by Andy Bowyer
One Industries Thursday Rev Up: Phoenix
Thursday, January 13, 2011 | 4:40 PM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. Pow! The 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series has hit the ground running and it’s already time to start rolling our necks to get ready for Round 2.
Brayton picked up a heat race win at A1, but struggled in the main.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Hahn was considered a serious title contender heading into A1, but a back injury in practice will now sideline him for the rest of supercross.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Is Windham a title contender in 2011?
Photo: Simon Cudby
Can RV repeat at Phoenix?
Photo: Simon Cudby
There were a lot of big stories beaming from the series opener, but once again our sport showed that even when we’re expecting the unexpected, we can still have a main event that raises eye brows. How about my man, RV Park? Everyone’s talked about it all week, but coming back from that digger in St. Louis and winning first time out was just beast like. What a stud.
I was surprised about RV, and equally impressed with Justin Brayton’s heat race victory. But other than that, the 450 division came off rather dry to me. Ah, but it won’t stay like that, my friends. We get greedy with barn burners, but like in any motor sport there are races like we saw last weekend. Good, just not hair pulling, fist pumping, voice box stretchers. A better track would have helped. Have to make the tracks for racing, not just doing the obstacles.
Brayton picked up a heat race win at A1, but struggled in the main.
Photo: Simon Cudby
So now on to round two in Phoenix. Let’s get ready to reset the deck and cut’em loose again.
AMA Supercross Lites
Josh Hansen took the bull by the horns and performed excellently. He was patiently aggressive (except for poor Christian Craig) and rode like a man among boys. Which, he kind of is. Holmes has been riding the tiddler class for almost ten years. But, that’s OK. I like Josh, and it’s good to see someone with character winning races. But, he should be in the big boy class, IMHO.
Broc Tickle did what he needed to do. A long time ago I wrote David Pingree an e-mail asking him why he slid out while he was leading at Anaheim 1. He had talked trash to rookie at the time, James Stewart, and I was kind of poking fun at him. As per the norm, Pingree blasted back saying, “If your career wasn’t shorter than a midget on his knees you might know what it’s like to be leading Anaheim 1 and getting arm pump.” Ho, ho. Tickle didn't slide out, but he tightened up and let the pressure get to him. But, Broc’s a consistent one. I’d look for him to sit calm and collected and wait for a Hansen mistake.
Hahn was considered a serious title contender heading into A1, but a back injury in practice will now sideline him for the rest of supercross.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Ken Roczen has a lot more to show, and he won’t wait any longer than this Saturday night to show his true arsenal. He’s the real deal, just watch.
Other than that, I thought the West looked a little shallow. My boy, Wil Hahn, would have had something today. Gutted for ya, Wilbur.
AMA Supercross
Like most of us, I forgot how fast James Stewart was. Holy freaking crap, man. It’s his corner speed that makes the difference. Especially the left handed corners. He’s amazing. And I swear he bent his footpeg when he cased the triple. His right foot looked like it was sitting weird. Heck, I don’t know. That said, I think Ryan Dungey rode at about a 90 percent pace. He did have a weird practice crash, so he still makes me a little nervous, but I’d look for him to pour the coals to it a little more with each passing round. He has the speed to beat James.
Man, I hate being negative at all with the Rev Up, but it just didn’t look like Chad Reed out there. I placed him as one of my favorites to win, but when they showed him in ninth place about halfway through the main event, I said out loud, “who’s that?” Maybe it’s the difference between factory and whatever he has, maybe it’s because he’s ridden four different bikes in four consecutive Anaheim openers, but it didn’t look like #22. Come on, hoss, bring “The Thunder” to Phoenix!
Is Windham a title contender in 2011?
Photo: Simon Cudby
I think we’ll see more from Josh Grant, Davi Millsaps, and Kevin Windham this weekend. Like I said last week, Anaheim 1 is just weird. So many nerves and extra static around the first race, that it really never proves anything.
But what it did prove is what has me shadow boxing this week. Last week proved that our boys are gnarly. All of them. It isn’t normal to break your leg doing what you love. And instead of feeling the slightest bit of fear or regret, all Ryan Villopoto did was count the days till he could walk on both legs again. Then he thought about how long it would take to run and work out again. The next goal on his mind was about when he could ride his motorcycle and win on it again. Beat all of them. Period. That was true grit.
Can RV repeat at Phoenix?
Photo: Simon Cudby
So, how about it? It’s already time to light it up and watch the madness burn. I have a good feeling that we’re going to see a little bit more this time around. Remember last year at Phoenix? This event has some kooky history and a penchant for big things to go down.
Ding, ding, ding, time to answer the bell for round two.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
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Is it me, or do the tracks look half the size they did back in the 80's and even part of the 90's? Even when I go to the events, there is so much spare room on the sides, I don't know why they don't use it. Seems like it would make for better racing if they got rid of the single track type of lines and widened it more...using more space in the stadiums.
Liked Rv from the first time I saw him. Hope he has somthing for JS or this could get ugly.
I like the way you describe it Andy, it is on and we get to watch it all unfold. These racers are professionals, none of them show up to give it a second rate effort. Get the race legs under them and opening jitters out of the way and bring it!
Gap one of the reasons the tracks are the way they are is for our mule to have access to injured riders. The other option would be to stop the race every time a rider needed transport.
Go RV!
Its funny how quick people forget about the de nations when RV beat everybody.James is the only person who has a chance beating him.
Phoenix will tell us much more. I hope most of the tracks won't be like A1 though. That track really seemed to be designed to restrict outright racing. I agree with Chad Reed from last year when he said the tracks should be much wider to encourage real racing instead of follow the leader in most cases.
I agree, they need to open the tracks up more. I want to see 4 wide over triples.
A few riders can say they have won the overall in the des nations but a very few like RD can say they won it twice. don't count him out
Dont count Dungey out yet. The guy got 2nd and he was banged up pretty good in practice. May be he has more in the tank. He was making up time on RV. It would be a perfect race if RV,RD and JS started 1,2,3. That would be fun. oh yea and Canard and Reedy 4th and 5th.
boogity boogity dyingbreed71!!!! four wide and shake-n-bake!!! We might have to wait for San Diego to see it though, that place is pretty big right?
I gues Ryan Villopoto is the fastest man out there right now. But Ryan Dungey will catch up and also Kevin Windham. In the Lites, I really think Ken Rozcen can win this weekend if he can keep his nerves together.
Hope RV, Reed or Dungy. Do a Hot Sauce to jamesgaystewart can't stand that idiot.
22.2b.1 how can you HATE any of these guys??
The track looked perfect for the first race of the year. In the past the tracks were gnarly and we would lose half the field by the 3rd round. You are never going to please everyone, but if people would step back and realize a full field of healthy riders make for a better series, maybe we can all agree that a less aggressive track will keep our favorites on their bikes and out of the ER. Some guys just need to step up their corner speed to maximize their passing opportunities...
I hope JS RV RD start off in that order phoenix always has a good race! Rembr the year where MC JS CR RC started the race in that order and james did that NAC NAC while passing MC on the 2 stoke?? That was epic battle with the top 4 guys in the world hope sat. night we see another epic battle with the BIG 4!!
I am hearing a lot on how boring A1 was, but I don't agree. The outcome may have dictated that, but It seemed like the entire race, anything could have happened! Although the battles were not so fierce, i think it was compelling. JS moved through the pack. I think CR is getting bagged on a bit, but he came from way back on his first race on the team and pretty much follow JS through the pack to get to 5th. Not bad. The race set up perfectly for tomorrow night. Most got out helathy which is most important to keep the gusto alive in this race. Good times to be a SX fan!
BILLC, boy, your constant on and on about your love for Stewie is already getting old and the series just started. I thought RV2 won the first race?? Oh yea, he did, and Dungey got 2nd. And your boy got 3rd. How is this going to get ugly?? Stewie will get his wins, but I dont see this season being a runaway from anyone..
DGIZZY, do you ever read any of the interviews or anything on here. Dungey was making up time on RV?? Yes, until RV picked it up again and gapped him again. He even said in his interview that at lap 15 he backed it down because he knew he had the win.. Does anyone of you haters even watch moto??
dgizzy, I agree fully with everything you say
bd200 you are a fine individual
I'm owning up to the above 2 posts to make my point folks put up a photo that someone can't copy
Now someone is using my username. How childish and idiotic some people are. RACER X, needs to fix this crap. There are applications that tell a person a user name is already in use and have to pick another. I have seen them. What a cheap way of doing a web-site. And to the guy using my user name.. Get a life, its pretty lkame that is what you do for fun on a Saturday...
HA!!!!, fixed that crap, just get an avatar pic everyone. So the children who are using others usernames cant do it now..Idiot!!
surely you aren't angry that I was kind enough to point it out to you... I thought it was tasteful.