by Andy Bowyer
Rev Up: Millville
Thursday, July 12, 2012 | 2:30 PM
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PrintHello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. Ho, ho. Feels good to write that sentence again. Many moons it has been since I can remember feeling so pumped to watch the gates drop as the present. Each and every weekend those guys have put their balls on the gas tank and thrown a damn temper tantrum on the terrafirma. Especially the 250 stable. I like to write about the charge. What exactly is “the charge?” When you see a rider send a huge jump from the inside line, perhaps with the forethought that he may come up short. The moment a rider glances to his side during the holeshot then goes into a Moto GP style tuck. After a rider sees the flagman holding up the cross flags, then becomes a house of fire and drops two seconds a lap. That’s the charge, son. And the alphas in the 250 class are soaked in it. It’s been some of the most intense sprinting I’ve ever seen. The trick of the game is who can save the kick for the end. The rider that can squeeze nitro out of an empty tank gets it done. Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac, and Blake Baggett have done it. But it seems “Bad” Blake has gone full Chuck Yeager on us and has the right stuff. As the summer series races down the stretch it will be salty with these boys. Can Ken Roczen find the juice as the dog days of summer scorch the soil?
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship returns to picturesque Millville for round seven of the series.
Simon Cudby photo
And with that the 2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships heads to majestic Millville, Minnesota for round seven. From the beginning of “The Hype” to The GOAT’s last ride, Millville and her loamy-high-speed self claims a rich portion of recent moto history. Some heavy business takes place here, folks. Anyone, ahem, recall a certain #22 flapping his arms 20 feet through the air, sans CRF450? Close your eyes and think a little harder back to 1996 when Jeremy “Showtime” McGrath seemed to have put the proverbial sails up on his way to a title when he cased huge and shoveled a ton of points to the sidelines? Ah, the kick I’m going for is that this particular dust up has created a wrinkle in championships. Especially in the 450 class. Does Ryan Dungey have it in the bag with 12 motos yet to race? Negative ghost rider, that’s why they run the races.
Not to put the voodoo on the golden boy who claims the Spring Creek facility as home turf. I almost feel guilty about such banter considering the road he and factory KTM have traveled. Go back to January and try the notion that Ryan Villopoto, James Stewart, or Chad Reed wouldn’t have a prayer come Millville. Instead Dungey and the great orange machine are crushing the twenty twelve championship in historic fashion. Nobody on this mudball, injured or strong wants a piece of #5 right now. Is he the same rider that Stewart went four for four on to begin the summer? Ask the Red Bud fans. He’s getting better every week. Ryan Dungey is riding like the 2010 version, but on a KTM. Faster, stronger, and more confident.
James Stewart is back. That’s right, Bubba didn’t call it off after the mess. It shows fortitude to go 6-3 off the bench when he could easily be holding the couch down in the AC. Hey, he doesn’t have to be out there. He likes to hear the fans cheer for him and he loves to race. I was stoked to see him him put in 30+2 both times out. He was rusty as a Santa Cruz Volkswagen, but he’ll shake that off in about four more motos. Maybe less. What’s badass is a simple question; can he race himself back into the #7 that left us after Texas, and will that man measure up to what Dungey has become since then?
And how about Mike Alessi? He’s riding a bike you can buy and poses the greatest championship threat to Ryan Dungey. Man, his bike handles like he has fun dip instead of shock oil in his suspension. Except it would be bum dip. I hate watching it. He’s riding his ass off, and his tires just won’t stay in the track. He’s been pretty close all the same and if Dungey stubs his toe he could really, really pull off an overall, perhaps more. Say what you will about #800, he’s dug in and is going for it. Attrition is paramount in our trade. It could happen. Richard Petty is famous for saying, “I’d rather be lucky than good any day.” Alessi can be both.
Who can forget this moment from Chad Reed at Millville last year?
Brian Robinette photo
Yes, yes, yes! There is so much more, but the bottom line is that this summer motocross series has been a gift. Of course we got gutted with injuries and it sucks. A thousand times, it sucks canal water, but that’s the way it is. And that’s the way it always will be, it just depends what degree. Hells bells, did you see those fans at RedBud last weekend going ape poop on live television last weekend? They know the deal and they had the shoulders back, swinging their t-shirts every lap.
It’s American motocross! I’m talking two card sideways, gate down, feet on the back of the pegs, 4th gear chicken skin, baby. Every moto, every lap, every trip through the Whoop Monster counts! There is only one way to win a championship and that is to weather the entire storm and be the man. It all happens so fast. We’re already halfway traveled to the 2012 outdoor titles. There is no other way to be than gratefully jacked the hell up. You should be ready to see the show and steady your stance for the charge that’s coming.
Twelve more gates to drop. Time for round seven at Spring Creek.
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Cole Thompson... Lets go!!!
Andy, WOW! Talk about making a guy want to get on a plane and go see a National. Great job cuz I can feel the passion and you just ramped up my amp level a couple of notches for this weekend................
MILLVILLE!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice to have you back Andy. Rev Up is my favorite piece on this site so please continue to keep up the good work.
Alessi isn't riding a factory bike, but he isn't riding a showroom bike either. If he can't get his suspension dialed thats his fault, he needs to pay ProCircuit, Fox or factory connection or a number of other suspension guys to set it up, he's got the money. And maybe if he put out the money it would return with better results. You know consistant 3rds behind RD & JS(in no particular order).
@Scrub-This,, I'll let you know, because I'll be there.....
The suspension talk does seem absurd. We've had long travel suspension for 20+ years! Do we really need to spend 10K or have a factory bike to get it to work right?? Come ON! It's hydraulics, orifices and springs. You would think they'd have it dialed in by now.
Good to have you back Andy! No one swirls the adjectives the way you do...
The smell of a throw down is in the air in both classes....The Locomotive has steam rolled the field thus far, each round gaining speed and momentum, his bike looking as if it were on tracks as he rails around each course and now he is home!!!...But lets not forget the Gambler would like nothing more than to derail Dungey's homecoming. James may have had a little rust at Red Bud, but I bet he put in some time this week at the compound, shuffling the dirt in every corner, as he saw a ghost orange fender. The 7 is far from a long shot, and James wants to make it a winner, if that happens, you will see that bright smile all the way back to Florida..
Blazen Blake is a marked man, yep, Baggett has that red number plate and Barcia and Tomac are going to be taking aim at it. They have to, if they don't want this season to get away from them. Geico has some of the fastest riders in the field, but Baggett is the one who has pulled the trigger late and left them in the dust the last few races. KTM's Euro Duo is in a worse state of affairs, Roczen and Musquin have had their shining moments, but no victories, as they too, see the championship slipping away. Things change quickly though and Spring Creeks lay out will remind them of home, the elevation changes, the big sand whoops and there is even a chance of rain to help them out. These next few tracks will be to there liking, it is time for them to ride like the champions they both are!!
Yep, something special is brewing up in Minnesota, Spring Creek is about to be invaded by the best riders in world, as crunch time approaches in the Great Outdoors!!!
@Scrub-This ,, yes indeed.. Just hope it don't rain,, like 2006.
@Knobbywan_Kawnobi,, from what I understand, works suspension is far superior from what can be bought.
Kind off a nasty cut on whos doing Mikeys stuff. @knobby as soon as you get suspension dialed you CAN go faster and you start to chase settings again ..its a highly profitable and necessary evil...trust me ..works stuff is better...and will NEVER be done with mods and advancements in technology.....that will be it for me today as I see the Scrub virus is here already...things will go down from here....
Speaking about Suspension and mod things
My dad was in the game with all the factory stuff in old days knew everyone that was MX. I remember all my early bikes boyesen who was a friend of my dad, Later raced with his kid some,plus Robert H. Wehman, an engineer who was the founder of Golden Spectro in CT who was a sponsor of mine back in the day were always tinkering with my bike, forks ,shocks ,engine as a youth you were always wondering just leave the thing alone so I could ride!!! They were doing R & D way back when that would be standard years later. They one time had my 1977 Rm jetted at 100:1 and had my forks which were almost factory esk STUFF back then. IT WAS COOL..........
Yes, Rev is back!
Here it comes. The wave of annoyance that surrounds the motocross series. The forum racers/ know it alls.
Milleville at practice time looks like the funnest track to ride....Hope a faster JS7 shows up...really seemed off or rusty last week.....But even when rusty, the only guy who can beat him on the track is Dungey...My lady is having her baby shower at moto time, so I will be watcing via DVR a few hours after all is said in done.....same deal Fuel and NBC combo???
9lives-Mr-Mx@ Not sure how you "jet at 100:1" but you can have fuel to oil ration of 100:1. All that means is the main bearings will recieve less oil and you "Jet" the carburetor accordingly.
When it comes to suspension "works" basically means custom parts by the guys who have the money to do all the dyno testing and build the best stuff. It may be better for the majority of the fast racers out there, but it doesn't suit everyone. The time needs to be spent to dial in the suspension and get the setup that works fro them the best. Suspension has come leaps in bounds in the last 20 years, where Factory Works may be better stuff, but it isn't necessarily night and day between them and the top suspension guys out there. Pro circuit isn't factory, but they offer there "works" stuff to the public, so do other top companies.
And if "works" was the defining thing, why was JS suspension so bad for him on the factroy backed yamaha, and for 2 years on KTM alessi had rear shock problems.
Yes I know that just making reference that at a local or local pro level back then They were always up to things a local guy just didnt fool with or know what and how to mess with it...This was way before its day in 1970's only factory guys were into this detail kinda thing..........These guys were inventors in there day thats all
Rev up Move over and let Dungey take over 1-1= # 1
no stew for the next 2 races. i knew he was going to do that
That's 24 more gates to drop, 6 events, times two classes, times two motos. Sure glad I paid attention in 4'th grade math class.
MB1 (Mike Battista) does #800's suspenders........and I agree that Andy's comment was harsh. Ohlins isn't "works" suspension (by definition only) and it's pretty darned good. It's been a highly regarded brand for quite some time.
@ Not4show, Alessi's "shock problems" on the KTM were actually suspension problems associated with the difference between traditional linkage-type rear suspension and the KTM "PDS" non-link rear suspension. Apparently, one does not seamlessly transition between the two at national speed....just saying.
Here again is a perfect segway to mention Suzuki's incompetence in not throwing Mikey a bone and hooking that guy up. How they can interperet them losing more face than they already have by helping him is beyond me.
Kawasaki's #1 is out, Honda's #1 AND #2 are out, Yamaha is bass-ackwards and Suzuki doesn't think this is a golden opportunity to strike? Baffling.
Carlsbad: Suzuki is a lost cause. 2010 won a 2 championships then failed to re-sign "The Man" the next year and let Dungey get away the following. Go figure....
As far as Allessi' goes, I'm glad he's out there working hard and saying the right things now but I'll listen to all the "suspension" excuses when he can finish within 20 seconds of Dungey.
Also, like I said weeks ago, unless Stewart comes back and wins immediately, he'll eventually quit racing the outdoors. I hate to see him go. I was really hoping to see him battle with Dungey again. I think it would have been a different story this time but now we may never know...
@carlsbad.... I'll bet the Ohlins (which are whats on motogp bikes also so I guess the fork and shock are 'OK' and I have yet to hear Mikey complain about the bike...if he has i missed it...and why does Suzuki OWE #800 anything they have their own riders....incompetence....really? ...how do you like your KTM?......seems like they have who they want and the bikes work (even Mikeys....Mikes style on the bike may contribute to it looking worse than it is also as its not very KDUB like...lol) Suzuki's rider #7 is not done yet and I truly hope #800 continues to improve and if its the horrible Ohlins (just terrible lol stuff ,yeah right , ESPECIALLY in comparison to the harsh crap that WP has built for years..) he gets some other stuff that makes him just blow by RD5 (not gonna happen even with RC's forks) ....that said i actually enjoy most of your posts by the way......
Hopefully, the exciting 250 class will continue to provide the competition that has been lacking in this season's 450 class ....
And it is interesting that Baggett seems to have totally psyched out the competition as well as some of the moto journalists.
@ everyone
Mx and the big 4 , 5 or 6 what ever you want to say,about the brands now out there ...................
Anyone thats been around the sport knows.
Its all cyclical !!!
Here is to a good race this weekend,between RD & JS...it should be a good one! And to all you folks out there making excuses for Alessi,its bad enough that he blames everyone but himself,its another when the public is now saying his suspension is bad. MA is never going to win a championship and that is a fact...
@ Harry are you typing from the depths of hell and cant see the monitor look around DUDE which JS !!!!!!!!!!!!!! 37 horse is out of the RACE, Just like my I'LL HAVE ANOTHER"""" LOOK MAN LOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SORRY IF YOU DONT HIT THE # SIGN a 3 will appear thats for CZ
A year ago (I think), Geico put stock forks on Windham's bike and he apparently was pretty happy with the set-up. Knowing you have 'factory' or 'works' suspension is probably pretty good for your psyche. I think the stock stuff today is pretty good if you can just get the countless settings right!