Ask Ping!
Friday, September 21, 2012 | 9:55 AM
ODI dates back to the 1980’s as the leader in grip manufacturing. Focusing primarily on the bmx and mountain bike industries through the 90’s and early 2000’s, ODI re-entered the motocross scene when they developed the patented lock-on grip system that eliminates wire and glue. Continuing to advance the way riders hold on to their bikes, ODI has worked closely with the teams they support such as Troy Lee Designs to create the product that is now being used by some of the top teams in the industry.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
PrintHey Ping,
I went to this new track on Saturday and saw the craziest thing. I'm from California and I have seen some strange things but nothing like this. Now that I'm living in the south I guess they do things a little different. The first practice on the track was A/B with about 30 riders. They got about one lap in when 7 horses started running through the middle of the track, turned around and ran back through the middle again with riders on the track the whole time!! I didn't know if I was in Tennessee or Kentucky. Luckily no crashes but it made me wonder what’s the craziest thing you have seen at the track? And a photographer in Colorado doesn't count.
Thanks,
Rich
This probably won't ever happen again.
I’ve seen some pretty ridiculous things over the years. Shane Trittler landing on the back of Damon Huffman’s bike in Vegas, motocross weddings, Zwarte Cross and about ten different stories that have to do with James Stewart crashing or nearly crashing. But one event eclipses it. There was a dashingly handsome racer who was coming off a win at Anaheim and looking to make it two in a row in Phoenix. He was leading his heat race when, on the last lap, he inexplicably cased the triple in an endo and smashed into the ground, face first. The bike was snapped in two and somehow this Herculean dirt biker defied the laws of physics and walked away only slightly dazed. Something like that will probably never happen in again in that fashion. Whoever that rider was deserves a medal of honor or probably even better would be a check so he could pay off some bills and stuff. You can make it out to cash and just send it to my attention. I’ll get it to him.
Thanks.
PING
Ping,
I look forward to your weekly doses of politically incorrect sarcasm. I also have a simple question... I have been surfing the web trying to find the MXoN TV schedule and all I have found is a pay-per-view online stream. Given that I would have to be up at 4am on a Sunday just to watch the thing live, can't the Euro-pee-ons find it in their socialist hearts to let us watch it for free or do they suffer from the 7 "Ps"? I'm thinkin' "Piss Poor Product Placement Predicates Pay-per-view Programming" ...or was that 8? Just curious.
G Money aka RMZ333
This guy is coming with me.
I’m outraged! The rich continue to get richer over there while the common folks are forced to pay for things like food, water and entertainment in the form of motor racing! When will the “sheeple” wake up and realize we need a revolution, man? We need to be taken care of! We are entitled to free healthcare, education, food, financial assistance, transportation, legal council, music and art lessons, yoga classes, henna tattoos, dirt bikes and televised entertainment of our favorite sports! This is a travesty! I don’t know about you but I’m going to grow a beard, move out of my mom’s basement and start living outside Youthstream’s offices in Europe protesting and demonstrating until they change their self-serving ways. Who’s coming with me!
PING
Dear Ping,
First let me start off by saying I'm sorry for any grammar errors. I enjoy reading your weekly articles. I was curious, what happened to the mx breed of yesteryear. This question was spurred after watching numerous modern gopro videos and freeriding of modern riders. Then I stumbled across steel roots starring Jeremy McGrath. What happened to that style of mxers, you know the fearless ones who were just crazy as well as highly talented. Now it seems as though the guys are to worried about getting hurt or looking bad for their sponsors to really be themselves or cut loose on a bike. I was just curious. You don't have to post this on the website, I just wanted to what you thought.
Thanks in advance
-Goon rider from Alabama
PS: I have much respect for your paramedic career and you choosing to be one.
Somewhere in there Fro and MC are high-fiving.
I think you meant to apologize for any “grammatical” errors. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Thanks for writing in and its funny you bring this topic up because Weege and I were just having a conversation about this very thing. America became a global motocross force in the 1980’s by outworking the competition. While the Euros were having a smoke between motos and making plans to hit the discotheque that night, a group of young American riders were doing pushups and making plans to do triathlons in the off-season. Remember when Johnny O’, Wardy, Bailey, Barnett, Johnson, Stanton and the rest of them used to try to out-train one another back then? They were animals!
Then Jeremy McGrath came along and changed the paradigm. He beat everyone on talent and mental strength… and lots of both of those. His main rival, Jeff Emig, ran the same type of program and instead of trying to outdo one another in the gym between races they tied their boats together at Copper Canyon and funneled cold Coors Lights. I mean, when the only guy capable of beating you is matching you beer for beer, why not drink up? It’s hot in the desert and I’m sure they were thirsty. That was the story for much of the 1990’s and videos like Steel Roots and Crusty Demon’s of Dirt were born out of that era.
Then Carmichael came along and switched things up again. He had the talent of McGrath but he paired it with a gritty work ethic and the tutelage of Johnny O’Mara. Carmichael is now considered the greatest rider in our sport. So, will it ever swing back to the way it was in the 1990’s? I say no way. I can’t see a rider coming in and beating the field the way McGrath did on talent alone. The depth of talent in the field is deeper, the monetary reward is greater [which has a funny way of spurring on hard work] and Carmichael’s career has become the model for how to succeed in the sport. So, sadly, you may not see videos like Steel Roots again. It was a unique time in the sport. That also means we won’t see shiny shirts with big collars or baggy riding pants either. More good news is that with social media and website content you can get closer to your favorite riders, see more of them and learn more about who they really are than ever before. That has to count for something, right?
PING
Have a question for Ping? Email him at [email protected].
Did you like this article?
Check out CAUGHT OUTSIDE
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
One of the most successful—and controversial—team managers of all time, Larry Brooks is looking to return to the races. Page 146.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j96Gcd4iLHo Very Insane!!
J-LAW is gonna return and prove you wrong PING!!
Hey Ping......great column as always! Strange to hear how some one as work ethic focused as you are, joke about a very real problem that this country is having, ie....the I want everything for nothing political party. As long as the POTUS was a hard working perveyor for the countries benefit, things ran along somewhat smoother (except the Fed and wall street congressmen types lobbying) but now even the "top" guy has a penchant for the socialistic way of life (think Stalinism). Hopefully we see a change, but it is hard to imagine, as over 46 million are now on food stamps, and the 10's of millions of ILLEGAL immigrants now are able to (possibly) vote since no picture ID is necessry to vote.The 16 trillion dollars of debt (5.4 trillion dollars, 1/3rd of the deficit, in the last 3.75 years) I could go on and on but will not as there are ALWAYS two sides to every discussion.
Bottom line is this......Life today is not like life yesterday. All one has to do is look around and be honest with his/her assesment to make this observation. I, for one, choose to be a part of the solution, and vote out the cronyistic problems.
Let the discussion begin. Please, no name calling like the candidates are doing, just simple factual counter-statements.
Ping, your service as a paramedic is admirable, thank you........
I think the craziest thing I ever saw was two guys crashed and instead of picking up his bike one of them went for the other guys kill switch.
Best thing ever on a track....? This is easy.
Lake Whitney. Mid 80's. Some little grom in all his moto-gear cartwheels and knocks himself senseless. The distraught mother absolutely freaks and runs (while the moto is still on) across the track to comfort her downed warrior. She is so out of control and screaming so loud her shrieks are audible over the pack of 80's circulating the track. The medics arrive and carefully remove the dazed rider's helmet.....
It's somebody else's kid.
Whoops.
I really don't think the lady is cut out to be a moto-mom.
One thing bothers me with the whole bike snapping in half. All I see a a guy with forks and a handel bar. I would say that Ping broke the tripple clamp. Any one else tired of hearing about a bike broke in half when in reality it was broken at the tripple clamp. I have seen a bike break in the middle with half on one side of the road and the other half on the road with the carbs laying in between. THAT is broke in half, not the puss tripple clamp move pulled at Phoenix.
What about Greg Albertyn hitting a deer on the track...think it was the '94 des Nations.
Another nutty story ..... Early 80's, Honda Hills, central Ohio, afternoon practice for the night race .... I'm a-standin down at the edge of the campground in front of these large camel back jumps watching (I believe) the 125 Schoolboy class released onto the track up on the top level (I hear you out ther groaning and nodding your heads "Oh boy, 125 Schoolboys ...!"). They screamingly make their way down thu the track on the FIRST LAP of practice and take a short downhill into a left and into this series of 3 or 4 large, single jumps. One of the youngin's in the first 3 of this pack cartwheels off the first smaller jump and mangles himself into a pile of humanity lieing very still. Instantly an older looking Father and another friend or two are sprinting onto the edge of the track. Kneeling Dad scoops him up in his arms while loudly crying out (something like) "Oh Johnny are you alright? We're here with ya, it's gonna be alright, ect, ect." I'm a compassionate guy, but the whole picture of it all left me slack jawed and stunned. I moved on towards the pits thankfull that it wasn't my class I was watching "warm up".
The early-80s KXs were known to break in half if you didn't do proper maintenance on one of the pivot points in the Uni-Trac. A MN fast guy named Brian Carney broke his in half while running up front in at an amateur qualifier at Millville (then called Zumbro) in 1980 or 81.
Hopefully, Brian doesn't read this, because it probably still pisses him off to think about it, and he's a lot bigger and meaner than I am.
I raced Honda Hills back then, those were the most fun single jumps ever.You could launch the last one (there were 3) almost into the next corner,The landing was soft mulch.Those night races were a blast unless your moto was right after the quads or pods.We would camp and party all night.
@MX Bob-I remember Carney! He was fast. I don't remember the KX breaking, must have been 1980. I started racing in 81. A friend of mine used to race against him often. Does the last name Sorenson ring a bell to you? Tilford? Lane? I was lucky enough to hang with those guys back then. Good bunch of guys and all were fast. Those were the days!
@bucky394 I definitely remember those names. The names still show up now and then, but its more often a woods race, or their kids, these days. You must have lived SE of the cities. If my often faulty memory is correct, those guys all lived down that direction. I grew up near guys named Fendler, Grossman, and Wineke(sp?). Lots of brothers, all of them faster than me.
the horribly true story of Johnny Satan ,,jumper.....johnny had a 'custom' 360 maico painted completely (rims spokes etc) white with spray cans and was doing some 'test ' jumping at the local track ....it so happened that the mighty Maico would not start so Johnny Satan and the track owner (who will remain nameless) who did not speak mucha' english'a....decided to tow JS behind a large tractor with very tall rear tires ...well......while towing , the tow CHAIN slid across the crossbar (like you knew it would) slamming JohnnyS face first and lifting the mighty Maico high in the air before flipping it around the tire crushing it underneath and bending it into a U....all while the tractor operator was not paying attention and just kept motoring to our shock and almost paralyzing laughter...sadly to say Johnny Satan did not preform that weekend ....dropped off his bike ? and helmet at our shop and was never heard from again.....Ping I saw that guy on the KTM...he was moving kinda slow after that one.....
and politics still suck
Hey ping, I don't have any photographic evidence to back this up at the moment but a local A rider tried to triple into a whoop section at our local track and endoed, breaking his bike in half just like you, however, he was not as lucky as you on the injury front. He was air lifted from the track, and has a broken leg, two broken arms, and several broken ribs, but is expected to make a full recovery.
why is the des nations not on tv - way to dodge the question - also - who out there gets free tv - i pay about $200 per month just so i can get speed tv and the internet to go on this kind of site - if there is a way to get all 17 sx rounds and all 12 mx rounds on tv there must be a way to get it on tv in the usa - wanting to see this race on tv does not make anyone a commie you dumbass
see you on mx-life
Craziest thing I ever saw at the track: I woke up early one Sunday at Mt. Morris and went up to the finish line flagstand to survey the track before the National started. Someone had taken a shit right there on the flagstand.
And dogs don't use toilet paper....
I named that shit Barack Obama
Free healthcare? Outrageous! Anyone who talks such nonsense is clearly a commie!
Where is Chuck Norris when we need him? After all, he doesn't approve of SX-only contracts, and he blows away commies like James Stewart takes soil samples.
okay we'll call it braking your bike in 1/3 lol
politics...the entertainment division of big bizness........
Craziest and funniest thing I ever saw on a track was the 500 GP of Canada 1975 at Mosport. We were walking the track early before practice when we heard a big 4 stroke in the distance. It was getting closer and soon it came into view. It was a 650 Triumph Bonneville with a passenger and they were riding the track! They came around the turn where we were and went off about a 3 foot drop off into a sand wash at speed. They did 3 or 4 lock to lock tank slappers and the passenger was launched ahead of the bike about 25 feet like a cannon ball. He hit the ground rolling and tumbling. Neither was wearing a helmet. The rider went down too but not quite as dramatically as his passenger. We hit the ground too--laughing our asses off!
Craziest thing I've seen on a track:
My older brother was in his first race on a 125 - grabs the holeshot, leading the first lap and is coming out of a wooded part of the track, uphill into a blind section. As he's launching the uphill, a drunk guy rides across the track on a mountain bike! They collided, clutch perch broken, day over. Even crazier is the fact that my mom was taking pictures on the side of the track and has a photo of my brother in mid air and the drunk entering the lane from the side!
Here is where we begin...
We must have strict Term Limits for all politicians in every office, at every level.
They must be made to live in the same country that they have created. Like the rest of us.
Hey, MX Bob. We apparently raced the same era. I remember Blake, and I think the spelled wrong name somehow rings a bell. Those were the days for sure. And yeah, Sorenson and Lane both still race occasionally and thier kids, as well. Sorensons kid suffered severe brain trauma from a crash while leading at Midway some 13 months ago. Was real touch and go for a while, but he has recoverd well. He is riding again!!! He was the ring bearer in my wedding. So I stay in touch with them still as they live nearby. I actually live in Z. F., 9 miles from Spring Creek. Chat with ya later. Bucky
We need one law: You cannot vote if you receive Government assistance.