Ask Ping!
Friday, February 4, 2011 | 9:35 AM
ODI dates back to the 1980’s as the leader in grip manufacturing. Focusing primarily on the bmx and mountain bike industries through the 90’s and early 2000’s, ODI re-entered the motocross scene when they developed the patented lock-on grip system that eliminates wire and glue. Continuing to advance the way riders hold on to their bikes, ODI has worked closely with the teams they support such as Troy Lee Designs to create the product that is now being used by some of the top teams in the industry.
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Ping,
In a couple of different rounds already Stewart and Villopoto lapped all the way up to 10th place. That’s ridiculous. On a planet with over six billion we can’t find more than nine guys to stay on the lead lap. Is there that big of a gap in talent and bikes? Are the guys in tenth and back, out of shape? Maybe Speed Channel pays them a bonus to get lapped so Emig can keep talking about the fastest man on the planet.
Sincerely,
Tired of lappers…and the word planet
No, not that Sledge Hammer! Great show though.
We are totally on the same page regarding the word “planet.” If I hear it one more time from any of the TV broadcast crew I am going to grab a ten-pound sledge hammer and obliterate my flatscreen. Then I’ll realize how dumb it was to smash my own television. Then I’ll head down to Best Buy and get an argument with some snot-nosed kid in sales about pixel size and cost comparison on the new Sony’s until I’ve finally had enough and pay full retail for it just so I don’t have to stand there any longer. Please don’t put me through all that SPEED Channel commentators. Please. The thing you have to remember about supercross is that the lap times are only 50 seconds long, sometimes less. And guys that get the start already have two full straight aways on the guys back in the pack by the end of the first lap. That’s just what happens. I realize that when you look at the population of the earth VS the number of people on the lead lap on Saturday there seems to be a discrepancy. But you should consider that over half that population lives in unimaginable poverty. Like, living on less than $2.50 per day kind of poverty. That drains the motocross talent pool significantly. This isn’t NASCAR, Skippy, so just sit back and cheer for the number 2 or number 7 bikes.
PING
Dear Ping,
Is it just me or are all these supercross tracks BORING? Why can't these track builders create some new obstacles like a 60ft-long, 30ft-deep hole filled with water that riders have to hydroplane across; if you lose momentum you sink and call it a night! And one more thing: if everyone wants to see more passing then open up those 180 degree turns and create an inside line instead of follow the leader around the berm !
Thanks, bud .
Charley Booger, Boogytown USA !
No wonder they didn't make the SuperBowl.
Hang on a second. I’m still trying to figure out how anyone keeps a straight face when you walk into a meeting and introduce yourself as Charley Booger. Listen, Booger, I too would like to see some new obstacles. I think that too often the track builders are concerned with staying with tradition instead of taking some chances on new ideas. They are artists and instead of creating new and exciting designs they are producing prints for hotel room walls. You know what I mean? But this whole 30-ft deep water hole is ridiculous. Why don’t you try jumping in a swimming pool with a pair of tech 10’s on and see how that goes? Will you try that out for me, Booger? My suggestion is to sink to the bottom and run like hell because there is no way you are going to swim in those things.
P.S. I totally agree with the 180-degree turns. I’ve been preaching that for years. Good catch, Booger.
PING
Hey Ping,
I thrust upon you a great responsibility. But first the back story.
Every year I’m reminded how small the sport of Supercross really is. My co-workers know I ride dirtbikes and it’s inevitable that the week before the Supercross tour comes to town (Phoenix) I get asked multiple times “Are you racing this weekend?” Ping, I’m a weekend warrior at best (actually, more like an every-other-weekend warrior) that sits behind a desk five days a week where the only exercise I get is curling the phone when I answer it. It never fails and this happens every year. I have started to answer their question with a question: You drive a car, right? Are you gonna race your 2002 Dodge mini-van with the primer colored front fender and stick figure family sticker in the back window when NASCAR comes back to town?
Now to the great responsibility you will now be entrusted with. It is your job for the year 2011 to thrust this little Supercross & motocross community into the mainstream. I want it so when Supercross comes back to Phoenix in 2012 no one asks if I’ll be lining up staring down a Monster girl shaking her money maker with a 30-second board. Go forth and make it so
Kris Vancers
Chandler AZ
The number one Fruit Loops car.
Motocross as a sport is relatively small and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Imagine everyone at ESPN and Sports Illustrated chiming in with the SPEED crew and calling James Stewart the fastest man on the Planet in unison. I’d have to tie all my shoelaces together and hang myself [see question 1]. I will not go forth and make your vision so because I feel like the bigger this sport gets the more it loses its soul. Fortunately, I do have an answer for you. It simply requires some paint, skills you learned in high school art class and the nerve to shut the guy up in the cubicle next to you once and for all. Paint your coworkers car like the attached photo and tell him enthusiastically that you’ve signed him up for the NASCAR race in Phoenix. Whoo hoo!
PING
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These are all good questions this week and like always followed up by great answers. I can barely handle speed anymore and almost watch the races with no sound now. I swear every other word has something about JS7 in it. I'm not doubting his skills on a bike or anything but if someone was to watch this program with no knowledge of supercross they would think that JS7 has never lost in his life. And about painting your buddy car who has no idea about anything besides super bowl Sunday is one of the best ideas I have heard in a long time.
james stewart is not the fastest man on the planet..sorry to all you #7 lovers but the facts are the facts...he isnt..he might have been ,but he sure the hell isnt anymore..jus my 2 cents
Remember guys, not so long ago Carmichael owned JS7. He'd crash trying to race RC!
well put steveman
PING: Dude you are freakin Incredible! I agree the bigger the sport get the more of the roots it loses. There is nothing I hate more than people that THINK they know what theyre talking about like nascar fans! Our sport has a small but incredibly knowledgable fan base. But the popularity brings big money ohhh the pros and cons!
half ass anouncers, poor show production ,hideous camera work, and random tv scheduling.. Our sport deserves much better. Last week one of the cameras had water on the lens for the entire run. wtf!! Hell, last week CBS (can't be sure) showed the main and one heat. Everything else was highlites, music dubbed crashes and guys playing with rc trucks. I still watch because I love the sport, but damn, why can't we get a professional production.
Good call Ping, I think the sport would loose some of it's magic if it went too mainstream. I race desert and I like coming back into the office after a weekend race and talking to co-workers about it. It's like they are completely blown away when you tell them how far you raced and how it all goes down. In a small way it makes me feel like i'm part of something secretive or something. On the broadcasting issue; at least they showed us a heat race on CBS this week, last week it was just the main. Maybe they are succumbing to all the pissed-off moto fans of the world..... But I doubt it.
Re: The bigger the sport gets the more it loses its soul.
Agree 100%.
RC did beat Stewie pretty regular, and the STILLED called Stewie the fastest man-- because he turned the fastest lap in practice, woo hoo! Thats why I'm not a big fan of them showing the "fastest lap" thing on here. The fastest average lap over all 20 is a more telling stat I believe.
RC beat JS in the outdoors, but not very often in SX.. Lets also remember, RC crashed more in one year racing JS than he did in 5 years. Besides,, RC is RETIRED !!! He's DONE... He doe NOT ride anymore... He quit.
At least you got to see Oakland SX on CBS. In My area, CBS aired about 8 hours or more of a "700 Club" bible beating telethon!!! I would rather listen to Emig praise JS7 anyday over Pat Robertson Praising the lord for money!! Come on CBS Really??? Not hating on religion, but My religion is MX!!
If you averaged out all the lap times then you would just get the finishing order. They all start at the same time so the winner would have the fastest average lap time and so on down the list. If you want the guy with the fastest average lap time just look at the damn results.
By the way I still havent seen the 450cc Oakland race, does anyone know where i can watch it online?? Saw the 250s on SPEED but no 450s yet.
dar-moto.webs.com
MX mofo, Huh ? Way to live down to your name . Ping, wish I could take credit but, when one has had all they can stand and the cant stand no more from the boob tube its called , Goin all Elvis .
JimM
CrisTX, I think Speed is showed the 450cc class this morning at 3am
Jimbo, Is that not the truth ???
bd200,,, who cares what Ron Lechien says,,, right ?? What does he know anyway.. You know way more than he does...
mxmofo you were doing Monty Pythons "the parrot!!! " I got it. LMAO. Lappers are a part of the sport and We should not judge them. They are all top pro's they make the main even they are fast. I still have vivid memories of racing flat out and having not a bad day at all and being lapped by a Michigan Mafia star back in 1980. Everyone wants more obstacles when the lapped rider is one of the most interesting obstacles of them all. " Hold your line the faster rider will get around you"
Speed Channels insistence on having 'Fro' as a comentator is ridiculous. I can put up with the "Goats" grammatical errors...He's the GOAT ! Erin Bates is NOT hot and Mr Ed wants his teeth back..... Jeffro seen Erin smilin once and he agrees..
3X,,, I cant say that I agree with everything.. I would love to take Erin for a ride on my crotch rocket ..
HAHAHAHA MX mxmofo ur awsome and
RV 2 is faster then James Stewart...Agree...Agree...Agree
LINKIN ( log ),,, cant agree with that either.. Points don't lie...
Honestly, this season, James is still the faster guy but he doesn't have that ridiculous, uncontrolled pace. He is riding smart because he wants that championship and that $$$. Now for RV2, he has really improved from last season. Yes, he should have won that championship over RD5. I was a RV2 fan last year. Just think of the battles that RC and JS had in the past. Think of how far ahead and ridiculous their pace was compared to the rest of the field. Think of Bubba's riding style back then and compare it to today and you can tell me who is faster. There really hasn't been a true battle between these two (like JS7 and CR22 had in 09). Until they battle straight up, I still believe Stewie is the fastest man
Kris should say "Yes, I am racing....I'll be on a green #2 Bike ".... Here is some more comedy for you all...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCNx3BKl60E
@steveman, stewart came within 2 points of beating r/c in 2006 AMA supercross, the only full season where they raced each other indoors. Where do you people come up with this stuff?
In the mid 70's, you could walk out to the back of the track, at a national, and there was NO ONE there. Nothing between you and bob hannah, except a decrepit little snowfence. And, you could tool around on your pit bike too!
(try that nowadays)
TRICK you are right on the money! How is there an argument at all with RV VS. JS has he passed James 1x so far this season when they where both upright?? What about the heat race where JS caught blew by RV and left him for dead??? Until see that from anybody he's still the fastest! And the lappers lets take it easy they are on production equip with boltons and are doin the best they can! If you ride you know the feeling when a super fast guy comes up on you so quick you don't know which way to go?? It's tough and most of the time the are battling somebody at the same time.
Anyone that doesn't say "James Stewart is the fastest man on the planet!" at every opportunity, is a RACIST.
Elephant that about the dumbest thing i've heard all day !!!
BD you are a RACIST.
Ralph shahhen should just get on his knees in front of stewart. all he talks about
YES elephant you are correct im racist against your STUPIDITY!!
I believe in the motorcycle world Chris Carr is the fastest man on the planet at 367.382 mph.
Kevin is a racist too
Scoreboard. Until anyone puts up numbers better than the GOAT, he shall always and forever be "the fastest man", etc...
Guess that includes me into the racist category too, according to a certain long-nosed, tusk wearing poster here. (And I must say how much I enjoy your sarcasm).
Without going into detail and looking at the big picture mxmofo, RC wiped the floors with Bubba. His title as fastest man on the planet didn't get him championships then and they haven't seemed to get him much more now by the amount of sitting out he has done. He has beaten RC many times, but when it all comes down to what matters (championships), RC had him more than covered. And btw, I would have written this response to anyone, not just you ;)
Chris Carr from the ama grand national/flat track days? That is pretty damn FAST !.
But, that track is REALLY smooth and flat, from what iv'e heard.
LOL
No, not at flat track. Chirs Carr ran the prototype speedbike at the salt flats to set the world record.
You know what Ping should be railing on? All the idiots who can't call someone by their name, or any nickname other that their initials and their number. I swear if I see JS7 CR22 RV2 or anything other stupid initial number nickname I'm gonna go insane. Remeber when guys had real nicknames like Chicken, O Show, Fro, Showtime, even Bubba, Nyk, anything. ENOUGH ALREADY! Have you ever tried to say those stupid nicknames outloud?? "RC4 was way than JS7 ever will be..." you'd sound like an idiot. Be creative people....
Sincerely.... MB23
Ping,
There was plenty left in the tank with Booger - just sayin... You need to watch some vintage Dennis Miller then do your taxes before squeezing out next week's upload to the site. As you well know - success is built upon solid preparation, just like you found out in your storied championship career... um, well, you sorta get the picture.
you didn't get my joke, elephant...........
I here ya mattbennett. What happens when they win the title. Does it change to CR1 or RV1.
Hey bedhead 598. Best check those average lap times as it doesn't work that way always.
Lovin the racing even though I only get to read about it. So don't cry too much about not seeing it live. You could be on an oil rig in the jungle and see nothin.
Fastest man to never beat RC for a title. Fastest man to wad himself senseless. Fastest man to pull in front of Travis Preston landing from a jump. Fastest man to jeopordize other riders safety. Fastest man to pull of the track midrace. Fastest man to get owned by Clement DeSalle. Fastest man to not get picked for team U.S.A. Fastest man Aldon Baker walked away from. Fastest man to say "I got beat because my suspension wasn't setup for outdoors". Fastest man to disgust Bob Hannah......and finally, Fastest man who's not a redhead.....Oh yes I did.
Stewart is a bad ass no doubt but someone tell me how mamy times he beat Carmichael versus how may times they raced ! Also did someone say racist ? I thought they meant races ! Damn concussions ! Tell em Carlsbad fastest man to wad it up ha ha ha. Mr. im so much smoother did what last week ? Twice.! Dude hit his noggin so hard he almost oversplept the main !
JimM
Carlsbad - hit the nail on the head.
RC4 did beat JS7 in outdoors... And quite often.. Even in RC's last year of racing... But in SX... JS7 was clearely the fastest guy.. And RC would often say if he could leach on JS lap after lap.. That would be a feat on itself.
mxmofo.. i think you meant that JS crashed more in 1 year than RC did in 5 yrs... Explaining why RC amased all those titles.
Lap times just gives a pretty good indication of what the rider is capable of. Of course.. The one finishing 1st at the end of 20 laps is the most important..
YES! Thank you MattBennett23! I've been saying the same thing forever! These new nicknames are uncreative and dumb. Sounds like the new lineup of Japanese cars. Check out the gas mileage on the new RV2, or the sporty JS7, and don't forget the roomy new CR22! How about the nicknames reflect something about the riders personality and not just have a stupid abbreviation so we can text message easier.
Didierlotsyeng.... I hate you... Seriously knock it off, booo! JS7 is a retarded nickname. He had a nickname, Bubba. If you dont want to use that just call him by his name, James or Stewart will be fine, I think we will know who you mean. Even call him Stewie, whatever... And come on RC4?? No one even called him that while he was racing! Call him Ricky, call him Carmichael, call him the GOAT, even just regular RC is better than RC4 at least people called him RC! GOAT only has one more digit than RC4, so its not a matter or saving time, just stupidity... I wonder what Travis Preston and Travis Pastrana or Trampas Parker thinks of this new crapass nickname system for uncreative idiots....
RC didnt beat Stewie very often in supercross?? HUH!!, thats funny considering RC won every title in supercross he raced Stewie for. How can you not win and win the title?? RC beat Stewie alot, its why he won all those titles. 5 Supercross titles. Stewie NEVER won a title until RC retired, nuff said..
ralph-hes the fastest man on the planet
fro--a good start is critical
rc4---wooooh!!
ralph--fastest man on the planet
erin--this rider says he is emotional,back to you ralph
fro--if he gets the holeshot it will be a plus because the start is critical
rcgoat---woooooo ooooooooo wooooooo!!!!
i love its on tv though..thanks speed and cbs.just playin around. ps dont follow a rider too long.unless its riders and they are banging bars.
Retardcross and bd200,,,, I'm going to clue you two in on a little fact almost everyone knows,,,, RC does NOT race anymore. And you guys have the nerve to talk about all the JS lovers,,, hahahaha.. Take a look at yourself once..
lol spooky, fro- stewart ran 56.555 in practice compared to villapotos 56.556 so keep an eye on lap times.
Seriously though, if TP199 had not fallen, he would have easily passed TP11 and TP891, even though TP891 was on it, and had his own battle with TP11. TP199 was flat out hauling, but TP891 did charge thru the pack with TP11 right on his tail. Hell, TP199, TP11 and TP891 all ended up in the podium anyhow, so who's to say who's better in the mud, TP981, TP11 or TP199. I have to go with TP199 on this one.
I know r/c beat stewart all 6 times in '07sx, even though he only raced part time, but in '06, which is the only FULL season they EVER raced each other indoors, stewart came within 3 points of beating r/c for the AMA sx title..... And, there was that controversial fuel infraction, and track cutting issue in detroit for r/c, which he was never held accountable for. No one is saying that stewart was better than r/c overall, but some of you guys are way off with your comments on here. It must be personal, there is no other explanation for it.
Carmichael only beat stewart for a championship, in ONE indoor series, and ONE outdoor series. Some of you guys act like he trounced for him his entire career, jeez !.
And, one poster is saying how rv beat carmichael at the mxon on a 250f (we all know what really happened, but you get the point) is rv better than carmichael then...?
Do you think r/c on a 2 stroke RM250, could have beat stewart on a kx450f outdoors, if r/c was racing the bike for his very first season, while stewart had 2 full seasons on his thumper? Is r/c THAT much better than stewart???
@spooky LOL that was FUNNY!
Lol mxmofo, the point was he's been the fastest man on the planet his whole career since he moved up, even when he clearly was not. I drop one message involving RC ever and now i'm his super fan? You must be the most confrontational person ever, whatever.....anyone denying that RC had Bubba covered when he was around is just, well ya, enough said....and trick, yes, RC was better than Bubba. Just because Bubba failed to complete all those series doesn't mean anything, staying healthy is one of the biggest factors influencing how motocross championships stack up, it's all part of it. If you can't stay on two wheels riding the pace to win, then you shouldn't do it. There are circumstances where it's just bad luck and crappy things do happen, but for the most part Bubba is his own worst enemy (as kindly shown by all of Carlsbad's factual comments). What I like about racing is shoulda/coulda/woulda opinions don't matter, championships speak for themselves. Bubba had his 4 years to de-throne RC and didn't. How did this even turn into an argument? There's nothing to argue. It happened.
Which '4 years' are you talking about ?? 2005sx + 2005 outdoors = 1 year, 2006sx + 2006 outdoors = 1 year, 2007 indoors and out, no throne was at stake, with r/c's partial season, so they weren't even battling for a title. If he really had '4 years' to try to de-throne r/c, he might have done it, a time or two, as he gained experience on the 450f. Who knows? Not you, me, or anyone else on here.....
Also:
"Just because Bubba failed to complete all those series doesn't mean anything"
All of WHAT series??
He only failed to complete ONE series, which was the very first one, 2005sx.
In fact, he broke his arm in PRACTICE, in his very first indoor race, on the kx250. Anahiem sorta doesn't count as seat time, since the track was underwater, and provided no experience on a dry, normal track. In the 2005 outdoors, there is still the controversy of the '2 stroke vs 4 stroke' thing, so that didn't tells us anything, except that stewart needed a 450f to compete on. He did have more for r/c in '06 than in '05 didn't he, or did he suck just as bad on the kx450f? stewart gave r/c his biggest challenge, of any other rider. But, r/c was better, and he IS the GOAT, I am not debating that.
And, if you are gonna say "r/c beat stewart in '05 sx, because stewart couldn't compete, due to injury"
Does that mean that chad reed beat r/c in '04, when r/c couldn't compete, after all staying healthy is what wins championships.
i dont care if you like a rider, or hate a rider, but dont twist the facts around, its annoying.
I got this from wikipedia, but I dont know if it is right (it doesnt sound right to me)..
"With Carmichael and Reed tied for the lead, and Stewart only 1 point behind them, it was a close race. Carmichael rode to a safe second place finish behind Stewart and ended the series with 6 victories and his fifth Supercross championship. He indicated that 2006 would be his last full-time season and planned to retire the following year."
only six victories, out of 17 ?
I dont know if that is right, but as you can see, he did not "mop up the floor, with stewart" ........................
My bad trick, typo, 3 years not 4. And yes, being healthy has everything to do with a series, Reed wa
My bad trick, typo, 3 years not 4. Mopping the floors was a definite exaggeration. And yes, being healthy has everything to do with a series, Reed was the man in 04 SX. Like I said, shoulda/coulda/woulda doesn't have a place in racing. RC failed to compete in the series so he doesn't get the credit. I thought Reed and his fans were supposed to be the ones full of excuses....
mxmofo, immature name by the way. YOU said numbers dont lie right. RC beat Stewie every year he raced him INDOORS too. So that means RC was faster using your logic right??
R/c only raced stewart indoors, one full season, 2006. And stewart had more wins than r/c, which is why if he had 2 more points, he would have been the champ, because the tiebreaker is "most wins".
Another cut from wiki:
"Going into the final event of the season, Reed and Carmichael were tied for the points lead, making the 2006 season the closest AMA Supercross championship in history. Reed took third place that night to Carmichael's second, narrowly losing the 2006 AMA Supercross title to Carmichael by only two points. Reed won 2 races that season."
If r/c won 6, and reed won 2, then who won the remaining 9 races? Was there a dark horse winner, or did stewart win them. I cant find the info anywhere. Why isn't there a god damn site where you can get moto info like this?
I guess if we had a moto site with all the true facts, then we wouldn't need a chat room, and we wouldn't be having all this FUN!
I'm watching this moto video on u-tube. R/c and bubba 2006 outdoors, at washougal. A little rubbin' by both of them, very entertaining...
I like the announcing better, too. Dave despain and David Bailey I think.
I remember in 2004, r/c's second 24-0 season, he won his last couple outdoor moto's by a minute, and jaime little is saying 'ricky whats up with that?', and ricky says "hey, i'm gettin' ready for bubba..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p12EDNyAl0
& even though jeremy mcgrath's nickname is widely known as "showtime", everybody calls him MC. They should call him MC1. The reason people just started doing this, is because only in the last few years, have the riders kept the same numbers for more than a year. The number 1's ALWAYS ran the number 1, in the old system.
Damn, my fingers are sore.
wow, check out the new racer-x website archives. you can get all the articles, to check your facts. There really is a god after all.
Ok, racer-x, if you are reading this, maybe the archives tab was always there, and I was too dumb to figure out how to use it properly. But now that i have figured out how to get in there, how do i get to, say for example, number 850? If I am at number 1, or number 1625, it takes me 200 clicks to get to number 850. Or, has my brain fart gotten the best of me again..... Also, there used to be a way to go back and edit your post, i've seen a few boo boos i'd like to fix for example. maybe there should be a 'help' section on here. (or a tutorial). A one time reading, of the 2005-2007 seasons history, should be required reading before allowing any accounts on this thread. Then the real bench racing will begin.
You know what they say, "Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded." Seriously? Does anyone care THIS much? Damn.
sorry, my retardation got the best of me.