by Jason Thomas
Breakdown: Not All On Dean
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 | 11:55 AM
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With one mistake, Dean Wilson ended his 2013 supercross season and changed the face of the championship. In effect, the battle for the East went from a focus on Wilson and Wil Hahn to a hard-charging Marvin Musquin as the new contender. After the crash, I overheard numerous people theorizing that Deano was impatient and made a foolish mistake. I have a different opinion on the situation.
Every weekend, the riders get to sort out the track early during their practices, checking for new lines, ruts, and any changes that the track crew may have made. After a lap or two, everyone picks up the intensity and goes full speed. For the main event, the riders are given a sight lap to scope out the track and prepare for battle. This is where I feel the difference lies, because in the heat races, the riders are not allowed to see the track before the race. After practice, the track gets completely rebuilt from top to bottom, and it's literally impossible to recreate every jump angle to be exactly the same as it once was. As a rider, I was always nervous during that first lap of the heat, wondering how rhythm sections would be reworked and how the whoops would be shaped. Oftentimes, I would run up into the stands to try to get a better idea of what to expect. That only helps a little, though. With no way to really see some sections before the heat, you are relying on faith that the crew built it exactly the same way—and when you’re dealing with a track made of dirt, that’s a lot to expect.
In practice, I saw dozens of guys hit the line Wilson crashed on without incident. This time, however, the line had been redone and the lip was nowhere near the same. The result was an unexpected veer to the right, and Dean came up way short. While this isn't anyone's fault, it is unfortunate that Dean didn't have a chance to see that the line would be slightly different. In Europe, we would always wander out onto the track before the night show and see what had been rebuilt and how to approach the heat race ahead. It may not be practical for eighty riders to roam through pyrotechnic equipment before the race, so it makes me wonder if we should add a parade lap to the first heat race of the night. It would take the human track-builder element out of the equation, since the riders could make their own judgements. The riders in the following heats would at least see what the first heat riders were encountering.
Wilson had to be taken to the hospital after a hard crash in his heat race.
Simon Cudby photo
Another example of this was in Orlando 2005. There was a very difficult triple out of the first turn, and on a 250F, it took every bit of power the bike had plus a seat bounce to clear it. Grant Langston had been doing the jump all day, and on the first lap of his heat, he approached it as he had every other attempt. Big problem. Unknowingly to GL, the takeoff had been lowered by about a foot. By the time he realized that, he was headed for disaster; he and the bike cartwheeled a few times. Luckily, Grant was uninjured, but he had some choice words for the track builders. With no access to see the track and no parade lap, he was not aware of the change. While crashing on a triple is a more extreme example than what befell the #15 bike on Saturday night, the idea is the same.
It’s worth noting that such incidents rarely happen. It’s a credit to the track builders that this year’s tracks have been designed with more rider safety in mind, and the injury rate has been much lower than last year. While ultimately the mistake lay with Dean, I think this situation may be avoidable with a policy change. First-lap crashes are always going to happen, but when it's due to an unexpected track variation, that seems to warrant a closer look. While it may be impossible to prove that Dean's crash was 100 percent due to not previewing the track, I feel that in this case it definitely played a role.
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That is some great iniste from JT that only comes from being a racer him self. It seems to me that all Feld cares about is selling tickets and not so much about the teams and riders. The tracks have been pretty bad this year and Indy was the worst. That track looked way too narrow. They had B riders holding off the best riders in the world for several laps.
Dean made a stupid mistake. That's it. His head hasn't been in the right place for weeks. He is absolutely stunned that he isn't winning races. No disrespect to Dean. He is fast and has a great attitude. But you need to know a line like that is way too sketchy. The only other I saw attempting that line was Dungey and he only did it twice. He pulled the plug when he realized it just wasn't worth the risk.
This is not Deano's first SX race. He already knows what JT$ has described as being a possibility in the first heat race.
The ultimate responsibility lies with the racer, period. Having watched, and re-watched the incident, it is clear that Deano was too impatient and took a calculated risk. That risk back-fired on him, unfortunately. He has the speed, and should have waited for at least one, at race speed sighting lap, to resume his fast pace from practice.
Sorry, but to blame the track re-builders, to any extent, is wrong. The only true fix is to race the tracks "as is" with no fixes. That would mean that the riders would take the calculated risks on the opening laps as per usual anyway, right???!!!!
My take on Deano's get off is that he was way too impatient and his crash was a self inflicted injury. It should not be blamed (even a little bit) on the track crew for re-prepping the track.
Jason question. You said this "It’s a credit to the track builders that this year’s tracks have been designed with more rider safety in mind, and the injury rate has been much lower than last year"
.But I tend to disagree. Last year moat of the guys did not get hurt because of the tracks. RD was at home, RV fell in a flat turn, Canard's was not the tracks fault, Reed's?? again how was that the tracks fault? Not anything crazy just a whoop section. I think last year was just an odd year.
.What do others think also?
JT that is good insight.............but its still all on Dean,
The track builders don't decide when a rider lays up or twists the grip and goes for it.
In this case Wilson went for it....blindly, he made the decision and took the chance so that he could make the pass. He had the option of waiting but decided not to.
Every other racer deals witth the same track on the 1st lap, and to top it off these Factory guys even get to pre-ride the track on Fridays for press day.
JT, thanks for the insight, I really enjoy your work on here and the podcasts.
With that said I still think Dean was too impatient on the first lap. This isn't his first year, so he should know that the track changes before trying a difficult move. It's not like he was in 20th in a short heat where he had to make passes now. He was 2nd...
As far as injury rate.
I think its the same, its just that its not the "Top" guys getting hurt and lesser known guys.
Also, how about Wilson and Canard both out now, what about the 6D angel sitting on Bells, and Tomac shoulders. Plus this year isn't over yet. Still plenty of racing left.
Definitely becoming one of the must reads every week.....thanks JT. This wasn't something I even considered but makes sense.
A parade lap would obviously be a good idea. We are talking about 5 or 10 minutes. There may be guys who didnt run the very first practice on the day who have no idea what that track is like with not a single rut or groove anywhere. Not to mention changes that may have been made.
Two years in a row Dean has made a mistake under pressure..... different circumstances for sure but the common denominator was pressure from another rider.
One online text / pic to all team managers could notify of significant changes in jump faces. Question is where does it stop ?
Why are tuff blocks continuing to be an issue , pin them ... issue resloved
Jim M
If adding a parade helps even a little, why not? but sometimes it just doesnt matter, Canards wreck looked like he should have ended up being carted off in the mule, but walked away. And back when RV looked like he just tipped over in the drive way, ends up out for a season. Its just motor-cross i guess...
I too think there should be a sight lap before the heats. If anything this year has had Dirt Wurx doing more mods to the track between qualifying sessions and after qualifying sessions. JT and Matthes have been vocal about this in their podcasts.
However, I still think the crash is on Dean. He was riding impatiently on lap 1 of a heat, trying to pass his teammate. There was no rush to make that pass, and I wonder how many times in practice he even used the outside line? To me, Deano is definitely a guy who seems to be in need of some guidance. Sure he's buddies with Reed but that relationship is not really there on race day. Dean is proud of not employing a trainer, being "self-made" but I think having an influence like Jeff Stanton or Johnny O would do wonders for him. Look at the effect Stanton has had on Barcia, he is much more focused on his racing on the track and much less focused on taking out another rider, compared to 2010-2011 era Bam Bam.
But hey, Bob Hannah says everyone who employs a coach or a trainer is a fool so what do I know!
JimboMX374..."Two years in a row Dean has made a mistake under pressure"
.What does that mean?? what presure?? to win a heat race??? come on.. I don't get that at all. he crashed. they ALL crash.
It is too bad for Dean, but he raced the same track as everyone else. I guessing he was just trying to pull the trigger to quick. It seems that Dean has been too impatient the last few races and is not allowing the race to come to him. But I don't know, do we have a parade lap for every race? Hopefully he will heal up quickly, I was hoping to see him in the outdoors.
Deano blew it again !! A smart rider would hold back until he sees the track. You never see Dungey pull a stupid move like that .
This isn't about blame to me.
It's about moving forwards & learning something here & each & every time stuff like this happens.
The bottom line to me is "Safety".
I don't blame, but for sure when the track is completely reconditioned before the heats, a parade lap, for the sake of safety alone should be considered.
Mistakes happen to quickly, & they can hurt people.
For the time it takes, for me & my experience, it makes sense.
There's never Not enough time to be safe.
They need to change the 3 practices to make time for this.
2 timed practices are all that's needed.
The 1st is a waste of time.
That time should be utilized to make time for a parade lap before all the heat races.
Grooming is important & so is safety.
Seeing is believing!
I think the guys that agree with JT are racers, and the guys that dont agree with JT are not racers. First of all, if the track builder rebuilds the face of a jump to the same specs as what is was before it got chewed up, there is nothing wrong with that. But if the face gets reworked with a totally differnent angle or shorter or taller takeoff. I do agree that is BS. After hitting the same jump the exact same way all morning in practice and then to come around and have the face rebuilt totally different is wrong, and very dangerous and the track builders should not do that.. But.....being a supercross racer for a living you should know from experience (JT) that you dont go balls out on the first lap because they have done this before.
Excellent observation JT, couldn't have been put a better way. If not a parade lap then at least let the riders somehow get a look at the newly groomed track. The race program starts at 11am, there is more than enough time to play with throughout the whole day to make some time. Wilson also was racing the first lap and for those who do not race, sometimes the first lap is the worst. If you get a bad start your trying to make up for that and 50% of the time not making the best of decision's. It's called being a racer, nothing really good or bad about it. It's a common mistake that some of the best have made, and will be made again.
@BillC-- I think last year was one of those years where everyone was pushing so hard injuries started to pile up.. With the exception of RV's.. He got his boot caught in a rut, in a flat turn, that was bad timing and a terrible accident.. Not a tricky part of a track or anything.. I think the biggest danger on any track is the stupid tuff blocks and the dumb covers.. Everyone is so worried about the advertising on them and not anything else.. I couldnt believe how many times the track workers ran around sweeping the dust and dirt off them..
As many others have posted, I think JT is right on the money. The racers are going to be sprinting at top speed for that first lap, and no doubt it COULD make a small difference here and there if they don't know what the track conditions are. While racing is racing, and I would put the official "blame" on Dean for this one, anything that can improve the safety should be considered if it doesn't add unreasonable expense or effort. And it sure seems that allowing a parade lap for the heats (and even each LCQ) would be reasonable; assume 3 extra minutes each time and we're talking about less than 20 mins for the program (which yes I know is already packed, but it could be compressed more - less pyro and more sight laps - hell I'd be in favor of making a "Windham Only" rule for the intro, just see a few transfer jumps from Kdub and then get right into the races!). Seriously, why not just make the intro part of the sight laps for each heat race ... introduce each rider for each heat race, let them ride a parade lap, and then line up and race. Plus the extra sight laps would give the fans a little "heads up" on who is in each heat race.
First off, I think we all agree that it sucks when dudes get hurt.. secondly, I like Dean and hope he heals quickly, But,I have to agree with Jimbo as I stated a similar comment in last weeks RevUp...Dean like stated above came in to the series thinking he was going to dominate and is obviously suprised its been hard thus far...The onetime 250 outdoor champ got whooped at Daytona and His attitude is alot like how Reeds was at the opening conference - Maybe he was a little bit over confident and now he feels the pressure and made a bad move.... I have raced many o years and although JT makes sense in regards to the track prep, on an obstacle like that you dont over do it first lap and I think in this case more fault goes to rider....Because if that happened to Stewart, im sure many of the views would differ.....Heal up for the Nats Dean and stay on the 250 one more year..your not ready for the big boys just yet
I've been saying for awhile now that Feld motosports is turning Sx into a circus with no real concern for the quality of racing or rider safety (f'in tuff blocks) and is only concerned with making money. I have found some info that may lend credibility to my observations. Feld motosports is a division of Feld entertainment, which is traded on Wall Street. Anybody that has stock knows that making money is the main concern for these companies. That gives some credence to the fact they are mainly concerned with the bottom line. Now onto the circus part. Feld entertainment's bread and butter is....putting on a circus! They operate Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey. On top of that they are also behind Disney on ice and a few other "on ice" productions. It's no stretch of the imagination to see being a show is more up their alley than racing. Even if the motosport guys have SX in it's best interest they still are controlled by the entertainment division. It's too bad I'm a dirt bike junkie or I would completely cut SX out of my life.
Great insight JT$! I've been critical of some of the off the cuff observations by others on Racer X ( as well as other sites ), but it is refreshing to have an actual vet of the SX wars comments realistically. There may be some that don't agree with your assessment...but don't let that stop you from writing it as you see it. It's certainly much more accurate than some "former factory mechanic" juicing up Feld/AMA/FIM et al by saying that the issue ( be it rules, track conditions, scoring, etc ) is fine...just because Feld/AMA/FIM say that it is. Call it like you see it....
lets cut the bull#hit dean rear wheel lost traction at the bottom of the jump and made him jump sideways resulting in landing the double short and throwing him off the bars. The double was that big first of all and it was at the beginning of the rhythm section not in the middle or at the end of it. It was just a dumb mistake for going too hard for the pass on hill.
I do think that a circus company running things is a problem here. But this is not a Wall Street issue. All of the companies out there (moto companies, energy drinks, etc) are there to make money. Monster, Feld, Honda, you name it. By the way, I've made a mint off of HMC (Honda, traded on NYSE).
A sight lap on every moto should be mandatory.......geezus all that at stake is your life or mobility or career.... won't stop most mistakes like Dw's but if it helps even a little its worth it....@misopersona did you get fired from the circus...are you frightened by elephants or lions ..lol....tuff blocks should be hollow foam blocks(no totally dangerous stupid covers) with weighted bottoms....easy to haul .easy to crash on..easy to print sponsors on....
@tonewall...Funny. BTW I don't use other names on here. I only need to hide behind one made up screen name.
Thank You JT,its good to read a riders thoughts and I hope to see more of your articles in the future.I do think that there should be a parade lap held before the heat races that's plain and simple.All of the little things that formed during the practice sessions might possible be gone after grooming, that's impossible for the tract builders to duplicate...and the riders need to see whats what.
Sorry I meant to say a sight lap not parade...
Hmmmm......one person, a PC racer, falls and hurts himself and now everyone needs to be better protected from possible track condition changes??? That is one of the many criteria that makes this sport so unique, the fact that the track and track conditions change with each lap. There were 19 other racers who DID NOT crash in that particular spot.
How many of you, at your local races, get the ability to do a sight lap before your moto after practice (and the 1st moto) You (we) all know that the first lap is an exercise is caution for the reason of track change. Some of us gamble with this knowledge and are OK, other times we are "bit in the ass". We learn a valuable lesson. Life's lesson, hmmmmmmmm.....what a novel concerpt.
If everything in life was made simple, how would we learn??????????
well the title of the write up is " Breakdown: not ALL on Dean".... Maybe not ALL of it...but most of it is Deans error in judgement...It didnt happen to anyone else during that heat...
@JT
Leave the politicking to the idiots in charge! Deano IS the ONLY person to blame. His first lap was an inside corner. It was HIS responsibility to check for subsequent lines. Even at that. On approach, were his eyes closed or what? These guys are pros and have a damn good idea of what it takes to cover a gap. He would have been totally safe if he would have been diligent at squareing up his exit trajectory. He got screwed by tagging the tough block.
Jt$ is the next Jody W.Being from fla. gives him instant cred.
@Misoheye
Things started to change for the showmanship when the FRENCH BROS. ( who own and operate NASCAR ) got the rights to AMA racing. Who in the hell would think of a rolling start to an AMA supersport road race? The NASCAR IDIOTS that's who.
I'm willing to bet that the FRENCH BROS. own FELD. ( or at least have stock and board seats. )
@2003racer....It's hard to find out who sits on the board of these companies.
I have no problem with companies making profit. My problem is how they make it. When I see all the LCD stuff they got, which blocks the view of the track, and still see things like tuff block problems and not enough dirt to cover the floor it demonstrates that they (Feld) will invest money if it means more ticket sales. I think the term is return on investment. They are doing a great job of putting on a show, just not a race.
Long live MOTOCROSS!!
See what's in front of you and adjust on the fly that's what ridding is
I gotta disagree with JT$ on this one. He states that it is common that the first lap of heats can be sketchy due to changes made since practice. With that knowledge in hand, Wilson has to be somewhat cautious coming out of the 2nd turn. To me it seems to be ignoring that well-known fact that the first lap of a heat can be sketchy. It isn't like he gated last and was worried about not qualifying. The first lap was barely underway and he was trying to win the main event already by 20 seconds. It is like swinging for the fences when you only need a single. There are no 5 run home runs as much as people keep trying. The top 9 make the main and yeah, you get a better gate pick, but I'm pretty confident Dean would have won that heat going away if he had just been patient. If anyone thinks I'm being too harsh, I was rooting for Dean to come back and win the title, so I'm being as objective as possible. You can't win anything laid up in the hospital with a tube draining fluid out of your chest.
Rick Johnson had his first 250 MX title in hand way back when......all he had to do was get a certain finish at the last round. He was leading and feeling cokky and hit this one jump harder and faster and flew farther with each lap. He was killing it.....until his rear wheel exploded on the landing and he DNF'ed....and lost the title because of it. Some guys learn the lesson, others.......not so much. I'm hoping Wilson learns the lesson.
CAUTION? There is no caution in motocross, this is a dangerous sport and you go fast or you lose. All the fun is in going as fast as you can and if you think not then you are not a racer just some back marker foot dragger. GO RV GOOOOOO
Tuff blocks should be triangular shaped so footpegs won't grab them as easy, also the sponsor logos would be at a better angle for the crowd and TV cameras. Plus they would not have to sweep them off all night. Put breakaway anchors on them so they would only move from a hard impact.
I agree with bill C that last years injuries had very little to do with track design-
I also agree with those that feel Dean is 100 responsible for his own wreck for several reasons, first he knew the track was reworked and took the risk (if that was the reason at all), second he could have been much more patient as he knew he could get around anytime he wanted (not like it was Hahn he was passing) Third- no one else had that problem there, he did not need to kill it at all- it was a heat race that he knew he would get 1st-3rd without even breathing hard.
Claxton,
No there is never any need for caution on an MX track. Notice RV did not try that line Dungey was doing once in the main, even though he was catching him there. RV also refused to do a dragonback at an early round while behind Stewart, even though it was faster. Yes, Wilson made a very good choice in trying to pass on that line two turns into a farging HEAT race, his YEAR may be over. Those who have zero caution on an MX track are those that get carted off to the hospital and rarely win titles. Many a title winner has shown caution at times in winning that title. How's about RC getting beat by Reed 6 times to finish out a SX title season? Why don't you do a quick tally of how many titles James Stewart has crashed himself out of.
I know everybody hates to hear the "N" word, but it took the death of Dale Earnhardt to change Nascar to the much safer rules. Such as Hans device equipment and soft walls to be mandated. Is it time for AMA Supercross to mandate full chest and back protectors? Or maybe full upper body under armor?
Just say/n
Dean has threw it away for a couple years in a row now. The guy can't handle pressure. Period.
Deano thought he was going to come in and own East and quickly found out that it wasn't going to be like that. He straight up got dropped at Daytona and went into instant panic mode coming into Indy. He goofed, it's his fault. Stuff happens.
Dean and Reed have a real ignorance or confidence about them still. You would think the last few eyars of humble pie would have stuck with them. I guess not though.
Remember how Reed was acting after Monster Cup and after a few rounds at the start of the season?
vista jim- wow ! I think I agree , the more I think of it the better I like it, they would be more stable and easier to run over also
Solid point JT, keep up the good work!
Wait... I thought Marvin was in the first qualifier and (I know) he did that jump at least twice that Dean crashed on... Do I have that wrong?
Great insight JT. Please for the love of common sense, take over 'Observations' from that other muppet. We need an experts opinion on whats happening out there, not a wanna-be, never-was Manitoba amateur.
Just like Emig fretting for his job now that KW's knocking on the door, Steve best watch out, Mr Jason Thomas is coming! Hallelujah!!
VISTAJIM wrote: about 15 hours ago
Tuff blocks should be triangular shaped so footpegs won't grab them as easy, also the sponsor logos would be at a better angle for the crowd and TV cameras. Plus they would not have to sweep them off all night. Put breakaway anchors on them so they would only move from a hard impact.
Good idea!
Excellent insight JT! Indy was certainly a technical track. That particular turn caused problems for a few riders. Dungey took a nearly exact line in his moto and rarrowly escaped. As for being impatient, I undertand some of that argument. Anyone who has ever lined-up at a gate knows that seperating yourself from the pack early in the race significantly decreases your chances of problems from other riders. Dean is an excellent rider and has demonstrated an incredible ability to correct the bike in the air when needed. Whatever it he hit was completly unexpected and he was unable to correct. With that in mind, I think most of the blame goes to the Dirt Wurx crew on this one. They do a great job don't get me wrong. However, if they are going to have an outside line that throws the bike into the tuff blocks, they should at least develop a method of advising the riders of the change. The track should never win a race or cause a rider to lose a championship.
Best wishes to Dean and the Pro Circuit team!
@Jason; Very interesting perspective to note, especially for someone like yourself that has been bitten by the inconsistencies that come from human intervention ie (Track Building). Seems like an over-site that would warrant some attention by the authorities, especially when rider safety comes into play. Hardly (playing) out there when you risk life and limb. Great observation and even better (alert) to those in command. Great Job.
@Claxton; I wish I knew you as an actual person. Instead of someone who submits short and direct statements of disregard and disdain for your fellowman on these boards. Because from reading (just) your statements of (wanna be) Machoness is often embarrassing for me to believe you type this shallow line of thought.
If you believe what you type (all the time) you must be a quadriplegic, and for that you have my genuine regard for your physical and mental welfare...
If not, well that is a different story all together.
Here's my question -- why couldn't the riders go out and look again after track maintenance but before the night show? If it's just because of schedule obligations/signings, I would think that safety could come first!
I can't believe what I'm reading. Obviously you guys have never raced a supercross.. Maybe they should park a bulldozer on the down side of a triple, so when the leader comes around first lap he has a unexpected surprise at speed.
Altering a track after practice without being able to see it before getting into a RACE is absolutely insane. I have been injured bad because someone throws water down during a moto. It shouldn't happen. Ever.
There is no "fault" or "blame" here. There is concern about the track building and rider safety.
Dean Wilson isn't supposed to use his first heat RACE lap as a sight lap to learn a track.. Ridiculous.
I have seen tuff blocks save just as many riders from serious injury as I have caused problems. That's a tough issue.. What's the solution? A tuff block out in the middle of the track is the same damn thing as what happened to dean Wilson. A CHANGE that was unexpected with a huge consequence.
Mishoeye, if you go back and watch Wiilsons crash he actually landed on a tuff block. It was the last white one before they turned to yellow. If it wasn't there, he saves it. But they need something to mark the edge of the track, so I don't know the answer. I'm out on this one, creativity isn't my deal
I'm for a sighting lap, prior to Every race - Heats, LCQs, and Mains.
Just have definite rules for the time taken, and no stupidity. Though, stupidity, can be many things, to many people.
I scooted into the house to get a coffee, last weekend, expecting to miss the start of the 450s. That I came back, far later than I had planned (I was ambushed), says the time for a sighting lap for all the races, should not be an issue. SX caters enough to those of a short attention span, and TV demands. Hey, it would give the TV companies, a couple of minutes extra time for ad revenue - use that 'arguement' with them........... no need to push the rider safety aspect of it.
@Persona, u r full of s..t as usual!
Jason - watch the race again before you write these articles. Big point you make is that if the first heat of the night had a parade lap then the riders in the following heats would see what lines are working.
Wilson was in the second heat. Marvin hit that line on at least his last lap. Thus your logic is flawed. Racers crash whether or not they get sight laps it happens.