CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki Takes Loretta Lynn’s by Storm!

Nothing could stop the CANIDAE Motosport.com Kawasaki team at the Ranch. Not Mother Nature. Not the tough competition. Not the rough track. Nothing! Team CANIDAE steam rolled over the competition with seven moto wins, six runner ups and a total of 16 podium spots not to mention two National Titles from this team; not a bad weekend for the boys in Green.

Zack Freeberg had a good weekend, but some transmission troubles in his 450 moto kept him from a podium spot in this class. Zack would bounce back and podium two out of three times with a 4/3/3 for a 3rd overall in the 250B class. This kid is going to be a name to watch in the near future, you can count on that.

Justin Bogle also had a good weekend as he competed in the Schoolboy B/C (12-16) class on his 125cc Kawasaki and the Schoolboy B/C (14-16) class on his 250F Kawasaki. Justin struggled with starts on the 125 and just missed the podium in this class, but made up for it with triple deuces on the 250. With his 2/2/2 finish, he took home the silver medal and sent notice to the other riders just who is the one to beat next year.

Malcolm Stewart showed tremendous heart and perseverance during a week when the Florida rider could not buy a start. Malcolm clawed his way to the top in almost every moto he raced. In the Four Stroke class, he finished second overall for the week with a 1/6/1 performance. In 450A, Malcolm was consistent with three, second place finishes for another silver medal. Watch this kid next year as he continues to dial in his program.

Dean Wilson came to Loretta Lynn’s as the man to beat and he did not disappoint. If it were not for his first moto in the 250A class, Dean would have swept every moto he competed in the entire week. He finished 3/1/1 in the class for his first National Title of the weekend, then walked away with the 450A/ProSport Championship with a 1/1/1 tally. Dean proved that his amazing year is no fluke and he is ready for the stardom that is coming his way.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods could not be more proud of their team, the riders, the mechanics and the families that make this program the elite powerhouse that it is. The entire ream works tirelessly to improve and represent themselves and their sponsors at the highest level. We at CANIDAE salute you fine young men for a job well done.

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki Celebrates the USA at Redbud in Buchanan!

As the rest of the country celebrated America's Independence, Team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki declared war on the rest of the field at the ever so popular, Redbud MX. Tommy Hahn had his hands full trying to repeat last week’s performance of 3rd overall at Thunder Valley. This would be especially tough for the up and coming rider as he arrived at the track sick and extremely weak. It would take everything he had to compete at his usual level. CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki, 250 rider Kyle Cunningham was also ready to take on this famous race track and would like nothing more than to spend his birthday on Sunday by celebrating a win at Redbud. Kyle looked great in practice and was excited for the gate to fall.



First race up was the 450’s featuring CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn. Hahn jumped out of the gate with a great start and the lead pack quickly separated itself from the rest of the field. Hahn would finish lap 1 in 5th place with factory riders surrounding him. It was an all out dogfight as Hahn battled back and forth, as he would swap positions repeatedly with the other riders. It was an epic battle as the crowd responded as only Redbud fans can do. By lap 13, Hahn was in sixth and had built a sizeable cushion between himself and the #539, factory Kawasaki of Ricky Dietrich. Hahn was closing on the riders in front of him when he went down extremely hard on the fast track and just like that, his day was done. Hahn would be taken to the local hospital to be checked out for a sprained neck and a concussion. You can be sure that Tommy will be back with a vengeance in 2 weeks in Millville.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge into the first corner inside the top ten and with some quick, aggressive moves, he would jump up to the 4th spot as the riders soared off the ski jump. Cunningham would battle the best in the class lap after lap as he fought to keep his position as all eyes watched the heated fight. This war would not let up for the entire 30 minutes + 2 laps and Kyle would leave everything out on the track as he raced to 7th place finish. Kyle was pumped and quickly headed back to the pits to rest up and get ready for Moto 2.

As the clouds above darkened, Moto #2 for the 250 riders would get underway in dry conditions as the 40 riders blasted off the start line. Cunningham would not get the start he wanted but if you have followed this gutsy kid at all, you know he never gives up. At the end of lap 1, Kyle would be all the way back in 17th position and would dig deep to slice his way up through the field. Kyle would work his way up to 11th place before lapped riders and the now falling rain would hamper his progress through the field. Cunningham would end up in 7th place overall for the day with his 5th in Moto 1 and 11th place in Moto 2. It was a good day for Kyle and the team and a great way to celebrate his birthday on Sunday.

Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the Whoop Monster at Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, MN. It is a great track and the action should be intense. The team should get back their rookie sensation PJ Larsen at this event, which has been sidelined with a broke wrist. Stop by and say “hi” to the team when you are there. See you there!

Jason Cobb

Tommy Hahn Powers to 3rd place Finish at Thunder Valley

Tommy Hahn has been the surprise of the 2009 Outdoor Motocross season but it was not until Lakewood Colorado that he would finally arrive. Hahn, who has been finishing inside the top 10 all season, established himself as a front-runner by taking 3rd place overall in the 450 class, under the lights, in the high altitude outside of Denver, Colorado.

First race up in the premier class saw CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn jump out of the gate into a top ten position and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Vision was extremely tough during this moto due to the fact that the sun had dropped below the mountains and it was too light for the lights to be effective but to dark to see clearly. The lighting would get worse before it got better and Hahn, while running down Michael Byrne in 7th place, would misjudge his take off on the huge down hill and land off the course on a hay bale bending his shift shaft inside the transmission, hampering his shifting for the remainder of the moto. Hahn would play it smart and not take any unnecessary chances as he settled into 7th place where he would finish the moto.

Moto # 1 for the 250 riders was up next and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Kyle Cunningham would charge up the hill and into the first corner in mid-pack but able to make some quick passes to work up to 14th before the end of the first lap. Cunningham would move up as high as 10th place before a crash on lap 5 would send him back to 14th place. Cunningham would struggle in the poor lighting conditions and drop back to 16th by the end of the moto.

Moto #2 for the 450 pilots was on the line and CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn was ready to go. The team did a great job installing a completely new motor and transmission after the damage in moto # 1. As the gate dropped, Tommy Hahn would find himself in 4th as the riders rounded the first corner. Hahn would set his sights on Michael Byrne in 3rd place and on lap 3, fly past Byrne as the top three riders pulled away from the rest of the field. Andrew Short was next in Hahn’s crosshairs as the two riders dueled it out for 7 laps before Hahn went inside Short to take 2nd place away from the factory rider. Hahn would quickly gap Short and set out for Tedesco in the lead. On lap 12, Hahn made a slight mistake as he pushed hard to close in on the front-runner Tedesco and ran off the track to avoid crashing in a tricky section. Unfortunately, this allowed Short to slip back by and Hahn would have to start over in 3rd place. With time winding down, Hahn pushed hard but would end up just behind Short at the finish line by only 2 bike-lengths, just missing 2nd place. This was the best moto finish for Tommy Hahn of his young career and combined with his 7th place in Moto 1, Hahn would earn a him a career best 3rd place overall for the day! Amazing job Tommy!

Moto #2 for the 250 riders would wrap up the day and Cunningham was set to rebound from his bad luck in the first heat. The start was a mirror image of Moto 1 for Cunningham as he finished the first circuit in 14th. Kyle would move up to 12th place by lap 4 as he pushed towards the front but a mistake on lap 5 would pound the CANIDAE rider to the ground again. Cunningham would remount but obviously beat up, he would not regain his previous speed and would settle for a 21st place finish. Not where this talented rider belongs, he will certainly bounce back for sure next week in Michigan.

Come out to watch the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team take on the legendary Redbud track in Buchanan, MI next Saturday July 4th as the series continues. See you there!

Jason Cobb

AMA Motocross Season Opener at Glen Helen Kicks off Outdoor Season with a Bang!

When the 2009 Outdoor National Season shot out of the gate at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California this past weekend, nobody knew what to expect. The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team had been working overtime to get ready for the grueling series and it showed!

First race up was Moto #1 for the 450MX class where CANIDAE rider Tommy Hahn would face off against 40 of the toughest riders in the world. Tommy would enter the famous “Talladega Turn” inside the top 10 and finish lap 1 in 8th place. Hahn would battle with Chad Reed and Mike Brown for most of the race and take the checkered flag in 7th place. A great ride for Hahn and CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki.

Moto #1 for the 250MX riders was next and CANIDAE riders P.J. Larsen and Kyle Cunningham would take their shot at the fast and rough track. Cunningham would only make 7 laps due to a broken finger he obtained while testing for the event just days before the event. Larsen, who suffered from a poor start showed his speed while coming through the pack even with a rear flat tire that he suffered in the first 10 minutes of the race. P.J. would crash while pushing it to the limits in a fast, soft corner sending the bike all the way off the track. Somehow, the rookie rider pulled the bike back onto the track, under the banners and fences and remounted to finish a remarkable 18th place. 

Moto #2 for the 450 guys was almost a replay of the first with Hahn jumping out to a great start and holding his place inside the top 10 for the exhausting 30 minutes + 2 laps moto. Mixing it up for most of the race with the factory “Red Riders” Hahn would improve on position from the first moto and finish in 6th place which would net him a 6th place finish overall, a fantastic way to start the new season. 

Moto #2 for the 250 “Lites” riders was exciting and the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki riders bounced back to show they will be riders to contend with all season long. Cunningham would fight through the severe pain to finish 13th on the extremely rough SoCal track. Larsen would finish just outside the top 10 in 11th place, a great finish for this rising star. 

CANIDAE is extremely proud of the team, riders and their wonderful efforts. Please join us as we head to The Hangtown Classic outside of Sacramento, CA May 30th. See you there!

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki at Indy: Jesseman's Second Straight Week with a Top 5 Finish!

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Branden Jesseman’s hard work has been paying off big time. Following on the heels of his 5th place finish in Atlanta, Jesseman rode his best race of the season at Indy grabbing an impressive fourth place finish.

In qualifying Heat # 2, Jesseman shot out to a 6th place start and quickly moved his way up to fourth place by the third lap. By the time the checkered flags waved, he finished in a well-deserved 3rd place, earning his spot in the final.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining Lites riders to make it into the "Big Show.” Number 521, Kyle Gillis and # 96, Tyler Wharton were the last two "Lucky Dog's" Lites riders to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event. 

In the Lites Main Event, Jesseman was in 7th place early and fighting hard to reach the front pack. By the halfway point, his lap times were improving and had moved up one place. By lap 11, he had moved into fifth and was still gaining ground. In the end, the checkered flags saw Jesseman achieve a season best 4th place finish, and a huge jump in the championship points standings to fourth. Great job Branden!

In the Supercross class, CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki rider Tommy Hahn has been working very hard to finish inside the top ten every week. He drew heat #1 for his chance to make it into the Main Event and got off to a great start by shooting out of the gate in third place. Just before the finish line on the first lap, Hahn was slammed into from behind causing the CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki to crash hard. The crash left Hahn in last place and banged up. Never one to say, “quit,” Hahn put his head down and went to work climbing back to 11th. Unfortunately, Hahn ran out of time and missed his qualifying spot by only two places in a great comeback ride.

Next week, the team moves to the Daytona International Speedway in Florida for the most unique event of the Supercross season. This track will push every rider to their limits so make sure to check it out!

Jason Cobb

The Green Blur

Question: What is green and goes 160 MPH in less than the length of a football field?

Answer: The CANIDAE All Natural Pet Food, top fuel, sand drag car driven by some lunatic named Scott Whipple.

I have no idea how Scott got into this unbelievable sport, way back when, but I would imagine it went something like this:

Scott: “Hey Carl, have you ever wondered how fast you can cover 300 feet?”
Carl: “Nope, why do you ask?”
Scott: “Well, I think I can do it in less than 3 seconds.”
Carl: “What! Are you out of your mind? Maybe you if you had an F-16 Tom Cat, doing a flyby. Do you have one?”
Scott: “You know I don’t have one!”
Carl: “Well then, I guess it is not possible then.”
Scott: “Well I think it is.”
Carl: “Have you been hit on the head again? Maybe you could do it if you got back a mile or so in a Corvette and started once you hit 100 MPH?”
Scott: “Nah, I was thinking we would do this from a standing start.”
Carl: “Well, I guess you would need to borrow an NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car from Jim Dunn.”
Scott: “Nah, that would be too easy on pavement. I was thinking of doing it in the dirt.”
Carl: “WHAT!? Now I know you were hit on the head! On dirt? You are outta your mind.”
Scott: “Yeah, you are right, dirt would be too easy, let’s do it in SAND!”
Carl: “Ok buddy, just lie down here on this couch, and put this cold cloth on your forehead and it will all be alright. Now look at this ink spot on this card and tell me what you see?”
Scott: “Stop with all that! I feel fine, now where can I find a motor... a very big motor?”

As I laster learned, Scott built his first sand jeep “Thumper”, a 1974 CJ-5 Jeep with the help of his dad, George “Pops” Whipple, while still in his teens. After being introduced to organized sand drag racing in the late 1980s, Scott fell in love with the sand track and the need for speed. Scott steadily moved up through the various racing classifications – all the time pursuing his dream of one day driving with some of the top fuel racing idols he had always looked up to. That dream came true in 2002, when Scott made his first pass down the track behind the wheel of the Canidae Pet Foods 6000 Horsepower Top Fuel Sand Dragster. The dream that began in his teens became reality when Scott joined many of those racing idols in the top echelon of sand drag racing, competing as one of the world’s top fuel sand.

Over the years, Scott and the CANIDAE Racing Top Fuel Team have set numerous world records for both speed and ET and as defending 2008 NSDA (National Sand Drag Association) season champion continue to be a dominant force on the dirt track today.

Fast-forward to today. Scott is the man to beat on the NSDA circuit and there is a good reason for that... HE IS FAST! Scott invited me and my son to watch the final round of the Winter Nationals in Yuma, AZ this past Sunday to witness this intense sport. If you have ever been to a big time drag race at the local drag strip you know the impressiveness of these cars. Those drivers are constantly trying to figure out how not to spin the tires so they can make it down the track and there the drivers are on a clean, hard, smooth patch of concrete! These sand drag cars have to launch in a fine, soft, loamy substance and somehow find something that resembles traction. As it turns out, they are so good at finding this traction; they pull the front wheels off the ground for almost half the track! Their huge Goodyear tires with paddles bolted on, in what I would assume to be some strategic fashion, throw dirt 200 feet behind the car and 75 feet in the air. It is amazing! But even more amazing is the fact that these lunatics cover the entire 300 foot track in less than 2.40 seconds from a standing start! So the next time you hear the sand drags are coming to town, do yourself a favor, grab your buddies, grab your family, and grab the neighbors and head down to the sand drags. You won’t be disappointed! Oh yeah, tell Scott, that I said “Hi.” He will not be hard to miss; he is the guy driving the green blur.

Jason Cobb

CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki takes on the Georgia Dome!

The CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki team pulled into Atlanta, GA ready to race for the 2nd round of the “East” series for the Lites riders and the 8th round overall. The last time the Lites guys raced was almost a month ago on January 24th, in Houston, TX. Since that time, the team has lost Hunter Hewitt to a broken femur leaving just Branden Jesseman to battle in the 250cc class and Tommy Hahn to fight for a win in the Supercross (450cc) class.

The #74 Kawasaki of Jesseman jumped out of the gate in the # 4 position when Heat # 2 got underway. As the pack filtered through the first corner, Jesseman was in 5th and working his way forward. As Jesseman went wide in the second corner, the # 309 bike of Spenser Dally went down forcing Jesseman to slam on the brakes and find a way around the downed rider, moving him back in the pack. Branden would recover nicely and work his way up to 7th by the end of the first lap. Branden would eventually finish the race in the 6th position, and advance on to the Lites Main Event.

Tommy Hahn took to the track in the first Supercross heat race of the night. Tommy would get out of the gate with a mid-pack start and finish the first lap in 12th position, well outside a transfer spot for the Main Event. Hahn would work hard and move his Kawasaki into a transfer position when the checkered flags flew, ending up in 8th place.

CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods sponsors the "Lucky Dog" Last Chance Qualifier, which is the final opportunity for all remaining riders to make it into the "Big Show.” # 20, Nico Izzi and # 34 Matt Goerke were the last two "Lucky Dog's" to qualify for the 20 rider Main Event in the Lites class and Charles Summey and Nick Wey would move on in the premier class.

The Atlanta crowd, at 68,933 strong, was ready for the main event and the racing left no one disappointed. When the gate dropped, all 20 riders shot down the long start straightaway and into the first left hand corner. Branden Jesseman was inside the top 10 trough the first section and would finish lap one in 6th. Jesseman would move back one spot to 7th where he would stay for the next 5 laps before making a pass on Will Hahn (brother of team CANIDAE Motosport Kawasaki 450 rider Tommy Hahn) for the 6th spot and then up to the 5th position when he got around the stalled bike of Austin Stroupe. With 4 laps to go, Jesseman would pull to the back wheel of Matthew Lemoine in the fourth spot. With a great move, Branden would drive around the outside of Lamoine in a tricky section and take over the 4th spot but only to leave the door open for Blake Wharton as he would cut to the inside of Jesseman leading up to the triple jump sending him back to 5th where he would eventually finish. The excellent finish would move Jesseman up three positions in the championship points stands, into 7th. 

Tommy Hahn lined up for the Supercross Main Event ready to face the demanding Atlanta track and the rest of the stacked field. Hahn would get off the start line mid-pack but quickly find himself at the back of the pack after the first corner chaos. Tommy would put on a strong charge moving up as high as 14th but the night was not his and he would have to settle for a 16th place finish. 

Check back for the next report as the series moves into the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy!

Jason Cobb

The Power of Consumption

I went to the store last Monday to purchase a new cordless drill. As I sat there contemplating the choices, I realized how similar they all were in performance and price. All would meet or exceed my needs and all that was left was to select the one that looked the coolest in my hand. All of a sudden, Ricky Carmichael raced through my head followed by Mike Alessi, Chad Reed, Nico Izzi and Ryan Dungy. What the heck!!!!! It hit me like a ton of bricks; Makita sponsors a Supercross/Motocross team! I picked up the Makita, walked to the cashier, laid down my cash, and happily purchased a new drill. As I walked to my truck, I was proud as a peacock and feeling like I had really given back to the sport. Although, I am not a huge fan of Suzuki (the team that Makita sponsors), it strangely felt great to purchase this drill.

Why did I feel this way? Was I doing something great? No. Would the people at Makita have any idea that some dude in Phoenix, AZ bought their product because he supported the sport he loved? No. It felt good because I am part of a family.

How many times have you been walking through a busy store in your favorite MX shirt and made eye contact with some other guy in his favorite MX shirt? The look is priceless. It is not the look two guys give each other when they sympathize with each other for having to endure hours of mindless shopping with their wives or girlfriends. It is a precise and enthusiastic look that says, “Dude! I too know the magical feeling of racing through the dirt and soaring through the air.”

My point is this. Be proud of who you are and what makes you part of our family. Fly your colors proudly. When I look around my shop at home, I know exactly why I have a shelf full of Amsoil that I bought for my truck because it makes Kevin Windham smooth as silk. Next to that shelf is the bag of CANIDAE All Natural Dog Food (chicken and rice, dry) because Tommy Hahn’s dog eats it (and Tommy Hahn is fast) so maybe it will work for me. Eat up my best friends! Hanging on the wall as if a prized trophy is my One Industries “Trooper” Next to my helmet are my Scott Goggles just like Kyle Cunningham wears. As I walked into the kitchen, I noticed that I still needed to put away the case of Monster Energy Drink that apparently fuels Team Green to victory after victory and in the laundry room is Surf Detergent because they used to sponsor a MX team back in the early 90’s. I am loyal to the core.

So when you buy, think about who supports you and your family and who does not. Not only will it make our sport better, it just might make you faster. See you out there!

Jason Cobb