by Davey Coombs
Racerhead #19
Friday, May 11, 2012 | 6:00 PMHonda is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, and the undisputed leader in motorcycle technology. More motocross riders have won titles on Hondas than on any other bike. When you’re serious about winning, Honda is the machine for you.
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PrintWelcome to Racerhead, coming to you from seemingly every corner of this great land of ours. Our own Davey Coombs has left our plush, well-lit offices in Morgantown, West Virginia, to help out at the Racer X Pro Ride Day at Elsinore in California, so I, Jason Weigandt, took the helm today (for once, I don’t have a race to go to this weekend.) But there’s much to discuss this week as we put Monster Energy Supercross in the rearview for 2012 and prep for Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, sanctioning by AMA Pro Racing, next weekend.
For sure, we need to give a big shoutout to the folks at Feld Motorsports who worked so hard to deliver 16 superb shows in 18 weekends (along with the folks at Daytona, who did a great job with their event). This year’s SX season will, unfortunately, be marked by injuries as it slips into the history books and bench-racing lore. But behind the scenes, the crew puts in the same incredibly hard work no matter who is racing and no matter how close the points standings shape up. I know some folks on the staff who seem to postpone sleep until May. Well, you guys earned it! Take a nap!
But now it’s time to think outside the stadiums and get back outdoors. Earlier today, before we lost him to probably 1000 different duties at Elsinore, DC checked it with this update.The Inaugural Racer X Advertiser Ride Day and Lake Elsinore Pro Ride Day are under way in Sunny SoCal, and a host of industry personnel and top riders are in attendance. Everyone was greeted with a perfectly groomed track, which our advertisers enjoyed through noon PST. Then at 1 pm, Ryan Dungey, Wil Hahn, Ken Roczen, Josh Grant, the Pro Circuit team, the Rock River squad, and many more took to the track to shake it down before the 2012 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship kicks off.
Not only is this event a great way for these riders to check out the track, but it's also an excellent opportunity for MX Sports to receive top-level feedback while there's still plenty of time to make changes before the facility's September 8 event, the first pro national the revitalized Lake Elsinore track has hosted.
Keep an eye on our Instagram feed (@racerxonline) for pics of this exciting day.
Lake Elsinore was in prime condition for the Racer X Pro Ride Day.
Pro Taper photo
By the way, as soon as we let the pros roll out, it looked like a 250 preview out there. Justin Barcia, on the #20, was out front followed by Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and Ivan Tedesco on his new PC 250F. They were all dicing and feeling each other out. There will be some great racing in that class next weekend at Hangtown!
Here’s Steve “Viva Las Vegas” Matthes:
And that’s a wrap on the supercross season, which, for the good of all of us, finally ended on a peaceful note. Las Vegas came and went without any major injuries and we saw Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey take the last checkered flag of the indoor season. What a year it was for the racers of the sport, and let’s all hope that 2013 doesn’t turn into the same game of attrition.
This weekend is off but we’re starting the Nationals next weekend in Sacramento. Neither class has a clear-cut favorite, and it’s an exciting time to be a fan of the sport. The GEICO Honda guys desperately want to show Pro Circuit that their supercross season wasn’t a fluke in the 250 class, and Ken Roczen is looking to show everyone that the MX2 World Championship #1 plate he got last year was no fluke. Ivan Tedesco riding for Mitch Payton in the 250 class? What is this, 2005?
Suzuki made a big splash Monday with the signing of James Stewart.
The 450s got a lot more interesting with the James Stewart-to-Suzuki announcement this past week. I see Stewart and Dungey to be the top guys at Hangtown, but if you were to ask me who was going to be third, I’d give you about five or six names. It’s wide open. I will say this: Watch out for the #800 of Mike Alessi. He was flying there last year before crashing out. He’s always been pretty good at Hangtown. Just sayin’.
Today is a shakedown for the pro racers at the Lake Elsinore facility and it’s going to be cool to see the videos and interviews that come out of it. The national there is a long way off and there’s work to do on the track, but this will give the designers some real-world feedback from the fastest guys in the world.
Is Austin Stroupe still with Star/Valli team and lining up at Hangtown? As with all things Stroupe, no one really knows. Guess we’ll see.
Thanks for listening to the Pulpmx Show. We’ve been getting great numbers and this past Monday we had Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Morais, Brian Swink, Ken Roczen, some guy named Davey Coombs, and then out of the blue, James Stewart texted me during the show asking if we had time for him. Which, of course, we did.
Roger DeCoster has to feel good about his chances outdoors with these two cats in the 250 class.
DC photo
Hard to listen to a James Stewart interview (and I’ve done a bunch of them) and not come away impressed with James. He had simple, rational explanations for leaving JGR and going to Suzuki, and not really any hard feelings on his end. He knows he’s under the gun here, and like he said in the interview, “Maybe it’s not the bike, maybe I’ll come out to Hangtown and just find out I’m old and slow.” Here’s the thing I’ve come to learn about Stewie: When he’s not winning, more so than any other rider I’ve been around, he’s not happy. Winning is truly what makes him happy. And sure, all racers’ moods are generally affected by their results, but Stewart’s is off the charts. He’s so competitive and has just always known winning that when things are going sideways, it’s no interviews or funny videos for him.
Check out Pulpmx.com for more stuff like a classic look back at a 1986 CR500, a column about Dungey and Stewart, a look at the guys who came Just Short of the mains in Vegas, a Podcast by David Vuillemin talking about Vegas and much, much more. Thanks to DC, Bryan, and Chase for letting me get the word out about this little site of mine.
Thanks, Matthes. Here’s Weege:
Most of the riders are back out West prepping for the Nationals, but there are a few stragglers here on the East doing some testing. Davi Millsaps was out at the JGR facility earlier this week before heading out to California to ride at Elsinore today, but his new teammate Kyle Regal is staying here to get more time with his new crew. Regal will actually stay in North Carolina throughout the summer, which kind of revives the original JGRMX format of keeping the riders and team together throughout the week (Stewart and Millsaps spent most of the time at their own private tracks this year). Also, the BTOSports.com/BBMX Suzuki boys (Byrner, Top Jimmy Albertson and JT$) were in the Carolinas as well, since they use JGR stuff on their bikes. Of course, everyone lost some time this week after a hefty dose of spring rain. I bet that wasn’t a problem in California!
Tommy Hahn and his new factory Honda were out at the Racer X Pro Ride Day.
Simon Cudby photo
I know, I know, someone is going to think that JGR signing Regal could be construed as a swipe at Stewart, since Regal doesn’t seem to like James after they were teammates last year. And they had a little run-in at the Houston SX this year. But in reality, Regal is just the fastest available outdoor option out there, and that’s the only reason JGR signed him.
Plus, I haven’t been able to find a single person involved who says a bad thing about the Stewart/JGR breakup. Everyone seems to paint this as a win-win, and as much as I say that the only real win-win would be the team and rider combination actually having won, I appear to be the only one who sees it this way. For James, it’s a great deal, no doubt, because he simply wasn’t happy. We’ve all been in a job or relationship or situation that wasn’t working, and getting out is always good. But from the other side, I thought maybe we’d hear some gruff. Heck, I asked Yamaha’s Jimmy Perry about this a few weeks ago, and even he wasn’t mad about the move. Granted, James has done a great job of never publicly, blatantly slamming his YZ450F, even though we all know the bike just didn’t work for him (James said so much on the Pulp show, saying the bike didn’t work for him, but clearly wasn’t bad, overall, because it worked for others, such as Millsaps). But manufacturers and sponsors are very sensitive, and often anything taken as a slight at all doesn’t go over well. That’s part of the reason we see so many boring podium interviews. Riders are pretty well penned in by what they are allowed to say.
Marvin Musquin has been nursing an injured hand, but should be ready to go for Hangtown.
DC photo
I’m impressed everyone has chosen to just take the high road. They know that’s just a better way to deal with the breakup, rather than keep hashing it out and dragging bad press around. The reporter in me wants to get a juicier story, but I have the feeling it’s not there. So I guess I’ll just also stop dragging this thing on! No matter how you slice it, having a happy and healthy Stewart fired up for the start of the Nationals definitely raised the excitement for the series by what seems like 1,000 percent. I already couldn’t wait for Hangtown, now I can’t wait even less, if that makes any sense.
By the way, I feel like it's strange that the SX finale came and went, and the SX Champion wasn't racing (due to injury) and the defending MX champ (same guy) won't be racing next weekend (due to injury). Doesn't happen like this very often, and thus Ryan Villopoto is quickly falling out of the news cycle. So, just so we remember how good he is and was, and since we won't see him back to prove it for awhile, I just want to say, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Villopoto. I just feel like the guy deserves a mention every one in awhile!
Next weekend I get to go back into the TV booth alongside Emig and new pit reporter Georgia Lindsay. You’ve seen Georgia hosting Racer X Films from the pits at supercross this year, so you know she’ll do a great job. But of course I’ll miss Erin Bates, who sets the standard. With Georgia moving in, Erin has taken on some new gigs this summer with the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series for trucks and is doing a great job there. Have fun, Erin!
That’s it from me. Our own staff NorCal guy, Aaron Hansel, checks in with this update:
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is just eight days away. Are you ready? By the looks of this video taken at Pala Raceway on Wednesday, Ken Roczen and Dean Wilson sure are! That’s a 160-foot gap they’re clearing on their 250s.
After such a rough season of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, I know a lot of riders and team personnel are looking forward to a change of scenery. You know guys like Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia, and Davi Millsaps are looking to carry their momentum from supercross into the outdoors, while racers like Wilson, Roczen, James Stewart, Brett Metcalfe, Jake Weimer, Ryan Dungey, Kyle Cunningham, Ryan Sipes, and many more are all champing at the bit to wash the sour taste of an indoor season that didn’t live up to their expectations out their mouths with some sweet victory champagne this summer.
Marc Peters and the Lake Elsinore gang have been up to all good on the tracks out here.
DC photo
We’ll also see a couple of new old faces next weekend when Ryan Hughes and Ivan Tedesco line up to do battle. Hughes has a one-shot deal going with Rock River Powersports/Moto Star to ride a 450 at Hangtown, while Tedesco will likely be aboard a Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki 250F. I contacted him yesterday, but not everything with his deal is finalized and he can’t divulge the details just yet. Hopefully we’ll have more info next week.
There are just so many cool things to watch outdoors this year that I don’t have room here to talk about all of them. I will say that I’m especially excited about watching Roczen and Nico Izzi out there. Izzi, you ask? Yep. I watched him get better and better on that 450 in supercross this season, and from conversations I’ve had with Star/Valli Yamaha co-owner Chad Lanza, he has calmed down a lot, matured, and has been working his ass off. Sure, you might expect a team owner to say positive things about his rider, but Izzi’s flashes of speed in supercross prove that he’s made some positive changes in his program. If he can get a handle on some of the wildness he’s been having on the bike lately, he’ll be able to find another gear this summer.
As for Roczen, that’s just a no-brainer. He’s blazing fast, he’s the MX2 World Champ, and his whips are flatter than stale beer. There’s nothing to not be excited about with Roczen, and I can’t wait to see how he’ll stack up against the existing competitors of American motocross.
Lake Elsinore moto-friendly civic art....
DC photo
It all starts next week at the FMF Hangtown Motocross Classic, where the track gets rougher and nastier than Mel Gibson’s divorce proceedings. Hangtown has forged unforgettable moto memories like Jeff Emig getting his last moto win as a professional, the famous finish-line Grant Langston vs. Mike Alessi controversy, Eli Tomac winning the first pro race he ever entered (and later enlisting the help of teammate Trey Canard to help him open his champagne on the podium), Tallon Vohland holding off Ricky Carmichael on a 125 for what seemed like a million laps to take the moto win, me breaking my first bone, and many more. What kind of memories will be made this year?
Now our go-to girl on all things GEICO Honda, Haley Wisennand, has this update:
With GEICO Honda coming off of a huge supercross season, the dynamic duo of Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac is topping the prediction charts. Tomac felt like his championship was long overdue, ever since the unforgettable championship battle between him and Broc Tickle the year before. He knew coming into the season that he had the tools to win—he just needed to put it all together.
This year, Tomac thinks the outdoors will be the same way. With all the confidence he has coming off of his supercross championship run, he couldn't be more ready for Hangtown to come.
"We're racing the same guys in outdoors as supercross," he says, "so every time you beat them, it's a boost."
Look for a healthy Wil Hahn to be a contender outdoors.
Simon Cudby photo
In the midst of Tomac and Barcia's supercross glory, though, their teammates were nearly forgotten. I talked to Wil Hahn and Justin Bogle Thursday. I wanted to know how it felt to be on the team that dominated the Lites SX class this year without actually being the stars of the show. Hahn said the team is really close-knit and has only grown closer over the past few months. Bogle agreed but admitted that watching his teammates win wasn’t easy all the time.
“It’s cool to be a part of the team that accomplished that and I’m pumped for Bam Bam [Justin Barcia] and Eli [Tomac], but at the same time, you always wanna be the one who is winning and doing good,” he said. “It’s motivation, too.”
The spotlight is nice for those in it, but some riders are left wanting more. Hahn battled an injury throughout the supercross season to get his shining moment on the podium. But finally, in Vegas, Hahn’s season goal came true. And I would be lying if I said that the media wasn’t all happy for him when he got to step up onto that podium. He felt the support coming from the moto community and that only made his accomplishment that much more satisfying. Said Hahn, “People get what I’ve been through and the hard work that it took to get through it.”
Both Hahn and Bogle are looking to make a stand in the outdoors. Preparations are going strong for the team, which claims that its bikes are significantly more prepared for the intensity of the outdoors this year. With so many injuries and team changes affecting the classes, it’s still anyone’s championship. Expect to see the forgotten guys on the box this summer. With a championship battle come casualties, which only open up more opportunities for the underdog to shine
By the way, over in the Pro Circuit camp, I spoke to Darryn Durham this week and he said, “I’m okay. My shoulder sucks, but it will heal up. Just gotta work it back. I’m not sure how long I will be out for. I’ll miss some outdoors for sure.”
One of these guys is lucky enough to be The Simon Cudby.... the other two are named Ken and Travis.
DC photo
Now onto some random notes:
We received this personal update from Jeremy McGrath earlier this week regarding his wife Kim's current condition. Please take the time to sign up. You could save a life.
Hi Friends:
I am sending this message to let everybody know what is going on with my wife Kim and my family. As you may or may not know, about two years ago Kim was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She had a number of different surgeries, underwent chemotherapy for many months, and handled the processes like a true champion. Kim was feeling great.
Kim was 15 months removed from her last treatment, about a month ago she noticed a couple of small blotches on her skin. Due to her great instincts she went and got them biopsied. That biopsy came back as "Leukemia Cutis," which is Leukemia of the skin. Naturally we were blown to pieces by this news.
As I said, Kim was feeling great and due to her good instincts we caught this in the Pre Leukemic stage. The bad part is the doctors have to treat "Leukemia Cutis" the same way as if you came in the hospital at the later stages of leukemia. Which sucks….
This means more chemo. She is currently in the hospital and has completed her second days of chemo and they are saying a BONE MARROW transplant is next…. THIS IS WHERE ALL OF YOU GUYS COME IN… We really need your help with going and getting on the Bone Marrow registry, the idea is to find a Marrow match.
Its as easy as finding a Bone Marrow Drive and getting your mouth swabbed, or having the kit sent directly to you at your house, and you can send it back. I ask all of you to do this ASAP, this is something that is time sensitive. In order to help Kim, we have to be willing to help anybody, which is the right thing to do.
Go to http://marrow.org/Join/Join_Now/Join_Now.aspx?promo_code=mcgrath
This is the biggest challenge of my and my family's life…. You guys have never let me down, so PLEASE help us with this one… Thank you…
Sincerely,
Jeremy McGrath
Check out Joe Ellington's custom license plate...
DC photo
We also got this news from The GOAT this week:
Ricky Carmichael's Motocross Matchup is now available for Android users. The latest update has also been released for Apple users and PC users. Now all three platforms can race against each other in head to head live racing. Click here for the the Droid and here for iTunes. And look out for the VIP tag with "The Real Ricky Carmichael" if you see that you are racing the real RC!" Click to download on iTunes and Droid.
There is a bold new entry on the Motocross Fantasy 2012 scene. FantasyRacingClub.com is the creation of former professional MX/SX rider and factory Kawasaki mechanic Bryan Emig. Fantasy Racing Club offers simplified rules and scoring, making league play easy to understand yet exciting enough to keep the most die-hard fans interested.
“After years of racing professionally and working on bikes, FantasyRacingClub.com was a natural progression for me,” said founder Brian Emig. “It’s a great way to keep the thrill in the sport.” And for Emig, MX/SX is a family affair, as you all know his brother Jeff.On FantasyRacingClub.com, league players pick four riders in each of the two classes and earn points off of those riders. Riders outside of the top ten earn double points. There are a variety of picks available each week and results are posted the day after the races. Fantasy Racing Club also offers a full race day guide, complete with injury reports, practice times and TV schedules. Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 players in the overall series with additional prizes for the top three in points after round six.
Here's a sneak peek of the 2013 SCOTT goggles.
Simon Cudby photo
MX/SX fans should race to www.fantasyracingclub.com to sign up today. The deadline for league entry is May 19, with the first race starting at 1pm PST. Players must enroll by May 19th to be eligible for prizes.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, see you at the races.
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in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Tyler Bowers has become a star on the Amsoil Arenacross circuit, but the often-controversial racer just hit another peak—a surprise win at the 2013 Las Vegas Supercross. Page 148.
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I'm not gonna lie, I cheered out loud when I read that Georgia Lindsay is taking over for Erin Bates. Finally! A real pit reporter who knows her stuff and can improvise! And man is she hot too :)
Bye Erin! Hellooooooo Georgia
+1 couldnt agree more, while I love Erin, Im sick of her outfits and shes getting a little haggard, got giant cans and does everything in her power to hide em! if ya got it flaunt it honey . I want Miss sx to host the show...
YES! This season isn't going to be as exciting because of injuries but Erin Bates gone? I think that's the best news we'll get up until now and Outdoors, not so much because she did a 'horrible' job, but because of who is replacing her, I think that is a win-win for viewers. Thank you Erin, for leaving :)
Is Georgia Lindsay the one married to Top Jimmy?
Weege said,
"Doesn't happen like this very often, and thus Ryan Villopoto is quickly falling out of the news cycle. So, just so we remember how good he is and was, and since we won't see him back to prove it for awhile, I just want to say, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Villopoto. I just feel like the guy deserves a mention every one in awhile!"
Reed was injured and it came and went. Dungey was injured and it came and went. Numeorpous other riders were injured and it barely came before it went. Ryan Villopoto is injured and it's mentioned in every other article on racerx. Quickly falling out? Are you serious?
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE racerx, best mag and website out there for motocross. But I think....ahhh, never mind, BillC will be along soon to say something...
A few weeks ago someone said that J_Sloan is Dungeys mother, I think they might of been on to something there...
With Erin leaving perhaps we will never a question with "how important is this to you?" again. I sure hope so.
Thank the moto gods....Finally, Erin Bates has been replaced. I can only hope she is replaced in SX next year. Finally, MX takes a step in the right direction.
We were all taught that If you cant say something nice about someone, well you know the rest.
......................................................................Erin Bates.
JimM
Pala374
But but but but, she had big boobies
Wow you guys are brutal! Call me crazy but I liked her. If you seen or met her in person you would like her.
Since everyone is talking about Erin, whatever happened to her and Andy Bell? I thought they were actually married at one point.
J Sloan: Ryan Dungey Ryan Dungey Ryan Dungey. Are you happy now?
I think the only issue is that it seems like RV gets too much press because you can't stand him. Something about winning the last 3 championships they ran maybe? If you couldn't stand Dungey or Reed, you'd be bringing it up when they were mentioned. But that's something you need to work out for yourself.
If Georgia would change her last name to Albertson, it might stop me from getting so excited.
Georgia Lindsay is HOT!
Georgia Albertson? Not so much....
This story is hilarious...everything is written and skewed as to not upset or ruffle the feathers of James Stewart. I swear these guys think he walks on water. I understand there's no "juicy" story here with the JGR breakup, or at least that's what we're being fed and what everyone is saying on the surface. But there are a million other things one could ask James about the....uh....decisions.....yeah, let's go with that, decisions he's made over the course of his career that have never been answered, heck they've never been asked. I mean come on….hello captain obvious…..So James, what was the deal with the Yamaha? Oh, it just didn’t work for me. Ok, great awesome. James, what do you have to say about JGR? Those guys are all great. REALLY….This is what we get???
Yet we get articles written recently about how everyone “speculates” about James Stewart, and everyone makes stuff up about him no matter what he says or does.....that's right, the people, fans, haters, everyone just makes stuff up, speculates, and draws their own conclusions no matter what James says….or more importantly, what he doesn't say. Well gee, what better time to ask James about ALL these things we're told people speculate about him and make stuff up…..what better time to set the record straight once and for all, where it’s coming right out of the horses mouth, than when James is randomly calling into shows or doing interviews? I think the answer to all these questions is readily available in today’s Ask Ping on how the motocross media covers riders….specifically high profile riders like James.
Finally, we will not be subjected to Erins awkward interviews,and same old lameass questions...Thankyou God! I bet even the riders are rejoicing, that she will not hunt them down after a crash anymore and say " What Happened" or my favorite" Whats Wrong With Your shoulder,arm,knee" or whatever else was injured in a riders fall.Like the mans a doctor and has a built in MRI machine.Now if we could just get rid of Jeff (that's what it takes to be a champion Emig) things would be truly good! Bring back Baily or Ping,oh well cant have everything...at least we will have Georgia!
I am glad to see there will be a new face instead of Bates. I am sure she is nice, but that doesnt make her questions any less annoying. Man are they stupid! It's like she doesnt know crap, so the guys in the broadcast booth look at each other, laugh, and say "dude, listen to what I have her ask next!, " "Man we are making her look so stupid"
With that said... Bring on the Nats!!!!!!!
erin bates is a man.
Erin is nice & all (met her at a national once) but man am I glad she is gone!! No more "How does that make you feel" questions ....
Georgia : Please ask technical questions about important things that happened in the race not touchy feely questions to try & get them to cry - and please don't waste precious limited interview time with a long drawn out pointless question (so you can have more TV face time), then waste some more at the end with " Chad Reed (or whoever) racing hard to a 2nd place on a very slippery track"
I mourned the loss of Gerogia at the GP's.
Now i can rejoice that sweet angel at the AMA's.
One door closes and the other door opens!
I am sure Erins a nice girl and all, but I feel sorry for the truck racers this summer. I can just see it now...Driver why did you change your tires,and how does it make you feel that they only changed your left side tires? Are you disappointed?
Urban Legend Alert: the beginning of the video says 130'
C'mon man, Really? Ivan Tedesco back in the lites class?
I'm sure it won't take long for people to start complaining about Georgia Lindsay. I thought Erin did fine.
@muhamed ... Why do you think JS owes anyone , an explanation , about his decisions in life .. Your post is stupid !
Please weege, do you not understand how sensitive Sloan is ?? you know the guy that thinks RD really deserves the last 3 titles ??
I'm so sorry sloan that other people in the industry want to mention the guy that won every series and mxon and mec that he entered lately and not RD and CR. How stupid !!!!
The biggest thing I had against Bates is the inconsiderate shoving the mike in riders faces and STUPID questions after a wreck or a tough break, or when they were trying to focus on the race at the gate. She worked hard but lacked class, or grace toward the racers. I wish you luck maam !
listen if you are going to b on camera on TV in a sport where everyone is a fan who knows all about motocross,you need to b good...Erin im sure is a great girl but she was very bad at reporting mono tone marble mouth mess. no flow and no adlib skills. Georga is relaxed and seems like she is just hangin w whom ever she is speaking to. get MS supi cross on the line also she can speak well and she is way hot. really all she would have to do is stand there and nod her head that sit's on top of those fantastic fake boob's. good luck Erin....
All (Except JS7 fans): We all KNOW JS is a spoiled, selfish little man and ALL MS/SX media is "tingly" about him. About 3 years ago, I decided to not read anything concerning him and it changed my whole attitude! Give it a try.....
JSloan: Hang in there. The Dunge is close to the 2010 comfort level with his bike/team now so everyone is gonna have to hear Dungey, Dungey Dungey from now on!!!!!
Erin: Here's wishing you many years of success with your new venture.... ;) Now we've all got Georgia in our mind....
@rcrddw... how about spending another three years not reading about him , and then you wont type Stupid Things , But we all know you are a Spoiled Selfish Little Man , and all Mx / sx Media already knows this , so type away ! with your new attitude .. Stupid post there dude ....
Not sure who my favorite stalker is, BK-R or davidl. davidl seems more angry, but BK-R has that, "silent mysterious" thing going for them.
...both seem to reply to a lot of my posts. Back to the topic: Everyone knows by now that RV was injured and is out. No need to mention it in every other article. It sucks that he's out, and I know that his fans gave him the title before the season even began, but if we follow RV fan logic through, RV crashed trying to run RV's mythical pace...or is that Shorty's pace?
No offense but when has a female sports reporter asked relevant questions? Whether they're in the pits or on the sidelines they are there to look good, get the attention of the athletes, and that's about it. I'm not expecting any more from Georgia than I did Erin. I'd honestly rather they use some ugly dude that has some insight into the sport, and above average speaking skills .
But J_Sloan I reply to a lot of your posts and I don't get any recognition? I think I to step up my game. But no, in all seriousness I agree with you, I see ''Although the defending champion is out blah blah blah'' in just about every article, but in all honestly I would guess with no AMA race this weekend and already covering the big stories from Vegas, it is hard to write this. Whatever...
Stewart will be fine and win some races and all the Stewtards will be cheering, "See I toild you guys it was the bike"!! When we all know he will get better results because RV1 and Reed arent out there.. Stewie is a 4th place guy now, sorry but it is the truth. When all the heavy hitters are out there he was 4th place, period. Its just his time, face it Stewart.
@texag, your a dork. Erin Bates was fine, but if you watch other sp[orts you should have seen Suzy Kolber on the sidelines. The one Joe Namath tried to kiss... She is the real deal, very smart football mind and now the host of NFL 32 on ESPN. There are real female sports reporters out there, some guys just have to get thier head out of the Dark Ages..
Will #800 go back to Lites and stand atop Ivan's wheel reaching for the kill button?
Happy to hear that Erin is gone from doing the races!! Nothing more annoying then a grown-up, trying to act like she's still 15 years old, with the way she talks and what she wears...Many other women in sports do a GREAT job, but Erin needed to go!
Man I really hate that I am asking this question but I did not read the full article...Time is Money, Why is Barcia rocking the #20. Someone please answer this.
@therealmofo... RV will couch it up , come back for the 2013 Sx be rusty , and timid with his riding , at that point Js will have locked up the Outdoors , The Monster Cup , and Rule next years SX season , Rv will be a 4th place rider , at best , Just the facts you need to face , sorry , but its true !!
@Preston--HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Sorry but you better try harder than that. You are a real Tard--thanks for the laugh..
@ Preston. Since you're so quick to call any negative post about Stewart 'stupid' !
I must say your last post was in fact extremely stupid! RV spent the summer of 2010 on the couch and was so 'rusty and timid' he won the next 3 championships and the MEC! He beat the unbeatable Stewart in both SX series! I repeat.....STUPID post.
@ Penguin. It was I that suggested our somewhat unstable friend J_Sloan was RD's mother but I've recently concluded that he is actually Dungey himself! Serious!
Sloan, you poor guy, JS gets mentioned more than RV but that doesnt bother you because he doesn't beat RD like RV does! I'm not angry, you make me laugh, I've simply been recruited by normal fans to help bring you back to reality !!
Now to get serious- I feel that RV is still a tic slower than RC and JS were in 06-07, I also feel that RD is still getting better and faster. I also feel that IF, and its a BIG IF, JS meshes with the RMZ and gets his confidence back and stays on two wheels and actually gets back to his former speed, RD will have his hands full and have to push his edge and have kuck fall his way to meet or beat him. As far as RV goes, he will have to improve to sucessfully defend both his SX and his MX titles. RV's chances of coming back at MEC and repeating are VERY slim if CR,JS, TC and Barcia are there and healthy. I am very curious to see how Ratray does on the 450's I won't be suprised if he makes the Brayton, Metcalf, Milsaps, Weimer group eat some humble pie. If Tom Hahn can stay healthy he will do well.
On the 250 side, Barcia, Tomac, Wilson, are the real deal and I feel there are about 5 others that are nipping at their heals. Somehow I have not gotten on the Bagget or Roczen train yet.
I gotta go ride - your thoughts ??
@ripdown ... and how do you know JS will not do the same exact thing as RV did , ... how do you know , huh, cant be sure can you .. I can Speculate just as well as you do ! if your gonna battle me with Wit , damn it , get better at it ... LOL , I repeat Stupid Post stupid post I thought you more , you know ... intellegent ... My Bad
I have never given RV any titles- he has earned them. I have never felt he had a lock on them when the other four were healthy, they are all so close. I feel if he gets more titles it will be because he has improved- he will need to, a new storm is brewing and heading his way
Well Preston??? You inspired me to rub the dust off the old Crystal ball and low and behold I also am capable of lame ass predictions such as yourself ! Know what I saw? Stewart crashes out of the series! What are the odds????
Heres my prediction. Rattray will finish the series higher than Stewart..... Any takers??
Most of the people in the MX industry predict as well , And most of them predict JS will win the Outdoor Title , With a Healthy RV maybe , maybe not , we wont know this year , If I were to bet money , he is the odds on favorite , But RV and CR and TC are out , Not his Fault , it happens to them all , RD has a new shoulder , and a KTM ??? JS little stint at the Nats last time was straight off the couch , and still ran up front for awhile , Remenber , he won Daytona , that took fitness , he has that as well this year , You haters will go into Hibernation , in the next coulpe of weeks . Come on guys , we are talking about a 24 and 0 guy , Ther are only two people in the world that have done that .... I think most of you are to smart to believe the lies you all type , But do it out of necessity !
Wait a minute- didn't Stewart go 24-0 after sitting out '08 supercross and missing the last third of '07 outdoors?? This summer is an opportunity for Stewart to catch up if he can. At least he is finally racing outdoors- and got himself on a different bike. Villopoto has just as much time away from the outdoors as Stewart does. Lets see what happens- then there will be plenty to talk about in the not too distant future. This makes 2013 all the more better imo.
Some food for thought- Stewart has raced in four '450 outdoor season's so far- Villopoto has only raced in one. Reed has raced in more outdoor seasons than both of them put together! Stewart has more 450 moto wins in one season than Reed and Villopoto have combined in thier big bike careers- he is no stranger to winning in the 450 outdoors. The big question is: can he put the last three years of B.S. behind him and start all over again? At least he is trying give him credit fir that.
I hope the nationals will be good this summer! Go Bob Hannah...
Opps sorry wrong decade...at least with JS out there this summer with RD, things should be interesting or it would be a Dungy free for all! I wish both riders the best, and we will see who comes out on top in the end. Heres to a good summer!!!
Stewart and RC both had perfect seasons and the reality is that's more of a compliment to the teams and the luck they had not to have a DNF because that's the only way they wouldn't have ran the table! Not discrediting either of them.....just tired of the 24-0 crap......neither of them had anyone to compete with. I've put it out there before and no one took the bait.....who was Stewart's main competition in his perfect season and what have they done since? Seriously I don't know the answer but I have a hunch! None of his comp has won anything.....if he'd of gone 24-0 against Reed and RC well then I'd be impressed!
No question Stewart is the fastest guy lining up at Hangtown but can he go 60 + 4? I predict he'll have a hard time matching Dungey's pace in the second motos ( at least early in the series ) and we all know what Stewart does when he can't match the pace! Will he settle for a podium in the second moto's or will he face plant into the planet at warp speed and end his season??? He has been really lucky to walk away from some of his get offs this winter.....how much carnage can he endure at outdoor pace?? We'll see.......
wow , @handlebargrabber has reverted to toilet jokes , come on man , thats something a little boy would say ! Man Up Dude , if you dont know how to talk about racing , Whats the point !
Ripdown- those are all really good points! I don't know what is going to happen either- thats why they run the races. Can he turn it around? He already said in his interview he is not looking for wins right away- just hoping to be more prepared for the '013 supercross season. A smart move in my opinion, and I don't compliment him on smart moves very often. At least he's headed in the right direction for a change. Bring on the great outdoors.
AMA NATIONALS: The entry fee for the AMA Nationals has traditionally been $200 also, but because the riders have to get the IMpact concussion test before they can get their license, the delays have made many AMA National riders miss the license deadline. For late entries, MX Sports is charging Hangtown entries a $50 late fee on top of the $200 entry fee. With the riders having to pay for the $275 license, then the concussion test (around $30), then the $200 entry fee and then the $50 late fee, the start-up cost for Hangtown is around $550. To rub salt in the wounds, MX Sports tacks on a $7.25 convenience fee (making it $562.25). For the convenience of who? Perhaps MX Sports could have waived the late fee, given that this is the first series that the concussion test has been mandated.
When the 80 riders in each class pay their entries the total take to MX Sports is $32,000 a week (not counting the $1160 in convenience fees). Perhaps, as many local promoters do, MX Sports should put all of the Pro rider’s entry fee money into the purse (on top of the posted purse) for that day’s race...they can keep the convenience fee.
Additionally, when a rider gets his AMA National license and entry forms he agrees to “grant to MX Sports and its related or affiliated entities and their respective employees, agents, licensees, successors and assigns (collectively, “Grantees”), permission to photograph, film, videotape or otherwise record my voice, image, or likeness in connection with any Event (collectively, “Appearance”), and to use the Appearance in advertising, publicity, promotional, merchandising and/or other commercial activities of Grantees, and agree that Grantees shall be the exclusive owner of all copyright and other rights in and to all works incorporating any or all of the Appearance, and all allied, ancillary and subsidiary rights relating thereto, and will be able to perpetually use and license to third parties such works in all media currently existing or hereafter created, including, but not limited to, printed materials, television and all electronic media, for any use to which the same or any material therein may hereafter be put, applied or adapted.”
Isn’t this the kind of image licensing that Jeremy McGrath quit Team Honda over?
Georgia does a great job! She looks very comfortable and seems like she actually is interested in what they are saying!
Harry, I wish Bob Hannah was out there racing. He would definetly bring some excitement with him.
@ P Shaw
And I wish I was right there with ya bro,hanging over the fence,gettin' roosted by the hurricane while he laps the field! Just like old times. Right on.
Back on topic
Erin Bates is gone,picture in your mind 620 of those dancing bannana smilycon thingy's.
Cause thats what I'm feeling right now.
I don't think Erin is so bad. I agree with both sides here. Some dumb questions-at inopertune times aren't so good. Other than that I was ok with her. But I am happy to see that I'm not the only one that really likes Georgia Lindsay. This thread has more posts about her than any of the other topics. Good for her. Welcome back Georgia.
@ j_sloan
Happy mother's day!
Touche', Whoops_Blitzer!
@ penguin_bob, no you're not on the list. I find your posts too level-headed since they actually makes sense.
@davidl JS gets mentioned because he is currently racing. RV is at home, working on getting better and then coming back to race. Stewart just switched teams, mid-season. There are valid reasons to mention Stewart. If JS was out injured and was being mentioned in every other article I would say something about that as well.
I don't think that Rv is a tic slower than Stewart and RC were in 2006-2007, I think he would be just as fast or faster. I think RV and Dungey are the new top dogs outdoors. Lot's of people talk about the bike that Stewart was on, but the truth of the matter is that other people have caught up to his speed. The days are gone when Stewart could leave people in the dust. I highly doubt that Stewart will smoke Dungey even being on a bike he likes (Suzuki). Dungey is a rider who went neck and neck in the 2011 Nats with the best rider in the world: Ryan Villopoto. I think that alone gives Dungey credibility beyond the mere hype that Stewart has been getting just because he swicthed brands and did a few press release scrubs for the photogs.
@ anyone who is talking bad about Erin. She's pretty and if you don't like listening to her, turn the volume down because she is still easy in the eyes. I like her and have no problems with her questions.
@ everyone I hope Dungey does a lot of winning this summer because if so you will have me as a permanent fixture in these discussion threads. :)
yes , I do believe some riders , and I mean only a few , have caught up to JS s speed , RC said, once Stewart came on the scene , he had to step it up , nobody was scrubbing speed at the time , and I dont mean freestyle tricks .. the guys that tried to hang with him , are all on the couch , and JS somehow survived the bucking Bronco he was riding , If he has another trick up his sleeve , which I believe he does , Well then what guys ...
looks like the 2013 Hondas will have twin exaust again , traction control , and a Hydraulic Clutch .... Spy Photos
Yeah- it's annoying when Erin Bates sticks the microphone in a riders face at just the wrong time- after a dnf or crash- whatever. But why does she do it? Is she being told to or is it all her idea? How come Jamie Little never did it? Georgia is outdoors so she doesn't have to do it- it's way too far to walk anyways. So is Erin just caught -being in the wrong place at the wrong time- or does she really get off on doing it? If Georgia replaces her indoors, will she do it too?? That will tell the tale.
I saw Erin Bates in the pits at Seattle one time and was blown away. She's gorgeous and I hope she sticks around moto for a long time.
I think JS gets mentioned more than RV for a number of reasons, incredible speed, lots of drama, personality, more wrecks than most mortals could survive, and extreme struggles when domination was expected. Overall RV's dry and quite personality has netted him far less publicity than JS. His fame is based solely on results. I do not think JS is as fast as he was in 2006/07 at all.
As for RD- he is the clear favorite at this point, but CR was killing it last year in outdoors when he got scared, we really have yet to see TC for a season on 450's, and its been so long since JS could really stay up enough to compete with RV and RD. I wish so bad for a season with few injuries.
On raw speed its always hard to compare but watching RC and JS circle the track live at hangtown in 07 was unreal, so much faster than everyone else. average of 5 seconds a lap faster than KW,Langston,Short and Ferry and Allesi over a minute ahead of third place. Watching RD and RV live at steel city last year didn't feel as fast and RD was awesome in the first moto and had nothing for RV in the second. Ive gotten to speak with rd several times at riders meetings and in arlington this year and he is simply a humble but incredible competitor and always gives credit to other racers. Roger D told me at st louis RD is down on himself too much and doesn't think he is as good as he really is.
I can't wait for sat
@preston--I want to know what guys tried to hang with Stewart are now on the couch?? RC retired and was older than Stew, same with the other retirees.. And Reed has been kicking Stewarts butt the last 2 years, same with Rv and Dungey. So who else has tried to hang and not done it??
i agree with you arron hansel. i think nico has always been a better outdoor rider then sx rider. nico was hauling at steel city in 08 sat out 2009 cuz of injury, 2010 had mono and 2011 rode as a privateer for half the season than sat out until the the last 2 rounds and rode for valli. he should do good and be in the top 10 and getting some top 5s this year if he stays healthy