by Chase Stallo
The Notebook: Oakland
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 | 11:00 AM
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We've already covered the big stories and the race winners. Check out the Notebook to see who else made some news over the weekend.
Chris Plouffe made his first main of the season in Oakland.
Simon Cudby photo
- Notables that failed to qualify in 450SX: Tevin Tapia, Antonio Balbi, Kyle Partridge, Chris Blose, Weston Peick, Kevin Rookstool, Ben LaMay, PJ Larsen, Cody Gilmore and Austin Howell.
- Largest Gain in 450SX points: Thank in part to a season-high fifth, MotoConcepts’ Mike Alessi jumped four spots in the standings from 19th to 15th. Alessi's first two races of the season were terrible, this is more of what we expect from the 800.
- Largest Slide in 450SX points: After missing the main in Oakland—his third missed main of the year—N-Fab/TiLube Yamaha’s Chris Blose dropped three spots from 21st to 24th.
- Dodge Sycuan RCH Racing Suzuki's Broc Tickle went off the track in his heat race and had to make the main through the Last Chance Qualifier. He won that, and turned it all around with a season-best eighth in the main event.
- Motothump/HRT Honda rider Jimmy Albertson took the final spot in the main by finishing second to Tickle in the LCQ. Then he delivered his best finish of his career with an 11th in the main event--he said it's the first 450 main in which he stayed on the lead lap.
- Albertson was not alone. Oakland saw a night of career-highs in 450SX. BTO Sports KTM’s Matt Goerke rode to a 450SX career-high seventh, while Slaton Racing’s Vince Friese also scored a career-high ninth. Can you partially give credit to a massive first-turn crash that claimed past main-event winners like James Stewart and Justin Barcia, and also put Chad Reed and Josh Grant way, way back? Nah, let's just give these guys their due.
- And it's not like Goerke hasn't proven he can go toe-to-toe with the lead dogs, anyway. He's been very fast this season on his new KTM and keeps progressing each week.
- Also making his first main of the season is Goerke's BTO Sports KTM teammate Les Smith. Smith is the fill-in rider for the injured Michael Byrne, but when Byrne comes back Smith will move, well, just a few feet over, pitting out of the same BTOSports.com rig for Witt’s End Racing. That's what was known as Langston-Witt Racing last year, with Team Owner Scott Witt honoring the 2013 contract he had made with Smith.
- International Department: Seven different countries are represented in 250SX point standings—United States, Germany (Ken Roczen), Ecuador (Martin Davalos), England (Max Anstie), Australia (Josh Cachia and Kade Mosig), South Africa (Tyla Rattray) and Brazil (Jean Carlos Ramos). And if you're counting 450SX you can now add France to the list, with Cedric Soubeyras making his first main event of the season.
- Speaking of, congrats to Australian Kade Mosig on making his first ever 250SX main event in Oakland. Mosig would finish the night 17th. Also making their first main events of 2013 were 51Fifty Energy Honda’s Chris Plouffe (14th) and Rockwell/FirePolice MX’s Killy Rusk (18th).
- Brazil’s Jean Carlos Ramos made his first main since the opening round in Anaheim, finishing 15th in Oakland.
Chris Plouffe made his first main of the season in Oakland.
Simon Cudby photo
- Notables that failed to qualify in 250SX: Max Anstie, Scott Champion, Ricky Dietrich, Dillan Epstein, Derek Anderson, Dakota Tedder and Tyler Bereman.
- Largest Gain in 250SX points: With his 15th place finish, Ramos jumped six spots in the point standings—26th to 20th.
- Largest Slide in 250SX points: After injuring his wrist at Anaheim 2, Ryan Sipes (expected to return this week) slid four spots in points (9th to 13th). While Sipes’ slide was due to injury, an 11th place finish in Oakland dropped Tyla Rattray four spots in points (6th to 10th), and is now only seven points clear of rookies Jessy Nelson and Joey Savatgy for the final spot inside the top ten.
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I would hate to be named Tyla and be riding for Mitch Payton right about now. That has got to be a very uncomfortable situation to be in. Mitch is the best person to be riding for when you are leading the points, but I can only imagine that Mr. Performance may have a few carefully worded words of encouragement when you are reasonably healthy and sitting 10th in points. Ouch!
"Largest Gain in 450SX points: Thank in part to a season-high fifth, MotoConcepts’ Mike Alessi jumped four spots in the standings from 19th to 15th. Alessi's first two races of the season were terrible, this is more of what we expect from the 800."
.I don't expect to see the 800 in 5th again anytime soon.
Bill C
Your right! 800 won't break the 5 barrier again in SX. Mike does make going fast at National look good though at his results there prove that.
Anybody on in the NorthEast been riding?
Let's all step back from the computer, turn off the tube and put on riding gear. In 48 hours 6 inches of snow has melted so the knobbies, they must be fresh.
Isnt Poletellis 8th in the 250 final a career best as well?That would make for two career bests for both HRT riders on the same night.
Hey Mitch, great pick with Davallos! Maybe you can call Hanny back
for the 450's too.
The days of Pro Circuit being the one and only team for 250F racers are behind us. Turned down by Musquin & Anderson, Payton had no choices left but to recruit Davalos. PC's notoriously cheap contracts will have to change if they have any intention of hiring decent talent ever again.
For the longest time, I have hoped for other teams to overthrow the evil empire, but truthfully, I'm shocked that the day is actually here.
Maybe Payton going to anger management (say "hi" to Lil' Hanny) might help as well.........sorry Mitch.
I might have spoken too soon on Short getting Goerke's KTM, but let's give it another week and see if "Beef" can keep it in the top 7 with all the other guys still on the track.
Heres Paytons comments after Oakland
http://www.racerxonline.com/2013/01/28/open-mic-interviews-from-oakland
I really expected more from Tyla .......And I don’t think it’s cool.........And not very happy with that either.
I really expected Martin to have the speed to run with those guys ....... I know the bikes are good .
Ouch !
This is on you Mitch. These guys are doing what thev've done.......hope they werent two year contracts.
JimM
Pala374
Let's not forget the award for [Worst Sports Caster In The History Of Mankind: Ralph Sheheen] - For his awesome racing insight, insights into the minds of the team owners, being so overwhelmed with Canard being hurt that he has to tell the story 4 times (3 times in the same moto) in one night and even Emig says ok lets not show that again because it hurts to see as a racer...
Erin Bates and Ralph Sheheen are the biggest jokes in Motocross and Supercross, how they get "rides" is beyond me. Lets get Kevin Windham in as an announcer... And let Miss Supercross DD fill Erin's roles, she may not be the greatest speaker yet but she is picking it up quick and is easier to look at.
I know he won't be outspoken publicly like Mitch but RC can't be happy with Tickle or Hill. Tickle's best finish is an 8th when two of the top riders DNF. I think they thought he could be a consistent top 10. I'm sure he's also hearing I told you so's about Hill.
Bring in the Canadian MX announcers. They kick ass, make it exciting and don't miss great action while boringly talking about something unrelated to the action and sometimes unrelated to even the race they are "calling".
TRAVERS AND KOSTER !!!!
@rick--You want to talk politics fine, go to a political website--I have seen your TALK about politics before, you are too narrow minded and blame one guy for everything, which is impossible in todays politics.. So go to a political website and talk..
Maybe the days of PC dominace are over. Some of these other teams have really elevated their game with their in house motors. Lets' replace Erin with Roseann Bar, yeah thats what I am talking aobut. ha ha ha
For as much as he gets ragged on lately (lately = last 2 years), Friese has stayed out of trouble on & off the track since A1, and finished the Main way higher than anyone predicted.
Now that you mention it, who did steal that cookie out of the jar?!
What is there to say about the economy of the sport? The economy is in the toilet, stuff costs too much, the lower pay scales are growing at an infinitely slower rate than the upper pay scales. Rich people are wiping with $100 bills and middle class people are wondering how much worse it can get. What's to talk about? 4-strokes cost more to maintain than 2-strokes? Know what else costs too much? A gallon of gas! Know what else costs too much? That new pickup truck. The cable bill is $200 but we can pause live TV and rewind it! We need murses to carry around our whole assortment of iPods, iPads, iPhones and the like.
So what do we do about it? I know, let's all go buy some more Hyundais!!
What does the economy have to do with the idiotic commentating ? Bates and Sheheen are simply horrible at what they do . Doesnt help our sport . I appreciate being able to watch sx every week but can't stomach those two anymore. Have a good night y'all
Anyone who say's Erin is ugly should post a Pic of the girl you are with (lets hope she only has two legs) Erin is hot, have you ever seen her face to face?? Great body and pritty!! TV does not always help. i mean look at RC he looks huge....Oh never mind bad example LOL
@BillC- oh yeah, she has two legs alright, its that third eye in the middle of her forehead that scares me. lol Yes Erin is still hot. But RC is starting to look like the Pillsbury dough boy. It is strange after all these years of racing and training that he didn't keep it up after retiring. But I know he would still do cirlces around me.