round 24
The Wildrose Super Series kicked off last weekend with back-to-back rounds Saturday and Sunday. Saturday delivered great weather, but it also contributed to what were, frankly, terrible track conditions. The excessive dust created a dangerous track, severely impacting visibility. As a result, racing quality declined, with riders spreading out simply because they couldn't see the lines ahead of them. That said, credit goes to all the riders in the second motos who rode smart given the conditions. It’s easy to take risks in the heat of racing, but it seemed like everyone exercised caution, thankfully, that meant no serious injuries on the day.
Sunday’s weather brought snow and rain, which gave the track crew a much-needed assist in managing conditions, an improvement, but not a long-term solution. With another race weekend ahead and even warmer weather expected Saturday, all eyes are on the Wildrose track crew to see if they can deliver a raceable surface for Rounds 3 and 4.
Here is our race recap presented by: Fox Racing Canada
A couple notable things we didnt mention in the IG Recap were:
Liam Dodds lined up for the first motos on Saturday while passing through Calgary to pick up parts. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay for the full weekend, but it was great to see him out there. He rode strong, and we’re excited to see what he can do this summer as he balances high school graduation with a full run at the national schedule!
We briefly mentioned a few riders heading to the SOR Spring Enduro in Brooks, AB this past Saturday, followed by Super Series racing on Sunday. SOR runs a smart format, big bikes on Saturday, small bikes on Sunday, so most riders only need to attend one day. It’d be great to see something similar adopted into the Super Series schedule. With some coordination between the two series, riders could hit both events, and the Super Series crew could benefit from shorter days and built-in breaks for track prep.
At Wildrose, the top parking area features concrete pads reserved for members who purchase them for the season, except during National weekend. This past weekend, many of those spots sat empty, likely because their owners are still down south finishing up training.
With just under 400 entries each day, turnout at Wildrose was about average, surprisingly so, given the recent "Save the Park" efforts and growing concerns about the track’s future. I expected a bigger push from the community, knowing time at the track may be limited. So why wasn’t the turnout stronger? Were people anticipating poor track conditions? Are riders stepping back from racing? Sticking to practice-only contracts?
It’s hard to say, especially when you compare to Ontario pulling 700–800 entries and BC not far behind. For a track located right in the heart of a major city, you'd think numbers would be higher. That said, I’m not suggesting the facility could have handled much more, the place was already at capacity track wise but it’s a question I couldn’t shake on the drive home Sunday.
An interesting social media highlight this week showed Jess Pettis and Dylan Wright riding at the same track in Quebec, a notable sight, considering the two have long been known as not friendly competitors with little interaction off the track.
Since mid-2024, including their time at MXoN as teammates, their relationship seems to have shifted toward friendship. It might seem odd to focus on the dynamic between two grown men, but given they’re two of the top Canadian racers right now, and we’ve yet to see them both complete a full, healthy season head-to-head, it’s a storyline worth watching and will be interesting to see when the gate drops will this friendship have any bumps in the road?
Jess Pettis and Dylan Wright at Pilot Mound 2024
Photo: Tree Three Media
Local racing heats up nationwide this weekend! AMO returns to Auburn Hills, Ontario for round 2 of the series, while Future West heads to Quesnel, BC. Alberta's Super Series rolls into Wildrose, and out east, Atlantic racing, originally scheduled for last weekend in Clyde River, kicks off after a weather delay. I am sure theres tons of racing in the middle but we will keep it to that for now.
Also Supercross 250 West returns to Denver. Julien Benek and Blake Davies will be back on the line, but with a notable change, Julien will be riding the Triumph 450. This move could mark a major milestone, as he has a strong shot at making the main event and becoming the only Canadian to qualify for a 450 main in 2025.
With Canadian Nationals just a couple weeks away, teams are locking in photo shoots and dialing in race bikes. This week, Priority MX brought their full squad together for a ride day to “shake things out,” as team manager Justin Roney put it in their Instagram reel.
That’s a wrap for this week! Have an awesome weekend at the races or out at the track, and enjoy Supercross Saturday!