The weather leading into this weekend’s 30th Annual Kawasaki, Monster Energy motocross national could not have been more perfect with a cloudless sunny day in the 80′s. This year the track has undergone some dramatic changes. Most noticeable to me was the absence of what I called “the wall” It was a section where after the riders would hit the big uphill tripple and afterwords they would make a hard right and go down the hill past a mechanics area straight into a big wooden wall that usually had banners on it (that did not last very long). They would make a hard left hand turn using the wall as a kind of berm and shoot back straight up the hill past the start straight. It was strange not seeing it there anymore. It was taken out and spectator bleachers were put in. And where the wall was is now a spectator tunnel leading to the other side of the track. Also gone was the off camber section heading to the finish line jump. These changes shortened the lap times quite a bit but it also made the track easier to get around.One awesome thing they added was a large speaker system suspended by a crane in the center of the track, which was a big improvement over the speakers on the fences lining the track. And during breaks and intermissions they played music. Practice was predictable with RC and James Stewart setting the fastest lap times in the 2:07/ 2:08 minute range. When the gate dropped for the real races those lap times would be shattered. A practice crash did claim one top rider and take him out of the race. Sobe, Samsung Mobile Honda’s Tommy Hahn. Tommy suffered a broken elbow and word is he will be out at least 10 weeks.Motocross Lites moto #1:
Mike Alessi took the holeshot and lead for a short time before being passed by the end of the first lap by Josh Grant and then by a hard charging Grant Langston. It was a battle of the Grants for more then half the moto. Josh was riding smooth up front with Langston and Mike Alessi just a few seconds between each other. Then Josh Grant made a mistake and went down handing Langston the lead. Josh was up quickly and soon would be in a battle with Ryan Villopoto. Langston would go down after his front end washed out in a left hand turn giving the lead to Mike Alessi. Josh Grant and Ryan Villopoto passed Lanston also and would battle and trade positions more than once before Villopoto made a pass that stuck. That’s how the moto would finish. Alessi, Villopoto, Grant. Josh Grant limped to the podium with a slightly injured ankle but would be back for moto 2. Christopher Gosselar injured his ankle in the race and would not be able to come out for moto 2Motocross Race #1
The race that we all were fortunate enough to witness is really hard to describe but I have to tell you it was awe inspiring. James Stewart took the holeshot with Ricky Carmichael hot on his heels. Within a few laps James made a small mistake and slid out a bit giving the lead to RC. Then the battle was on. James followed RC for a while trying to make a pass wherever he could. Eventually he took over first place and even stretched out a small lead. Behind them….and by now, way behind them was Chad Reed in 3rd, Kevin Windham in 4th and the rookie in the big boy class Davi Millsaps in 5th. Windham would suffer bike problems and have to pull out of the moto. Millsaps actually battled with Reed for a while before settling in to 4th. Up front by the half way mark the battle was really heating up between Stewart and RC. 10 minutes into the moto they were already starting to lap other riders!! RC had now closed the small gap on Stewart and was hounding him in every turn. Their lap times were in the 2:03′s!! Almost 5 seconds off there practice times. All eyes were on them as they raced into every corner.The pace they were running was incredible and it was all down to who would make the fewest mistakes. By now they had gapped 3rd place by nearly 50 seconds. Then it happened, Stewart was leading coming over the finish line jump. Then right after the next left hand turn there was a step down. It seems James came up a little short with the bikes back end coming up and ejecting Stewart hard to the ground as his bike bounced wildly in the air. He lay there for a short time not moving but then after emergency crews arrived, which was within seconds, he sat up and was talking. He was then taken to the Asterisk Medical unit to get checked out.RC would go on to win the moto with Chad Reed taking 2nd and Davi Millsaps taking his first podium in the Motocross class in only his second race in the class. RC finished the race over a minute ahead of second place. Afterwards I talked to his mechanic Mike Gosselar and he said to me in all his years in the industry he has never seen 2 riders go as fast and push so hard as he did today. Everyone at the race seemed to be in agreement there. RC said he loved the battle he had but he was sorry that James had gone down like that. Before the start of the next Lites moto I saw James in a car with is dad and some team members driving out. He was done for the day and the word I got is that he is OK and may have sustained a small concussion. He was going to a hospital to get checked out. But the good news was James is OK.Motocross Lites race #2
Billy Laninovich would grab the holeshot followed by Grant Langston, Andrew Short and Josh Grant. Short and Langston quickly passed Laninovich. Mike Alessi, the winner of moto 1 got a bad start at nearly the back of the pack. Grant would pass Langston. A hard charging Ryan Villopoto would also pass Langston and Grant and as the moto reached the halfway point. Young Villopoto would set his sites on Short and with about 10 minutes left in the moto he took the lead and never looked back. The race would end with Villopoto winning the overall, Josh Grant taking 2nd and Mike Alessi 3rd (after a great ride coming back up to eighth). It was great day for Mitch Paytons Pro Circuit Kawasaki team…the Monster Energy drink sponsored rider winning the Monster energy drink sponsored race.Motocross Race #2
Well not much can be said after the race we saw in moto 1. Without James Stewart in the picture, RC would just have his way with everyone else on the track. Subway Honds’s Jeff Gibson took the holeshot but that did not last long. RC was leading almost immediately and he stretched it out from there. He seemed like he was just having fun riding around whipping the bike over jumps. Chad Reed was in 2nd and would not be challenged; he rode a great race and took 2nd overall. The biggest surprise was Davi Millsaps taking 3rd overall. Windham, his more experienced teammate, got a bad start and was unable to catch the rookie. MDK’s Nick Wey took 5th overall and MotoXXX rider Josh Summey rode a superb race and was in the top 10.Now the series takes a week break with the next race being in Southwick, MA. Bad news for the other riders…..Southwick is almost a total sand track and RC loves the sand. James Stewart does also and we can only hope he is OK and recovers in time to challenge Carmichael. I am sure the battle we saw today is just a hint of what is to come all year long from those two. If you can get to one of the 10 races left in the series, you will not be disappointed. The Lites class is so deep with talent though…….looks to me we could have a different winner every weekend and my bet is the title chase will come right down to the end.
Mike Alessi took the holeshot and lead for a short time before being passed by the end of the first lap by Josh Grant and then by a hard charging Grant Langston. It was a battle of the Grants for more then half the moto. Josh was riding smooth up front with Langston and Mike Alessi just a few seconds between each other. Then Josh Grant made a mistake and went down handing Langston the lead. Josh was up quickly and soon would be in a battle with Ryan Villopoto. Langston would go down after his front end washed out in a left hand turn giving the lead to Mike Alessi. Josh Grant and Ryan Villopoto passed Lanston also and would battle and trade positions more than once before Villopoto made a pass that stuck. That’s how the moto would finish. Alessi, Villopoto, Grant. Josh Grant limped to the podium with a slightly injured ankle but would be back for moto 2. Christopher Gosselar injured his ankle in the race and would not be able to come out for moto 2Motocross Race #1
The race that we all were fortunate enough to witness is really hard to describe but I have to tell you it was awe inspiring. James Stewart took the holeshot with Ricky Carmichael hot on his heels. Within a few laps James made a small mistake and slid out a bit giving the lead to RC. Then the battle was on. James followed RC for a while trying to make a pass wherever he could. Eventually he took over first place and even stretched out a small lead. Behind them….and by now, way behind them was Chad Reed in 3rd, Kevin Windham in 4th and the rookie in the big boy class Davi Millsaps in 5th. Windham would suffer bike problems and have to pull out of the moto. Millsaps actually battled with Reed for a while before settling in to 4th. Up front by the half way mark the battle was really heating up between Stewart and RC. 10 minutes into the moto they were already starting to lap other riders!! RC had now closed the small gap on Stewart and was hounding him in every turn. Their lap times were in the 2:03′s!! Almost 5 seconds off there practice times. All eyes were on them as they raced into every corner.The pace they were running was incredible and it was all down to who would make the fewest mistakes. By now they had gapped 3rd place by nearly 50 seconds. Then it happened, Stewart was leading coming over the finish line jump. Then right after the next left hand turn there was a step down. It seems James came up a little short with the bikes back end coming up and ejecting Stewart hard to the ground as his bike bounced wildly in the air. He lay there for a short time not moving but then after emergency crews arrived, which was within seconds, he sat up and was talking. He was then taken to the Asterisk Medical unit to get checked out.RC would go on to win the moto with Chad Reed taking 2nd and Davi Millsaps taking his first podium in the Motocross class in only his second race in the class. RC finished the race over a minute ahead of second place. Afterwards I talked to his mechanic Mike Gosselar and he said to me in all his years in the industry he has never seen 2 riders go as fast and push so hard as he did today. Everyone at the race seemed to be in agreement there. RC said he loved the battle he had but he was sorry that James had gone down like that. Before the start of the next Lites moto I saw James in a car with is dad and some team members driving out. He was done for the day and the word I got is that he is OK and may have sustained a small concussion. He was going to a hospital to get checked out. But the good news was James is OK.Motocross Lites race #2
Billy Laninovich would grab the holeshot followed by Grant Langston, Andrew Short and Josh Grant. Short and Langston quickly passed Laninovich. Mike Alessi, the winner of moto 1 got a bad start at nearly the back of the pack. Grant would pass Langston. A hard charging Ryan Villopoto would also pass Langston and Grant and as the moto reached the halfway point. Young Villopoto would set his sites on Short and with about 10 minutes left in the moto he took the lead and never looked back. The race would end with Villopoto winning the overall, Josh Grant taking 2nd and Mike Alessi 3rd (after a great ride coming back up to eighth). It was great day for Mitch Paytons Pro Circuit Kawasaki team…the Monster Energy drink sponsored rider winning the Monster energy drink sponsored race.Motocross Race #2
Well not much can be said after the race we saw in moto 1. Without James Stewart in the picture, RC would just have his way with everyone else on the track. Subway Honds’s Jeff Gibson took the holeshot but that did not last long. RC was leading almost immediately and he stretched it out from there. He seemed like he was just having fun riding around whipping the bike over jumps. Chad Reed was in 2nd and would not be challenged; he rode a great race and took 2nd overall. The biggest surprise was Davi Millsaps taking 3rd overall. Windham, his more experienced teammate, got a bad start and was unable to catch the rookie. MDK’s Nick Wey took 5th overall and MotoXXX rider Josh Summey rode a superb race and was in the top 10.Now the series takes a week break with the next race being in Southwick, MA. Bad news for the other riders…..Southwick is almost a total sand track and RC loves the sand. James Stewart does also and we can only hope he is OK and recovers in time to challenge Carmichael. I am sure the battle we saw today is just a hint of what is to come all year long from those two. If you can get to one of the 10 races left in the series, you will not be disappointed. The Lites class is so deep with talent though…….looks to me we could have a different winner every weekend and my bet is the title chase will come right down to the end.
