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10 Things to Watch For at Freestone
Friday, May 27, 2011 | 3:00 PM
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PrintThis weekend the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross tour heads east to Texas for the second round of Pro Motocross. The 450 and 250 first motos will air LIVE on FUEL TV and Allisports.com on Saturday at 2:00 pm (EST), second motos will also air on Saturday on SPEED beginning at 10:00pm EST. You can count on the Racer X Online team to lead the way in live updates, Twitter reports, and videos. Here are 10 things to watch for in Freestone.
10. RV’s Condition: With three Lites-class AMA Motocross crowns and this year’s AMA Supercross Championship under his belt, Ryan Villopoto has earned a few mulligans for the new season. He could go winless through the first half of the season before there’s any real alarm—his credentials make him a potential race winner no matter what. So there’s no panic in Greenville. Still, he needs to get healthy to go win, eventually, or we’ll all start to wonder.9. GEICO Rebound: Eli Tomac salvaged points in Hangtown, Justin Barcia did not, but most importantly, neither had the pace of their Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki rivals. They’ll need it, quickly, or they’ll be down in points like their old teammate Trey Canard was last year.
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The jury is still out on Pourcel.
Photo: BrownDogWilson
8. The Frenchmen: Jury is still out for Christophe Pourcel on a 450 and Marvin Musquin on a 250. CP showed speed in practice and early in the first moto. But that was it. Will he get better as he gels with his new machine, class and team? As for Musquin, there wasn’t anything wrong with his riding, he just crashed in the second turn of the second moto. Watch the #125—he could be battling for a win shortly.
7. Patterson versus Fiolek: Same story, different year. Europe’s Steffi Laier got into the mix with the dynamic duo at Hangtown, but she is not competing in the full WMX series and won’t be in Texas. Patterson and Fiolek have battled hard here at this track before. Fiolek even pushed so hard that she was, ahem, losing her lunch after the first moto—but still came back to challenge in moto two. This should be fun to watch.
6. Heat is on: Forecast says 97 degrees on Saturday. ‘Nuff said.
5. KTM SX RnD: Not a good day for Red Bull KTM’s 450 class effort. Mike Alessi crashed out in practice, and Andrew Short was fighting bike problems all day. He nursed it home for some points in one moto, but scored zero in moto two. The Orangemen will be working hard to get this stuff fixed this weekend.
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Andrew Short looks to recover at Freestone after a tough opening round.
Photo: BrownDogWilson
4. Rattray and Wilson: Clearly the strongest men in the heat of Texas last year, they didn’t start too badly in Hangtown, either. Expect to see them up front. But don’t expect to see Wilson pull over for anyone this time!
3. Whoops, sand, and the rest: Hangtown and Freestone are complete opposites in so many ways. Ruts and chop and hills from NorCal will be replaced with a flatter track, with a sandier soil that will get rough in its own (totally different) way. With the supercross tour coming down to the wire in every class, teams may have been late with testing for Hangtown. And just as soon as they got a handle on that, they’ll have to change it all again!
2. Double Baggett: Double bad news for everyone in the 250 class: Blake Baggett completely destroyed the field in the latter laps of both Hangtown motos. After the race, he said he was going to work on his early-race speed and starts so he’ll be faster, earlier. Uh oh! And, the results don’t show it, but Blake was absolutely flying in Texas last year before his bike let go. Uh oh, too!
1. The Red Plate: Reed versus the Dunge. Technically, they’re tied in points, so technically, they’re both supposed to run the red plate. Maybe by the end of he day, a singular leader will emerge.
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RV2 and RD1 (5) will be 1 & 2 this week order to be determined. Ahhh the great outdoors!!!!!!!!!
How many top riders have been sidelined by Mono or Eptein-Barr? I sure hope RV isn't suffering from some type of fatigue illness. Didn't RC come down with this too (maybe the Budds Creek MXDN)??
Can't wait for it... online. Should be there - was there 2 of the last 3 - but am living further away now, and more things going on. But still... should be great.
MRB you are correct. It did happen to RC also. For RV's sake I hope not because I believe that could be the only thing that would keep him from this title. He is simply so fast and aggressive outdoors it would be a shame for him to have to limp along. We should leard a lot about his condition in this weekends Texas heat.
musquin crashed in the second moto yes, but come back into the top 5? good showing for not being on the bike for a while id say!
you guys might be on to something, I noticed during the SX series after the race had finished and RV would take his helmet off, he always seemed out of breath.. I'm not saying riding that fast is easy or anythin but the dude does have Aldon as a trainer and RC never seemed outta breath at the end of a SX.. Interesting.
Saying that though the dude was sick during the week and probably didn't/couldn't train as hard as he would of liked and he has just come off his first SX championship. RD didn't so well in '10 in the first national and you can't blame that on it being his first outdoor race on a 450 because it wasn't, the 09 MXoN was, which he won so I'm sure RV will be fine.
LETS RUMBEL!!!!
Short - On the 350 and will continue to struggle. The 350 worked better for Alessi since he is a sprinter.....Short will switch to the 450 before the MX series is done. In SX, the 350 has a chance, but you need the rider as well ....
Pourcel - Rumors had him close to leaving the team before Hangtown, any truth? I dont think he looks like "Pourcel" on that Yamaha....Emig made a comment to that effect as well, maybe still ironing out the kinks...
RV - Hopefully is just a flu issue. I was in Vegas and was next to RV before the main event...He sounded like crap and was hauking some lugies that matched the color of his bike...So that illness on top of all the SX Champ activities took its toll....unless he had a 2 week hang over like Reed said....reed mind games again.
Reed - Looked good and strong and was ready to go, despite what he says...Can he keep it up and continue to progress or has he already peaked ?...I wont be surprised etither way if he goes up or falls back...he does know how to ride the bike and that Honda is the best bike out there....I think its very possible he'll win again in the next few weeks, but if RV hits a stride we all are waiting for...it could be the last series we see 22 and he becomes Team Manager / Owner....
RD - He'll be up there battling for top 3 spots and I see RV and RD taking turns with the O/A wins with RV coming out on top.
Some of you guys might be giving RV a head trip. The media is expecting soo much out of him and placing him in a league of his own. It might throw a negative effect on his performance. So to balance it out I say "HEY RV! YOU SUCK!"
You too Mr. 377!
Reed should run the red plate because he won the overall. And RV isnt going to be 100% yet, I wouldnt think anyway. Wilson and Rattray looked good last week, but Bagget looked to be in the best shape, with his late charge. KTM had to be embarressed by how thier new 350 ran last week, wonder how Shorty feels about that 350 now??
I think DUNGEY just now found another gear. I don't think he's had the speed to run with healthy guys on decent bikes like CR and JS ever before - I saw a change in him at Atlanta where he started picking up speed. Some might disagree but when I'm talking to Factory Mechanics and they are all saying JAMES STEWARTS bike (suspension) is holding him back like crazy and you're watching Bubba swap all over the track, down the straights, through whoops - it's pretty obvious he's riding harder than his suspension can currently handle. Or there's a geometry problem or blah blah blah (a million diff reasons but his bike isn't smooth under him). I've watched James race since he was on PW50s and his bikes have never looked this bad before - Sorry Yamaha... CHAD REED. As long as Reed is capable of winning via the points, he'll show heart and ride hard. Chad isn't content with just being content. KDUB - is prob stoked to be on a factory bike and he rode a spirited race at Vegas, but Kevin hasn't looked like Kevin in a while now. Maybe he's content with whatever place he's in because the top guys are so fast but when KDub is up front he can run with anyone. He remembers that he's KEVIN FREAKING WINDHAM that's why he was riding so hard with James at Vegas. James tripled, KDub tried it and made it and instant confidence and he was riding like a champ. RYAN VILLI - for real. The bike is more than capable of running up front we already know that. RV has to get his race face on and go race some MOTOCROSS (with no R in MOTO it's not MOTORcross people). Maybe he has been sick... maybe that is slowing him some. He's still in it... POURCEL - I totally dig Pourcel as a racer, but I think he "might" be a bit of a a Diva. I can see him complaining about his levers being in the wrong position. I could be totally wrong and I hope I am, but Pourcel likes to WIN so either he's going to get on the gas, get a faster bike or find a new team. I can't see him "settling" for not being up front. That doesn't seem like his style. Hey it's his first race aboard a 450 in the AMA Nat's I think he has somethings to learn still. "SMILEY" aka ANDREW SHORT. He's been handicapped all year in SX on a 350. I DO NOT THINK THE 350 IS COMPETITIVE IN SUPERCROSS. Yeah it hooked up and had some good starts but every lap watching the 450s blast out of turns and the 350 not be able to do that hurt Andrew and Alessi. That little bit of UMPHH as in LOW RPM TORQUE that was missing - hurt them. I think the 350 is more capable outdoors because let's face it. Other than the top couple riders, everyone can only ride so fast on an motocross track. But I still think the KTM 450 is a better bike for motocross! Blowing up is never good for your points. --- I think Dungey, Reed, Pourcel, Villi will all have their chance to run up front before this whole thing is over. Diff tracks suit diff riders. Especially when they come back East to some of the softer tracks or more natural tracks. Hangtown looked more SX than I ever remember seeing it... Just my 2 dollars and .02 cents worth. I think the MX series is shaping up (already) to be darn near as good as the SX series without all the crazy crashes, take outs, silly crashes etc... ~ Mikeee P
RC had IBS which held him back. It was a stomach issue, but definitely not mono. He dealt with the condition for his last full year racing, and his part time deal and last MXDN.
LETS RUMBLE!!!!
RV might still be struggling this weekend, if anyone caught the Vegas morning interview with him, you could tell he was sick. What has been going around has lingered a few weeks, but he will be better, RV is a fighter. Dungey has those long legs and endurance, just needs to be a little more agressive. I am looking for Reed and Dungey to go at it again this weekend. The intensity of the heat will play a big factor this weekend. Second moto will be rough for these guys.
@bd200 Shorty DNF a a moto on his Honda 450 last year and even had a DNS because the bike would not start before the first moto one time!! So don't bash the KTM to bad.
Both guys will run RED just like Tomac and CP did last year when they were tied.
I think we'll have the same guys on the podium in the 450 class, maybe a different order. I expect to see the 250's shake it up a bit, can forsee Musquin on the box, but my I'm bettin on Wilson on top this weekend & maybe some of the other PC team, going to be a good race either way!
This will be the big test for Musquin in the heat. RV is going to be fine, he backed off as he had 3rd by plenty and was hating the track. He will be right up there at Freestone.
Everyone HOPES RV will be fine. We'll see... 97 degrees will be a test of everyone's training and stamina.
I agree with CZMark: I see a Dungey/Reed showdown.
Baggett, who appears to pace himself, watch the show while not getting too far behind, and then ride fast with very little additional energy expenditure towards the end of the race, he's going to be hard to beat.
I would expect Barcia and Tomac to try to make a blaring red statement at Freestone as well.
OK Deano were at Freestone again! "DO NOT" I repeat "DO NOT" slow down and let one of your teammates (Baggett&Rattray;) by because you think they are a lap down. Just run the tape in your head about what happened last year. But if a guy pulls up on you on a Hodaka Super Rat wearing a Pro Circuit jersey, its ok to let (me by),whoops I meant him!
Leaving and headed to Freestone MX Park in the morning at about 4:00 A.M. From Rosharon,Tex. Cant Freaking wait!
wow an actual take by jair oh i mean mikeeepee..... Dungey wants a win......BAD and the Suzuki and Reeds Honda both look great. Great racing in both classes , can't ask for more except for Canards and Alessi's return ,and Grants 2 races . Hope CP can dial in the Yamahop ( jeez i'm old ,remember that) and make a full deck. It's only a matter of time till RV goes 'haybail huntin' .......then it's look out..!!!!
Did I miss something on Shorts KTM, what was the reason he didn't score any points in one of the moto's. Did he pull off, bike broke, wouldn't start?
Can someone fill me in?
I'm with most of you guys.....expecting to see reed dungey and villi top 3.....but i think windham has a little confindence after last week and he's used to riding in the heat over in louisiana.....i'm saying he will be setting in the top 5 after freestone....you cant help but to have some faith in the guy....it's Kevin Windham!! With all that said....who knows who can win. I was at freestone last year and as bad as i hate to say it, Reed made me think twice about how much i dont like him....he KILLED that sand section before the finish....those of you who were there know what im talking about.....he can definitely take the heat. Honestly i dont have a favorite this year.....i just want to be on the edge of my seat.
OK so my friend just sent me a video on my phone of practice this morning.....AGAIN reed is KILLING that section before the finish.....daaang i wish i was there
@BillC, I'm not bashing the KTM, I love the bikes, I'm saying that they are pushing that 350 bad and it had to embaress them for that to happen. It didnt make them look good.
How did Honda and Suzuki look this weekend BD200??.... it happens.
#377 is heading back to Europe to race GP on a Kawi.
Don`t know why. If anyone knows why ,please tell,i`ld
like to know.