At the first MX Sports Pro Racing Scouting Moto Combine event of 2023 at RedBud MX, Casey Cochran, Ryder McNabb, and Preston Boespflug rounded out the overall podium. McNabb, the 250cc defending champion in Canadian Pro Motocross, is in a one-year deal with KTM Canada and came to race the combine event, as his dream is to race AMA Supercross and Motocross in the U.S. He charged both motos en route to second and third, respectively, for second overall.
Last year at this event, Mark Fineis proved he is not afraid to send it, as he jumped LaRocco’s Leap on the opening lap of the motos. Fast and going to give it 100 percent each time he touches the track, Fineis returned for this year’s event and was charging forward both motos as well. In the first moto, he was not yet in gear when the gates dropped—and he was not the only one, as the gate dropped a little quick. Fineis’ 9-5 finishes gave him sixth overall.
Julien Beaumer was in second place early in the first moto, but after coming up short on LaRocco’s Leap, KTM pulled him off due to broken spokes in his rear wheel. He officially scored 21st. In the second moto, Beaumer returned to the front of the pack once again, eventually coming through the checkered flag in second place. Beaumer’s 21-2 landed him 10th overall. The Arizona native has competed in the combine events since their inception in 2021 and has gained a lot from his experiences.
Afterwards, I caught up to all three riders in the pits to get their reaction from the day. Despite each rider facing adversity throughout the day, they all had positive takeaways from getting to experience what a day in the Pro Motocross scene is like.
Ryder McNabb | 2-3 for 2nd overall
Racer X: Ryder McNabb, talk us through your day here at the moto combine.
Ryder McNabb: It was pretty good. Started off—it was pretty foggy this morning. Didn't really see much in first qualifying, qualified like 11th or something and then went out, and second qualifying got like, second or something. And then once it was combined, I was like eighth or something. And then moto one didn't get a great start. The board went sideways, and they dropped the gate. So that was a little hectic and yeah, it was that I put my head down and went to work, ended up second. And then moto two, another bad start—Casey got tangled in the rut or something to come over on me at my front wheel and stuff. And then yeah, it was, I mean, it was good. I put my head down and went to work, ended up third, right on Julien at the end there. But yeah, it was a fun day. The track was awesome. Just super pumped that I could come do this.
Talk about the combine experiences—because obviously you're pro in Canada—talk about the experience here with the combine today.
Yeah, I mean, definitely the combine classroom or whatever you call it. I mean, it was a really good experience getting to listen all those guys and talk to everybody. AC [Adam Cianciarulo] was under there today and stuff. It's just a really cool experience to come to just get my foot in the door down here a little bit more too.
You mentioned wanting to race pro here. I’m a little bit—I don't want to say it in a mean way—I’m a little ignorant to Canadian racing. Fill us in on what you're up to now in Canada and how everything is going so far this season.
I’m going into my defending year there—going for my second championship in Canada this year. The first three rounds were good. I'm [in] the points lead right now going into round four this next weekend at Gopher Dunes. But yeah, I definitely want to come down here at some point and it would be awesome to race with these guys and have some fun.
Are you going to do the Ironman moto combine, or what are the chances we see you in the pros a little bit down here? Is that the goal?
I'm not sure yet. I definitely want to do Budds Creek and Ironman, I’m not sure if it will be the combine or the actual Saturday race, but we’ll see.
You’re new to the KTM Canada team this year, right? So, do you have a one-year contract with them? Can you talk about that a little bit?
Yeah, I’m new to the KTM team in December this year. Or last year, I guess. But yeah, I’ve got a one-year [deal] with the option of two. If I want to do Canada again next year. But I want to race down here, if I can get something down here, I’d definitely like to do it and I’d like to get a shot down here. I think I can do good.
Supercross-wise, do you have supercross training or experience?
I’ve done a little bit, I’ve done probably like a month, a month and a bit. But I mean, I really like it. I never really had like, proper suspension to do it, but I do really like it. I think I would have fun on it. So, I definitely want to get doing it. I think I was going to go train with Daniel Blair [team manager for the KTM Orange Brigade amateur program] a little bit at the end of the year in September or something, ride a bit of supercross, so it will be fun.
Where do you live now? And where do you train?
My house is in Manitoba, and I was training at GPF [Georgia Practice Facility] during the winter and then I got hurt—I broke the bottom of my tib/fib and then pretty much just rehabbing and getting ready for the season. Got back a couple weeks before this season and then, yeah, just trying to build right now and you know, keep getting better, keep getting stronger for 30-minute motos in the heat and stuff. So, yeah.
And you’re still fairly young, right? How old are you?
I’m 17.
When’s your birthday?
September.
Anything else you’d like to add about the day?
No, it was awesome. I loved it.
Mark Fineis | 9-5 for 6th overall
Racer X: Mark, walk us through your day here at the RedBud moto combine.
Mark Fineis: Well, I was here last year, and it’s a pretty cool experience to be able to simulate what the pros do. But it’s also, you have to ride the same track with the amateurs, and it gets amateur rough. The bumps are a bit weird, so it’s not as realistic as I would like it to be. But yeah, first moto, he turned the card sideways, and the gate immediately dropped, and I wasn’t even in gear yet, [Laughs] so I was last on that start. I had to make my way through the pack, and I wasn’t feeling it. I fell on the first lap, so that wasn’t helping my case. And I got up to ninth in that one. And then second moto I got another bad start. Me and [Ryder] McNabb were dang near holding hands together through the second corner, last. And he passed me, and then he got around the guy in front of me and I got stuck behind him and he took off. I tried to latch on to him, and I got fifth. And I tried to get Boespflug, Preston, in the last lap because he faded pretty hard. And we were like side by side, going up the finish line.
But it was—I wouldn’t say good. I was definitely coming here to win because I know I have the speed, like all I needed was a start because we’re all—the top five is like the, the same speed. So, you can’t just get a bad start and hope to be three seconds faster and catch everybody. That’s not how that works here. So, definitely have some improvement to do. I’m going to be doing some no back-brake motos because I have no rolls speed, the corners hopping bumps and that’s what I want to be doing this next month coming to Loretta’s.
I was going to ask, what are your expectations for Loretta’s?
Oh, my expectations. Well, it’s definitely to win. I know I can. It’s like, if I get a good start, then it’s going to be on. But if I don’t, it’s going to definitely be a challenge. It’s only 20 minutes—that’s going to be like a sprint because I’ve been doing 40-minute motos on this sand track, and you don’t sit down on that thing at ClubMX. So, the expectation is definitely to win and just put myself in a position to get a factory ride. I have a factory ride, but I want the factory pro ride so I can go actually do the real thing instead of this.
Not looking too far ahead, what are your plans for after Loretta’s?
After Loretta’s? After Loretta’s I’ll probably do the last two nationals. What are they, Ironman and Budds Creek? Yeah, I’ll probably do those two. Maybe, maybe not. I’ll do maybe a few rounds of [Supercross] Futures as well. Maybe do East Coast, kind of like the [Haiden] Deegan thing. But plans change, you never know.
As far as Supercross Futures, did you come in a round or two late this year?
I came in, I think I missed two rounds, and the first round I did, I swapped off the dragon's back and fractured the palm of my hand. Missed that and came back to the next one. I think I got fourth, another fourth, and then I got second in the last one, which was pretty cool. A good experience because it's a lot different than training. Got the Tuff… I hate Tuff Blox. All my crashes were from Tuff Blox: clipping Tuff Blox, landing on Tuff Blox. But I keep getting better and better at it.
Julien Beaumer | 21-2 for 10th overall
Racer X: JuJu, walk us through your day here at the moto combine.
Julien Beaumer: Got off to a good morning here, qualified P1, and then first moto I got off to a good start, I was running second and I just came up short in the Leap, lap two. I blew the wheel out. I rode with it for the first 20 minutes, but it just got too dangerous; the wheel pretty much about to explode. So, we pulled off and then came back and regrouped. I got up to a decent start in moto two. I think I started about eighth to tenth. I was 21st gate pick so nothing I could really do there, and just worked my way up to second and tried to stay in a good pace and move forward.
So, you've done a couple of these moto combines, right? You did them last year and the first year in 2021 as well?
Yeah, I think I've done every single one.
So just talk about that experience. Like training, getting the training tips, the techniques and stuff and then also riding on the pro track—talk about that and how riders from any level benefit from it.
Yeah, I think for sure this combine thing is awesome. You got all the coaches, you got all the nutritionists, everyone and you, you just come ride RedBud, one of the best tracks on the circuit, and it's definitely a good step to getting your motos in and see[ing] where you're at in that race pace. And, on the pro track, maybe compare yourself to what the times will be tomorrow and see when you're going to be ready to go pro.
And then looking ahead a little bit, Loretta’s is coming up. Is that the next thing on your schedule?
Yeah, next up will be Loretta’s and then maybe race last three nationals. But we'll see how Loretta's goes.
What are your goals for the Loretta’s this year? Last go and everything, just kind of go out with a bang? Talk us through the expectations there.
Yeah, my expectations for Loretta are definitely go and win. I want to win both 250 A [Pro Sport] and Open Pro Sport. So, I just got to start the week off good, get on a good roll in the beginning of the week and be consistent throughout all six motos.
