Sparkplug 34

The Year in Motocross: 20 Things that took me by surprise in 2005

1) The rain at A1. In all the years that I've attended that race, that was the first time it rained... and it poured! My usual strategy of buying my tickets at my local Yamaha dealer backfired, as they didn't get assigned tickets for the first round. My good friend Paul Fleming came through with extra tickets, but they were three rows from the field, uncovered, right out there in the downpour. It was, as you probably remember, a fantastic race.
2) James Stewart's second round injury. What a huge letdown that was for the entire series.
3) Chad Reed's Daytona domination, particularly after getting smoked by RC at the race in Atlanta. Reedy showed a lot of heart there.
4) How good the Monster/Pro Circuit Kawasakis looked. Not only were they easily the prettiest bikes in the pits, but they were apparently pretty quick,too.
5) James Stewart pulling off in the second moto at Hangtown. Right there, I thought “this is not his year”… what an understatement!
6) Grant Langston throwing his championship away in the second moto at Hangtown. I thought it was an unsportsmanlike move when I was at the track; when I saw the tape, it was clear that he didn't intentionally try to run a “pick-up pass” on Mike Alessi, but still he should have chilled and taken the second place... he would have still won the overall for the day.
7) Mike Alessi losing his mind at Glen Helen in the final moto. Incredible to watch, sure, but a dark day for sportsmanship.
8) Ivan Tedesco. Talk about stepping it up, “Tabasco” showed the nation that he is truly an all-around motocross fastguy.
9) How cool it was to be able to watch the MXdN webcast LIVE. American motocross really needs to step up to this level of media sophistication.
10) Getting an assignment to write my first feature article for a major motocross magazine from Racer X's Davey Coombs. More about that later…
11) That Honda would actually market an additional silencer as a handling enhancement.
12) That arenacross racing is good stuff, and the BooKoo Arenacross series is the best of the breed.
13) That Erin Normoyle is even hotter in person than her photos lead one to believe!
14) James Stewart's physical ailments.
15) How funny the DMXS guys are. I mean, genuinely funny.
16) How cool One Industries' Danny Dobey is.
17) What nice people the Carmichaels (Big Rick and Jeannie) are.
18) That if you had to be trapped for the rest of your life in one state, Hawaii is the one to pick Preferably Oahu, somewhere near the Kalaku Motocross Park.
19) James Stewart’s year-end performance at the Canadian rounds of the Amp’d World Supercross series. I had no idea that he would be so dominant so soon.
20) That someone could actually take fantastic supercross footage shot by Troy Adamitis and edit it into a sub-standard television program.

All in all, it was a great year for American motocross and the future truly looks bright for our beloved sport. Thanks to all who make it possible, from the media to the mechanics… ya done good! Here’s hoping that your New Year is the best year yet!