10 Things to Watch For at Las Vegas
Friday, May 6, 2011 | 12:50 PM
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10. Conditions: Okay, chances are it’s not going to rain or snow in Las Vegas, so scratch that oddity from mixing up this dramatic season. But racing in the desert brings its own challenge: the hardest, slickest dirt on the tour, and dry air that will have the riders suffering from cottonmouth by the halfway point. This has been a year littered with minor front-end washouts changing races. Front tires will have some trouble getting traction on this surface.
9. Track: And Vegas always brings the most unique track on the circuit, with a long run outside of the building, the big ski-jump on the way back in, and the longest lap times of the season.
Tomac and the rest of the Lites class will do battle in Vegas.
Photo: Simon Cudby
8. Heats as Mains: Confused over the Lites format on Saturday night? After opening ceremonies, each coast will line up for their final main event of the season. This is normally when we’d see six-lap Lites heat races, but on this night, they’re full 15-lap main events, with the champion crowned at the end of each. So for the first time ever, riders are racing for all the marbles as soon as they hit the track—no heat races to learn the track. This is particularly tricky in Las Vegas, as the track is usually heavily over watered early to maintain some moisture through the night. Last year’s Lites heats looked like mud races. Now they’re going to be main events with championships hanging in the balance.
7. Shootout Motivation: Once those double Lites mains are complete, we’ll see SX Class heats and a pair of LCQs (those Lites mains also send the top nine in each race to the East West Shootout, with the rest of the Lites pack meeting for an LCQ for the last two spots). By the time the shootout rolls around, though, where will the top riders be, mentally? If you just lost a title in heart-breaking fashion, lining up for the 10-lap shootout will be hard. If you just won a title, you’d rather be partying in the parking lot. Also, there isn’t a brand-new truck or huge cash bonus on the line this year for the shootout winner. So this could be the chance for an underdog who just wants to win for the sake of winning.
6. West Spoilers: Things are still tight in West Lites between Tomac and Tickle. Look at our Bench Racing Ammo for an exact guide on how the points work. And in this class, you still have to worry about spoilers in the mix. Cole Seely has proven he can win, Kyle Cunningham finished fourth on a 450 here last year, and of course Josh Hansen is in mathematical contention, but is more realistically in the spoiler position.
With two wins in his pocket already this year don't be surprised to see Cole Seely play the spoiler role at Vegas.
Photo: Simon Cudby
5. Who Else is There?: It’s a little different in the SX Class. If Ryan Villopoto finishes fifth or better, he’s your new supercross champion. There aren’t five riders on the gate who have proven they can straight beat Ryan on pure speed. Trey Canard is out. Next in line in points sits Andrew Short and Kevin Windham, but certainly they don’t have a reason to log the race of their lives and suddenly whip Villopoto straight up. If Ryan does his deal, he’s safe.
4. The Takeout: But what if someone forced the issue? Then it gets interesting.
3. Pressure: And of course most of these scenarios are only based on math. The night air is going to be thick with championship pressure, and that makes people do strange things. In 1992, Damon Bradshaw won two races in a row heading into the finale to snag the points lead. He had it. Until the pressure got to him and he lost it. You never know.
The pressure lies in Villopoto's corner.
Photo: Simon Cudby
2. One Last Drama: And if we’re talking about math, just go and have a look at the numbers from this season. This year more than ever, a top contender finishing out of the top five seems possibile.
1. Villopoto: Ultimately, it all rests on his shoulders. But broad shoulders, they are. Last weekend’s clutch performance in Salt Lake City proves Ryan can handle the big moment, if his previous wins at the Motocross des Nations or big triumphs and title on a Lites bike don’t prove it, either. All eyes will be on him this weekend, but he’s proven that he can handle it.
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so the east and west title races will be the heat races, then they will hold a seperate shootout main after, did i read that right?
RV2 should have this with Jake there to help.
Anyone remember "LET BROC BY"...
Goooo!!! RV2 or should we say RV1 :-)
The big question is will Reed take RV out?
clutch ride... clutch... clutch... clutch...clutch...
everyone say it... the new racerx catchphrase...
22 racer all the way
The word "clutch" has been used to describe performing well under pressure for probably 50 years, but it seems that no one on this forum has ever heard it before......
format is stupid and dangerous..who dreamt this up..??? no heat races means practice crashes up the wazoooo.
They said " straight up " twice !!! LOL
they could have wrote that more confusing
@313 there the Final races for each cost and will seat the guys for the shootout too. @joe dirt why do you say that?? Is there guys crashing all over in the heat races every weekend? NO so why would this be any dif?
Longer lap times than Daytona??? I don't so but surely the 2nd longest lap times...
V I L L A P O T O...........Good Luck , I hope you win it ........(watch your back)
I love how some guys still wonder if Reed will take RV out. Like Reed has done that alot. One time this year is all I can remeber him ever doing it. I have seen Stewie take out tons of guys, so why isnt anyone asking that??
Isn't the true spoiler Weimer? What if he get's the clutch win Reed second Stewart third Dungy fourth and just for good measure Windam or Short fifth and Villepoto sixth. that would make for a tight point chase. I think that might be a tie for first and Reed losing again for least amount of wins sad but true.
It'll be fun to watch!!!!!!!!
last week JS7 helped Reed by riding a lap in front of him to show him the lines he needed to find then let him by and pressured him to motivate him to come within a lap of taking the win away from RV2. I think J-Stew has a hidden hatred for Poto that goes deeper than Reed. Keep an eye on 7!
really Shocker. Why would that be? Because Kaw let JS go and kept RV?
Dungey has never placed worse than 2nd in vegas. He may take this one.
BillC:Does anything make sense in Bubba's world?
i will have a villopotato, sprinkled with championship please.
with an outdoor championship for dessert
So I'm here in Vegas for the race, I say to the bartender here "Hey can you mix me up a Bin Laden" the bartender says "I don't know what's in it??" I say...." 2 shots and a splash of water"
Watch out RV2! Reed likes to run folks off the track when it goes outside of the stadium!
J O'Hannah that is the best i've heard in a while. I think im gonna ask for one tonight! lol
3 250 mains,wtf...
wtf is "lites"
That 2 shots joke has been going around all week, good one.
Can't wait 'till tomorrow night.
run a nice wide turn and make sure RV in on the outside....up and over she goes
yzrider62... it was actually "let brock bye", a code the CIA is still trying to decipher.
When a high profile industry publication, like RacerX lists "a takeout move" as one of the things to watch for, they are basically condoning that behavior. This is a highly improper and unprofessional indirect opinion to be putting out there, especially since the publication in question is owned by one of the series promoters.
If a takeout happens, then RacerX may be liable with a good enough lawyer. Oops Weege, there goes that beach house and the BMW!
Is that how Yamaha made it "legal" to give team orders then?
A little trivia... Has a takeout move ever get a rider ejected from an event or cost him a title?
Think it was '07 in Arenacross final round that Tyler Bowers intentionally blocked a rider to let the series winner by him. He got in some major sh!! over it. Don't know if he got disqualified or what. Anybody with a better memory than me remember that?
Donno... Should Ama/Fim start taking points or $$$ away for dirty riding?
If so Hanny would be broke!
Bowers got a 90 day suspension and $2500 fine according to this link:
http://www.pitracer.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=115985&page=286&fpart=all&vc=1
I was sitting second row in front of first triple last year at Vegas SX...the "person" watering the track was a 17 year old kid with his hat on backwards standing in front of the landing end of the triple. He held the hose there and began daydreaming about Dianna Dahlgren, which is justified, dont get me wrong. Anywho..this kid made a mud pit on the landing and also the corner before the triple. Barcia washed out after holeshotting lites heat 1 cuz of this kid. Also during opening ceremonies, KDub14 did a sick jump and had to land on this sloppy mess. I was cringing, but the veteran KDub pulled it off. My point is this: When you have so much on the line, pro riders risking their necks, futures, and big money, could the AMA/FIM find someone a little more qualified/trained in track prep? How about water it throughout the night little by little, not make a dangerous mess. I watched the race on DVR when I got home and RC and Emig were making non stop comments about the watering mess. Lets not see a pro get seriously hurt in front of all the kids in the stands.
I heard that all 7-Elevens were going to be closed ofr a death in the family!!!
LMFAO @ johnnyO'hannah!!!!!! I have got to remember that. outstanding ......"may I have a bin ladin" please" LMFAO ................this has been a very good week, remember beruit 1983. I sure do.
just 1 thought on the racin tonight, Tickle needs to be "Stanton like" tonight ...do that broc and she's yers ,...good start, nothing stoopid, never give up. clebrate in venus. :O
I seriously doubt any take out moves will happen these are professionals and need to keep a good public image or suffer financially. I see the race like this, JS will win and RV will only need an 8th even if CR gets second. With the long track and even a last place start RV could garner 8th easily. RD will be a threat here because of his outdoor abilities and of course RV. I want RV to win the championship so for the first time will be rooting for JS to do well. LOL Taking someone out intentionally is not only dangerous but stupid.
CR22 has this!
on the list of 10 things to watch out for: james stewart should have been one of those things