Dylan Wright’s journey back to Triple Crown National Motocross Series podiums came up a fraction short Sunday at Gopher Dunes.
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A four-time 450 national motocross champion in his seventh professional season with the Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing team, based in Courtland, Wright was battling back from significant injuries during Round 2 of the Triple Crown Series in Lethbridge, Alberta on June 9.
Wright was placed second in the June 2 opening round in Calgary with a 1st/2ndtying KTM Red Bull THOR Racing Team’s Jess Pettis, who took the overall with a second/first.
Wright once again forged ahead at Lethbridge, winning the first moto. He was injured in the second moto and did not finish.
“While leading that race, he had a big crash there… and a list of injuries,” said Derek Schuster, Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing owner. “He actually spent two nights in the hospital.”
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Wright was racing again June 16 in Pilot Mound, Manitoba at Prairie Hill MX, although not 100 per cent healthy, finishing seventh overall.
Sunday, July 7 at Gopher Dunes, Wright improved to 4th Overall, narrowly missing the podium after third/sixth races.
“He didn’t really know how he was going to feel because after (Round 3) there’s a break in the series,” said Schuster.
Wright had a little extra time to recuperate, and after physiotherapy and treatments, returned to his team’s home track near Courtland on July 3.
“So he took almost 20 days off the bike, and he was a bit nervous because he didn’t know how his shoulder was going to feel for (Round 4),” said Schuster. “It seemed to go decent, but he had a couple crashes on Sunday and that just kind of held him back a little bit. His speed was probably better than that (fourth place)… but he was struggling with the shoulder.”
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Wright and the Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing team are looking at the short term and long term. Round 5 of the eight-round Triple Crown Series is July 14 in Ottawa. Wright had medical tests scheduled Tuesday, and torn rotator cuff surgery is anticipated in the offseason.
Racing continues, but his fifth 450 national championship is likely out of reach.
“It’s a huge gap to make up,” said Schuster. “It’s hard to make up 10 points a round, especially when you’re a little bit injured. So I think for Dylan it’s about persevering through and trying to just be a podium guy. He wants to be out there for himself, he wants to be out there for the fans, the sponsors, and all that stuff, so he’s just looking to improve every week.”
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The Honda Canada GDR Fox Racing team had two riders in the 250 class on Sunday – Tyler Medaglia and Thomas ‘Tiger’ Wood.
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Medaglia reached the podium with a third overall (5th/3rd) and Wood, a 17-year-old Australian, was 10th overall (12th/10th).
Medaglia, who came into the 2024 season expecting to challenge for a 250 national championship, is also recovering from an early-season injury. He was second in lap one of the first moto in Calgary when his bike went down – and there was a collision. Medaglia attempted Round 2, but withdrew in the first moto. He skipped Round 3 and returned to the Triple Crown Series Sunday at Gopher Dunes after an extended rest.
“He (Medaglia) is not 100 per cent either, but seeing him get on the podium was nice,” said Schuster. “It’s really great for him, just based on the fact that he’s been off the bike for a while.”
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Wood, who has lived in the USA for about six years, is a member of the Honda development program.
“American Honda asked me if I could basically support him through the summer to get him some pro level racing experience,” said Schuster. “So he’s been living in an AirBnb with his dad since early April, only 3-4 minutes from the track, and he comes here to do his training every day and works out at the gym.”
Rather than looking for a specific position or podium results, Schuster said they are focusing on Wood’s development.
“By the time he was in his early teens, he was an elite amateur in the US, and his agent felt like this would be a really great way to keep developing him.”
The national motocross season, which wraps up August 11 at Walton, has been flying since its June start, Schuster said.
“Honestly, it always feels like it’s going by fast. You put a ton of time and effort into prepping for the season – which starts back in January – training down south, building race bikes, testing those bikes, packing the rig, our media photo shoots… but once that first round hits, you’ re just in hyper speed from that point on.
“You’re travelling back and forth, the riders are trying to get their training days in between rounds, and it’s a lot, for sure.”
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