ISSUE 9
Canadian Pro Motocross Update
National racing in Canada kicked off this weekend in Calgary, and overall, it was a great start to the season.
Over the past few years, Round 1 has often left people frustrated with certain aspects of the series' logistics. This year felt different. For 2026, Justin Thompson was on-site for the first time in years, and the impact was noticeable. Alongside Brett Lee, the duo delivered what felt as close to a true National-level atmosphere as we've seen in a long time, and they deserve credit for that.
Justin Thompson chatting with Kevin Tyler at Round 1
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Lap timing was clearly an issue throughout the day, but the positive was how the series handled it. There was no attempt to avoid the problem. Instead, there was consistent communication about what was happening, what was being done to fix it, and regular updates being shared throughout the day. That transparency allowed racers, teams, media, and industry members to continue doing their jobs with the information available.
For the past few years, all people have really been asking for is effort and communication. At Round 1, both were clearly on display.
On the track side, things came together perfectly. Just when it looked like we might lose the track due to dry conditions, Mother Nature stepped in. The rain arrived at exactly the right time, setting up ideal conditions for gate drops and delivering a fantastic day of racing.
Wild Rose MX Park
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
As for the racing, if we had 50 questions heading into Round 1, only about half of them were answered.
The stage is now set for a battle in the 450 class.
Dylan Wright looked every bit like a rider who has turned a corner. During the offseason, he talked about changing his approach, riding smarter, not constantly at 110 percent, and avoiding the mistakes that have put him on the ground in the past. It was the kind of thing many of us heard and thought, "There's no way you can actually pull that off you are Dylan Wright." but what we saw on Sunday looked like he pulled it off. He would make a mistake and instead of doubling down, which is what we saw in years past it looked like he took it as a reminder to his plan. Going 1-1 on the day seems like it worked.
Wright looked controlled, calculated, and still incredibly fast. If that's what the new version of Dylan Wright looks like, the rest of the field has their work cut out for them.
Dylan Wright Round 1 Calgary 2026 going 1-1 on the day heading into round 2 with the red plate
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Harri Kullas didn’t get the starts which leaves us with a question on what happens if he does?! Can he battle with Dylan? maybe we will have to wait and see.
Harri Kullas riding for KTM Canada Red Bull Racing finished 2nd at Round 1
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Jess Pettis and the MX101 team leave Calgary with more questions than answers.
Coming into Round 1, there were plenty of rumors surrounding the atmosphere under the MX101 tent. We didn't put much stock into them at the time because rumors are a part of racing, and more often than not they end up meaning very little.
After Calgary, however, it's fair to say the questions remain.
That's racing. It's the constant battle of man and machine, the highs and lows, the moments where nothing seems to go right. It's also what makes this sport so difficult, and ultimately so rewarding. The setbacks, frustrations, and adversity are what make standing on the top step of the podium mean something.
It sucks to go through those moments. And honestly, it sucks to report on them too. When you're in the middle of it as a rider or team, it can feel like everything is working against you.
But that's part of the story.
The challenges, the setbacks, and the fight to overcome them are what make the wins worth celebrating. If it were easy, it wouldn't mean nearly as much.
As for what we can actually say about Calgary for Jess Pettis, the team has been keeping things pretty close to the chest and that's their right. We respect that, just as they respect that we have a job to do as well.
Kevin Tyler was kind enough to join us on this week's podcast and provided plenty of insight into the team's strong start, with two red plates heading into Round 2. When it came to the team's 450 rider, however, the conversation was understandably brief.
Kevin Tyler pushing Jess Pettis’ 450 off the track in Moto 2
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Unfortunately, JP wasn't able to connect with us for a call. While it's part of our job to ask the questions, we completely understand where he's at right now. When things aren't going your way, the last thing you want to do is talk about it.
We're sure he'd rather get back to the track and let his riding do the talking.
For now, the questions remain, but if there's one thing we know about Jess Pettis, and we will maybe have some come end of say on Sunday.
While that's just the front of the 450 field, let's shift our attention to the 250 class.
Jess in moto 1
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
The 250s answered far more questions than the 450 class, and for the most part, things unfolded exactly as expected.
The young U.S. riders from the PC team came in with plenty of speed and immediately showed why they're considered some of the top prospects in the sport. They also made a few mistakes along the way, which is completely expected at this stage of their development.
In reality, that's probably the best thing that could happen. Learning how to respond to adversity, manage mistakes, and recover during a race weekend are lessons that will serve them well before they make the jump to the professional ranks in the U.S.
The speed was there. The talent was obvious. Now comes the process of putting all the pieces together.
Preston delivered exactly what we've come to expect: two moto wins and a masterclass in consistency.
His riding is so textbook that it's hard to look away. Every lap is calculated, smooth, and efficient. If you're a young rider looking for someone to model your technique and racecraft after, Preston should be at the top of the list.
Preston Kilroy going 1-1 at round 1 keeps the red plate going into round 2
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Right behind him was Dylan Rempel, who matched Preston's pace for much of the day and continued to prove he belongs at the front of this championship.
Manitoba is where things get interesting. Dylan now knows the pace required to win, and more importantly, he believes he can run it. If anyone is poised to challenge Preston heading into Round 2, Rempel is at the top of that list.
Consistent 2-2 day for Dylan Rempel
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
We kind of only touched on the front runners here, and we dont love that but next week we will get deeper in the field, no one wants to be reading for this long.
WMX
Making her U.S. debut, Destiny Slingerland put together an impressive 14-8 to finish 9th overall. A top-10 finish in that field is a big accomplishment on its own, but it becomes even more impressive when you consider she was racing a track she'd never ridden before.
Her 14th-place finish came on Friday during the amateur portion of the event, while her best result, an 8th-place finish, came on the same track used by the U.S. Men's Pro National riders.
That's a huge statement.
Not only did Destiny prove she belongs in the mix, but she improved throughout the weekend and showed she can adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions. For a rider making her debut at this level, that's exactly what you want to see.
We're excited to see what she can do this weekend at Thunder Valley.
Destiny Slingerland going 14-8 for 9th overall at WMX USA National
Photo: Tree Three Media
As for our Canadian WMX racing, what a race.
Before we even get to the action on the track, there's still a discussion to be had about the format. Unfortunately, WMX riders are still allowed to ride on Saturday, and because of that, almost all of them do.
The reality is that many riders would prefer not to. However, when your competition is putting in extra laps and gathering more track time, it creates a situation where you feel like you have to do the same. Otherwise, you're lining up on Sunday at a disadvantage.
That's the challenge of racing, everyone is looking for every advantage they can find, especially when a championship is on the line.
With that said, nearly the entire WMX field lined up on Saturday.
The notable exception was Jordan Jarvis, who was busy racing Moto 2 at Hangtown after competing in Moto 1 on Friday. Kaylie Kayer opted to race the Intermediate class instead of WMX, and we also got a surprise appearance from 16-year-old Isla Phillips from Utah.
Jarvis goes 3-1 at round 1 heading into round 2 sharing the red plate with Kaylie Kayer
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Honestly, it would have been an incredible story to watch Isla line up for the first time on Sunday and ride the way she did. Unfortunately for the surprise factor, once we saw her speed on Saturday, it became pretty clear that she had the potential to be fighting for wins on Sunday.
Moto 1 started with chaos right out of the gate, as several of the title contenders went down early, Katrine Ferguson, Hannah Cole, and Jordan Jarvis all caught up in the same incident.
Maybe the best photo of the weekend?! Kaylie Kayer can toss it!
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Katrine fought her way back to 11th, Hannah climbed to 8th, and Jarvis charged all the way to 3rd. Despite the drama, it was Kaylie Kayer who capitalized, taking the opening moto win of the season and setting the early tone in the championship fight.
Moto 2 was a completely different story. The front-runners all stayed upright, and that’s exactly what we needed, a real race.
Over the course of the moto, we saw four to five different leaders and battles everywhere on the track. It was far from predictable.
In the end, Jordan Jarvis secured the win with a last-lap pass, in a much closer fight than many expected heading in. Sixteen-year-old Isla Phillips impressed again with a composed ride for second, but unfortunately when we spoke with her in Calgary she was not making the trip to Manitoba sadly, hoping someone changed their mind on that. While Kaylie Kayer rounded out the podium in third.
Isla Phillips will turn 17 in July and line up to race the WMX in the US
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
The 1w and 1e both had tough starts to the 2026 season with 1w Katrine Ferguson going 11-6 on the day for 9th overall and 1e Jamie Astudillo going 2-4 on the day, neither are out of this fight as we are now in a long season, going coast to coast with 7 rounds left!
After two motos, the points are tight with two red plates and the WMX title fight is already shaping up to be a good one heading into Round 2.
Highlighted Content Around the Sport
Quinns vlogs are back! Watch here!
A good follow on social is Team Canada MXoN
Check out our content from the week:
Dexter Seitz Race Day Follow