by Andy Bowyer
One Industries Thursday Rev Up: Heart and Soul
Thursday, May 19, 2011 | 4:00 PM
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Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up.
The Outdoor Nationals are the heart and soul of motocross.
It’s that time of year again folks. Time for the real racing to begin and all of the summer fun that comes with it. Man, the outdoor nationals just can’t be beat. It’s real motocross on real tracks that brings out the real animals. Her twelve rounds of torture forces the utmost in human and machine endurance.
Man, it’s actually hard to find the words to describe how gnarly the nationals are. You have to prime yourself to give up every ounce of energy and courage that your racing prowess possesses, rest for a couple hours, then do it all again.
Hangtown is less than 48 hours away. Who's ready?
Photo: Simon Cudby
In a 30-minute plus two-lap moto you have countless chances to gain and lose time. There is no such thing as a perfect moto in outdoor motocross. Even the greatest and smoothest champions in history blow a few corners, or get out of shape a dozen or more times on their way to a moto victory. To claim said victory you must beat them twice.
More than that, the outdoor nationals serve as a testament to how unique and cool our sport is. We’re strongly unique in that we have two separate seasons with two separate, but sternly acclaimed championships. We get to watch the boys create tight, hyper-dramatic action in the stadiums and domes, then...
As the summer sun begins to scorch the earth, it’s time to take the charge outside.
The whole aura of the outdoor nationals is what has made me a fan since I was a kid. You greet an early morning dew covering the banners, factory haulers, and track structures, then as the sun burns off the fog bikes are kicked to life and soon thereafter we have bikes on the track. Motocross is different when you see the sun flicker off the factory unobtanium. I always liked watching practice as much as anything. Watching the boys carry the mail and slowly cut the lines in. As mid-morning arrives you have watched the track come to life and you are able to see who carries the most speed and momentum around. It’s a significant preamble for what’s to come. And that my friends, is the opening moto of the day of racing.
Don't miss a second of the action from Hangtown with first motos LIVE on FUEL TV and Allisports.com
Photo: Simon Cudby
You can take all the pyro technics in the world, and never touch the nervous static hanging in the air before the first moto of the day, and in this weekend’s case, the opening salvo of the 2011 season.
All over-the-top speak aside, the outdoor nationals are a truly great event for the whole family. It’s not an NFL, NASCAR, or MBL-sized crowd, but when 15,000-20,000 outdoor national fans get together it is truly something special. It’s a different crowd. Tighter, and more intimate. Every one of you that frequent them know where I’m at. You can catch a high-five or stern head nod anywhere you turn.
Man, really, I feel like it’s New Year’s Eve all over again. It’s time to wipe the slate clean and begin anew with the real deal. It’s time to take this shit outdoors, son! Forty, not twenty guys barreling into the first corner with their ass hanging off the rear fender...all of them with the mindset of, “I’m not letting off.” It is, folks. The outdoors are gnarly. Time for some speed. Time to watch the art of shredding corners and, yes, fourth gear sweepers. The heavy stuff.
The start of the 2011 season kicks off Saturday at Hangtown.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Oh man, just wait till you see how hard Ryan Villopoto is going to murder the berms. I haven’t seen anyone as aggressive as him in the corners since Ricky Carmichael. The man is a corner assassin. Every racer pushing to the starting line this weekend is a stud. The fastest dirt bike racers in the world are going to descend upon the Hangtown Motocross Classic this Saturday afternoon. Hey man, I’m devoid of real race analysis. Click back to the header page and you’ll find the best information, from the best. She’s all there, I just clicked.
I’m here to bring the charge! And, folks, she is here. The heart and soul of our sport is set to begin another chapter. We're all set to watch the first gate drop of the outdoor season. Can you hear all of those nasty four-stroke beats hitting the rev limter?! Can you wait to see who the first holeshot man of the year will be straight legging it around the first corner with his elbow at his rib cage? The sun, the girls, the summer is here.
Time to see the heat.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
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When the lights go off on supercross and racing hits the daylight with the launch of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, everyone gets to start over. Page 110.
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"Hangtown is less than 48 hours away. Who's ready?"
I could wait a couple more weeks, actually.
Holeshot!
Whoops_Blitzer got me...
Nice rev up. Good mental picture.
Sorry jlail, you're gonna have to hand over that giant Butterfinger check. Sorry buddy.
c
God, people get so amped up over this each year. The supercross season wasn't bad but it wasn't great either. It was full of surprises but the actual racing wasn't great, Atlanta aside. That being said, don't get too excited about the outdoors. RV could very well go 20-4, even 24-0. Alessi? Nope. Short? LOL Windham? Nope. Dungey will win a couple motos and Reed will be lucky to podium one event. The competition is just not there for RV. So, getting back to my point, don't get too excited. We get excited every year and the seasons usually suck.
MX in TX......go watch the Rangers play you moron!!! Im sure you were the guy that said this SX season wouldnt be great either, because the competition "just isnt there for JS" Your an idiot!!
would u D-BAGS quit w the holeshot!!! c'mon
MX in TX, quit whining. It's moto... even the boring seasons are a gift.
@MX in TX ....Ummmm ....... oh never mine.
So ready for Hangtown! About half way into the Sx season I was wanting to watch the nationals, and I'm a Sx fan.
... Been waiting for nationals since the 2nd moto of Pala. SX is neat, but Outdoors, yes please.
I have almost forgotten about the itsy-ibitsy 15 minute supercross mains.
Saturday we will see who can last 74 minutes WFO.
YEAH. UH HUH, WHO DID THE WORK, SWEATED TILL THEY BLED,TRAINED TILL THEY PUKED, 100% AMERICAN MOTO.
Real motocross racers race outdoors. It's where the sport was born. No 15 minute dash's. Outdoor mx seperates the dedicated from the posers. 30 minutes plus 2 laps of wide open, ball's to the wall racing. Dirt and rocks flying, elevation changes, drop away downhill jumps, rutted square edged bump high speed straights, high speed sweepers. Lap times aren't determined by being able to quad instead of double doubling a jump section, they're determined by line selection, carrying momentum through the corners, physical fitness and true grit.
It has been, and always will be, about Motocross.
Well written artical.
Outdoor motocross is the toughest most amazing sport in the world. To do what these guys do at the speeds they do it takes so much control of your fear. And that is in addition to developing the skill to be able to ride that fast in the first place.
I could live without SX, I could not imagine a world without Motocross.
How about that "fastest man on the planet" huh? How dare you claim that title and sit out the Nationals again!
Hey Bowyer, I don't think you used the word "Man" enough in your column.
Finally TGO!
Agree 1000% percent. RV owned the outside line outdoors on his 250F.
We will see the real RV come Saturday.
1 - RV
2 - RDunge
After that ......Are you kidding me !
CR - Metcalfe
Alessi- Short - Pourcel
Regal - Dietrich- Weimer-Hahn
Come on Dunge and Alessi.....shut the haters up.......the outdoors is your house !
Dirt
Pala374
fast man on the planet.... what a joke. im guessing his vag is bleeding
watching villopoto chase down alessi from 16 seconds down halfway through the second moto at glen helen in 2009 and win by five was absolutely astonishing.
@124, LMFAO! thats pretty funny and true, Dungey catching Short at High Point last year was pretty good too though.
Villopoto will definitely be fast, but I think Dungey may be able to hang with him now. Dungey's outdoor speed has increased quite a bit since 2008, and I think he could have narrowed that gap. I'm hoping we see battles similar to the Carmichael/Stewart races from 2006 and 2007. Ironic that they were on a Suzuki and Kawasaki back then as well.
Great write up Andy! I got goosebumps! Let the real racing begin...
@mx in TX - So your crystal ball told you this will be the year RV doesn't crash out of the series....
RV2
RD1
CR22
AS29
KW14
Dungey has one speed and it is not RV's....Done. James might but not RD
BRB I have to go take a dungey.
I'm tired of so many national tracks being so simple. For God's sake, somebody - please! Make the national tracks the stuff that will challenge the best riders in the world and leave the spectators with their jaws on the floor as they observe how to negotiate those challenging sections, obstacles, jumps. That step-up at Hangtown is boring as hell. My brain gets so overcharged with oxygen due to 30 minute continuous yawns that I'm afraid that the resulting free radicals might give me brain cancer.
Villo will be a safe bet but to think Townley battled with him in 07 and Dungey made it look easy last year against Ben. Im a BT fan but just sayin. GOOOOOOOOOOO Dungey!!!!!!!!!!!
@Mx in TX. I hear golf is real exciting, or maybe go watch some baseball (zzzzzzzzzzz). Seriously?!? The racing WAS great in SX and it's going to be even better outdoors! I'm amped up, can't wait for tomorrow.
Don't they watch poker in texas on sat & sunday? Then theres the world series of batgammon......after that the spelling bee.......btw i dont see no horns soooooooooo ya know what gunny says.
@jairtime, Have you ever lined up at a pro national and put some laps in? I can tell you that HiPoint has some of the deepest footpeg grabbing ruts you would ever see and not just one but 7-10 of them down a straight!! Red Bud has some of the sickest jumps and gets down right rough and gnarly. To go the speeds that these guys are going on the tracks there racing on is crazy. Next time you want to open your mouth and tell everyone that the tracks are to easy, These guys just make them look easy, there far from easy!
Cant wait, I really dont think Rv will go 24-0, c'mon mxintx. No way. Dungey will get his, and so can Reed. Maybe Pourcel if he is as fast as some say he is. I cant say until I see him get his the 2nd half of the season. He folded last half last year against Canard. Nobody wants to give K-Dub a chance, have we forgotten how good this guy is??
@jairtime, I dont know where youve been, but tracks like Red Bud and Unadilla are as tough as they have ever been. The bikes have evolved as has the riders. So they might be eating these tracks up that used to work over guys years ago on those older bikes. The tracks are tough, go ride one and see.
RV2
CP377
MA800
RD1
CR22
Top 5
I grew up watching and racing outdoors and I can still remember the smell of bean oil and almost puking from nerves before the start of the first moto! I have favorite riders but I really don't care about who wins as much as just enjoying the sport in its natural element...OUTDOORS!
I'm excited Really Really Excited. I'l be looking over almost all of the track dug into the hillside ring the bell for K-Dub. In fact i will be in the parking lot 12 hours from now. Take that MX PUD in TX ( No offense to TX"S but he is urs ). What a joke nothing more need be said regarding TX Pudman.
On to cooler things outdoors is going to be great. I could see the smile on RV's and RD's faces when JS punked out. To bad for Regal he is part of the ???
Time to see if Reed is going to keep his chin up the whole season even if he is to far behind in points ever? I think he will , seems to be a new Reedy and It's working on me. Gaining some respect. Outdoors MX is what started all this after all. Seems like only pussies bow out who aren't even veterans earning the right to rest the bones.
So it's gonna be good .
Usual suspects up front...but who knows the first corner knows. So much more time to catch up involved once again...Speed is distributed pretty evenly within top riders. Great season ahead.
The lites race has always been my favorite since the big class was always no contest.
Jaw dropping lineup for sure. Mayhem for sure. I love this class. Armed and dangerous.
One more mention ...I will be staying for the WMA 2nd moto. Ladies are picking up their game with factory rides and sponsorships. #4 Vicki Golden qualified for lites arenacross, not to bad. So watch your tongues boys. Hmmm could take that many ways.
Go K-Dub
I have ridden Hangtown several times for practice and a couple of races...That track is not easy, square edge bumps, rocks, big jumps. Pro's make it look easy. It is like the waves in Hawaii...they look fun and safe from the shore...but if you paddle out into it, that is another story.
No more 48-second lap times in weather controlled and air-conditioned domes with short qualifying and main events. This is the real deal and no matter who the players are, outdoors is always tough as snot. Mud, rain, cold, sweltering heat, and best of all.....30 minutes plus 2 laps for 2 motos!
Outdoors as everyone but stewart knows, is the real deal made for real men.
Nice write up ''man''. LMAO Fear not cornball Bowyer, Coombs will keep you on the payroll as long as your bro is hillbilly famous. Moreover, I don't think RX is in any danger of Time, Us Weekly or MXA stealing your high school writing away anytime soon. Pingree does not approve. Perhaps man-friend or goggle rep is more your game?
Bob,
Wow, man, you really swung for the fences on that one.
Have a good weekend, maaan. Haha, ok, too heavy on the "man" this week.
But, dude...it's still going to be a rad weekend, even if i'm full of it. So, there.
It's all good here, man. :)
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