Rev Up: Are You Dead Yet?

September 3, 2009, 6:48pm

Hello, everyone, and welcome to The Rev Up. My, my, how the time flies. It seems like just the other day I was sitting down to Rev Up the season opener at Glen Helen. Now, here we sit on the eve of the 12th and final round of the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. That's usually how summer goes for me. I wait and wait for it to get here, and then just like Keyser Soze (POOF!) it's gone. But, man, I don't think anybody could have predicted that the outdoor nationals would have been so chaotic. Every single round has produced something nuclear. Whether it was first time wins (six in the 450 class), or downright nasty battles for the win – I can honestly say that I've never followed an outdoor series that was as exciting as this one. I mean, Southwick was supposed to be a snoozer and she produced two first-time winners, a 44-year old man on the box, and the first time I've ever seen Chad Reed crash out of an outdoor moto.

Time for one final charge, ladies and gentlemen. Four more motos before they bring the curtain down on 2009. Are you dead yet?

Now, this week's title sounds cryptic, but it's merely a song I learned playing Rock Band 2. For some reason, when I belt out this song on my fake drum kit I feel like I can pick up a compact car and bench press it! Then again, I'm a little goofy. The point is, IT ISN'T OVER. There is still a full afternoon of madness coming our way and a very important title is still up for grabs? You think Dungey's title hopes were dead heading into Southwick? You think Pourcel's lifelong dream of an American title is dead heading into Steel City? In the world of motor racing you are always alive until they wave the checkers. Let's get revved up about what can still happen at Steel City.

450

I'm going with these guys first this week, because the big noise is between #10 and #377. That said, the final two motos with the big boys can produce a ton of possibilities. Sure, as long as Reedy has shaken the cobwebs out from that digger he by all means should lay wood. But how confident do you think Matt Goerke is right now? He has been carrying the mail on that factory YZ450F and he is riding Broc Hepler's bike. That alone gives a guy 2 extra seconds at Steel City. Another rider looking to close out the year with a win is Michael Byrne. The Byrner is one of those guys who doesn't always put up blinding lap times, but he gets good starts and can dig deep when it's time to roll.

Then we have the Red Bull/Honda guys. Ivan and Andrew were super strong through the middle portions of the series, but lately... well, good lord, guys. (Shaking head like Lee Trevino in Happy Gilmore) Awful. Shorty must be injured, have Epstein Barr, and chronic fatigue because there is no reason for motos scores like that. I like Short and I'll go out on a limb one last time for him and predict that he'll contend for the win this weekend. He has to.

You have to look for guys like Kyle Regal, Weston Peick, Jake Moss, and Tommy Hahn. One last race to show they can be factory beaters. They damn sure can.

250

I don't like it when I'm right about something wrong. Yes, I just wrote that. I'm speaking of my prediction last weekend that dark clouds loomed over the 13-point lead in the series. I will reiterate that anytime #13 is involved in motocross, there is a bad moon rising. I don't see how a machine could have made it through the water at Budds Creek, and then decide to take a dump three laps from the finish-line at Southwick. If Pourcel loses because of a mechanical DNF, that sucks. Be he isn't dead yet. Not at all, doctor.

Last week C-Pour had the 13 and Pro Circuit's spooky 'Wick history holding him down. This weekend it will be Dungey wearing the "Rider May Bail" cape. I've long criticized Dungey for being one of those guys that can go ass over tea kettle at any given time. This cost him the 2008 West Coast SX title, and has stolen points from him all summer. Remember the first lap of Red Bud?

OK, here is what my crystal ball is showing for this weekend. Let's go back to Glen Helen, 2005. Ivan Tedesco held a big lead over Mike Alessi going in. Then, Tedesco went out and failed to score any points in moto 1. This pretty much left it all up to who was the man in moto 2. I think it's going to happen again.

Consider that #377 has a nasty wild card in his hand. Actually he has four wild cards by the names of Rattray, Weimer, Stroupe and Morais. What's green and yellow and spins around and around? No, not a frog in a blender. That would be Dungey and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki in the first corner.

I want everyone to be safe, but I want to see Christophe and Ryan go toe to toe for the title belt. Motocross is weird. Don't be too surprised if it comes down to it.

So, what do you say, folks? Let's get this smoke wagon rolling one last time and take it to Steel City. If you have Rock Band 2, get that thing out and play me some “Are you Dead Yet?”, by Children of Bodom. Then load up the cooler and get those shoulders back. Steel City always rolls, and this one has all the juice to be an instant classic.

Thanks for reading, see you next week.