Dirt Shark Biggest Whip at MEC
CORONA, Calif. - The classic Supercross Whip. The Turn-Down Whip. The Head Whip. The Nose High Whip. Be it supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross and freeride motocross, “The Whip” has become totally synonymous with all things moto. For getting a 220-pound, 50-horsepower motocross bike way up in the air and upside down – while being twisted around in any which way - allows a rider to both use blue sky as a canvas for self-expression as well as to make the total soul statement. It’s high drama, high risk and high art.
Says multi-time X Games Best Whip Gold Medalist Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg; “The whip is just something that every single person that rides a dirt bike has done always while growing up. Everyone can appreciate a whip. These days’ people are whipping gnarly.”
All the reason for the inaugural “Dirt Shark Biggest Whip” contest.
As part of the 2013 Monster Energy Cup, on Saturday, Oct.19 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, a number of the world’s best freestyle riders will come together to - once and for all - find out just who has the biggest, gnarliest whip in all of moto.
“This is the first time ever that not only are we going to have all riders in the world who throw the biggest whips in one place at the same time, but the whole deal is going to be judged by professionals,” explains the Dirt Shark himself. “We’re all tired of everybody running their mouths and talking shit claiming they can throw bigger whips. So Dirt Shark, Monster Energy and Feld Motor Sports decided to do something about it. It’s put up or shut up this time around - straight up - this is no popularity contest! This is going down in Vegas at Monster Energy Cup, judged, qualified, and on live TV.
“It wouldn’t be a Dirt Shark Event if it wasn’t going to get Diiiiiirty – you are going to see the Dirtiest Whips ever laid down. Tweet that!!!”
The Dirt Shark Biggest Whip will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon on a purpose-built ramp-to-dirt section in the pits of the Monster Energy Cup. X Games Best Whip Gold Medalists Josh Hansen, Todd Potter, Edgar Torronteras and Stenberg are already automatically seeded into the main competition while three additional riders will be forced to show the judges drain plugs and skid plates in an effort to make the main event - which will go down later inside the stadium during the Monster Energy Cup.
“Basically, this contest is really cool because all the guys that have been trying to get into Best Whip for years can go do this qualifier,” says multi-time X Games Gold Medalist Todd Potter. “They can show up, do a whip and they’re either in or they’re out. They all have to show up and show what they’ve got.
“And I also think it’s awesome that they’re finally going to have judges and judging criteria for a Best Whip contest,” Potter adds. “We all have different, unique whips and I think it’s good that it’s going to be judged. This isn’t going to be some popularity contest.”
Never one at a loss for words, Stenberg, keen to see how this whole deal is going to play out, proclaims; “You got all these dudes always bitching about being invited contest like this. Well, now they actually get to go into the parking lot and throw some whips and qualify.”
Like everything with the Monster Energy Cup, it’s all about going bigger, better and bolder and taking things to where they have never gone before. All this withstanding, the Dirt Shark, Monster Energy and Feld Motor Sports worked together with this elite group of riders to ensure that they all give the people what they want – the sickest Biggest Whip contest since the advent of the internal combustion engine.
“There are no rules, man,” declares Stenberg. “We can put the ramp wherever the hell we want. We can start it at 75, move it to 80, 85, 90. I have a feeling we’re going to put the ramp at 90 or 95 just to get some greasy ass whips. These days people are whipping gnarly. I’ve got to step my game up, man. The gold bike and the Twitter followers ain’t cutting it no more. This whole thing is about the best man winning and I want to be that man, Bitch!”
Dirt Shark Biggest Whip
Saturday, Oct.19, 2013 at Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Top three qualifier at 4 p.m.
Seven-man Main Event
Riders Pre-Qualified
Riders X Games Best Whip Gold Medalists
- Josh Hansen
- Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg
- Todd Potter
- Edgar Torronteras
Riders Scheduled to Qualify
- Robbie Maddison
- Jarred McNeil
- Nate Adams
- Andre Villa
- Destin Cantrell
- Tyler Bereman
- Lance Coury
- Billy Laninovich
- Tom Parsons
- Brett Cue
