WELCOME TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS #TGO: Sure the title says round one but we all know it as round 18 for the year. With no time to enjoy the successes of the Supercross season and no time to fix any issues, the transporter was re-loaded and sent to California with a short five-day turnaround. People ask why we did not leave the truck on the west coast and the answer is simple – we are going from two riders to five and everything is different. Truck drivers are truly the unsung heroes of our sport and an integral part of the success of any team, especially one like ours. There are many moving parts to make this sport work and every team was stretched to the limits on the quick turn-around from Supercross to Motocross but we made it work. Words: Mike Bonacci of ClubMX
2024 Manufacturer’s Cup: In every form of motorsports, the manufacturer’s cup is a big deal and moto is no exception. As we transition from supercross to motocross, it is important to us to say thank you to Yamaha. Not only are they a big supporter of our program, but they also make a bike that has the consistency to finish up front every week. We are happy that our team is part of the reason they won the cup this Supercross season. With a few podiums and a slew of top five and top ten finishes, the points add up quickly. Congratulations to the entire Yamaha company for winning this award.
It is enjoyable to look back at the predictions the great analysts of our sport put forth at the beginning of the season. An additional podcast would be worth creating to see who said what and how that worked out for the year. There was little chatter about Garrett Marchbanks in the Western Regional division, even though he hovered around the third to fifth place range until a broken thumb derailed his run. He ultimately ended up sixth overall, missing two of the last rounds. There was absolutely no chatter about Coty Schock but somehow, someway his last race performance solidified him into third place overall in the Eastern Regional division by one point. Every point matters – and his decision earlier in the season to race in Indianapolis five days after shoulder surgery made the difference. Pretty impressive if you ask anyone who is a fan of the sport. Now as we roll into Motocross, I expect much of the same. All of the “factory riders” are talked about for the overall podium but we will still be there. On the side 450 Garrett will get more podiums, Phil will make the most of his last professional season and there will be plenty to talk about. On the 250s – can you really leave Coty Schock out of the conversation? Any savvy journalist will see the right path and look smart by including him – starting today. But wait, there’s more! Jett Reynolds is in the best shape of his life. He has been training outdoors much longer than anyone else. Sure, his Supercross season did not go as planned but he is not a quitter. His pedigree on a dirt bike established a very impressive resume. In other words, the kid knows how to ride a dirt bike and is a fantastic starter. He has the back half of his one-year contract to prove what he can do, and you will see it from the drop of the gate in Pala. Rookie Mark Fineis will round out our team in the 250 class. If ever there was a racer that has that “old school” dedication and work ethic – here is your guy. There is no limit to what this kid can do. He laughs at thirty minute training motos and wants to keep going.
We held our pre-season team meeting last Friday and discussed our plans for the season. We put only one expectation on each of the riders – give it one hundred percent and get through the day. Since Garrett and Phil move to the 450, they must start stacking points for SMX. Coty’s points will continue to compile but he has to get used to riding a 250 outdoors. Jett and Mark are starting from scratch and simply need to get some races under their belt. Our intention is to build on their results every week, but you will see some definite highlights along the way.
PHIL NICOLETTI #36: Phil had the honour and privilege to be in the press conference and opening ceremonies at the final round of Supercross in Salt Lake City. He smiled. Thank you to everyone at Feld and the AMA for making this happen – much to the cheers and support of the fans. Phil then put on one of the best performances of his Supercross career. Finishing tenth in an E/W Showdown is pretty damn impressive for the thirty-five year-old veteran. Considering the emotions on the day, he made the decision to put his helmet on, block out the noise and give it his best attempt at success. To think that he is way better outdoors should signal to the rest of his competitors that he will end his career on a high note. With a few of the perennial top contenders on the sidelines to start the season, Phil is smart enough to know the opportunities are limited but available. Plan ahead to spend some time at every round with him because the time goes fast, September will turn to October and we will be looking for the next legend of the sport.
GARRETT MARCHBANKS #26: Garrett had his cast removed at noon on Friday and was riding by one o’clock. Sure, it hurts a bit, but the discomfort will not stop him from his return to the sport he loves. His Supercross season was a series of highlights with two consecutive podiums and a string of top five finishes to start the season. An unfortunate collision with a rider that cross-jumped in front of him led to a broken thumb with two rounds to go and his pursuit of third place for the season vanished. He took it all in stride and is anxious to get the outdoor season started and making a run to the SMX finale. Garrett is a natural on the 450 and the bike is actually better than last season. If you recall, Garrett started the outdoor season last year on the 250 for the first two rounds. And made it all the way up to sixth place overall. Imagine what he can do by starting the season on the 450! It is going to be fun to watch as some of his competitors feelings will get hurt along the way.
JETT REYNOLDS #99: Jett has the calmest demeanour of anyone on the team. To say he is laid back would be an understatement. Until he was asked how he plans to do this season when he replied with a flurry of expletives that shocked even Phil. Long story short, there is no lack of confidence from this kid. He knows his strengths, he knows his weaknesses and plans to exploit both to his advantage. When told to be smart and take it easy in Pala, he just laughs. “That’s my home track and I don’t have time to be a spectator.” He has been doing very well on the training tracks over the last few months. He was able to get the bike dialled to his liking and has followed the program to be in the best shape of his life. It was cool watching holeshot practice last week. All the amateur kids lined up on the hill to watch Jett take it to everyone – 450s, 250s, two strokes, four stokes, he doesn’t care. At some point, everything is going to go his way and people will line up to say they knew him when.
COTY SCHOCK #69: Like Tom Brady stepping in for Drew Bledsoe, Coty Schock stepped into a ride and took full advantage of everything the team had to offer and never looked back. Everyone rallied around him and his story and parlayed that into a third-place overall finish in the Eastern Regional division. Didn’t see that coming. It was not a fluke as some might think. Coty puts in the work, he gives good feedback, he is gracious and appreciates everything that he is working so hard for. He had great success on a 450 outdoors but will be racing the 250 this season. Fortunately, the team Yamaha is more than stout as shown by the many hole-shots this season. Now it is just a matter of getting the suspension dialled in, and that is what he has been working on for the last few weeks. Like the others on the team, there is no lack of effort on his part. There are long days and weeks dedicated to perfecting his craft and you will see that pay off with laps led and points scored throughout the season.
MARK FINEIS #705: Please note Mark’s new race number 705. He has officially transitioned from the amateur ranks to the professional ranks. He went through the Futures program this season and has a contract for the full outdoor season this summer. If you have heard stories of “flying at the test track” then this is your guy. With Garrett on the sidelines until yesterday, Mark dominates the rest of the field on the outdoor tracks. Every day brings a new story of “Mark did this.., Mark did that…”. Frankly, it is exciting to watch the progress of someone that is like the old school racer. That is all he wants to do, and he is getting really good at it. Like any rookie, it takes some time to learn how to give good feedback and put in the testing hours, but Mark does it with a smile. Again, we put no expectations on the team but internally he certainly wants to prove to the team they made the right decision.
We continue to grow our YouTube channel with some of the best content in the sport. Please take a moment to watch, like and share it so the rest of the world can enjoy it as well. As always – please subscribe to our channel. This recent one from Salt Lake City has some moments in it. Watch and see what I mean.
Thank you to everyone that supports our team with all forms of media. It has been a true pleasure to grow and succeed in the sport.
Image: ClubMX
