We thought the season opener would provide answers for the questions we’ve been bench racing about for the past several weeks, but all it did was flood the conversation with a host of new questions. Eager to gain some insight on an eye-opening weekend of racing, we bundled up our questions and shipped them off to former pro and NBC Reporter, Jason Thomas.
The track got gnarly, but for the national, it actually seemed like it held together pretty well. Is that an accurate view? If so, what was it about the conditions, and the prep, that made it hold up well?
This track is always brutal. It’s not the roughest national but it’s so tricky and makes riders incredibly uncomfortable. The deteriorating traction puts riders in a position where they have to push on conditions that demand caution. I mentioned to AP7 [Aaron Plessinger] after the race how impressed I am by their ability to push the edge on a track that treacherous. He basically echoed the sentiment that it’s not much fun to take risks out there. So, basically, I would argue that it held up super well. This series is incredibly demanding and different tracks and terrains make it better, but all the same, I would be terrified of going fast on that track.
The wind kicked up at times. Did that have an effect on the way the track developed?
The wind wasn’t too bad most of the day, just a few gusts here and there. It likely caused it to dry the track out but I would argue the abundant sunshine did the most damage to the soil. Endless sunshine for days leading up to the event coupled with a steady breeze makes it nearly impossible to keep moisture in the dirt. The track crew was watering nonstop and that still wasn’t enough for some sections.
In qualifying the times in the second session were significantly faster than the first, and the riders likely knew they would be. What value can you extract from the first qualifying session when you know the time likely won’t matter?
They can still bank the settings data and learn what worked and what didn’t. Qualifying sessions are weird like that. At some tracks, the first session is critically important and you have no chance in the second session (Southwick), while other tracks, the first session is almost a warmup (High Point). Knowing when to take the big risks and when not to comes with experience and listening to those with it.
Chance Hymas had a great first moto going until he went down while leading. What did you like about his first six laps of moto one?
Hymas has raw speed to burn. He is still learning how to manage that and turn it into consistent race wins but that only speaks to how difficult it is. If he can maintain this sprint speed and nail a start or two, he will win motos. The goal is a title, though, and that’s going to be difficult without being perfect. I believe that’s what it will take to beat Haiden Deegan. Hymas will need to be perfect, or almost.
Haiden Deegan didn’t seem like he had any sense of urgency whatsoever in the opening stages of both motos, and waited to go hard until about the 12-minute mark or so in both motos. Is this a sign of confidence, maturity, or both?
First, I think it’s his default race craft. He doesn’t typically put in his best laps early on. He likes to let things settle a bit, let the track work in, and then start ramping. He has a fitness and mental edge on everyone in this class so this strategy is smart and lethal. I don’t know that anyone can best it, honestly.
Separate topic, but I do believe he will have to modify this when he moves up next summer. If he is patient early against the likes of Jett, Chase, etc., they will be long gone by halfway. He will figure that out, it’s just notable that this specific pathway isn’t viable as he levels up.
Before the motos Chase Sexton mentioned they’d been 'throwing the kitchen sink at it,' with his outdoor setup. Is there a reason he and Red Bull KTM can’t just go with the same setup he used to dominate the second half of the season last year?
Sexton seems to like to chase “better.” Some riders find a happy place and that’s it; they don’t really veer away too much. Other riders like to constantly work on improvement. I can’t say which is better but I do know that better can be the enemy of good. It’s hard to have a high level of confidence in your setup if the setup is changing every time out. When Sexton finds what he likes, he is very hard to deal with. It just seems he’s too often looking for that versus having found it.
Speaking of Sexton, he tossed his goggles after getting dirt in them early in the moto. Not long after he had an awkward crash in a section that didn’t look particularly tricky. Do you think the crash was due to a lack of vision?
I don’t think it was the specific reason but it was certainly a factor. The goggle issue was a huge distraction. Everything suffers when you’re distracted and that’s universal for all aspects of life. Instead of thinking about what he’s doing, he’s squinting from roost, the sun, wind, and also trying to decide whether or not he should pit for a goggle change. Hitting neutral is uncommon, especially in that section, so it’s going to be very difficult (see, impossible) to talk me out of the dynamic not being effected by the goggles. I’ve seen Sexton crash due to hitting neutral once at Seattle but otherwise, this is a rarity. Also, factory transmissions are engineered so that it’s incredibly difficult to accidentally shift into neutral. That speaks to how likely it was that the goggles played a role.
RJ Hampshire debuted in the 450 Class less than two weeks after having surgery to remove a chunk of bone in his wrist. He did well too, holding fifth for much of the first moto before ending up sixth. Did his 6-12 for ninth overall surprise you, or did he perform about where you thought he would?
The fact that he raced at all surprised me. So, by default, his 6-12 was a shock. Sixth in the first moto would be a great result in this field even if he was 100 percent healthy. To do it on the backside of surgery was a whole different thing. Incredible effort from a guy who continues to defy medical logic.
Jorge Prado made his AMA Pro Motocross debut at Fox Raceway and he went 7-6 for sixth overall. Is this a good result for his first American national, or should the two-time world champ be held to a higher standard?
I don’t think he would be satisfied with 7-6. Prado is a winner and to not really see the podium or close is not what he’s accustomed to. He was nearly a full minute down to the leaders. That aspect alone is not acceptable to a rider of Prado’s caliber. Deep down, he knows that. He is being patient with a new bike, new track, and new series, but that result and gap won’t sit well.
Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence had a tremendous battle in the second moto. What impressed you more, Lawrence’s ability to hold a charging Tomac off, or Tomac’s ability to keep attacking Lawrence?
Both of them were so impressive. They are both coming off injuries and despite Tomac’s projected confidence, they were both a little unsure of what the answers would be when the hard questions were asked. I believe they both responded well. Jett is a freak of nature and Tomac will go down as one of the best ever. It’s the unstoppable force versus the immovable object. Please, please, please let us get 22 motos of this.
