Bench Racing Ammo: Colorado Streaking
Thursday, June 23, 2011 | 5:10 PM
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PrintWhile Bench Racing Ammo often focuses on the great successes of riders and teams—like the recent dominance of Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki, or Chad Reed ending the supercross tour with a win and following it with more as soon as the outdoor tour began—this week, we focus on a few riders who are hoping to put their streaks to an end.
In this case, it’s a draught without a win, and Colorado holds the potential to end it.
In the 250 class, GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac began his pro career on fire by winning his first-ever pro race last year at Hangtown. Trouble for Tomac is, he hasn’t won a moto since! After taking essentially zero days to get win number one, win number two has now waited 56 weeks, and in fact, he has only made the podium in three motos since that debut ride (the first moto at Freestone last year, and two podiums so far this year).
It has been 56 weeks since Tomac last tasted victory.
Photo: Simon Cudby
After a strong season in Monster Energy Supercross, Tomac certainly wants more Ws soon. And this weekend could provide the right medicine. It’s his home track race, and his experience with altitude could help. Better yet, Tomac can look to his teammate from one year ago, Trey Canard. Trey had an even tougher season going at this point last year before putting it up on the podium at Thunder Valley with 3-2 overall scores. After that, Canard caught fire and eventually rallied from way back to win the championship. Tomac now sits 38 points behind Tyla Rattray, which is closer than Canard was at this point last year. So, there’s that.
The Thunder Valley National has presented plenty of great racing over the years, and perhaps the track’s wildest race took place there in 2007. With the altitude and summer heat wreaking havoc on bodies and bikes, the overall battle in the 450 class presented a mish-mash of talent, with riders surging and struggling at alternate moments. No one understood this more than the moto winners. Davi Millsaps won moto one but struggled to eighth in moto two, and Tim Ferry went 11-1 on the day.
Through it all, James Stewart won his only overall that season via 4-2 scores, a solid performance considering he had crashed out of the Unadilla round a week earlier. Ferry would get an overall win at the next round at Washougal. But that rider who might look back at that ’07 Colorado race most often is Millsaps—for his first moto win there was his last moto win in AMA Motocross.
Tomac and Millsaps hope to put their winless streaks to end this weekend in conditions they have ridden well in before. But will the fast men in front of them cooperate?
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Do you check simple, east to find facts?
Millsaps won the first moto at Budds Creek in 2009. Stop going by your less than reliable memory and check things out once in a while.
Ha!!!! BUSTED HIM AGAIN!!!
Do you think the article was just thrown together to meet a deadline? Weege isn't impressing me lately. Can you wear something besides that ratty t-shirt on the next Pre-Show / Post-Show.
Yo, calm down folks. If you haven't noticed this is FREE content! I'm sure these ARE just thrown together, they would have to be with the schedules these guys have. But at least its up here and they are trying to add some entertainment for us, grow the sport and all that... Cut'em some slack...
Weege has been off ever since the move to NC.
I realize that the job of a journalist is to come up with a story....
But the constant story this week of "Altitude, altitude, altitude...." is getting a little old. It's all relative as far as performance of the bikes, average HP loss is 3% per 1,000 ft above sea level in standard atmospheric conditions. You have to also figure out density altitude (temp + atmospheric pressure) but the fact is that the loss is NOT that great. Fuel injected engines will have a bit of an advantage in the fact that it is digitally metered where as the KTM 450 and the 250's will have to be jetted (gasp!) the old fashioned way.
It's simply tiersome to hear the same thing over and over about the bikes when it's all relative. The athlete is another story entirely....however, for those guys that have been living at low altitude that came from high altitude homes, it's not always an advantage as the body changes and the amount of white blood cells decreases as a person becomes aclimated to lower altitudes/elevations. It takes more than being at higher elevations for 3-4 days to build the ehite blood cells back up....
Ah Mr. Mike the blood cells you talk about are the red blood cells that carry oxygen not the white ones you write about... Check your facts. Just sayin.
What about Josh grant he dominated the first moto last year then crashed in the first turn of the second. but he could be a wild card this year on his Honda
Tomac 1-1 at thunder valley!!!!
Correct me if i'm wrong.. but I don't think Millsaps last moto win was in 07, i think he won a moto at budds creek 09
I am with Metta, 100%, you all would love to have Weege job
Even thought Dungey couldn't make a pass on a 300lb fat woman, I think this weekend he is going to get Lucky. She'll be wearing dasiy dukes and a halter top calling his name out at the finish line. He will be the first to come across. Sure my money is on Reedy, but I feel the Dunge will have this track wired. This is also Tomacs home town race, lets see what he can pull off. But the other Zulu warrior
will be on a hunting expedtion of his own. And if anyone wants that red plate from him, he will have to fight to the end. Also lets see if the Bear can come to form this weeked. Looks like he was hibernating at Budds Creek. Good luck guys!
@mike ...having lived and ridden in Colorado 35 yrs from 4,000 ft to pikes peak 14,000 i can tell you it greatly effects things . it's 3% if everything is dialed. Timing ,carb, fuels etc.And it gets worse as you go up. A 400 or 490 2 stroke "feels it" at 6,000 and just seems anemic. It loses all its grunt. 125's won't get out of there own way at 10,000. It was always a joy to go race at sea level.... just add a tooth on the front, rejet ,and ride a gear higher...that much difference. Plus when the sea level guys come to 6,000 + especially around 8,000 they would be sitting on there tongues about 20 mins in....atmospheric doesn't seem to matter so much because of the lack of humidity (thank god). Ahhh.. Pikes Peak Jan 1 start at Glen Cove 12,000 ft. 5 below ,wind blowin ,spikes..almost passing out just startin the thing......good times
Where in the article does it say Millsaps' last win was at Thunder Valley?
It doesn't.
yo, Mallet, read the end of the article. Bad info from Weege. Just like Bowyer saying Reed is gaining ground in points when actually he has a net loss to RV over the last 2 races. The "research department" at RacerX is struggling. ;)
" But that rider who might look back at that ’07 Colorado race most often is Millsaps—for his first moto win there was his last moto win in AMA Motocross.
Tomac and Millsaps hope to put their winless streaks to end this weekend in conditions they have ridden well in before. But will the fast men in front of them cooperate?"
@Tonewall.... I'm gload you're from Colorado....so am I. 41 years born and bred and living at high altitude. I well know the effects of high elevationa and high altitude from years of racing the SRAC series, RMEC, SCCA, NASA, NASCAR and Pikes Peak in cars and on bikes both.
The point I am trying to make is about relativity of performance in that it effects all nearly the same, and the fact that it's an overblown topic for the racing media. Always has been and always will be....
Jesus you people will argue to hear yourselves....
Mudflaps won't win. I think he is a second teir guy period. Windham will place higher than saps at Thunder Valley. Tomac has suprised me this year. I thought for sure he would be a front runner with Wilson.
Gee Wizz I thought this article was gonna be about "streaking" not streaks???? Oh well what the heck now I gotta read all of your post's. I havent streaked since the 70's ???????
Hey all I remember taking my humidity, temp ,baromtric pressure gauce to figure out how I needed to jet my bike. and even in the midwest it makes a diference, If you aren;t cheating you ani't winning...... Ya mike you are corect. The body deaos not real it til the workout is over.
Holy sh**t people, calm the f*ck down.
What he said is that Millsaps won the 1st moto at Lakewood '07, and has not won since.