Dear Ping,

So I was listening to a Justin Bieber song and got to thinking, 'What is it with Canadians, and their high voices?' No hate to Deano, but do you think there’s some kind of relation there?

Ash

Dear Ash,

Celine Dion. Shania Twain. Justin Bieber. Dean Wilson. What do they all have in common? They are all Canadians, they all talk (or sing) like they took a swift kick to the nuts (if they have them) and can hit notes that only dolphins and German Shepherds can hear. I’m not sure if it has something to do with the violently cold weather in much of America’s top hat or if there is something in the water, but an alarming number of Canucks can go uber-soprano. Now on to the bigger question: Unless you are a thirteen year-old girl, why were you listening to a Justin Bieber song?

PING

Ping,

I’m going to get right to it. Has there ever been a time in your carer when you have been able to get on a MX track all by yourself and rip a few laps your way pull off and then just look at what you just did?

Dear ?,

Wow. What? I really don’t have any idea what you are trying to say here. Seriously, what the hell does all that mean? Totally at a loss for words. No words.

PING

Dear Ping,

 

Ryan Dungey has some pretty big logos of the Target supermarket chain on his helmet and as he consistently shows it, on the palms of his gloves. (You can clearly see the logo when he waves at me.) I like the fact that his designers made good use of otherwise lost advertising space on those glove palms, although it would be more appropriate if the logo was on his back, only larger.

My question is, why do we never hear him mention the brand, the store, or anything else to do with Target? I mean, he could at least say on the podium, "25% off all items at Target if you mention my name."

I’m guessing he must get paid something for it; Target has their head office in MN so that’s probably the link to the sponsorship deal, you know, to help out a fellow Minnesotan with discount garden ornaments and cheap household furniture that has been built 1/3 normal size.

I did actually ask a checkout girl at my local Target store if she knew who Ryan Dungey was, and she just looked at me with that blank checkout stare and said, "Aisle 5 next to the bread."

If you ever bump into him in the pits ask him why he doesn’t mention them.

Thanks mate
Daveintheusa

Dear Dave,

You know, I’ve never noticed that before, but you are spot on here. As soon as the RC imitation is over on the podium he flashes that million-watt smile that the groupies and Jamie Lynn Spears go gaga over, he throws up the palm to show the Target logo. But nowhere in that frequently repeating process is a mention of the company. There is obviously nothing in his contract where he is obligated to mention them. Maybe he’s just in it for the extra small furniture and the never-ending supply of ceramic garden gnomes and it doesn’t warrant a mention up on the box? I’ll see what I can find out from him or his agent.

PING

 

Have a question for Ping? E-mail it to him at ping@racerxonline.com. For the results of the trivia question in the last installment of Ask Ping, click here.