ISSUE 13
Canadian Pro Motocross Update
Heading into Gopher, there's always a certain vibe. Riders and teams brace themselves for the usual challenge, hot, humid conditions and one of the roughest tracks on the calendar. This year was no different, with scorching temperatures during the amateur racing. By Sunday, however, cooler weather and overcast skies made for much more comfortable conditions.
Another factor that likely played a role was AMO's three-moto format spread across two tracks. With the national track sitting untouched on Saturday, the track crew had an entire day to prepare it. Many riders felt that extra maintenance kept the track from becoming as brutal as it has been in years past.
That didnt mean it wasnt still gnarly and racing still delivered. Lots of great story lines leaving round 4.
Let's start with the biggest storyline of the weekend. The GDR 450 team dealt with well-publicized bike issues, and while the mechanical problems themselves are clearly documented and the team seems to be very open and honest about what went on, what stood out most was the atmosphere after each moto.
In 2025, it was no secret that when things went wrong, frustration within the team was easy to see. This weekend felt different.
Dylan Wright had every reason to be upset, but he handled the situation like a true professional. Rather than disappearing behind the truck, he gathered himself, made time for the media, and spent time with fans and friends. It would have been completely understandable if he had stepped away after the motos, but instead he remained accessible, a move that speaks to the character of a champion.
The same could be said for the team. In years past, the GDR truck could feel like a place to avoid after a tough race weekend (no disrespect, but there has been some tough years, and its understandable). This time, the mood was noticeably different. No one was pretending the situation wasn't serious, but the focus had clearly shifted from frustration to problem-solving. The conversations centered around finding solutions, diagnosing the issue, and moving forward rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on what had gone wrong.
It's a small detail that says a lot. Championship-caliber teams are often defined not by how they celebrate success, but by how they respond to adversity. Whether this was a conscious change in approach or simply a reflection of the culture within the 2026 GDR squad, the difference was impossible to miss.
Watching him around Gopher Dunes, it's hard not to wonder if anyone could have gone any faster.
Class Act: Dylan Wright
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Harri Kullas got his first-ever overall win on Canadian soil, making the day even more memorable as it also marked Kaven Benoit's first race as KTM's team manager. The team's debut under Benoit's leadership went remarkably smoothly, making for a successful first day on the job. Unfortunately it became a bit of a more complicated day when word got around that Harri was being docked for jumping on a medic flag. The end resulted ended in 3 championship points being deducted which still left him getting the overall on the day, but those points could become very important come Walton.
First win with new team manager Kaven Benoit, you just know Mat is watching from afar smiling
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Preston Kilroy finished second overall on the day, continuing to climb the championship standings. Despite missing the opening two rounds, he now sits ninth in the title chase. It'll be interesting to see where he ends up by season's end, as he's already making up ground despite spotting the competition two full rounds.
Big 450 guy
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Sebastien sits third in the championship after four rounds, putting together one of the most consistent seasons on the gate. His 4-3-4-3 finishes have kept him firmly in the title fight, and it's clear he's made a seamless transition to the 450 class. He looks comfortable, confident, and like he truly belongs among the front-runners.
Never forget to enjoy it!
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Moving over to the 250 class, KTM welcomed back Crayden Dillon, adding even more depth to an already competitive field. Dillon finished the day 4-37 for 13th overall after running into trouble in the second moto, but his speed was evident. As he gets more race time under his belt, expect to see him putting together more consistent results and battling for podium finishes.
The Return
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Ryder Malinoski is a sand guy. This was his first trip to Gopher, and coming in, we all knew Rempel is a dawg at Gopher, but Ryder's "dawg" factor was the unknown, and it was exciting to see. Ryder went 2-1 on the day getting the overall
Winning in the sand
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Rempel got himself 2nd on the day and is sitting 3rd in points, 1 point behind Kade Johnson and 18 points down from the lead. Its not over.
always smiling
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
American Joe Tait made the trip north from Connecticut after racing the eastern swing of the Canadian Nationals last season, where he earned the #33. Tait put together a solid day with 5-5 moto finishes, showing good speed in a stacked 250 field.
Couple of Americans enjoying post sand chats
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Tegan Kortenbach sits fifth in the championship and continues to turn heads with every round. The young rider has quickly become one of the standout performers in the class and is shaping up to be one of the most sought-after riders heading into 2026. We’ll have to ask this weekend, has the phone started ringing yet?
who picks up Tegan in 2027?
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
That’s a wrap on Gopher Dunes for now. As it is every year, this round delivered an incredible national event. Derek and Frank pour their heart and soul into this race, and it shows in every detail.
We can’t thank them enough for the time, effort, and passion they continue to put into making this event what it is. Rounds like Gopher Dunes are what push Canadian motocross forward, and our sport is stronger because of the work they continue to do.
Frank always looks like hes enjoying the weekend
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
A little side note, we did see on social that Jess Pettis went in for knee surgery this week and we wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on a bike soon.
2024 Champ.
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Amateur and Local Racing
WCAN kicked off last weekend, officially marking the start of the Canadian amateur national season. With many riders heading straight east after the event, the weekend served as an important stop on the calendar. Some were chasing Yamaha awards, while others were focused on earning the right to run the 1w plate at TransCan. About 350 entries at the event this year which does sound low, but the west is in a bit of a slump that we hope in the coming years will bounce back from.
We asked ACM President Troy Hasil how the event went:
“The event was awesome. Weather and track conditions were amazing. Like always we would love to see more riders on the gate but the ones that needed to be there were.”
A cool award that got given to Fisher Bentley from Holeshot Holigans was the “Get them to the gate award” which includes $3500 to help with TransCan costs, entry fee and camping paid for. Really cool concept and cool Trophy that went with it.
Holeshot Hooligans Award Trophy
Felix Marson earned the Yamaha ride, locking in a brand-new bike for the 2027 season.
From Cambell River, BC Felix takes home the new Yamaha for 2027
Photo from Felix
In recent years Yamaha comes up with a unique program that effectively replaces traditional rider contingency payouts. With the MXoN taking place in France this year, sending nine riders overseas isn't the most practical option like they did last year to MXoN when it was in the US. Instead, Yamaha is offering three riders from both WCAN and ECAN the opportunity to earn a trip to TransCan, where they'll battle for a spot (3 spots 65, 85, 125) on Team Canada to race the SuperFinale in France during MXoN.
From a marketing persSPECtive, the program continues to be a huge success. Once again at WCAN, we saw a large number of brand-new Yamahas on the gate, ridden by competitors who race other brands in their other classes.
At the end of the day, every manufacturer is trying to sell motorcycles, and these once-in-a-lifetime trip opportunities have proven to be a powerful incentive for riders and families to choose Yamaha.
From Yamaha:
Qualified riders will receive a BLU CRU travel credit, complimentary class entry (maximum of two (2) classes), and camping, courtesy of Yamaha Motor Canada, to compete in the YZ showdown at Walton Raceway.
Three (3) WCAN riders will each receive $2,000, and three (3) ECAN riders will each receive $1,000 to help cover travel and accommodation expenses.
Bentley Prenioslo from Warburg, AB earned the 65cc spot to the TransCan.
Bentley takes home the 65 Walton spot
Luca Vitale from Brackendale, BC got the 85 spot
Luca is from Brackendale, BC
Photo from Luca
Jacob Dehaan from Calgary, AB got the 125 spot.
Jacob is from Calgary
Photo from Jacob
WMX
WMX is delivering. Every weekend, another rider seems to have a breakout performance, adding even more excitement to an already unpredictable championship.
For the riders, the lack of consistency has made the battle tougher, but for the fans, it has created an incredible show. While Jordan Jarvis currently holds the championship lead, it hasn’t come easy. Jamie Astudillo is right there knocking on the door, and Jordan has made things more interesting by putting herself in challenging situations throughout the season.
At the end of the day, that unpredictability is exactly what makes racing exciting, and we have to thank these riders for putting on the show.
WMX Fans are here!
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Jordan has screamed from the rooftops that she is a sand rider, and she showed exactly what she was talking about in Moto Two. Going down in the first corner after a front wheel tuck, and luckily only taking one other rider with her (Tea Ferguson), Jordan had a long road ahead. Starting from the back of the pack, she charged her way forward, putting in lap times that would have placed her inside the top 15 in the 250 class. We wish Southwick was part of the USA WMX Series because it would be fascinating to see what Jordan could do in the sand against that USA field.
Sand master
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Jamie has made it clear she is the opposite of Jordan when it comes to sand, and it’s not a surface she enjoys. Her day started off on the wrong foot with bike issues in qualifying, forcing her into Moto One without a solid practice session under her belt. But considering this was likely her “bad day,” salvaging a third overall is a strong result and a testament to her championship mindset. Riverglade this weekend is Jamies style and we’ve seen what Jamie can deliver after a weekend she isn’t happy with, so eyes are on Jamie this weekend.
Looking clean
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
Brandy McLarty was on fire all day at Gopher, just as many expected. With likely more laps around the track than any other WMX rider, Brandy came in with confidence, and it showed. She led laps, battled at the front, and secured second overall for the second consecutive year.
Kiana Kurtz earned her first career podium, and it might be one of our favorite stories of the season. If you’ve noticed us mentioning it every week, there’s a reason, we love seeing this progression and the hard work finally paying off for a rider that was not picked up, she is straight up showing that she is in the conversation of a ride in 2027.
First podium locked in
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
A final rider we have to mention is USA rider Tinley Mccoy making the trip to Canada riding a YZ125 she was at a huge disadvantage but that didn’t slow her down. going 5-4 on the day 1 point off the podium. Tinley made it very clear she is really looking to earn herself a ride for 2027 and race the full Canadian series which would be a huge asset to the series.
We will see Tinley again at Walton
Photo: James Lissimore | @lissimorephoto
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