Sin City

It’s over until the nationals start up in 2 weeks. After 17 races over 18 weekends Stewart won the crown by only 4 points over Reed. Supercross this year was one of the best and certainly had enough drama to satisfy any soap opera. Stewart started the series deep in hole and 25 points down. Slowly he won 7 in a row and was leading the series, but then Daytona happened. Reed road a great season and put up one hell of a fight and gave us fans something to look forward to. Here’s the need to know in Vegas…

Stewart won his 2nd supercross championship.

Reed made an aggressive pass on JS around the sweeper, but failed put to him in “Row F” and finished second.

Ryan Villopoto won his second race of the year, only one less than Reed!

Everyone had awesome looking gear, RV, Reed, Wey, Windham, all the Fox riders and Brayton. Stewart had a gold red bull helmet. It’s so nice to see a new lid instead of the same old boring red bull logo.

Dungey tried to make it three in a row, but Pourcel took the win. Dungey took over second when Canard who was leading washed out. He came very close to Pourcel, but made a mistake going into the whoops on the last lap.

The curse has been broken as the east champ won the race for the first time since 2000

Matt Boni took home top privateer after Heath Voss DNF. Hanson wishes he was Boni.

The massive Monster Energy logo behind the podium was HUGE.

Was it me or my TV. I could barley hear Jeff and Ralph talking over the bikes and race announcers.

Reed hinted about racing the outdoors on the podium, saying “for all you true fans you might see me racing in a few weeks”

Stewart yelling in happiness on the podium.

Larry Brooks interview.

Seattle

Photo By Simon Cubby

Seattle is know for rain and grunge and although we didn’t have any rain we sure had some exciting racing that smells like teen spirit.(whatever that means). The 15 round was the return of the west coast and hometown boy Ryan Villopoto. RV was coming back from an illness that kept him away from the last five weeks and the odds were stacked against him. Who in there right mind would have thought some else beside Stewart or Reed would have won? Villopoto did!!! In his first 450 supercross season he won in front of his hometown crowd, something that has eluded him outdoors at his home track at Washougal. Alessi pulled the holeshot (big pattern here) and lead alot of the race before falling and handing the lead over to he’s arch rival RV. Villopoto held onto the lead on the sandy Seattle track until the flames shot out of the finish line. Where was Stewart and Reeds epic battle? Well Reed took a soil sample before the first turn after colliding with Tyler Bowyers and Stewart got a bad start and was outside the top 10. Stewart had tough time coming through the pack and would settle for second after a pass on Millsap’s. Davi rode a great race and thanks to his agent, trainer, finance, and pet dog gave it 110%. Reed was trying to shake the cobwebs out and could only muster a 7th place finish surrendering his points lead to Stewart and leaving Seattle 3 points down.

The 250 west coast guys are back and so is the 2nd championship hunt. Could Dungey keep it together to finally win the crown or would he throw it away like last year? Thankfully for Dungey his buddy J-law was suspended again, this time for taking out Helpler and showing him the middle finger a couple of times in Jacksonville. The troy lee design’s team was in full effect and all made the night show. Weimer was clearly off Dungey’s pace and looked a little bit out of sync since last time we saw him. The gate dropped and Jimmy Albertson grabed the holeshot and was quickly passed by Dungey. Dungey held on for the win while Weimer would have a bad start and worked his way up to 4th. Morais rode a great race finishing second and so did last years champ coming in third after a fall.

1355 words, and 10 years of Motocross

So im bored at work and got the great idea to try and remember all of the outdoor nationals I have attended. I can easily remember all of them, but can’t really recall who exactly won. Supercross had its first weekend off since January so obviously there is nothing to read about. So instead of reading random Wikipedia pages, im going to read my own words and pacify the time……
The first outdoor national I had the pleasure to watch was in my home state of Florida at Gatorback. The year was 1996 and I was the biggest little Jeff Emig fan and of coarse I dis-liked McGrath with a passion, as he was Emig’s only challenge. (Sorry Jeremy). Im not sure who won I want to say Emig, all I can remember was yelling for McGrath to fall in the Gator pit and Brian Deggan doing tricks by the grandstand jump. Steve Lamson won the 125 class with Windham getting second (I think) ridding a number 7 Yamaha just like Stewart today. After the race was over they let the fans go into the pits and hangout by the box fans. I was only 11 at the time so I don’t remember much, but I do remember trying to get Emig’s autograph.

The second outdoor national I attended was none other than Gatorback(97) and just happened to be the start of Ricky Carmichael’s annihilation of outdoor motocross. Ricky was riding a number 70 Kawasaki with AXO gear and brought home the overall with a 2-1. Steve Lamson the 1996 125 champ came in second with a 1-2. The 250 class was won by Emig. Simply put Emig was the shit in 97, he dethrones McGrath in supercross, had the coolest looking helmets and was wearing the all new Shift gear. McGrath was riding Suzuki and im not sure were he finished, but 97 was his last year of outdoors.

The late and great Troy, Ohio(97) was my third outdoor national and the temperate there was around 110 degrees. Of coarse Emig won both motos wearing all black shift gear and I believe Damon Huffman won the 125 class. I remember seeing the infamous widow maker jump that took out Tim Ferry a few years back and I also remember thinking what the word widow meant? Was it something dirty or that spider that was in my science book? Kenworthy’s had a major party the night before the race with a live band and a few hundred intoxicated race fans. The crowd got a little too excited about the next days race and showed their appreciation by throwing beer bottles onto the stage and drinking until they had to take quick little power naps In the grass.(that’s what my dad told me at least)

I’ve never been more excited to see a track than I was for Budds Creek in Maryland 1998. As a kid I can remember watching Henrys horrible crash that sent him higher than the trees and back to the earth breaking his back. The paramedics carried him off the track and Henry gave his fans a thumbs up as they carried him away. Then in 1997 Henry crashed over a double and broke both arms, lighting had struck twice and im sure Henry was not looking forward to coming back. The whole family had made the trek up to Maryland and we picked the perfect year to do so. Henry conquered his fear and won the 250 class on the same track that almost ended his career. Carmicheal won the 125 class and till this day has never lost an overall at Budds Creek.

In the summer of 2000 my mom, dad and I took a motocross vacation going through Michigan, Canada and New York. Dad and I had a blast and im sure my mom read a lot of books and was bored to tears. (Thanks mom!) First stop was at Baja Acres in Michigan. It was an awesome sand track that had alot of elevation changes. I pulled the holeshot on a full gate and lead most of the race only to get tired and fade back to second. We stayed in Canada for about a week with some friends of ours and rode everyday on their many tracks. On the way back home we stoped by New Berlin, New York to see Carmichael win the 250 class and either Pastrana or Roncada win the 125’s. Unadilla is a huge track and the 125’s were struggling to get up some of verticals cliffs on the all natural track. I remember Sebastian Torteli not signing a sticker I had because he was not sponsored by them (What a dick), and my dads tooth falling out and making and emergency trip to the dentist. All in all it was a great time, even if Larry was one tooth two short for a bit.

2001 we headed back to Troy Ohio and for some reason I don’t remember much at all about the races. I do remember Ricky won the 250 class and did not go to the podium after the second race because he shit his pants. He was battling a stomach problem and wasn’t seen until it was time to race; I have no clue who won the 125 class. Mike Brown maybe?

After a 3 year hiatus my dad and I made the drive all the way to Millville, Minnesota to Spring Creek in 2004. We left on a Wednesday and drove over 1,190 miles to of coarse watch Carmichael win again going 1-1 in his first undefeated season. This was Alessi’s very first race and the year of the “believe the hype” shirts. I don’t remember how he did maybe top ten. The track also had a new jump called holly Schmidt, named after local boy Donnie Schmidt that was around 100ft and sent the riders sky high. Stewart won the 125 class and was one of the only 125 riders to clear the jump. My father likes to try to smuggle in weapons at sporting events and was almost busted and taken in. He had a pistol in the center console, but he quickly had to hide it after we noticed they were searching vehicles. He must have done this before because he made the gun vanish like a ninja and thankfully we got to enjoy the races.

In 2005 we headed to Southwick, Massac hues to once again watch Carmichael, this time on a Suzuki, win the overall. It wasn’t easy though; Ricky went over the bars and let Reed win his only outdoor race to date. Stewart rode the first moto and later pulled off and didn’t show up for the second. Alessi pulled the holeshot and over jumped the first jump and I think dislocated his shoulder. The weather I remember was much like Troy in 97 and everyone walking was like a sweaty beast. I believe Langston won the 125class or by this time I guess it was called the “lites class” My most vivid memory of this trip was a bee flying into my shorts and stinging me while I was riding my dads Harley.

The last national I went to was REDBUD, in Buchanan, Michigan. This was one of best tracks I have ever been too and the fans are by far the most rowdy of any other round. 2006 was Ricky Carmichael’s last full season in outdoor motocross and just like he did in his first season at Gatorback he won Redbud as well. Larcoo’s leap was one of the biggest jump I’ve ever seen. I believe either RV or BT won the lites class and Alessi got third. The crowd at redbud is the best and they constantly yell “redbud” every 3 to 4min just to remind everyone the location their at. So after nine nationals I have attend Carmichael has won everyone he raced but one, I was able to see the start of his first season and the end of his last, and saw a man passed out drunk in Troy, Ohio. Im ready for another one…..maybe Texas.

Jacksonville!

First Practice about to line up

Why does the state of Florida always produce such good racing? Stewart crashes in Daytona and J-Law almost wining, Stewarts official 250 debut in Orlando in 05, Ricky’s last supercorss race in 07 and Larry Ward wining in the rain in Tampa!!!! Florida must love good racing because Jacksonville saw another great race tonight. The track was very hard packed and slick and looked more like a west coast round. The dirt wurx guys had the track covered all week as the sunshine state wasn’t so sunny until race day. Reed and Stewart had a few words in practice and neither of them would comment on the altercation. Stewart laid down the fastest lap with Reed right behind him. Although I didn’t see much of the heat races because I was dressed in a 115 degree fat suit and getting pushed down by a girl for the halftime show, I did notice Hann grabbed the heat win after Pourcel stalled his bike.

At least I got to see the track up close

I lost my race of the night against 2 guys and a girl all wearing different color fat suits. Thanks Toyota! I finally made it on national television, just not quite how I expected it to be. Reed won his heat but it was not easy. Alessi the holeshot kid took the holeshot with Reed closely behind him. Reed jumped too far to the left on the big triple and went of the track, but soon caught Alessi and took the win. Stewart won his heat (big surprise), but did tip it over after the start but kept the bike running and won. Time for the 250 main and Will Hann grabbed the holeshot and almost won if it wasn’t for the insanely fast Frenchman. Hann rode the best race of his career and held Pourcel off for more than half the race. Nico Izzi had third in the bag but hit the eject button on the big triple and fell from the sky. The crash was ugly looking and the initial reports are saying a broken hill. Izzi’s crash left the door open for a hard charging Stroupe to take home third. Izzi did hold on to 3rd in the championship by one point over Wharton.

The Goat Time for the main event! The holeshot went to…… Alessi of course, but Chad took the lead by the time they hit the triple with Stewart in 3rd. Soon Stewart would quickly pass Alessi and put on a charge for the lead. Reed was riding an AWESOME race in this brand new hotrod thor gear and was gaping the number 7 for a bit. I could have thrown a blanket over the top two as they were neck and neck for the first 13 laps. Stewart was taking a outside line after the start and gaining on Chad every lap until he made the pass their. Reed quickly got the lead back after the big triple but Stewart took it back in the rhythm section and that was all she wrote. Stewart won, Chad got second and Windham got his 2nd podium of the season. Reed and Stewart did collide after the triple and tore Reed’s fork guard off and the two had a few words after the race. Grant, Millsap, Boni (Broken Pinky) all did not finish. J-Law took out Broc and himself and eventually pulled off the track and gave up. (what a winner) Florida must hate Grant, Daytona took him out and so did Jacksonville, what gives? The race was awesome and Stewart looks to be holding the driving wheel at this point, but he better hold it steady cause we only got three rounds left.

Windham is a super nice guy
Just hanging out with my buddy Denny!!

A Beautiful Mess

This whole mess started when I was 5 and my bicycle broke. I remember it vividly as I was in the kitchen asking my mom for a new bike when my dad over heard the conversation and volunteered to buy me a motorcycle. The next weekend we were headed to the local Honda dealer and shortly after that I was sitting on a brand new 1990 Honda Z 50. I rode that bike everyday after school and soon going around the pine trees in the front yard was just not enough. My father was a farmer and thankfully for me a motorcycle enthusiast that built me a little pee wee track on the farm. As time progressed so did my little pee track that turned into a full blown motocross track that most kids would envy. Soon my father starting riding with me and before you knew it we were both racing and having the time of our lives. Living on a farm has its advantages for a young boy who loves to ride. I was never surround by the city lights only open land and acres of possibilities. Every week the whole family would pack into the camper and go racing. I can remember dreaming of being the next “McGrath” and riding till the sun went down with my dad and cousin Gannon. Every summer my family would take a vacation to an outdoor national like Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, etc…. Racing was my life and it brought us as a family closer and gave my father and I something we both enjoyed. After eight years of racing and too many broken arms it was time to move on. I just turned sixteen had wheels under my feet and suddenly girls where on my mind instead of checkered flags. I still follow the sport just as closely as I did when I raced. The passion I have for the sport of motocross and supercross has giving me something to look forward to as each new season brings a new challenge. This passed weekend at the Jacksonville supercross I was able to meet my hero Carmichael and chat with Windham and Reynard for a bit. I was in a hotel full of riders, mechanics and managers and to them this just another weekend at the track but to me it was so much more. I’m a fan at best and hopefully my son will be a fan and we can start this whole mess over again.

TORONTO!!!!!

I think the hot topic this week is not going to be the race but rather the weird frozen tundra called dirt that outline the race track this week. Round 14 headed to Canada this week for its only international race of the series. The race last year which was won by Reed was the first ever indoor mud race as the cold Canadian dirt was frozen and then un thawed to of coarse form mud. Although we had a dry track this year the ruts were so deep you could almost see sparks as the bikes tore down to the concrete.Even my wife who had know clue what supercross was until we met notice the dirt look like it was scooped up from the parking lot. Jeff Staton designed a great track this week, but the poor dirt henderd the tracks creatvity. Christophe Porucel is the 2009 Monster Energy 250(E) Supercross champ! The kid was in a wheelchair two years ago after a crash left him with a badly broken hip and now comes back to wrap up the championship with one round to spare. All Pourcel needed to do was beat his team mate Stroupe and he did just that taking home another win.It's been a long time coming as Pourcel is the first Frenchman to win a title since Roncada did it back in 2000.









The 250 main started off with Pourcel grabbing the holeshot and never looked backed. Stroupe was buried in the pack and worked his way up to second. Broc Tickle made his first podium ever and it must feel good after coming back from a broken jaw. Izzi had a rough night crashing and doing some donut's on the concrete to finish 11th.







The gate dropped on the 450 class and just like always Mike Alessi pulled his 1,406 holeshot of his career. Stewart quickly took the lead and checked out never to be seen again until he stood on top of the podium. Reed moved his way into second on about the 2nd lap and tried to keep Stewart insight but could not hold the pace on the rutted rock filled track. Grant had a great battle with Tedesco and Short moving his way up to 3rd.The man on the move was Josh Hill who has yet to have a stand out ride this season. Hill who won Minneapolis last year worked his way up passing riders left and right for his first podium of the year.Grant held on for 4th and Tedesco rounded out the top five. Something most of been wrong with Short as (Mr. Consistent) fell all the way back to to 9th. If Grant keeps it in the top five he could finish the season thrid in points as he only sits 19 behind Short. Stewart and his 10 sec lead took the checkered and tighten up the gap to only 8 points. Although the race was not near as exciting as St. Louis or Daytona, the track defiantly separated the men from the boys. Next week we head to Stewarts home state in Jacksonville for round 14. This championship will go all the way to Vegas and if Reed doesn't find that little edge and Stewart can keep it on two wheels, I think will be seeing Chads old bike on top again.

St. Louis!!!

Photo by Bayodome at Transworld Motocross.

How can a rider who has not raced a supercross since Daytona 06 bring so much hype to a race? Travis Pastrana has been entertaining us for a decade now and even with him not making the main people still want more. Pastrana has such a unique riding style that its hard not look when he's on the track. With the help of MTV and he's new show Nitro Circus, Pastrana has come a long way since his first 125 motocross championship in 2000. I can remember in 1998 at the Mini's O's in Florida watching Pastrana do heelclickers on the supercross track after some kids asked him if he would. Pastrana told them he would if he won the race, but he did'nt win I think Billy Payne did( where did he go, he got 10th last yr?).... but he's a showman at heart.Ok, enough about Pastrana who by the way designed the track at St. Louis and back fliped the finish line during opening ceremonies(I cant stop talking about 199, ughh!!!). The track was one of the coolest we've seen in years with alot of jumps and a triple with whoops as the face. Izzi tried to jump the whoop triple in practice and some how by the grace of god did not shatter his right arm into a thousand pieces as he came up about two bike lenght's short. Reed won his heat race in convincing fashion, but Stewart rode like a mad man running over tuff blocks an endoing over the whoop triple to finish 9th and ending his heat race win streak.(Windham won the heat) The 250 class saw Stroupe and Pourcel taking their heat race win, but Vince Frease held the french man off for much of the race until Pourcle made the pass right before the finish line. The man of the hour Pastrana had to go to the LCQ with his friend Davi "LCQ" Millsaps after crashing while he ran in the final transfer spot. Unfortunately for Pastrana his Suzuki could not run without a radiator after a nasty collision with Jake Marsak ended his night. Blake Wharton won his first race as a professional. The rookie from Texas rode a very constient race leading from start to finish and holding off a hard charging Nico Izzi early in the race. I thought Izzi would of won this race he had a great start but just could not hold the pace Wharton was running.(Maybe he's arm was sore?) Pourcel tipped over in the beginning of the race and worked his way up to 5th. Stroupe came back from a mid pack start to pass a fading Nico Izzi on the last lap for second.

1.Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Honda
2.Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, N.C., Kawasaki
3.Nico Izzi, Murrieta, Calif., Suzuki
4.Matthew Goerke, Lake Helen, Fla., Suzuki
5.Christophe Pourcel, Corona, Calif., Kawasaki
6.Matt Lemoine, Collinsville, Texas, Yamaha
7.Steven Clarke, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki
8.Daniel Blair, Modesto, Calif., Honda
9.Darryn Durham, Wildomar, Calif., Yamaha
10.Shane Sewell, Westville, Ind., Yamaha

Reed won and got back his 3 points he lost last week in the big easy. Josh Grant got the holeshot and lead the first couple of laps before getting passed by Reed. Stewart quickly made a move on Reed in the tricky switch back section and started to pull away with about a 2 sec led for most of the race. Then on lap 15 Stewart crashed on the jump on jump off section over the bridge and was almost taking out by his riding buddy Josh Hill. Reed slipped by and held on for the win with Stewart getting second and Grant making his third podium of the year.J-law decided to showed up and rode to a solid fifth, he tried to get around Short for fourth but could not make it happen.

1.Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Suzuki
2.James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
3.Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha
4.Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
5.Jason Lawrence, Carlsbad, Calif., Yamaha
6.Ivan Tedesco, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda
7.Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki
8.Davi Millsaps, Tallahassee, Fla., Honda
9.Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
10.Paul Carpenter, Ithaca, N.Y., Kawasaki

The next race is in Toronto in the Rodgers Center which has proved in years passed to provide some great racing. Will Stewart continue to crash and hand the lead to Reed? or will Travis Preston have his revenge on Stewart when the two collide back in 06?.... I sure wish Pastrana was racing!!!