After nearly two months off, we are back to racing in the USA! The Monster Energy Cup is this weekend and I, for one, am ready to get back to it. Some riders took part in the Motocross of Nations and the inaugural Red Bull Straight Rhythm, but the rest of the racing world has been getting some much needed recovery time at home. This weekend, though, is a big testing experiment and measuring stick.
The off-season is the time for change. Whether it’s a new team, new sponsors, new trainers, or a new motorcycle design, something is almost always in flux. For the past month, riders have been working on variations of these changes and trying to find the ideal combination. It is always a learning experience during these early months of the off-season, and this weekend will be no different.
For example, Trey Canard won four of the last six outdoor motos on his new KYB suspension. For supercross, though, it will be a huge test to see if that change is similarly positive. After taking the data from the past month of testing and then placing it into a race environment this Saturday, Trey can make a logical decision for the 2015 season.
For Weston Peick, Justin Barcia, Justin Brayton, Davi Millsaps, Cole Seely, Dean Wilson, Martin Davalos, Jake Weimer, Blake Baggett, Jason Anderson, and Josh Grant, among others, they will race new machines under new awnings. The riders will learn how the teams work on race day, how the bikes respond in race conditions, how the communication works with not only the mechanic but the suspension technicians, engine, and EFI guys. Trying to work out all of the kinks before we arrive in Southern California this coming January is the main goal. There won’t be much pressure applied to these guys this weekend, because it’s not about that. Learning is the focus. Trying things, communicating and figuring out the correct direction moving forward are part of the main goal.
Another key is determining a fitness level. Leaving Vegas, everyone will have around ten weeks before Anaheim. That is plenty of time to either fine-tune the current program, or, in some cases, completely re-evaluate the situation. It is never a good sign if things go poorly and you are headed home scratching your head, but the good news is that there is still time to correct it.
Once November and December arrive, it is simply too late to make any real changes. Base fitness takes too long to achieve at that point. Decisions have to be made now and committed to, and then the work must be put in. Trainers and riders alike will tell you that the results of the upcoming season are mostly due to the effort put forth in October and November. They are long, long months of endless bicycling, running, and test-track laps. A good result in Vegas can reinforce the plan in place, but a rough weekend can also help correct the plan for 2015.
This weekend’s Monster Energy Cup is a fun way to get back into the swing of racing. Las Vegas is never a venue that anyone dreads, and after a nearly two month lull, that itch is returning for most of the industry. The real fun is seeing all of the new situations that I previously alluded to. Seeing Davi Millsaps’ return after eighteen months away from racing, Justin Barcia’s Yamaha debut, Blake Baggett’s move to the 450, and Jason Anderson breaking-out the new Husky are all huge reasons to be excited for Saturday. In a sport where there is a lot of redundancy, these changes really are a breath of fresh air.
