2 0 5-2 0 0-5 0 0-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 17 17 Toendel, C. NOR KTM 33 0 0-5 0 5-7 0 3-4 0 3-0 0 6-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 18 517 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 21 – – – – – – 0 5-9 0 7-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 19 912 Rizzi, Joel GBR HON 19 – – 0 6-4 – 0 2-7 0 0-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 20 12 Chambers, Jack USA KAW 17 – – – – 0 7-9 0 0-0 1 0-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

MXGP – GP Classification

Pos Nr Rider Nat. Fed. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total 1 84 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KNMV KTM 20 25 45 2 3 Febvre, Romain FRA FFM KAW 22 20 42 3 61 Prado, Jorge ESP RFME GAS 25 15 40 4 70 Fernandez, Ruben ESP RFME HON 14 22 36 5 91 Seewer, Jeremy SUI FMS YAM 16 18 34 6 259 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED KNMV YAM 18 14 32 7 10 Vlaanderen, Calvin NED KNMV YAM 13 16 29 8 101 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA FMI GAS 15 13 28 9 92 Guillod, Valentin SUI FFM HON 11 12 23 10 959 Renaux, Maxime FRA FFM YAM 8 10 18 11 919 Watson, Ben GBR ACU BET 9 9 18 12 303 Forato, Alberto ITA FMI KTM 12 6 18 13 6 Paturel, Benoit FRA FFM YAM 10 7 17 14 189 Bogers, Brian NED KNMV HON 5 8 13 15 32 Van doninck, Brent BEL FMB HON 0 11 11 16 161 Östlund, Alvin SWE SVEMO HON 6 5 11 17 71 Spies, Maximilian GER DMSB KTM 4 4 8 18 77 Lupino, Alessandro ITA FMI BET 7 0 7 19 271 Alberto, Paulo POR FMP YAM 2 2 4 20 226 Koch, Tom GER DMSB KTM 0 3 3 21 43 Evans, Mitchell AUS MA KAW 3 0 3 22 97 Ivanov, Michael BUL BMF HUS 1 1 2 23 75 Roosiorg, Hardi EST EMF HON 0 0 0 24 115 Dickinson, Ashton GBR ACU KTM 0 0 0 25 147 Outeiro, Luis POR FMP YAM 0 0 0 26 87 Brumann, Kevin SUI FMS YAM 0 0 0

MXGP – World Championship Classification

Pos Nr Rider Nat. Bike Total ARG SAR SUI TRE POR ESP FRA LAT GER INA INA CZE BEL FIN SWE NED TUR VIE GBR 1 61 Prado, Jorge ESP GAS 246 10 25-15 10 25-15 10 25-20 1 25-20 5 25-15 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2 84 Herlings, J. NED KTM 229 1 18-22 8 22-22 8 15-18 4 12-25 9 20-25 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 3 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 214 6 22-16 6 10-18 9 20-22 10 9-18 6 22-20 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 4 959 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 202 8 20-12 0 18-20 6 22-25 9 22-22 0 8-10 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 5 70 Fernandez, R. ESP HON 182 7 16-25 5 0-10 2 16-13 8 20-14 10 14-22 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 6 10 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 162 5 10-11 3 20-16 4 18-14 0 15-9 8 13-16 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 7 259 Coldenhoff, G. NED YAM 152 4 14-7 9 16-25 1 13-1 2 13-15 0 18-14 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 8 91 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 148 0 4-20 4 15-14 5 1-16 7 5-16 7 16-18 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 9 101 Guadagnini, M. ITA GAS 139 9 11-13 2 11-9 0 12-9 3 18-11 3 15-13 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 10 303 Forato, A. ITA KTM 116 0 12-8 0 13-12 7 9-15 0 16-6 0 12-6 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 11 92 Guillod, V. SUI HON 108 2 7-9 0 4-3 3 14-12 6 14-10 1 11-12 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 12 919 Watson, Ben GBR BET 87 0 9-6 0 7-8 0 10-11 0 10-8 0 9-9 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 13 32 Van doninck, B. BEL HON 83 0 13-0 7 12-13 0 5-0 5 0-13 4 0-11 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 14 6 Paturel, B. FRA YAM 79 0 8-10 1 8-7 0 11-6 0 11-0 0 10-7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 15 189 Bogers, Brian NED HON 66 0 5-14 0 14-1 0 0-5 0 0-12 2 5-8 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 16 41 Jonass, Pauls LAT HON 56 3 15-18 0 9-11 0 0-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 17 161 Östlund, Alvin SWE HON 49 0 6-5 0 5-4 0 4-2 0 8-4 0 6-5 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 18 77 Lupino, A. ITA BET 48 0 0-4 0 2-6 0 6-10 0 6-7 0 7-0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 19 71 Spies, M. GER KTM 19 – – 0 3-2 0 3-3 0 0-0 0 4-4 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 20 226 Koch, Tom GER KTM 18 – – 0 6-5 – 0 2-2 0 0-3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Next Round: MXGP of Spain – May 7.

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OK, I hope that got you through another cup. Thanks for having a look and have a great week, everyone. Watch for more posts coming throughout the day, now that I’ve made it home to my office. We were hoping to hit some local tracks this week but it looks like the weatherman is going to put that on hold until the weekend. Muddy MTB anyone?