Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. With the final checkered flag at Steel City came the end of the 2009 regular season. And, man, what a banner year it has been for our sport. The Supercross season was strong again and then everyone kind of flinched as the outdoor nationals approached. What would they be like under MX Sports rule? How sorely would the national scene miss James Stewart AND Ricky Carmichael? When you take a look back to the first drop of the gate at Glen Helen and peruse the action all the way through Steel City, well, you have to be nothing short of astonished. It was truly a summer to remember, and one that may never be matched.
Instead of revving up, let's ease back on the gas and go back through the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Much was made of the smoother track conditions this summer. You can argue how this affects the racing until you are blue in the face, but the single most important aspect of our sport is television. TV doesn't do a lot of things justice. If a section is all chopped up with hip high braking bumps, even Chad Reed can look like a goon. He isn't going fast. Yes, the core fan knows what he is doing is incredible, but "viewers" see that same section, smoothed out and go, "Wow, those guys are going fast." The sensation of speed translates well on TV, and I watched every race on TiVo. They looked like they were flying around the tracks and you can't argue that the racing action thrived because of it.
The GPs are smooth and fast and they run a pretty good show over there. I think the smoother tracks were the right call.
What's more, each and every track was decorated to perfection. The little drop offs with the Lucas Oil banners and the giant Monster claws painted on the track were really cool. Each track had repeater banners around the whole track. I can personally tell you that takes a ton of hard work. It paid off. The tracks and venues legitimized our sport. Motocross has always been cool but in 2009, it looked cool.
How about the track conditions? The only dust that could be found was in the pits. Hangtown used rice pellets and the dirt there was the best I've ever seen. Save for a couple mudders, the remaining ten events saw conditions just as good. And I'm glad we had those mudders. It just isn't an outdoor series without a mud race.
Congratulations to the track crews and promoters for their work at the race track. They were awesome.
Oh yeah, the dominator of the track decorations? Two words: Monster girls.
450 CLASS
Look, RV would have won if it wasn't for his knee. Then #800 would have won if it wasn't for his knee cap. But that's racing folks. OTSS, baby. Only the strong survive outdoor moto, and you have to be lucky in every form of motorsports racing. King Richard Petty won 200 races but his most famous quote was "I'd rather be lucky than good any day." This adage transcends into this next bunch...
250 CLASS
This group had so much raw energy that you got chicken skin if you so much as walked behind the starting line. Rookie bravado, veteran strength, and international diversity. It was easily the most competitive class of racers outdoor motocross has ever seen. Okay, I've used "ever" a lot here, but name me one group in the history of the world that produced eight-rider freight trains time and again. Do it. Name one. That’s what I thought.
In the end it was the Heartbreak Hotel for the three-double seven. That said, it wasn't the DNF at Southwick that cost Pourcel and Mitch Payton the title as much as it was those 6th and 8th place finishes at the beginning of the season. Turn those bad motos into top-fives and he would have still won the championship. Christophe will have his time. Payton has won enough, and he'll win again.
Ryan Dungey and the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki squad earned it.
END GAME
Everyone reading these words is a fan. And motocross fans are a unique breed. Our attention span can be short, but we never forget the good stuff. The image of Josh Grant railing Alessi at Lakewood will hang around. Dungey's front flip at Red Bud will stain the back of your brain for a while. #377 fans may never lose track of the image of him pushing his failed machine out of the sands of Southwick. There were just so many wonderful instances of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
What a summer guys. What a summer.
From a personal standpoint, I just want to tell you how much of a pleasure it has been to try to get your shoulders back for each round. I want to thank One Industries and Racer X for making it possible for the Rev Up to come to you every Thursday. I have plenty of good stuff to keep you stoked during the off-season, but thanks for being with me this far.
Oh yeah, good job, Davey. You did it.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
Instead of revving up, let's ease back on the gas and go back through the 2009 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Much was made of the smoother track conditions this summer. You can argue how this affects the racing until you are blue in the face, but the single most important aspect of our sport is television. TV doesn't do a lot of things justice. If a section is all chopped up with hip high braking bumps, even Chad Reed can look like a goon. He isn't going fast. Yes, the core fan knows what he is doing is incredible, but "viewers" see that same section, smoothed out and go, "Wow, those guys are going fast." The sensation of speed translates well on TV, and I watched every race on TiVo. They looked like they were flying around the tracks and you can't argue that the racing action thrived because of it.
The GPs are smooth and fast and they run a pretty good show over there. I think the smoother tracks were the right call.
What's more, each and every track was decorated to perfection. The little drop offs with the Lucas Oil banners and the giant Monster claws painted on the track were really cool. Each track had repeater banners around the whole track. I can personally tell you that takes a ton of hard work. It paid off. The tracks and venues legitimized our sport. Motocross has always been cool but in 2009, it looked cool.
How about the track conditions? The only dust that could be found was in the pits. Hangtown used rice pellets and the dirt there was the best I've ever seen. Save for a couple mudders, the remaining ten events saw conditions just as good. And I'm glad we had those mudders. It just isn't an outdoor series without a mud race.
Congratulations to the track crews and promoters for their work at the race track. They were awesome.
Oh yeah, the dominator of the track decorations? Two words: Monster girls.
450 CLASS
Look, RV would have won if it wasn't for his knee. Then #800 would have won if it wasn't for his knee cap. But that's racing folks. OTSS, baby. Only the strong survive outdoor moto, and you have to be lucky in every form of motorsports racing. King Richard Petty won 200 races but his most famous quote was "I'd rather be lucky than good any day." This adage transcends into this next bunch...
250 CLASS
This group had so much raw energy that you got chicken skin if you so much as walked behind the starting line. Rookie bravado, veteran strength, and international diversity. It was easily the most competitive class of racers outdoor motocross has ever seen. Okay, I've used "ever" a lot here, but name me one group in the history of the world that produced eight-rider freight trains time and again. Do it. Name one. That’s what I thought.
In the end it was the Heartbreak Hotel for the three-double seven. That said, it wasn't the DNF at Southwick that cost Pourcel and Mitch Payton the title as much as it was those 6th and 8th place finishes at the beginning of the season. Turn those bad motos into top-fives and he would have still won the championship. Christophe will have his time. Payton has won enough, and he'll win again.
Ryan Dungey and the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki squad earned it.
END GAME
Everyone reading these words is a fan. And motocross fans are a unique breed. Our attention span can be short, but we never forget the good stuff. The image of Josh Grant railing Alessi at Lakewood will hang around. Dungey's front flip at Red Bud will stain the back of your brain for a while. #377 fans may never lose track of the image of him pushing his failed machine out of the sands of Southwick. There were just so many wonderful instances of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
What a summer guys. What a summer.
From a personal standpoint, I just want to tell you how much of a pleasure it has been to try to get your shoulders back for each round. I want to thank One Industries and Racer X for making it possible for the Rev Up to come to you every Thursday. I have plenty of good stuff to keep you stoked during the off-season, but thanks for being with me this far.
Oh yeah, good job, Davey. You did it.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
