Open Mic Part 1: Stewart, Reed, Millsaps, Seely
Monday, February 6, 2012 | 9:50 AM
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James Stewart, JGR/Toyota Yamaha, 2nd place in SX Class
What happened in that heat race? You were doing a wheel tap?
Yeah I was doing the same thing I was doing in the main event….
Yeah you came back and did it again!
Well I had to get it out of my system! I was scared! So I did it in the last chance, I got it out of my system. In the heat, I wheel tapped it, and the back end touched, barely touched, and it just slammed the front end down. It gave me some whiplash, and my hands came off. So I was basically sitting on the handlebars going through a rhythm section. So it threw me off. As soon as I landed, I just felt my ribs, and it knocked the wind out of me. I was sore, and I’m really sore now. But I’ll be fine.
What about the gate pick for the main?
Actually I got pretty lucky. Somebody didn’t want a gate on the inside because of the rut. The rut was pretty gnarly, but I thought, I’ll take it, I didn’t want to go to the outside. It wasn’t too bad, I wasn’t too far inside, but just a little. Davi [Millsaps] ended up getting the jump on me, and I was just trying to stay upright through the first corner and get through in the top ten. It wasn’t too bad, it was decent. It’s tough when you let the guys get up in front of you, it’s hard to push so hard that you can catch them. I just, after that heat race, I didn’t have it in me, so I was second.
"I was basically sitting on the handlebars going through a rhythm section." -- James Stewart
Garth Milan photo
Cole Seely, Lucas Oil Troy Lee Designs Honda, 2nd in Lites Class
It was looking really good. The short time I was in the lead I got myself a little bit of a gap. And I was feeling strong and feeling comfortable out there. We’ve been doing a lot of work with Pro Circuit and Showa on suspension testing, and I feel really comfortable on the bike. Obviously I want to win, so that’s disappointing, but it’s still a great weekend, especially compared to the last few. It’s my best weekend since Anaheim 1. I was super excited to get the holeshot and be in the lead, but I had just one mistake. I got up, but I kind of rode with a heavy heart after that. I tried to catch back up to Eli, but he’s riding really good right now.
Yes you had two bad races in a row, and that has really hurt your championship hopes. How did you keep from getting discouraged?
Just try to take positives out of everything. Last week I went down, but I was in third, and me and Wilson were battling back and forth coming through the pack. And he’s obviously one of the top guys, so it was good to know I was running his speed. So I tried to take that out of Oakland. L.A., I can’t really take anything good out of that!
What happened in that corner when you fell?
They groomed the start straight for the guys on the outside. So they tracked it over. And I actually thought to myself, when I went around that turn on the first lap, I was surprised how much traction that section had. So I guess I got a little too confident with it. But I’m thankful I didn’t high side, though. That would have been really bad.
"I was super excited to get the holeshot and be in the lead, but I had just one mistake."
-- Cole Seely
Garth Milan photo
Davi Millsaps, JGR/Toyota Yamaha, 7th place in SX Class
How was the race?
Well, it was another race.
Wow! Excellent analysis! It was, indeed, another race.
[Laughs]
You and Windham had a good battle out there.
Yeah it seems like the last couple of weekends Windham and I have been going back and forth. And that’s what makes it fun. It keeps you going, because I didn’t even ride all week, I was sick. Even today, I’m still not 100 percent. So it just drained me, and I felt horrible going into practice and in practice. I mean I was 13th fastest. I was horrible. So to pull off that, I somewhat turned my night around and did the best I could for the night. Obviously taking weeks off doesn’t work for me.
Going to be able to ride this week?
Definitely, I’ll be able to ride and test and get on it.
You have Yogi [Ezra Lusk] back with you today.
Yeah it was awesome to have Ezra here and my trainer, Pablo. Pablo wasn’t supposed to come, it was too last minute and his flight was going to be too expensive. Then he called me yesterday morning and out of the blue he said he was heading to the airport. Things like that mean the most. Then Ezra came out here and got on my butt today. Those guys, they believe in you, and they help you push through it and turn the day around.
"Yeah it seems like the last couple of weekends Windham and I have been going back and forth." -- Davi Millsaps
Garth Milan photo
Chad Reed, TwoTwo Motorsports Bel-Ray Racing Honda, 3rd in SX Class
How was the race?
Honestly great, I’m pumped with the podium. It was on Tuesday night, Tate was up all night, throwing up. We went through a lot of towels! Then the next night Ellie had it, and I thought I did pretty good and dodged it, but on Wednesday night I ended up with it. So, a rough week. I just dealt with a lot of throwing up, and unfortunately, diarrhea as well. I was actually doing pretty well, last night was the first night in a couple of nights where I had an appetite, I ate some dinner, and then this morning I had a small breakfast. So I felt pretty good, but then after practice I came in and threw up! Yeah, so for the situation we were in, I was happy to get a good start and run up front and just fight with all I had.
Looked like you were digging those last few laps to try to get Stewart back?
I was trying. That’s what you have to do, you know, I was sick and it was up in my throat and trying to come back up. But I felt like Stew was a wounded duck out there, too, so I’m sure he had his problems and I had my problems. But everyone is dealing with something at some point, sometimes you know about it, sometimes you don’t. But Ryan, he rode a great, solid race. So I think the podium guys, we’re all happy.
"For the situation we were in, I was happy to get a good start and run up front and just fight with all I had." -- Chad Reed
Garth Milan photo
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good attitudes from both the veterans...last night wasn't their night and they were only about 5 seconds behind the fastest guy ever...not bad...
they aren't done winning...not at all...
@halfe316 -Exactly they did the best they could and rv was the man that night -
Some dudes on here will still not see what they said and start putting words in their mouths for them.
The bias on here is hard to take sometimes but this is America. First Amendment rights - gotta deal with it.
GBA
That was a pretty good impact JS7 took..... many guys would have called it a night, but not James. Anyone that questions his heart or desire is foolish.....he came back for the LCQ and easily finished 2nd in the main..Broken ribs or not, he was battered and bruised as RC said......JS7 was behind Dungey in the start and Dungey spent the entire race trying to pass Brayton while James went past Dungey, Brayton, a few others and Reed within a couple laps....RV is going to be tough to beat when he gets out front...no doubt...but anything can happen and it certainly will....RD5 - off the podium again.
@pizzacorner I was at the race this weekend, I saw Reed in the pits, stood about 5 feet from him. He was sick, you could hear it in his voice and see it in his face. He looked like crap. Not saying he has never made excuses but this one was legit.
Good, mature comments from Stewart and Reed this time. I doubt there is, but it almost seems like something weird is going on with how often some of the top SX/MX guys seem to get stomach problems, and I don't just mean 'butterflies'/stress before races. Hanny not long ago, Reed, and it seems like always someone else. What the heck are these guys eating, or maybe it's *where* are they eating?
If you are well enough to show up at the gate then you are 100% there are no excuses period. I remember RC cutting his boot and taping it up to fit around his swollen leg to win Glen Helen when he had already won the championship, plus finising the season and doing the MX Nations on his ACL knee. But most did not know about his knee problem until his operation. Cowboy up out there and ride.
People get sick all the time and SX/MX racers are not immune.. If you have family and or co-workers around who are sick, you may get that bug too, we are human after all..... A lot of these dudes are "drinking" there meals..not a lot of solids and one of those muscle milk drinks sent me to the crapper after I tried one.....RV was ill the first few weeks of the outdoors....James was ill a few weeks back in PHX....now Reed has a little bug....but they battle through...and if need be, as RV did...they'll crap themselves on the track if they need to...hahhaa.
@pizzacorner chad has made excuses in the past but that was not a exucse. i could see it on tv that he was not feeling well so just shut up and watch rv blow every one away
I seriously cannot believe how many lives JS7 has!...for how many hard crashes this guy has and then just walks away is astonishing. Hopefully he gets things under control and lasts the whole series because it would be boring without him.
i've been to 3 races this year including this past weekend. I have seen on 2 occasions CR hanging out with RV's peeps at the monster enegy big rig. To say that CR is making up excuses because he is not beating RV would be pretty disrespectful and i couldnt imagine RV wanting him hanging around if that where actually happening...?
being sick is being sick...all the riders deal with it eventually, some get it worse than others.....some guys just dont say anything at all....others wait until after the race is over ...if they finish good, its not a big deal....if they have a bad night, then being sick effected them.....some guys ride even better when they are sick.....
What I learned about racing and sickness was it never happened if I won but sure came around often when I did not. Consequently I was known as a very sickly person.
@claxton.....gotach,,,,, loud and clear man!!
* gotcha that is....
JS, sore ribs. 2nd place. CR, sick. 3rd place. RD, perfectly healthy. Off the podium. Just sayin'.
For the 1st time Reedy sounds beleivable. Its pretty cool to see Reedy man up and be happy with 3rd. Its also cool to see JS accept 2nd and not throw it away like his earlier days. JS was a wounded duck and Reedy was a sick dude so I know it has to get into RD5 head that he coulndt capitalize on JS and REedy.
Look for RD5 to be really gunning it this weekend. It has to be in his head all week. Hopefully he can pull it off
These guys train so hard, fly all over the country and congregate together in close quarters. All those factors make staying healthy very, very difficult. I don't doubt them when they say they had a bug. The circuit is like a big petri dish.
according to pizzacorner you completely wrong Dgizzy1.