Welcome to Racerhead. Tomorrow is a busy day—the St. Louis Supercross will start at 2:30 p.m. ET with a pre-race show, with racing beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET in order to make the live Fox Network window. As we talked about in the List yesterday, lots of crazy, dramatic things have happened over the years in St. Louis, and right now, it seems like the series could use a little shot of something unforeseen, primarily in the 450 Class. (The 250 Class has been fantastic these past few weeks, more on that below). Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey is just a machine right now, and while Soaring Eagle/Jimmy John’s/RCH Racing’s Ken Roczen and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson have each had some winning rides, it’s all about Dungey and his Joe DiMaggio-style podium streak. With every race he puts his new record a little further out of reach—it’s at 29 now. The next closest active podium streak? Three, by Jason Anderson. It would take being on the podium every single time until the middle of the 2018 series for El Hombre to catch Dungey’s record, and it might be even more by the time this series ends!
So what kind of shakeups would be fun to watch this weekend? What would be cool, in my opinion, is to see something like Kobe Bryant did this week, dropping 60 points in his last-ever NBA game for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant has only been a shadow of his former self for most of the season, but “Mamba” seemed to find himself in a time machine on Wednesday night and had the best last-game performance in the history of the game. And when it was over, he walked out to the middle of the Staples Center Arena, thanked the fans and his teammates, then said “Mamba out” and literally dropped the mic. It was awesome, and I’m not much of a Kobe fan. Almost as cool was Payton Manning winning the Super Bowl for the Denver Broncos in his last game, and then saying, “I’m going to drink some Budweiser” on the podium after the game. Every fan sports fan can relate to seeing veterans of such high standing go out on top, even if for just one more glorious performance.
Well, how great would it be to see that from Chad Reed or James Stewart right about now? Neither of the future first-ballot Motorcycle Hall of Famers has had the season he expected—especially Stewart, who continues to deal with a laundry list of injuries that started with a concussion in the very first round way back in January at Anaheim. James is past thirty now, and the proverbial clock is ticking away on his career as a professional. Same goes for Chad, and he’s even older. Everyone hoped that him getting back on a Yamaha would translate to a return to the winner’s circle, but it hasn’t quite panned out that way. The younger men are getting faster and faster, and while neither of these guys has said a word about retirement, the writing may soon be on the wall…
We still talk about Stefan Everts’ ridiculous ride-off at the 2006 Motocross of Nations, which was even cooler than the one Ricky Carmichael did one year later at the Budds Creek MXoN. Broc Glover won the last supercross race of his career, and Roger DeCoster won his last 500cc Grand Prix on the day he retired. If Chad Reed or James Stewart were to somehow get it all back anytime in these last five rounds and grabbed the win, dropped the mic and said “TwoTwo out” or “Seven out” it would be the highlight of the season.
Let’s start Racerhead with the 250 Class…
THE NUMBER: 5 (DC)
Have we ever had a series start out with five different winners in the first five races, and on four different brands? That's what's going on right now with the 250SX East Region. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Martin Davalos got the winning started at the opener in Atlanta, and then Yamalube/Star Racing's Jeremy Martin won the second round at Daytona. Next came Red Bull KTM's Justin Hill in Toronto, then GEICO Honda's Malcolm Stewart took Detroit. Finally, last weekend in Indianapolis, Martin's teammate Aaron Plessinger became the fifth 250 East Region winner in five rounds.
Back in 2000, the 125 West Region started out with a win by Racer X's own David Pingree, riding a Suzuki RM125, and then Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Tallon Vohland won the second Anaheim race. Motoworld Yamaha's Greg Schnell took Round 3 at San Diego, and then FMF Honda rider Casey Lytle won Phoenix on a CR125. Shae Bentley, the eventual champion, got the next 125 West SX win in Houston.
Here's the thing: Sixteen years ago, after the Houston race, the series went to Indianapolis and the East Region opener, which FMF Honda rider Michael Brandes won. Then came the second 125 East SX race at the Pontiac Silverdome, and the winner was Yamaha of Troy's Stephane Roncada. Seven races to start the season, over two regions, with seven different winners. That's never been done before.
To start out the 2005 season in the 125 Class (though all of the winners were riding 250Fs) we saw, in order, Nathan Ramsey (KTM), Broc Hepler (Suzuki), Ivan Tedesco (Kawasaki) and Billy Laninovich (Honda) share the first four rounds of wins before Tedesco won for a second time at the fifth round.
But we may see a sixth different winner come this weekend, if someone like Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Gannon Audette can keep his momentum going, or TLD/Red Bull KTM's Shane McElrath puts it all together, or MAD Racing/Dirt Candy Suzuki's Matt Bisceglia gets going...
CLINCHED (Andras Hegyi)
The European brands (KTM and Husqvarna) now have the upper hand over the Japanese brands in the premier class of AMA Supercross. The combined forces of the two brands built in Austria set more records at the 13th round in Indianapolis. Add seven wins by Ryan Dungy to the two taken by Jason Anderson and the two Austrian brands have nine wins this season, which tops last year’s eight wins. Not only is that the most ever for non-Japanese brands in this series, nines wins means that the Japanese brands have already been defeated regarding the quantity of wins. It’s a 17-race series, and in the first 13 rounds the Japanese brands got four wins (Ken Roczen and Eli Tomac) and there are only four rounds to go. We haven't seen this happen in the last 41 years of supercross.
To find a season where the Japanese bikes didn't get the majority of wins, you have to go to the first season of supercross, way back in 1974. Only three rounds were held and the European brands got two wins. Both the Spanish Bultaco and the Czechoslovakian CZ triumphed, though Yamaha’s Pierre Karsmakers won the series. One year later, in 1975, the Japanese brands were not able to get any wins, but neither did the Europeans, as the Canada-made Can-Am collected all the four victories, via “Captain Cobalt” himself, Jimmy Ellis. From 1976 on, the combined forces of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda (in that order) took over the top spot in AMA Supercross, and four decades needed to pass for the tables to turn again.
FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK (DC)
Scott Plessinger is a former GNCC #1 and AMA National Hare Scrambles #1 from Ohio. His son, of course, is Aaron Plessinger, who has been on quite a run since turning pro last year:
"I know how hard it is to get something like this it's something most will never get to experience such a memorable night I thought when Aaron won the AX race 2 years ago was big and winning 6 Motos at Lorettas was huge this is just amazing so proud of this kid and his work ethic! It couldn't happen without his team @starracingyamaha and definitely his trainer @swanie387 love you guys now he knows he can win let's see what happens with this championship!"
In related news, our friends next door with the Amsoil Grand National Cross Country Series posted this #tbt of Aaron in his GNCC days:
ICYMI (Jason Weigandt)
Some good stuff this week on this site you might have missed. Such as? Steve Matthes kept bugging Adam Cianciarulo to come on the Pulpmx show and AC finally relented. Matthes penned a story about their conversation here.
Our weekly Sign of the Lap Times feature normally focuses on the fastest laps of the race. But we flipped it for Indy because that rutted track exploited mistakes. Tellingly, Ryan Dungey and Ken Roczen’s best laps were a bit better than everyone else, but their worst laps were much, much better than everyone else’s worst. RD and KR never went above the 48s all night—most riders slowed into the 51 second and above range. Get tons of data and scoops here.
One rider who you expected to do well in those ruts was Eli Tomac. Alas, he crashed while running third. What’s going on with his season? Matthes did a podcast with Eli’s father (the legendary) John Tomac, covering this 2016 season as well as great stories from John’s amazing bicycle career.
And for something completely different, check out The Weege Show with Cole Seely, where I ask Cole if it’s possible to not be pissed off all week after a bad result, and if he has time for real hobbies while racing.
And if you want stuff completely, completely different, Chase Stallo’s Word On… column has the stuff people would have buzzed about back in the “water cooler talk” days. Is that still a thing?
The Number: 3 (Andras Hegyi)
Thanks to Aaron Plessinger's maiden victory in supercross there are three Yamaha riders to win in the small-bore supercross this season. This is the first time it has happened for Yamaha since 2001. Also, Yamaha has been the most successful brand in the 250SX Class. During thirteen races Yamaha has seven wins, one more than the other five brands combined.
They also have a good chance to win the titles in both West and East, though GEICO Honda’s Malcolm Stewart will certainly have something to say about that. Cooper Webb is leading out West and Jeremy Martin and Plessinger have been able to win in the East. The sophomore Plessinger got his first supercross success in his fourteenth race. With Cooper's, Martin's and Plessinger's winning performances, this is the fourth season in which three Yamaha men were able to gain a victory.
In ‘97 Kevin Windham, David Vuillemin and John Dowd brought the wins for Yamaha. In 2000 Greg Schnell, Stephane Roncada and Ernesto Fonseca were the Yamaha winners. In 2001 Fonseca, Nathan Ramsey and Justin Buckelew were all able to win on Yamahas. But in none of those three seasons did both Yamaha riders win titles! In ‘97 Windham was champion in the West Region. In ‘00 Roncada was champion in the East, and in ‘01 Fonseca conquered the West title. If Webb hangs on in the West and Plessinger or JMart get the East crown, they've made some blue history.
GET WELL SOON (DC)
My lifelong friend and former AX rival Brian Carroll has had a tough year to date. Many of you know Brian, especially if you've been around the Englishtown and New Jersey motocross scene [Weege is nodding his head right now]. He's the man that looks to race in the American flag gear, an homage to our country. He's also pretty damn fast, still. But 2016 has not been the best year of his life. First and foremost, he lost his father in January. And then over the weekend, while trying to qualify for Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, Brian crashed and suffered a dislocated femur and a nasty gash on his forehead, among other maladies. He's recovering from surgery, and everyone here at Racer X Online and next door at MX Sports just wanted to give the man a shout-out and a get-well-soon! The photos below, which he posted online, show a painful tale of weekend woe...
Random Notes
Heading to St. Louis for the fourteenth round of Monster Energy Supercross this weekend? Stop by the Racer X booth—located in the Party in the Pits—to pick up a free copy of Racer X Illustrated. You can also sign up or renew for just $25 (60 percent off the cover price) to get a one-year subscription, a FREE Racer X beach towel, and an extra issue!
We just received a new shipment of Racer X Brand apparel. The 8-Bit and all six shield shirts will be available at racerxbrand.com this coming Monday. Notice a theme to the shield shirts? That's for all of you brand loyalists out there.
Daniel Blair has released episode 2 of his Main Event Moto podcast. In this episode he talks with Monster Energy Kawasaki's Wil Hahn. Listen or download it here.
Eli Tomac on the cover of Dirt Cool:
Racer X contributor Kent Taylor is part of a group that is promoting a new vintage motocross series in Nebraska and Iowa. Their first race is coming up the weekend after next, April 24th. Their newest track is laid out on a hilly course in historic Nebraska City, Nebraska. One section finds racers going past (but not too close to) a sunk-in-the-mud combine from days gone by! If you’re interested in checking it out, head over to greatplainsvintagemx.org and take a look.
For the latest from Canada, check out DMX Frid'Eh Update #16.
Excellent photoshop work by Vital MX Forum member EZZA 95B
Finally, if you’re in NorCal in a couple of weeks and want to check out a really cool vintage event, you must check out Don Matthews’ CZ World Championship at the E Street MX Track in Marysville, California. Part-race, part-reunion, part-swap meet and pure fun, the event is one big throwback to the days when Czech-made CZs were winning races all over the world, with heroes like Jaroslav Falta, Zdenek Velky, “Bad” Brad Lackey, Tony DiStefano, Barry Higgins, Miroslav Halm and more riding the brand. For more info on the CZ World Championship, check out their site.
That’s it. Thanks for reading Racerhead.
