Insight: Ron Lechien Weighs In
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 | 2:00 PM
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PrintYesterday the Racer X Online crew weighed in with predictions for the 450 class of Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross, but seriously, what do we know? Most of our crew only knows how to watch races and type, which doesn’t give them much experience (Ping has actually been-there-done-that but let’s keep that secret. He’ll want another jet and more tubs of ice cream).
To help make sense of this season, we’re talking to Ron Lechien, one of the few men walking the earth with wins in every major division of this sport—AMA Supercross, and AMA MX Nationals in the 125, 250 and 500 class. What does the 1985 125 National Champion and two-time Motocross des Nations Champion XDN champion think of the 250 and 450 title chases? Here we go!
The Dogger still rippin!
Photo Courtesy JT Racing
Chad Reed: Well right now with six races left in both classes, I like Reed’s chances in the 450s. He’s definitely been great, I’ve been really impressed with Reed. I didn’t think he had that in him, he seems to be smart in the motos and is really consistent. I still don’t think we’ve seen the full potential of Ryan Villopoto, he was sick in the beginning and had a couple bad motos. I think that we’re still going to see more from him. If he gets on a roll, it could be over. I missed the second motos last week but I understand he worked them good.
I think if you’re Reed, you have to pay attention to the points lead, I’m sure he has that in his mind and there’s no way you can do something dumb and lose it. You have to try and get the wins the best way you can but you have to still think about the championship. I would think so anyways. It’s tough because the worst any of these guys can do is third unless disaster strikes. If Reed can keep getting thirds at worst, it’s going to come down to the end and Reed will have the points. I didn’t think he could run those guys speed, I figured he could run with Dungey somewhat but I wasn’t sure about Villopoto.
Ryan Villopoto: I think Villopoto has those guys covered in pure speed but it’s going to depend on the tracks coming up. I think Ryan has the tracks that are rutty down a little better than the other two whereas on the hard packed ones, Dungey’s pretty good. It looked like at Texas though Dungey had those guys covered and it was pretty sandy, so who knows?
What I’m thinking is if he gets a little momentum going, he’s going to have to win almost all the way out unless Ryan Dungey can get in there and mix up the points.
Villopoto has the pure speed.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Ryan Dungey: I’ve seen that some lappers have screwed Dungey here and there but that’s sort of his own deal. He’s got to get a little more aggressive and get those guys out of the way. He gets some speed going and catches up to Reed, get’s on a roll but catches up to lappers and he puts himself in the wrong position and gets screwed. That’s stupid to do, spend all that time working hard at closing the gap up and then let some guy that’s a lap down mess you up and lose momentum.
I also think that those two guys (Dungey and Villopoto) didn’t come out to their full potential right away out of the gate and now, here we are in the middle of the season and Dungey’s getting closer. He had them handled in Texas but had problems. He’s been unlucky and put himself in bad positions in my opinion.
The Others: As far as the rest of the class, Davi Millsaps has surprised me with some good rides. In the past once it’s gotten hot, he hasn’t done much. It’s good to see him up there and getting some podiums. (Brett) Metcalfe is hanging in there. If Trey (Canard) can come back and mix up the top three, that’s going to be a big thing right there. I’ve never seen him ride a 450 outdoors but we saw from supercross that he’s got something for those guys. Not at first but there’s six rounds left and give him a couple of rounds and I think he’ll be right in there. He could be the spoiler. And he’s got to be on Reed’s side right because he’s on a factory Honda.
250 Class:
Blake Baggett: I’m leaning toward Baggett right now, he’s got the ball rolling and has some steam behind him. I think he knows he’s faster than those guys and that’s a big plus also. He’s had a couple of crashes but he’s coming from the back and going by those guys and leaving them. If he can stay consistent and stay away from those mistakes, he’s going to win this championship. Unless something big happens and we’ve all seen that before!
Baggett charging at RedBud.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
In that class when you get confidence and you have that bike, you can really run with it. Those guys seem to be inconsistent week to week. Also, Baggett doesn’t weigh much, he’s a little guy and that could be a big thing. The last moto I watched at RedBud, he was impressive. He got up on Dean and just left him, checked out. He looks like he would be a good mud or rut rider as well even though he’s a SoCal guy.
Blake seems to have a good program also working with Aldon (Baker) right now. I’m sure Wilson’s training hard, too, but it looks like Baggett’s got a little extra in the tank than the other guys.
Dean Wilson: I like Wilson, I like his style and I thought at the end of last year he would be the guy but it seems that Baggett’s got him right now. Maybe it is that Blake’s a little smaller? I’m not sure, what do they say- every ten pounds is a horsepower? Well that could mean something also in that class.
Could the 250 be too small for Dean Wilson?
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Tyla Rattray: I don’t think Rattray has the speed of the other guys. I think he’s the third place guy right now, which isn’t bad, he’s got the rest of the class covered unless Eli Tomac steps it up. It’s surprising to me that Tomac hasn’t been better this outdoor season. I hardly ever see Eli even up there. (Justin) Barcia’s got the holeshots but he’s such a yard sale. He’s lucky the way he landed there at RedBud that he didn’t break his ribs or something like that. I’m thinking his shoulder went in and it looked like a cracked rib to me!
Ever since Vegas SX, Barcia has been a bit off and seems to throw it away every single week. He’s like me from supercross in ’85. He could back it down a bit and win the race but he wants to show everyone how bad-ass he is and it’s costing him the race. He’s shooting himself in the foot. In 1985, I was getting the starts and was way faster than anyone else. I wanted to beat them by a mile not five seconds. I can count all the points I threw away and I lost it by five or something. I just threw points in the trashcan!
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Red Bud 1985, Lechien on the factory Honda RC 125, uphill muddy double in the back that most 250's weren't doing let alone 125's, Dogger went all the way to the back of the turn and just let it rip 4th or 5th gear wide open and nailed it, f'ing awesome.
I just hope BILLC doesn't have to come on here and tell us how fast and how good, (I mean GREAT RV2 ) is. The nut huggin is just too too too evident.
Go Ronnie!
Good insite. 89 Southwick First moto crash in first turn, cames thru to WIN the moto!! Tony D says I never saw anything like it!! Then typical Ron drinks to much water and does crapy in moto 2!! man when he was on he could not be beat!!
Man you can't get me out of your mind jairtime sucks, Just so you know I don't swing that way so move on to some other guy!!
PS. you all going to bash Ron?? He said pretty much same thing I have been say.
Look at that JT gear !!! Schweet !! Way to Go Ronnie..Just remembering your Minnapolis SX win,Flyin Dub (legs out,on purpose) at the checkers.Nice.. L8tr,Dogger
Dogger looks great! Much lighter then he was. He's still a former champ, there is a place waiting for him on the starting line!!!
I hope Reed wins.I just noticed today that if Dungey had the 25 points that he lost to a dnf in Texas.He would be the point leader right now.That jersey that Ron is wearing is straight up ugly.Also Carnard is back so the any of the big three could be regulated to fourth in motos from time to time.
Pretty much nailed it
JD
Yeah Dogger rules!!!!!!
Awww the Dogger himself! I still recall him beating Glover at the Sacramento supercross until Broc T boned him in the last turn what a dirty move. But the irony of it all is everyone remembers the Dogger and few remember Broc. Ron had the most natural talent of all time in my opinion.
Would love to see a movie made about lechien just waxing everybody on the 500 at the mx des nations after killing beers and partying with the local ladies the night before. That would be a epic film.
I bet my boy Dogger can smoke a bunch of those guys at the nationals
I don't know why all the experts keep saying that RV has to win out . . . if RV goes 1-1 this weekend and CR goes 3-3, the 16 point lead is cut to 6 measly points. All CR needs is 1 bad moto like the other 2 have had and it's basically a 3 way tie. 'winning out' is not required, at this point it's whoever doesn't DNF or end up in a first turn pileup, and I think Reed's up to bat for that to happen (with that said he is certainly the smartest/wisest out of the 3 that are running away with this title). These last 12 motos are going to be epic . . . it'll probably come down to Moto 2 in Pala between 2 out of the 3 (CR and RV). At the start of the season I was rooting for RV but it sure has been impressive how CR has ridden so fast and smart all summer, may the best man win the #1 plate.
@motodog77 I have said the same thing, 16 points aint nothing with 12 motos left.
So funny.. I thought this article was going to be about Lechien's weight.
Anyway, we should have more real riders writing articles than the normal editors. Stoked Love Lechien.. He needs to get out to the Am Nationals and spank Dubach!
RD all the way!!! I might be biased cause im from MN but he still has a great shot at it.
Was 89 Southwick the year he (suposedly) sleep in the rental car outside the gate?
..Or the time when he slept through the USGP. Kawi had this ultra trick 125 with cone pipe and everything there, but no Ronnie. Turns out he switched rooms at the hotel because the air condition didn't work but they did not move the wake up service to the new room.
Wasn't the no-leg finish line jump pic from Daytona?
@
Waht about KDUB yes, was at his GF's graduation the night before and got in late.
I used to have JT kawasaki gear that looked like that. Good memories.
Lechien should get a shot in the announcing booth as a color commentator.
"PS. you all going to bash Ron?? He said pretty much same thing I have been say."
Umm, YOU are a dork keyboard hack, and Lechien hauled (s) ass. no we wont bash Ron.
STU NAHAN - Hello everybody! I'm Stu Nahan, and I'd like you to meet this young man. His name, Ronnie Lechien.And Ronnie, congratulations to you. Things looked kind of rough out there today.
RONNIE LECHIEN - Well Stu I'll tell you, motocros is not a sport, it's a way of life, you know, a hobby. It's a way of looking at that berm and saying, "Hey bud, let's party!"
The Dogger had awesome talent. If he would of took the wright path he could of easily been the GOAT.
@Bill
I have never understood why someone that has had a pro license in the past, is allowed to race at the AMATURE nationals in an amature class none the less. If they wanted to race the "pro" class or the "pro-am" class, that might be a little different.
@ Killroy
He was great then and he's still great now...have you seen the Dogger ride!
"The Machine" was one of my first favorite riders back in that era... I was psyched when he took the holeshot at the Giant's Stadium SX (can't recall the year) because I picked him for the win, and my friends all thought I was a genius for a few laps...lol...but then he fell down... I think that was the same year Ward broke his ankle right in front of me over a big triple...
Kilroy please nobody is or will be like the G.O.A.T.......
Idots.Nothing but idots.If Lechin's prime had been during this decade you all would be bashing him just like you do with J-Law and CP377.15 years from now BillC will be on here saying were not going to bash J-Law because he was so fast.N2motox the reason why old pros can ride amature races is because at 50 years old you just aren't that fast anymore.Do you think that because someone once had a pro lic.25years ago that you should have to race Dungy or Reed now? Idots,I'm telling you.Idots.
Hey all good comments yeah the machine could ride, anybody still have the video at the supercross I dont remember which one , but ronnie pased Glover on the outside standing up on the pegs on a hardpack corner that was one heck of a pass!!! Now if we could get Hannah's take on the series that would even be better! Now I am impressed with the corner speeds these guy's have nowdays but unless you ever got to see Marty Smith or Mark Barnett go I think they were the bes in the corners even to this day.
Yes I am just catching up on the news been offline for a while. Good new Bad news. I will leave it at that. Take care all!
the G.O.A.T kilroy so could have David Villium, or Ross Pederson maybee ahh Keith Johnson or Brad Hardwick killdummy
fred you don't know jack about history, comparing the Mighty Dogger to runts like CP and Lawrence. They never won any major titles unless you consider that 125 west of supercross which is nothing. The Dogger smoked all time greats like Ward, Barnett, etc. The Dogger ate the Euro's lunches in the Des Nations after partying all night. By the way what is an idot? HAR HAR HAR OH HARDY HAR HAR HAR HAR
Whoops I mean idiots.
Shouldn't the number on his bike be 420, not 4?
420 hahahahahha! Wait.What?
Great insight Ron, thanks for spilling it!
Dogger is the man
@ Fred
Who are you? you don't even know use proper grammar or spell haaaaa.
Just shut it kid and get your facts straight.
I heard Dogger was the only one to ever jump a gap at Southwick. Talking the old direction - the gap after the sweeping right turn after the infield double. I stationed far away at the time, but that's what I heard.
Steve,what are you talking about get my facts right.It's a fact.If Ronnie Lechine were in todays crop of pro riders and doing the stupid sheet that he did back in the day.Everybody on this blog would be chastizing him to no end.Just like they do to example.JS7,CP377 J-Law,Kevin Walker.etc.I just found it amusing how everybody is licking is balls on some 20+years later.If he were riding today these people would be lighting him up on here.Thats a fact that I've got right.
I dont think so. There's a big difference between what J-Law made of himself and what Ron did. J-Law decided early on to embrace the thug life, too cool for school, party on, I dont need to train, life. Lechien didnt criticize or make fun of other riders who trained. While he had demons but didnt embrace them. You came away with the impression he wanted to do the right thing, but he just couldnt.
With J-Law, you get the impression he wants to be bad azz. He succeeded. I think most moto fans would have loved for him to have straightened out his act and started winning. We're a very forgiving bunch.
Larryg, What about JS7 nad CP377.Ya'll light them up for no reason.Ya'll would light up Ronnie too.
Comparing Ron Lechien to jlaw? Are you f-ing kidding me? Its hard to take anyone on here serious even putting those two in the same sentence. One is a hall of famer and the other is a small footnote!
First time I saw him was at Millville in 83. He was 16 (17?) years old and on a production-based Yamaha. He held off Barnett's works Suzuki both motos, which cost Barnett the GNC, this combined indoor / outdoor championship they tried for a few years. If that's him on the #4 picture, he must have lost over 100 pounds. That's no easy feat. And, couldn't agree more mc724.
Mc724,No body on here compared Ronnie to J-Law.You need to go back and reread what you read.
MX BOB,He was not on a production based bike at Millville.He was on a very trick and very fast OW 125 or what ever they were called at the time.
Fred has a point. But there were people who didn't like Dogger to. KW is super popular and he has never won any thing major. He didn't seem to care much back when he was in his prime. Now people think he is this great role model. Look at Ali. He was a jerk! Frazer beat him down when Frazer had bad arthritis and he wouldn't even give Frazer credit. He hated this country. But now he is a "great American".
I understand the offtrack issues dogger had, as well as jlaw or anyone else. And maybe some of us give lechien more of a pass, but he was on a different level than most of the riders mentioned here. Jlaw has talent, but not lechien type talent.
mc724, Let me say this again.No one compard Ronnie to J-Law talent wise.Ronnie won 25+ ama pro races.J-Law won less than a hand full of regional 125 SX's.Trouble wise they kind of paralleled each other,. Ronnie didn't bite someone's ear off but he did plenty of stupid things like J-Law.If Ronnie was in his prime and riding today everyone on this blog would be going off on him.You all would be going off on Ronnie the same way that they have been doing to CP377.Everyone would be pissed and jealous that he's wasting so much God given talent.
from fred...
yes, guys i gotta get out of the closet and admit that i am gay...and, also an "idot" who cannot spell correctly. oops, i meant idiot. i'm telling ya i'm an idiot, nothing but an idiot. just idiot!!!
hey you, fred gay, go suck a dick!
I don't care what any one says, Dogger is still the man always has the sickest gear and style and will still smoke you.
" WHAT IS UNDERSTOOD, NEED NOT TO BE DISCUSSED"
aldo,
you're absolutely right! the machine was one of the most stylish riders ever (the other two were the little professor and o'show).
People are fickle. Look at that church that protests at military funerals. Most people don't pay attention unless they are in the mil or were in the mil. But then a guy who is famous for putting a toy car up his butt dies drinking and driving which he had been arrested for before and everyone was up in arms because they were going to protest at his funeral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyKAlRXgxQk
That Win I mentioned for the Dogger..May have been at the Pontiac SX..lol W !! "Ron Lechien The mean one from El cajon> ~Larry Maiers(sp) Announcing,..back in the day...Good times !!..
Yes, some would be bashing Lechien, but he still had a long and historic career- unlike the others you metioned.
I'm comming out of the closet,I admit it I'm gay.I've be a LESBIAN for years.Think that idot your eyes.
What Ron Lechien forgot to mention is that if he was 20 years younger, he'd smoke all of those guys...I guess he's just being modest...
One of you wrote that if Ronnie had taken the right path, he would have been the GOAT. Not true. He would have won titles for sure... almost did in '85, as he mentioned lost points, by his own mistakes. One thing you can't discount. Rick Johnson had to win or he was gonna die. Once he got on the Honda. It was win city and he was mayor (that sounded better in my head). Wardy, Baily, Dogger, RJ and O'show and a few others ALL won races back then. Good times.
Negatory dude, din't you read the sign it said Dogger still rules.
LEARN IT, KNOW IT, LIVE IT
If Travis Pastrana would train for 3 months, and get back to MX, he would be smokin all these fools
Big Scotty what are you talking about he almost won a title in 1985.He was the 125 national champion in 1985
this is your mind on drugs - thank me
@Benny - I know this thread is for the most part a Lechien love fest, but few remember Broc Glover? What MX world are you living in?
I was never a big fan of the Dogger because I always felt that the guys who were working their asses off (RJ, Bailey, O'Show, Wardy, Barnett...) deserved my support more than he did. No doubt he was talented, and I'm not one to judge him as a person today based on his youthful past, but I'm sure he knows as well as anyone that the empty spots in his trophy case (clearly there could have been many more wins) were his own doing. That said, it's good to see that he's doing well and involved in the MX community.
If only TP199 could get healthy.
I was riding on the same track with Ron about a month ago. He rides smart! Not fast, but not slow either. He's looking slim as well. While at this private track, one of the old SoCal pros in Ron's age group, WS said to my dad; "you should see how much weight Dogger lost, he's way slimmer than you." My dad's been hitting the gym hard beacause of that comment!!! lol Ron, thanks for motivating the old boy!
I was sitting in plaza level at "The Murph" in 1983 when Lechien beat EVERYBODY on a stock (ya, right off the showroom floor) YZ. His being local made this was HUGE!!!