Ahoy Mr. DP101.
So, I am fairly curious about something here. I see endless pictures and videos year after year of all of the top pros and privateers practicing at Milestone and Glen Helen. I am aware that many of the major team’s headquarters are near Glen Helen, so it’s not far to go.
Why weren’t there any riders putting in laps at Hangtown in the weeks or months before the season opener? I have never seen a post from any racer anytime since the beginning of social media practicing at an outdoor national track aside from Glen Helen. I am sure it may happen, especially in Millville if you’re a Martin. Is there any specific reason riders weren’t getting laps at Hangtown a month ago? Thanks and God Bless Mr. Ping!
Josh
Grand Junction, CO
P.S. Ever ride out here in Grand Junction?
Josh,
The man reason is that none of the top racers live in Sacramento. Glen Helen is within an hour of anywhere in southern California so it’s easy to access. Plus, they’re open for practice every Thursday. There are teams that will rent Hangtown prior to the opening round; I probably went there three or four times during my career to prep for the opener. But the track has to be rented and it generally isn’t prepped like it will be for the national, making it a very different track. You can get your bike perfect for hard pack and choppy, shallow ruts but that doesn’t help you when the national is soft, deep and bumpy. The main reason you don’t see riders practicing at other national tracks is because they don’t live there. It’s that simple, really.
And, yes, I raced in Grand Junction back in 2003 when I was with the MotoWorld team. I can’t remember what it was called but I had a good time.
PING
Ping,
This is coming to you from the Marriot at the Hong Kong airport. I am a small business owner and travel overseas several times a year. I’m killing time until my flight and will get up early and watch Hangtown online in the morning. (I love technology!)
I rode and raced a little as a very young kid (4-7) and then parents split and so did the motorcycle. I played the normal sports growing up, graduated from college and started racing. I was what you would call a “D” rider but I loved every second I was on the track. I raced the Texas Spring Nationals and qualified for Loretta Lynn’s. I have loved this sport for about 40 years and follow it faithfully. So, here are the questions:
1. I’m happily married and have 3 good kids. I consider myself a normal guy who loves God, family, country, my job, etc. Normal, right? Well, when I go to a Supercross race or a National, I start wandering if I am normal or am I the strange one? Inevitably, I see “parents” yelling at their kids and wife, I see men throwing up in the restrooms, I see fights break out and leaving Lucas Oil Stadium this last year was like a scene from the Gangs of New York!
2. Why don’t the major players in the sport, (the manufacturers, the owners of the teams, the riders) get together and demand a higher payout for the Supercross races. When you calculate the revenue generated at a Supercross race like the gate, pit pass, beverage, parking, etc., it is staggering. I believe there might be some revenue in television now also. So, with sales of motorcycles down and energy drinks can’t fund this sport forever (and we shouldn’t want it to). We need more purse money offered to the racers and less money being paid by manufacturers and energy drinks. Let’s make this so that a guy who qualifies for ½ of the main events can make a living.
3. Why all the hate for certain riders? Every one of the guys that line up for a National or make the night show at a Supercross are incredible. It amazes me that so many guys in the comments section hammer different riders. If anyone of these guys were at their local track and this rider showed up and rode with them and they saw their skill close up, they would have unbelievable respect for them.
4. What is wrong with the male brain? Why is it that as the years go by, in my mind I think I could get on a motorcycle and not only go faster than I did when I raced 15 years ago but could actually do things similar to the pros? Also, why is it when I watch races from the late 80’s and 90’s, I start thinking that I could of competed with those guys?
5. Will we ever be dominating in the Motocross De Nations again? With all of the money in Supercross and it demanding about 7-8 months and the Nationals only lasting about 3 months, how can we compete with the Europeans that dedicate all year to motocross?
6. Is there any way to bring in more dirt to the Supercross races and use up the entire floor to increase lap times, widen race track, and allow better passing? I can watch any race and enjoy it but I would love to see guys like Tomac and Canard have better opportunities to get up front in case of a bad start. Supercross is almost becoming a race to the first turn at times.
7. What was more difficult, racing for Mitch Payton or managing TLD?
8. How much are these young amateur riders like Forkner, Sexton, etc. being paid?
I’ve never written in and asked questions and so I went a little over the top.
Appreciate any answers David.
Fan on foreign land
Fan,
Congratulations, you win the award for most questions asked in one letter. Ever. Well played. I commend you for your entrepreneurial spirit; it’s folks like you that make this country tick. I didn’t even know there was a class for “D” riders. Is that, like, a class for those who need training wheels? Okay, let’s see if we can get to your questions.
1. (Sigh) I wish I could say you just had a bad experience or ran into a shady group of people, but that is pretty much standard. The dumpster fire that passes for society these days makes you wish for another round of bubonic plague to somehow selectively ravish those walking pieces of feces all around the globe.
2. Without unionization that will never happen. Companies aren’t going to slash their profits just because it’s the right thing to do. However, nobody wants to risk being blackballed by the promoters for starting something that will have a negative impact on their bottom line.
3. People who blast riders in the comments section are insignificant, sad human beings. Their lives suck and the only thing they know how to do is tear others down. Yes, all the riders qualifying for mains are legit.
4. It’s probably the testosterone that makes us such idiots. Watching an episode of Ridiculousness will confirm this theory. Witnessing an old, bald guy hit on a young girl at a bar, driving a convertible Porsche or trying to ride a motorcycle like he did when he was twenty is equal parts tragic and terrifying. It’s like driving past a crash on the freeway that you can’t help but stare at as you drive by.
5. I don’t think it will ever be like it was. The riders in Europe have picked it up and we will have to fight hard to win the MXoN from here on out.
6. Sure, Feld can buy more dirt. But that cuts into the bottom line significantly and, as I mentioned in #2, they don’t like to do that.
7. Racing for Mitch, but mostly because I was young and stupid and thought I knew everything. My time at TLD was really great but just required too much travel. I wanted to be home with my family more.
8. I don’t really know anymore. I’m sure the kids with high expectations, like Forkner, are making solid six figures. There are so many good teams that riders don’t have to take less money to ride for Pro Circuit because the equipment is head and shoulder better. Their bike is still amazing, but if Star or TLD or GEICO are offering better money you can definitely win on their equipment.
Thanks for writing in. Hopefully that flight home wasn’t too brutal. Ha, who am I kidding? Twelve hours next to a sweaty businessman who reeks of cigarettes, scotch and bad sushi is almost as fun as a prostate exam by a doctor who wears size XL latex gloves.
PING
Have a question for Ping? Email him at ping@racerxonline.com.
