Ask Ping

Chase,

There are three groups of people when it comes to this issue: First, you have those who love it. The more skin, the better, and they are usually pounding beers and smoking weed in the parking lot before the show starts. Then you have the family crowd, like yourself, who don't want that stuff on display for your kids. Finally, you have the vast majority who are just numb to it. Our culture has drifted way off the scale in terms of promiscuity and whether you are watching television, listening to the radio, or going to a supercross, there is sex on display. On a couple different occasions I've been singing along to the radio in my shower and felt kind of dirty when I heard the lyrics as I belted out the high notes into my shampoo bottle/microphone. "All About the Bass"? "Your Anaconda"? "Skeet, Skeet, Skeet"? I'm just saying you have to know what you're saying before you start singing songs with your kids. I took my 6- and 7-year-old girls to their first race at the San Diego Supercross last year and I had several moments where I grabbed their hands and walked them in another direction. The race itself was cool, but I wasn't comfortable with a lot of the things we saw in the pits, so I totally get your point. The bottom line is that supercross has become big business and until girls in sexy costumes becomes unpopular with guys (supercross' key demographic) you'll continue to see it. Quick update: Halloween costume top sellers this year are sexy nurse, sexy zombie, and sexy cowgirl. Maybe keep the kids in the house this year.

PING

 

Ping,

Am I the only person that liked the Jay Springsteen flat track curves and 70 MPH sky slope to flat landing jumps at the MEC. Hell I am tired of the same 54 foot triple and 90 degree Berms every week.

Ben Owen JR

Ben,

I am sure there are plenty of people who appreciate the unique track layout at the MEC. It is a distinct mix of traditional supercross mixed with some high-speed outdoor segments that pretty much everybody seems to like. Personally, I'd like to see tracks that are more technical and a little slower/tighter because that usually makes passing easier. I think track builders should try to be more creative. Having eighteen rounds of the exact same track gets monotonous for the riders and the fans. I realize there are only so many things you can do inside a baseball or football stadium, but when riders can roll onto the track and jump everything within the first two laps, you might be getting a little stale with your design. Just a thought. Having said that, these guys could be racing around a TT track, but as long as they are passing and racing aggressively for the lead I don't really care. I've seen some incredible racing on backyard tracks with 50cc bikes being ridden by fully grown adults who may or may not have consumed several adult beverages, so I don't believe it is the track or venue that makes motorcycle racing so entertaining. If those epic backyard sessions have taught me anything, it's that the key ingredient to great racing is tall boys and shot of Fireball. Wait, that's not right. It was the little bikes. Yeah, you have to be on kid’s bikes. No, that's not it. Hang on, I'll get this right…

PING

 

Ping, 

I know Loretta’s is all about the future generations with trying to keep motocross relevant and with the kids being the future of this great sport blah, blah, blah. With that being said, I was wondering why there aren’t any classes for all the people with LOTS OF DISPOSABLE INCOME? An example would be myself. I have ridden and raced my whole life getting to be a pretty good B rider before calling it quits due to what got you, a real job, marriage and kids. [in no particular order]. I just turned 50 with the kids grown, job dialed in, and riding again I want to try and qualify for Loretta’s. If I was to make it through the qualifiers and showed up riding my 06 450 I would be riding against the likes of former pros and experts!! Finally, the question: Why don’t they have something like 40 A-B-C, 45 A-B-C, 50 A-B-C and so forth up to 60? With the rules being if you were ever a pro you ride A class. If you made it as far as expert you ride B. If you were never more than a B rider [like myself] you ride C class. There are so many people I talk with that are my age and older that would do Loretta’s in a second if they had a chance at all, but they DON’T!! Us older guys could probably fund the whole week at Loretta’s for all the young guns if they would just let us spend ALL OF OUR DISPOSABLE INCOME!!   

Thanks for your time and wisdom, Roger Myers Towson, Maryland