Seattle Final Practice Report
Saturday, April 16, 2011 | 8:15 PM
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Normally on a rutted track, you expect conditions to just keep getting worse and lap times to keep getting slower. Not the case here—the track continues to dry out in Seattle, and after some solid track prep work, times are better after the second practices than the first.
The Lites class is totally wide open, with completely different names at the top of the board this time than last. Kyle Cunningham topped the board with a 53.42, Cole Seely (53.53), Martin Davalos (53.97), Josh Hansen (54.63), and Broc Tickle (54.65) rounded out the top five. But Hansen had a crash in the whoops after he logged his fast lap, and may have reinjured his hand. He walked off up the pit tunnel without getting back on his bike.
Eli Tomac (54.90) Tyla Rattray (55.48) Ryan Morias (55.85) Nick Paluzzi (56.15) and Travis Baker (56.33) rounded out the top ten. Jimmy Decotis is out for the night after dislocating his elbow in the first practice.
It’s worth noting that Cunningham’s 53 was over two seconds faster than the fastest Lites lap of the first session, Tickle’s 55.9.
The biggest news came the SX Class. James Stewart was holding the fastest time through most of the session, but Kevin Windham logged a late fast lap to take the overall fastest time of the day at 52.035. Stewart was right behind with a 52.038. It’s the first time all season where Windham has logged the fastest time in qualifying.
Windham was interviewed on the floor after the session and immediately declared “That track is brutal.”
And it is, even though it has dried out a bit. It’s still going to be a rutted mess out there, especially as the laps go by in the main event. The whoop section is really just a line of rutted rollers, a few corners are one-lined ruts on the inside, and we haven’t seen anyone try to make time with a difficult new jump combination. This track will simply require riders staying up for the entire race, first, before they can challenge for the win.
Ryan Dungey was third fastest with a 52.719, Andrew Short was fourth with a 52.809, and Ryan Villopoto logged a 52.878. Chad Reed was next with a 52.931, Tommy Hahn had a 53.005, Austin Stroupe a 53.290, Davi Millsaps a 53.438 and Mike Alessi a 53.740.
The Lites class is totally wide open, with completely different names at the top of the board this time than last. Kyle Cunningham topped the board with a 53.42, Cole Seely (53.53), Martin Davalos (53.97), Josh Hansen (54.63), and Broc Tickle (54.65) rounded out the top five. But Hansen had a crash in the whoops after he logged his fast lap, and may have reinjured his hand. He walked off up the pit tunnel without getting back on his bike.
Eli Tomac (54.90) Tyla Rattray (55.48) Ryan Morias (55.85) Nick Paluzzi (56.15) and Travis Baker (56.33) rounded out the top ten. Jimmy Decotis is out for the night after dislocating his elbow in the first practice.
It’s worth noting that Cunningham’s 53 was over two seconds faster than the fastest Lites lap of the first session, Tickle’s 55.9.
The biggest news came the SX Class. James Stewart was holding the fastest time through most of the session, but Kevin Windham logged a late fast lap to take the overall fastest time of the day at 52.035. Stewart was right behind with a 52.038. It’s the first time all season where Windham has logged the fastest time in qualifying.
Windham was interviewed on the floor after the session and immediately declared “That track is brutal.”
And it is, even though it has dried out a bit. It’s still going to be a rutted mess out there, especially as the laps go by in the main event. The whoop section is really just a line of rutted rollers, a few corners are one-lined ruts on the inside, and we haven’t seen anyone try to make time with a difficult new jump combination. This track will simply require riders staying up for the entire race, first, before they can challenge for the win.
Ryan Dungey was third fastest with a 52.719, Andrew Short was fourth with a 52.809, and Ryan Villopoto logged a 52.878. Chad Reed was next with a 52.931, Tommy Hahn had a 53.005, Austin Stroupe a 53.290, Davi Millsaps a 53.438 and Mike Alessi a 53.740.
Did you like this article?
Check out ACTION FIGURE
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda’s Cole Seely is a man of many talents— skateboarding, BMX, import drifting … and he’s pretty good at this motocross thing, too. Page 156 .
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
Way to go KW, now transfer that speed to the main tonight!! This is gonna be good. Hoping JS can make it 2 in a row..... actually just want to see some good racing!!
Good post, whatever
JS will be eating it like Takeru Kobayashi in a chitterling eating contest by lap 7.
KW, RV and RD looking SCRONG out there for tonight.
You're the man weege! i could definitely see kdub with a 3rd tonight, one of those elite 4 are going down tonight, its gonna be all about consistency here.
JS is going down like Jacques Cousteau!
What? The fastest soil sampler on the planet gets beat in practice two weeks in a row? by Hondas? How can this be? Could it be jail time? Am I dreaming? Do I ask too many questions?
I think Dungey is going to win this Champianship, the cards will fall in his favor.
Craig362....shhhhhh....not so loud....I agree...but lets not jinx the dude...funny how he's second in points right now though isn't it ....shhhhh..quiet
hey jairtime i have the same feeling js going down harder than his brother, go whindam.
Love my Dub...........Man that would be awesome to see him on the box. Dungey's played it smart, he's kept himself in a position to enable him to win with only 1 victory, smart ridin fellas.
too bad about jimmy decotis
I love how when you guys talk about the top ten in lites you list the top 5. then you list 6th, 7th, 8th you skip PRESTON MULL in 9th and then list 10th. TOTAL BULLSHIT! How bout you give him some props for qualifying faster than some factory guys!
To all the JS haters. just wait till the end of the twenty laps Toco Bell Cinnamon twist will be on top the box. Yes Bubba destroys em tonight!!!
Hey brownmoto19....just what defines a JS hater? Is it like a Dungey lover? Or more like a Windham admirer? Maybe its a Villopoto stalker? I don't know...you define it for me
A "JS hater" is anyone who calls Stewart on his desperate knuckleheaded out of control riding style.
I think truth101 is the old Johnny Cashman Stewart Hater. He was feeling the heat so he went undercover. Same guy whos picture was in Racerx giving Stewarts mom a hardtime in the crowd at Southick2 yrs ago. W power and pride goes and hides.
Jairtime is still a fool, but i've come to expect it now so whatever!! And hey "comedian", James being second fastest last week worked out pretty well for him didn't it?? All four of those dudes are needing wins at this point so i think it is on tonight!! Race fans win!!
really bad news about Decotis, and Hansen. Its going to get interesting tonight. I predict a very physical race. And here's to KW14 getting a podium tonight!!!!
I forgot about my earlier prediction, which says that the "law abiding 4" - Dungey, Villopoto, Reed and Canard - are going to allow "Rent-a-Cop" to win the rest of the races, just to keep the idiot away from them so he doesn't suicide into them entering turns, land on them or pull other doltroonish* moves. The championship will be decided without factoring in "Rent-a-Cop's" collateral damage.
*I just made that up. Kind of a combination of "dolt" and "poltroon." Doltroon.
go hansen....kid is amazing. hope he pulls it off.
Haha, jairtime you have become great comic relief on here. Hey, the "felon" just won the fan poll over the "law abiding" other three for who people WANT to see win the title!! I'll bet you need a Tums right now!! I guess you are in the "minority"!! HAHAHAHAHAHA
Did Erin Bates really just say that Tickle was out of the championship hunt so the pressure is off him??? What the hell is wrong with her?? He's 3 points down!!
HELL YEAH JAMES STEWART!!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO WE GOT A TITLE CHASE!!
The haters called it WRONG AGAIN !!!!!!
Alessi did well....
Seems the haters were correct, lil'stew wins agains. Guess he does possess genes that endow him with superior athlete ability and deserving of uncritical analysis.
Thank you ANTI HAte...for seeing the truth...