1. What's Washougal like?
David Pingree: Washougal is, in my opinion, the coolest setting of all the Nationals. The hills and pine trees and Northwest summer weather just make for a perfect venue. Add to that the die-hard fans in the PNW and you have one of the best races in the series.
I first raced here in 1984 in a series called the Yamaha Gold Cup. It was a regional series and I came over from Montana to get blown away by Rick Simmet, Lowell Thomson and Butch Smith. Those were some big-time talented kids back then, though none of them transitioned to pro racing well. Anyway, the track was really deep and had much more topsoil back then. Huge ruts would form and you never got down to the shiny, hard base that is now lurking under the top layer. They have tried to bring in material to fill in the missing dirt but it isn't quite the same. I've always thought that what they needed to do was pull up all the stakes and fences and push all the dirt in the spectator areas back into the track. It would be a lot of work but it would be worth it. Still, the track is fun. The changing traction is something riders will have to pay attention to all day. Also, the shadows in and out of the trees can be tricky. You basically hope you don't hit a rut or rock while you wait for your eyes to adjust.
Jason Thomas: I have always been torn on Washougal. The setting is unlike anything else in American motocross. The mixture of mountain streams, trees and winding roads is enough to leave even the most jaded of travelers happy they came. I always looked forward to that part of the race weekend. The racetrack, however, was a tougher sell for me.
Practice was always fun. The dirt had moisture in it and was still soft enough to offer traction. The layout itself is very fun to ride and Horsepower Hill adds a cool factor for fans to watch. As the day continued on, though, it would harden up and become treacherously slick. Rear tires would constantly step out under high RPM and the front tire would wash unpredictably as well. It was a bit scary at times to push the edge late in the day.
The other factor was the shadows. I always had a really tough time adjusting in and out of the sunshine and Washougal's trees blanket sections of the track. The final few corners before the finish line would be almost a complete black out for me while I waited for my eyes to catch up. As Ping said, I was always just praying I wouldn't catch a rut wrong or hit something I didn't quite see. I never had any big crashes or injuries at Washougal but it was always in the back of my mind with the unique challenges that this race presents. Riding the 125 Invitational this weekend will be a bit more laid-back I hope, haha.
2. Washougal is located in a great area and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross has two whole weekends off. When you were racing, did you ever stay back after a race just to hang out in the area and get in a mini-vacation?
Ping: Yes. I always went to Montana and spent my time there. It's a quick and scenic drive over to where I grew up and I looked forward to it every summer.
JT: For me, I wanted to get home as soon as possible. Being able to relax at home and enjoy the summer was my idea of time off. The travel schedule is so intense and was even worse for me with my European SX supplementation. I was on the red eye flight to Florida every night as soon as the race ended. Vacation was waking up and not having any motos to ride, no miles to pedal, and nowhere to be.
3. Forks, forks, forks. Jeremy Martin said he made fork changes for the second moto at Millville and it made a huge difference. Roczen says he made big fork changes after Southwick and it made a huge difference. This topic gets discussed to death but do we call this stuff a reason or an excuse? How big of a difference can it make at this level?
Ping: Setup is important but I don't understand how these guys can like their bikes one weekend and then talk about how off it was until they made a change. Both of these guys have won this season on those crappy fork settings they had prior to Millville. I don't get it.
JT: I think we are seeing the result of air forks being implemented throughout the pro pits. The air fork is much more temperamental and sensitive to changes than a spring fork. Also, many riders and technicians are still learning all of the air fork nuances, as well. Spring forks had been static for so long that many problems were easily diagnosed and settings were easy to find fairly quickly. For younger riders, they may not always know exactly the direction they need to go and with the air fork technology still evolving that presents challenges for teams to get it right the first time. Just like anything else, as the air fork is tested and developed more and more, the riders and teams will learn when and where to adjust settings. This is all just part of the learning process for everyone.