The Moment: Jacksonville
Monday, March 21, 2011 | 3:40 PM
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The Moment could be called The Section—because the same piece of real estate inside Everbank field in Jacksonville upended Monster Energy Supercross, twice.
Never before has it been more clear how one short moment can decide a race, a week, or a whole season. But when Ryan Villopoto went down in his heat race after tangling with Matt Boni, his night, and soon his season, was on the verge of a drastic change.
Villopoto would have trouble in the LCQ after getting together with Boni in his heat race.
Photo: Garth Milan
We chatted with Boni this morning, and the Ti-Lube Kawasaki privateer says he’s not sure what happened. His bike suddenly died, and he went over the bars, taking Villopoto with him.
“I don’t know what happened,” he says. “Maybe I had my foot on the rear brake, or maybe I hit the kill switch on accident. Maybe it just died. I don’t know. I just went straight over the front, which of course is about the worst thing that can happen when you get a good start.”
With a bikes and bodies banged up from the crash. Both riders were relegated to the Last Chance Qualifier. Villopoto went down twice there, and neither rider made the main. They later had some words in the tunnel, which was captured on the SPEED TV cameras. Boni jokes that they just exchanged words, and that he would never fight anyone because he’s a lover not a fighter. “And I don’t have enough money to afford a fine,” he adds.
A series leader has never missed a main event as far as we know—points leaders have missed races with injuries, but never straight up didn’t qualify.
"The Section" ended Stewart's night early as well.
Photo: Garth Milan
But what Jacksonville giveth, Jacksonville taketh away. James Stewart had a golden opportunity to make up big points, but he ended up down even harder in the exact same section in the main event. This time it was the other Ti-Lube Kawasaki rider, Matt Goerke, going down.
Those crashes changed everything in this series. Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey have just gotten a lot closer in points, and it’s almost impossible to tell who has the momentum now. It’s also unclear who is healthy and who’s thriving. Stewart’s camp says he’s okay and ready to race in Toronto, but it’s hard to imagine he won’t be fighting through some sort of pain when he lines up. Villopoto, too, is banged up.
It all comes down to one section in Jacksonville. Or does it?
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If its wasn't for the chain derail for Dungey, he would be 3 points down in the points.
What happened to using a provisional when you don't qualify and you were in the points race? When did they do away with that?
I hate to see it happen, but Stewart is lucky he wasnt seriously hurt in that crash, it looked like he got landed on, the guy cant buy a break.
Sean, I think they left that about 3 years ago or so . . .
I attribute both of their crashes to the right hand turn. With a right hand turn, you have no access to the rear brake therefore all the rider coming up the inside have too much speed. With that speed it causes crashes, and the riders to bunch up together as they exit the turn. If I'm not mistaken, that turn took people out at every gate drop. Either in the turn, or just after because the riders were so much more bunched up.
RJacks258 ,,, I dont think it has anything to do with being a right hand turn. The problem is the jumps. You just dont put doubles and triples right after the first turn when evreyone is bunched togather. Riders get landed on that way.... They want safer and better racing,, but they are awfully lucky the no one was SERIOUSLY hurt..
Lets also remeber these guys fly into right hand turns all the time.. This isnt circle track racing ....
@313 Yeah I thought it was a few years ago.... can't decide how I feel about it. lol
Yeah the provisional rule was instituted and used for a couple of years, then they took it away. I am glad they did. That rule was dumb. I think it may have also cost Kevin Windham a Championship or close to it because Reed used that provisional rule once a year he wona championship me thinks.
Maybe it was the full moon... all I know is it was a crazy night. What are the odds of the 2 points leaders being out for the main event! Stewart actually gained 3 points on RV and is the Reed, Dunge and Canard are all within range now too. The only good thing from the weekend is the points chase is even closer. I'm hoping for a Vegas championship!
@12 Pack, I think I like it too, it just made the next 6 races a heck of a lot more exciting!!!
I attribute Poto and Baggetts crashes to them, not the turn. I'm just finding it really hard to sympathize with pro riders who understand the physics of the turn. If it's sketchy, how about NOT going balls out into the turn? Sure, you may give up the holeshot, but better than giving up the race. Or better yet, maybe you should practice righthanders until it feels less sketchy. I know it's probably hard to fit in after a long days work......oh wait, not it's not. This is your job.
I vote for an all RIGHTHAND TURN series until everyone figures out how to ride around it without taking each other out.
Nobody- and I do mean nobody- who has serious experience in MX wants the first turn to be a right hand turn. You can "fly" into a right hand turn but you have far less control/ability to maneuver without the rear brake.
I had a FRONT ROW seat at "The Section" Saturday and I told my family during practice that "we are not moving from this spot because THIS is where all the action was going to be" -- man, do I look so damn smart now! I LOVED the RH 1st turn and track as they made for some awesome racing! Although, I never want to see anyone hurt, especially those in the points hunt!
I think it was def crap that Poto went off on Boni, he did nothing wrong, I hope if Boni sees him again in the main he drops Poto and gives him a real reason to cry!
Our mx track has had a right hand first turn for many years. No more problems than any other first turn. I have not seen the race, but understand that the problem was on the jumps not the turns. If you can't ride into a right hand turn you have a problem, especially at this level.
Maybe we should institute a relief fund for the Ti-lube Kawi guys for tightening up our most awesome SX season in years.
I agree about the R. hand starts being gnarly but, "they all have to race the same track". How about using a little caution when so much is on the line?
Barcia banging the holeshot from outside was pretty unbelievable as well as Alessi & Shorts' holeshots.
Does anyone remember Ron Lechien standing up, feet on the pegs, railing these kind of turns?
I thought the double table top section that Milsaps was flat destroying (in qualifying)was going to be the section attached to this "the moment' article......or the full moon event.
Everybody rode on the same racetrack. Some were able to cope with it, and some weren't. And THAT, friends, is how it goes in racing. Sometimes it sucks, and sometimes it works for you. Points leader or not ,if everyone gets in the main except for you, then you deal with it the best that you can and then you regroup and try again next week.
Actually, I did notice a few racers who were standing up through the 1st turn in practice, which seemed to me like the way to go (so you could still use your right foot/back brake)! I was surprised to see so many "pros" washing out the front end from over-breaking while leaning over so far to the right!
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Jax SX track was awesome and it made for some great starts, passing, and racing!
GlennJ that is a ridiculous comment, these guys are pros and can turn right just as good as left. Lumping Serious MX experience into your comment shows a lack of Talent and Knowledge. The rear brake is a small fraction of the stooping power and better braking happens when the gears are lowered and the clutch is released. Unless of course you have a rear wheel sensor and an anti lock system on your bike. (that last part was a joke)
I hate to see someone get beat that way. Was it RV's fault... NO WAY, Just bad luck IMO, Same for JS.. bad luck. RV is still in control. Reed and RD are the cloest in points but neither can Run with RV (Reed did once) so unless he has more bad luck RV should still win it. I will be in Toronto to see how it goes down :)
Watch the very end of this clip, it shows JS7 quad-jumping the back-left section which I only saw James and Millsaps do all day!
WOW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mWzugqr8mU
I read it was possibly a footpeg that got the best of Stewart. I don't know where it nailed him but I wonder if a chest protector would have helped?
he has such a cool style.
I still would rather have Reed behind me 7 points out then JS7 1 point behind. RV should just be thankful that on a rare night he didn't qualify and JS7 crashed out, now that is a gift.
The section, like many SX rhythm sections near start straights, needed to be raced with caution. When there are riders three or four wide, a rider must be cautious about who is in front , aside, and behind. These sections usually produce at least one collision, no? This just happened to involve riders in a points chase.
RV was being a hot head trying to vent and Boni was his outlet. Everyone saw RV make the mistake in the LCQ so the blame game is on him. Brayton didn’t push him wide, and Brayton did try to force RV’s bike through a tough block; RV showed he’s human. I lost a lot of respect for RV when I saw that tunnel exchange.
Stewart is out right lucky he walked off to the side. I thought he was going to be comatose when I saw the replay; dude is made of iron. We saw what happened after Daytona when he didn’t ride for a week, so Toronto may be the same. The instance was similar to RV’s, where the guys around (including JS) made mistakes and the points chase and bodies involved suffered. It’s not all on the design, lunar phase, or the riders; this was just racing.
Why didn't poto get up in the heat? He rode his bike to the pit. Looks like he just freaked out instead of getting back on the bike. He would have easily been top 9 to qualify.
dont care who gets the the title at this point as long as its not reed or dungey, reeds just a dirty @@@ rider and a punk and dungy dont deserve the last title he got, you see were he would be last year if everyone was healty, there is only one rider that didnt win a race the following year after winning the tiltle, does any know who it is first name starts with a J and he rode a kawasaki. your right don we have seen that reed cant beat ryan v. james or canard so if he goes on to win that would certainly be a gift.
i kinda lost a bit of respect and admiration for villopoto after his heat race crash
maybe i missed something but it just appeared that he gave up really...he walked off the course fairly good (maybe a little limp) and he rode the bike outta the track back to the pits, it was just like he thought ah screw it ill win the LCQ
he appeared so pissed off that he lost focus on the race...he had a lot better chance of gettin back to ninth in the heat than battlin and possibly wreckin(like he did) in the LCQ
i don't know...maybe someone knows more about the situation than me...but he didn't act very tough after the heat crash
YIKES! I wouldn't want any part of todays footpegs. I wadded with about 4 other kids in the first turn (many) years ago and took a footpeg to the buttcheek & my dad pulled my riding pants down to check in front of everybody......most embarassing moment EVER.
Didn't RC get a chunk taken out of his leg from a footpeg, back in '99 or so?
JRH118
Agreed, he didn’t act very dedicated either.
THAT'S RACING! Beautiful chaos. Sometimes it goes well... sometimes it bites ya right in the arse. :D
I get the feeling Chad is going to take the title this year. He's 7 points down and it appears as if RV hurt his knee again. Say what you like, but champions keep winning championships over and over again for a reason. I know I counted Chad out for this season thinking he won't even podium and look where he is now.
hey "guy who knows"
if it wasn't for RV not qualifying, dungey still wouldn't even be close.
sweet 3rd place though, would have been 5th with stewart and RV in it.
way to go Champ
how can you assume that DUngey would have won or finished where he was...he was outside the top 5 when the chain left if i recall...
what ifs are about as valid as 'what if 7 never crashed', he would be nearly undefeated...which is absured
I hope they take a serious look at how they design tracks from now on.
It's not just that they had a right hand turn, and not just that they had a tough rythem section after the first turn, it was BOTH. It's like the perfect storm.
And when the riders are talking about it in the pits before the race starts, and then it all goes down like it did, it's a no brainer that some one, or some people, need to be told to take more consideration into the first 500 feet of a supercoss track.
I've ridden moto since i was in diapers. Been to so many ride clinics, schools. Anyone who rides knows that 90% of stopping in MX is the front brake. furthermore, if you cant turn right , you dont need to be out there to begin with. As for the jumps,,, Its usually a triple after the start. only the first 4 or 5 guys hit the triple, thats how its always been. Good ride Matt Lemoine and Darryn Durham. Durham will be on the podium when he heals. This track actually had some passing options and still you keyboard racers complain.... You like the follow the leader tracks??? i dont
@mxmofo your dead on. The Jumps immediately after the right hander did quite a few riders in. When you've got that many guys bunched up frantically trying to get the lead bad things are bound to happen.
I think the AMA will scrap the difficult rhythm section after a right hand turn. I drove all the way down from Atlanta and paid good money to see RV and James go at it. I felt cheated. I didn't get to see either one in the Main.
I don't know who's been designing the tracks this year, but it's time to find a new job. A couple years ago, they let some of the riders design tracks...time to bring that back.
Carlsbad.. RC did lose some flesh back in '99.. Next to his groin... Was a nasty crash... He was in sheer pain..
But 99' was a year where RC showed he had the speed.. What I can recall.. I was amazed on how fast he was... MC was lucky RC was learning the ropes, and out of control!!
Not a Chad Reed fan but one thing I can say about the guy is he's a smart consistent rider. Reed hardly ever puts it on the ground. That fact alone gives him a great shot at winning another championship.
@endoman totally agree with you. The track designs this year suck.
the one thing no one has said about the heat race crash with R V is if he would have picked up his bike and got after it he would have been in the main event without having to race the LCQ , instead he chose to feel sorry for himself and sit on the hay bales , R V is one of my guys but he made a big mistake by not getting up and making it into the top 9 .
What the hell? I just won the title and stopped a crim getting away, and all you can talk about is these motorcycle thingy's?
The problem with SX, is that the promoters are not looking at the big picture. The rules & The tracks are costing this industry money & fans. The fact that the series points leader was not in the main, can not be good for ticket sales. I wonder how many RV fans went home pissed that they hardly even got to see him race at all. Stewart fans as well. I'm sure RV & Stewarts names sold a lot of the tickets that night & these fans went home angry.
The point, I'm try'na make is that crashes in a stupid & dangerous section of the track, took the 2 top guys out on the same night. This night could have easily ended both there seasons.
There was hug crashes there in almost every race that night. You can't put technical rhythm lanes coming right out the gate. I see silly easy sections on every single SX track. just put that silly stuff on the first lane to give them time to spread out & then go crazy... The AMA would do this if they really wanted to keep the riders safe. It would also allow for great racing & great ticket sales. They need to stop designing tracks that are gonna give you these big crashes in or right after the first turn. I want to see the best riders on the track. Not on the ground or side lines!
I support SX, but its starting to get ridiculous. I just want to see these guys battle. Not pile up before the race even starts.
I'm a stewart fan, but I want him to earn it.. HOW CAN THE AMA NOT HAVE THE POINTS LEADER IN THE MAIN EVENT.. Does that sell tickets??? Ok i'm about to start a hole new topic.. Let me go... AMA get it together!!!!
@OrganDoner - Yes, you're the only one here that has ever seen a race track.
The first 500 feet of a track are critical, but since you've never designed a track of course you wouldn't know that.
It does not matter who makes the main they all have to earn it is what I thought, just because "your guy" did not make the main, it does not mean the racing was not good it means that the points chase just got a little more serious, and it spounds to me that those guys are not all that. just sayin
sounds
Watching the replay of Stewart's crash, it looks like he gets landed on, scrambles to remount and then drops to the ground on his knees in agony grabbing his back. I've had a lot of back pain in my life and that is what happens when your lower back goes into spasm - it drops you like that. Nobody knows what the injury is but it is possible for the swelling to go down, the spasm to unlock and you're relatively okay after a short while. You're still sore but so long as there's no spasm or major injury to bring it back (like a herniated disc), you can move again pretty well.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, at the speed these guys are going now and given how small the tracks are due to that speed, maybe 20 people in the main is too many.
BillC it is the kind of bad luck you have when you don't get a good start. Fault has nothing to do with it. Nothing I haven't said before
The reason provisionals came into existence I think was because they did away with the semi's. Villopoto being a championship leader and not qualifying isn't as crazy as it may be, because guys like RC and Windham, and the Rock raced their careers having semi's to rely on.
why did stewart get 3pts when he didn't finish one lap in the main event, shouldn't that mean everyone gets 3pts?what gives?
Here's my two cents, the track was better than most have been this year except for the section after the start. (AMA, BRING BACK RIDER DESIGNED TRACKS OR LET #199 DESIGN THE TRACKS)
#2 made a good decision by not finishing the heat, his bike was all bent up and I think he made a mistake yellin at Boni.
Reguardless he's still leading the points and he will get back on it next weekend.
I hope #7 is ok and hope he stays healthy for the outdoors where him and Poto can really shine!!
GO # 2!!
you guys judging Villopoto are a joke. Who are you to say he should have gotten up and continued? Were you feeling what he felt? If he had, and got hurt, you would all be saying how stupid he was for getting back on the bike and pushing it. Also, those that lost respect for him over being mad at Boni didn't hear the conversation. Wouldn't you be mad if you were in the same situation? Canard was mad at dungy last week. Is he a big bad meanie now?
Face it folks, Villopoto is gonna be the champ this year! No matter how much some of you whine and cry. Villopoto doesn't need fans like some of you. Go be fans of the fastest man on the planet and let me know how that works out for you.
Crybabies!
'guy who knows' saying 5 would be 3 points out if his chain didn't derail is like saying 5 wouldn't have won last year if 2,7,22,and 33 didn't get hurt last year. That is why they race all the rounds! S happens. BTW as Matthes has stated repeatedly, 5 hasn't straight up passed any of the top 3 guys in the last 6 races
'guy who knows' saying 5 would be 3 points out if his chain didn't derail is like saying 5 wouldn't have won last year if 2,7,22,and 33 didn't get hurt last year. That is why they race all the rounds! S happens. BTW as Matthes has stated repeatedly, 5 hasn't straight up passed any of the top 3 guys in the last 6 races
@ Jon "Bones" Jones--Yeah, I heard about that this morning. I don't care, but I did hear about that.
@480yzman--It's a conspiracy.
@Everyone--Villopoto WAS limping, his bike COULD have been effed, but it was likely a regrettable decision on his part to not continue with the heat. Also, some of the tracks KICKED ASS in '09, and they were probably the ones designed by riders.
In addition, GO CANARD!
I'm glad Stewart is okay (enough to race anyway) because I thought that foot peg did get him right on the spine.
Last week I was on here raving about RV2's new maturity... well looks like I was premature in my ejaculation. The heat I can't blame him for, but it looked like he had a little panic there in the LCQ.Pretty bad night. That second crash in the LCQ probably did him in because he probably passes all those guys in 3 laps at that point.
And I gotta give it up to Canard. That kid does not crack. Both his wins, he was passed on the last or next to last lap by formidable opponents who know now to close out a win... But in both cases Canard refused to lose. That's impressive for a rookie. I would not count this kid out of the title chase if I was a betting man.
I'm surprised some "fans" on here want to "slow down/dummy-down" the racing like NASCAR did – meanwhile, I'm betting those of us on here who actually "race/ride" are cringing at the thought! Look "fans" SX/MX are extreme sports, raced on extreme tracks, by extremely talented and fit races -- and yes, it’s all extremely risky, which is why all of us attend/watch/read about SX/MX in the 1st place! I for one hope the AMA doesn’t overreact and then “dummy-down” SX/MX to the point that you only need watch the final few laps of any race to see the only interesting racing that takes place, JUST LIKE NASCAR! Snooze…NASCAR support is said to be shrinking, I wonder why…SNOOZE!
Just one old Vet riders opinion!
@John Jones, and anybody else who says RV2 shoulda gotten up in his heat race. Dont you think he would have if he could have?? Maybe he was hurt, or shaken up?? He did take a seat on a haybale, he was probably in some pain dummies.. Its easy to sit on your couch and tell him to gewt up and continue..
TYPO ALERT!
"by extremely talented and fit "RACERS" -- and yes,"
About RV2...
I was at the race, and after RV2 crashed in the LCQ, he got up dead LAST, and he raced his butt off all the way back up to about 6th place, and in a very short (3-laps?) LCQ race! Very impressive effort!
480yzman - You get points for making it into the main, even if you end up in last place, like Stewart did. Its the riders that don't make it into the main that leave with zero points. BTW everyone does earn 3 points, as a matter of fact, if you finish better than 20th, you get more than 3 points.
By the way, It was interesting to see how cleanly Reed raced Canard for the win. I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that he would not have raced Stewart the same way in that situation.
EVERYBODY had to race the same track! Because FMOTP, (LMAO) lawn-darts himself...again.... all the JS7 nuthuggers are whining! James is a basket-case who will crash his brains out of winning titles. RV2, history might repeat itself, and he cant make mistakes because the SMART veteran, (CR22), will capitalize!!!
Thank God for keeping ME safe tonight....Its not always the fastest rider Its the smartest and I rode the smart....
Look at the apparent severity of Stewart's crash in Daytona, his reaction, and his result for the night.
Now compare that to Villo's crash (APPARENTLY less severe), his reaction (Take a siesta on the tuff block, then walk away), and his result for the night.
There, if that comment doesn't get the Stewart haters all worked up, I don't know what will. (Just kidding).
I'm thinkin' that "Potto" just figured he would go out and smoke everyone in the LCQ. As the "Monday morning QB", I'm gonna say that was the wrong course of action.
fan of the week - nothing sexier than a hot chick picking up dog crap...wuh-hoo!!
Back to 480yz's point. Stewart was credited with 17th place for three points, lap charts had him 20th during the race, which is one point.I would Like to know how that all came about. anyone?
It sure is easy to set here and point fingers, or lay blame, or shoulda woulda coulda. Fact is none of us were settin on that tough block, or blazing into that right hander, or trying to make it through that tricky rythum section. I'm thinkin that RV must have thought he was making the right desision because he WAS setting on that tough block. When you go down the way he did it is very likely that his bike was twisted up. I know I've had to try and get around a track with a twisted up bike and its not EZ. As for the track, I thought it was great, it yielded some great racing with plenty of passing ops. Yea it was a bummer that some of the riders didn't make it through the first 500ft, but most of them did. Shiz happens, thats racing. We don't just hand people titles because they are popular, they have to earn it over the course of the entire season. I'm glad that nobody was seriously injured, but these guys are the best riders in the world and they can all turn right. For the most part they don't make excuses for them selves, so we shouldn't be making excuses for them either. I still think that it will most likely be RV's title, but I got to tell ya. I would LOVE to see somebody light a fire under RD's ars, and have him sneak in and take this title again. OOOOOH BOY!, can you imagine the sniveling we would see on here if that were to happen. I know I know, its not likely to happen but I have got to say. It would be entertaining. Oh and kudos to two of the best starters in the Biz gettin it done in both heats and the main. That 350 is lookin like its comin around.
Reed has to be the odds on favorite cuz he rarely hits the dirt, very consistent lap after lap, and wiley. His takeout of Stewart started a downward spiral that has taken Stewart completely out of this thing and put himself in a very sweet spot. Whoda thunk it.
The guy who knows is wrong, what makes you tink that RD would have won that night when he had chain problems, that night he would have gotten 4th or 5th at best.
It sucks for JS, we would have gotten a much better 6 races if the points were much closer than they are now. JS is really the only one that can match RV.
I believe this is the first time ever that a top rider with the points lad this far in the season does not qualify....
EMBARRASING, maybe RV should have tried to qualify, TC stalled and came back from 19th to almost winning the qualifier.
When are they going to design the tracks to be safer? You don't put big jumps at the end of the first turn for god sake where riders are sooo close togeather. I want to watch racing not bumper cars. Do we have to have a jump every 10 ft throughout the track? You can't pass with your rear wheel in the air. I want to see close safe racing not a season winner who was just lucky enough to avoid serious injury. These world class athletes all got a laundry list of injuries during their career as long as your arm. here we finally got a year with a number of top riders to challenge for the championship yet the one who wins will be the luckiest one that doesn't get hurt not the best. Stupid is as stupid does......
Its pretty clear that unless RV and JS crash, one of them will win, on the other hand its real funny that RD needs a lot more than RV and JS out to win.
He's lucky that Pourcel and Weimer are out, otherwise he would be battling for 6th or 7th every week.
1: Eff TV and bring back the Semi's.
2: Until the Semi's are back there needs to be a Provisional of some sort.
3: Riders should do the course design individually or by team. That would take the heat off of those that do.
4: Something needs to be done with lappers. I will not pretend to have an answer for that one.
I love the sport and wish we could shed the "Monster Truck" image.
Just my humble opinion.
C.E.
Ya I think it was because of the rhythm section being so soon after the start too many riders to close in a tricky section..=-{
RV was acting like something was really hurt, possibly a re-injured knee that he has fought back from. You can tell those who ride real dirt bikes and the PS3 "riders" by some of the comments on here. Just because you can ride your bike back to the pits doesn't mean you can continue racing it. Just a little factoid for you couch riders/gamers.
As far as the lappers go ..Maybe after they get lapped by the first three lead riders they should pull off the track and stop then they should freeze their positions and score them as such..??!!
I was pretty disappointed with RV's behavior after the LCQ. He showed really poor character.
I dont know guys. I think RV is the next Bubba. He maY not be the fastest man but nobody is touching RV right now. JS is the fastest but he cant finish a race without a crash or something going on. So right now The crown belongs to RV2 until RD or Reedy get it together.
SIX races to go still. Only 11 races ago they were all tied. One week ago, RV had a huge cushion. I remember when RV was being called boring and emotionless, now people are upset that he showed some emotion. I don't agree with him giving Boni grief, but emotions get the best of you sometimes. Canard actually gave Dungey a tap last week (?) and had to apologize after realizing Dungey didn't do anything wrong. I remember RC SCREAMING down a lapper once who really didn't do much wrong. Bailey ghost rode his bike into someone once post-race, and regretted it ever since. It happens.
Perhaps you need to re-think your writing when the comments seem to get more in-depth.
It's been said that Dungey would be closer to the points lead if his chain hadn't come off at A2. Fair enough. He had made his way to 6th before it happened, and all evidence suggests he would have finished there as well. That would have put him second in points after Jacksonville, 218 to RV's 221. Still, what happened was circumstance, mostly unavoidable.
What was avoidable, however, was Chad Reed's poorly planned block-pass on James Stewart at Atlanta. If he had simply settled for second, he'd currently be tied with Villopoto in championship points (essentially first).
I just thought I'd let you guys know that there's more than one man on the track who's "too stupid" to back it down. (Not to mention- if RV had some patience while hopping that tough block at Jacksonville, he could have made the main.)
I'm shocked that "The Moment" wasn't only about Stewart's crash. I was pleasantly relieved that they included Villopoto's equally dramatic moment in the story. A double moment! Great season.
Let this be a lesson, if the bike is still running, get back on the track, Villopoto might not have blown his chance to qualify for the night program if he would have tried to finish his qualifier. That might have cost him the title. Don't let it happen to you!
Mark Barnett should be designing/building all the Supercross tracks.
just wondering if any one else noticed stewart got marked 18th for the race and got 3 points? isn't there a rule of somekind in regards to having to finish a certain percentage of the race to get points? also how do distinguish between how he got 18th and goerke got 20th? its only two points but if RV loses by 1 point then it is a championship.
Yeah, and how did they score behind him? I would love to see the video to see who landed farther forward on the track. I think there is something hinky going on?
Talk about the Racer X Cover curse for Villopoto, he'll be alright nothing over till it's over
Good job Redrider! why does everyone want to cut down RV? Shit he's been doing good all year and riding really smart. He gets caught up in somebody elses mistake and all you dumbas*** jump all over him. Hes got a foot that has 9 screws and 3 plates in it and you guys want him to jump up like gumpy and run to his bike. Maybe the Astrick medical guys should have been there to pick him and his bike up like they did for 7 at Daytona huh.
moto153 is wrong. 20th place gets 1 point. 19th is 2 and 18th is 3.
The point system seems wrong. 3 people crash in the first 100 yards of the race and don't get up or finish the first lap. 1 gets 18th 3 points, 1 gets19th 2 points and 1 gets 20th 1 point. did they get a tape measure to figure out who went the longest distance from the start and give them 1st dnf, 2nd dnf and 3rd dnf?? In my opinion if you don't get through the first lap you get a DNF and 1 or no points. Next time someone might push their bike further while being hurt to get an extra point...
Why no talk about the race format itself? I am a little sick of the length of races myself. We as fans should all be demanding the return of the semi's. This would have gave Villapoto another chance. Not that I am a fan of any one rider, I just think the semi format brought a whole different feel to the race. Also, what's up with the 40+ second lap times?
I would rather buy a pay per view package than have to watch a very short race the next afternoon. One last gripe... We are all watching the Supercross Race, why is it that we have to see 50 million Supercross commercials about the next race? Just wrap promotion into the broadcast instead of the repeating commercials.
In outdoors, they pay points up to 20th place. So, in supercross, even 20th place is worth something, because you made it to the main show. The other half of the riders went home empty handed, just like in outdoors. it makes perfect sense to me.
The best i can understand the ama rulebook, the bike that made it further down the track, is ahead, finish-wise. Or, who had the most laps, if they got that far.
A "basic" bonus structure for an AMA SX (450) title is one million dollars ($1,000,000.00). I'm going to go ahead and give Ryan Villopoto a pass for acting a little hot post-race. Anyone ever seen the reality "shows" where somebody loses their mind over a reward that is nothing near one million dollars? RV gets paid to win races, not be a role model. I expect a lot from my MX Champions but, at the end of the day, all they do is ride motorcycles really fast which, is enough.
Random thought; Short & Alessi haven't crashed all year while 450 guys are blowing out turns and much, much, worse, frequently. What IF, the "top 5" all wadded & injury'd out of the title race and a 350 won the Championship? How big of an asterisk would that be???? or would it be????
WHEN I SAW THAT CRASH I THOUGHT MX VS ATV ... EVERYTIME I PLAY EVERYONE ONLINE PILES UP BALLS OUT THE FIRST TURN AND CRASHES...AHAHAHHAHA..
I belive the top 3 guys in the championship should heve the rights for last gatepick if they dont qualify
Nice section you guys came up with following the 75 foot start !! A right turn into a rythm section and bingo .Your top two riders dont either race in the main or crash out before 1 lap.This is not good for Supercross...better think of getting the old rule back (provisionals) !! See you @Toronto .RV will take back control of his championship ..........
Anyone else wish the main/semi/lcq format would come back? I know I do, racing was a lot more exciting when only 4 or 5 guys get in from a heat, not almost half the pack.
Why are'nt the mains done by time(like the Nats)20 lap main=15 minutes,thats a joke.The whole format needs to be changed for SX.
IMO the AMA should bring back the provisional for the top 3 guys in points, and the defending champ. I know the privateers hate that idea, but it makes sense for the sport. Each of those 4 guys (top 3 and defending champ) should get ONE provisional each. It just makes sense to me without the Semis being part of the mix. I don't know why they got rid of it in the first place....
Snowman I never knew they even had anything like that. When was this?
Carlsbad wrote "RV gets paid to win races, not be a role model."
I respectfully disagree. Anyone in the public eye, whether it be celebrities, athletes, etc. has a moral obligation to be a good role model. I realize that this will never happen.
Atleast JLaw338 isn't around to be a bad influence anymore.
What did RV do that was so bad. So he yelled at a teammate big freaking deal. Teammates from all sports get into arguments and even fights every year. These guys are competitive and it happens so freaking what. It's not like RV threw a punch at the guy. These people on these forums kill me with their idiotic comments. Are you so miserable that you need to complain about every little thing.
Please take a close look at the tapes of the Jacksonville 450 start. What happened was as follows: Stewart got a bad start. He and Byrne locked bars right before the first or second jump. When they hit the jump together it sent Stewart hard left and threw him off his bike. Stewart's body ended up passing under Goerke's back wheel right behind the skid plate. The spinning motion of Goerke's wheel sent Stewart straight down to the ground and giving him a very hard hit. At the same time it caused Goerke's bike to throw him violently over the bars and right into the face of the next jump. GOERKE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. He was minding his own business and got taken out by Stewart's flying body.
you honestly see who doesnt know crap about supercross..the right hand turn didnt affect them? BS! you go in hard,no brakes,whats gonna happen? the majority of the starts proved that..the jumps had nothin to do with it you Dumb A...good god go learn somethin..right hand turns are known for this kind of racing,their known to take riders down,and thats why they try to avoid em..villo really made a scene..hes such a fake,he "got hurt" yet wanted to fight in the entrance tunnel? wtf..he thought nobody would see him,but that one camera showed his colors
NO SIMIs I know the #2 fans think so right now but they were vary Boring!!! and made the races too long..
I think heat racing was better before though.
my opinon: Drop east/west (just one)
go 20lites and 25 laps or 20mns +2 laps
pay points to heat races top 3 or 5 to make them worth something
Carlsbad wrote "RV gets paid to win races, not be a role model."
then why does he thank fans..think about that.if he wasnt meant to be a role model then he wouldnt be tryin to be so big with the press,or commercials,or posters,interviews,racer x interviews..god knows that RV isnt a role model,lol..hes a fake is what he is,yepp..fast,but he tries actin cool cus hes no.1 in points..everyother guy out theres just as important..i mean look canard pulled through and won,so does that mean canards the new RV? until next weekend? then that guys the new RV?
I can't believe all the "I lost respect for RV" comments. There were 18 other freaking four stokes circling the stadium and they were both wearing helmets. He had to yell no matter what he had to say to Boni. Boni basically admitted to killing the machine in front of him and taking him down. RV said and did what anybody who was watching their Championship points lead get eaten up--he showed some emotion.
FoyBoy517 WAKE up, They all lose it sometimes, Even good good RD lost it last week!! Do you have any idea what these guys go thru?? No you don't. Some guys on here sond like they have never ridden let alone raced. Ya can't pass with your rear wheel in the air.. LMFAO!! go watch flat track.
No provisional exceptions and no rider designed tracks!
The provisional gives the best guys a safety net they don’t need. If RV didn’t make it like the rest of the field then tough dookie. This isn’t the YMCA where everyone gets a trophy. I wasn't too happy he didnt make the main, but he didn't make the main event. As for the rider designed tracks, that’s a massive advantage that isn’t needed either. If my memory serves me, the designer won every time that their desing was implemented. It was an unnecessary gimmick that has been removed for a reason.
"RV I saw you yelling at Boni and I don't like you anymore. You are not my favorite rider anymore". What does that sound like? It sounds like a 5 year old child. Everyone whining and crying about RV showing some emotion needs to go play with your freaking toys because your obviously childish!
Moto153, I'm really glad you added that last part; "I realize that this will never happen". So often people in the public eye fall short of our expectations. Imagine some other "public figure" reacting to something of proportional importance. Maybe that's just me adding to the decline of moral standards and excepting poor character as the norm. I get what you're saying, I do. Maybe I'm wrong for letting this behavior "slide". Possibly because I've done it myself and am justifying my own poor behavior.
RV should have finished the heat race, the only thing hurt was his pride, I've seen hundreds of races & raced myself & if you can walk, you can ride most times, he was fine to race the LCQ, I think he just was frustrated & knew he could get through the LCQ, but that didn't happen, I bet if that happens again, he'll be back on the bike
I was sitting in front of the section after the first turn and had a great view of all the action. I told my son and my buddy that the right hand 1st turn was going to cause chaos before the racing ever started and boy was I right!
I have been to at least one SX every year since 1987 so I am no noob.
When RV crashed in his heat race, I felt he should have tried to ride and qualify. I am pretty sure he could of still qualified as long as he did not crash again in that heat race. IMO It looked like he did not care about trying to get back in the heat race. I told my son that could be a mistake if he has problems in the LCQ he could be out of the main......and WOW if it did not happen. One of the first things I learned about MX is to never give up, because you never know what can happen. Looks like RV never learned that or he has forgotten it. Not sure why RV was so pissed at Boni...it's not like he crashed on purpose or deliberately took out RV.
Sure looked like Stewart had a great chance to make up ground at that point and then he wadded it up. He had a bad start and I don't think he would have caught Reed and Canard anyway. Feel bad for Goerke....he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Canard was flying in his heat race and you could tell he was really feeling it that night. I was pretty surprised to see Reed catch Canard in the main, but you could see Reed was blazing fast in the whoops and Canard started struggling in them about halfway through.
Well at least this tightened up the points. Title is up for grabs IMO. Should be fun to watch it play out.