Race Report: Anaheim 1
Sunday, January 8, 2012 | 5:00 AM
Since 1968, Thor has maintained its position as a top motocross apparel brand. From trails, deserts, to the most famous racetracks in the world, Thor supports racing on the track and off with its sponsorship of race reports.
Tweet
Advertisement | Advertise with Us
Share
Comment
Email
Print
Ryan Villopoto was supposed to pack the same strengths from his 2011 Monster Energy Supercross Championship program into 2012. But if the goal was to replicate 2011, he overshot the mark by dominating the 2012 season opener with an even stronger showing than anything he put together last season.
While RV checked out, the other title favorites provided the action. TwoTwo Motorsports Bel-Ray Racing Honda’s Chad Reed, Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey and Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota’s James Stewart had crazy races, with each taking a crash. Reed came out on top of the battle for second ahead of Dungey, while Stewart finished sixth. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Brayton finished fourth ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer.
No stopping Villopoto on this night.
Cudby photo
The Stewart/Dungey battle was one of several on a good opening night.
Cudby photo
Reed held on for second.
Cudby photo
The battle behind Villopoto had the packed house at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California going crazy. The event had a big buzz to it, with jam packed pits and stands and plenty of action to follow. The track didn’t generate the same level of excitement with many riders, although it did produce long lap times.
Off the start of the 20 lap main event, Reed looked to lead the field into the first turn, but Villopoto was able to edge past him to take the lead. He immediately put the hammer down and began to pull away, while Reed momentarily was passed by Dodge Motorsports Hart and Huntington’s Ivan Tedesco. Reed got Tedesco back but wasn’t able to match up to Villopoto. A few laps in, Dungey closed up to challenge Reed for second, while Stewart was overcoming a bad start and eventually made it up to fourth. Stewart didn’t appear to be closing on Dungey, though, while Dungey was closing on Reed.
Then Dungey crashed in a right-hand turn, handing third to Stewart. Stewart seemed content in that spot, but Dungey regrouped from the crash and started going back after the Yamaha rider. They battled, with Dungey eventually able to make the pass on Stewart. At almost the same time, Reed crashed, and the Dungey/Stewart battle closed up right behind him. The three riders looked set for more battling until Stewart went down, cross rutting on a tabletop and running into some tough blocks. He damaged the left side of his machine, losing a radiator shroud, and dropped back while trying to rip the dangling shroud off. He eventually finished sixth.
Meanwhile Dungey kept the heat on Reed the whole way, closing up again on the final lap, but the veteran Reed held onto the spot. Brayton came out on top of another huge battle to take fourth. Tedesco and Motoconcepts Mike Alessi were up front early, while Brayton dueled with Supercross.com Honda’s Andrew Short for a long time. Eventually Brayton moved past the whole gang to get fourth. Short moved backwards a bit, while Alessi held his ground for a long time near the top five before the bottom fell out of his race late, and he dropped all the way back to ninth.
The real mover was Weimer, who started near Brayton and Short, but went off the track. This pushed him back to about 13th, but he dug deep, showed impressive speed, and then took advantage of a fading Alessi and a later crash by Tedesco to get fifth. Stewart recovered from his crash to take sixth, followed by Short, GEICO Honda’s Kevin Windham, Alessi and Dodge Motorsports Hart & Huntington’s Josh Hansen, who started about last.
In Lites action, Lucas Oil Troy Lee Honda’s Cole Seely made a statement by snagging the round one win. He started third, then quickly passed Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson to take second. Then he stalked the early leader—Wilson’s teammate Tyla Rattray, before making the move for the lead. He didn’t yard the field, but pulled away steadily to take win, his third career triumph.
Cole Seely struck first in Lites West.
Cudby photo
Seely Tomac and Rattray on the Lites podium.
Cudby photo
Rattray rode a solid race for second. Meanwhile GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac launched an amazing comeback charge after a rough night. Tomac was run into by Max Anstie off the start in his heat and went down. He made it to a transfer position, only to have his bike quit on the last lap. To the LCQ he went, where he pulled the holeshot and won. In the main he was way back again, but made key passes to get to fourth. On the final lap he made a push for Wilson and got to him. As Tomac was working on a pass, Wilson crashed, and Tomac had the final podium spot.
Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin took fourth ahead of Valli-Star Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes.
Look for more coverage all week right here at Racer X Online.
Anaheim 1 SX Results
SX Class
1. R. Villopoto
2. C. Reed
3. R. Dungey
4. J. Brayton
5. J. Weimer
6. J. Stewart
7. A. Short
8. K. Windham
9. M. Alessi
10. J. Hansen
11. B. Metcalfe
12. B. Tickle
13. I. Tedesco
14. K. Chisholm
15. R. Morais
16. D. Millsaps
17. J. Albertson
18. C. Blose
19. J. Grant
20. T. Hahn
2. C. Reed
3. R. Dungey
4. J. Brayton
5. J. Weimer
6. J. Stewart
7. A. Short
8. K. Windham
9. M. Alessi
10. J. Hansen
11. B. Metcalfe
12. B. Tickle
13. I. Tedesco
14. K. Chisholm
15. R. Morais
16. D. Millsaps
17. J. Albertson
18. C. Blose
19. J. Grant
20. T. Hahn
Lites
1. C. Seely
2. T. Rattray
3. E. Tomac
4. M. Musquin
5. R. Sipes
6. D. Wilson
7. J. Anderson
8. W. Hahn
9. Z. Osborne
10. T. Baker
11. M. Moss
12. N. Izzi
13. T. Maier
14. B. Laninovich
15. V. Friese
16. M. Anstie
17. R. Marmont
18. J. Richardson
19. M. Davalos
20. C. Craig
Did you like this article?
Check out TEAM HONDA AT DAWN
in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
Forty years ago, Team Honda arrived on the American motocross circuit with a brand new motorcycle: the game-changing Elsinore CR250. Page 170.
Look for the verified symbol 
Impulse Studios
What???!!!! Stewart crashed again? that never happens....He tried to say it was no big deal...but he didn't look like his normal self out there.....RV1 looks unbeatable right now...Way to go for Seely...and Weimer had a good night from where he started..anyone know what happened to Tomac's bike in the heat race??
Well done rv2.what a letdown that js7....but lets not couwnt him out yet!dungey very nice job handin js7 ass to him,good job.reed is solid all i have 2 say is that the cr 450 gives you wings.
Hardly a "spoiler" I think everyone knew RV would be fast, nobody knew what js7 would do. Now we know. Hardly call it a spoiler victory. More like a spankin. Hats off to Dungey, Roger & KTM, she was on the box, 1st time, thats a good start,.....ohhhhhh BTW wtg Suzuki...........duh.
KTM finally impressed with the right riders, great races, I won't take for granted a Villopoto's domination, there will be many winners this year. Stewart needs to start better if he wants to win the title.
Numerous people complained about the track ahead of time, me included. But it actually was an interesting layout and put on a good show. That first lefthand bend was crappy, though.
Glad to see the season get started. But all the commercials for the first 40 minutes beat me into submission. I'll record all the next live shows and fast forward the first hour of coverage from now on. Why can't they do like Formula1 and actually do some inside coverage of the teams in the beginning. Oh well, I guess the coverage team is still pretty new at this and will eventually figure out we watch live coverage to actually see interesting inside info instead of commercials for an hour.
Great racing though.....loved it (after the first hour, lol)
Congrats to RV although everybody who cares new he would be ready. A true pro.
Hey Alessi the window is closing get your but in shape.JS might want to come along for a morning workout himself.
Oh, and they did a great job keeping secret the name of the girl singing the National Anthem. I just watched the beginning again to see if I missed it. Nope, no name mentioned. I'm sure she would have liked people to know who she is.
Of course, maybe I'm the only dummy who didn't recognize her. lol
A1 was boring!!! Track was shit , slow,tight and no flow. Dirt wurx u suck!!!
Great action and hopefully a precursor to a great season. Just read the article Racer X wrote on the ALessi's. Thanks for reinforcing my old opinion on that family. They are all Douchebags starting from the top down!
Speed needs to bring in Dano to do the behind the scene's coverage or pre race coverage.Good grief fantards,give JS7 a break he hasn't raced in a very long time.
Dear Davey Coombs and company. Can we stop calling Stewart "the fastest man on the planet now"? Please.
Just the first race , James looked tired , most of the other riders have the outdoors behind them , still has his skills , dont count him out
Very impressive ride by RV congrats on giving a thorough spanking to the rest of the field. (Race is on youtube already for all those Euro AMA SX fans). I have to say the track was a bit follow the leader but JS and Dungey showed that when push came to shove, room for a pass could always be made. SOOOOO excited for the rest of the season! What an awesome sport we follow guys!
This is Anaheim 1 people. The first race is never what all the hype brings. There are 15 more races and if anyone payed attention to last season it's to just get out of there in one piece. You can't win the Championship in one race but you can loose a whole season in one though. RV looked smooth but the track was little to be desired.
With 16 races left I hope JS7 doesn't take too long getting back in the racing groove.
I was there and I seen it all. Bubbas motorsickle was set up for motorcross not supercross. I also seen tomacs bike blowed up his powerband and watched his team put a new poweband in it,then he won. You should always replace the powerband after practice!
RV just flat out Dominated !! He won by 20 sec WOW !! He was the only one that could ride aggressive the entire race holding the fastest lap times all night ( not just 1 good lap ) He IS the fastest man on the planet, Like RC said " Nobody on that track is in his league "
And for Stewart ? well what did you expect, he can change all he wants , bikes, teams, guess what, he cant change who he is = same results. Hey Stewart, instead of blaming the bike and everyone else around you everytime something goes wrong, how about you own up and take the blame yourself for once, and maybe just maybe you might get some respect, you flat out told everyone the bike was WAY better from last year from the minute you got on it.....So cant go there.........RV is the new champ and has just raised the bar this year.
I believe Stewart confirmed what I already thought about him....... He's lazy. He has tons of talent, but no heart or desire. He was done by lap 8. JGR is waking up this morning and realizing they made a foolish investment. Stewart looked like a sheep last nightwhen he was saying "the track was hard". He looked like a man who realizes his fraud has been discovered. Villopoto gave notice that hes the new Ginger in town. Everyone know that Stewie can't beat a ginger.
Stewart may or may not smooth out and keep Rv's pace, but he will never be faster. Im looking forward to that battle.
you are all just speculating ... @biker143 .. hey stewart blah blah . , like he reads this!
RedRider24: Yeah, as I read above that Stewart is getting back into the racing scene and all after 8 months off, I'm sure JGR is looking at it and saying "huh"? No way is it his or JGR's intent to race back into shape to be ready 4 or 5 rounds in. 3 year contract......... I know MC is worried about his record even more now....although with RV being 23 and the way he looked out there......maybe he will have something to worry about in a few years time?
et 17 was the first 1 to jump that step up triple...rv1 is fast....its nice to see rv as the new fasteest man on the planet,,,,bubba will have a couple of good races for sure but he also might crash out and be done for the season at any time...ivan tedesco was riding well a for sure top 5 before his mishap!!!!
rv HAS THE CORNER SPEED!!!!! stewart has great corner speed but villapoto doesnt bobble and seems to get out front early
its great seeing a ktm up ther in the mix in the premier class. troy lee design gear and bikes look siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikkkkkkk....................
Alessi and Hansen both did much better than I would have guessed. Stewart looked the same as usual but the others stepped it up. No one seems near RV right now.
Stewart is still a force to be recond with.the fat lady hasnt hit the note yet you guys.we still have a few more races to go.to all js7 fans there is still hope. end of this season you will see js7 1...rv2 2.....cr22...3!!
Team Suzuki was non-existent. A one man team with a average rider is not going to sell motorcycles. They should have paid DeCoster to stay. They are going to drop back into the black hole that Rodger pulled them out of years ago.
rv 1 should be anyones pick for # 1,,,,,,,,,,,,,, starting off with a 6 isnt going to do jack shitz this year even for heaveny bubba....
didnt suzuki blow all ther money on rc??????ive always liked suzukis although from a mechanical standpont they dont get the praise of a yamaha or honda
Does no one get it!!!!!! Villo did not beat Stewart, Stewart did not actually get beat.
Stewart's record just dropped from 92.5 to 92.3 of the times he would have won if not for wrecking. It was the wreck that kept him from winning not villopotos insane lap times. What does this make it now 30 times that Villo has not beat Stewart streight up?
Ryan "THE MACHINE" Villopotto. Even Ralph mentioned machine in describing his performance last night.
Right. Amazing job on National Anthem. Wish they had identified her.
One more time Villo delivered when he needed to. that was an ass-handing.
Carmicheal's jacket? Are you serious?
All this talk about Stewart and he got sixth, wtf?? How about some love for Reed, who just keeps running at the front night in and night out. Stewart was tired and made mistakes, plain and simple. Jet-setting around the country does not get you in shape for supercross.
Wow, all this wisdom from one race!! I wish I new all the things everyone knows behind the scenes. I'm sure JGR was not thinking geez, we better get a different rider cause he finished 6th. If he wins a championship or not Stewart brings media to the team that not many other riders can. Like him or not he still brings fans to the sport and makes things exciting.
I always find it amazing when people say the tracks are one lined. It sure doesn't seemed one lined to guys like Weimer and Tomac etc... when they are making their way from mid pack to top five... It's Supercross, there is only so much space!! Make the best of it! Excuses are for losers!
The Goat looked like he borrowed his big brother's jacket. Somebody call wardrobe and get him fixed up for the next race. WTF was up with that zipper?
Good job RV and Seeley, they both clearly looked the best prepared. Can't wait to see what the season has to offer this year.
Commercials were a killer! sometimes they showed the same one twice. RC, great rider not a very good commentator, goofy suite and his hands were going crazy. Nice job Cole, Tomac looks fastest and JS7 seems a little rusty. RV looks dialed and ready, great rep to the sport. All in all about what I expected.
Stewart did not get beat straight up??? Are you kidding me? He was nowhere enar RV2's times B4 his wreck! Gotta give it up for JS7's fans, they are die hard, but are in denial, he got his butt handed to him.....by Dungey nonetheless! I like Dungey, but he got passed by Stewart, then reeled him back in. I gotta Give it up for RV, CR and RD, awesome race guys. I am also in agreement about the "Fastest man on the planet" comments, they need to cease! Or they need to be redirected!
I liked what I saw from Dungey last night. He got around Alessi right away, got by (why does RC seem to hate) Short in the heat, and then his battle with Stewart in the main.
It's going to be tough for the rest of the Big 4 (5 when TC is back) to find the extra second RV seems to have on everyone. All three were pushing hard enough to crash and still didn't match his pace.
Wow A1 In the books and it was awsome !!!!! . RV 1 was impressive and looks like he is dialed in with bike setup and training. CR22 looked great and steady. Dungy was pretty much where I thought he would be and looks like he could tweak his setup a little better.JS7 seemed a little stressed and a little nervous but he did show he was thinking about his racing and letting the race come to him..he unfortunatley made a mistake that cost him..he will be ok in the long run. I also would like to say I enjoyed the track..I like that they had obstacles to slow the pace ..Pretty Kool in my opinion...
Awsome start to a great season !!!!
so a month or so ago. there were two idiots on here named@billy c and @twisted throttle. they said i was a idiot because i said RV would win, dungey would podiom and stewart wouldnt be in the top 5. and guess who was right. so before all the stewie lovers get on here and say "oo its because he crashed" dont even bother typing because bubba LOST
Why are people complaining about the track? I thought it was great! Last year people were complaining of short races EVERY WEEKEND! Last night, we got over one minute lap times and you guys still find something to whine about! I guess Dirt Wurx will never be able to please everyone.
DirtWurx did a good job holding back the throttles and huge air on opening night, I dont think there were any season ending injuries and not too many bad crashes. Track was kinda boring but designed that way, still worth the watch. I am in shock, my boy crashes (normal mental mistake) in the whoops, gets back in it and DOES NOT TAKE OUT 2 riders and / or himself to get his positions back. Seriously, anyone shocked Stewart got up, rode a disciplined race to keep a respectable finish & points? Usually he tries to go above logic and crashes someone or himself getting the position back (Windham-Vegas). He actually recovered from that getoff in the whoops and rode smart (in a championship mentality). Troy Lee bikes / gear and Reeds Shift gear were sharp. Thank God, we got a healthy Josh Grant for the 2nd round.
There are no excuses to be made for anyone last night. They all rode the same track which turned out to be better than everyone expected in the main events, RV was gone before anyone started tipping over and crashing. I don't really know what to say about JS, he has work to do. You know he got a big self reality check when Dungey passed him then he crumbled.
Maico25,you dont get it. IF,Stewi hadnt crashed in a race that he did,he would`ve got smoked. Reason being he would`ve had to ride within himself & not over his head,which is why he crashes so often. In other words ,to limit his crashes he`ld have to slow down.Usually one of two reasons racers crash,racing over their head and or fatigue. If my Aunt had nuts ,you know the rest...Stewi million $ talent 10cent brain. RV will use and abuse Stewi. Not only did RV race faster,he didnt make mistakes.To beat that group by that much is incredible. Reed,excellent ride & Weimer. The coverage ..does anyone else get p..issed when the winner crosses the checkers they keep showing him instead of whats going on in the race ,like what happened to Dean Wilson after he crashed ????
I think racing is too much work for JS now. He seemed so defeated in his interview by the tone of his voice. Stewart needs to focus on racing and nothing else and he needs to do it quick. Even before the TV show, flashy cars, man friends, and thoughts of car racing his mental game was always his downfall in pressure situations. The cards will fall how they should this year. Last night we saw the guys who work the hardest take the podium
I agree with most, RV1 rode great and I'm like others, I'm tired of hearing how great JS7 is and fastest man on the planet. JS7 has mojo but not the desire of RV1, RD5 and CR22, Reed rode really great but they always talk about Stewy.
I am liking Reeds chances, starting out solid. If its a tight series, I like his chances. Great ride for Cole also! Very refreshing seeing someone other than PC doing it in the lites series. I hope Josh Hill is OK, The kid seems like he has grown up. I wish him and all of the riders a safe year.
and any one saying JS7 crashed and thats why he finished 6th, Remember, Reed went down and got up and finished 2nd..... Just sayin.......
I'm not usually overly critical but I agree with the previously mentioned comments:
-The track sucked.
-Who was the singer?
-The commercials are ridiculous
-James is just another top 5 capable racer. Quit worshiping him.
With that said, I'm pumped for the 2012 season. I plan on being at Oakland...I hope the track is better.
Mc's record is safe! With all the riders capable of winning each week the only one with a chance to win 10+ races this year is RV. I didn't think RV had 20 lbs to lose. In the end His times were consistent and in another class all by himself. If his ass-kicking continues Bubba will retire. He is running out of excuses. The track offered plenty of places to pass. I was hoping for a better race from Austin Stroupe after his fast practices. Great Race and track.
RV was blazzing fast others will have to step up soon
JP
If only Villopoto had some style with his speed. Am I the only one that thinks he is one of the fastest, but the MOST boring rider to watch? With that much talent the kid should have some style. I am a Stewart fan but, Villopoto is an awesome racer. I just can't seem to enjoy watching him as much as I used to enjoy RC or Stewart even when he is crashing. He's a boring rider.
The slower track made for closer racing (RV didn't get the memo though) and longer lap times so we get more racing. When riders say the track is one lined, what they mean is, "everyone is in my fastest line and I am whining because I have to change my line". I personally loved the slower track. Less huge air, closer racing, different line choices in some of the corners, longer race. Works for me!
BTW - I thought the lady singing the national anthem sucked. Love the song (obviously) but really did not care for her performance. She did deserve to have her name thrown out there, which she didn't get.
With that said, I'm a little worried that RV will run away with it. He seemed to be the only one out there ready to race. Dungey and Reed looked great but they seemed to race as a warm-up and not be 100% comfortable out there. Stewart looked comfortable on the bike, his fitness doesn't seem to be there. Regardless if he hasn't raced in a while, he should have come prepared, he knows what it takes to win championships. Lets not hope he wasted the rest of his career with a bad move. I'm still rooting for him though.
@Chilllmatic - RV doesn't get paid for his riding style. He gets paid to win races and represent his sponsors well. Maybe JS7 should learn a thing or two from RV in that department. His style is fun to watch, but hard to see his sponsors logos when he is upside down on his head.
Trucker. Thats what I was saying, using percentages to explain talent is LAME and just another excuse for getting beat, kind of like saying I would have won 100% of my races if not for coming in second or further back.
I won 100% of the races I entered except the ones I lost. I can hole shot 100% of the time, if not for slowing down to go left.
When you build and try to live up to a reputation of being the most talented, fastest, racer to throw a leg over a motorcycle and the only way that anyone can beat you is because you wreck, then quess what, that is what you do and these people that try and use these excuses to explain you getting beat are just adding to the wrecking problem. Look like these magazine publishers could just say that if you line up on a gate and win championships and races, you are beating the other guys and win the races because you beat everybody, not that you beat everyone except JS7 because JS7 wrecked.
Another good thing about this year, so far (may have missed it) no one has stolen a position. You do not STEAL a position or steal a win in SX/MX
@Maico25 - AGREED!!!!
Poto put an amazing ride at A1 and it's going to take a lot to beat him. Shorty looked very good back on the Honda. Dungey put in a great ride and put the KTM on the box, so that was cool. Good to see Skippy up there too. Sitting in the stands last night and hearing the roar of the crowds as JS7, CR22, and RD5 going it was amazing. The track was a lttle sketchy in some spots, kind of a strange layout.
Why no props for 250 KTM M Musquin his supercross race and pulls out a 4th
well give it to him at a boy! and keep up the good work.
When you put style and ego first you get 6th lol.
This truth will hurt! After 10 laps RV put it on cruise control. He was 26 seconds slower in the final 10 laps. Had he kept his pace (we all know he didn't fade and could have pushed harder) He would have lapped Stewart and all the way up to 3rd. He could have won by 40 seconds.
@Maico25- interesting thought, I like it.
When I read these comments, I'm always tempted to reply ... but then I think, "Why bother?" I DO, however, want to know more about "put(ting) a new poweband in ... Bubbas motorsickle" (or anybody else's, for that matter), Mr-Motorcross. I'm intrigued. Where is that located, exactly?
Was anyone else unable to get on the Racer X site last night during the races?
@Retardcross - My thoughts exactly....see my post about yours.
Stewart definitely got his ass handed to him last night but I wouldn't count him out just yet. I think RV will win the title this year but I think Stewart will win a lot of races in the second half of the season when he gets everything figured out because when both RV and JS7 are at the top of they're games, I would say JS7 has a little bit of an edge on him speed-wise but RV is so dialed right now that he will be tough to beat for the long run and JS7 will likely have at least another big crash or 2 for the season while RV will be consistent. I still think that if JS7 was on a better bike that it might be a different story but if he wants to sellout and remain on a yamaha that doesn't handle that well compared to the other big 3 than that's his on fault...you have to admit that stewart definitely wasn't on his A game last night but he'll get better and figure it out come mid season
@sef154- I think Mr Motocross meant rubber band, not powerband, and it is located underneath the seat. Lil Stewie rides one of those wind up bikes. lol
The tire excuse (by poster above) is classic!
Hey, you forgot how about JS7's obvious aerodynamic dis-advantage. You know that damn Go-Pro he is sportin' for the fan's entertainment benefit (great shots by the way, so thank you #7).
Must be costing him .02 or .03 seconds per lap at least, and around .5 seconds for the entire main event! Yikes, no wonder he crashed like that, the "hater" running the ventilation system (you know....Trey's buddy) blew his un-aerodynamic petard into the tuffblocks!
Distracted interviews, winded after the heat race (really!?!), soaked with sweat after the main..........hmmmm.
Go-Pro fastest lap was incredible, I've never even dreamed of riding a bike that smooooth and fast, what a freaking enigma.
the new sheriff had his ponys bars and pegs adjusted to "holeshot haula*s ,embarrass and dominate" I see all the stewie haters talking crash but not mentioning Reed and Dungeys soil tests(and ALOT )of other people. Looks like it doesn't really much matter to RV1. Cole Seely was impressive ,great ride. This should get better and better but the new sheriff is fo' sho' not playin'.......RC's nascar gift shop jacket rocked...lol
Hey sef154, who cares about the posters putting up "motorsickle", "poweband" comments. You get those guys on every board. You are focusing on the wrong stuff my man. Try ignoring that and comment on the race. Im sure everyone is holding their breath for your thoughts. Props to Trucker,retardcross,maico25,redneckrider,czmark,etc.
ITS JUST THE FIRST RACE !!!
Yes it was Preston, and we definitely saw the hardest working come out on top as they should.
slarvison - you obviously didn't look at the race lap times. Copy this and paste it into your browser; http://results.amasupercross.com/index.php?y=2012&e=01&w=0
Villopoto had 8 laps that were faster than Stewarts fastest lap, in the main event.
All of Villopoto's first 6 laps were faster than anybody elses fastest lap time. Stewart's fastest lap put him 4th in lap times. How can someone say Stewart has the speed over Villopoto?
great race a bit boring track looked alot like å euro supercross track. and i actually think shorty looked better on ktm.
cool to se seely superfast
What a great way to start the season - definitely more interesting than A1 last year.
As usual, the Stewart minions are making excuses for JS7's miserable night. However, the more enlightened fans see A1 for what it was - Stewie got beaten straight up. Even if he hadn't crashed (which was his own fault), there was NO WAY he could have caught RV1.
Kudos to KM306 for laying down some knowledge on the JS7 minions - sepcifically the cold, hard truth of lap times.
Not a hater of Stewart FANS - I just don't get the Stewart MINIONS who believe the guy is absolutely untouchable, and that he can do no wrong. THAT'S just being delusional.
RV has found his 250 mojo.........................
JS7 looked like a guy who hadnt raced in a year.......oh wait he hasn't
Whats Tedesco's deal with Stewart
.Track looked safer for sure , Dirt Wurx went too far the other way, now if they could find a happy medium
I thought the AMA approved all track designs and forwarded layouts to the teams in advance. None of the practice tracks I saw looked close to the A1 layout.
JimM
Pala374
It's going to be a good season. Reed started off not so hot last year and he found his speed. Dungey was still in the hunt with a DNF and RV won the championship with a DNS. I really hope stewart gets his ass in gear to make this season interesting. We ALL know he has speed, talent and the ability to win, he just needs to put in a lot more work than he has in the past. He's not the fastest anymore.
Reed said it best, "RV made them all look silly". Stewpots Potential is going to get Joe Gibbs a nice fourth place finish in the final standings. LMAO
James will be fine, what I want to know is who that dude was on Wilsons bike!
How about Hanny? Nice top 10. Keep it up Bud!
I was very upset last night; No Wey!
Jimbo.....Tedesco and Stewart have never moved out of each other's way much thats for sure. Tedesco was one of Stewart's many victims a few years back on Honda. Toronto SX not sure which year, Stewart lost control and cleaned out Tedesco and broke his hand and/or wrist.
Oh and it was in practice I believe too.
I think the in the "Toronto Incident", Stewart crashed and re-entered the track at the landing area of a double or triple. Someone (not positive it was Tedesco) had nowhere to go and landed on him.
Stewart was my pick to win last night. I thought JGR would provide the structure he was missing and that he would be a tough nut to crack, with more wisdom than we'd seen in the past. I still expect him to win some races this year but I was shocked; he came totaly unprepared to race. That's the bottom line.
McGrath must be shaking in his boots worried about those 31 wins Stewie needs to catch him. JS has not won anything in 2 years talking about breaking records when he got his butt kicked all over the place last night. He better be able to get second place before he thinks that way. Does anyone remember when he was a rookie predicting he would own all the records when he retired?
JS is arrogant, disrespectful, and lazy, he even takes a scooter from his house to his garage. I enjoyed watching RV shame him last night and looking forward to more of it this year.
I think that what the "powerband" guy was trying to say is that the engine mapping (EFI) could be reprogrammed to provide a more suitable power delivery for the track.
I think that JS7's best days are in the past. I no longer see that killer instinct. He is soft and rich. JGR gets the pub but not the wins. Kind of like his Nascar effort where he lost a champion like Tony Stewart (no relation) and went with some talented but spoiled kids.
Claxton...why you hatin so much?
according to you RV 'shamed' him last night...hmmm...so what did Rv do the Dungey and Reed and 16 others?
curious if 7 was the only one he beat...
halfe316.......it is different because the other guys are humble and work hard and don't walk around like they own everyone still. It's called putting your money where your mouth is and he didn't do it. And MX Bob, that was ANOTHER incident in Toronto where JS pulled on in front of Travis Preston, luckily noone got hurt that time.
Mr. Stewart did look ashamed of something (and sweaty) in the post race interview.
I also lost and could not get back the Racer X online.com connection from before the race coverage even started. Didn't matter, was just glad to hear it wasn't just me. Great opening night, congrats to RV & Seely. What was that "award" thing that Wiemer got for going from 13 th to 4th ? Eli Tomac worked his way from about the same (12th , 14 th) up to 3rd. Way to represent Colorado Eli !
Are these boards always like this?? If i had to guess i would say the average age of people on here is about 12 or 13!! Do any of you people actually enjoy the races for what they are, or do you just get on here to talk trash about the riders you dislike the most?? What a shame that nobody engages in adult conversation about SX racing on here, truly embarrassing! Last night proves to me the point that almost every rider makes....THE START IS EVERYTHING!! If RV or JS gets the start and the other one isn't right there with them i think it will be very difficult for them to make up the time. Really hope we get to see those guys all get a good start and put on a show. Congrats to KTM on a very good start to 2012!!
Correction, Weimer 5 th. I will tape the next "Live" shows just to keep the Ole lady from B itch in' about the commercials.
How some people can say RV didn't beat Stewart straight up is beyond me. I think they've forgotten one of the fundementals of racing. DON'T CRASH! If Stewart had won and RV had crashed, then Stewart beat him straight up! Whoever wins, beat the rest of the field STRAIGHT UP! All 20 riders started at the same time, had the same number of laps to run, and raced the same track!
for all the stewart worshipers, no one will ever be able to tell them that someone beat stewart straightup, they will always have an excuse to cover JS. Not only is RV beating stewart straightup, so is CR, and RD.
I don't' like JS7. I am a reed fan. But common some people are blind. js7 a top 5 rider now? seriously? Yeah he rode terribly and really unfocused. But he is not really known for being dominant in opening round. I don't think he will win the title. But i think he will be still a strong force.
As for Reed. Damn i was nervous when i seen the track. We all know he kinda psyches himself out when he doesnt like a track. However he rode pretty good and really salvaged what coulda been a bad night.
Also as being said by others. Yeah RV will be the man to beat. I don't think we should be holding the crown to him now. But in saying that. I think only thing that will ruin his title hopes is himself. which statistically has been down 2/3 seasons.
Happy racing
It was A1. Nobody wanted to throw away the championship in the first round. The guys that did not perform to expectations likely overthought the race and weren't focused. Give them a couple of rounds to loosen up before making rediculas claims and predictions. The top 5 are all fast! RV was the most confident and road his own race last night. Good for him.
So if Stewart is the "fastest man on the planet" what does that make RV? lol
Watching him all day yesterday and watching the races there is just nothing spectacular about him anymore he looks slow, he does not look like he hauling ass like he was on a Kawi. RV looked way faster than him. So anyone that said RV did not beat him straight up is so delusional. He got beat straight up last season and he will get beat straight up this season and prob retire knowing him
concerning the "powerband issue"...back when "I was a pro" on my super combat wombat,,,,,,,,,,,,the shop would "replace my powerband after every race with a titanium one".....only cost me 300.00 a pop. :p they said the stock plastic one . "gets loose"? Yep. Only pro's know this stuff.
I just want them all to heal up or stay healthy for Toronto!!!!! As for Bubba, he will be on it next week. Reed needs to get close to RV and show him some old school dirtbiken!
@joemotocross589- joe, I was walking through the pits yesterday, but didn't see the factory hodaka team there. So what's up?
My Harley Baja 100 would eat Super Rats all day! Powerbands made by "Delorto". They dribbled all over you but would last the whole weekend !
Can't wait for Phoenix
Wow, people are absolutely losing their minds! I see people claiming Stewart lost only because he crashed, he was the fastest guy, Short looked better on the KTM(?)....... Stewart was I think 18 seconds down when he took his first crash. I don't know what anyone thinks he's going to do to be beating RV anytime soon. RV would have won that race from 10th place from what I saw, it is that scary. As someone else said, he started cruising after lap 9!!!! He was destroying them. The worst oart about this is he just gained a ton of confidence last night and it will build from here. RV boring? He's a freaking terror out there, that is not boring.
@joe- My days as a factory Hodaka rider had a working '2 slice' toaster built right into the 1.8 gallon chrome moly tank. Heat from the cylinder was then re-directed thru the shielded tank in order to heat the strawberry pop tarts, which could be ejected at will by the rider- simply by pressing an activator switch located at the bottom rear of the tank. Thankfully- this was easy to do due to the Hodaka seat/tank ergonomics. Premature ejection was often experienced on some of the rougher tracks, and even a banana seat design didn't completely cure the problem.
Carmichael's jacket had to have been borrowed or else Ursuala's fashion sense is worse than her weird name :) JS is fun to watch just don't expect him to win anymore titles; we lost focuse after the first millions started rolling in a couple years ago and it aint gonna return. Props to Reed; consistent producer year in year out. Props to Roger D making KTM legit; he deserves his money.
I guess it is like this on here...some of you dudes are a joke!! I've got nothing against any of these riders, and i honestly don't pull for any one too much (although i do find myself wanting Dungey to do well), but if you people who can only say negative crap think that James Stewart won't come back and win some races, you are out of your minds. The dude has a cloud over his head every year it seems, digs himself a hole he has to get out of, very strange!! I really do have no doubt that he will start winning though!
WHEN IS RACERX GOING TO CHANGE THE MESSAGE BOARD TO WHERE YOU CAN REPLY TO SOMEONES MESSAGE RIGHT UNDERNEATH THEIR MESSAGE LIKE MOST OTHER BOARDS!!!????...TO HAVE TO RESPOND WHERE THEY PROBABLY WON'T EVER READ IT UNDERNEATH 30 OTHER MESSAGES IS RIDICULOUS AND WHEN THAT DOES HAPPEN MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE RESPONDING TO BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO FIND IT...C'MON RACER X FIX THE PROBLEM!!...ITS SO MUCH BETTER AND I CAN'T SEE IT BEING THAT HARD TO CHANGE AND IT WOULD MAKE THE MESSAGE BOARD SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING...MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
RV looked great of course, but anyone who thinks he will run away with the season is nuts. I would LOVE to see RV wax everyone and win but it wont happen. He was on from the start, and was very smart to set blazing times to gap the field while he had a wide open track. But it wont happen every week. Stewie looked very rusty, but he will get more consistent I think. His crash is NOT the reason he lost though. He even said so himself, he said "RV was gone, I think I maybe could have gotten 2nd".. He knows it was RV's day , but it wont be like that every week. Reed looked pretty darn good to, and nobody is talking about him. And Dungey showed a little bit of fire, but I think he is still WAAAAY to cautious on his passing and agression though.
The "powerband as a physical thing" gag..... I would have thought in the era of the internet and Wikipedia people wouldn't fall for that one anymore. Oh well...
McMoto, about your Harley Baja... I am not saying you are a liar, merely that you had the one and only unit that could run with a Super Rat. Actually, I heard they weren't bad in the desert (what with the 3 ft ground clearance and no frame), but for MX? In the midwest at a MX track showing up on one got you laughed at. To come full circle; it was the kind of bike that invited people to ask the owner if he wanted to buy a new powerband or ask how many powerbands it had or ask if he had thought to have the powerband polished/cleaned/painted/lubricated/yougettheidea. Always wondered... what was it like going to a Harley dealer for Italian 2-stroke parts?
Anyway, it made SuperHunky's list of 10 Worst Bikes Ever
http://articles.superhunky.com/4/80
6. HARLEY-DAVIDSON BAJA 100. H-D brought this little stinker out to capture the small-bore trail bike market that was dominated by Hodaka at the time-the early '70s. They contracted with the Italian Aermacchi factory, which responded with a hopelessly tall, short-wheelbased, underpowered, ill-handling package that nearly defied belief.
Still, H-D put together a desert racing team that started to dominate the trail bike class, so people went out and bought the Bajas in droves, only to find out they weren't buying what was being raced.
The race bikes had everything changed! The stock bikes came with rigid footpegs, no horsepower to speak of, a huge overlay sprocket on the rear wheel that constantly came loose, a tank shaped like a mailbox, a saddle that felt like plywood and a strange metal hook strategically placed to rip your crotch off if you crashed. It also had stupid bars, dumb fat grips from a street bike and a suspension that had more side-to-side travel than up-and-down stroke. I called it "a re-hashed Italian street bike with no redeeming traits." Yes, we promptly lost the H-D ads at the magazine.
@WFO UFO- dude that was funny. Makes me want to trade my CZ in for a Hodaka!
@ElsinoreRacer, I seemed to remember a couple of guys who would flat out fly on those Baja 100,s in the early 70's, at District 37 desert races. But I guess that was the exception.
I wish I could have seen more of Weimer's ride. Great to see him bounce back after missing most of 2011 SX. I think he is major underdog and I would say on a night when the big 5 all falter he might be the most likely guy to snag a first-timer win. Remember, he trains with RV and I believe is also coached by Baker so he's obviously fit.
I think the Lites is going to be really interesting in the West. Tomac and Seeley seem really fast, definitely a notch above the Pro Circuit boys last night. After the alleged "Tickle assist" that Seeley may or may not have provided in Las Vegas last year (blocking Tomac) I definitely think we are going to see the two of them bang some bars at the front. GO ELI!
Has JGR fired JS7 yet? Plenty of real pros without those self-induced distractions to take pin-heads place Mr Joe Gibbs.
Track's comment about the jacket.....first place!
Hey halfe316, No JS got shamed because he did not get near the podium, back in sixth place was it not? Reed and Dungey made the box dude.
slarveson is right! RacerX needs to change how these message boards work!
Track was great! Interesting to watch. JS7 is great to have around, he has made everyone step up!
KTM306 .....Agree completely !
I expected alot more from the Stewart / JGR effort . Hard to get the bike dialed if your not in race shape. On the flip side sixth at this point is not the worst place to be.
Still dicing with Dungey is one thing , racing with RV....................................
Jim M
Pala374
The top 3 finished like last years points.Stewarts ride (and the track) reminded me of Bradshaw at the 92 final race,just rode tight and could not find the groove.The track was kind of old school,tight and a little slower.I thought it was cool and good to switch it up.Maybe the lower speeds will keep injury down.I am sure they will have some more open faster tracks during the season to please everyone.
And about the powerband issue,color selection is critical for performance.(back in the day the purple ones were bad a$$.)
These are facts...Stewart has a 3 year deal indoors and OUT. He will get faster and will most likely win a few races which is good for the sport and good for JGR.
Impressive race for RV. James will get better and Reedy did pretty good considering he broke his thumb and was only on the bike the last two weeks. RD did well too. It's going to be a great season as they all get in their groove and there will be several race winners that's for sure.
In the 450 main the track started out tacky and got very slick by the end of the moto. It looked like it like JS7 suffered the most in slick conditions. (Pirellies?) Also JS7 looked like he got real tired. That's super funny since he fired Aldon so he could blame him for Unadilla. One thing we know for sure is RV2 has cold steel in his veins, he performs better the more pressure he has on him. JS7 is the total opposite, anytime he gets pressure he folds like a cheap lawn chair. At a time when the economy is destroying everything, pro sx/mx has never been better! Can't wait for Phoenix
Sweart has more style than RV? I hated I quit watching the series a few years b ack when Stewart was walking away with things, because he has no style, in my opinion. RV looks like he is on the gas (ala Carmichael) the entire race! To get down to the point, the intensity is so high that in my opinion, no one has any style. think back to when Mc was throwing nacnacs, windahm would throw heal clickers over the finish line jumps, no one has any style or finess to me. Just my opinion, I would like to say that it is pretty screwed up that RV spanked them last night and the first person they interview is................6th place Stewart????????
@ uneasy rider You quit watching S/X because JS7 had no style? So now you don't like it because nobody has any fitness or style. Are you a f##king RETARD!!!
Let the ass kicking continue! If you think JS7 will ride outdoors after getting his ass kicked indoors your crazy. He will quit or make up an excuse to retire. 2nd is not good enough for JS7. I would bet big money on that 3 year deal falling apart in less then 6 months.....
@uneasy_rider....Stewart has no style? His style is what earned him 6th place last night! Style does not win races. Being the fastest does.
Who were the two douchebags flipping the camera off? Some old guy and his Craigslist boyfriend it seemed.
The track sucked...fastest endurocross track due to no logs or water. Racing was great.
@uneasy_rider I am pretty sure that there were alot of people that wanted that interview. And I actually bet the wife he wouldn't do any.
If they didn't interview JS7 after the race, people would be complaining
Reading the comments is almost as fun as watching the races. Last year everybody b**ching about 50 second lap times, now the tracks too easy, one-lined, blah blah blah. Stewarts sucks, Stewart's the FMOTP. Man, I need a new powerband! (By the way, that one did have me lol, but I see, not surprisingly, some even missed the humor of the original post)
A few serious observations: Villipoto has reminded me of RC at his best since getting the '12 bike. Fast, smooth, and NO mistakes. Stewart was surprisingly slow, despite setting fast time in practice by 1.3 secs - and out of shape. Should be another interesting year. Even if RV2 runs the table, the race for 2nd should be awesome.
Did anyone else nothice that the NASCAR yahoos at SPEED were using the Honda car logo instead of the wing on the results graphic?
Maybe I'm just picking nits here.
kraycing31,
I noticed too. The wing is a far better logo. The stylized H makes me think of a Civic with a cantaloupe launcher as an exhaust tip
Elsinore. Nice research on the old Baja 100. I have to admit,mostly true. I did well on mine for my rookie MX/Scrambles season. It was a ticking grenade especially after this 13 yr. old discovered "porting". Ran strong but never made it to Monday. Italian parts, my god your bring back Nightmares. These kids have NO idea how good they have it.
I saw the Craigslist "Boy toy" giving us the finger too!
TWK1, I wrote finess not fitness you f'ing retard! I was stating the fact that the level of intensity and competition is so high, that no one including the media darling Stewart does not have any style, and I stand by that statement. I get no joy watching him race. My opinion! And 6th place is not worth crap if you are the self proclaimed "Fastest man on the Planet"! Dungey was the paper champ, well guess what, HE BEAT STEWART STRAIGHT UP! If you crash you lose! Dungey went down too, but no one gives him that excuse for ending up 3rd. Yeah Stewart passed him......when he fell, the Dungey passed him....when he fell. That's racing ladies! As far as the interview after the race, who cares what the 6th place guy got, did we get an interview from 5th place? 4th place? 7th place? No, but we got Stewart!