The Gossip - Big Brother

We all know what the big brother stigma entails.

Your big brother is:

strong
tall
eats like a lion
knows everything about everything
faster than you

With most younger siblings who are seperated by a fair amount of years, the big brother can seem almost heroic, imagined to be like a super hero that you always look up to. For many, this stigma never leaves, as in life, the big brother will always have those traits hidden within the inner depths of the younger sibling. This will always lead to a wall that cannot be overcome, gone around, or dug under, whether the wall be motocross, school, lifting, or dating. The younger brother will always look up to, instead of ahead and beyond the big brother.

Austin Stroupe needs to smash through the wall Ryan Villapoto has created as a big brother image to Austin. Stroupe-a-Loop has the raw speed to make it happen, and when he realizes this, his results will realize this.

Leading into the season, when listening to any interview he has done, he truly believes he can beat everyone on that motocross track---everyone except RV. He rides with Ryan, rides like Ryan, looks like Ryan (on a bike), and probably dreams like he thinks Ryan dreams.

How can he expect to beat RV if he doesn't expect to be better than RV in the long run?

Even after posting faster lap times in moto-1 than Ryan, and almost faster lap times in moto-2 after leading RV for some laps, Stroupe had this to say in the press conference after the race:
"I definitely think Ryan was going a little faster than me, and he was definitely pressuring me..."

Now read here at RacerX the lap times between the two.

As you can see, in moto 1, Stroupe turned in a lap that was 6 THOUSANDTHS of a second faster than RV. On a track with almost three minute lap times, that equates to around .003% difference per lap. That is 3 thousandths of percent faster than Ryan on that lap.

Talk about splitting hairs!

That said, in the second moto, RV turned in the fastest lap of the event for all second motos, James Stewart included. Ryan's 2:42.684 was an improvement from his moto 1 time of 2:43.412 by .728 of a second. Ryan managed to pick up .44% from his first moto. That is less than half of a percent per lap.

Interesting bench racing ammo from the lap times: only Austin Stroupe and Ryan Villapoto were able to turn in faster lap times in their second moto than their first moto, once again including the big bike class.

Austin Stroupe is here, and Ryan better think twice about just how much he helps his younger brother. If Austin can smash down the mental wall, I think he can dig deep and find 1/2 of a percent, don't you?

Defined - Men

Motocross. The sport of men: only the toughest and roughest. The bigger the balls, the faster the rider.


But that isn't remotely true on so many levels. Sure it takes a man to line up and do two thirty five minute motos in the 100 degree heat, but thousands of racers of all types do it every year, week in and week out. Can you call the amateur riders at Loretta's "men"? How about the women riders? Do the peewee riders qualify in the "men" category?

At the pro level, how many riders would you classify as "men". I mean the rough and tumble type man with a full, thick beard and a "man's" build? How many riders can you call a John Wayne? With the average age in professional motocross likely under 21 or 22, can you really call those riders "men"?

These days, the true rough and tumble image of a "man" --- a grizzly beard, one scar on his cheek, cigarette permanently located between his lips --- are over in the motocross world. It has been replaced with young riders who have more balls than brains, and the raging hormones necessary to put it all on the line day in and day out (you would have to think seeing how fast they go!).

An outsider looking in on the sport would think the T.V. shows were previewing the up and coming amateur riders to the real professional sport of motocross, and with a name like Lites class, you can't really blame them for thinking so.

Only a handful of riders are left of which you can confidently call a "man" are in the sport, and many are on their way towards a limited schedule as is.

All that said, assuming that I am taking away from the younger riders by not classifying them as a real men is ridiculous. The punishment they put their body through in one national race is more than 90 plus percent of the human population will ever endure in their lifetime, and that is when the riders are healthy!

Imagine the pain Ryan Villapoto put himself through this Supercross season with his injured wrist, or the pain Tyler Bowers felt all season with two broken wrists hampering his well being.

As most good Westerns put it, most every racer is still wet behind their ears. Modern times have evolved into young guns airing it out, throwing caution to the wind sailing to the finish line on an ocean of adrenaline.

So are motocross riders men? No.

They are so much more than that.

The Gossip - Go Green

Go Green - Part I

Nick Wey - After watching a dismal showing by him at Dallas, (he didn't even qualify and had to use a provisional) I figured I'd discuss what I saw.

First: he showed ZERO aggression. In the main, only two laps in, he was looking over his shoulder behind him coming into a corner. He was practically in last at that point. It almost looked like he was getting ready to move over for whoever was behind him. No one is coming Nick! In his heat, I watched him get passed in a section that bike should have no influence upon. It looked to me as if he just didn't want that position. He must have something mental holding him back, because no matter how bad the bike is, he shouldn't quit on it. Carmichael could still win on a KTM (terrible example, he could win on a KTM 50).

Second: I really think that he has lost confidence in the bike to the point he is afraid of it. Now he believes it can't win, and so he won't win (winning for him may be top five). I am willing to bet that if you put him on a Honda in his current state of mind, he would do just as poorly. He's lost his mojo, and doesn't know how to get it back.

Third: He is going to have a hell of a good year outdoors. That bike is a screamer. Alessi proved it capable last year, beating Wey on it week in and week out. I really think that once he stretches the bike's legs outdoors and realizes how fast it can go, he will like it, correction: LOVE it.

Fourth: He needs to sit out the rest of the supercross season (Ed's Note --- This article has taken much longer than intended - he seems to have stepped it up since). It is demoralizing to get 15th every week. This will accomplish two things (I love lists)

1. Re ignite his passion for the sport


2. Make him realize that if he doesn't get it together soon, he will be sitting out the races.
   

If you really think that the "lack of linkage" is Wey's demise, keep this in mind. His teammate, Martin Davalos, turned a faster lap in the Lites class on his KTM 250sxf than Wey did on his KTM 450sxf (Find that here). The bike can go faster, just not with Wey on it.

Why oh why did Wey ever switch bikes? Let me put in the S.A.T. testing format and see if you follow this logic.

Non factory ride IS TO good results
AS
Factory ride IS TO _____.

Correct Answer: GREAT RESULTS.

But the real answer is: Terrible Results.
Those SAT test makers think they got it all figured out...but what do they know?

His results on a Honda were great, and he was consistently mentioned as in need of consideration for a factory ride. Now that he has one, his results say he shouldn't.

How interesting.

He has succumb to the "go green" mentality as I like to call it. No, I don't mean the Kawasaki sales event. By going Orange (KTM), he made more money, I have no doubt. In the midst of doing so, his results wavered, but his income increased. Shouldn't we all be so lucky?

I bet he wipes his butt with one dollar bills now while crapping on a golden toilet. O.K. a little harsh, but really, why did he ever switch? I'll give you a hint: It wasn't the bike.

One last point however, he isn't that far off pace. If he dropped 1 second a lap, he would manage to be well inside the top ten fastest lap times. In supercross, a second is merely a tenth a corner (said like I could do it, sheah, right). With his veteran experience combined with his fitness, a top ten lap time might just put him in the top five.

All that said, I love Nick Wey (it's a closet relationship), and think he has been a shining example in our sport of a hard working rider. Best luck to him, I'm hoping to write something about his amazing outdoor results soon.


Edit #1: After I initially wrote this, the Navy Moto X event was held. Nick did well there, and I think showed that he is a slow starter. The event may have been just what he needed, as Justin Brayton passed him on a 250sxf in the heat to take the transfer spot, forcing Wey to the LCQ. Wey then won the LCQ, and with practically no time between LCQ and main, lined up again and motored straight on to the second step on the podium. If Wey thought the bike was to blame that day, the "eliminator" Brayton (coined!) in front of him made a strong argument otherwise. I think from LCQ to second ain't bad? Good job Nick Wey!
Edit # 2: Part 2 is coming...but I am stuck on one part of math!