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Racer X Notebook: Houston

Tuesday, April 3, 2012 | 1:25 PM

By Chase Stallo and Jason Weigandt

  • We just got the word that Kevin Windham is indeed out for the season with a multitude of injuries incurred in his crash at Houston. Check out the press release here:

 

  • The Red Bull KTM team says Ryan Dungey is due for another look at his surgically repaired collarbone early next week. At that time, Dungey and the team will be able to have a better idea of what comes next – either coming back for the final few rounds of Monster Energy Supercross or waiting until the start of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

 

  • James Stewart tweeted on Sunday that he was not seriously injured in his main event crash. Of course, he was dealing with a broken hand coming into the race, so we're not sure how how this latest incident will impact him trying to race again in New Orleans.

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Word came out earlier today that Kevin Windham will miss the rest of the season after a crash in Houston.
Simon Cudby photo

 

  • After three-straight eighth-place finishes, Broc Tickle did one better in Houston with a seventh on his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. That's a season's best in the SX class for Tickle.

 

  • With the only off-weekend of the SX season coming up, riders and teams are getting to work with motocross prep. Ryan Villopoto was scheduled to log 30-minute motos this week for the first time. "It's a big difference from last year, when we had to stay focused on supercross all the way until the end," explains his trainer Aldon Baker. Justin Brayton is also heading back out to California this week to start motocross testing – Brayton had been working out of North Carolina during the eastern swing of the SX tour.

 

  • If you were to pick three guys in the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites class who just can't seem to catch a break this season, no doubt names like Justin Bogle, Kyle Cunningham and Malcolm Stewart would come to mind. Well, when it rains it pours, and in Houston, all three of those guys found themselves mired in a first turn pileup, along with Darryn Durham and Shane Sewell.

 

  • After turning heads with a career high of fifth place at the Eastern Regional Supercross Lites Opener in Dallas, Phil Nicoletti experienced a string of crashes, DNQs and mechanically induced DNFs that kept him from finishing another main event. That all changed in Houston, however, when Nicoletti rode to yet another fifth place. Looks like this New Yorker just likes racing in Texas!

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James Stewart suffered another big crash in Houston, but tweeted that he was not seriously injured.
Simon Cudby photo

  • Texas' own Sean Hackley had a rough go in Houston, crashing in the whoops during the first lap of his Lites heat race. He texted us this update: "I fractured some things in my back but I have full feeling and everything. Also broke three ribs and my collarbone. Just strapped up in a big brace right now but feeling good."

 

  • Privateer Austin Politelli has seen his share of highs and lows during his rookie campaign. He began the season hot – making the first three mains – then cooled off over the next three weeks, missing every main. The California kid rebounded in Houston, making his first main since St. Louis, scoring a career best 12th.

 

  • AMA Arenacross Champion Tyler Bowers was looking strong in practice but was taken down right off the start of his Lites heat race. He was knocked out, but did eventually get up under his own power. His night was finished at that point, however.

 

  • Privateer Zack Freeberg was set to begin his rookie season under the Suzuki City tent, but the team folded just weeks before the start of the season. Left without a ride Freeberg decided to make a go of it on his own dime, but has struggled to make mains – missing the first six mains of the year. The now-Honda pilot was finally able to break through in Houston, securing his first career main event appearance. Freeberg would finish 18th on the night.

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Will Ryan Dungey make a return to Monster Energy Supercross or wait for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship?
Simon Cudby photo

  • Continuing down the rookie trail, Star/Valli Yamaha’s Kyle Peters was expected to shine in his inaugural season, after defeating the highly touted Justin Bogle for a title at Loretta Lynn’s. But a collarbone injury just before the East Region season opener in Dallas would stall the North Carolina native’s progress. For the first time all season Peters looked comfortable in Houston, running inside the top ten the majority of the race, before eventually finishing a career best 11th.

 

  • Peters wasn’t the only Star/Valli member to shine in Houston. The team had four of its five riders finish inside the top 10. Robby Kiniry (6th), Nico Izzi (8th) and Weston Peick (9th) finished inside the top ten in the Supercross class while Kyle Cunningham, who was returning from a wrist injury, took home 9th in the Lites class.

 

  • Cunningham explained that his wrist is fractured, but his doctor said he can't hurt it worse by riding – only if he takes on another big crash. For now, Cunningham will keep on racing, then, instead of casting it. He's also running the All-Sport Dynamics Wrist Brace, similar to what Justin Barcia wears.

 

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The Conversation

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motohard85 wrote: 1:57pm April 3, 2012

I think that Dungey will just sit out the rest of the SX series especially since RV has it all sewn up already, and IMO its the best idea for him. Get as much healing on his collarbone as possible so that he does not re-injure it in SX which would be seen as a waste. Stay out of SX and just prep for the outdoors.

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BillC wrote: 2:22pm April 3, 2012

RD PLEASE just test for the outdoors, Get ready to give us a show. You have nothing more to prove in SX this year. You did better then 99% of the people though you would. Don't risk it, do outdoor testing cuz you may be the only one who can give RV a run for it.

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ride2 wrote: 2:36pm April 3, 2012

RD is a racer, when he is ready, he should go racing. There is more risk when racing but you can get hurt anytime you through a leg over the bike, over-thinking it doesn't help.

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ride2 wrote: 3:02pm April 3, 2012

My previous comment was more or less just to provide a counter point. There isn't much time between seasons so I wouldn't blame RD if he skipped the rest of the SX season to prep for outdoors.
I still believe that trying to avoid injury doesn't really help.

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ride2 wrote: 3:03pm April 3, 2012

I know you guys are talking about letting something heal 100%, so that is a little different.

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JaminGeorge wrote: 3:23pm April 3, 2012

BillC You've got the right Idea except BT101 will be in the hunt too. don't he been doing 40min motos his fitnes is good he's just going to have to figure how much faster these guys are.

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xxktm wrote: 3:23pm April 3, 2012

Might as well just wait till the outdoors. It makes absolutely no sense wasting a single minute practicing on an SX track or risking an injury when he has a fighting chance for an outdoor title. He seems to get on well with his katoom and he rode great last year. Please mothball the SX package till october. Hungry, fit and ready to rock outdoors sounds good to me!

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Shredder wrote: 3:58pm April 3, 2012

Isn't Peick back on his own Kawi now?

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JC970 wrote: 4:08pm April 3, 2012

True dat BillC. JaminGeorge, BT is awesome but he cant hang with the Ryan's. If so, he would have already been racing in the states this year...

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yfz22 wrote: 4:24pm April 3, 2012

barcia gets fined $5000? i understand fining him, for his general douchbaggery after the race, but that seems a little ridiculous. especially since bogle was only fined $500 for slapping stewart. but who am i to judge.

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motohard85 wrote: 5:45pm April 3, 2012

@yfz22 barcia got fined because he was said to have roosted the medical crew attending to Vincent as well as possibly roosting Roczen

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B-KR wrote: 8:24pm April 3, 2012

Man, Dungey still won't know if he can even start riding until next week? That is not a good way to head into battle with a fully locked and loaded RV. People are going to be shocked when Townley whips some ass out there this year. Well, not everyone's ass.......but most of them. Afterall, RV will be out there.

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motohard85 wrote: 9:08pm April 3, 2012

Honestly i would be surprised if Townley even makes it through a whole season. Im a fan of Townley's but he isnt the first person i would chose if i wanted someone to be there for every weekend. I hope i am wrong because he will be good for racing especially with the rumors that Stewart is seeming to be reluctant to the idea of running Nationals, Reedy being hurt, Dungey possibly not being a 100% by then which would be a huge suprise, and Canard out. Otherwise it could be another run away season for Poto. So i hope that everyone stays as healthy as they can and i hope we get to see some good racing.

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alfred wrote: 2:01am April 4, 2012

This Notebook almost reads like the Injury Report. Injury has always been a part of moto/supercross but the last few supercross seasons and this current season in particular, this part is getting ridiculously large. So large in fact that I think it is a threat to the long-term future of the sport. When a general report on supercross looks like an injury report it should set of some alarm bells.

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PW29 wrote: 12:45pm April 4, 2012

Riders fined based on pay scale.

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