I headed over to Gopher Dunes on Saturday to catch the Amateur Open racing and see what was up in the pits the day before Round 4 of the 2024 Canadian Triple Crown Series MX Nationals. Entry numbers were low on the amateur side, but there were a bunch of new faces and numbers to check out. I’ll post a Photo Report highlighting the amateur races early this week, but, for now, let’s have a quick look around.
Like I said on Instagram, if you stay around long enough your team will do a retro bike that is a replica of one you actually raced new! That’s what’s happening with #5 Tyler Medaglia this week. That’s like his 2012 race bike.As Mugatu would say, Drew Adams is so hot right now. Did you see his Moto Combine race finish on Friday at RedBud? He’s definitely the one to beat in the 250 class and it will be interesting to see how he likes the sand here.Things are a little different around this place these days. Not only are Jack and Kelcey now The Wrights, but little Myles is looking pretty comfortable sitting on Jack’s bike. Moto Mom and Dad looks to be in their future.I like this story. #13 Brenner Lammens has always been a 2-sport athlete – MX and Hockey. Well, it looks like he’s gotten a little too good at hockey these days because that’s where his focus will be in the foreseeable future. He’s 14, 6′ 1″ and 180 pounds. The future looks bright for this centreman! Next stop…the OHL, hopefully. Good luck, Brenner.I always liked #613 Cole Pranger’s mullet style. But as Missy Elliott would say, he’s flipped it around and reversed it this summer, but he’s still going very fast!I also like to keep tabs on young #247 Tegan Kortenbach from Alberta. He’s young and improving every year. He had a rough 250 Junior 2nd moto, crashing with #81 Nathan Snelgrove and then with #214 Ryan Mott, but still took the overall.
It looked like I was going to have a very early day and get home before dinner, but then I noticed Tech was open so I wandered over, and I’m glad I did. Quite a few new names and faces to watch out for.
#292 Peyton Morningstar is Canadian but spends his time training down south. He’s here this week and on a 450. He’s a big guy so this should be good for him. Sometimes, I don’t know if someone got a recent haircut or if it’s grown in a little. Take D Spec for example. I’m going with freshie.That’s #723 Ben Nelko. Dude rips in the woods and it’ll be interesting to see how he does here in the sand.You know who is not likely to fade in the hot sand on Sunday? #59 Wyatt Kerr. If he’s got his starts dialled, watch for him to continue his march toward the front.Maple Ridge, BC working man, #18 Parker Eales, is here on his own this week. I mean, he’s on the Priority MX team but nobody from BC came with him. He’s been here for a week acclimatizing to the humidity and is ready to do battle. Liam O’Farrell is stepping in to help him out.And that’s our first sighting of Snow Bike champion #54 Yanick Boucher. He may be from here in Ontario, but he’s from a long way away!I talk to #57 Josh Clark from time to time. He’s always expressing an interest in coming back to race on a team up here in Canada again. Well, he’s here on his own and has brought a couple guns to this knife fight. Let’s see how he does on a 250 2-stroke in the 250 class.He’s got two first names and one of them is Jeff. Either way, it means #5 Tyler Medaglia is back and he told me he’s back to 100%. He also got a new haircut.I like this story too. That’s Josh Cox who hasn’t been a mechanic at these races in 6 years! He used to spin the wrenches for Kyle Chisholm. He’s #109 Aaron Tanti’s guy this week after our American buddy Joe Kremkow had some sort of issue getting across the border. I would have vouched for him! Let’s see if Josh can get on the podium.And that’s Brooke Johnson from Nova Scotia with her Triumph. Unfortunately, she broke the starter button on it and will have to push start the bike to race tomorrow as there doesn’t seem to be a surplus of Triumph motocross parts in the area.
I ambushed American rider Krystian Janik when he arrived at the track this afternoon. He raced the Moto Combine at RedBud on Friday and then headed north to race at Gopher Dunes. I think he said he’s #307 tomorrow? Here’s what he had to say:
OK, I thought I took more photos when I was walking dow the tech line. I guess all I did was mostly gab! Oh well, I had a nice visit with Mr. Merrick who drove all the way from Dawson Creek, BC to see his boys race. Jeff Ward and I were trying to point him in the direction of trails he would enjoy, keeping in mind he just rode in Litton, BC. He brought his Sherco. Guy Giroux, if you’re reading this, find him at Sand Del Lee.
Get some sleep, everyone, because 7:30 riders meeting is going to get here fast!
We’ll let Tyler Medaglia and Tiger Wood watching Talon Medaglia on a CRF 150 they had to borrow from the Gopher Dunes stable say it: “See you at the races…” Oh, he won on it.
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