Racer X ReduX: Daytona Bike Week
Thursday, March 15, 2012 | 11:40 AM
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We’re racing types here, so we focus our Daytona Bike Week attention on competition. There’s plenty of it down there, in fact there’s probably more motorcycle racing going on in one week at Daytona than most months in any other area. Throughout Florida you’ll find Pro and amateur supercross, drag racing, road racing, flat track, a GNCC and an enduro. It’s crazy! But the reality is that even all of those races combined are dwarfed by the 500,000 some people cruising around Daytona right now on Harleys and such, and those people are not there for a race. They’re on vacation! Do you know what a vacation is? It’s the exact opposite of work.
Daytona, then, serves as a reminder of what motorcycle riding is supposed to be: fun. It’s a getaway and an escape. It’s freedom. I relearned this on Monday night, down on Main Street. I had been down in Daytona for nearly a week, jammed between one race and another. The theme of each event was the monumental effort needed to produce them and compete in them. But as we industry types tried to top each other with “how little sleep did you get?” stories, and racers outdid each other with all-out exhausting efforts, almost half a million motorcyclists were downtown just hanging out. No agendas. No schedules. No effort. Just hanging.
The majestic Daytona International Speedway was busy last weekend.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
The SX class wasn’t as thrilling, but Ryan Villopoto sure earned his paycheck by coming from last to fifth. Davi Millsaps delivered his first supercross podium in awhile by showing impressive staying power after grabbing the holeshot. And James Stewart’s win shows that the whole JGR effort isn’t giving up after a rough first half of the season. And although Ryan Dungey wasn’t there, plenty were talking about his efforts to finish second with a broken collarbone last weekend. KTM people told me he still wanted to ride Daytona event with a fresh plate in his collarbone. And then Chad Reed showed up, hobbling, but also explaining that he hasn’t thought about retirement for one second.
Effort, sacrifice and yes, pain, defined the day.
The one, the only, Jason Weigandt announcing at Daytona Supercross.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Then the amateur races rolled out on Sunday morning. Surely there were some riders in the nearly 800-strong RCAmSX field that were there to just have fun on their dirt bikes. Can you find a cooler place to camp out than the Daytona infield? Can you find a cooler place to log some motos than in the Florida sunshine with the Daytona grandstands right over your shoulder? The place is mighty and impressive, and I’m sure some riders were there just for the experience. But we all know that amateur motocross has become much more competitive than that. Today’s amateur stars are being faced with a ridiculous schedule of big-name amateur races at this time of year. There’s a big one at Freestone in Texas, followed by another big one at Oak Hill in Texas, then the Daytona RCAmSX is jammed in on a weekend followed by a race at Mill Creek in Alabama. That’s four big races in three weeks! Try to do ‘em all and you’re away from work and school (and home) for nearly a month. I doubt many riders tried to do all four races, but there is no doubt that if you’re a prospect, you had to make some tough, stressful decisions on how to handle your spring. And then you had to perform under pressure at whatever races you decided to do. Amateur racing is serious business.
Next came the GNCC on Tuesday. Trail riding in perfect weather when it’s still technically winter is pure fun—but a GNCC event is a trail race—and you’ll be left pounding sand whoops and palmetto roots all day long. The two hour race in the morning is tough, the three-hour afternoon event for pro, A and B classes is plain crazy. Riders were just brutally exhausted and beat by the end. When you see a sweet sand berm or a stretch of sand whoops, it’s tempting to just pin it, but at some point, the pinning will have to stop, no matter how fit you are.
Big-time amateur prospects were out to prove themselves at the Monster Energy Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
The GNCC saw a bunch of riders bid for the lead until they hit the wall. Florida favorite Garrett Edmisten had plenty of fans cheering when he took the lead—a bunch of people were even wearing Edmisten “Sand Man” t-shirts. But he straight up hit the proverbial wall. Out of energy. He cruised in for tenth in the XC1 pro class. New Zealand’s Rory Mead also made a surprise bid for the lead, but also just plain wore out at that pace, settling for a still-impressive third. A bunch of XC2 Lites riders were strong early, like Husqvarna’s factory guys Jason Thomas and Glenn Kearney. But they got tired. Ex-motocrosser Jase Lewis was flying and leading early, but he tuckered out, too.
In the end, favorites Charlie Mullins and Paul Whibley were left battling like usual. Whibley held the lead heading into the final section, but Mullins put on one last push to try to get him. After three hours of whoops and roots and heat and sand, they came charging toward the finish nearly together, with Whibley edging ahead for the win by less than a second. Mullins then collapsed at the finish, exhausted. The infamous Dano of DVS was standing there watching and told me, “I looked into Mullins eyes in the last corner and you could see he was just glazed over—but then he was still pinning it trying to get the lead!”
It was that kind of race. That kind of serious business.
The week ended with a photo finish at the opening round of the GNCC series.
Photo: Ken Hill / GNCC Racing
That’s what all of these events have in common. Be it supercross or GNCC or road racing or flat track, at the top level, you’re watching motorcycle riders use their bikes as tools to make a living—or with the amateurs, a tool to potentially make one in the future. Then you’ve got folks like myself who make a living chasing them, and massive lists of sponsors and team people and execs with tons of money invested in all of this.
Such seriousness is the evolution of motorcycle riding. In 1937, what we know now as Bike Week started with the first running of what we now know as the Daytona 200—but back then, the race took place on the beach. Since then, racing and riding have gone in different directions. The 200 races inside the Speedway on sport bikes, while the Harley guys still hang around the beach and Main Street. The racing has become serious business, and it has to be, because racing is now a job for a bunch of people.
Meanwhile, down on Main Street, there is no such pressure. People are just riding motorcycles for fun. After working and working and working all week on the racing side, that seems kind of nice.
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We all can lose sight of the "Fun Factor". Every guy on the starting line, regardless of the type race, got into racing because riding his motorcycle was FUN..I am an over 50 rider and it is still fun after 42 yrs of riding. I never was as fast as MC or any one else for that matter, but we all have that one thing in common...We love to ride because its FUN..Thanks Jason for reminding us of that!
@BD25, great comment! Nice to see a truly positive statement that brings everyone back to the basics of why we all love the sport.
@bd25... Glad to hear you are still involved at 50 + .... I will pay more att. to your comments , because I believe that the VET racers on here have a better understanding of this sport , and their comments have more Validity !... I think all of the posters on here should tell their age , and then we can decide if we want to deal with them or not !
42 ;)
Ps. Good post BD!
@ Weege & BD25: Thanks for the reminder! I do forget sometimes.......
@Preston--Glad to hear you say that. As I am 43 and still very involved in the sport. I raced for a while, and my sons still do. We are attending the Indy supercross, which I have done every year since 1995.. And I still race some Hare scrambles and a few enduros, but havent raced a motocross race in about 4 years now.. I leave that to my kids. I race a KTM 200 2-stroker and love it to death..
Age 49, Vet A
20 races a season, district and local (including Millville)
Started riding at age 5, on my 14th dirtbike, owned Honda, Kawi, Yamaha, KTM
Thanks for all the effort Weege. The same goes for all the behind the scenes people that never get the recognition.
I couldn't agree more BD25.
50 yrs. young. First bike, Yamaha 1973 GT-1 80 Enduro . My Dad didn't want MX bikes. He felt they were too high maintenance.
.
the races are great and downtown during bike week is a blast. Thechosen1, you probably just never heard that a lot of bikers would be there?
Another great article Jason. Lately, I've seen a few derogatory comments directed at certain journalists or articles on this site, but Weege is one of the best our sport has, along with Eric Johnson & DC, of course. Some of the “professional” writers on other sites, even their creators, at times seem to lack the ability to pen a worthy article. I’m not just talking about bad grammar and poor spelling. I’ve seen them use words that aren’t even words or are used in a surprisingly incorrect fashion, and their ability to tell a story clearly is limited. Of course, being the moto-junkie I am, I still read them, but always find myself coming back to RacerX and occasionally wondering, “Why do I go anywhere else? Everything I need is right here, and it’s always done well.” Some of you may have seen my comment on the most recent “This Week in Yamaha History” about the old-school fans of our sport, so for the record, I’m 42 and started riding at ten years old on a 1977 Honda XR75. Twenty-two years have passed and my love of the sport hasn’t stopped growing. We all, young and old, owe a debt of gratitude to RacerX and the Coombs family for all they’ve done and continue to do for this sport. And I suppose at this point Jason, DC must consider you and EJ as family and deservingly so because you're a great moto-journalist.
Math is not my strong point apparently - make that 32 years. Early stages of Alzheimer's setting in already!
And before I confuse the rest of you Vet-aged guys, the XR was used and three years old. Let's recap...I'm 42 and have been around the sport for thirty-two years. Mom always said I was the "special" one. lol
50 Vet A ... first race 1973 .. still racing , I ride a YZ 125 , and a crf 250 ... Had 450s but I have the most fun on my YZ 125 , and have the same results on the 125 as i do the 250f , so i am excited about Ricky Renner .. Its a thrill to blow by a 450 on a 125 .... BRRAAPPPP ! twostrokes are coming back for us civilians !
Im thirty two, and been riding since i was six, and racing off and on since I was twelve. Just could never afford to go at it hard core because my parents didn't help out with riding. I would save lunch money, grass cutting money, and any other money I could to afford waht I could to ride. Now that I am relatively successful as a business owner, I see no point in racing every weekend, but I love to ride every weekend. I'm a decent b rider, but I love moto, and it is trully my passion. I read everything on here, and even all the comments. Moto is supposed to be fun, and the only thing that bums me out, is how some amateurs are taking it to such levels with the fancy motor homes, and spending tons of loot on things that arent going to matter in the end if the rider doesn't really have the gift anyway. I will support my boy a hundred percent if he wants to race, but if he doesn't have it, well, then we will be sure to atleast have fun riding. Some parents just want it so bad, they lose sight of noticing if the kid really has it or not.
As far as Weege, too many people are un-aware of how he really became to be where he is at in the moto industry. I have listened to all his podcasts, and to be here, so involved, is hell-a- impressive. I am amazed at that path of direction that got you here. Any fans in this sport, should really appreciate Weege and what he brings, because the guy is amazing! I had a chance to meet him and fro at high point last year, and I was just as pumped that I met them as meeting Villo an hour earlier! I for one hope Weege never decides to all of a sudden take an interest in car racing or something like that, because as he has already shown, once he takes an interest in a certain sport, he will put in un-limited work to get to the top!
Well done Weege!
@ Preston, you started something here.
48, Vet Master/Amatuer ( Most of the time they combine the Amateurs with the Masters cuz there just aren't enough of us old guys willing to go fast anymore!). Still racing, a CRF450!
Started at 12, racing at 16.
Hey, did you ever go back and watch the St Louis Go Pro Vid? I posted that it was not James giving props to RD and RV.
First thread in awhile that has us all sharing and caring instead of grippin and rippin!
Good idea!
53 started riding at 12, racing at 16. Motocross and enduros. Still riding a Cr 250, Ktm 530, Crf 250 and Ducati S4R Monster. Never got better than C class but love it and will never quit. I'm going to have a two stroke wheel chair when the time comes.
I thought it would be a good time to change the way we talk to each other , if we new a little bit about who we are , and try to stop all of the name calling that is a waste of time , me included , Some will still go that way , but the adults will ,weed them out ...
Agreed Preston. What I find the most interesting is that the majority of us bickering meatheads are 40+ yrs old. Cool to see all us old guys still have this kind of passion for the greatest sport on earth!
([email protected])
My name is miss cherish i went through your profile today and became interested,Please Dear one I will be very happy if you can contact me direct with this my email ([email protected])
so that I will tell you more about myself and a picture for you to know whom I am,(Remember the distance or color does not matter but love matters a lot in life)
I hope to read from u soon,
Miss cherish
please contact me direct with this email ([email protected])