by Steve Cox
450 Words: Steel City
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PrintNo, Kevin Windham hasn’t won any national championships in his long and illustrious motocross career. He has finished second something like 97 times. But what really has defined Windham, more than his runner-up championship finishes, is that he has spent all 16 years of his racing career being the guy who, on literally any given day, could win. He did it at the Charlotte Supercross, winning the 250cc class when he was still racing full-time in the 125cc class (something no one has since been able to duplicate). He has done it time after time over the years.
An early crash in moto one dropped Ryan Dungey out of the competition.
Photo: Steve Cox
However, even knowing that Windham can win at any time, very few people expected it at Steel City when Ryan Dungey was looking absolutely unstoppable (he won the previous nine AMA Nationals this season prior to Steel City) and Windham was having trouble lasting a whole moto.
But in moto one at Steel City, Dungey started near the front, but didn’t last the whole lap before he fell and reportedly damaged his front-brake rotor, eventually dropping him out of the moto after he pulled into the pits to have it checked out.
Brett Metcalfe quickly took over the lead on the opening circuit and just up and split. He was gone. But Windham fought his way into second and then caught a second lucky break (after Dungey dropping out) when Metcalfe stalled it. He was back going again quickly, but in second, behind Windham.
And this is where Windham’s cunning came in yet again: He didn’t have Metcalfe’s speed because he got some arm-pump, and Metcalfe passed him back. But Windham relaxed and waited. He was patient. And when he got the feeling back in his right arm, he went back after Metcalfe and made the pass stick with only a lap or so to go.
On a bike with very little testing time (comparatively speaking) that he hasn’t ridden all year until the last few Nationals (his GEICO bike is entirely different), Windham won a national moto after only a few tries.
And in moto two, it’s not to say that he "let" Ryan Dungey beat him, but Windham did know that he didn’t have to beat Dungey to win the overall.
Somehow, Kevin Windham keeps surprising us. It shouldn't really be a surprise anymore.
Photo: Steve Cox
Windham has been racing as a professional for 16 years, and although he likes to talk about how he’s "old" now and all that, the reality is that his win at Steel City was really a culmination of his 16 years of racing experience. He won because of his age, essentially, not in spite of it. One has to wonder how it would’ve been had Dungey – who was four years old when Windham turned pro – not dropped out of moto one.
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Everyone is pretty sure how it would have truned out. Why sing praise to a motocross legend(YES! LEGEND!) then kick him in the rear in the last sentence? Thats were "experience" would come in handy. Come on Cox, I'd expect better from you. Geaux K-DUB!
+1 and im just happy someone else won!
windham may only have a couple or 125 sx titles but thats only because his pro career just happened to take place during the reign of the two greatest supercrosser and motocrosser ever in MC and RC. Windham is a living lgend who has more fans and probably made more money than anybody in the history of the sport with the efxception of maybe RC and REED and MC.
racer628,, I think JS has made WAY more money than Reed..
and it's such a pitty... js milks his reputation and doesn't race
Honestly, he has only taken one season off. Granted, he should have finished this season on MX.
Who cares about James Stewart and Chad Reed? Kevin Windham is awesome.
he may not have won a championship, but some of the champs should show the class windham shows
Well said wildwest110. Cox: The same has been said about Dungey for the whole season being RV, JS, CR out of the MX/SX title. Windham won because he made no mistake during the race and was able to keep it on two wheels, he is a champion and a treat at every event he races. Dungey made a mistake during the race and the consecuence showed up. Windham is one of the smartest and skilled riders ever. The best thing is that he may keep winning some more races during the next season, let's see what you're going to write next time he wins. I am very happy to see him on the top spot.
Heck I thought he won because he got lucky and all the fast guys are out! Why is he so different than Dungey? J/K
Perfect storm, fine, everybody's hurt, fine. No matter, whoever wins, wins. The shoulda/coulda/wouldas can keep it to themselves same as the "asterisk" people. every 2nd place guy back to day one is where they were same as #3 and #1. I have lots of heartbreaks in title runs, Ryan Hughes being TWO of them but, you can't take the title back, unlike the Heisman trophy apparently....
Dungey is gonna follow decoster to KTM and so is Goose. Musquin is gonna kill both SX and MX. Good luck Wilson and pro circuit guys chasing the new kid on a KTM. In a couple yrs its gonna be KTM domination both Europe and America i.e. 2012 Oh yea Will Hahn is gonna be on Canrds bike next yr at Geico
Did anyone notice Bobby Kiniry? He broke into top ten after missing out. I dont know where he was but to come back and get top ten is not easy. So did Nick Paluzzi. Im scared to see where Josh Grant is gonna be 2011. L&M may be.
dgizzy, Idk about who will dominate, but I'm afraid you're exactly right about goose and Dungey, unfortunately for us Suzuki fans.
Boy, Roger sure took the long route to work with Tony A again.
dgizzy, I would hope that Musquin would win the title. You hate to admit it, but he is already 22 years old. Has been racing pro for about 6 years. He should beat a bunch of rookies and young kids in the 250 class. He is probably too old to race that class in the Des Nations, but he can come to the U.S. and call himself a rookie and beat a bunch of up and coming racers. Not impressed if he does win, not at all. And is the Dungey and Goose moving just rumors?? I havent heard or read anything about that. Dont those two have contracts with Suzuki??
RD is on Suz till Sep 2011... After that??? Musquin is 22?? Did not know that.
"One has to wonder how it would’ve been had Dungey – who was four years old when Windham turned pro – not dropped out of moto one" COX. Nothing to wonder about, RD would have smoked him.
"Marvin Musquin (born December 30, 1989 in La Reole, France)" That makes him 20 by my calculations bd200. He didn't start racing MX2 until 2008, before that he was in the EMX 125cc 2 stroke championship which he won in 2007. So again, 3 years not 6. He was still on an 80/125 in 2006 apparently. I will not let you try and drag his name in to the dirt the way people did with Pourcel. He is deserving of what he got. He earned it. http://www.marvin-musquin.com/biographie.php
Gonna have to agree with you StephenB!!! For someone to say they would not be impressed if Musquin came over here and won because he has been a pro for 6 (3) years is ridiculous!!! Based on that logic, KW "should" be beating these guys and we shouldn't be impressed with it. Whatever!! Also considering that logic, Chad Reed and several others "should" have been beating that "up and coming" "rookie" with the #5 (#1) on his bike.......but they weren't were they?? People need to get their facts straight before they talk also!!
I am of the mind set that no matter how long you are riding at the top level, any time you win a title, it is something special! They don't come easy!!!
Right, because every time you win a championship there are at least 10 guys who go in to the off season with nothing but next years championship on their minds. He was a consistent 8-15th (ish) in the GP's in 08. In the off season he did his homework and came out beating the guys who hadn't left and were beating him the year before (Simpson, Frossard, Paulin, Aubin, Osborne and so on) all on factory support rides while he was on a poorly funded (considering the top level teams) Honda team that couldn't afford to pay him once he started winning. It doesn't matter who left at the end of 08. He came in to 09 beating the guys he couldn't the year before. Sounds like he wanted to win, that's all.
whatever, really?? That is the dumbest thing I have ever read. All the guys in the 450 class have been racing pro for several years, genious. The 250 class, on the other hand , is full of real rookies. Not guys who race 3 or 4 years professionally and when GP titles, then come here as a "rookie" and run the 250 class 2 or 3 more years. Then beat a bunch of 17 or 18 year old kids. Then wonder why they cant race the Des Nations in the 250 class because they are too old. So whatever, dont mouth off and sound dumb just to start an arguement, because you kmow what I was meaning. StephenB. your not going to let me drag his name in the dirt?? Please, get off your Euro lpove and get over it. I can have an opinion if I want here, its a free country. And I feel he is too old and experienced to cherry pick the 250 class. Three years already, his 4th will be next summer, you dont think thats too long to be racing the 250 class against kids?? You just wont admit that, hes a Euro.
I swear I read just recently that Musquin was 22, I could be wrong there though. But this summer will be 4 years in the class meant as a stepping stone to the big bikes. That is too long.
However old Musquin is, he isn't going to come and dominate anyone. He might win at times, but dominate? Look what happened to Pourcel even this year, did he dominate? Nope. I wish Musquin luck trying to dominate in the 125 class, especially outdoors....Rattray, Barcia, Wharton, Baggett back out there, etc etc etc. I'll give Roczen a better chance at dominating when he comes over, he'd still be at Loretta Lynn's if he was American. Wait till he matures a bit.
I still don't see how riding 2-3 years in Europe and then 2-3 here is any different than just riding 4-6 years here (Metty, Tickle, Morais, Weimer, Rattray, Izzi, Davalos. What do you want Marvin to do? Move straight up to the 450 class once he gets here? Better yet, do you expect KTM do take that risk? A lot of the top guys here get way more testing and racing action AND they don't have a full scale SX series in Europe so they're only racing at a "World" level 15 times a year at the GP's. To me that's just a handicap. They have to come here, race twice as much in a new country, test twice as much since there are two disciplines and somehow not get burnt out or hurt and on top of that still perform at a World level. If they get hurt it could be the end of their career in America as soon as it starts. They put their entire career on the line to come here and put on a show doing what they enjoy for a living. How, may I ask, is there no way to appreciate that from a fan perspective?
I do appreciate that . I love it when they come to the US to race. And it isnt any different when anyone stays at the 250 level that long. I have mentioned that before, it doesnt matter who it is. They need to have some kind of limit to how long a guy can stay in that class. There are alot of young and vewry good riders who are looking for that ride. Who very well could be the next top rider, but they are floundering on a bad team or a team with little support because some well known "name" is running 10th place on a great bike . Just because his name is well known. And in the case of any GP rider, they come here at 20 years old or older in some cases, fine the first year I guess. But dont get a title, and stay there for 3 more years. Sorry, but any 23 or 24 year old rider needs to move up with the rest of the men. And be a man. Look how it has worked out for Metty.
Well first, Musquin hasn't been Pro for 2-3 years. On his website I see he was French 125cc SX Champion in 2006 and 2007. I assume that the French SX is a professional series. Then he rode the MX2 class the next three years, winning it in 2009 and 2010. So I see that as 5 years as a Pro not 2-3. Still, he can come here and race 250...I have no problem with that. I would like to see the rule be a 23 year old limit, as long as you turn 23 after the season starts. That would give a guy like Musquin literally 3 years in the class STILL in the U.S. I also would like to see a 2 title and out rule in the 250 class. As far as why they come to America though, most see it as another step up challenge-wise. Some want the challenge, like Musquin and Roczen, while others don't. I have more respect for those that do come over and welcome them here. It just makes our series that much better.