The Moment: Millville
Tuesday, July 17, 2012 | 4:10 PM
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It’s pretty obvious where this race changed. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett had the lead in the second 250 moto at Millville and looked ready to capture his third-straight overall win. But he crashed heading up to a tabletop jump, and ended up sliding off to the side of the track. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac was still pretty close to Baggett, so he took the lead back and set sail for the overall victory. Baggett’s win streak was history.
“ Just made a little error and ended up going down,” explained Baggett. “I was in a bad spot, so I was just trying to get the flagger’s attention so no one would land on me or my bike and stuff. It’s just one of those errors that kind of sneak up on you—it’s not like we’re going to have to go back and make some big changes or something so it won’t happen again.”
Baggett salvaged valuable championship points with a fourth in the second moto at Millville.
Simon Cudby photo
Baggett showed blinding speed but lacked for consistency last year, so the competition has been hoping to get a opening. It looked like this could be it, as Blake’s bike took a beating in the crash, and it took him about a lap to get his helmet visor back up and basically look comfortable again. But once he got back into the groove, he rallied back to finish the moto in fourth, losing hardly any points for the day—and a day where you can survive a crash and leave with the points lead intact is usually a good one. And for his competitors, they'll have to hope for a mistake bigger than this to wrestle away the points lead.
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That was one heck of a ride by Blake.
I was glad to see him get back up and fight for a few points, I was also glad he was smart about making sure the flagmen saw him and to try and keep other riders from crashing into him. The young man seems very mature in that aspect.
Ridiculous with these flaggers!!!!!!!!
Another case were the sanctioning body should have a traveling crew but this will never fly……… I used my own funs after retiring and did some work at 7 of the Nationals on the circuit there were 4 of us pros, to local pro’s that lived about 30 minutes of each other in Ohio, some were paid by AMA some like me just got some perks from local promoters………This was a classic case of some fat slob standing at a platform overlooking low area at the crest of a jump BS’ing with other just watching the race. Quote. “Having the best seat in the house.” Not at all in tune with what is happening. This is at the front of the race. COME ON MAN! I can here it now, if someone would of crashed into Baggett, luckily the rider was intelligent to know what the F is up and run back to the fat slob. He should of continued all the way and beat the dud. I would of then, then get back on the bike, that’s another reason why I’m were I am & he’s on the track……Thank God no won got hurt………..Get a traveling crew………..
It was a smart, heads up move. I'm all the riders have seen haphazard flaggers enough to know they can't count on them. I hit about 2 nationals a year, and have seen FAR too many mishaps. It's a big bummer that we can't fix this.
@9lives, that would be killer to have a traveling crew... even though it's unlikely to happen.
@ TheChosen1
Agreed!!
250 CLASS I want to see a Doug Henry = Ryan Hughes go fot brawl at the last round...... ALAH Steel City
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Old-Doug-Henry-video,745845
Toward the end of the video about the 2 minute mark
I think Baggett is talking about the blocking which as you watch on tape just slows everyone down including the blocker. When a guy is super man like Blake just pick your line and hold it instead of breaking your concentration with blocking. I doubt Bam would win any rough play battle with Blake since BB has the speed on him and he does get aggressive with Bam to get by.
I agree about the flaggers. Can't we use some sponsor money to get a flagging crew to travel the circuit?
Davy Coombs, I'm BEGGING you to PLEASE consider moving some of the trackside banners that block spectator views of the racetrack. I've been attending pro nationals for almost 40 years, and I'm not making this stuff up. Some of these banners block the view of the track and the riders, and there's no excuse for this. I know the importance of the sponsors, and I'm not asking for the banners to be removed, just move them back from the edge of the track to the chain-link spectator fence. That way they won't be in the spectator's way and you can still see them on TV. This is an EASY FIX! I don't pay my hard-earned money to see Ryan Dungey come by me from the waist up, and I'm not lucky enough to have a pit pass to stand right on the track.
The 250 season is not over! Barcia and Tomac (Roczen and Musquin) still have time to make the decision to do whatever it takes to race with Baggett.
Many fans will argue that MX is a mental game as much as it is a physical game. Baggett has appeared to psych out the top 250 riders for two years in a row ....
@the chosen1... Unfortunately we do not get to see the whole race, only what they show us on TV unless we are there then we get to choose what we watch. My guess is that somethinig happened that we did not see that made Bagget say what he did on the podium about riding dirty.
I think Bagget is too fast and too smart to get taken out by Barcia. It would have to be a move that takes them both out ala Reed/Stewart...
MX Sports probably has left the flaggers repsonsibility to the promoter.Create flagger guidelines for the promoter and leave them a few crumbs to work with.
Oh or wait until someone gets Alessied.
JimM
Pala374
@ JimboMX374, I don't care who you are, that's funny.
Not exactly the "mark" he wanted to leave on the sport but, it is what it is.
Flagging / flaggers is an area ripe for liability. It's a good thing waivers are worth twice the amount of the paper they're written on.
Baggett's heads up move was wise beyond his years and so well thought out in it's utter simplicity that it would probably go unthought of by 90+% of the field.
I have always hated Barcia's BamBam Handle.The only people that I have ever seen him Bam Bam was second tier riders and privateers.He won't mess with a Tomac or Blake Baggett.I've always wanted to see him Bam Bam a Reed or RV1.He won't do it because he is a big cream puff bully.He won't slam with a top rider.I think Barcia is a great rider but I also think he is a little punk.
i agree peeps! there were some times at millville you could hardly see because of the banners. first all the semis and vendors, now the banners!
it was still awesome though! sorry to nitpick! I'm sure everyone is trying there best