The Moment: Freestone
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | 10:50 AM
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PrintThe Rockstar Energy Drink Freestone National provided a Texas-sized shakeup in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Three riders came into the event carrying red plates as points leaders in their class, and three riders will have to bolt on the standard-issue plates, sans the red, for the next round at High Point.
For all three, the momentum changed in an instant. Ryan Dungey looked set to win the 450 class before the fuel boiled out of his tank late in the race. Blake Baggett was carrying the lead early in the first 250 moto until he crashed, setting his whole day way back. But Dungey and Baggett had other championship contenders in hot pursuit of them—Dungey has been locked in a battle with Chad Reed through the first two races, and Baggett’s teammates Dean Wilson and Tyla Rattray were certainly going to challenge Baggett for wins. The biggest shake up of all took place in the Women’s class.
Patterson had all the momentum heading into Texas.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Coming into the race, DNA Shred Stix Star Racing Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson was carrying even more momentum than Dungey and Baggett. Besides winning the title last year, she romped at Hangtown to win both motos, even coming from behind in moto two after a crash.
But Honda’s Ashley Fiolek is determined to get her crown back from Patterson, and the complexion of that WMX Championship changed quickly in moto one in Texas. Fiolek got out front early, and Patterson was running in second.
“In the back section, there was a turn, and I hit a bump and I stalled,” explained Fiolek. “Jessica ran into the back of me and we both went down. Luckily, my bike started pretty fast, but unfortunately for her, she wasn’t able to get hers started as quickly. I was pretty surprised I won the moto.”
Fiolek left Texas with all the momentum.
Photo: Simon Cudby
From there, Fiolek rode off with the lead and took the moto win. Patterson could only make it back to thirteenth, and although she returned to win moto two, the damage was done. After one small incident, Fiolek had taken away the points lead and momentum in the series.
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Finally some respect for the WMX, there is some great racing going on there..
They need to start televising the Women's class races! There is some good, solid racing going on there, and they are not getting the attention they deserve!
Keep an eye on Sara Price (#6)... she's gonna take off this year!!!
I agree with bd200, watching the women race is great. I have been to many nationals and I admire their grit. To me women have a very different syle of riding. Since they don't have the upper body strength as men, they ride with more finess. Its really cool to see how much speed they have and can ride with such aggression and yet look so smooth. I know these girls work and train just as hard. Its taken a long time for them to evolve in the sport, but they are getting it done. Good job ladies!
Eric is right! thought about it the other day watching the nationals. How come they don't show these gals on the tube. Nothing better than watching the nationals.Add more racing would even make it better. Give the girls some exposure!!!!!!!!!!!!
Correction...There were 4 riders with red plates.
Don't get me wrong, I have no qualms with discussing women's racing, however, I'm going to say that I thought "The Moment" would have most certainly been Dungey's bike breaking on the next to last lap. Now that he's 25 points in the hole, really going to influence the 450 title chase for the rest of the season.
Yes, lets see some WMX action at the expense of say the 450 class... Not.
WMX is great racing! Sarah Price will hit her stride, especially with Ryno's training. She has room for sponsors too:
http://www.sarapricemx.com/2011/05/sara-price-factory-to-privateer-doing-it-family-style/
I always enjoy watching the women, they haul, and sometimes have the closest racing of the day...
So how many wins does Reed have to get for his insurance to kick in?
No Bubba means another boring season.... Oh well I quess the best we can hope for is For him to show up late in the game , and get a few wins , to get in REEDS head , and dungey will stay number ONE
Dungey's mechanical... But cool write-up. I should've watched this
I think the WMX is great and all, but I personally am not interested in watching as they are just "fast for girls" and not fast as far as Motocross. Much respect for them, as with anyone who rides and races.
As for js not being here and somehow the series is "boring"? that is about as stupid a comment as ever stated. The logic is what? He shows up and wins easily, and THAT would not be boring? Also not likely.
The comment would make some sense if it was based on him showing up, wadding his brains out and possibly taking half the top racers down with him. Yes! that would not be boring. A travesty, but not boring.
The question is can David Pingree come out of retirement beat the #1 women is a 30+2 moto?
I love the Bubba huggers still supporting the "not even close to the fastest man on the planet".Bubba is too busy paying off lawyers and wake boarding to care much about racing. What a fraud.
How can anyone not like little Ashley. I admire her heart and determination but Patterson is on another level.
Open class - are you high, they arent fast? One of the young pros i know was running the same or near the same qualifying times when he qualified for budds creek and redbud as the women were running and when the kid races A class at the local tracks he kicks everyones butts - so you must be running somewhere inbetween dungey and ashleys lap times on the national ama circuit? SLOW - you probably dont even race!
Nice to see some womens mx coverage... to the guy that said you dont want to watch them... line your bike up at the gate with them sometime and then write us back! Having a few friends in the series I cant help but cheer them on! This is not only a way to broaden the sport but also add more fun to going to the races! These girls flat out rip!
i dont want wmx on my telecast knowing full well what speed tv does, they would cutt back on another half of the 450s just to show it.that is stupid. im not cutting in on the girls here, but if they had a full scedule and did there own series away from the mens, would they fill up the crowd at a national?
I’m not in camp bubba, but the not-even-close-to-the "fastest..." comment by tomktm is BS.
JS is far faster than the majority of pros, as there is only a handful that can beat him. Even when he eats it he passes more than half the pack. We hate on him because he's so inconsistent for being at the top of the sport for so long.
I have been in the pits during qualifying at hangtown and the womens fastest times where 6 full seconds off the qualifying pace for the men.
That is 6 seconds off the slowest qualifying man. And that was Jessica and Ashly. The others where even farther off the pace.
And could youimagine 30+2 for the women?? Holy cow they woul dnot make it or get lapped 4 times.
Sorry, much respect for the ladies, but reality is reality.
I respect the women out there. They would surely smoke me and most of us in a race and I like that they are making money out there. It bores me to watch them. They seem so timid compared to the (pro)men it just isn't fun to watch. I feel strongly that the series would be better served with an open or 2-stroke class and if the ladies are fast enough to qualify, more power to them.
I have a theory on David Pingree coming out of retirement and winning the WMX class based on his visit to New Zealand a few years ago. I think from memory Pingree finished 7th in the open class at a NZ national. Katherine Prumm was a top 10 or close to top 10 rider in the NZ National 250 class when she was winning world titles. Based on that and the fact Pingree has probably piled a few more jelly donuts down since then I think he would struggle. Wasnt the challenge for him to do it on a Husaberg 610? In that case........ No way!!
WMX represents the growth potential of this great sport, there is no 2-stroke potential what so ever. I have the utmost respect for them.
Thats that ticket! Ping should have a sex change operation and compete in the WMX class. Ping may even get his own TV show: Ping's World. Cameras could follow Ping around as he challenges the culturally conventional gender stereotypes on and off the track.
Heck, maybe Jessica Patterson and Ashley Fiolek could have sex change operations and compete compete against the men. Maybe they could appear on Ping's World and have ménage à trois.
Just imagine Ping with the Monster Energy guys on the podium.
Then lil'Stew, Sorby and Ralph SHEheen could make a guest appearance as the down-low posse.
Of course the show would be based in San Franthisco.
They could create their own team, Team Rainbow.
This would mean more fans for MX, more excitement, more profits, more crashes, more fun, ...
patterson get a sex change? but shes already built like a dude all she needs is a ...well you know what.
To all the Stewart critics, 24 - 0 hmmmm, must have been lucky to do that!
The discussion of WMX is interesting because there is now a renewed "debate" as to weather when should be permitted to join the Navy SEALS. Since the military has become so feminized, nobody working for the military is willing to say the is ridicules. Maybe the possibility of losing one's job for discrimination (a.k.a. telling the truth) is enough to make this possible. Maybe the military could create a women specials operations unity the Baby SEALS. Sounds cute. It would make the combat more exciting.
Sure, lil'Stew is 24-0 against Andrew Short. Yes, it was luck that lil'Stew cam along during THE weakest and least competitive period in MX history. But what are his stats against the GOAT? And his stats against RD and RV are what? 0-24, or something like that.
Maybe lil'Stew can compete in WMX. That way he will not need to ride over his head and crash.
I've got it!
My girlfriend is constantly watching the Lifetime network, which makes me gag like hell every time I walk by. If it's not drama queen training, it's a bunch of "feelings" sh*t. I can't stand the plink-plink-plink-plink-plink music on those shows.
LIFETIME NETWORK should carry the WMX Nats! Just think of what it would do for the women: it would show daring, athletic women doing something physical, and not being drama queens! This is in stark contrast to the cellulite-ridden, unathletic drama queens we are saddled with.
Think of what it would do for the Lifetime network! Their viewership would double during the WMX show! Guys would actually be watching - gag - the Lifetime Network, then going to work or school and saying things like "I was watching Lifetime the other day..." Those are words that would never come out of my mouth unless it was UFC with women or WMX on Lifetime.
Hell, it might even bring more couples closer as the guy says, "Okay, sweetie, I'll watch Lifetime, but just this once. But you owe me, big time."