Bench Racing Ammo: What's Next in the 250 Class
Wednesday, June 6, 2012 | 2:05 PM
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Parity is the story in the 250 class so far this year, with three winners in the first three races. But team parity is still not the case—for the last few years, people have been referring to the 250 class as “the two horse race” between Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki and GEICO Honda. So far, only those teams have won races again this year.
But it might not be long. Our Racer X Online poll on Monday asked you who you thought might be the next team to get a win in the 250s. Nearly 70 percent of voters sad Red Bull KTM will get a win soon, while only 17.5 percent expect the Honda and Kawasaki boys to run the table all the way to round 12.
For sure, Ken Roczen has put his orange machine in contention each week, and it seems only a matter of time until he gets a W. If or when Ken does, he’ll be reversing some recent history.
Blake Baggett has helped keep Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki in the winners circle thus far in 2012.
Simon Cudby photo
First, no other team has won a race in the 250 class since 2009, when Ryan Dungey won at Washougal on July 25th on a Suzuki. That’s nearly three years ago. And KTM’s last win in the class came more than six years ago, when Mike Alessi won the Hangtown opener in 2006.
As for the three winners in three rounds thing, well, parity is pretty common in this class. Just as recently as 2010, we saw four different winners in four rounds, with Eli Tomac, Christophe Pourcel, Tyla Rattray and Dean Wilson taking the first four rounds. If Roczen gets a win this weekend, it will tie 2010’s dynamic start, and also break a long dry spell for the Austrian marque.
A little more High Point history shows the way. Over the last decade, the track has hosted quite a few first-time winners in the 250 class. Chad Reed won his first National in the U.S. at this track in 2002. Alessi won his first-ever National there in 2005, Josh Grant did the same in 2007, and Tyla Rattray won his first in America at this track in 2010.
Is someone else next, or has the two-horse race just begun?
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Jason, it is ironic that your article titled "Not seen Behind the sceens", cannot be seen.
If one were to look into how much money each company has spent in trying to win the 250 class, it would probally show PC has invested the most. FC would be a close 2nd. KTM has invested more in the last couple years and are getting close to winning. When RD won, Suzuki was still a factory effort. It all boils down to the ole mighty dollar, he who spends the most gets the best riders and parts and has the best chance to win...Just my guess...
I agree Mr. mx with Baggett for the win if he can get a start, Barcia, Roczen or Tomac. Should be RD & JS up front if he's good to go, I'll even say Dungey will win this week, 3rd is a crapshoot, maybe Weimer
Too bad Durham is not healthy... he would certainly be in the mix given this is his home track. He lives just a few miles from me.
High Point's track layout sure has changed over the years. Was always the toughest track I raced on. I miss the huge jumps down pit row. Guy Cooper used to keep the throttle pinned through them... was amazing to watch.
Mr-Mx: Easy to pick the top 4 but tough to determine the sequence.
Would like to see some of the other riders in the top 4 such as Warton or Anderson...
@GWN.......hmmmm, it could be irony JW is trying for. No network cameras at the place / time JS lost his focus, or, they have no "announcer" information they can contribute based on "on the spot", "real time" video from a network's perspective.
Hense the "nothing article" from a "not behind the scene" perspective.
Or he just screwed up and I have too much time on my hands. :-)
Anyway you look at it, we the fans have a win-win scenario in the 250 class. There are 5 riders (BB, ET, KR, JB, MM) who have the speed / history / fitness to win any given weekend. Then you have riders such as BW, MS, IT, JA to name a few who can take moto wins at the right track with the right conditions.
This 2012 class of 250 riders will put on a great show and racing exhibition for all of us to see.
Can't wait until Jan 13 for some of these racers to come to the 450 class to disrupt the staus quo there............what do ya'll think?
Yes there was a time when smaller companies could compete, Noleen is another that did a good job back in the day of the box van...today eleventen mods is doing a good job in filling those shoes, so a big THUMBS UP to them!
@Mr-Mx; Going out on a limb just for you man...
Temp: 86-88 degrees
Skies: Clear as a Bell Helmet
Humidity: 5%
Bar Pressure: 29.93in (rising)
Wind: 9mph WSW
Prob/Precep: Goose Egg
Cloud Cover: 0-24%
The rest is a crap shoot, Big Daddy. Because this is "Motocross" where anything can happen, and quite possibly will, and I am not even going to speculate on what and who will make it happen. Ha!
PS I like (your) picks though ;~}}}
@Mr MX; That is too funny, Man. I looked at that humidity level of 5% and thought, WTF...in Pennsylvania in June, come on. Hey, Weatherunderground.com is the bookie on those picks, I am just the messenger. Maybe it's a typo, because 95% sounds more like it to me...
And yes, I am a left coast Western Ory-gony-on who likes it around 30%.
Get this, I just looked, at where I live in Oregon and weatherunderground.com states it's 5% humidity here too. I think there is a conspiracy going down. ;~{{{
For the record, Lance doped (a lot) and the rest of those guys were nothing but neon clad, plum smugglers...with a very non-PRO fit on their "bikes". Fausto Coppi rolled over in his grave at the mention of their names
back then, real iron men raced up the Manyunk Wall. Look up Iron Man in the dictionary and you will see a picture of Graeme Miller
YO JASON... WHAT ABOUT SWANEPOOL.. OR HOW EVER YOU WRITE IT.. HE GOT A WIN LAST YEAR IN SOUTHWICK ON A YAMAHA.. REMEMBER?
@ Mr Mx: sarcasm, do not take yourself quite so seriously and don't believe in miracles or the PR spin that a certain 7 time winner of the Tour has spun for way too long. trust me on this one
all tri guys get busted on by the roadies for their tiger stripe plum smugglers and poor position on the bike, this probably isn't your first time. ride your bike with a smile and get some proper clothing. Nothing is as bad not adhering to the Euro Pro style guide, it is a long list
I'm going to play it safe and pick BB for the overall, but I'm going out on a limb to pick Mookie for a top 5.
@batz
Swanepoel didn't win the overall, just a moto.. Get your facts straight before posting on here bud!!
..I find JT's repeated use of the bicyclist term plum smugglers disconcerting...on the other hand.....Baggett is about to lay the voo-doo down..and , the rest of the crew best tighten the belts on their national MX riding bowling ball smugglers to keep him in site.....
@Mr. MX Very interesting resume you have there. I'm somewhere around your age, and you have me wondering. Just who the heck you are. Did you get far enough for me to recognise your name? I don't expect you to give up this info., but lookin' for a clew , I guess! Sounding like perhaps you were part of the Michigan Mafia, somewhere around it's beginning? Brian Swink comes to mind, although I'm sure I'm wrong, but did you get to his level? Curious as hell! And curiosity killed the cat! Again, you have some interesting posts, as of late especially. Bucky
Mr-Mx
You have led a very full life! Though now you may have med problems rest assured you did not waste your god given gifts, you used them to the best of your abilities. You will forever have those memories to cherish. I on the other hand always will wonder what could have been. I wasted my abilities by being to afraid of failure to try.
In our little high school as a jr I went out for track. Known only as the crazy kid on a dirt bike, I suprised every one by running a sub 5 min. mile, 11 min 2 mile, high jumping 6' and long jumping 17'. All this with no training. My sr year I went out for basketball, at 5' 11" I ended up starting every game jumping center against guys 6 or 7 inches taller and the only person on the team who could beat me one on one was the coach. I was sent a letter from a jr college giving me a chance for a scholarship to play ball. I did not even try as I lacked faith in my self.
Mx wise I could ride with local experts on my track, but do to lack of confidence, I always made up excuses not to race. I became the team manager instead.
Now all these years later, I dont know what would have happened, if I would have been successful or not. I never gave myslef the chance to find out. That leads to the what I have always told my son or any one else who will listen : The only way to fail is not to try!!!!
At 2 months old my mom left dad and took my 3 older brothers and me to Bakerfield, 2 months later, on Christmas eve, she called my dad and told him she could not handle it and she was going to put us up for adoption. My gramps sent dad to Cali to get us. On New years eve he got us back to Oklahoma. I had only put on 2lbs since birth, so due to my health issues and dad being in college I ended up being raised by my grandparents.
When it came time to go to college I wanted to be a photo journalist like Super Hunky or Bazzer. Gramps told me if he was paying I was going to a tech school and learn air conditioning like my dad. Well, I went and graduated but my career was over quickly as I fell back into being a custom harvester like gramps.
I tried many differant jobs over the years, from laborer to pipefitter to grocery store clerk had a failed marriage before getting back together with my high school sweet heart in 88. In 89 I met Bob Carpenter who was editor of Supermotocross at the Oklahoma City supercross. He gave me an assignment which I did but Peterson Publishing cancelled the magizine before my story came out.
With her parents help I opened up a Kawasaki dealership in 94. Things went well but by 99 I made the decision to sell, as her dad and I were on differant pages of how to run things. Thats when I got into motorcycle saftey.
I had become and atv coach in 96 to help the shop, and I enjoyed teaching, so in 99 after selling the shop I went San Bernidino to be become a dirt bike coach, which lead to being ceritfied as a MSF instructor later that year.
Oklahoma was not the easiest place to make a living giving safety coarses, so in 01, I opened a little m/c acc. shop. The economy got me in 06 and I have been maintaining (mowing weedeating) oil field leases since. I still teach atv classes on occation to suppliment my income as I try and payoff the loans I took out ot start the acc shop.
Life never brings what you think it will, all you can do is your best at any given time. What has kept me going is, like you, I was lucky enough to marry my best friend. We may not have much money in the bank, but happiness is all the riches any one really needs.