MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT

#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Trey Canard

Trey Canard was always a standout rider when coming through the ranks from amateur racing to pro racing. As a young kid racing 85cc bikes he had the opportunity to ride for Team Green Kawasaki where he was able to get two seconds at the Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in the 85cc 12-13 class. In his later years at the Ranch he was able to win four times heading into his pro debut. His last two years at the Ranch and when he made his pro debut he raced for the infamous Geico Powersports Honda team. He raced the final four outdoor nationals that year and had a best placing of fifth in Freestone, TX. When the seasons switched to Supercross Canard shined that first year. Being up against the likes of Ryan Villopoto, Josh Grant, and amateur star Nico Izzi, Trey Canard took the win in his first four Supercross races ever, quite an accomplishment for the young rookie. By the end of the season, he had a ten-point lead on Ryan Villopoto and was crowned champion that same rookie year. His next championship came in 2010 when he won the outdoor motocross series with it dramatically coming down to the last race at Pala. Christophe Pourcel held the points lead up until the final moto where he crashed up a weird step up, breaking his shoulder in the process. He would DNF the moto giving Canard the points advantage and the championship. In the following years, Canard raced the 450 class but was plagued with injury. Unfortunately, he only found the top step of the podium three times in the remainder of his career. He was always competitive but found the ground more often than not. When he decided to step away from racing, his relationship with Honda stayed true, and he has been testing and helping with development ever since.

GETTING THE JOB DONE IN SEATTLE

Cooper Webb was able to beat the elements and all the other racers this past weekend in Seattle. It seems that when Webb is able to get a good start, the likelihood of him taking the win increases drastically.  Running second early in the race he felt the pressure from Honda’s Jett Lawrence who did seem to have a bit more speed than Webb around the track. But the great part of Supercross, is anything can happen and when Lawrence carried too much speed into the sand corner, he caught himself running into the back end of Webb and going down. Webb unfazed by the collision kept his head down, capitalized on a mistake from the leader Chase Sexton, and was able to grab the win in a battle to the finish.

FEELING AND LOOKING GOOD

Chase Sexton also showed tremendous speed the past weekend and attempted to take the win in the very last corner. Though while up front early, he cross-rutted in one of the rhythm sections clipping a Yamaha tough block in the process. He said that damage had been done to his rear rotor causing him to lock up the back wheel in one of the corners and stalling the bike. Allowing Webb to slide past him and moving him into second. However, this was not the only time he had stalled the bike that evening. Earlier in the heat race he stalled after the wall coming out of the sand and could not get the bike to refire for a few seconds. Was there possibly something going on with the bike or just minor mistakes from the former champ? In the end, he still put on top-level performance and seems to be regaining comfort and feeling healthy on the bike once again.

CHEF WINS AT HOME

Levi Kitchen did exactly what needed to be done after the break on the West Coast. Having a near-perfect night on the track he was able to grab the holeshot in both the heat race and main event and never looked back. In the main, he was pressured early by points contender Jordon Smith but the difficult track had got the best of him and took him down allowing Kitchen and the valuable points to slip away. Being from Washington himself many thought Kitchen had the advantage on the evening, but the rain that had come down earlier in the day made the track difficult and tough for any rider to stay consistent. Levi held strong and gained more points heading into the remainder of the season.

MECHANIC’S DEBATE: WORK ETHIC OR PERSONALITY?

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? The answer is at the bottom of the article.

2024 SEATTLE SUPERCROSS 450 QUALIFYING RAW

CLAYTON ROBERTS ROAD2RECOVERY

On March 24, 2024, professional racer Clayton Roberts was involved in a serious accident while racing the AMA National Hare and Hound Championship in Murphy, Idaho. Nearly 300 yards off the start, Clayton was ejected from his bike at approximately 70 MPH. As a result, Clayton sustained severe injuries including a broken clavicle, multiple broken ribs, and fractures to his T11 and T12 vertebrae, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury.

Clayton Roberts is not just a racer; he’s a champion, an inspiration to many, and a beloved member of the racing community. His determination, resilience, and passion for the sport have touched the lives of countless fans and fellow competitors alike. For those who wish to generously show their support, visit Clayton’s Road 2 Recovery Cause Page. Additionally, we welcome and deeply appreciate messages of hope and healing, which will undoubtedly uplift Clayton’s spirits during this challenging time. Click here to donate

MXA FANTASY LEAGUE: THE WINNER OF THE SEATTLE SUPERCROSS SCORED 298 POINTS

The race in Seattle was one of the best we’ve seen so far this 2024 season. Cooper Webb who sits second in points was able to grab the win but it did not come easy. Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence applied the pressure the entire race but a crash for Jett Lawrence and a stalled engine for Chase Sexton stopped them from making a move on Cooper Webb. The track was extremely difficult as it rained early in the day which allowed more moisture than usual which caused the track that is already known for becoming rutted, almost unrideable. Cooper Webb said post-race that he was almost out of energy and was just doing what he could to maintain the position.

SEATTLE WINNER WAS “FLYINGW1111”

FlyingW1111 has gotten the highest score so far this season with 298 points! We go over some of his picks and how he came to such a high conclusion on the evening.

250 CLASS PREDICTIONS

Levi Kitchen took the win this weekend and extended his points lead on board the Pro Circuit Kawasaki.

FlyingW1111 had great picks this past weekend in the 250 West class, choosing four riders in the correct position and all six riders scored points. For first, they chose Levi Kitchen, who did in fact take the win this weekend giving a total of 36 points including the ten bonus points. In second they chose RJ Hampshire who ended up coming from behind in the race and placing second on the night. This pick gives 33 points for being correct including the ten bonus points. In third FlyingW1111 chose Jo Shimoda who also came from behind after a crash and placed third on the night, he would receive 31 points for the correct pick including the ten bonus points. In fourth, they chose Garrett Marchbanks who did get fourth on the night giving 29 points including the ten bonus. In fifth they chose Michael Mosiman who ended up sixth on the night giving a total of 17 points for this pick. In sixth they chose Carson Mumford who ended up fifth on the night giving 18 fantasy points. As you can see here, FlyingW1111 did not miss out on any points in the 250 class.

450 CLASS PREDICTIONS

Chase Sexton put up a hard-fought battle in the 450 class but would come up just short of taking the win.

The 450 picks were not as consistent in terms of correct positioning but FlyingW1111 did score points for every position picked. For first they chose Jett Lawrence, this was the most common pick for the first position but he ended up third on the night only giving 21 fantasy points. In second they chose Cooper Webb who ended up winning and giving 26 fantasy points but no bonus points. In third, they chose Ken Roczen who placed fifth in the race and gave 18 fantasy points. in fourth, they chose Chase Sexton who ended up second in the race giving 23 fantasy points. In fifth they chose Aaron Plessinger who ended up fourth in the race and gave 19 fantasy points and in sixth with the only correct position picked in the 450 class was Eli Tomac who earned them 27 fantasy points including the ten bonus.

Based on these picks this is the highest we’ve seen someone score so far this season in the MXA Fantasy League App. Some points were left on the table as many bonus points in the 450 class were not captured. Moving on to ST. Louis this weekend, players have the chance to win a free set of goggles courtesy of 100%. Be sure to get your picks in and enjoy the game play as this season has been very unpredictable with race winners. There are always points to be made up and for FlyingW1111 to score this highly it brought him right back into the overall hunt. Be sure to stay up to date and we will see you next weekend.

2024 SEATTLE SUPERCROSS 250 QUALIFYING RAW

ASK THE MXPERTS: SIGN-UP FOR MXA’S FIVE-MINUTE MOTOCROSS SCHOOL

Dear MXA,
I am slower than dirt. I am without a doubt the slowest rider in the Vet Novice class. What is the simplest riding technique that will make me faster? I don’t want any of that technical mumbo jumbo. Just tell me how to get out of last place.

Believe it or not, the easiest thing that you can do to become faster in the shortest amount of time is to turn the throttle wide open. No, we aren’t being smart alecks. It turns out that most slow riders don’t turn their throttles all the way open. Oh, they think they do, but they don’t. Even if you can’t jump the jumps, struggle to get the bike turned, hate ruts and roll through whoops, you can lower your lap times by simply turning the throttle wide open whenever the situation presents itself.

This is the “Drag Race School of Motocross.” It is simple to learn and makes you faster overnight. Forget about emulating Eli Tomac or Ken Roczen—think of yourself as John Force. If you twist the throttle to the stops every time you go down a straight and leave it on as long as possible, you will go faster. You might overshoot a corner now and then or scare yourself, but your lap times will drop without you having to learn any of the fancy mumbo jumbo. Here are the things you have to do to ensure that you are wicking it up.

(1) With your bike on its stand, climb on board and sit down in your normal riding position. Reach out and grab the throttle. Don’t exaggerate the movement —just turn the throttle the way you normally would. Did it go all the way to the stop without your elbow dropping? Did you feel the need to re-grip?

(2) Your throttle isn’t a baseball bat, tennis racket or jungle gym. It’s an active mechanism. Don’t grab hold of it like your life depends on it (even though it does). Try to hold the throttle with a light touch. Don’t jam your hand onto the grip so hard that there is pressure at the base of your thumb. Once you have adjusted to a kinder and gentler grip pressure, practice positioning your palm on the grip so that you have enough rotation of the throttle housing to get the slide pulled all the way up without dropping your elbow or kinking your wrist. You may have to start by gripping the throttle higher up on the arc of the throttle housing to get full pull. Find that sweet spot and learn where it is.

Wanna go faster? Focus on your right hand. It’s in control.

(3) Try to visualize your throttle as a door knob. Don’t reach out and grab it like an orangutan (with all four fingers lined up across the barrel). Instead, tilt your elbow up and slide your hand down the throttle grip as though you were reaching for a door knob. Your hand will be positioned at an angle, with your index finger closer to your body than your pinky finger. Once you have mastered the doorknob grip, you will turn the throttle with a twisting motion of the wrist instead of an up-and-down motion of your arm.