by Steve Dye
250 Words: Thunder Valley
Monday, June 27, 2011 | 3:40 PM
GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) is Yamaha’s performance and racing accessory brand. GYTR products are developed and tested to the highest standards by Yamaha’s in-house factory engineers. Used extensively by the Yamaha Race Teams, these factory parts are readily available to every Yamaha rider.
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PrintIf the 450 class is a battle between three men, the battle in the 250 division is a battle between three teams – the kingpin, the challenger, and the upstart.
At the kingpin Pro Circuit, the riders continue to fight over wins and the red plate like dogs fighting over a bone. One rider retakes the points lead with a 2-2 second overall, another reestablishes himself as the ever-steady man to beat with an off-day but solid 5-5 for fifth, and a third wins his third overall in five tries with an extremely convincing 1-1 perfect score. Right now, El Chupacabra looks to have the sharpest teeth. Even if someone in Corona needs to convince Blake Baggett that RedBud is really round seven.
But how much more press can we give the Monster-backed and monster-like PC squad?
At the other end of the spectrum – and the pits – is the upstart, Eleven 10Mods. Darryn Durham puts two full motos together, yard-sale free, and cards a 4-6 for fourth overall. And Alex Martin steps up with a second top 10 overall finish for the shoestring effort.
Anytime one box van (flat black, no less) running one canopy – nay, one E-Z Up – can put two guys into the top ten… well, hey… that’s news.
Somewhere in the middle, but still looking for its first week on top, is perennial challenger Factory Connection. Last season the GEICO team wrestled the number-one plate from Pro Circuit hands, and it all started with Trey Canard – then some 57 points down in the title chase – catching fire with a 3-2 finish for second at Thunder Valley. Eli Tomac nearly equaled that feat with a 3-3 third overall, and with the home state favorite getting on the box and staying in the points hunt… albeit still a distant 38 points from the lead.
In the end, the kingpin did what it could be expected to do, sweeping the top two podium steps and keeping the points lead firmly in hand. The challenger might be doing what it hopes to do, setting itself up for a late season run at the title. And the upstart, Eleven 10Mods, did what it needed to do – proving once again and moreover that it is the little engine – engine team, that is – that could.
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Great ride by Darryn Durham, would be cool to see him on the podium!
Gotta wonder about the 11-10 mods bikes??? If they are doing it out of a box van on pennies compared to Geico, Star, PC and Suzuki.. Those teams spend a fortune on those bikes when they can just have this guy build them for cheap..
This El Chucabra=whatever, is about the DUMBEST nickname I have ever heard im my whole entire life. How completely stupid.. Lets just use their names like grown-ups. Bagget is very fast, and doesnt seem to get tired.
yo rockstar suzuki should pick up double d. Darryn rode 4 suzukis amatuer team so hed be used to the bike feeling, only this time hed be getting factory parts. i mean is it really a problem u could kick anybody off that team that you want, they are lucky to finish in the top 10. MD23( old 4 the class and aint goin anywhere)RM( good rider but hasnt shown his worth and is injury prone)NP72( hes alright but isnt good enough 4 factory and should go back to star racing) JA156( i honestly wouldnt kick him off cause hes got so much talent and rc abilities but he hasnt done crap since smoking everyone at lorettas last year)
I second the motion. While it my have just been a spur of the moment comment by a TV announcer get a grip Steve Dye. When I heard that I thought I hope he doesn't say it again that is lame. If you are into dumb comments by announcers try listening to some races that "motormouth" called. How about "little Bob" as in "it ain't over til it's over" Hannah?
@bd200 Amen brother.
bd200 just because you can not pronounce chupacabra doesn't mean you have to ban the nicknames. It is about time we came up with something fresh and different instead of using RD, RVpark, bd200, blah blah blah
aint no night races, dont make sense. even if there was such a thing.
Besides the fact it sounds dumb.
Durham is for real!!!! Can we nickname him Bull? Ha ha
Eleven-10 mods with Durham and Martin is KILLING it. I love the rig they travel in, the attitude they carry themselves with, and the fact that they are showing up some of the biggest names in the sport. Keep it up guys!
That said, GO DEANO!
I'd like to talk about Rockstar Suzuki team as well. Love Mo' but his career plateauted on a lites bike. DAvalos is fast as lightning (especially in SX) but he is literally in a first turn pileup every weekend. But still manages top tens. What could martin do if he holeshotted? my guess is top 5-6 (faster than bam bam). Durham is riding the wheels off his stock honda's and when Morais gets hip surgery they give his ride to Les Smith who just came off a 450. The only thing keeping Durham from winning and podiums is not having the bike. A PC green demon is a str8 cheater bike compared to what durham rides. Had J. Anderson gotten the PC ride over baggett, would he still be doing so mediocre? not sure, something about that PC team. Mitch needs to call darryn right now before he ends up on some lame Dead end team. Or , Davalos is moving to 450 next season. Get Durham locked up w/ that factory zook. Snooki just got a 4th place holeshot in colorado. thats by far his best start. And dont be bagging on Mooki. He's strong, fit, usually gets good starts. And he's able to make a non factory bike go pretty dayam fast. If rockstar had Anderson, Durham (who rode zooks his whole life), Snooki (who i think will definately step up next year. He started the season on a yammi). Maybe get Malcolm (because he will be fast all SX). If they could just get one fast Veteran like Sipes or cunningham would be great. Maybe austin Howell or Tommy Searle. That team would be on the box
Why does the geico camp keep putting out these Bullspit rumors. Barcia has a broken wrist (yea right). Barcia has mono (yea right). Why cant they just tell it how it is. Barcia rides SX obviously better than Moto. Just because DEan, Styla, Baggett, sipes, cunningham, Tickle are all faster and will beat him why the excuses. Does he feel any remorse for almost decapitating Marvin. Hell no. Why did barcia have to slam Swanepoel at budds creek. it was completely uncalled for. Guess what barcia, You'll never beat Deano or tyla outdoors. and unless he holesots and Deano is midpack, ,, he's not winning that race either. He does ride good in the sand, But can hardly compare to Jeffrey herlings and tyla rattray. I hope him and rocky are on the same coast next year (because they wont let him ride against deano cuz he'll get beat). Rocky will do circles around him. Sorry bam bam, making noise doesn't mean your going fast
MAYBE SUZUKI SHOULD HAVE ELEVEN 10 MODS BUILD THEIR MOTORS AND THEN THE SUZUKI GUYS WOULD ALL BE FAST TOO !!!!!!
Seems to me Barcia had Mr. Wilson covered by a large margin in 250E SX. Also, Barcia does fine in MX as his past performances have shown, finished ahead of Dean-O plenty of times last year. As far as Mono (the kissing disease) goes, Barcia probably slays so many females, he's lucky to just have that.
Just a thought, but here's hoping that Eleven-10 gets some backing from an outside sponsor, and starts to threaten ProCircuit and Geico. Durham could stay on the team instead of Payton picking off another winner. What a great opportunity for the sport with another strong team emerging!
Rockstar Suzuki should send all their bikes and riders to Pro Circuit next week off............get some help sorting the bikes out. Its sad to see those guys season going down the tubes, especially Anderson who gets his first shot at the pros and winds up riding a turtle.
@DirtNapper______ How can u say that rockstar suzuki's are "turtles"??? if those suzuki's are turtles than what is James and Pourcels yamaha's??? CARLSBAD,,,,,, You loser. How many moto's did Deano win last year compared to barcia. Barcia hasn't won an overall since southwick 09. Dean's been winning moto's all year. and he doesn't need excuses like barcia. Whats it gonna be next week. Barcia has gonnorhea?
Umm.......maybe there is a reason we haven't seen a factory Rockstar 250 holeshot (or anywhere near the front of a start).
Yes, there are probably circus elephants that handle better than James and CP's yammies.
OrganDoner, better to be thought a fool than open your mouth & remove all doubt. We now know you're a Scottish/British/Canadian flag waiver / interloper that knows all about STD's. Let's see, a foreigner with a bad attitude, potty mouth and well versed in social disease........Gee, my country can't get enough of your type.........NOT!..........take your pinko, commie, jibber jabber elsewhere! Now GIT!!!!