Racer X Notebook: Millville
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 | 9:30 AM
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Print- A big get well soon to TiLube/Motosport/Foremost Insurance rider Nick Wey, who went down hard in the sand whoops. Everyone loves Wey! We hear he's suffered from hip, rib and back injuries. Get well son, Nick!
- We’ve been seeing riders leaving and coming back from injuries the past few weeks. This week marked the return of GEICO Honda’s Justin Bogle, among others. He was supposed to make his return at RedBud, but wasn’t quite feeling ready. Now that he’s back, he reminded everyone that he’s got serious potential. He ran toward the front for most of the day and finished 10-8 for 8th overall. “It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but I’ll take it,” Bogle said. “It’ll get better.”
- Star-Valli Rockstar Yamaha’s Gareth Swanepoel had an awesome first moto, until he broke his leg! Though he still managed to finish the moto in 15th, he’ll be out of the series for a while. That’s yet another blow to the team, which has been suffering from injuries to just about every one of its riders.
- Cole Thompson had an awesome run in Millville, finishing 15-7 for 8th overall. His top-10 finish caught the attention of Star-Valli Rockstar Yamaha, who brought him on for the next few rounds. Though he isn’t being referred to as a replacement rider, he isn’t a fully-contracted member of the team either.
- Speaking of awesome weekends, Langston-Witt Racing’s Les Smith had his best race this season. He was feeling the track, finishing just behind Albertson in eleventh the first moto and getting his first top-10 moto finish of the season in the second moto.
Les Smith had his best result of the season with a 7th overall at Millville.
Simon Cudby photo
- It was looking like this might be a good weekend for Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray. He finished strong in sixth the first moto. But difficulty struck second moto as he collided with Jimmy Albertson, who had crashed in a corner. From about last, Rattray managed to get up to about 12th when he collided with Mike Brown and busted his front brake disc and front wheel--and ended his moto. But since so many other riders had dropped from the moto, he still took 28th, and finished 9th overall.
- Front brake troubles in moto two also led to a DNF for DNA/Jeff Ward Racing's Josh Grant. He was 8th in moto one.
- That second 450 moto wreaked havoc on a lot of riders. The inconsistency really showed when Lucas Oils Troy Lee Design's Honda rider Christian Craig went 14-14 to earn 10th.
- Word on the street is that JGR/Toyota Yamaha is out of the race for Dean Wilson. We already know that they’ll be keeping the Yamaha in 2013 and with riders getting snatched up left and right, it’s got to be a little nerve wracking for the team whose top prospects are dwindling. On the Wilson front, rumors this week are linking him to Jeff Ward Racing.
- Home track boy Alex Martin rode 16-9 for 13 overall on his Eleven10 Mods Honda. It was his second-best race this season. His best was at High Point, where he finished 11th overall.
Martin finished just outside the top ten at his home track.
Simon Cudby photo
- Kyle Regal still had no luck. He got some good starts, but fell to the back quickly. He went 35-33, putting him at 38th overall. As the only rider for JGR right now, his results haven’t been reflecting well on him or the team.
- Complete privateer Cody Lackore from Farmington, MN finished 30-26 for 28th overall in the 250 Class. What’s even better is that Lackore started moto one with thirty-eighth gate pick after finishing second in the 250 consolation race. Congrats to Cody!
- Lackore wasn't the only happy privateer. Ronnie Stewart went 21-11 for 18th, Jake Loberg went 25-15 for 22nd and Heath Harrison went 16-22 for 23rd.
- Mike Brown (15th overall) and John Dowd (19th) were out representing the older generation yet again. Both of them finished in the top 20 and even got some serious TV time.
- Rockstar Suzuki’s Blake Wharton found himself in top five for the second time this season. Despite struggling for the last few rounds, he managed to find his groove at Millville, finishing in sixth just three seconds behind Wil Hahn in moto one. He was all by himself in moto two.
Blake Wharton scored his first top five moto finish, at Millville, since the second moto at Freestone.
Simon Cudby photo
- BTOSports.com/BBMX/Palmetto Suzuki's Jason Thomas managed to salvage four points out of the day, despite his chain breaking in the first moto, forcing him to head back to the pits. He came back out for the second moto looking for redemption, finishing seventeenth for twenty-fourth overall. Those four points are....four more than he has scored all season. Yeah JT$!
- Tommy Hahn returned from a broken finger for Team Honda Muscle Milk, and finished a solid seventh in moto one. Then, he broke out in a sudden allergy attack before moto two and couldn't race! He still finished 11th overall.
- The infamous Whoop Monster was missing from the Spring Creek sand whoops sidelines for the second year in a row. His absence really made a difference in the atmosphere around what was described by riders as one of the trickiest sections on the track.
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The whoops do miss its monster...not the same with out the hairy beast blowing his horn and yelling at the riders...they were sure tough this year, spread apart a bit farther, as you did not see many of them being jumped, the slam attack was the way most riders went through them....Thanks to John Martin and his crew as the facility was spectacular once again!!!
Putting the final pen strokes to the last pages on Millville, and closing the book till 2012.
I would think we have seen a lot to this point on who officially are the players in motocross for this year. Dungey has pretty much been the man and MA# 800 has not been the preverbal flash in the pan that everyone might of thought hear or there.
Third in the series has been Wiemer in my book but still needs to step it up. Reminds me of the 250 class guys that still show frustration to some extent on how to put it up there another notch, not saying what we see is not great, but as a rider it has to be on the mind 24/7. The rest of class it’s a crap shoot week to week……….On Dowd and Brown, you have to just marvel at the desire to compete, with kids that could be there own…… Props to all that line up and risk there lives every week for something they believe in and have the passion to solider on.
250 class well what do you say; It’s in your face every week, It great to see the passion & fire from all the riders as it starts to become crunch time, I think it will play to the last moto unless something bad goes down like a horrible crash from any of the top 4 or 5 guys. Euros have to be proud either way, even if some say it’s a very steep learning curve they are on. Good luck to all and may the best riders on the planet moto on!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry 2013!!!!!!!!! folks 2013
There is something about the old school generation and Dowd and Brown are perfect examples. Also this weekend Tony Lorusso, who is now 40+ and from what I see does not race much, came out to NESC Southwick race and schooled the pro classes.
@9lives-Mr-MX
Nice essay. Keep it coming.
@ MarvinMusqui: You need to practice more and tweet less start Riding......
This is the same thing that has happened to others such as yourself.........Need to be seen not heard even though your no kid... More intensity!!!!!!!! I predict a good result this weekend!!!!!!
@ Blackjack
I cant even spell no Pulitzer's here, but I should get an A for effort typing with left hand and only 3 fingers, right will still be in cast for about a month and shoullder sling,sucks when your right handed.........Well I'm headed to the doctor for my long awaited injection in the hip..........Waste of time they know that they are doing surgery soon so WTF. Its only money.............
Who will try to tame the blue beast?
JGR's best strategy might be to smother the field with multiple racers rather than to try and hook one top-tier racer. I'm certain there's some deserving privateers / rookies out there that would appreciate the opportunity and represent the company well.
By now, anybody putting a Yamaha 450 on the box would probably get a heroes reception from the Yamaha corporation.
JGR should give Derek Anderson a chance. The guy has a top 20 and a top 15 with a high moto score of 10th. He has done this with crashes in 3 of the 4 moto's but gets up and rides hard. He rides a complete privateer effort.
Sign em up!
Rumor has it JGR will be reversing the engine of the YZ450f next year.
450 class will be STACKED in 2013, Should be lot's of fun!!
Get all your Yamaha jokes in now brand new KTM (yours really is just like dungeys , honest..) ..guys...its just a matter of time. Those of us who have been here more than a year or two KNOW Yamaha will return...they have money and they ain't afraid to fix it....its been a long dry spell....i'm sure there was some hari-kari over the bike if the future(soon to be of the past)...hopefully they don't try to reinvent the wheel with road race technology this time...just park 'ole whirlwind' and save some lives..till the 14 hits...
BillC@ The 450 class was suppose to be stacked this year, until everyone got hurt at one point or another. Now its Frieght train Dungey(after recovering from a broken collar bone) and maybe Stewart will show up for the last couple rounds trying to score the MXdN MX3 spot.
Did I read correctlly Swanepool finished his moto with a broken leg ?
Look at Haley Whisennand in the mix !
Nice to see privateers getting some love.
@Tblade I heard the same thing about design changes from Yamaha.
Note to Yamaha: Ignoring a problem never made it go away for me either.
JimM
Pala374
@ Haley Whisennand
Shed and shred the hat . Lets see whatca got !!!!!! keep up the good work also !
Haley
I know you !!! Eli Tomac manager media and Fresh ink Colorado you went to school in Lincoln Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck .. I've already seen you with out the hat ........
In order to win, Yamaha will sign a big name or two .... Race fans will see what Yamaha does .... As if some no name riders will save the team .... LMAO!!!!
Anybody else there get in on the ovation #91 Dalton Carlson got after he came around waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind even the guy in front, never mind the pack??
I heard someone say "never give up!"
Next moto, hammers out 2 pts!!