FLASHBACK TO THE PALA OVEN: HOW I SURVIVED THE PALA NATIONAL HEAT WAVE

The Pala National was so hot that MX Sports cut the motos by five minutes and added an extra half hour in between moto one and two to prevent riders from getting heat exhaustion.

By Josh Mosiman

The 50th annual AMA Pro Motocross season was one for the record books. Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton battled hard until the very end. Jett Lawrence continued to live up to his hype. His brother Hunter scored nine overall podiums, just missing out on multiple overall wins and and he scored third overall in the Championship. He was edged out by Jo Shimoda, who continued his progression in the 250 class with multiple overall wins and second in the Championship. The 50th anniversary season was also one that saw Ryan Dungey come out of retirement, nine-time MXGP World Champ Antonio Cairoli race a few AMA Nationals, Jason Anderson grab his first 450 National win(s) and Justin Barcia take out Dylan Ferrandis and put him back on the injured list one weekend after he came back from being hurt. 

THIS SEASON WAS AN EXCITING ONE TO DOCUMENT AS A JOURNALIST, BUT THE PART I ENJOYED THE MOST WAS RACING MYSELF. THANKS TO MOTOCROSS ACTION, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE OUR HONDA, KAWASAKI, HUSQVARNA AND KTM TEST BIKES OUT TO LINE UP AGAINST THE TOP 450 RIDERS IN THE COUNTRY.

This season was an exciting one to document as a journalist, but the part I enjoyed the most was racing myself. Thanks to Motocross Action, I was able to take our Honda, Kawasaki, Husqvarna and KTM test bikes out to line up against the top 450 riders in the country. Each of the first four races had its highs and lows, but I ironed out most of the kinks in my program by the last round to have a season-best finish. 

PREPARATION: In the five weeks between Washougal and the final race at Pala, I committed to finding some more endurance. I didn’t make big progress, but the six 30-minute motos, two Saturday MX races at Glen Helen, multiple road bike rides and gym sessions I squeezed into my already busy riding and writing schedule certainly helped. I also raced multiple times in some hot weather at Glen Helen on the same bike I was going to race at Pala.

To make the final race of the season interesting, Southern California experienced a heat wave that boosted the temps into the 105-degree range. Surprisingly, MX Sports and the AMA began working on a game plan to manage the heat a week before the race happened. Since Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac were separated by 1 point coming into the race, I didn’t expect them to deviate from the traditional 30-plus-two program, but, to my surprise, the races were shortened by 5 minutes to 25 minutes plus two laps, and the time between each moto was extended by 30 minutes. 

Pala is the least likely track you’d choose to race on a 105-degree day.

GAME PLAN

One of the biggest differences for me at Pala II was my mindset. Instead of going out there to do my best, I was going out there to survive. To tell the truth, there were multiple moments during the week when I wished I hadn’t signed up. I did my best to stay out of the sun and not ride that week, but I did have to test the 2023 Kawasaki KX250 on Wednesday. Before this point, I wasn’t too nervous about Pala. But after riding in the 100-degree heat on Wednesday, knowing it would be even hotter on Saturday, I got nervous. It felt like I was riding in an oven, because I was breathing in hot air on the track.

Of course, I’m not a quitter, and there was no chance I was going to let the opportunity to race another National pass me by, but the nerves were real. I made a crucial call to Chris Cole (my father-in-law) for backup (A/C and an ice bath). Around the same time, I had a serious conversation with my wife. I voiced my concerns, and she made me pinky promise that I wouldn’t end up with heat stroke at this race. Thankfully, MXA pays me the same whether win or lose,  so there’s no real pressure to perform. The drive to do well is a balancing act between my healthy desire to test my skills and challenge myself and my unhealthy desire to boost my ego. I try to race for the right reasons and not worry about what other people think, but I am human and often fall into the trap of trying to be cool.   

Chris saved the day by bringing his trailer out, and I also had my parents bring out multiple fans and ice chests to keep the air flowing and the drinks cool at our pit. All in all, we had a sprinter van, a trailer with A/C in it, two 55-gallon drums full of water, a brand-new roll-away trash can to use for an ice bath, 20 blocks of ice (about 10 pounds each), 10 ice chests, five fans, two dirt bikes (one back up 2022-1/2 KTM 450SXF Factory Edition), three E-Z UPs and a few hundred water bottles. 

ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES FOR ME AT PALA II WAS MY MINDSET. INSTEAD OF GOING OUT THERE TO DO MY BEST, I WAS GOING OUT THERE TO SURVIVE. 

THE GEAR: I wore my usual MXA orange 6D Helmet, EKS Brand Lucid goggles, 2023 O’Neal Airwear vented gear, Leatt 3DF knee guards, Leatt knee brace socks and Sidi Atojo boots. EKS Brand makes two special “Race Face” versions of its Lucid that come with a fourth layer of foam to keep the sweat out, so those were my go-to goggles for the ultra-hot weekend. I have a big problem with sweat getting in my goggles, no matter which brand I wear, so anything extra helps. Alpinestars also gave me their Balaclava Skull Cap to wear under my helmet (also worn by Justin Barcia) to help keep sweat out of my eyes, and my wife gave me a haircut leading into the weekend, all to try to keep me as cool as possible. 

I can’t say if it really helps or not, but I have a theory that brand-new gear doesn’t breathe as well as used gear. Maybe because the material in the gear is new and tight and after a cycle or two through the wash, they begin to feel better? I don’t have data to back up my claim, but I did wash my brand-new O’Neal gear before the race. I also cut holes in the jersey and cut the liner out of the pants to make the gear as breathable as possible. I felt horrible cutting into brand-new gear, but I didn’t feel as bad when I saw everyone on the line in Alpinestars, FXR, Thor, Troy Lee Designs and Fox gear who all did the same thing. No set of motocross gear is breathable enough for 105-degree heat. As for the Leatt 3DF knee pads and Sidi boots, both are lightweight and flexible, giving me a great feel on the bike. 

At the last minute, when I was loading my van on Friday night, I wiped some of the roost off my USWE hydration pack that was left over from my last off-road race earlier in the year and threw it in the van. The idea was to wear the pack full of ice and water to the starting line and around the track on the site lap, then take it off for the moto. That’s exactly what I did in Moto 1, but my wife convinced me to wear it for the actual race in Moto 2—more on that below. 

Josh submerged in cold water before moto one, with his wife, Ashley, ready with a towel in hand.

THE BIKE: With my indecisiveness in selecting a brand and two out-of-state trips right before the season started, I was only
able to spend one day of riding on my CRF450 and KX450 race bikes for Pala 1 and Hangtown. I learned my lesson about being late to prepare, and I was able to carve out more time to spend on the FC450 I rode at Washougal, but I didn’t learn my lesson about suspension setup. It felt great at Glen Helen during test days but too soft at Washougal because I was pushing harder, the dirt had more traction (in most spots), and the bumps and ruts were much bigger than on any other practice day. 

Josh’s KTM 450SXF was equipped with stiffer suspension than he used at Pala I, Hangtown or Washougal and while his suspension was at Pro Circuit he had Schnikey dyno his 450 and install a Pro Circuit Ti-6 pipe.

For Pala 2, I made sure to go stiffer with the suspension. When I dropped off the WP Cone Valve forks and Trax shock to Luke Boyk at Pro Circuit, I asked for a setting that I would hate on any regular day at the track, because I knew if he made it stiff, it would work best when the ruts were deep and the bumps were big. Sure enough, my first time using the suspension was for a race that Saturday at Glen Helen. Josh Fout installed it for me, and I got my butt kicked that day. The suspension was harsh, and I won the first moto but got tired early in the second 20-minute moto from trying to hold on to it, and I missed out on the win. 

Josh ran a World Connection Elite axle block, which eliminates the fix axle/axle block of the stock axle.

I matched the Pro Circuit suspension with a Pro Circuit exhaust system. I used ODI bars and Emig Pro V2 Lock-on grips, Works Connection Elite axle blocks, Fastway footpegs, a Dunlop MX33 front tire with an MX14 on the rear to start out the day, and an MX33 on a spare wheel for the race. Factory Effex dressed the bike with their graphics and my numbers. Guts sent me another complete seat using an RJ Wing seat cover with a bump in it. I also had a fresh Twin Air filter and ETS MX 18 race fuel in the bike as well. 

Josh raced with a USWE hydration pack in an effort to survive moto two.

TRACK CONDITIONS: The first Pala National was deep in practice, but it wasn’t horrible. I ran the Dunlop MX12 (the MX14 wasn’t out yet) in qualifying, but I almost felt like I didn’t need it at the first Pala National; however, after watching amateur day on Friday, it was easy to see the track crew was going to do everything possible to make the track wet and deep for Saturday, in hopes that the 2022 season finale wouldn’t turn into a dust bowl. The track was so deep on Friday that all the amateurs made a single file line around all the outside berms. Almost all the inside lines were untouched for most of the day because they were so deep. 

WITH MY INDECISIVENESS IN SELECTING A BRAND AND TWO OUT-OF-STATE TRIPS RIGHT BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO SPEND ONE DAY OF RIDING ON MY CRF450 AND KX450 RACE BIKES FOR PALA 1 AND HANGTOWN.

I knew the MX14 scoop tire was the rear tire of choice, at least to start the day. Last year, when Pala held two Nationals, they turned the track backward for the second race, just to make the track different without completely changing the layout. This year they kept the same direction and basic layout for the two races, only they made some minor layout and obstacle changes, all of which were positive. 

Josh used Fastway footpegs on the 2023 KTM 450SXF.

TIMED QUALIFYING: I was about to be right on time for the first qualifying session, which meant Josh Fout and I would spend the least amount of time in the sun possible. But, we forgot our transponder, so that made for a quick fire drill back at the pit. With the transponder on, we made it back to the line with barely enough time for me to strap my helmet on and put on my O’Neal Airwear gloves and EKS Brand goggles.

I WASN’T THE FIRST RIDER ON THE TRACK LIKE I WANTED TO BE, BUT I PASSED A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO WEREN’T AS MOTIVATED TO BE UPFRONT AS ME AND ENDED UP THIRD ON THE OPENING LAP OF QUALIFYING BEHIND CHASE SEXTON AND ELI TOMAC. HOW COOL IS THAT?

I wasn’t the first rider on the track like I wanted to be, but I passed a couple of guys who weren’t as motivated to be upfront as me and ended up third on the opening lap of qualifying behind Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac. How cool is that? I thought about going around Chase Sexton a couple of times as he was checking out the lines, preparing for a fast lap once the green flag flew, but I decided to let the top dogs have the fresh air in front of me, and I’d be happy to watch Chase’s lines for as long as I could see him (which it turned out wasn’t very long once he wicked it up). 

My strategy for qualifying at Pala was the same as at the other Nationals. I sent it on the first few laps to get my fastest time while the track was smoothest. Despite a few mistakes while navigating one of the sketchiest tracks I’ve ridden in a long time, I scored the 19th quickest time in the session, something I could hang my hat on! The track was ripped so deep, and it was so wet that I almost got stuck in one corner. I didn’t hit the brakes or anything out of the norm, I simply tried a new line in the corner that happened to be extremely muddy. Lesson learned! 

The second session was more of the same, but the track got better as we rode it more. It was still deep and muddy, which was good again for the Dunlop MX14 scoop tire. I laid down two consistent laps at the beginning, but I learned later that I should’ve saved some energy for the last lap when the track was more broken in with a few better lines. I matched my time from the first session, but everyone else got faster, bumping me to 31st gate pick for moto one.

Josh was mindful not to waste too much energy in qualifying.

FACTORY-STYLE COOL DOWN: I wasn’t crazy hot after the second qualifier and didn’t think I would need an ice bath; however, 20 minutes after pulling off the track, I was still warm and figured it would be good to get my body temperature down. The trash can wasn’t ice cold, but it was cool enough to be a huge shock to get in. It was game-changing! An hour later, when I started feeling warm again while hanging out and eating snacks, I jumped in again. Then, right before I put my gear on for the first race, I jumped in a third time. I stayed in long enough to start shivering before getting out and gearing up. Side note: my wife watched me almost end my day exiting the trash can when the ice chest I stood on flipped over and I fell on it, but thankfully my wrist, ankles, shoulders and fingers were all still intact! 

Hanging out with friends and fans who walk by in the pits is one of the most fun parts of being at the races, but unfortunately, I couldn’t do much of that while I was hiding in the windowless trailer. I truly got a feel for what it’s like to be a factory rider, hanging out in the trailer all day, hiding from the sun and the fans. It was way less fun and hard to do for an extrovert like me who loves people, but it was necessary to save all energy possible so that I could survive this race and get my work done for our editorial deadline on Monday. 

I was also able to watch the first moto from my phone and quickly realized it was hard enough to go back to the Dunlop MX33 rear tire. Thankfully, it was already mounted on a spare wheel, so we were ready for the races. 

MOTO ONE: When it came time to lineup for moto one, Josh Fout was loaded like a mule with an Alpinestars backpack full of water, spare gloves, spare goggles, race goggles and a sealed water bottle to fill up the tank with more ETS MX 18 after the site lap. He also had an Ogio fanny pack with tools and zip ties inside. Plus, he carried an umbrella, pit board and auxiliary fan that I convinced him to take up there (we found it in Chris’ trailer). The fan turned out to be a bad idea. It was big and bulky and only pushed hot air into my face. I saw my buddy Shane McElrath had a zip-lock bag with ice in it that he was using to keep cool, and I knew what I’d be doing the next time around. 

My start was horrible, but, like the last few races, I navigated the first few corners and the first lap well and came out in 24th place across the line on lap one. From there, I slowly started dropping back until I saw 32nd on the pit board. My game plan of surviving was going according to plan. I was riding it like an off-road race, not letting my heart rate spike at anything, not worrying too much about riders who passed by and focusing on conserving energy by keeping my feet on the pegs and staying balanced in the deep ruts. There weren’t many places to rest on the track; everything was pretty rough and sketchy, which takes energy and focus. 

To my surprise, halfway into the race, I started catching riders! I could see riders hitting their mental and physical breaking points after the track and heat broke them, and I made my way by. I was still strategic, though. I didn’t want to get caught in a battle with anyone because it would waste my energy. I made sure to rev my bike more than normal while behind riders, not blatantly revving at them to impersonate the sounds Tomac and Sexton make as they’re lapping through us, but I definitely revved more than normal for my style, and it worked. I was quick and loud with my passes, and I was able to sprint for the whole next section to create a gap between us so the rider would lose hope of passing me back. 

Somehow, I made my way back from 31st to 23rd by the end of the race, and I was blown away! I felt like I was riding an off-road race out there the whole time, simply riding at 50 percent intensity, but it gave me my best finish of the season so far. In my head, I attributed my ability to keep going forward to the ice bath and air conditioning. Most of the privateers I passed were pitted out of pickup trucks and vans. They didn’t have a trailer with A/C, and most didn’t have ice baths, either.  

Jett Lawrence and his crew.

MOTO TWO: The extra 30 minutes between the races did me well. I took three more ice baths between moto one and two. One bath came as soon as I flung my gear off after the moto, then one more in the middle of the break, and again right before it was time to suit up for moto two. 

Josh Fout’s pre-race pep talk focused on getting a better start and keeping the same game plan of riding a consistent pace, only trying to stay closer to the front of the pack, rather than dropping all the way to the 30s. My start was similar, mid-pack again, and I tried harder earlier on, per Josh’s requests. One thing that changed for moto two was I left the USWE hydration pack on and raced with it! Technically, you’re supposed to show your name and number on your jersey per the AMA rules, but nobody was knocking me for wearing a hydration pack at Pala. Multiple other riders were already doing the same thing. I asked my wife to fill the pack full of ice, and the good news is that the water was cold with every sip. The bad news is I ran out of water and carried ice on my back for the second half of the moto. I underestimated how insulated the USWE pack is and how much I would drink out there. In the end, it was very helpful. 

I rode consistently once again and even had a battle with my rival from Glen Helen, Justin Jones. Justin is an off-road racer at heart, but we always have intense battles at Glen Helen every time we lineup together. He had more endurance than I did and got around me with 10 minutes to go. I paced him, and while seeing 23rd position on the pit board for multiple laps in a row, I held off a charge from the rider behind me and crossed the line about four seconds behind Justin for 23rd place—or so I thought. 

Over two hours after completing the moto, when Justin was loaded up and leaving the pits, he stopped by to say hi. I congratulated him on his 22nd-place finish. That’s when he told me that he finished 20th, and he showed me the official results. I couldn’t believe it! Fout gave me the wrong position on the pit board during the race, and I never doubled checked the result after. I had a rush of emotions going through my head. In one sense, I was proud because I finished two spots better than I thought. In another sense, I was mad at myself for not trying harder to score a point! 

As a rule of thumb, you should always push to the checkered flag and never count your chickens before they hatch. I was in survival mode out there and not so motivated to try for what I thought was a 22nd-place position in front of me. Lesson learned!

I WAS PROUD BECAUSE I FINISHED TWO SPOTS BETTER THAN I THOUGHT. IN ANOTHER SENSE, I WAS MAD AT MYSELF FOR NOT TRYING HARDER TO SCORE A POINT! 

OVERALL: Looking back on it, three major factors helped me score 23-21 moto finishes at Pala 2 for 24th overall. My suspension was stiffer, my mindset was calmer, and my body temperature was colder than ever before. The 2023 KTM 450SXF has taken time for us to get used to, but the settings Pro Circuit gave me in the suspension for Pala, along with my teammate Josh Fout on wrenches keeping the bike in top shape, caused me to have zero complaints on the bike. My mind was set to survival mode, which in the end helped me to ride my best. And, I can almost guarantee that I took more ice baths and had my body temperature colder than anyone else all day. Or at the very least, I was much colder than any non-factory rider thanks to my father-in-law, which certainly gave me an advantage late in the races. 

Overall, it was fun to be a part of the 50th annual running of the Pro Motocross series. Although I wasn’t watching Chase and Eli battle at the finale, I witnessed them lap me towards the end of both races, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, those guys are something else.  

GO WITH THE “JOSHES” TO THE HOTTEST NATIONAL OF THE YEAR…LIVE THEIR LIVES

2022 PRO MOTOCROSS 450 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Eli Tomac…546
2. Chase Sexton….539
3. Jason Anderson…440
4. Ken Roczen…394
5. Christian Craig…373
6. Ryan Dungey…359
7. Aaron Plessinger…322
8. Justin Barcia…303
9. Joey Savatgy…222
10. Shane McElrath…213

2022 PRO MOTOCROSS 250 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Jett Lawrence…525
2. Jo Shimoda…480
3. Hunter Lawrence…468
4. Justin Cooper…415
5. RJ Hampshire…346
6. Max Vohland…303
7. Seth Hammaker…256
8. Nate Thrasher…251
9. Michael Mosiman…208
10. Pierce Brown…198

 

 

 

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