round 13
A Fresh Crop of 250 SX Riders and the Excitement of Tampa
This weekend, the spotlight shifts to the 250 SX East riders at the Tampa Supercross. The competition is looking stacked, with plenty of great racing ahead.
At Glendale, the track was the main topic of conversation. Some riders loved it, while others hated it. But for fans, it was a great track to watch. With big jumps, multiple lines, and fast sections, it was a SPECtacle. However, riders struggled with the wall jumps and flat landings—a challenge that anyone who’s been on a bike over 20 years old can sympathize with and it also lead to many unusual bike problems, including bent axels and bearings.
Canadian Riders: A Quick Recap from the First Four Rounds
Cole Round 4 Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Cole Thompson
Cole continues to hold it down for Canada, currently sitting 15th in points after four rounds. He’s become a household name not only in Canada but among Supercross fans worldwide. A great follow on social media is his wife, Chloe, who offers fans a behind-the-scenes look into Cole’s journey. Her posts, including one about how Cole buckles his boots while joking about his age and back issues, highlighting the often-overlooked role wives play in a rider’s career. Chloe’s support through the highs and lows of the sport is a testament to their team effort.
Blake Round 4 Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Blake Davies
The Davies family set out to gain experience during the first four rounds of the 250 West Championship. After missing the night show at Anaheim, 16-year-old Blake made great strides, qualifying for two night shows and getting closer to the main event. His performance in the triple crown format was a learning experience for a first-timer. While the family may not see it as a success, from an outside perSPECtive, Blake’s debut was a good step.
Julien at Round 4 Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Julien Benek
Julien missed the first two rounds due to injury but is now eager to return to Supercross. He’ll be racing at Round 5 in Arlington after competing at the Barn in Rimbey. Julien’s comeback has been strong, and it's only a matter of time before he makes his way into the main event. His goal is to race the full West Championship and then shift focus to the outdoor Canadian series with some stops at US Nationals.
Preston Round 4 Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Preston Masciangelo
Preston has shown impressive improvement over the first four rounds. With more speed and confidence each week, his starts have been spot-on, particularly in the LCQs. We caught up with him for an update on his plans:
“The plan is to stay out west for a bit, work closely with the team, and then head back to Club MX after Arlington. I’ll split time between Supercross and Club MX to fine-tune things before the second half of Supercross. After that, I’ll start planning for the outdoor motocross season.”
St. Cyr Round 4 Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Guillaume St. Cyr
Despite battling through injuries, St. Cyr has continued to show resilience. A healthy St. Cyr has the speed to compete, but injuries have been a setback. Still, his positive attitude has carried him through. He celebrated his birthday racing Supercross in Arizona—proof of his dedication to the sport. (Happy belated birthday, Guillaume!)
Ryder Round 1 SMX Next Glendale, AZ
Photo: Tree Three Media
Ryder Malinoski
Ryders father is from Humboldt Saskatchewan and was a professional snow cross racer. He made his SMX Next debut in Glendale, riding for ClubMX on a 250. The 2025 SMX Next series provides a platform for up-and-coming riders, and Ryder’s experience at Round 1 was all about learning and growing. We asked him for his thoughts:
“It was a learning experience, and I’m definitely hungry to rebound from it. I’m ready to show how good I am.”
Emelia at Glendale racing KTM Jr. SX
Another Canadian made her mark in the KTM Jr. SX program this past weekend in Glendale, finishing 11th in the main event. She absolutely crushed it and became a fan favorite, with every pass she made igniting the crowd! Emelia Kynsh from Alberta will also be in Rimbey this weekend racing!
In more WMX news, rumors are swirling that GDR Honda is searching for a female rider for the 2025 season. This would be a huge leap forward for WMX in Canada—it's about time women’s motocross gets the spotlight under these tents, especially in the year of women’s sports. (Kudos to KTM Canada Red Bull Racing in 2024 with Eve adding another #1 plate to their name)
Across women’s sports, it’s widely recognized that supporting women is no longer a charity—it’s a smart investment and a profitable opportunity.
2025 Ironhorse Arenacross: What to Expect
This weekend marks the start of the 2025 Ironhorse Arenacross, with practice starting Thursday and racing kicking off on Friday. All hotels in the area are booked solid—a sign that this event is drawing serious attention. The big talk isn’t just about the pros showing up, but also about the cold weather. Temperatures are expected to drop below -25°C, which will certainly test both the bikes and the riders. With sign in closing on Wednesday we know there is just about 400 entries, which is already a massive success!
We caught up with Charlie Johnston, our resident mechanic at SpecMoto, to get his thoughts on how cold temps could impact bike performance, especially for two-stroke riders:
“There’s not much you can do to keep bikes warm during these cold AX races. Most riders just rev the bikes to warm them up. If they were outside, you’d definitely adjust the jetting, but inside the arena, temperatures are usually fine for that. Cold tires and suspension fluids are the bigger issues to watch out for if bikes stay outside.” -Charlie
The storyline for Ironhorse is clear: defending champ Blake Davies is a target aboard the new Triumph 450. While no disrespect to last year’s field, this year's competition is much tougher, and going undefeated won’t be easy. Tyler Gibbs, fresh off his AMO AX Championship win in Chilliwack, returns with a target on his back. Quinn Amyotte, making the trek from Ontario aboard a KTM450, is set to compete with a more competitive bike than his previous setup. Tiger Wood, back in Canada on a CRF250, may face a disadvantage, but his experience riding down south the past few months could give him an edge. With the arena so small, how much does the 250-450 difference really matter? Add a hungry Julien Benek on a fresh Triumph 450, who had to watch from the stands in Chilliwack despite being a top Canadian AX rider, and the stage is set for a show. Money is on the line, and all these riders are motivated, especially with the off-season money maker.
We also chatted with some riders attending the event to see what they are expecting and some final thoughts before going in:
Tyler Gibbs: “Feeling pumped to ride some AX change it up from the sand tracks I’ve been riding. Be consistent each moto small tracks in Ax can bring out some carnage. The weather seems to be very chilly which is nice.”
Blake Davies: “Rimbey 2025 is going to be a cold and fun one! Excited for the action and ready to defend the number 1 plate!”
Julien Benek: “First race of the year for me in Canada. Excited to bang some bars in some super cold weather. Hopefully the pay makes it all worthwhile”
Tiger Wood: “Super excited to race in Rimbey for the 4 rounds! It will be awesome to get some gate drops in and have some battles! Also excited to see a few familiar faces from my trip up last year! Should be a great time”
Quinn Amyotte: “Super excited for Rimbey AX! Still working on this years plans so “agent” Newf hit me up and i figured it would be a great opportunity. Gonna be a chilly one but I haven’t ridden since Chilliwack so I couldn’t be more jacked up to get on this Riderz racing KTM and have some fun with the west coast crew!”
KTM Canada Red Bull Racing Team has officially announced their first rider for 2025—17-year-old Dylan Rempel, who will compete in the 250 class. While this was widely rumored, the confirmation is official. With experience in the 2024 SMX Next Series (formerly Futures) and two years of Canadian Nationals under his belt, Dylan is set to be a strong addition as he heads south to start training on his new Orange bike.
As for the Canadian Nationals, there’s still no official update. We’ve been informed that OEM meetings took place this week with the JetWerx team, and more details should be available soon. Apologies for the wait, but we’re checking in regularly for updates.
Thats it for now, everyone keep warm and see you in the barn tomorrow!