Racer X Race Report: San Diego
Sunday, February 12, 2012 | 4:40 AM
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The night seemed to hold a special edge. Opening ceremonies seemed to be brighter, the fireworks were bigger, the fans a little louder. It’s as if everyone knew California’s grand finale of Monster Energy Supercross would bring something special. Those feelings turned out right, as the Supercross Class main event hosted the best race of the young season—the best race in a long time.
The San Diego Supercross hosted a three-way duel between Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed, and the gnarliest whoop section yet seen this year. The whoops tripped up even the best riders, which meant no lead was safe. Even though Villopoto grabbed an early lead and held a two second gap for most of the race over Reed, a few bobbles through the whoops allowed Reed to close up. Then Villopoto caught lapped traffic late in the race, allowing Reed to close in completely, setting up a three-lap mad dash to the finish.
It was thisclose between Villopoto and Reed late in the race.
Cudby photo
By then, Villopoto and Reed had left the rest of the field well behind. Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey sat a distant third, never able to get comfortable in the whoops. And earlier, JGR Toyota Yamaha’s James Stewart went down in the whoops while running third, and lost a full lap before he could get untangled from his bike and get back into the race. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Brett Metcalfe holeshot the race and also ran up front for awhile before eventually falling into a battle with GEICO Honda’s Kevin Windham. Then Windham, too, took a digger in the whoops. Metcalfe took fourth behind Dungey, with Dodge Motorsports Hart & Huntington’s Josh Hansen a solid fifth. Stewart took 15th.
Stewart led Dungey in a battle for third, but they were losing time to Reed and Villopoto.
Cudby photo
Reed gave it all he had but came up just short of another San Diego win.
Cudby photo
Villopoto never let the pressure from Reed bother him.
Cudby photo
But all eyes were on the Reed and Villopoto battle. Reed was quicker through the whoops, and he used aggression through that section to cut Villopoto’s 2.7 second lead down to nothing. Then the two stars kept pressing each other while also trying to weave through lapped traffic, which held them up badly in spots. Reed pulled up alongside across the start straight, but Villopoto shut him down. The crowd started getting louder, the atmosphere had an edge again, and Reed finally closed in and made the pass for the lead in the whoops. Villopoto quickly reset himself for one last attempt, and with the white flag within sight, he found a line on the inside of Reed and pulled off a block pass. Reed was unable to triple coming out of that corner, allowing Villopoto to open a few bike lengths as the last lap began. Reed dug deep to catch him, and tried one last charge through the whoops. He got close, but not close enough to get a wheel in. Reed then tried the inside in the last corner, but Villopoto sailed past en route to his second-straight win.
“The whoops were treacherous tonight,” said Villopoto. “I knew it was important to be consistent every lap. Battling Reed on the last few laps was exciting and I was able to make a good pass.”
The Lites class also offered up an exciting race, but more on paper than on the track. The actual racing part featured Dean Wilson grabbing the early lead on his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki and checking out. Wilson crushed the whoops and rode unchallenged, with Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda’s Cole Seely in second. Then came the drama, as West Region Lites points leader Eli Tomac seemed set for a third-place finish until he crashed in the whoops. Tomac dropped his front end in a bump and went down hard. He eventually got back up but couldn’t get his bike restarted until he had fallen several laps behind in last place. He rode his damaged machine back to the pits.
Wilson said he needed to get back to having fun and relaxing again at the races. He did, and it worked.
Tomac saw his entire points lead blow up with one big crash in the whoops.
Cudby photos
Just like that, Wilson gained 24 points over Tomac and took over the points lead in the West with three races to go—but none of them until after a nine-week break. J-Star JDR KTM’s Matt Moss took third in the Lites main, the first podium ever for Moss and his team. Rockstar Valli-Star Yamaha riders Gareth Swanepoel and Nicco Izzi rounded out the top five.
The series begins its voyage east next weekend with the Dallas SX at Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
SX Class Main Event
1. R. Villopoto
2. C. Reed
3. R. Dungey
4. B. Metcalfe
5. J. Hansen
6. J. Brayton
7. D. Millsaps
8. K. Chisholm
9. M. Alessi
10. N. Wey
11. J. Thomas
12. C. Mackie
13. W. Peick
14. R. Kiniry
15. J. Stewart
16. K. Windham
17. M. Goerke
18. B. Tickle
19. K. Partridge
20. J. Weimer
Dungey, Reed and Villopoto on the podium.
Cudby photo
Lites Main Event
1. D. Wilson
2. C. Seely
3. M. Moss
4. G. Swanepoel
5. N. Izzi
6. G. Faith
7. B. Laninovich
8. T. Baker
9. V. Friese
10. N. Paluzzi
11. K. Beaton
12. B. Rutherford
13. M. Antsie
14. K. Rusk
15. M. Davalos
16. M. Musquin
17. J. Anderson
18. J. Ramos
19. S. Champion
20. E. Tomac
Metcalfe grabbed the holeshot and scored a career-best fourth in the SX Class.
Wilson in the center, flanked by Seely and Moss on the podium.
Cudby photos
Supercross Class Season Standings
1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki – 133
2. Chad Reed, Dade City, Fla., Honda – 127
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM – 123
4. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha – 101
5. Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda – 78
6. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki – 75
7. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki – 72
8. Davi Millsaps, Murrieta, Calif., Yamaha – 70
9. Justin Brayton, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 68
10. Josh Hansen, Elbert, Colo., Kawasaki – 64
Western Regional Supercross Lites Class Season Standings
1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki – 116
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda – 114
3. Cole Seely, Murrieta, Calif., Honda – 101
4. Marvin Musquin, Murrieta, Calif., KTM – 89
5. Nico Izzi, Menifee, Calif., Yamaha – 78
6. Matt Moss, Sussex Inlet, NS, KTM - 73
7. Zach Osborne, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha – 67
8. Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda - 63
9. Tyla Rattray, Wildomar, Calif., Kawasaki – 60
10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki – 58
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That's right, Who da' man? Let the excuses begin!!!!!
Well i wouldnt say RV dominated that race.... If anything i say it was Reed that for this race was "Da' Man" with some bad@ss whoop mojo.
Where the stewdart fans at? Oh thats right..... he's no longer the FMOTP.... I almost forgot...... silly me :D
wow...finally a race to the line in the 450 class.
been waiting since Orlando 07 for that.
it is safe to say who the real contenders to the throne are at this point i feel...
Gotta love the track. It should always play significant role in the outcome of a race imo...
looks like the tomac wilson battle will become an eventuality as tomac has to race him for the c'ship now as his lead has vanished...
this will be good.
bring on the east.
RV1 is on it. Josh Hansen with a solid 5th! if he didn't DNF last week he would be 7th in the points standings. Good for H&H.
what an a**hole mike alessi is.
Congrats to Hansen on Fifth. What a great season so far Hanny, lots of fun to see you ride. Making your Dad, and the whole industry proud. I knew you had it in ya'.
It wasn't the whoops that cut RV's 2.7 second lead down to nothing, it was the lappers. I know they're also fighting for position among themselves, but it got kind of ridiculous last night. That track was crappus majorcus. Why is it, when there's a crash, the TV crew focuses on that for what seems an eternity. Don't they know there's still a race going on?!?!!?
Wilson, relax and have fun and ride the wheels off that machine! I do not think anyone will ever forget that ridiculous high speed double you were doing at Pala to wrap up MX last season. Not even the 450s dared to try it. It scared the crap out of me every lap when you made a run at that thing -- And you made it look easy. The point being, that you seem to bring a whole other spirit of riding when you are relaxed, an unusual confidence and execution that we saw last night in the whoops. I'd like to see you and Tomac have some of the best races in years, when the series comes west again. Right on Deano!
@ Throttletwister-You are right. What was that? Apparently he's not supposed to get lapped. At least in his mind. When will it end? So will he be fined for his behavior? If he used some of that "Hype" we were all supposed to believe in, maybe he wouldn't be getting lapped. What a good role model he is and a fine ambassador to our sport.-NOT!!!
I thought it was Jeff Alessi who held up the leaders
Good Racing... for Reed and Villopoto...
Stewie keeps crashing!
...and ~43 second lap times! That is beyond stupid!
Great race! Lappers almost decided the race.
Was disappointed to see the 45 sec lap times back again. Hope we don't see more of them.
Textbook pass for Villopoto to regain lead! Believe Reed would have crashed out had he come back agressive coming out of that turn, those tuffblocks gobbled up many a racer tonight. Reed played it smart for second. Good to see other interviews after the race. Not a fan of interviews immediatly following a crash!! (tomac). Would liked to have seen Stewart in the leader mix at the end.
I loved the comment about before last night no one had to set the bikes up for the whoops. But after this they will go back to building them with a spoon once again. I suppose they need to do something because obviously only 2 riders could get through them with any speed. No wonder the Alessi's are not on anyones christmas list that family is all jerks. It does my heart good to see RV beat the crap out of Mikey, the once golden boy.
I suppose Reed will whine until he retires then his wife will have to deal with his wimpy ways. Stop making excuses Chadie boy and pick up your corner speed or get use to seeing green smoke you. Loved how Weimer takes out someone then cries like a baby when he got put down. I doubt Mitch will tolerate much more of that CS talk.
There was a good racing going on up front what the industry is always wanting to see but we got to watch the back markers once again until the last 2 laps as always. The way those other guys were going through the hoops it was like watching myself do it. I heard how Reed and RV were smoking those hoops but did not get to see it.
When I watch TV I always feel cheated because so much time is spent watching guys on the verge of getting lapped. I love going to the races where I watch the leaders, the real icons of the sport. Although I have never been a Stewart fan I am beginning to be concerned about his welfare. A person can only take so many crashes without becoming severely hurt in this sport.
Someone needs to put a match to the Blue flag or start enforcing the rules before an injury to a top rider happens.
@spottedmarley It would be hard for Jeff to hold up the lappers since he didn't even make that main..althought knowing the Alessi clan maybe he did play a part;)
Personally I didn't see Reed as whining??? If anything he was giving RV props......not an exact quote but he said something to the effect of " I just have to want it as much as he does"......
On another note: RV is a freak.....can't recall too many guys that can handle the pressure like he can......his confidence is swelling and he just gets better and better....if someone doesn't do something special soon it's over.....
I have not watched the race yet, what did 800 do this time?
What a great race! Those Whoops really seperated the (contenders from the pretenders). Whats up with Dungey and that KTM tho? It looked like he was riding a Jackhammer in the whoops,he was losing sooo much time there, KTM needs to get that bike dialed in for the kid. He may not ride em like Reed or Villo, but i know he's faster than that.I dont think Stewart realizes he isn't the fastest guy any more. He needs to ride smarter and take the 2nds and 3rds, the wins will come if he stays off the ground.
Great night of racing and I also did not see Reed whinning, he seemed to handled things like a good champion he is. Sad to see JS7 out of the picture so early, what's going on there? Also, bad timing for Erin to interview Eli, Alessi is once again a CROOK, and can they "please, please, please", stop pretending to drink those monster energy cans post race interview? Looks ridiculous!
Other than that great night of racing.
Is the last race at Vegas going to count for points in the 250 East and West championships like it did last year?
Last night was just plain exciting to watch! A few races ago I thought Stewart was getting his mojo back... but something is lacking. I was hoping to see a three way brawl between Stew, RV, and Reed for the rest of the season. RV just keeps riding like a machine. I am glad to see Reed still kicking it hard for an older guy !! I am loving this season! and..Happy to see KTM put a new bike into the mix..
@uneasyrider He was just being typical MA800. He ignored the blue flag as he was becoming a LAPPER! I don't get it? Who does he think he is? He needs to be penalized for his actions. Can't see why not-this sport can do without his type, period.
Reed was pissed, but not at RV. He said it was a aggressive move, not dirty, and he said he needed to be more aggressive if he is going to be in this. It's on! And RV rode a great race, props to him, It's starting to shape into a 2 man season, with two others in a spoiler position. (JS7 and RD5). Awesome lites season, all bets are off. Tomac and Wilson. Alessi, you suck for holding RV1 and CR22 up. Get a clue dude, there is a race going on and you are NOT in it!!! MOVE OVER!!
I see many parallels with the Alessi's and amature hockey / soccer league families, ie, moms and dads that raised their little princes to have little regard for anything but themselves. The universe has circled around them for all their formative years so this is what you get. The end result is the same and for the most part, no matter how good the kid is he doesn't get drafted because his parents are idiots and trouble makers. I hope his race for 9th place was worth his dignity.It also has nothing to do that he is Italian.
"bad timing for Erin to interview Eli," couldn't agree more, truly tasteless and tabloid.
"Those Whoops really seperated the (contenders from the pretenders). Whats up with Dungey and that KTM tho?"
I would say it was Dungey, not the bike as many other KTM's went through them much better than him. After all, he did finish on the box so he must be doing something right. Using your logic then Windam,Stewart,Tomac and 20 other riders better get after the manufacturers bikes and figure out what's up....
Finally a track that seperated the good from the great. Keep bringing on the whoops!
To the Lappers- are you kidding me, get out of the way!
Lappers, what can you can, what can you do. I agree the Alessi brothers are quite the douche bags.
I could not help notice that while the racing was exciting there at the end, it ended as pretty much predicted.
RV - god start, victory-------------Check
CR - consistent, 2-3 (2)------------Check
JS - crash, off the box -------------Check
RD - inherent the last podium spot---Check
No real surprises right? Could have gone another way, but this does not shock anyone.
That said, CR does continue to surprise. His whoop speed sowed hug commitment! that wheelie through that last bunch at the end must have been scary fast!
Did Alessi hold up his IQ number as he was being passed like he did at the Monster Cup when Dungey passed him?
Say what you will about CR, but the bigger the whoops, the more he shines. He is a Whoop monster!
as for Erin, holy cow she is an idiot! So consumed with trying to make a name for herself, or get on air time she just barges right up and slams a mic in a guys face and then asks the stupidest crap. Augh! I cannot stand that idiot.
Loved the long whoops, separates the men from the boys. I too did not hear Chad whine, so I guess people never really listen. I liked the hail mary last effort move Poto put on Reed though, smooth and clean. Good to see lil Hanny get 5th, I was wondering if he had it in him. As for Bubbles, his championship days are over. You can't keep throwing away points like that. The season and its final points standing is already shaping up to look like last year, with 11 to go.
@open class- I couldn't agree more! Tomac just had his bell rang and she keeps sticking that stupid mic in his face. Erin is an idiot!
Someone needed to strap Erin on a 450 lock the throttle to the stops then send her Arse through those hoops and after she crashed stick a mic in her beaver teeth.
1) Not a Big Reed fan but he was Flying
2) RV got lazy and almost cost him
3) Too Bad for Eli.......
4) Dungey looked tenative...started with passing on the Holeshot, Musquin needs a kick in the A%% No one cares about his 2 World Championships here.......KV ...Ouch and Andrew Short Hope your OK but I think KTM should have kept him to motivate the kids
I have been worried about KTM and whoop sections. That thing sucked last night in the whoops, please fix it or #5 is screwed. If you have to switch to showa or KYB so be it, fix it now!
What a great race, full of excitement. RV DID NOT get lazy, he got caught in some lappers who would not get out of the freaking way.. They need to start taking points from these clowns if they want to hold up the leaders..I wasnt sure what Reed was talking about saying "Nice guys finish second" I dont think RV1 did anything wrong, his block pass was textbook. And wasnt anything as bad as Reed coming over in front of RV1 on the face of a triple in Pheonix I think.
It sucks what happened to Eli, he is head and shoulders above Wilson, and one mistake puts him in second, it sucks..
And why does everyone say Stewies bike is his problem, not set up right. But nobody says that about Dungey, say he isnt aggressive enough?? Dungey is the guy on a brand new ride, and he is doing pretty good to me. Stewie has had his ride for now his 3rd supercross season.. I dont think the bike is the problem, its the guys are faster now, and the whoops were vicious, just ask them..
Ryan "The Machine" Villopotto
Sounds better than RV' Park
10 a.m. Sunday morning and my local CBS affiliate is showing "Cookie Jar TV" cartoons about over-emotional talking horses. better than the usual hour long infomercial about Cindy Crawford's skin treatment, but this stuff pisses me off.
This is Erin Bates email address. While this may not be the best thing to do, I am posting it here so moto fans can contact her and give her their opinion of the way she shoves a microphone in a riders face while still on the track (a la Eli Tomac). This isn't the first, or second, or thrid.....time that she has done something of the sorts. Supercross and motocross would be a lot better off with her not there.
[email protected]
i found her email address at erinbates.com
@Claxton LOL now that's funny, I don't care who you are!!!!! Beaver teeth!! As I saw it, Eli indicated clearly several times that he couldn't hear cuz he still had his HELMET on! What does she want? They should just blow her off and not give her the interview. It wouldn't get past the camera to the viewers anyway.
Tks she gets email from me now.
RV will not be denied!!! Whats up with Reed?? Sounds like he thinks RV was a little agressive??
There is no dought JS has some issues.. I wonder if maybe not riding MX for a long, long time is catching up with him.. I know he said in an interview 2 or 3 weeks ago, that he "wasn't worried" about being behind in the points.. Well, I bet he's worried now....
RV looked great and Reed looked great also....
Even though it wasn't a win, CR really is one bad dude. @BillC i kind of took that coment from Reed as meaning he also needs to close doors on whoever just like RV does. He knows RV is focused and going for it, he needs too as well or there will be more of the same for him unless RV gets some really bad starts or worse issues. I really think this championship is going to be RV and CR battle.
chad reed champion 2012
@Claxton I bet she does! LOL Wonder if she will read it and put it to good use?
From what I heard Reed was calling RV out for being aggressive, and also giving him props for being aggressive. And saying that Reed himself needs to get more aggressive. But if Chad thinks that RV was too aggressive he needs to look at some other passes he has made such as : Vegas 2009, Phoenix 2010 and Atlanta 2011. But it looks like CR might need whoops like those again to run with RV cause lets face it, that's where CR was making up time. But still good ride for Chad...
While you guys may not like Erin I'm pretty sure she doesn't produce the show and order the cameras on her. Someone else is calling the shots and telling her to go and interview these guys.....may even be telling her the kind of questions to ask....
Reed is just being Reed.....he plays the politics as good as anyone.....if he really has a problem with the pass RV put on him he should just park the bike in the garage and hit the couch. Text book pass, no contact. he was just surprised at how quickly RV reeled him back in and took the spot.
She will not likely take an advice from folks who are ot in a position to further her career.
she clearly has a fear around not being good enough. The breast job (large) is a clear indicator of that. She probably had lots of attention and believed most of what she heard.
If she was honest with herself she would recognize that she will go nowhere with this gig the way she does it now. Some self assessment and introspection work.
Gotta Love Ping for just that. Seems like he does the work to know who he is, what his values are.
If they really feel they need to have a woman on the floor, and I am not sure why we would not put someone down there that actually has raced or been in the industry, then there are a few other women that are better. Hell, Georgia seems to have far more insight into the sport and has a better interview style.
Erin!! Please pull your head out and look into some professional development. Leadership courses, EQ based course work, mentors, etc. Remember it is not about you, it is about them (the riders).
I'm surprised KW crashed.
I know--I need to proof read.
Every season,the recent mx natnls,the recent sx,so many people count Cr
out & I can`t understand why. He goes outdoors the first 5,6 motos he smoke s poto by 30+ seconds,thats incredible talent to beat poto anywhere in a race. He finished I think 5points behind the animal in sx. This year even after what he did in the ntnls & mx of nations [winning a moto ten years after his first mxon] people said Cr doesnt have a chance. What are you people judging that by ? Go by results trust me there fact. Nobody went thru the woops like he did lap after lap. Poto couldnt gap Cr. He was less than 3 seconds behind him pulling away from RD & the all time crasher in sx history. Passing the animal and taking second by 1/10 of a second to poto is fantastic. The pass Rv put on Reed had to be done,it was for the win. Cr played it smart & hoped to get by at another time. And whos better than Chad ? Poto,thats it. year after year Reed in it to win it.. rock on Reed ..the best rider will win the championship.. CR will be there in the end with that chance..... again..oh nice race from the Michigan Mafia;all the wey
People aren't counting Reed out there saying he needs to stop whining about everything that doesn't go his way. He is an incredible rider, but when he wins he act like he can't be beaten, and when he loses he complains. But like I said he is amazingly fast and should never be counted out.
Erin Bates is becoming like Doug Luellen (sp?) of SX, the guy on People's Court who would interview the losers after the hearing. She's the last person any rider probably wants to see in those moments.
I'm pretty sure Tomac told her he couldn't hear her at least two times, but she kept asking questions anyway.
BILLC ....i guess you where right about Wilson not having a chance and I was wrong about about Tomac being close to busting his a*s OH WAIT..............lol...ERIN BATES CROSSED THE LINE...i have defended her big mic before , ie just doing her job ..NOT THIS TIME....absolute violation...when a rider is obviously injured and mentally frustrated keep that F'ING thing out of their face..what an idiotic thing to do to Tomac AND Wiemer. Some half concious bleeding earplged racer needs to grab that thing and fling it into the stands and i got a hundy for the first guy to do it.... I am glad Wiemer finally gets none of the front guys are playin nice , he must be tired of riding so well and getting punked...Reeds last shot threw the whoops made me jump out of my chair..flat manley stuff. He thinks RV's is a little aggressive... SHOCKER ...lol .... the new sheriff is one bad ALPHA DOG HOMBRE'..and is not playin...damn. When he came down the inside YOU KNEW it was gonna happen........ Havoc7's crash (open cables on a bike track kinda bothers me)every race system does not bode well and is now old news.( and i like the guy). KW's "balls to the walls" whoop pass was so good , to bad it caught him later....man it just gets better and better and next week Bam Bam V Kroc......GO RV there can be only 1... Go Craig Ferguson er ah I mean Wilson...Go JB....oh yeah #5 rode around in nicely in third and is still in the hunt....even though no one was watching....and after watching him go through the GIANT whoops at Washougal FLAT OUT on the mighty championship winning Zook(thats sits in a shed somewhere) the WP shock works like Roger might be in the machine shop alot.
Reed was complimenting RV and saying he needed to learn from him if he wants the championship as bad as RV does. There was nothign dirty in what RV did - and Reed knows it - it was agressive, as it shoudl be. RV...Machine - perfect. ET makes big $ and gets to ride a motorcycle to do it. The downside is you occasionally have to put up with 'the public' getting in your business a bit. I think he can handle it. Erin is not doign anything she is not instructed to go do. And complaining about her breasts? The thing I like best about her! MA - he won't be penalized, because he didn't break any rules (rules say 'hold your line'). It is the unwritten agreement that he violated (get out of the way), so that will need to be regulated by his fellow riders... I always find myself trying to like this guy, giving him 2nd (ok 13th) chance, and he keeps pulling some kind of 'Alessi' or the other.
Wow Stewart has actually regressed in his Pro Career. I never would of guessed that RD, RV, and CR would be so much more prepared than him. Turns out racing 360 intense laps in the summer is beneficial for a MX Racer. I actually beleive you not racing the outdoors cost you more fans than any time in your pro career. Dont get me wrong I still like watchin you ride, but you are a shadow of ur former self. I drove 23 hours just to watch you in Anaheim in ur 125 dayz!
db200, I disagree with you! it's Dean that's heads and shoulders above Tomac.When he's on he's the best, he didn't win the 250 outdoor by fluke and to boot he's racing against pint sized riders. Dean will really shine on a 450.
Can some buddy explain, preferably with a diagram, what "cupped out" means when describing whoops?
Unfortunately for me and all the JS7 fans (what's left of us) RV will win, he is riding better than anyone and even though Reedy is awesome considering he's running his own team, he doesn't have the RV corner speed. RV may even be on a 3peat tear up unless the Kawa 2013 sucks.
My name is JJp and I am a Stewtard. But I am at the end of my rope. DV is wrong, James has changed everything, suspension, engine works, shroud, tyres and he is crashing as much as he was last year, and to make matters worse, shit crashes in places where he use to float through. He should have been able to blitz those whoops, in his sleep.
Sorry DV, it's the bike. At championship speed, It's a lemon. Just because Putt Putt Millsaps and Amateur Night Lamey can go through the whoops without swapping doesn't mean anything. When you're 2 secs off the pace, you are irrelevant. James can't ride like he use to, on his Yamaha.
There are 4 riders in this, and one of them can't stay upright. Now it's down to 3. (2 if they can't get RD off the line)
Please no tard comments, yes yes you were right. Just sympathy please, it's impolite to gloat when your'e proven right.
JS7 is great. On a different bike.
Dungey 4 the 2012 SX Title no doubt. I have learned a few things about this great sport. Consistent podiums will get her done. Had a buddy from Austria over to watch SX and eat salty Eastern European sausage. He is not into bikes at all and inquired as to why the orange #5 was, as he worded it, "going slower over the little dirt mounds(whoops) than Poto and #22?" I told him that his indiginous comrades back home need to lay off the 180proof plum Moonshine and Build the Dunge a better bike! In all seriousness.......isnt Dungey doing better this year in SX than this time last year? Took him till TO if I remember to snag a win in 2011. Does anyone think that his machine is slowing him down? I Guess the true testament will be when they hit the outdoors!
@ JJPH
I emphasize with you buddy but listen to me! It's his head that doesn't work at the NEW championship speed! He kicked everyone's ass two weeks ago on that very same bike! RC proved time and time again that if you run Stew's pace...9 times outa 10 he'll wad it up! He's a great rider but not such a great racer.....
Some times you gotta relax and let the race come to you.....and he just can't do it.
@ MXPete450
I truly believe RD has one of the best bikes and best teams out there! It's gonna take a lot of time riding on the edge ( not over it, James ) to win this thing and Dungey rarely does it.
Stewie......if you are like 50pts out of the lead heading into Vegas you defiinitely should get JGR to build one badass YZ250R two choke. What would Yamaha and James have to lose? OOOhhhhh would that be sweet!!!!!I honestly believe you can win on this machine if set up properly! Imagine the Bubba scrubs we used to see. I think that would be the coolest P.R. stunts and Team could pull! "Uh.......Mr. Albrecht did u remember to put oil in the gas?" Albrecht "Oh F&%K me"
@ripdown. I actually dont know much about the factory machines. But everyone from DV to the announcers are (healthily) criticizing his machine. I am super stoked for KTM taking on the big 4, I just hear alot of insider talking only about the KTM. When Dunge won this year he looked just as rippin on his KTM as he was on Yellow.
Dungey has always been a LITTLE slower in the whoops than the other big 4 but he used to make up for it in the corner or elsewhere until that crap bike/team last year.
Ultra54: Name one other KTM blasting through the whoops....None. They ARE having trouble with that thing in the whoops. Dungey is a gentlemen and a pro and you want hear him say that. Anyone who keeps up with the sport should know he's not a full second or more off in the whoops on a dialed in bike. Come on man.. :)
Ripdown: I agree Dungey has one of the best teams(maybe the best) and the bike is ahead of schedule but, on most nights, not quite equal to the other top guys yet. When he is dialed in, he will ride right up to the edge and that will win a lot of races for him-without crashes in between.
CR(not my favorite by any stretch) has ALWAYS been probably the best in the whoops. Ask RC4. That's where he made the most time on the GOAT for years. We have just been victim to the "oh my gosh! look at Bubba! I have a tingle up my leg media".
I love Tomac, but good grief people, have you ever even given Wilson a good look. Why the shock? That kid is bad! Look out when he gets on a 450.
I pull for RD5 but give credit where it is due: RV1 is riding as well as anyone has in several years. What a racer...
MXPete450: "
"When Dunge won this year he looked just as rippin on his KTM as he was on Yellow".
I agree he looked as good as last year's Suzuki ride, but not just as rippin as he did on the 2010 yellow bike/team. Dungey never rode as well last year as in 2010.
Maybe the lovely Erin Bates should carry a BULLHORN! How hard would that be?
@Misoheye Agreed. It's in his head but I think in the past he was 2 secs faster...or crashing. Now he's crashing. It's really annoying.
@Misoheye Agreed. It's in his head but I think in the past he was 2 secs faster...or crashing. Now he's crashing. It's really annoying.
"StewtardS" "RVtardS" "ReedtardS" ...when will it all end??
Damn good thing "Kyle Cunningham" isn't the FMOTP.
Great battle between the 450 contenders. Congrats to VILLOPOTO; once more the best rider of the weekend. REED said it best: that guy (Poto) wants it bad! Too bad STEWART went down again. Would have been even more interesting at the end. Whats up with DUNGEY'S bike in the WHOOPS section? Rear Shock issues? Bet ROGER is in the shop himself right now tearing it apart and figuring out a way to make it work...
Lites class might have had a great finish too, had TOMAC not gone and bit it.
Great win for WILSON, though. SEELY lookin' better too. Good job, Cole. Way-to-go MATT MOSS... first podium!
Lotta' people here don't know how a live TELEVISION show works nor the pressure put on a broadcast journalist in the heat of the action being told where to go, what to ask and when to ask it.
ERIN BATES has a producer instantly yelling in her headphones (as soon as there is a crash) to get to the rider IMMEDIATELY if he does not continue on with the race. 99% of the blog-jockeys here could not do it better than her and it's comical how many think otherwise.
All the producer is thinking is about in that moment is getting the comment from the rider and hoping he just might punch the interviewer in the face or tell whomever (ERIN BATES in this case) to F-off. PRODUCERS are looking for a SPEED/SPORTS CENTER moment for their highlight reel and nothing more.
And all the expert comments & suggestions for Miss BATES... it would be like dozens of people blogging about how badly each of you do your M-F job and suggesting you get some help to improve your performance, et cetera. Nice. Really well thought out. We're lucky we have TV coverage..., LIVE no less. Some of you find more to whine about than my 7-year old twins.
The reason we see so much time on a downed rider is because nobody in the booth, much less the entire stadium, can scream (insert riders name... JAMES STEWART again, in this case) more loudly or hi-pitched than RALPH SHAHEEN.
It's T-E-L-E-V-I-S-I-O-N and its always going to be inherently bad if you're a die hard fan of the sport. Stop complaining and get used to it, or buy a ticket and see it in person.
RE: 45 seconds is nothing. I do miss the days of the larger tracks such as the Pontiac Silverdome and a couple of others. Plus, I understand the safety thing but they build the dirt SO far out from the walls now it's ridiculous. The bikes are too powerful for those small SF/Anaheim tracks now. Move them back to outdoor stadiums like Sun Devil Stadium or the Coliseum in L.A.. My interest has moved back to MX over the last few years. To address Dungey being slow in the whoops, remember, he has a steel frame he's working with on that KTM and it's characteristics are far different than the ones other guys are running. Too bad about James getting tangled in that cable. He's lucky that didn't hurt him far worse. Expect him to take a couple of more firsts very soon. I really wish they'd go back to straw bales, at least in some sections.
How do you get your pants caught in a motorcycle, and then have to get a big 'chunk' cut off, just to get up and finish the race? Stewart cant afford any more of these type scenarios, if he expects to be the champ. A few weeks ago, he had his bars tangled in Josh Hansen's.
GreenMeansGo likes talking down to fans. You are the only true fan of the sport. does that amke you feel good?
@greengo ...heres how to interview broken battered tired racers with earphones in...throw the mic on the ground and stomp on it ,then flip the guy in the booth yelling instructions the finger on screen. Every decent fan and the entire crowd will support this decision.....@RCRDDW Dungeys bike/team was not the real problem..the new sheriff was, The KTM does not work as good as the Suzuki and it just takes eyeballs and common sense to see it...and as for calling the Suzuki "crap teams/bikes " everything breaks including A.Shorts KTM 350( A Shorts elbows 450) and i recall more than once...And for all the aluminum vs steel guys ,remember the 97 Honda aluminum frame ,bitchen right....NOT....its not the material (they both have there good and bad points ) its the construction and it can just as easily be the motor causing the problem as the frame or suspension. What a dummy I was thinking Wilson was still in it......OH WAIT......
"Ultra54: Name one other KTM blasting through the whoops....None. They ARE having trouble with that thing in the whoops. Dungey is a gentlemen and a pro and you want hear him say that. Anyone who keeps up with the sport should know he's not a full second or more off in the whoops on a dialed in bike. Come on man.. :)"
RCRDDW: I say your reasoning is flawed as most on here in that there was but one KTM 450 in the whole final and Ryan Dungey was on it. That being said, he has always been known to be slower through the whoops. Using your logic , would you not come to a similar conclusion regarding Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki also sucked in the whoops that night? Not likely, instead look at other factors such as luck and skill. And this nonsense about steel vs. aluminum frames, my god people, wtf, are you all internet geeks with degees in metallurgy, professing some half baked theories of stell this and aluminum that. For god sakes, can't we just look towards a rider and leave it at that..instead of these ridiculous theories.
Reality check...
Expeditionary Citizen, You must be someone who thinks badly of the commentators bringing us the Races on SPEED, CBS, etc.
I was around decades ago when there was no Motorcycle Race coverage on TV. Good or bad I'm just glad we have the Races on sometimes even Live. Never mind the on-camera commentators looks or delivery. Does it really matter?
In my life-time I've paid gate fees at well over 500 racing events, tracks, amateur & professional races alike, helped support the racing efforts of several different Amateurs and Privateers.
I've bought thousands of dollars worth of gear, parts, accessories, bikes, fuel, trailers, etc. supported a few Moto Racing schools, spoken with legislators in person in several states in support of ORV bills and other issues relating to the freedom to ride where and when we want to ride... and I know many, many others here have done the same -and a helluva lot more than me in support of Motorcycling and Racing in general.
What's your contribution to the sport, Expeditionary Citizen? How do you not appreciate what we have on television -and instead wrongly interpret my comments as talking down to the fans?
The Fans are a huge part of why MX/SX keeps growing. Does your sarcastic comment make you feel good? Show a little appreciation. Those of us that have cable or satellite connections..., we're all lucky. These are good times.
Funny stuff tonewall..., love it!
GreenMeansGo
Apparently using CAPS gets your point across, eh?
Erin Bates is easily replaceable, and to think that she has zero input when her producers are yelling in her ear to get an interview, is simply ridiculous. If she was a professional at her job she would tell her producers to wait until the riders are off the track, and in a position to be able to hear her clearly. Also, while her producers are yelling in her ear, she has the ability to word her questions in a way that is short and to the point. Go back and listen to what she was asking Tomac on the side of the track. Want to know ho to do that better? "Eli, what happened out there?" Hey, I just asked the same question, in five words. Done.
Stuff What Is True:
1) RV had to deal with lappers, true. But so did Chad. Chad made up a LOT of time. Pretty sure he was going faster. Why does this upset people? It was a race.
2) Chad lost a lap to work on RV because Mike Alessi is a.... well, nothing new there. Will there ever be a penalty for ignoring a blue flag? Dock him a race. (DV12 said Alessi thought he was racing for a podium. While running 9th and getting lapped he thought this? Where to begin...)
3) Erin Bates has blackmail material on or is related to someone important. What else could it be? I actually kinda feel sorry for her between the times she makes me cringe, but why is any of this my problem? Please, somebody; stop this tragedy. How could people who care about her let her do this? It's not funny anymore.
4) Pirelli will regret signing JS because it's all downside with little possible upside: If he wins, it's going to be JS working with his groovy new team. If the season (continues to) smell like failure, it is going to be Pirelli as that is the aspect most specific to JS. Mr. Pirelli, I say this as a friend, " Get out. Get out NOW."
5) Lets hope Bobbie Brown is hit by a train.
@greenmeansgo ..i enjoy your comments as well....my point is having just SEEN (yes i'm raising my voice when i cap out) Tomac SLAM to the ground ,I really don't need a bent over whincing hurt and totally bummed guy with a helmet and earplugs 1st figure out how to control himself from telling her to F OFF and 2nd have to come up with a politically correct description of "Well ERIN thanks for caring... I seriously cracked my balls knocked the SH*T out of myself and might have dislocated my FU*&ING; ELBOW....back to you ERIN....
I guess it's true when you read things you can't always get the intent. Like calling their posts "expert comments & suggestions" and then berated the comments--I took that as sarcasm. And the finding things to whine about and 7 year old remark.... never mind.
I wonder what J-Law would have said to Erin Bates?
Thanks, tonewall. Again, very funny. Back at ya. I can't imagine keeping it anywhere near politically correct after that moment of impact.
...
Funny stuff MXPete450.
We would have probably heard a lot of audio BEEPs and less of what J-Law was actually saying in the coverage, no doubt. Hope the guy is alive and okay. Talent wasted...
...
Whether anyone is buying it or not, whether it's good or bad, Erin Bates is trying to inject some personality into her job..., and keep the viewing audience entertained and interested. It's what she's being paid to do. And it's a LIVE one-shot deal. No take #2, #3, #4, etc. Sometimes it's brilliant stuff and sometimes it's a bust (no pun intended).
...
Not sure where I berated anyone, Expeditionary Citizen. Earlier when I posted M-F jobs, I wasn't bagging on people who work in the real world I was abbreviating... (as in Monday thru Friday Jobs)...
Bu I was interested in what compelled you to think I'm talking down to fans? I'm talking down to the Haters, sure. Absolutely. Guess you don't understand / have never considered sticking up for anyone who's getting beat up or spit on, have you?
Don't kill the messenger is all I'm saying. Give the Girl a break. She's a good person and loves the sport. After all, she's somebody's sister, somebody's daughter and if she was your's you'd appreciate it if everyone just backed it down a notch. I'm sure she's trying to improve.
No tonewall, What I said was with only 3 races left the only shot Wilson has is for something big to happen to Tomac so don't go telling lies on here about what I said.
Billc youc ...can dish it but can't take it and then you call me a liar....your had 3 posts in a row pretty much saying Wilson had no chance. I responded saying he had EVERY chance because it was to early and Tomac had come SOOOO close to busting his a*s that he just might ( and he did and it bothers you )....which part of that do you consider a lie.... I have never called anyone a liar on here even though sometimes they deserve it and i don't appreciate being called one ...you want to go a round with me ,i welcome it as you seem to be the comment police and maybe need to come down a notch ...bring it.
Ultra54: "Ridiculous theories". Are you serious??? Bike and bike set up DOES make a difference. If you think the other top guys are THAT much better than RD5 in the whoops then you are either a new fan or you are being intellectually dishonest. The top few guys have PROVEN that they are all very close when all things are equal. I love sx/mc because it's more about the rider than NASCAR and other motorsports BUT again, bike and bike set up make a big difference. You said, "I would say it was Dungey, not the bike..." I simply responded to that (obviously wrong, imo) notion-or theory as you would call it.
" have never considered sticking up for anyone who's getting beat up or spit on, have you?"
I'm a combat veteran. I've defended peoples lives. I've been in briefing that would make a lot of people crap their pants. I'm one of those people whos says Send me.
I just don't feel the need to qualify on here.
We need guys who defend the poor, suffering and helpless of the world, so- well done with that. We happen to have Seven decorated War Veterans in my Family since WW1. I'll qualify on their behalf; proud of every one of them. But for you, a guy who's done all that you say you've done, how do you have the balls to say that I ''talk down to fans" and (sarcastically) I'm "the only true fan"? You still have not explained that statement. I support someone (E. Bates) who's getting 'beat-up' by the haters on-line for doing her job, and you have a problem with that? And then you come back with saying you don't want to qualify yourself, yet you do that very thing? Your achievements may be admirable and I would salute you for that work, but you can't defend over there and not defend someone over here. Would you find it amusing if someone criticized your combat efforts? Maybe Miss Bates is someone I happen to know and think is a good person? Doesn't matter. If you don't understand that basic liberty she has, then there is a lot you may not understand. My Uncle Rich was one of our Family's War Veterans. He was actually beat up... spat on... called a baby killer... refused employment... all after defending this country within inches of his own life. He's one of my heros. He taught me and so many others about honor and dignity and selflessness. And what did he get for it? Zero reception when he came home. He was forgotten and considered some kind of monster. He's had a hell of a time for 40 years trying to get back to who he was a long time ago and he's still trying. He taught me that defending someone's Freedom & Liberty is an honor and a duty and that you cannot do it selectively. There's no honor in picking and choosing when it suits you best... doing it only when the majority deems it so. I'm sure you're very proud of your achievements but I could not care less about your 'crap producing briefings' when I think about every time I have visited my Uncle and what he is still going through. It's painful to watch the after effects war has had on his mind and body. So when I hear (read) somebody like you talking out of both sides of your @ss, it portrays you as nothing but a compliant hypocrite. You're a combat vet but think so little of defending a girl doing a job in a man's world that you would comment negatively about someone defending her? How can you not see the contradiction you have laid out about yourself? Thanks for your thoughts.
tonewall HAHAHAHA You said I said Wilson had no shot, That is a LIE, I said UNLESS something happens to Tomac... What part of that don't you get?? and now you want to get in a fight with me!!! GROW UP!!
You talk down to people. The things you say do not need to be said the way you say them. You are no better than the people you complain about. You use caps. You attack people who don't agree with you. You don't believe people have the right to express their views. You attacked me.
Actually I admirably acknowledged your service to the country. Throwing some support to someone in the media is what you consider attacking...? Bagging on someone's work is just hateful speak, but you clearly don't see it that way. You enjoy spinning statements to infer and suit your point of view. Caps? Sorry, CAPS? That's kind of fussy... Pity you still don't recognize your own hypocrisy.
I never said I support people bagging on her work. But I do agree that they shouldn't be trying to get interviews with racers who just rang their bell and still have their helmets on. I remember reading Paul Buckley say he didn't take pictures of crashes because he considers a lot of racers his friends and it is a dangerous sport. That's class. Do we want growth at any cost... people coming to the sport to see crashes?
Of course reporters should not be interviewing an athlete right after a crash, an injury, et cetera. I'm in 100 % agreement. It's shameless sensationalism. But I still can't believe you or anyone else here is naive enough to think that was her decision. She has no choice in the matter. She does what they tell her to do. Defend her right to do her job is all I'm saying. Help her by taking your case to a higher court.
The promoters, producers and sponsors of the show -they are the ones to intelligently direct the message: "Stop making/don't allow your moto-journalist to stick microphones in downed riders faces!" It's nothing more than Paparazzi-like behavior that only promotes a Nascar-like fan following for the sake of seeing a wreck they can all refer to as 'the big one'. Those kinds of onlookers are not fans.
Complaining 'here' about Miss Bates or anyone else that does the interviewing won't change a thing. It's like yelling at a dog's tail to stop it from wagging. Your complaint is wrongly directed. You could lose Bates and end up with another reporter that does things much worse and you still will not have solved the problem. Gotta go to the top with your legitimate complaint. Hope that makes sense to you.
Okay, I agree with all that you just said 100% and I'll retract my comment about you. I myself never did complain about Miss Bates. But I will say I do not know if she has any say on matters or if she is in a position where she doesn't like what she does for a living but has to go with it. .
Thank you... 'lotta respect to you for saying that. Despite some differences, I had a feeling we were closer to being in 'overall' agreement than it seemed several days ago. Have it on close authority that: 'she has some, but so do they'... 'she does very much'... ''she goes with it because this is a rung on her ladder'. Attitude affects altitude.
Makes sense. Peace and enjoy! ;)