by Aaron Hansel
250 Words: San Diego
Monday, February 21, 2011 | 3:40 PM
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PrintEven though Tyla Rattray is a seasoned veteran in the world of motocross, injuries have kept him out of the supercross game until now, and 2011 would mark his first attempt at contesting Monster Energy AMA Supercross.
Rattray started the season out by taking third at the opener at A1, but had since been unable to get back on the box. Still, when you take into account the fact that he was riding with a cracked bone in his hand, his sixth, fourteenth, and fifth place finishes in Phoenix, Los Angeles and Oakland, were quite good. True, his season may not have been going exactly how he wanted it to, but the South African was holding it together, especially with the volatile nature of the Lites class taken into consideration.
Then, disaster struck at A2. Well, technically it struck before A2, on press day. Ratters had a nasty get-off that left him with back spasms, and was in no condition to race. He was in the pits on race day, and just by watching him try to walk short distances, it was easy to tell he was in pain. His gait was so stiff he looked like a toy robot about to run out of batteries.
Rattray would hold off a strong charge by teammate Broc Tickle to take home second at San Diego.
Photo: Garth Milan
Smash cut to San Diego, two weeks later. Just as practice was getting underway, the skies opened up and the rain started to fall, creating a slick, treacherous mess of mud and ruts; not the kind of track you want to see if you are coming back from injury. But Styla dug deep and found a way to pull a positive result out of what seemed like a negative situation. After qualifying sixth and taking fourth in his heat race, he finished second in the main, despite immense pressure from Broc Tickle and Cole Seely.
It was the best supercross result of his career, and an inspirational one at that. He’s still learning the SX game. If Rattray can bounce back to a second place finish a mere two weeks after not even being able to bend over, what will he do when the series resumes a month and a half from now in Seattle?
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Yes that was a good ride by Rattray, and it is tough coming back form what he has been through, it is called desire. Also what about Tomack? That was an impresive win cause he smoked them. Also lets just shut up about the Hansen incident if you have never raced as hard as these guys do then shut your trap up, Its called racing and yes it is a full contact sport. You ram me I ram you LOL......
I'm happy to see Rattray geting it together and am betting he's a real threat when it goes outdoors! What a season so far in the lites class west!
There is a time and a place for that type of racing (Hansen incident). People were blowing past 100 left and right and if not in that corner, 35 would have blitzed right past him eventually....Hansen is lucky cause he almost went down in the maylay as well. That was almost as bad as a lapper trying to race the leaders, Hanny clearly wasnt feeling the speed and was in the way......
Wow, what about the winner? Tomac isn't even mentioned.. Cmon I like Rattray but your right he is a "seasoned veteran" he is like 27 years old and I am happy he had a good race. But really all the hype over his injury and determination is getting alittle old. Every rider out there is dealing with something but they don't get the luxury of the press and showing pictures of their injury on the big screen or TV. And as far as Hansen goes, there is another one that takes the limelight from the other riders. Tomac won period.. If you want to talk about the 250's mention that...Lets be fair here.
I promised not to hate on dudes anymore on here...damn...cauze everytime i watch 100 ride i am reminded that some people are just filled with themselves...
here is the watered down version of what I like to say(dungey version):
"Golly, I am really upset at that hansen kid cause he really bumps into my peeps when he rides and he like to make them crash instead of just passing them with speed, he always pushes them off the track or just cuts the front wheel out..."
is douche a bad word? is it hating? NO, he is a douche on the track...don't know much about him off the track...
Honda441, this column is not necessarily about who won. Don't we get enough coverage of that with the race reports, after race interviews, podcasts, etc.?
It is nice to have some back stories of other things happening throughout the 250 class.
Hanson IS going to get paid back one day. Not everyone rolls over because you think your everything to everyone. If not in supercross, come outdoors. Lets see what happens when he tries that with Barcia.
Is Hansen riding the outdoors ???
Barcia only bangs guys that don't bang back. When is the last time you've seen him get into a scuffle with somebody that would give it right back to him?
Hansen will get paid back before the year is up. Hope he has eyes in the back of his head. And no he dosn't race outdoors cause he sucks. Dirty riding has no place in supercross or motocross. If you have to cheat charma will soon bite you in the ACE.
@ TurboDog- I believe Wilson fought back just as hard after Barcia showed him a wheel. Barcia doesn't take people down, from what I've seen. He hits them and passes them, but he doesn't take kids down in the process. That is all Hansen does. Just cleans them out.
@ Welker - You dont have to be a pro to race hard. Anyone from beginner on up can race as hard as they can so to use that as an excuse for Hansens douchebag riding style is ridiculous. Hes a cheapshot artist plain and simple and I for one cant wait until someone pays him back with a trip to the cheap seats.
Dirty riding to me is like pornography to a senator, I know it when I see it. #100 vs #35 = dirty. I have a question hopefully someone can answer. Who, if anyone, has ever parked, rough-passed or bar-banged Lil' Hanny?
Yep, awesome ride by Styla!! Although the 250/450 Words pieces are short, I thought Hansen deserved a mention for gutting out a 6th place finish with what's obviously a very painful and messed up hand. And for the guy who says 'what about Tomack', I can't ever get used to you guys who are FANS of riders and can't even spell their names right, like 'Purcel', etc.
Carlsbad........accordingly to some around here, Cunningham because he whiped it to close to Hanny and was riding dangerously so Hanny taught him a lessen!
Cunningham shoulda never whipped it at Hanny! tit for tat!
Didn't some kid named Tomac win the lites race this weekend? Wasn't it his first ever Supercross win? Didn't he do it in dominating fashion? Eh, why bother mentioning that...let's talk about the guys that got 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
cunningham didnt do anything wrong. Hanny doesnt know how to ride clean. every race he enters he has to take someone out or bang them. who ever takes out Hanny before this sx season ends, deserves a gold medal
Hansen is the dirtiest rider there is on the track. End of discussion. Please let him blow the championship at Seattle. He's been in the 250 class forever and he needs to be forced up. If he'd do that in the 450 class he wouldn't last two races.
Wow you guys are a bunch of doucher complainers. Give it a rest, the rest of us true fans don't care to hear/read your sh!talking...
Aaron Hansel Come On you didnt even talk about what a great ride for Tomac. And I've heard enough about Hansen Incident thats what racing is all about. Think about how boring it would be if everyone rode clean an lappers got out of the way right away. There would be nothing to talk about. An so far I think the west lites race was the best of all of the lites so far.
I'm sick of Hanson, I live in his hometown and race at his old home track. Nobody here ever mentions this egocentric rockstar wannabe that cant stomach the fact that his points lead is going away so he has to cheap shot everyone else. btw whipping it near someone is not contact, short cutting a corner and aiming your bike directly at an opponents bike in an attempt to put them on the ground is about as dirty as it gets. Karma is a B*#ch!
WOW!!, didnt even mention the winner. I know this isnt a race report, but I think a guy getting his first career win is a bigger story than a guy who is as old as Hanson getting 2nd at the 250 class. Tomac is a great story, hes a great kid and a hard worker. Gets his first ever supercross win and cant get a mention is the 250 words column.
Man, regarding the Hansen incident, I know alot of guys in the pits including the original K-Dub say Lil' Hanny is a good guy but damn I don't see it. I agree with alot of the previous post about him being dirty. I cant wait to see this guy try and make another go of it in the big bike class and try that crap, wouldn't stand up. Can you see him trying that with RV2, JS7 or CR22. He would get punted into the cheap seats. Awesome ride by the top 3 and congrats to Tomac and Rattray, both seem like real stand up guys.
You guys are right, Tomac rode an awesome race to take the first win of his young career. However, it's rare that the 250 and 450 words columns are used to talk about race winners. They are typically used to discuss inspiring rides or unique situations that took place just outside of the spotlight.
Thank you for reading,
-AH
I'm getting tired of the Lil Hanny story. How long has he been in the Lites? Tomac is the new breed, Lil Hanny has had his turn. Hopefully he'll graduate to the big boys and Js7 will land on his arse while jumping a quad cos Lil Hanny cased the triple. Now that would be a story. Move on, move on....
And by the way, 450 words is all about CR22 winning his first sx (this season) by holeshoting and leading from wire to wire. Remind you of anyone, Aaron? I like your writing though, keep it up.
Makes me wonder if Tomac did something that the magazine(s) didn't want, or if he didn't do something they wanted him to. Maybe he didn't have time for an interview when they wanted one. Seems like something is up. Obvious boycotting of Tomac by the TV crew on Speed and the magazine coverage.
Hansen has always been a dirty rider. It was the same back in the KTM-days for him. I was hoping that Cunningham would wait him out a lap, and just take him down. I am pretty sure there is gonna be payback. Was it Canada he took out at A1? I should get my facts straight, but I remember him taking out that other Kawi-rider. Hansen left him with nowhere to go on the doubble, and then took him out at the next corner. Then listening to Ralph Sheheen, about Hansens maturity. Good job, broadcasters.
2015 AMA supercross lites rider entry list:
1. Josh Hansen
2. I'll take him out in the start
3. Him in the corner
4. That guy before the triple
5. at the ankles
and so on.
Someone is gonna park the 100 and its gonna cost him the championship. Maybe
all the riders He parked this year will gang up on him next race. His Dad was never that agressive
and never had to. What goes around comes around...
Good enough Aaron, thanks for responding. I dont think Tomac did anything to anyone jairtime, the kid is just excited and was celebrating with his parents and close friends I'm sure.
Hansen needs 2 more trouble free pratices, qualies, heat races with 2nd or better in both the Seattle and St Loius.mains to win the CShip. He is out 4 to 6 weeks with no trainig because of his "lil hanny". If he holies the he needs Tickle to give up his shot at the CShip to block for him, dude is beteen a ock and a ............. If he wins he deserves it , if he doesnt , well he deserves that too.
Dirt
This just in ! In a stroke of marketing genius "Target" will sponsor JH for the final two races of the SX season as well as the Las Vegs shootout. Special jerseys with the company logo prominently displayed are being prepared.
Dirt
JimboMX374, I think you called this one.........
Aaron..."... However, it's rare that the 250 and 450 words columns are used to talk about race winners. They are typically used to discuss inspiring rides or unique situations."
So first professional SX win is not inspiring?
You give props to Matthes for his 450 words, on the race winner.
Just seems this site is now "Monster X"
No 5 minutes with Tomac?