The first Triple Crown race of the season took place over the weekend in Glendale, and the action didn't disappoint. And, as usual, it left us with plenty of burning questions, which why fired off to NBC Reporter and former pro, Jason Thomas.
What’s it like for riders in a Triple Crown Format? Is there pressure to get up front quickly in the shorter races, or do riders not stress when one main event isn’t great, knowing there are two more to come? Is there a general attitude about this, or is it different for every rider coming into a Triple Crown?
I think the stress level is a little higher. Three important races versus one raises the risk level a bit. Three starts with all of the best riders adds to that, too. There is some relief knowing it’s a tallied score across those three races but I don’t know that it overcomes the hesitation riders feel toward this format. For teams, it also raises the cost of racing because they need a backup race bike in case something goes wrong in one of the races. The format is a home run for everyone watching but for the racers and teams, I think it’s tolerated more than embraced. That’s a tough dynamic because I do think this is a superior product but the pushback is loud for expanding to more rounds.
The starts looked tricky in Glendale. For example, Eli Tomac didn’t get a good start until he lined up on the middle-outside in the third 450SX main event. Did you notice any anomalies in the starts on Saturday night?
It was shorter than the normal Glendale start. For Tomac, he likes going to the outside and letting that YZ450F power do its thing. Without the length of the stadium to work with, the exit from the grates becomes much more impactful. Tomac’s default is to go outside so when things aren’t going to plan, he was willing to try his tried and true method to save the night. The Yamahas seem to be feast or famine on the starts right now with no in between. That’s typically a sign of a process that isn’t repeatable. I would guess that will be a point of emphasis this week.
“Two races, two holeshots, two crashes,” was the call from Jason Weigandt on TV when Julien Beaumer went down yet again all by himself in the second 250SX main event. Is it possible the pressure of the championship is starting to set in, or were those just mistakes that happen to a racer who’s in his second year as a pro?
I don’t think it was a pressure thing, the crashes were too quick and he had just executed perfect starts seconds before. Rather, I point to letting exuberance get the best of him. He wanted so badly to sprint away with those holeshots that he rushed it. When he goes back and watches how calmly and easily Cole Davies was able to manage the lead from the front, he will be kicking himself for taking any risks on the opening lap. Beaumer is learning on the go here. Every scenario is a new one with the red plate. It was a lost opportunity in the worst way but if he learns from it and can avoid that type of mental error moving forward, he will have plenty of time to recoup those points.
Speaking of Beaumer’s crashes, in the first one all the other riders were able to avoid him, but as Haiden Deegan came through he nailed Beaumer’s back with his handlebar. Are we making something out of nothing with this, or do these kinds of interactions have meaning?
It felt a little extra, right? It’s impossible to gauge intent but initiating a little bump wouldn’t shock me. We also have to remember that Deegan is pinned into the top of the berm there and has to go or he will fall over so he doesn’t have much recourse to avoid contact, either. If it was anyone else, I would say that it was just happenstance but the parties involved opens the door to possibilities.
It looked like Deegan was using smelling salts on the line. Have you ever seen or tried this before?
I have not personally tried this but it’s common in other sports to raise sensory levels, reaction times, etc. Jett Lawrence has been doing this for a while and while I haven’t researched the science, finding a way to maximize your alertness and reaction times makes total sense. Logically, I get it.
Cole Davies was absolutely incredible in Glendale, especially for this being just his fourth race as a pro! Do you think he was happy with winning the first two, or was it a gut punch to get taken out by Tuff Block in the third 250SX main?
I think both are true. He had to be over the moon with how the first two went. He was also disappointed that he didn’t finish the job. Not only did he lose the overall, he lost tens of thousands of dollars, too. Going from first to third overall was probably a 50k difference. When you’re a rookie and haven’t made big money yet, that’s a huge hit to he and his family. Something tells me it won’t be his last bonus check, though. That kid is wildly impressive to watch on a technical level.
What are we to make of Billy Laninovich? The dude is 41, he’s banged up from a qualifying crash in San Diego, yet he still raced his way into the main via the LCQ. Help us understand just how difficult it is for someone of Laninovich’s vintage to compete with racers in their prime.
It’s so cool. Billy is not the spring chicken he was when he won the San Fran SX in 2005. To still be out there and making main events is simply incredible. I am not very much older than Billy and while I feel relatively in good shape, I couldn’t imagine taking the risks of racing anymore. The mental side would be much more of a challenge versus the physical side. Kudos to Lano, this is a feel good story all around.
Cooper Webb typically isn’t great on the Arizona dirt. Were you surprised at how well he rode in Glendale? Did he seem to have something figured out compared to previous years?
I was! He has struggled with the high speeds, tough whoops, and slippery soil of State Farm Stadium. If I know anything, though, it’s that Coop loves to prove people wrong. The more often he hears 'you can’t,' the more likely it becomes that he will. His starts helped but he was simply better all day than he has been in the past.
Ken Roczen didn’t win the overall and he lost the points lead, but he did win a main event in Glendale. How would you categorize his night
It was a success. A podium in this class is always going to be considered success. His speed was great and he stayed out of trouble. Having the red plate at round five would be cool but staying championship relevant is the big picture challenge. Avoiding the bad night and maintaining his edge late into the season are the asks.
Chase Sexton went 3-3-2 for the overall win. He also took the points lead. A win and the red plate are phenomenal no matter how you dissect it, but Sexton also knows he didn’t win any main events. How do you think he views his performance in Glendale?
He seemed happy with the overall win (probably a $200k haul) and taking the red plate. Would he have liked to beat Tomac in race three? That’s a definitive yes. But, taking the positives without dwelling on the what if is important. I am still looking for more consistency in his starts but he is significantly better than he was a year ago, which means something. He knows he is squarely in this title fight (captain obvious as the points leader) and you can’t really ask for more. It’s important to not overthink the situation when the races are coming relentlessly.
Help us understand Justin Hill. He was fantastic at the season opener where he took eighth, but he kind of fell off the pace a little at the next two races. Then he’s shredding with the top guys in Glendale, where he ended sixth overall! Is this just Hill doing Hill things, or was there something about Glendale that suited his technique?
There’s no way anyone can understand or predict what you're going to get here! The only insight I can give is that when the track is incredibly technical and challenging, that’s a good thing for Hill. His technical skill is up there with any name you can offer. The bigger the jumps, bigger the rhythms, the better Hill will be. He was the first rider to hit that 84-foot triple near the start. That's the stuff we're talking about. Outside of that, knowing which Justin Hill we get is a coin flip.