"Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz. " - cell phone
"What up!" - Me
"Hey, what are your thoughts on going to Dallas for the Supercross" - Friend inquisitively
"Uh, it's like two days away, I don't have tickets." - Me sadly
"Do you want to go or not?" Friend with attitude
"Yes but---" Me whining
"---But shut up. I got 4 tickets, let's go, you pay for gas." Friend stipulates
Two days later, the road trip begins! But not before his truck gets a flat 6 hours before we have to leave, making that exactly 6 hours before any shops are open. After some scrambling, a few tears, and some four letter words, the road trip begins. We're already late.
7 long hours later, parked 3 miles away from the stadium, running with the stiffest legs and ass as awkward as humanly possible in order to get inside before the heats start, cursing the Dallas traffic and our asleep limbs, we were almost there. We're still late.
As we fly through the pit area, a bike fires up. We screech to a halt.
It starts on a slow rev, held just above idle, then, "BAAHHHMM, BAAHHHHHM, BAAADADADAAHHHM," then shuts off, race gas floating through the air in into our flared nostrils. Crap, we're even more late.
We resume our sprint.
We slide through the ticket entrance, shoving 3 year olds along the way, and immediately race to the stand section to watch the opening ceremonies.
Did I mention we were on time?
Here are some thoughts on the night, instead of a race report, hopefully I can add some things not seen on T.V.
The first lap saw some carnage, with Canard and Jesseman both on the receiving end of an impasse smack down laid by the track. I'm not sure who got going first, although I think Jesseman was dead last once he got going.
Canard looked fast. He charged hard, showed aggression on the bike, and took each position away from the other riders like a mom takes away your desert when she is mad at you. He rides like he dictates what can and can't be done, other riders look like they are hanging on for the ride.
After the first lap, I thought the night was going to be like the last Grant/Villapoto race, insane! But Grant stalled, and that's all she wrote, as he had nothing in the tank for later.
Jesseman made a serious charge early on, but stopped moving forward towards the end, I think he needs a holeshot to set him off for a race, his season has been litered with random bad luck, as he landed on someones bike, and got stuck.
Villapoto may have dominated, but in the whoop section, he damn near lost the race one lap, as he swapped so hard I could see the Monster sticker under his rear fender allowing his rear wheel to hit a tough block. I can honestly say that was the first time I've seen a tough block help someone, as it acted as a temporary wall and got him back in line.
Great ride by Tyler Bowers, I think he may turn heads out doors.
In Reed's heat, I saw why he is the best this year. In the tricky rhythm section after the finish, after stalling and falling back some places, he busted out a seemingly impossible triple to pass 3 people. He jumped from a little take off, over another little take off, and landed to a tall one, with NO run. He literally pulled the bike up and over, muscling over something that was impossible by merely bike alone. I nearly spit my beer on the 10 year old in front of me, which would have been a costly disaster, at 7 bucks a beer.
That feat would not be done again for the rest of the night, but what really saddened me was it was skipped over in the telecast in their "condensed" heat format. I will never be able to watch that again.
His ability lead him the "man's step" on the podium.
In the main, Ferry looked good for a while, but just didn't quite have it. I watched a scary moment for sure when he got kicked on the last whoop, rode a nose wheelie damn near up the entire triple face, and still managed to land it and ride out. I bet he shit himself, maybe Matthes can find out?
Windham looked REALLY fast. I bet had he holeshot, a battle royal would have unfolded (ED note: racerX's sign of the times has him as the fastest all night.)
Travis Preston must have worn himself out in one lap! He went nothing but backwards, although he showed some serious speed the first lap! I bet he hates not having the pre season training in him about right now, he had a golden egg in his lap with that holeshot.
Josh Hill should thank Kevin Windham for pressuring Millsaps.
It allowed him the "big boy's" step on the podium.
Millsaps never ceases to impress me at times, although not with his speed, but his weird ability to save himself from the craziest wrecks. At the throwback race in Cali, he saved something once that had me spitting popcorn out of my mouth. At this race, he did it again in the rhythm section before the switch backs.
His effort rewarded him with the "baby step" on the podium.
Josh Summey, formally of the Charles Summey variety (he used to go by Charles so there would be no confusion between him and Josh Hansen) did extremely well! he matched his best finish of the year, and managed to get a second in his heat. I noticed he rides really smooth and looks great. He proves that hard work plain works. He beat some big names, and proved to his team that he is worth latching on to. Hansen may have talent, but he sadly must have shown no heart or work ethic to the boys at JGRMX if he got released (unless he left for other reasons). Carmichael may not have partied like a rock star, but now, he can own the rock star. Hansen should take note that he better get it together.
Ok, I give; the ignition cover on Hill's is all one piece, without the screw in plugs for easy timing access. It is also aluminum colored vs. the black that comes stock. My guess is the one piece cover is less prone to failure, I know I have personally had one of those ignition view caps come out mid race, spewing my engines oil (and life) all over the track.
To matthes...sorry, this is a direct spin off of yours, but I managed to attend this race for once...
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1 comment:
I was there. It was amazing!
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