by Andy Bowyer
Rev Up: Phoenix
Thursday, January 10, 2013 | 12:00 PM
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PrintHello, everyone, and welcome to the Rev Up. Supercross is pretty cool, huh? Ho, ho. The season opener is always special, but this one really drove it home. There wasn’t a fan in the world that wasn’t going crazy at the sight of Trey Canard and Davi Millsaps throwing down. I had an idea that Trey was going to have winning speed coming in so he didn’t surprise me. Canard won the east region 250 supercross title as a rookie, defeating Ryan Villopoto. He has won at every level since graduating to big bikes at Loretta Lynn’s. Canard was top three (or winning) every race he entered until he broke his femur... the second time. When you see that image of him being carried off the track last year then watched him go for the win last weekend it was simply magic. He is a very young man to have had so many comebacks. But, you can’t call this a comeback. He picked up right where he left off.
Finding speed has never been an issue for Canard.
Carl Stone Photo
Millsaps owns a different story. It’s been a long time since Davi has won, or challenged for wins consistently. He’s bounced around from factory ride to factory ride, and left most scratching their heads when it didn’t come together. None of those former bosses should have been surprised to see ‘Saps near the top of the practice charts. I wasn’t at all. I was a little bewildered that he smoked James Stewart and Canard in his heat race. But I was downright astonished when he battled back to pass for the win on the last lap showing tough as nails stamina and salty determination. He was the man. His bike looked and handled great while Davi rode his best all day long. Millsaps at his best has always been the stuff to get the job done and he did it big that time. Not enough accolade now a days for the winner. Congratulations to Rockstar Energy Racing and Davi on one of the biggest victories the sport has seen in a very long time. In the big picture, I think his win made supercross look outstanding. It proved the factories can be beaten. It proved that you can be down but not out, and it proved that even a semi-god like Ryan Villopoto can bleed. You can bet your ass RV1 has some scabs on his elbows coming into Phoenix.
Millsaps is back with a newfound determination and better yet, the points lead.
Simon Cudby photo
So, now Phoenix. As much as we’ve gone on about with Anaheim, the fire is rising for round two. Contenders like Ryan Dungey, Chad Reed, and Jake Weimer can breathe a little easier. That said, I look for those three to mirror their opening efforts for a while. We won’t see Reed come into his own for a few more rounds and the other two are going to be 3rd through 5th guys all year. It’s going to be tough for those three to beat the confidence of Millsaps and the speed of Canard this weekend. This is where we enter Villopoto. Should he panic about finishing 16th? No, not at all. In fact, I think RV will have the points lead, or be very close to it by the time they leave Anaheim 3.
What about Justin Barcia? He was fast as expected and over the years I’ve learned to watch the bikes attitude as much or more as the riders. The factory Honda’s were the best on the track last weekend, in my opinion. Barcia is close to finding the right relationship between his rage and his machine. They’re not together yet, but very close. He might be the guy this weekend in the unlikely event that RV short-circuits again. This creates a bit of a rub. If the defending champion doesn’t win this weekend, something is wrong.
Barcia has the ability to capture his first 450SX main event win.
Simon Cudby photo
Speaking of wrong, James Stewart getting injured in practice at the season opener is a bad deal. If his ACL is torn it is only a matter of time before it pops. He’s in Robert Griffin III territory in that he won’t be what he was before the injury. Unlike RG3, Stewart is no longer a young man in motocross years. His situation perforates sadness with me because I love watching that guy race. He is a terrific competitor and I’ll never understand why his racing career turned out the way it did. If that sounds cryptic, that’s because it is. I don’t know what he’ll be able to do this weekend, or the rounds to come, but I hope it’s a miracle and he can make it work enough to race. He’s a warrior and he’ll race until he can’t race anymore.
Stewart's health will be a question mark going into Phoenix.
Simon Cudby photo
In the 250SX class, boy is it simple. Eli Tomac will have a year like Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart had during their last season on tiddler machines. Over the top domination. Ken Roczen, Cole Seely, and Tyla Rattray and maybe a couple others will knock on the door and there will be furious racing in the wild, wild, west... but Eli’s gone. Nobody can do anything with him whatsoever, but it is a hornet’s nest behind him.
Phoenix. It’s already time to do it again. Did everyone have a merry little go of it watching the show last Saturday night? It was all the way badass, heart-pounding awesome! What I loved the most about it was watching Davi and Trey racing their hearts out for the win. Not a part of the press conference, not a single race win in 2012, yet just as much talent as anyone and they made it happen. How do you make it happen in pro supercross? You get in shape, get good starts and race with confidence. There are a half dozen riders that can make it happen for round two. Last weekend was like shooting a bottle rocket into an evergreen patch. Sparks flew in a lot of directions and a few fires were lit. Time to watch the fires grow. And grow they will.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
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You must be trying to stir some shit with some of those comments. RD and Weimer 3-5 ALL year? That can't be a honest opinion. So much wrong with that. I do agree that the Hondas are performing better than most thought. I've been saying RV and bike are not getting along as they once did. If he doesn't dominate this weekend, totally possible he will dominate, even the most hardened RV fan will have to wonder what's up. What was with his comment in the pre-race show about he could walk away right now and not look back?
@ miso
I think it was an honest opinion.....I'm not the only one that thinks RD is gonna have a tought time hanging with these guys. AS many posters have indicated, all TC, DM, JB etc....needed was the confidence that they could run with these guys and they got it last weekend.
RV needs to ditch the air forks and go back to his set-up for last year! I understand the need to develop new equipment but why are they messing with what works. His bike looked to handle great last year.
PS....a saw an interview after 2011 where RV said he felt he'd done everything he wanted to do and probably would only race a few more years? I think he wants to walk away after his current contract. Would be a shame as he'd be leaving way too early but his passion is hunting and fishing. MX/SX is a job.....imagine if it was his passion....
If this is a repete of the week, Hanson's punk ass sucks.
Did I enjoy the "show", NO - hours and hours to finally watch the main event. Eli made the 250 main boring as hell. Then finally after how many hours the 450 main. Yes I enjoyed the 450 main. I even enjoyed it more since I taped it and FF through all that pre race nonsense.
Dungey a 3-5 finisher all year...cant hang with the other guys...have you lost your mind?! He's beaten everyone of them. He'll beat them again. Can't write anyone off after A1...except maybe JS. Long season.
"the best bikes on the track were factory hondas'...????? did'nt a non-works Suzuki WIN...looked like it was workin just as good if not better (he kept turning inside of Canard watch the go pro)....@misohi did you watch RV's heat....didn't look like there was ANY PROBLEM with he and his bikes 'relationship' .......he f'ed up his start ..got antsy made some mistakes...too many laps left to start talking BS about retirement...geezus...one RACE..everyone including RD5 will have at least one bad race..or get cleaned out by Bam or Canard.
Wow! Dungey a 3-5 guy all year, bold statement there Andy. Dungey will win this year, no problem at all. His hard work, and other rider’s attrition will make that inevitable. Millsaps wins one race (seriously happy for him) and you don't think a multi-time indoor/outdoor champion can deal with Millsaps confidence? Wow. You'll be proven wrong very soon.
@ripdown... I was leaning more towards Jake being in 3-5th all year as the wtf thought. Sorry Jake.
Not going to fault any rider that wants to retire. If they want to stop risking death everyday, fine by me. Easy to forget how long some of these guys have been doing it. K-Dub must be close to 30 years. They just don't get paid until the end.
2013- Yamaha's are still junk.
CR22 and RD5 boring ass style of backing into Championships is a bunch of crap and a rip off to the ticket holder.
The "other group" got lucky MA800 had bent bars.
RV2 should have been made to do a TV interview after the race no matter what finish- he is the defending champ for crying out loud.
I could give topics all day long...
@tonewall...So this is what your saying..A 2 time defending champ got frazzled enough to blow 2 starts, ride like a beginner but somehow get focused enough to go warp 9 in between dirt naps? The fact that he had the mind set to stop and congratulate Davi makes me think he was not that unfocused. Yes, I did watch all of his races and what I saw was RV using a lot clutch and brake work to get through the corners that fast, where as in the past it was poetry in motion. Being an ex-racer you should know bike set-up has a lot to do with starts. We can agree that this weekend will let us know. Just remember, your opinion is no more fact than mine. It's all good.
Reads like a long winded message board post. A lot of predicting the future and stating it like fact.
"Canard was top three (or winning) every race he entered until he broke his femur" simply false. Trey had only 5 podiums in 14 races in 2011. The RacerX writers need to a least glance at the stats occasionally.
PHX is always a great race...and I will be there !!! In past years, PHX albeit doesnt have all the hype and intensity of anticipation that A1 does, but it is often a better race because all those A1 jitters and everything that comes along with round 1 are over...everyone can breathe and settle down...
RV will have a good night I think...A1 practice and the Heat race he was on fire...In the main, I think he simply fell victim to a riders worst enemy, pressure.... RV is known for his agressive " just go for it " approach and he knew he was top dog at A1, as just about all had stated...If he had a top 5 start, I dont think we would have seen the same race...he freaked out -short circuited-just rushed it and it cost him..we have seen it before, not too suprised really,but since it was A1, I thought he's take it a little easier...but he wants to win!!! .luckily he was back out the next moring on the mountain bike following his routine and not injured...
Stewart - Hope the rumors of ACL tear and all that jazz are just that....rumors... One can speculate the worse - which often happens, but nobody knows for sure...I hope it was just a tweak that can hurt like hell for hours, but be pretty mild after a few days...tweaking your knee and only having an hour or two before you jump on the bike is night and day compared to a few days rest....ONE THING for sure is James is not weak, or a p*ssy or not dedicated or anything else the so called "haters" muster up..No matter what he does he gets negative backlash..no matter what.....Smart ride at A1 for James and to think he was just crusing around and just outside top 5 is something to be proud of for the JS7 camp.... RV and Jamed proved that they are the top guys and if they are out front, only they will defeat themselves....
PHX ROUND TWO!!! PUMPED!!!
This article... wow, I don't even know what to say...
Dungey is good, but not as fast or aggressive as others. He will be there every weekend and that's what wins championships. My personal opinion is this weekend RV with show up as fired up as ever, look for RV to smoke the competition... But like @dkapla said... It's a long season.
I agree in SX RD is probably at best a third place guy. Outdoors he's a match for anyone but indoors I think he's a half step behind TC, JS, RV, and JB (maybe DM?). The only reason he got 3rd at A1 was a late mistake by JB.
The reason RV1 stopped to shake Canard's hand is .Rayn needed to clean the gas that was still on is hand from his gas cap popping off.It was burnning his hand so Rayn used Canard to get it off.
Just as the Suzuke and the Honda's looked good I thought RD's bike looked slugish. I am not shure that bike can be ridden agressivly. It allways seems he takes the wider choices on line selection.
'
Andy, I'm not sure how you got a job writing. You are not very good at it. "His situation perforates sadness with me"??? What does that even mean? In any case, I don't agree with a lot of what you said. Reed won't come into his own for a few more rounds? Why is that? He has all the notes from last year. His bike setup was spot on by the time of his Dallas crash. There is no reason Chad couldn't win in Phoenix. And Dungey a 3-5 guy? If you had said this last year after the opener, I might have agreed. But Dungey proved himself by winning 4 races last year. He is one of the most consistent riders in the sport. And since Stewie will be racing in Phoenix, it's still anyone's race. Oh, and as evidenced by his performance in Anaheim, Ryan Villopoto is far from a semi-god (did you mean demi-god?). Can't wait for Saturday night.
My response and view of Dungey comments.... Dungey didnt suprise me at all on Saturday...He has enough speed to stay up front if he starts there...What I did not see is Dungey pass Canard, Milsaps or Barcia over 20 laps...He was behind Barcia for most the race and then he fell, which had nothing to do with lapper by the way......he squared the turn to cut into the inside line and nosed the front end...Dungey almost missed the podium and had Barcia not crashed on lap 17 he would have done just that, finished 4th...But he made it and it counts so good finish, but not too impressive, same for Reeds finish...I like Dungey and he is obvioulsy a talent...but if your in 4th or 5th and not moving up and just waiting for guys to fall, its not always going to happen like that...Dungey will surely be consistent as always and get a couple wins this year...but the nights he ts stuck behind Barcia, Canard, Reed, Stewart or RV and not makeing passes I feel will hurt his title hopes in the long run,,,...last year, if his main competition was 1-2 he was pretty much a 3rd....but this year he could see more 5ths and 6ths while RV or JS are 1-2.....I dunno...I could be wrong...we'll see.....
^^^^
If RD gets the holeshot he has a chance....that's how he got his wins last year....including a couple near the end when the fast guys were gone.
This year he has to deal with them plus Canard, Barcia and a fitter revitalised Millsaps. He needs to hope for a lot of carnage.
@323. I never understand people ripping on Andy. He's not a professional journalist so to speak. Hes a former racer and current fan offering his expertice and OPINION. His grammar and structure aren't perfect and he might repeat some subjects. Who cares?!
@Miso, I agree with Andy. The field is super stacked with speed, and more importantly guys who are NOT afraid to muscle their way to the front. Which is the one thing Dungey has rarely displayed.
@Ripdown the air forks are being used by just about everyone now and I doubt are an issue
"If the defending champion doesn’t win this weekend, something is wrong."
.Not sure I buy that one!!!
.Funny how he says RD is a 3rd to 5th guy all year!! LOL DUCK ANDY the boys will kill ya for that one!!
@Preston--shut up, you are just mad he didnt kiss your Bro's as$.. Go away racist.. Everything Bowyers wrote was pretty spot on the way I see it.. He has forgotten more about the sport than you will ever know..
@tonewall-I think Bowyers was talking as a whole when he said the Honda were working best.. And it seemed they were. Barcia and Canard looked good all day.. And Reed isnt as fast as he will be and still finished 4th.. the top 10 in the 450 class included 5 Hondas..
Ever since the article about Andy riding with RC and Ping for the day, I have really taken note of his articles. @ANDYBOWER, I like this article .
I have to agree with Dungey's positioning on average this year. We all know he will win 1 or 2. But on average will be between 3-5. Considering he is one of the only guys that stayed relatively healthy for the past couple years, I can't see him improving drastically through out the season.
I also agree on the factory Hondas looking to be handling the best out there. As well as that Barcia has not 100% gelled with the 450 yet. After rewatching the Heats and main yesterday, I noticed him looking awkward at times when scrubbing. Whoever said Andy was wrong because a Suzuki won...... anyway..
As per everyone being ready to hand the 2013 no 1 plate to Tomac already, I think he will be surprisingly challenged in more aces than expected. I also don't believe he is fixed his starts entirely, which could cost him.
mgwest949 and the others the reason he said that about RD is because of RD's 11 SX win's all but 1 or 2 have come when RV, JS and CR are not there. When everyone is healthy he does not win. If he holeshots he can but without that he is NOT passing all them guys but RV and JS have proven that they can Pass ANYONE and have done it many times.I believe 2010 was the last time RD passed RV and stayed in front of him on an SX track. (not counting a crash and pass) Not a dig at RD just what it is.
@ Nealio
Confucius say… there is one thing that all smart asses have in common… wise cracks
Shoot mofo !
@ therealmofo
Confucius say… man who eat many prunes, sit on toilet many moons.
Filling a page of words that say nothing, laced with cliches and inconsistent metaphors; Rev-up never disappoints a mundane fool or a literary dropout.
Thanks for keeping the bar low!
Jesus came across an adulteress crouching in a corner with a crowd around her preparing to stone her to death. Jesus stopped them and said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
Suddenly a woman at the back of the crowd fired off a stone at the adulteress. At which point Jesus looked over and said, "Mother! Sometimes you really tick me off!"
Thank you Andy Bowyer for a great article. I finally found somebody who was on the same page as me about Trey Canard. I knew he would put it to them. I actually predicted a 4th for him but was not surprised by his 2nd at all. This young man has a lot more wins ahead of him and there will be a couple more in this season against the best in the world.
I'm not so sure about RV having the red plate by A3 or even by the end of the A3 night. He has a lot of points to make up in a deeply talented group of riders. Think about this; CR, TC, RD, JS, BamBam, Milsaps. All of these guys could get at least one win this year. That would make a season with 7 different riders. Now add in the spoilers like Shorty, Weimer, Alessi, Grant, Tickle. Any one of those guys can sneak in a top 5 which would really mess with some point totals for RV, CR, TC, RD, JS, BamBam, and Milsaps. I am going out on a limb and saying not only do I think RV WON'T win the title this year but I don't think he will win 3 races in a row. I say this assuming that all riders are healthy.
Oh, and another thing, RD is not a 3rd-5th guy. I will go on record to say that if he does not win Phoenix he will be 2nd. He will walk away this week with no less than 42 points. That means only #18, TC, or CR could top him after this weekend. RD is right where he likes to be. He has proven he is a patient rider. To think he is not a title contender is ludicrous and by putting him in the 3-5 slot is not even comprehensible. JS will be the 3rd-5th guy this year, mark my words...that is if he races.
And can we (the average commentators) stop with all of the coulda shoulda woulda's? I get so sick of that.
One more note. I predict RV will win this weekend at Phoenix but he will "smoke" the competiton as Yamaha866 thinks. JMHO
I guess a few don't quite understand why the article is called what it is and what it's intended purpose is. It's called "rev-up" for a reason and it seems to work without fail.
@Jesus--If you dislike it so much and we are below your level, stay away.. You are weird anyway..
I think jesus is Ryan Hughes.
What are you dungey fan boys gonna say at the end of the season if what he said does actually play out? Because you guys shrug it off like its impossible when its actually the most possible thing that can happen last Saturday there were 5 guys faster than dungey 2 crashed 1 got hurt 2 beat him and add in reed later on that could put dungey in 7th place on some nights unless Stewart goes out
I think we should all try to predict the future.
To toot my own horn, I said to watch for the surprises at A1...Sure enough, no one finished where we thought they would.. Going into Phoenix, the fires have been lit in the bellies of each of the "Sensational Seven"..each one wanting to get back to what they expect to be 'Normal"..
Barcia: The super rookie rode uncharacteristically tight, made a mistake and took himself off the podium..I bet Stanton had a talk with him, calmed him down and we will see the real Bam Bam on the track at Round 2..
Canard: You got to be a fan of the Duck! Mr Nice Guy always wears a smile when he talks, but do not let that fool you , under that helmet he is all business. Trey will stick a wheel in on you or rub paint with the best of them. He will be a force to be reckoned with whether out front or coming through the pack..
Dungey: In his heat race, RD moved up from a poor start, passed 8 riders, in 8 laps, not bad for a guy who can't pass. However, Ryan was handed his spot on the podium, when JB went down, not that he was not in hunt, but he definitely was underwhelming in the main. Expect better this week...
Millsaps: From off the charts, to the #1 spot faster than an unknown Taylor Swift! Every one was happy for Davi, even RV took time to stop and shake his hand. How will he respond, that is what every one is looking at. Will he drop off the charts like a Nickelback song or stay up front and annoy the front runners like a Taylor Swift song..
Reed: I know his mantra " Got to be in it to win it", I know he was happy to collect 4 place points, but you cant tell me he was happy with the way he rode. Chad has to much pride to accept being that far off the pace, even at the first race. He should have been on Dungey's rear wheel ready to capitalize on a mistake, which came, and he was to far back to do any thing about it...Look for more speed from Reed..
Stewart: No surprise he was fast in practice, but to see him ride smart, let Trey and Davi by in the heat, then ride a smooth, uneventful main..surprise...I know he was hurting, but still, that is not the Stewart we have come to love or hate..This new Stew, if healthy, could actually, stay healthy and be in the points chase down the stretch..
Villopoto: Fast is the only way to describe Ryan, he was aggressive in his heat, ripping up corners and launching off every jump, every thing seemed normal, but then came the main...Surprise...Ryan got a very poor jump, from the inside gate leaving him a deep hole to come back from. No problem we thought, after seeing him in the first heat, slice and dice the traffic.. Surprise..Ryan is human, he had a bad night at the races..do not expect that to happen two races in a row, if ever again this year...
Yes I know I am long winded, but how can you not be, when you look at what happened and what lays ahead in the 2013 Suprecross...A1 is done an the best is yet to Come!!!
This was easily your best piece Andy, not as over the top that I have come to expect.
Never looked at Canards accomplishment's in that light.
What is so blasphemous about RD around 3rd. Unless he was laying back he doesnt have the risk gene that Canard - Villo - Stewart or Barcia does.
RV--New fork at MEC and A1- the results maybe a coincedence but...........
I thought DM18 had a shot at fourth, guess I was wrong.
I want to see James succeed but ACL's fine until there not.
JimM
Pala374
Dungey hasn't impressed me since the first half of 2011 outdoors some of you have a man crush on the guy him struggling to get around alessi so many times this year should be your first clue that he don't have what it takes to actually beat the top guys to a title sure if they all crash out and there's no one left he'll pick up the slack
P.s I still think he was better on Suzuki
@jeramey,, RD may not be able to beat them in the race, but he's won the wars... Also, same can be said for Reed. He has only won when RC and JS were not racing.. "Gotta be in it, to win it." RD has shown us that "smarter." is better than "faster."
Dungey may not win many finals (maybe none). But if the field stays healthy and robust (6 or 7 guys capable of running up front and spreading the points out more than previous years) ..... history says the Dunge will be there every weekend grinding it out and getting top 4 points. Barring a mechanical ... his bad moto's are 4ths and 5ths (go for it guys RV and JS can't say the same). I'm speculating if he doesn't win the Championship, he'll be second. In a very boring, calculated and safe way. He just seems to have better control of his emotions than the rest. And I think Roger will keep him calm and grounded. Freaking out, blitzing and going for it are not in his vocabulary. Fast steady laps are.
Jimbo,
"Never looked at Canards accomplishment's in that light."
The light you speak of is "inaccurate stats".
TC was outside the top 3 most of 2011.
Not "top three (or winning) every race he entered until he broke his femur" as Andy Bowyer states. Pure fantasy.
@ BD25
Confucius say… self-centered trumpet player, likes to toot his own horn.
I think it might be of use to mention that Dungey & Reed finished ahead of their main title competitors.
They (probably) did what they set out to do for A1.
1) Don't blow the season.....check.
2) Get on the podium......(#5 check #22 next best thing).
3) Let the others have drama.......check.
Dungey & Reed's methodical progression towards the championship is the antithesis of Stewart & Villo's "Checkers or wreckers" mantra. To the "now, now, now" types, this is as boring as having to hold still for 59 seconds, but they are usually right there at the end.
As for points accumulation, I would prefer a consistent, injury-free 20 points every week over 25 this week and 10 the next and the chance of a season ending injury.
I see this as a classic, Hare & Tortise campaign & strategy.
Also noteworthy is the reality that the guys that aren't worried about having to make up for a bad race have more time to work on their racecraft & bike development, just what a team / racer with new technology (like air forks / shock) needs.
Take a last look at the red number plate on either side of this screen, there's going to be a new number on top of it come Saturday.
^^^^^
Reed wasn't being too patient when he ended his season last year.....
@carlsbad
"Don't let your mouth write a check you can't cash."
On the cover shot of rev-up, it looks to me like Barcia is the best starter of the group. If this stays consistent, he will have his opportunities to show what he's got.
@ Confucious
If I were a betting man, I would have "stamped it". As is, I'm 99.9% comfortable in stating that there will be a new red plate holder at the conclusion of saturday night's activities in Phoenix. Otherwise........check's in the mail.
It would be great to see Milsaps go 1-1 though. Nobody, I mean nobody saw THAT coming on January 4th.
Andy, if you have a day job I would suggest you keep it. Pretty lame article all in all.
Confucious ..lol very good !!
other than personal bragging rights, whomever of the SX elite wins the title doesnt make a sh*t bit of difference in most our lives....We all have our favorites and want our guy to win while others will nitpic and oppose our guy and point out their faults...so its all in good fun... the issue with Dungey most people have is he doesnt go after it like the other guys do.. ... he lets it come to him...which works for him and that is great.....but for me, watching someone "go after it " is much more entertaining as a fan than watching the NASCAR strategy it is now referred too.....I never count Dungey out...my wife roots for him...but I like the more agressive guys who like to prove they are the best....not leave the door open for people and their list of ****** asteriks.....A3 will be tough for RV to have the points lead....but it could happen.....anything can happen....
If I had to bet, Dungey could very well leave PHX with the red plate,but not via a victory...if TC and Saps finish off the podium, all Dungey needs is another 3rd to take pts lead, unless Reed wins he needs a 2nd..or the will be tied i think...but he could leave with the lead all while losing points to JS7, RV and JB...it will be a one or two point lead over TC41 and 3 or 4 points over JS7....RV has some climbing to do....I think Reed stays in same place....but who knows....Milsaps can surely podium again and keep the red plate unless TC41 wins....but seeing an exact repeat of last week seems rare...so many possibilities.....love it!!
@Deeg You have the best post of the day in my opinion. Short, to the point, and funny.
Can't say I agreed with over half of this. Of the 7 or so contenders we are discussing, I think you can reasonably expect Dungey to not improve as he (a) is already doing well for Dungey and (b) is still sorting out a new combo. I think you can also expect Canard to not improve as he has tough luck and has a tendency to get flustered and go down while battling (nearly happened with the Millsaps pass). Stewart is a wildcard as no one knows how his knee is. He could check out or DNF. I think it's reasonable to expect him to struggle.
That leaves RV, Reed, Barcia and Millsaps to focus on IMO. These guys are all healthy and good to go on their bikes. Any of em could get good starts and check out IMO. Honestly, I think Millsaps will still be a force at least in Round 2. He could not have looked more solid at A1.
As a RV fan I'd be cool with canard or milsaps upsetting for the title would y'all RD fans agree on that
There's a. Story line for pretty much everyone I guess that's what makes it so exciting
Reed-team owner trying to go out with a title
Milsaps-counted out for years rarely even mentioned
Canard-greatest comeback story ever
Barcia-be the second to win title rookie year
Villopoto-trying to make it 3 in a row
Dungey-would certainly put to rest all the asterisk talk
Stewart-probably trying to retire on a win like reed if not just a chance to redeem the last few years
@therealmofo I am not above anyone here, I'm just sayin Andy's pieces are empty and lack any substance... no fresh insight or perspective we haven't heard.
Really, to regurgitate a weeks worth of messageboard reading is just proxy plagiarism.
Hey everybody...newsflash newsflash.....therealmofo is defending every word that Andy said here, and attacking JS fans in the process!! Whooda' thunk' it?? Shut your mouth fella!!
Killomoto ..You are right, it does not change a thing as to wins the title..The only thing it settles is who had the most points at the end of the season. Regardless of how they accumulated the points, they call him, the Champion! Only he earns bragging rights, until the next season unfolds..
Some take different approaches to achieve that goal, each one with its merits and faults. I can appreciate each one for what it brings...the fast and furious, high risk high reward is very exciting ...the cool calculating, patient riding style is very entertaining, because it is so hard to do, not physically but mentally, as ever rider wants to win each time out, but only one can..
I can not pick a favorite rider, I will defend and cheer for them all (except Hanson). They each bring some thing different to the track, that only makes the racing better! So, I just sit back and enjoy the races, knowing who ever wins each battle, is best that night and who ever win the title, will have won the war of collecting points..
No matter which rider you choose to root for, they all deserve our respect. The riders we are watching, regardless of style, are incredibly fast, well conditioned and in my opinion, the most talented athletes on the planet.. Long Live Moto!!!
As an RD and RV fan I like both of their styles. The bottom line is they go racing for championships, and whether you like it or not Dungey has what it takes and is clearly good at winning titles. If the "faster" guys can't make it through the season healthy that's no one's fault but their own and is part of the risk of riding the edge all the time instead of using your brain like Dungey. There is no such thing as asterisks, that's just for people who aren't happy their favorite didn't win regardless of circumstance. Dungey doesn't luck into anything, he is ALWAYS there and plays it smart, and will likely have a much longer career than the others as a result of that. If you don't think Dungey is capable of bonzai speed at the cost of consistency, you're wrong, all those guys can push that line until they hit the ground.
@ carlsbad Your half right ! Milsaps will lose for sure!! I say the little red toto dog gets the bone! Not to sure about T=Mack
I'm a fan of both also....but honestly, too many people suggest RD never crashes?
He does...did last years SX season...had a few this past summer including a violent one at the Wick......luck plays a big factor on who gets back up or who gets hauled away.
Life is good. Saturday makes me giddy.
On another note. Brett Michaels made the TV program. Right up there with the DM victory. No one saw that coming.
@Jesus--quit reading, I think Andy does a fine job as do the majority on here, if you dont like them dont even click the link, and go away please, you are still weird..
@Confucious
Man who talk s*** has bad taste in mouth
Not funny about Millsaps
JimM
Pala374
@ confucious
Really? A personal attack? Let he without sin cast the first stone.
If you don't like Milsaps, fine. You are entitled, but attacking a racer on a personal level is just weak.
If someone sat me down and said I would have to give up some of my vital organs to race, I'd probably pass. Milsaps didn't and that makes him more of a man than anyone posting their witty commentary on this site.
My understanding of his situation is: He's had family problems with his mother, he's had relationship troubles with his woman (wife?) and he has had MAJOR injury-induced hardships with his chosen profession.
If anyone deserves a break in your estimation, why not this guy?
Oh yeah, he won a supercross on a non-factory bike in the Stewart / Villo / Dungey / Reed / Barcia / Canard era. Not that I'm trying to impress you.
Come on Confucius .... not necessary ... time to act like an adult. Maybe Gerry Springer has a blog you can participate in ... but please take that stuff somewhere else.
@Confucious--You are an idiot and a sick freak.. Whatever name you normally post under also.. just grow up child..
I think BD25 was closest to the nights carnage!!!!
However, With Barcia and Canard both showing great speed and willingness to stick it to the man ahead of them. They both show the quickness to slow RV down with brake checks and line selections. In turn will tighten the pack to allow RD, JS, and CR to get back int he race.
IT's - a - gonna - be - a - great - a - season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ 2centsCanadian
0.02 cents is equal to one fat lip in USA ...
Looks like some of you fell for the RacerX bait LOL. They tried to light a fire under Reed and Dungey by stating they will be 3-5 place guys knowing they are reading
this and will race faster because of it.
@ bd200 By the size of that wreak you better get the piece of shit mx bike out of the chilli bowl if you wanta get some chicks........
@ carlsbad
How many times have you seen Liz & Dick . ? I thought so !! to many!!!
@ JimboMX374
Get a hair cut and quite sqezzin that Teddy Ruxpin !!!
It's so early in the season, it's hard to really predict anything. Having said that...
I'm a huge RD fan but he needs to step it up. In the context of RD being in the 450s since 2010 and being multi-time champion, there's no reason for him to not pass Barcia on pure skill. RD is consistent, but he's consistent at the mistakes of others. Villopoto made light work out of catching Barcia, RD needs to be at that level. When it comes to SX, I don't think RD is at the level of Villopoto, sorry.
Seems a lot of people are forgetting how insanely fast Villopoto is. I think he's the fastest rider, personally. I don't think JS7 can hold a race with Villopoto on his tail without the pressure getting to him and crashing.
JS7 hasn't finished a season in a long time, so until he does that, I'm going to count him out entirely.
Barcia is getting his feet wet, he has learning to do. He's going to mix up the results, but won't be in contention for the championship.
Reed is an amazing rider and I totally respect the guy for his passion. But I don't think he's as interesting to follow as Villopoto, JS7, or Dungey.
I think this championship is between Reed, Villopoto, and Dungey.
I'm pulling for RD, I know he has the potential to be the fastest rider out there. Not even just consistent, or fast, but the fastest.
Both Reed and Dungey are every bit as fast as anyone on the track. Look at their lap times. The only difference between those two and the rest is they know it is a long season and you cant win it in one race. If no one gets hurt you will see them in the top three at season end. I think the championship will be decided in the last race with the points being very close. For those who think RD is a 3-5 guy I ask you who won Pheonix last year? Yea, it was a brand new bike. With a new rider.
Ps RD if you read this arm chair jibberish dont change a thing
RV went full retard last week. He easily could have worked up to 5th or so with a controlled mistake free ride after his crap start. Instead he pulled a Stewart impression and augered his way to a well-deserved 16th. By well deserved, I mean he deserved it with his mental riding. Trying to banzai past Grant early on was a recipe for disaster. And Lo and Behold, Stewart rode SMART for being injured, kept it on two wheels, and finished a respectable result. Yes, PRAISE and PROPS for the number 7! Sucks that he is injured, but it was so refreshing to see him controlled and upright. With all this talent, they all need to realize a 5th is great if you start 12th or 13th. A win is great if you start top 5 or so, but trying to beat everyone after a crap start will need huge breaks and will come at high risk. They all are going to have that crap race or three when the start is blown and the likely champ will be the guy that can turn those races into solid points. Dungey and Reed are the guys who look best right now for the long haul in that regard. RV needs to realize he is the fastest out there and doesn't need to go Magoo to win the title. I'm still shocked to see a multi-time champ like that make it look like "Brandon's First Race". (Youtube that if you don't know what it refers to).
rd did not win phoenix if that's what you are implying sherpa
my mistake I thought reed won rd 2 I guess he won round 3
Waiting to see if RD can ever make passes on 3 top riders in a main, heck I would settle for one. LOL
On the 250s, I think it is foolish to say ET crushes them all year (and I'm a HUGE fan of the Tomac clan). He still has some starts issues, and for sure there will be one round where Roczen pulls the holie and ET is buried outside the top 10 and that will be that. Everyone has such massive expectations for Kenny, but I was very impressed with his speed and consistency last weekend. His laps were very consistent and did not look like he was over-riding at all. If he can just avoid catching one of those phantom cold viruses between the heats and the main, he should get a win or 2 this year. I also think (gasp!) Davalos pulls a win. Baggett and Rattray do not. Baggett will continue his up/down SX history.
450s, so much to be said so much already said. While I thought Canard was super-impressive he was also at times a little loose and on the edge both in the heat and the main. Yeah that's going for it, but with Trey's medical history it could be dangerous. I think Bam Bam will be a bit up and down for the first half, but once he gets back on the eastern dirt (if he survives w/o injury) he will be better. Remember, he has not raced the West coast SX at all in his Lites career. RD5 - in the main he looked passive but he did move up well in the heat after a really bad start and he uncharacteristically ran it in on Reed in the final turn. Reed will steadily improve, maybe take 1-2 wins and contend for the title, as will Dungey. RV and JS will be the 2 fastest guys on the track, the big question will be whether they can run the whole season w/o a serious injury. But between the two of them they could win 12 main events. Millsaps, I want to believe but I think we will see a bit of a letdown after A1. He came in so under the radar compared to the rest of the top guys, I mean even Brayton and Grant and Tickle were getting more fanfare. I think the weight of the A1 result will make for some struggles in the next couple of rounds.
Andy B wrote: "So, now Phoenix. As much as we’ve gone on about with Anaheim, the fire is rising for round two. Contenders like Ryan Dungey, Chad Reed, and Jake Weimer can breathe a little easier. That said, I look for those three to mirror their opening efforts for a while. We won’t see Reed come into his own for a few more rounds and the other two are going to be 3rd through 5th guys all year. It’s going to be tough for those three to beat the confidence of Millsaps and the speed of Canard this weekend. This is where we enter Villopoto. Should he panic about finishing 16th? No, not at all. In fact, I think RV will have the points lead, or be very close to it by the time they leave Anaheim 3."
Really? Good grief where would I even start to punch holes in that crap?? Thanks Mr. Bowers for helping me to add you to my "Do not waste your time reading this no talent's writing" list.
BillC. You need to be honest if your gonna post stats. Dungey's first 4 wins were as a rookie and your boy RV was in everyone of them. Remember, that was the year Crashapoto took RD out in the corner with a dirty move and then nearly killed himself trying to beat him and had to miss the outdoors. I hope you've enjoyed watching your little leprechaun the last few years because HE(not the Dunge) is the one who is succumbing to the loaded field this year-actually started last year with him. Your boy is going the way of James Crash Stewart. Get used to it.
Jereamy, tonewall and all others who doubt the Dunge will eat your moronic words. RD5 is the face of the AMA so learn to live with it.
Dungey just keep doing what your doing and don't aspire to be like RV, JS, JB, J-Law and all the other, "look mom, no hands" showoff morons. You'll have a long career like K-dub except with many more wins and a bunch of TITLES!!!
@ RCRDDW
I agree with you on the post but take a pill it's only round 1 see what shakes beside your tally wacker !!!!!!!!
What I love about Supercross is we don't know who is going to win. Dungey came out and won a supercross championship in his 1st year out and lets not forget he was pretty much the 1st rider in history to chase down and beat Bubba. Villopoto came back from potentially career ending injuries and won 2 champions in a row. Reed spent the prime years of career chasing the GOAT and when he wasn't there he took those chamionships. Bubba has proven that while he is constantly 1 step away from taking a dirt sample he can win races and championships. And finally Millsaps showed up to A1 and earned a victory by beating the best the world has to offer.
Speculation is fun but what's even better is that we have the most potential race and championship winners the sport has ever known. Here's to what should be the greatest supercross season ever.
Claiming that Dungey is going to be a 3-5 guy all year remains to be seen. It is good to see a controversial prediction instead of fluff.
3 - 5 for Dungey is about right. Even he knows it. Weimer will have more top-10s
@ RCRDDW
You're starting to come across as a fool!
Dicrediting RV's accomplishments......think you should have a little more consideration considering RD is the aledged asterix king.....wins are wins.
I like RD very much....but he will never become 'the face of the AMA'......most people like to root for winners.....not finishers. If it doesn't bother you watching him play follow the leader that's your perogative......but it's very boring and frustrating. I'm getting sick of it and will spend more time cheering for the guys who like to pass people and win races...
PS....RV crashed out of the 2010 SX because of a patch of bare concrete not from riding over his head! Go have a drink....
RCRDDW is tool !
@RCRDDW--I have also enjoyed watching RV the last few years, especially since he has won the supercross title the last 2 years..And the 2011 outdoor title, its been awesome..
Please tell me Rutledge won't be back this week...or ever.
@rcrddw..Still waiting for the pic of you kissing a toilet seat.
^^^
Ha good one.....He is JSloan.
RC (Ricky) RD (Dungey) DW (Deano).....that's right.....I decoded his name.
I see alot of people jumping to some pretty STUPID conclusions on here after only one race. Oh yea,the article sucked!
@therealmofo, to repeat myself: RacerX crew is quality. Weege and Matthes: respect. Alas, Andy has no literary skills and could write a nice Sunday sermon with the arbitrary points he makes.
@Confucius, keep shakin out the fools brother. It's funny sh!t watchin you cross jump the goofs and rail around the humourless.