Welcome to Racerhead, coming to you on a Friday in the middle of what’s been an oddly mild winter so far. There’s not a great deal going on around the industry, at least not in public. The practice and test tracks and dynos and workbenches are all busy with riders and race teams getting ready for January 9, 2016. We’ve talked about the off-season a whole bunch here over the past few weeks, so I will make my info updates brief: Chad Reed will be racing a Yamaha in 2016 and we’ll know where he’ll be pitted early next week—we think. The Star Wars-inspired Fox Racing gear is out, and like all things Star Wars, it must be flying off the shelves right now (but still no public sighting of the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki Fox Racing gear that Joey Savatgy, Adam Cianciarulo, Chris Alldredge, Tyler Bowers, and Arnaud Tonus (and later on Austin Forkner) will be wearing next season). There are also no big new injuries to report, aside from a shoulder injury Andrew Short sustained recently, but we hope he won’t miss much time, if any. Also, it’s nice to see Jeremy Martin back on track.
We do have something going on here today that’s a small deal for most but a big deal for our staff and families: Racer X Illustrated just passed the 200-issue mark, with HRC Honda’s Trey Canard landing on the milestone cover as he preps for Anaheim. We turned the old Racer X newspaper into a magazine in February of 1998, and despite a very competitive market (not to mention the gradual squeeze on printed media due to the internet and social media advances) we are still going strong 200 issues into this adventure. We are very proud to have kept this thing going for so long, and we still have a long way to go.
In looking back at the first issue, which featured Jeremy McGrath on the cover on his new Yamaha YZ250, it was a fun reminder of the way we were, and the OG Racer X crew of Bryan Stealey, Julie Kramer, and Jeff Kocan here in Morgantown and Chris Hultner, Eric Johnson, and Marc Blanchard out in California. I’m sure we were all dreaming big, and we were definitely having fun—that’s never changed!
But a lot of other things have changed in the industry, some for the better, some not so much. In the main feature of the new issue we tried to take a stab at what lay ahead by dissecting that first issue—all 124 pages of it—and searching for the little hints and clues. It’s called “We Should Have Known” and I think it’s as provocative a story as we’ve ever done. If you get a chance, check it out. And thanks to every reader, advertiser, racer, and industry friend who helped us along the way. We really are just getting started, even though we’ve obviously come a long way already.
On the approach of this milestone, the entire staff enjoyed reminiscing about the times and looking back to that first glossy issue that was printed in 1998. The March/April ’98 print edition is pretty rare to come by these days, so we scanned in one of the few copies we have at the office to spread the holiday joy. You can read the full issue below for free to get an idea of how far both the magazine and industry have come in those eighteen years, and that’s exactly what we did in the 200th issue.
You can read our 200th issue, February ’16, right now by logging in or subscribing to the digital edition. Besides “We Should Have Known,” you can also read about the tradition of top American talent racing the All-Japan Motocross Finals coming back, Blake Wharton’s moto trip to the Holy Land in Israel, the 2015 Lille Supercross and the dangerously close terrorist attacks that rocked Paris, and Jason Thomas’ two-wheeled tour through Brazil. The print issue began mailing out to subscribers yesterday, but you can still get your print copy by subscribing now or buying the single issue at Racer X Brand.
Racer X and Box Vans (Steve Matthes)
With issue #200 dropping this week, I thought I'd take a look back at my first experience with RXI. Okay, it was my first year as a mechanic in 1996 on the PJ1 Yamaha team working for Shaun Kalos and Cory Keeney, the latter firing me at Unadilla because I mentioned that guys who could barely break top twenty didn’t always have to have their frames painted every week when he complained. There were two semi trucks in the pits (Kawasaki and Yamaha) and most of us wrenches were gypsies in box vans.
The other mechanic on the team was a former fast racer named Anthony Paggio who told me he was doing this job for one year and then going to try college the next year. Wonder what ever happened to him. Anyway, he told me about this newspaper called Racer X and how we had to get a copy. Paggio explained that this “Davey guy” had left his recorder somewhere on a desk in his hotel at the Pontiac SX one year and him and privateer buddy Gene Neumac, who were all staying in the same hotel room together, picked it up and proceeded to interview each other while Davey wasn’t around. This was the famous “shoulder popper” interview that someone is going to have to dig out for the rest of us.
I hadn’t heard of this paper but we soon got a copy and I realized that this guy Davey seemed to love Evel Knievel a lot, Paggio’s story was funny, and we needed more of this in motocross. Racer X newspaper never took itself too seriously, had its pulse on the sport, and the only thing that sucked about the whole deal was I was never able to get one that was current. By the time I got the newest issue, it had been on the floor of Kenny Watson’s Moto XXX box van for weeks. When I did manage to get one, the bike work stopped and it was time to sit on the bumper and laugh.
Now it's 1998 and I’m Ty Birdwell's mechanic, still trying to get a paper, when I heard that this Racer X thing was going to become a magazine. I knew it would bring something the sport needed. And the bonus part was I was sure there would be many copies to be had. Two things were pretty predictable when that mag dropped. One was the great Jeremy McGrath on the cover, and the other was it was the mag to have in the pits. I think it was at the opening round at the Los Angeles Coliseum where I scored it, and thanks to DC or EJ for coming all the way to the privateer pits to hand them out!
Eleven years later that Davey guy hired me to cover the sport, and now I’m handing out new copies to mechanics in the pits and watching them fight over it like I used to do. Weird, huh?
THE ICON ON RICK ASCH (Jason Weigandt)
David "The Icon" Bailey noticed our nod to retiring Kawasaki engine man Rick Asch last week and sent this note:
I just noticed Rick's retirement and wanted to share a story about him. Although I didn't really get to know him really well, from every interaction I can remember with him he was humble and helpful and always listening and smiling. To think he has been there all this time is remarkable but no surprise. The first national I ever raced at Saddleback was in 1981, the day Hannah and Howerton had their epic battle. Kawasaki had Rick look after me that day since I was by myself. I lined up for the first moto way on the outside, mainly because that's where DeCoster lined up during the Trans-Ams and all the fast guys lined up out there, even though it seemed like a 100 yards too far away. Rick may have either confirmed it or suggested it as well. Back then you were allowed to work in front of the gate and since Saddleback had all those dry marbles, Rick took the time and swept all of those away in a perfect 18" wide path that went out a good 30-40 yards. It was so nicely done that other riders joked about me getting sideways over the huge pipe gate and missing the whole thing he worked so hard to prepare. As the time drew closer to starting our bikes and then the gate drop I felt more and more pressure to get over the gate and hit that perfectly prepped path. When we crested the top of the hill shifting through 4th gear and then to 5th, I realized I was all by myself! That was my first holeshot in pro motocross and my first trip down Bonzai hill in a race. To this day it stands out as one of the biggest thrills of my career - made possible by a guy who knew what I needed. Thanks Rick and congratulations on a successful career in motocross.
-- David Bailey
Asch Pipe (Steve Matthes)
We mentioned Rick Asch's retirement last week after thirty-four years in the Kawasaki tech department, where he had a hand in a whole bunch of championship-winning bikes and riders. Here's a photo from his farewell party, after he and Colleen were presented with this amazing plaque that sums up just how important Rick has been to the success of Kawasaki over the years. A great guy and master engineer, he will be missed by everyone in the paddock.
I had no idea Asch was retiring until DC dropped it in last week's Racerhead column. And there's no doubt I would've made his retirement party down in SoCal if I wasn't in Morgantown filming some SX Preview videos. I'm going to miss Rick around the truck—he's truly one of the best people in the pits and a huge part of Kawasaki's success at pro racing in America. In a paddock full of egos and agendas, Rick didn't have any of that. He wanted to build good motors (and before that, be a great mechanic), go to the races, and help anyone and everyone out. Always in a good mood, always ready to chat about anything, Rick's one of those guys (and Yamaha's Bob Oliver is another) that has seen it and done it all in the sport. I've been lucky enough to be friends with Rick and talk to him about the old days and what went on. You have to know where our sport was to know where it's going, and Rick is one of those guys.
What a career in the sport, and more importantly, what a guy. See you around, Rick, and enjoy this part of your life. Thanks for all the chats.
KTM Team Intro (Spencer Owens)
On a nice cool evening in Southern California, KTM USA introduced its 2016 lineup of riders and showcased its new race machines just outside the KTM Test track in Corona. For those of you who don’t know, the Corona test tracks are very private and off-limits to all riders other than the brand’s factory riders. As a photographer, they are the Holy Grail of photo opportunities, so to have the chance to shoot there with some of the industry's fastest was a dream come true for me.
The road to the track is a long, rough, and dusty. As I anxiously approached the end of this dark journey, I noticed lights through the hovering dust. It looked like a top-secret government test facility looming in the distance, but as I got closer, it was the famed KTM Test Track. Lights illuminated the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GoPro KTM factory rigs. The fresh 2016 bike models were polished up and spread out for all the media to see. Every bike looked amazing and the team was out to talk to everyone and show off the impressive spread. I walked around to say hi to all my industry friends, then headed in to the media area for the presentation and Q&A.
Tyler Keefe, team manager of Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GoPro KTM, started the night by introducing all five 250 riders: Mitchell Oldenburg, Justin Hill, Alex Frye, Shane McElrath, and Jessy Nelson. He talked about his team and their plans but it seemed like the one thing that was on everyone’s mind was who would be racing East and who would be West in 2016. Tyler laughed and “hinted” that West Coast might be Nelson and McElrath, but we all know how things can change.
Next up was Roger DeCoster alongside his premier 450 squad of Ryan Dungey, Dean Wilson, and class rookie Marvin Musquin. When asked about his thoughts for the 2015 season, DeCoster said, “I’m very happy overall on how everything is going. With Ryan winning the 450cc AMA 2015 Supercross and AMA Motocross Championship and Marvin Musquin winning the 250cc AMA Supercross East title, I feel everything is going as planned.” The only thing he would like to have changed was Musquin winning the 250 outdoor title and Wilson being able to finish the season-injury free. He did say he feels this could be Wilson’s year to shine. As a special gift, he had Dungey’s and Musquin’s 2015 championship bikes all freshened and cleaned up to present to them.
Then the guys from both KTM-supported teams geared up and hit the slightly lit and very dusty track. How will the KTM 250cc and 450cc boys stack up against the rest of the field? We’ll find out in just four short weeks.
TRACK STUDY (DC)
'Tis the season for moto fans to be starved for all-things-racing, especially since there are no more races on the international schedule, and the next time we saw any of the stars of supercross, it will be at the 2016 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The teams are finishing up photo shoots for the series' Souvenir Yearbook (which Racer X is publishing) so we are lucky enough to get our hands on all of the photos early so we can get them in the program, but we often have to sign embargoes that mean we can't show many until after the first of the year. From what we've seen so far, there's some extremely cool gear and team graphics on the way to a stadium near you!
One thing we were all able to pop the lid on is the 2016 track diagrams, which were released by Feld Motor Sports, from the drawing board of Rich Winkler and the Dirt Wurx crew. Every track except Daytona (which is designed and built by former series champions Ricky Carmichael and Mark Barnett, as well as Don Flaner, and the Feld folks are keeping a lid on what's in store for the series finale in Las Vegas). Still, the fifteen tracks they did release are more than enough to satisfy our bench-racing needs for awhile, check them all out right here.
MOTO PLATES NEEDED (DC)
We've been doing a 50-States, 50-Moto Plates Countdown to Christmas on the @promotocross Instagram feed, featuring a plate (or two) a day from shots we of moto-related license plates we found at the races. It's been fun, as well as something of a scavenger hunt, but now we're down to the point where we are realizing that our vast collection features a whole bunch of vanity plates from states like California, Michigan and Minnesota, but literally none from Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. So we're asking for your help: If you have a cool Moto Plate from one of these states, please send it over and we pass it along to help out on the @promotocross Instagram feed. Submit to Letters@racerxonline.com.
Hey, Watch It
SX Preview Show: The Now Men
Ryan Dungey, Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac are the subjects for the first of a five-part preview series of 2016 Monster Energy Supercross. Jason Weigandt, Steve Matthes, Jason Thomas and David Pingree discuss the title chances for three superstars who are ready to win right now.
Bel Ray Motocross Pro Challenge, Presented by Parts Unlimited
The Bel Ray Motocross Pro Challenge, Presented by Parts Unlimited, took place at 3 Palms near Houston. Former amateur sensation Challen Tennant made this race his "A" class debut. Not only did he win but he dominated both the 250 A and 450 A classes while several of the region's top pro's battled behind him. This race also included a team competition. There were two categories of teams: Dealer Teams and Non-Dealer Teams, with four riders on each. Riders earned points for their teams based on how they finish in their individual class.
This was the 12th year for this event, and one of the trademarks is the cider and champagne celebration on the podium for every class (cider for the kids and champagne for the adults). That's why they call this race, "The Most Fun Race Of The Year"
Party in the Pasture
Loretta Lynn’s Remastered
Schoolboy 2 (13-16) B/C - Moto 3
450A - Moto 3
450B - Moto 3
Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week
"Star Wars is About to Break Record for Breaking Records"
Random Notes
Still trying to tackle your holiday shopping list? Visit Racer X Brand to check out our new Winter ’15 Collection arrivals and plenty more. Orders $25 and over will receive a free Trey Canard beach towel, and order over $50 qualify for free shipping. We also have gift cards available if you’d like to give someone the gift of choice. Happy shopping!
Some big news dropped just this afternoon with Seven announcing it was separating with Troy Lee Designs for 2016. Seven is, of course, the gear line owned by James Stewart. You can read the full PR here, it's a nice gesture from both James and Troy explaining the future for both of their brands. (Similarly, we thought it was cool that the Troy Lee Designs team sent out a PR last week thanking Lucas Oil for its support as title sponsor, as Lucas was parting ways with the team for 2016. Seems like people are into doing the nice thing lately--maybe it's the holiday spirit?)
"The Spring 2016 SEVEN collection will be the beginning of a new chapter for SEVEN, for which we are extremely excited about" stated James Stewart in the PR. "I appreciate all the hard work and dedication that Troy and his team have put towards starting SEVEN and while we will not be partners in this venture going forward, we remain great friends as always."
It's still pretty intriguing to have a current pro rider owning and operating a gear brand. We'll try to get more info on how the future of Seven will work next week.
Don't miss the 2015 MXers for Jesus Moto Camp at Gatorback Cycle Park, December 30 & 31! Trainers this year will include: Tim Ferry, Ronnie Tichenor, Donald Solley, Shane Mills and Dean Dyess.
Plus a few pros will be showing up during the two days! Cost is $400.00, which includes both days of training and all your food (family too). FREE camping at Gatorback, or you can pay the track for hook-ups, $25.00 a night. All campers are welcome to stay at Gatorback till the first round of the Winter Am Series Jan. 2-3, 2016. To sign up contact: Kevin Cozadd (256) 312-294 kevin@mxersforjesus.com.
Need a big idea for a Christmas present? Paul Buckley's Classic MX Photos is offering stunning 24" x 36" prints, custom made by Paul himself, like this gem of Jeremy McGrath at the 1993 Daytona Supercross. The custom prints are only $69.95 and you can check out his whole catalog right here.
For news from Canada, check out DMX Frid'Eh Update #49.
That’s it for Racerhead. See you at the races—and thanks for helping us reach 200. Onward and upward.