An Open Letter to Ryan Hughes

Hey Ryan, I might as well be up front about this, because you’re probably not going to like what I’m about to say: YOU SHOULD RACE THE 250 CLASS THIS YEAR.

Honestly, I have been working my feeble brain over this and I cannot figure out why you think it’s to your advantage to take another shot at the 125 class title this year. I find it extremely hard to grasp the concept that you actually believe you have a chance at winning the title on a privateer Honda CR250F. And if you’re NOT gunning for the championship, why wouldn’t you go for top 5 in the 250 class?

I’ve read all the interviews you’ve done recently, and you’re confusing me. At Racer X you said you were as fast as Grant Langston on your 250F… so why didn’t you take the opportunity at the Prequel to beat his butt and send him a message? Then in your interview with Transworld Motocross after the Prequel you said your first motivation is the money (“First of all, the biggest purse is in the 250 class, so when you do your own team, you need every penny you can get.”) Ryan, if that really is the case, wouldn’t you earn more money finishing 5th or 6th in the 250 class outdoors, than 7th through 10th in the 125 class?

There. I’ve said it. I like you and respect you. I even have an autographed picture of you, and I’m not the type of guy that gets everyone’s signature. But I don’t think you’re going to be able to finish in front of Team Suzuki’s Milsaps and Jesseman, nor beat KTM’s Alessi and Ramsey. Then there’s Langston and Walker on the Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s, leaving you in 7th. I didn’t even bring up Mike Brown, or even Josh Grant, who gave you a bit of a run (and took your 250 title) at the Four Stroke Worlds.

Ryan, I think you can beat Tim Ferry. I think you can run with Vuillemin (although you weren’t able to last weekend, from what I’ve heard). Basically, I think you’ll do much better in the big bike class, and I’m surprised, and frankly puzzled, that you don’t think the same.

Finally, you HAVE to know that the CR450F will give you a better chance against the factory bikes than the 250F. At the very least, you know that the 450 has actually won at the National level… I don’t think the littlest Honda has even won a moto, but I could be wrong. Certainly you’re aware of the results of the most recent supercross season… and the hottest 250F’s were not wearing red. You may be bringing a gun to a gunfight, but it’s not gonna be the baddest one there, not by a long shot.

Ryan, it may be too late for you to change your entry, so you may just have to sleep in that bed you prepared. I hate to see you do this to yourself.