round 25
Local racing was in full swing across the country this past weekend, with pros and amateurs getting deep into the race season. Here's a quick west-to-east recap of what we know:
Future West rolled into Quesnel for Round 2, where track conditions were reportedly tough. Hot, windy weather contributed to the dryness, though some felt pre-race prep didn’t account for the forecast. Some riders even jumped in to help with maintenance. Water was a key issue, as it had to be trucked in, not ideal, but manageable if they can stay on top of it.
As for racing,
The big story of the weekend: Ryan Lockhart’s summer got derailed by Honda power. He dislocated his shoulder and remained out for 7 hours, with two doctor-assisted naps, before it was finally put back in place. He’s also sporting a massive bruise on his leg, no doubt milking it at home. Thoughts go out to Randi… she’s the real MVP in all this.
The Ladies class saw a strong turnout with 18 riders, including top WMX racers. Annalyse Lopushinsky from Williams Lake, BC, dominated with a 1-1 finish in Quesnel. She’s confirmed she won’t race nationals in 2025, but if she did, she'd be a clear title threat in the West. Coming in second was Peyton Belisle from Smithers, BC. She put in work down south this winter prepping for nationals, and she’s definitely one to watch a great family that loves racing that is a huge asset to the sport. Emma Porter is currently leading the points while her brother Noah sits 2nd in the Pro-am Points.
Getting into the Pros there were only 10 but a few fast guys that I am sure we will see line up at Wildrose round 1. The Pro-Am class runs 3 motos and Tyler Gibbs grabbed the overall with a 3-1-1, followed by Noah Porter with a 1-2-2. Liam Dodds finished up in 3rd with a 4-3-3
Cruz Gordon from Fort St. John and Lincoln Green from Lake Country had some battles in 85 (12-16). The young guns put on a show, with Cruz taking a solid 1-1 and Lincoln finishing 3-2. Cruz came out on top, while Lincoln now trails by 14 points in the championship. The rivalry is heating up.
Wildrose first corner dust
Photo: Tree Three Media
Heading to Alberta's Wildrose Super Series Rounds 3 and 4, an event we attended firsthand. It's tough to say, but the track is in serious trouble. Beyond the city’s threat to reclaim the land, there's growing frustration from riders and families.
The weekend mirrored rounds 1 and 2 almost perfectly, it was almost like they had a full “please play again” on the roll up the rim. Saturday was hot and sunny, while Sunday turned cold, with snowflakes even making an appearance.
After the previous week’s track conditions were discussed, suggestions were made to improve track safety. Unfortunately, none of these recommendations were implemented, and the staff simply repeated the same approach as in the first week. Which led to the same result on Saturday, a dusty, dangerous track.
After speaking with key decision-makers, it’s hard to feel optimistic about the park’s future, there’s a clear lack of accountability from those in charge, and no real signs that anything will change.
On this week’s CMXU podcast, they addressed the common old-school mindset: "It's dirt bikes, it's not supposed to be easy," in reference to the dusty conditions at the BC races last weekend. They followed that up with mentioning that attitude may have made sense in the 1970s on low-powered bikes, times have changed, we’re now racing a very different, much faster machine.
The track conditions over the past two weekends raised serious concerns about safety and preparation at Wildrose. With access to all the necessary equipment, ample water supply, and a full staff on hand, there’s little justification for the lack of effort put into delivering a safe and consistent racing surface. Rather than addressing the issues, there has been more finger-pointing than action. This leads to a fair question: Is Wildrose truly ready to host a Canadian National or the WCAN if warm weather returns?
Fortunately for Wildrose, the past two years’ round one of the Canadian Nationals has been overcast and wet, ensuring great track conditions. We’re unsure, but we hope for a safe, raceable track. This could be one of the last few times the fastest riders visit Wildrose, as the land seems to be set to be converted into a bus barn.
Rounds 5 and 6 wrap up the series this weekend, with provincial races starting the following week in Lethbridge.
Let’s talk racing. Saturday was underwhelming, with poor track conditions forcing riders to play it safe, struggling to even see their front fender. However, Sunday delivered a fun new hybrid track, combining the Hill and East tracks. While it became a bit one-lined, riders loved the layout, with pit-side chatter suggesting more track combinations in the future.
Dexter Seitz currently leads all three junior classes, and he’s doing it with style. He’s also picked up a camera this season, dropping some bangers along the way.
Dexter Seitz Wildrose Round 3
Photo: Tree Three Media
The Pro-Am class saw Keylan Meston return, and he didn’t disappoint, he dominated, winning all four pro motos over the weekend and proving he’s still got it. Keylan also joined the Wildrose Members Board for 2025.
Keylan Meston Wildrose Round 3
Photo: Tree Three Media
Clayton Schmucki holds a 9-point lead in the ProAm championship, and Saturday’s first moto put that to the test. After getting a flat tire and pulling off, he somehow made it back to the pits, changed the tire, and rejoined the race before the checkered flag.
Clayton Schmucki Round 2 Wildrose
Photo: Tree Three Media
Top 85 riders in Alberta right now.
Photos: Tree Three Media
The 85 class is wild this year. Lets go through the top 5.
#518 Parker Hatt – Spent the winter months in California and has already qualified out of his Area for Loretta’s.
#23 Jacob Dehaan – Stayed home all winter, but he’s absolutely flying and packed with style.
#171 Rylan Sawyer – After a tough, injury-filled season last year, he stayed home this winter, grew, and is now riding stronger than ever.
#826 Tavis Alexander – Put in the work in Texas this winter and is showing noticeable improvement over last season.
#125 Cash Riley – Trained for two months in Texas and has also punched his ticket to Loretta’s through his area.
I’ve got to add Trey Schmucki to the list, he’s only racing Supermini, but he’s absolutely flying after spending the winter training in Texas with his brother Clayton.
This current group of kids is moving. Every few years, we get a standout 85 class, and this feels like one of those times. There’s nothing like hearing those little two-strokes screaming around the track, and Western Canada might just have the fastest 85cc riders in the country right now. (nod to the Eastern kids too but this is what we are seeing here first hand for now, well be there soon ;))
This list is also missing Hayden Dupuis, who spent the weekend flagging while recovering from a broken femur suffered at a GNCC just weeks ago. And don’t forget BC’s Braxton Zeitner, currently sidelined with an injury, but nearly got a shoutout on the PulpMX Show this week. It sounded like Newf was hyping him up, though I’m not sure Steve remembered the name.
The Ladies class championship is heating up. Cali Austad leads by 6 points, followed by Destiny and Danika. While Cali has yet to beat either rider head-to-head, her consistency is keeping her out front. With Danika and Destiny expected back for the final two rounds, the battle is far from over, and with Josi Ball (Cali’s mom) possibly mixing it up, the points race could get even more interesting.
AMO Auburn Hills Round 2
We caught up with AMO’s Ryan Gauld, who said entries were on par with Gopher, around 730. The track reportedly delivered as well, continuing Ontario’s strong trend. Even Auburn Hills, which has struggled in recent years, stepped it up this season.
Jason Kukelka, Johnathan Bergeron, Tanner Ward dominated their classes.
Gauld spoke highly of his team, and it’s no surprise. It’s safe to say he runs the best series in the country. As a racer himself, he’s tackled long-standing issues in Canadian amateur racing and continues to evolve with innovative solutions that elevate the race-day experience.
He also mentioned three kids in supermini were disqualified due to bike violations and wants it to be known AMO enfouces rules and does not stand for cheating, which again is great to hear for the sport as it may be lacking in other areas of the country.
The ladies class was even mentioned, not sure if this is because he knows its what I want to hear or if he genuenly took notice to the numbers but it does sound like the ladies are showing up in Ontario. Ladies A: 16 - Ladies B: 13 - Girls 9-16: 20.
Atlantic Region got underway in Clyde River, NS this weekend and Brooke Johnson gave us a full race run down:
Also happening in Nova Scotia was the Switcharoo, hosted by Tyler Medaglia. By all accounts, it was a blast, no surprise, given the Medaglia/Cooke family lives and breathes fun, grassroots moto. Definitely one to add to the bucket list.
Julien Benek lined up in Denver Supercross on the all-new Triumph 450, getting a lot of attention from media as the first rider to drop the gate on the bike in Supercross. Unfortunately, he missed the main, but still made a big impression.
MXoN Team Canada has been buzzing on social media the past few weeks, building serious hype for this year’s event down south on USA soil. Team manager Kourtney Lloyd is doing an incredible job, it's clear how much work she’s putting in. Menus have been released, a contest is live to win a trip to the race, and for the first time, province-specific merch drops are on the way. Follow the MXoN social pages to stay up to date and find out how you can support the effort and be part of the program!
Quinn Amyotte is back with his always-entertaining vlogs and continues to set the standard for rider marketing in Canada. He’s become one of the most marketable athletes in the sport, exactly the kind of rider brands should be lining up to support.
Something exciting gaining traction is the Vurbmoto Prospect app. For those familiar with hockey, it’s similar to Elite Prospects, a platform where players’ stats live on, letting people see who was and is legit.
Vurbmoto is bringing that same concept to motocross, and it’s a game-changer. It gives riders a place to showcase results and history, and it could be revolutionary for how talent is tracked and discovered in the sport. The possibilities are endless, but for now, we’ll let your imagination run with how this could impact the sport.
Check it out, you might already be on there. I’ve seen plenty of Canadian names, Download the app and claim yourself on there!
Mason Murdy is currently the top ranked Canadian.
Super Series wraps up this weekend in Wildrose, Atlantic heads to Mill Hill, NS for round two, PMA kicks off in Taylor, BC, and MBMX heads to Grunthal for their kick off. Race season is fully underway and our lives are about to get busy, also Saturday night 2025 Supercross wraps up in SLC.
Enjoy your weekend all!