It's Friday, and you know what time it is! That's right, time for another installment of Filthy Phil's weekly column, UnPhiltered. This week the grouch of motocross wades in deep on topics like lappers, Vince Friese, and getting his doors blown off by Kyle Partridge.
As always, if you have any questions or thoughts to share with Phil, send them on over to phil@racerxonline.com.
Phil,
Wassssup dude congrats on the great career! This has been on my mind lately, like with the Tomac thing almost getting into Friese while battling Jett. Countless times with different lappers over the years I’ve been like, ‘Geeett out the way!!’ Do you think if they fine points to lappers who blatantly get in the way of racers on the lead lap, with the discretion of the lead lap racers that can report them to the AMA for a decision, maybe that will get lappers to respect the race that is going on without them? Maybe a bit harsh but it’s some bull that the lapper sees the blue then speeds up, like, ‘Let me just let them pass in five corners’ time. Where was that burst of speed the whole main fools?
Keep on rocking! All the best for the future!
-David
David,
Over the years lappers have played a big factor in racing. Not just for the leaders but also all the guys battling 1-5. Look, lappers are a part of racing. They are, and we have to deal with it. I’ve been lapped before and so have guys a lot better than me. Being lapped, while being in your own battle is so hard to manage. You’re worried about getting passed by the leader, or getting passed by the guy you’re battling because the blue flag is hitting you in the face. But the money between 1-3 is A LOT MORE than the money between 13th and 14th. Over $100,000. So yes, you have every right to scream at the TV at a lapper. The lappers I have an issue with are the ones rolling around three laps down. Like, is that really even doing anything? Is that even remotely necessary? I believe if you go two laps down, you should be black flagged. At that point you are so far out of the race it’s a lost cause. There is nothing you can do about the lapping situation. If the lapper respects the race, and the leaders, then they do their due diligence to get the hell out of the way. If the leader has to worry about where the lapper is going, that is totally wrong in my opinion. But let me tell you what. When the leader comes into lappers, they are shitting bricks because that’s a variable that's uncontrollable to them.
-Phil
Filthy P,
I don’t recall offhand whether you’ve been the recipient of some Friese love, but I’d venture to guess that you’ve been there, done that, just like most other riders in the paddock After watching A1 and San Diego so far this year, I’m recalling the same thoughts every year. How does Vince even finish a race? There are enough guys in the paddock who have been taken out by Vince that if a different guy took Vince out every lap or so, he’d never finish a heat race, thus never qualify, and eventually no longer have a ride because he can’t finish a race or even qualify.
Now, I know that other riders are trying to be nice and that the AMA is trying to come down on “hard racing,” or whatever you want to call it, so they don’t return the favor. Yet the AMA seems to let Vince clean guys out race after race without consequence. So, maybe after Vince receives enough “racing incidents,” he’ll either retire or mature through his antics and race like a real man. It just amazes me that 20 or more other guys on the track fear one guy and let him run rampant with his crazy moves when they could keep him in check like a military platoon would discipline a guy who screws them all over. Fight fire with fire, so to speak. Yes, harsh, I know, It just gets old.
Anyway, I guess until then we’ll just make it a drinking game or something every time he makes a signature move. Good luck to all you fellas this year mixing it up with the Friese.
Take care,
-Greg
Greg,
Fortunately, Vince and I have never had a run in. Ever. To be honest, he’s always been good with me. So I can’t even talk bad about him on that subject from a personal level. Am I a fan of some of the stuff Vince has done over the years? No I’m not. Am I okay with some of the moves Vince has done? Yes I am. But more so than not, 90 percent of the time if it’s regarding Vince, the public perception is not good. Y'all are probably going to hate that I’m saying this but Vince is a good dirt bike rider. Good starts put him in good positions. Has there been some serious heat that comes from his riding? Oh yes. I’m all for aggressive riding. Do I like when I get the shit end of the stick? F@&$ NO! But unfortunately that's racing. Obviously some of the extreme stuff that has occurred that involves blatant take outs where you hurt or cross jump is a no -no. They should have serious consequences in my eyes and should really be dealt with. But there aren’t enough eyes and ears to see every move that gets made on a race track. I’m not defending Vince by any means, because he gets plenty of resentment from people. But anytime he gets put down on the ground, he takes it on the chin and carries on.
-Phil
Hi Phil,
I was wasting my life on old races before the season started and I came across a 2013 Arlington heat race. In the woops, Kyle Partridge goes by you on the rear wheel. Tell me what was going through your head at that time. Did you think he was going to stop before the turn? Or, take you out with him? It looks like you may have slowed down after that. Did it shock you as much as Ralf in the boot? I just wonder, after 12 years, what memories do you have of that pass in the woops? I also wonder, how much credit do you take for Simonson's starts at Ironman last year? Good luck in Canada this summer!
Thanks Phil,
-Vince in Canada
Vince,
I remember that very well. That was my rookie year in the 450 class and it was not going well at that point. Kyle Partridge blew my doors off so bad in the whoops, he about blew me off into the hay bales. I didn’t make the main that night. The first few races of that season were going so horribly bad I wanted to quit. I still wasn’t mature in supercross at that point. I had about 13 total 250 SX races under my belt when I moved up to the 450’s in 2013, so my learning curve was steep! About as steep as goddamn wall! But once I finally got into a main at about Round 6, 2013 turned into a good year in SX/MX. I went four straight years after that in 450SX. 2013 was a big maturing year. Just from fitness and mentality. 2013 SX/MX year is the year that truly built the foundation for my career.
-Phil
