by Andy Bowyer
450 Words: Game of Inches
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PrintYou already know who won the races. Now enjoy 450 Words for an extra take on a story you might have missed.
The most repeated word regarding the 450 class in the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross series is, “parity.” It’s possible to say that the sport has never witnessed a pack of racers be so close in speed, and the practice times at Dallas cemented this notion. Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart and Rockstar Energy Racing’s Davi Millsaps traded the fastest lap three times before Stewart eventually claimed the pole. But what had the entire press box pointing to the gargantuan high-definition display in Cowboys Stadium was the list of the top NINE qualifiers being within a single second! Even the most veteran media members were shaking their heads and salivating for the main event.
Muscle Milk Honda racers Justin Barcia and Trey Canard were among the fastest times in practice but gated poorly. Meanwhile, the unflappable Millsaps pulled the Nuclear Cowboys Holeshot, but was quickly surpassed by Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto. Hot on their rear fenders were Discount Tire TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed and Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, and just like that the stage was set for a brawl that oddly wouldn’t materialize.
The battle that never materialized.
Simon Cudby photo
You all know the results, and have read the course didn’t lend itself to passing, but what is remarkable is how close these guys were. Its hard to imagine a mere tenth of a second being significant, but over 20 laps those tiny fractions and little victories in RV’s corners added up to a five-second margin of victory at the checkered flag.
The hours of testing and the over obsessive demands of the riders from themselves and their machines made the difference in winning the race, and making the podium. A single slip by Millsaps could have saw him go from 2nd to 4th in a flash. It was a beautiful thing to watch four of the best racers in the world attack the hard, slippery race track. Reed would put together a couple perfect sections to draw to Millsaps fender, then lose ground with the slightest twitch of his wheels. Dungey’s attack seemed to streamline with each passing lap, but it wasn’t because he was jumping a crazy rhythm combo, or blasting the whoops. He merely picked up a tenth here and there, and those impossibly brief moments almost made the difference in Davi’s point lead falling to 17 (if he would have finished fourth), instead of growing to 21 heading into Atlanta.
Millsaps was able to seperate from Reed and Dungey, but it wasn't by much.
Simon Cudby photo
It’s astonishing how accurate the racers are in 2013. The advantages are being earned by a single click of the suspension, or a 1/4 of a pound of air pressure in the tires. The differences between the riders are the slightest labors of cornering technique and making the most of every opportunity of traction. The days of making a huge mistake, or getting a poor start then charging through the pack don’t exist in 2013. Millsaps hasn’t established his 21-point lead with a winning streak, and Dungey hasn’t fallen almost a full race behind with a DNF. The two-time defending champion didn’t walk away to the win in Dallas after leading the first lap. The victory in Dallas by Villopoto (and extension of the points lead by Millsaps) was manifested by gaining tenths of a second in every section, and winning the game of inches.
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HOLESHOT!!! was at the race and it was a good one. Couldnt believe Stewarts bad luck with his clutch..... he was on it, coulda been his night. How bout that crash of Bells...and he gets up!!
When I saw the title of this I was hoping this was some kind of contest to see who gets a date with ms supercross. But its just a dumb old regular article.
Andy - Millsaps was fast qualifyer - 3rd session...fast qualifyers always start in the second heat - Stewart was in heat 1 - Millsaps, Heat 2.
Millsaps needs to rest up this week - probably best till Wednesday - do a super hard cardio session Thursday and some easy moto's Friday - he'll feel like a new man on Saturday...considering how well he done (at Dallas) while sick (RV never got that far away - and the man said himself he could hardly breathe) I think Atlanta is going to be game on - for sure.
I think Milsaps was trying to pull an ALESSI on Reed ! Kick him with the boot.........I remember that old trick...I did it 1988 at Kenworthy's 125 class on Larry Brooks !
Over the WidowMaker
LOL !
@dinosaurmedia
You're right, my mistake. It was crazy watching Stew and Davi trade fastest lap back and forth and I sincerely forgot who ended up on top. I enjoy watching the qualifying portion of the program and seeing the guys really drop the hammer after the timing line when they go for a quick lap.
They make a fairly big deal out of winning the pole in Moto GP and other motor sports. I know the Coor's Light Pole Award in NASCAR carries a lot of weight. Maybe we'll see more made of it in SX '14?
Good 'ol media, trying to make a dull race seem like it was a battle. My report, RV gets out front and pulls away like every other race where the rider got the holeshot. Reed gets in the way of DM & RD, both riders get by him = race over.
I know @AGMAN, I hate that, I wish the media would just write a really dull article and not even try... how dare them try to make something out of nothing...losers.
Drag races allways close.
If Stewart could just get off that damn Yamaha, everything would change.
But... That 45 second lap time ends up cutting off 5 minutes of the total race. Would be nice to see it get back towards 60 seconds!
@ JDubya... LMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does yoshimura suzook have bad mojo or what?First Dungey's chain dnf in sx,out of gas at Freestone moto 2 with big lead,then won't start,I think at Southwick.[all 2011]Next 2012 ;Metcalfe's horrible year,Bubba's 4 moto win streak;a cross rut strange crash,Then 2013 a knee injury without crashing-and finally it looks like a potential win or podium and the clutch goes out on the line.Since New Orleans is on the way to hot'Lanta stop and see some high[real high] priestness of Voo-Doo and exorcise the Yosh rig and James.Did James switch pipes?;because mxa espn photo has me wondering.Just kidding haha.Air fork washout should be gone in Atlanta's good dirt and maybe multiple lines and good racing so maybe a good battle between CR,RV,RD and rest.Don't forget about the spoilers like JS,JB,and Tomac.
@racefan117...you drop all that knowledge and not even one mention of the current points leader?? Will this guy ever get the respect he deserves?? Stewart doesnt even race in the main and thats all anyone wants to talk about. And can we please stop with all the letter abbreviations for the riders, its giving me a headache.
The tracks this year suck so bad. They're ridiculous. They are all so one lined. They need to do something about the tracks. If anyone gets a bad start, all they can do is follow the person ahead of you and try for a really aggressive move. Really disappointed with the tracks.
Unless Millsapps has 2-3 bad results, I don't see how anyone is going to catch him. Looks like he's going to win the series.
@ronniebarnhardt my apoligies to you and current points leader.Millsaps is indeed for real.He has been the most consistent of any of the contenders.Unless he dnf's whether crash or mechanical it will be hard to catch him.Villapoto,while not my favorite,has the best chance if he strings together wins.Dungey has a chance but thirds and fourths will not get it done.Also spoilers such as Stewart,Barcia and Tomac may shake things up.I can't recall this much parity in 450's.Perhaps Canard can rebound and improve with a win or three.
Typically, simple-ass tracks enable slower riders to compete with faster riders. They need to make the tracks more technical to separate the men from the boys.
VistaJIM
Over the WidowMaker BABY !
@dinosaurmedia~I don't think Milsaps sickness played against him too much physically. The race only lasted 15 minutes. If it would have been a 30 minute race I could see it being a problem.
I also agree with AGMAN and brap262
I would like to remind racefan117 that Tim Ferry won a title without so much as even winning one race so don't count RD out yet.
@SpeedShifter~I think the 7 men have been separated from the 40+ boys despite the easy tracks.
the reason other guys are close this year is because the tracks suck this year!!
@BillC--the tracks have sucked this year--but they all ride the same track.. I think if a rider is that much faster and had alot more skill than another, he would run away on a bad track also.. I just think there are 4 or 5 guys who are that close in speed.. But I do believe that the dirt was so hard in Dallas they made the track a little easier, to try to keep crashes down..Which also means there isnt anything to really seperate the riders much.. But man, the tracks have really sucked bad so far this year.. Plus the crappy West Coast dirt, something needs to change for sure..
easy tracks simply level playing field.... when your 10th place guys are only a half a second off the leaders pace....its not because they are just as good as your RV or Dungey...Its in result of the lack of challenge from the actual track..These dudes are all professionals and if you dont have to use all your skill, there is not anything more on the track to seperate yourself from the rest of the guys...if the tracks are going to be that easy, they need to create alternate lines.....easy track and one lines dont seem to work to well to date...
@KilloMoto-- I agree, notice I said 4 or 5 guys are that fast..But yea, we have guys that havent been within 20 seconds of the leaders ever, are now within 10 seconds or closer.. I think they were hoping it would make for better racing if everyone can go fast.. But the dirt is so bad everybody is tip-toeing around the track so they dont wash out.. Hopefully some East Coast dirt will change that..
"@BillC--the tracks have sucked this year--but they all ride the same track.. I think if a rider is that much faster and had alot more skill than another, he would run away on a bad track also"
.Yes they ride the same track BD200 but you can only go so fast on an easy track. Come to Southwick sometime. In the Morning EVERYONE is fast, but come 2nd moto...not so much. Then you see who is in shape and who is fast/good. So that is why so many are so close now and the racing sucks because of it.
The Stewart and Villopoto Heat was was 2+seconds faster than Heat 2. I think if Stewartis getting stronger and is looking better than we have seen in a while IMO, Like the heat race, He may be that ingredient to push him and RV to that next level where they are in a class of their own..but it was just a heat race that nobody wants to win..hahaha.... In the main, RV was on cruise control from the get go it seemed and probably could turn it up if needed... Milsaps is doing awesome, but I sill give the nod to RV in the head to head battle between the two...
Head to head battle, I would give the nod to RV on a tacky track for sure, but those slick tracks have given RV trouble, he has had alot more trouble than Millsaps staying up.. I just hope we get better tracks now that Dirt Works is catching heat from the riders..And they will have some better dirt to work with also..
Yes bd200 RV has fallen down a few time, Again the tracks are not helping there either nor his starts. Sap's fell once also but has been nailing the starts and when your not in the pack like RV on tracks that suck trying to pass people who can go fast on an easy track life is much better, hence the points lead.
.Funny how you just said you think RV is better then Saps yet you get mad at me for saying that.