Simon Cudby rocks so hard: Dodge Motorsports Hart & Huntington

Hart & Huntington step up the look. Blose, Hill and Tedesco don game face. And moviemaster Cudby drops an another masterpiece of motocinema.

Enjoy: Racer X Films: Hart & Huntington Photo Shoot

"(T)he most complete broadcast schedule in the history of the sport"

Hyperbole?  Maybe that would sound better announced by the "voice of god" dude, rather than read as the latest press release from Feld Motorsports, Inc.   Either way, I still wonder if  by "most complete"  they actually mean "incomplete."   Because clearly they are NOT complete on the issue of airing race broadcasts as they happen in real-time (or "Live" as the TV folk like to call it), as only 7 of 16 Feld races will be broadcast in this manner. 

And they certainly could not be claiming the schedule is complete in terms of showing all of the races in the series, live or not, because Daytona is not on this schedule because Feld doesn't promote that race.  So what are they talking about?   From the Supercross Online press release:

"This is a huge step in the growth of Monster Energy Supercross," said Todd Jendro, senior director of operations, Feld Motor Sports.

Okay then.  Let's see some Supercross and see how they do.  It all starts the day after Christmas, December 26, 5pm Eastern on CBS, with a very special preview show featuring former Supercross Champions Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath, Jeff Stanton and Jeff Emig!

Dodge signs Carey Hart to a 3-year Supercross deal

In a positive but strange development, American car manufacturer Dodge has finally decided to get into supercross racing... and they turned to Carey Hart, the former racer and freestyler most well-known for being the first to huck and (sorta) land a backflip in televised competition, to bring them to the big dance.   According to this weirdly-worded PR blurb (thanks Racer X!), Dodge is committing to support the Hart and Huntington team for the next three years, leaning on Hart to bring "...his vast riding skills and marketing prowess to Chrysler Group’s performance vehicle brand."   


Oh really?  So where's the beef?  For 2011, Hart and Huntington have hired national number 9 and two-time regional supercross champion Ivan Tedesco, as well as one guy who was briefly tied for the lead in the 2010 Supercross series, Josh Hill.  They also have Chris Blose, who has shown some promise on the 250cc machines but has yet to make any noise on the 450cc bikes that H&H will campaign next year.   The team will compete on Kawasaki motorcycles. [Correction:  Blose finished 13th overall in 450cc Supercross in 2010, finishing as high as 6th place (Indy).  My bad, Chris!]


So let's see... in the past, MX and SX have seen Toyota, Mazda and Chevy Trucks pump in big sponsorship dollars in order to parade their wares in front of the race-going and -watching public, usually jumping in the deep end by either sponsoring the whole series (Toyota), or the series champion (Chevy, Mazda).  I'm glad that Chrysler Group has decided to pay our sport a little homage with a little fromage (excusez-moi), but I am curious why they decided to go with H&H instead of bigger names with better podium potential.  In truth, the way the press release reads, it seems Dodge is not particularly interested in winning, but simply seeking "...a significant at-track presence at major Supercross events throughout 2011. Dodge logos will appear on all team assets including haulers, motorcycles, tents, team personnel uniforms, athlete’s equipment and riding apparel, and all Hart and Huntington custom branded team vehicles, including the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango, all-new Dodge Charger and the new Dodge Challenger."

In any case, considering the competition this lineup will face, I do not expect them to be a factor in the title race, but I will be disappointed if they don't use the H&H logo with the word "Hemi" somehow.

From Subaru to Toyota: Travis Pastrana is going NASCAR racing in 2011

Only Travis could pull this off. (h/t to bturman at Vital MX)

The latter part of 2010 has been full of big announcements, and this one is the biggest yet: Travis Pastrana announced today that he is joining forces with Michael Waltrip Racing to campaign a Toyota stock car in selected Nationwide Series races next year.  From the press release on the new Pastrana Waltrip Racing website,

"Travis has built an enormous and unique following all over the world," said Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 champion. "As a race team owner, we are always looking for ways to deliver to our partners and engage our fans better. This is an opportunity to showcase our company and our sport to a new generation of young fans. We're also looking for that next big star. Travis already is one and action sports is full of talented athletes. Having Travis as a part of our program adds another great dimension to our team and NASCAR."

How big is the upside for Travis?  From the wiki on NASCAR's current TV deal:

On December 7, 2005, NASCAR signed a new eight-year, $4.48 billion deal^[3] with the Fox Broadcasting Company and Speed Channel. Also included in the new contract are Disney-owned ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, along with TNT. The contract came into effect in 2007. The rights were split up as such:

• Fox would become the exclusive home to the Daytona 500 and own the rights to the twelve points races after that. In addition, they will carry the Budweiser Shootout and two Craftsman Truck Series races. (In 2007, they were the Martinsville spring race, and the race in Mansfield, Ohio the Saturday before Memorial Day. In 2008 and '09, Fox aired the Kroger 250 from Martinsville, as well as the San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway, instead of Mansfield. In 2010, Fox will not air any races in what is now the Camping World Truck Series; all 25 races will be shown on Speed^[4].
• TNT will carry the next six Sprint Cup races including the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
• ESPN and ABC (through the ESPN on ABC arrangement) carried the final seventeen Sprint Cup races, with the ten races comprising the Chase for the Sprint Cup airing on ABC (Beginning in 2010, ESPN will take over most of the coverage, leaving ABC with three Saturday night races in August and October). ESPN will begin the coverage with the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The entire Nationwide Series season will be aired primarily on ESPN2 and ESPN, with selected races on ABC.
• Speed will carry the Gatorade Duel races and the Sprint All-Star Challenge, as well as the entire Craftsman Truck Series season, except for the two races each year carried by Fox from 2007–09.

That's serious exposure for Pastrana, already one of the most recognizable motor sport champion on this planet.  Now he's about to step onto his biggest stage ever, taking sponsors Red Bull and DC Shoes with him.  NASCAR will never be the same!

Ryan Dungey, the super Rockstar at Austin Livestrong Challenge

What did you do last weekend?  Ryan Dungey took in a training ride with Lance Armstrong and 3,000 fellow cyclists at the Austin Livestrong Challenge.  By the way, this film was produced by Dungey's own production company, RD Films.  Good stuff, Ryan!

Video courtesy OCScottie at Vital MX.

Supercross 2011 is going to L.A.'s Dodger Stadium!

Now, as a resident of Southern California, I am really looking forward to this event.  The 2011 MESS (Monster Energy Supercross Series) will visit Dodger Stadium in downtown Los Angeles for the first time ever!   And to demonstrate how cool this actually, Feld Motorsports took the media on a special tour of the Big Blue House.  Check out GuyB's great report at Vital MX.

What's really cool about this new Supercross venue is how close it is to Hollywood and the Los Angeles media centers.  The crowd should be off-the-hook with celebrities! 

Goodbye Ben: Townley Takes Off

Townley absolutely killing it at the U.S.G.P. at Glen Helen this year - photo by Guy B/Vital MX.

Former World Champion Ben Townley of New Zealand announced that he's leaving the U.S. to contest the World Championship in 2011. You can read the official PR here at Vital MX or for a slightly different feel, check out Motocross Action's take on it.

Townley signed a one-year deal to campaign a Pro Circuit-prepped, Monster Energy drink-backed Kawasaki for the CLS team. 

Good luck Ben!

Step Up or Drop Off? Bubba's World Season 2 trailer

I'd like to see a version of this without the drama music. Either way, this is a masterfully edited statement and is sure to create some heat for the new episodes and the upcoming supercross season. But it still smells like a reality show to me. Perhaps I shouldn't judge it based on one short trailer (instead, I'll judge it by season one), but I just don't like that smell.

From JS7.com

Red Bull drops American Honda, keeps Andrew Short

Okay, that may not be entirely true, but it sounds funny so I went with it.  Here's the actual KTM press release, courtesy Vital MX.  Suddenly, KTM appears to be flexing for 2011:

Andrew (Shorty) Short will ride for KTM in the SX and MX Open class competition in the USA and will be a factory teammate to KTM’s Mike Alessi and MX2 World Champion Marvin Musquin in the National MX competition. In addition, Ken Roczen, also new to the Red Bull KTM factory team in 2011, will, like Musquin, compete in the AMA Supercross Lites class. After the SX, the young German rider will return to Europe to ride for the KTM factory team in the World Championship GP series.

 Andrew Short is a great motocross racer, a legitimate fast guy indoors and out.  He has not yet managed to win any national championships, but he has come damn close for the past 4 seasons.  He has scored a lot of podiums while earning valuable air time and visibility for his sponsors. No wonder Red Bull likes him.

Now he's on a team featuring the two fastest 250cc racers from Europe, managed by living legend and man-on-a-new-mission Roger DeCoster.  Red Bull KTM is looking pretty strong; Musquin and Roczen could conceivably win every 250 motocross title on the planet next year, and Short and Alessi will represent well on the 450s.  Well played, gentlemen!

2010 MXoN: Dungey Doubles

Even the fastest racers in the world (that were well enough to qualify for their country's MXoN team, that is) couldn't stop the Dungey from scoring double moto wins this weekend.  What year is this again?  Dungey's year!

GuyB with the goods for Vital MX.

Team USA wins the 2010 Red Bull Motocross of Nations!

Congratulations to Trey Canard, Ryan Dungey and Andrew Short for winning the 2010 Motocross of Nations at the Thunder Valley raceway in Colorado this weekend!  This makes six in a row for Team USA!  Good job!

More Visual Splendor: Red Bull represent

Lady Gaga working it at the Motocross of Nations?  Maybe not, but it does seem that Red Bull gets the hot ones. 
Thanks, GuyB!

Visual Splendor: TWMX at the MXoN

Transworld Motocross has some great coverage of today's qualifiers!

Red Bull Motocross of Nations in Colorado, USA

Yeah, we're feeling it.   Check out GuyB's excellent coverage of Saturday qualifying at Vital MX.

National Champion Trey Canard

I would bet Trey Canard believes in miracles.  Now he's a National Motocross Champion, for American Honda no less.  Following along in the tire tracks of the many great motocross champions that won titles with Big Red (Marty Smith, David Bailey, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael to name a few), TC is still special in his own right.

Pala podium pic by GuyB.

Pala Performance: National Champion Canard

Wow.   Trey Canard had a tremendous second half of the 2010 season, winning 5 of the last six Nationals (Red Bud, Spring Creek, Washougal, Unadilla and Steel City).  And in the one race he didn't win (sandy Southwick) he still finished on the podium in 3rd. 

Canard and the GEICO Powersports Honda team carried a lot of momentum coming into Pala, putting themselves in serious contention for a title that many (myself included) had already conceded to Christophe Pourcel and the powerhouse Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad.  Still, at the final round, Canard needed Pourcel to have a bad day order to have a shot at the title.  Pourcel, unfortunately, delivered. 

It was a pleasure to watch them ride yesterday, and my hat is off to the two champions.  Both riders rode as fast as they could and both of them made mistakes.  But Trey Canard kept it on two wheels and scored more points than his rival.  That's racing.

Trey Canard is the 2010 National Motocross Champion!   Congratulations to Trey, his team and his family!

Great shot by GuyB/Vital MX.

Roger DeCoster and Tony Alessi

Chatting at the end of the season. I imagine these guys will be talking a lot in the coming months.  Soon, they'll even be wearing the same shirts.

Photo credit: Paul Willis

Pala Shocker: Pourcel Crashes Out

The red plate on the #377 bike, seen here alone in the pits during the second 250cc moto at Pala, signifies the championship points leader.  Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki racer Christophe Pourcel carried this plate through most of the 12 race season, and came to Southern California with a seven-point lead over GEICO Powersports Honda's Trey Canard.  But complete disaster befell Pourcel in the first moto, as he crashed and dislocated his shoulder.   Allisports interviewed Christophe and got the full story . 

My heart was broken for Pourcel, I assumed all seasson long that he would win this title.

Photo credit:  Paul Willis

Steel City Slicker: Windham Wins One

Everyone's favorite, normally supercross-only vet racer (!) Kevin Windham repaid Team Honda Red Bull's kindness by winning the overall at the Steel City National on Saturday.   Ryan Dungey cut Kdub some slack by crashing out of the first moto on the first lap, but Geico Honda's Brett Metcalfe made Windham work for it in moto two.  As always, GuyB gets the girls, um, goods.  Same difference, I suppose!

The other shoe droppeth: KTM picks up DeCoster

The man who guided Team USA to almost all of its Motocross of Nations victories, the man who managed nearly all of Team Honda's iconic motocross champions, the man who brought American Suzuki's motocross team back from the dead, The Man himself has agreed to a presumably multi-year deal to manage KTM's "new" factory team in the United States, according to this press release at Racer X Online.

Glad to see Roger quickly found a home, but I hope that he made the best deal possible.  As he himself mentioned in his recent (and revealing) interview on DMXS, he just turned 66 but downturns in his real estate investments make it impossible for him to retire at this time.  I wish Roger the best of luck with his new venture!

Jawdropper: Roger DeCoster out at Suzuki

Some things happen in ways you would never expect.  This news is one of those things:  "The Man", 5-time motocross world champion and iconic Suzuki star is leaving the company after 15 years of taking the yellow team from the bottom to the top (news courtesy of Vital MX).

Now we wait for the other shoe to drop, I suppose, since the press release makes no mention of DeCoster's future plans.   The dude has done so much for so long, he certainly deserves to ride off into the sunset of a well-financed retirement, but for some reason, I'm thinking he's not finished with racing yet.  In any case, this is a tremendous loss for Team Suzuki, which has been rumored to be suffering a major budget crisis in 2010.

Southwick Sandmaster: Dungey gets down

2010 is the Year of Ryan Dungey.  First year on the 450cc machines and he cleans house, winning indoors and out.  Managed by the Man, supported by the GOAT and on bikes built by Goose, Flyin' Ryan won it all in a magnificently dominant style, winning both motos at the Southwick National.  GuyB has the story at Vital MX.

Congratulations to Ryan Dungey and the entire Rockstar Makita Suzuki racing team!

Breaking News: James Stewart gave me a tummy ache

And it was all my fault, I'm man enough to now admit.  Being a big time fan (BTF) of any professional sportsman or sportswoman has its own special risks, and whenever we BTFs ascribe the status of "superhuman" to any person, no matter how magnificent their achievements may have been, we flirt with the inevitable, crushing disappointment that comes when our heroes prove to be merely human.

So what's this prattle all about?  Team James announced they're through with the Nationals for 2010.  Kaput.  Why?  According to the press release, James and the team are not ready to "...compete in the series at the level they are accustomed to," and James doesn't want to "...put my entire career at risk by getting injured again."   Stewart even apologized to the fans, the series and the sponsors.

Cue BTF tummy ache:  "Dammit, I wanted to see him ride at Pala!  How could he DO this to me?  He's so selfish, all he cares about is his career and making a profit for his sponsors and team!  What about MY needs??"

Damned if it didn't take me a few days to get over myself.  Maybe it helped that I avoided the Vital MX online forum since the news broke; maybe not.  In any case, once I got over my emotional reaction to the news, I realized it was a smart move. 

Of course, every professional motocross racer faces the risk of injury every time they line up behind a starting gate.  But how many of them willingly gas it while wondering if they are about to crash their brains out because their bike and/or body is "not ready?"   Going for it when one is not ready is what some amateurs unfortunately do.  And maybe desperate pros struggling to establish themselves.  But top tier pros and the multi-million dollar teams that enable them have too much at stake to do something so foolish.

So while the news disappointed me so deeply it made my stomach churn, I admit it makes sense.  Team L&M/San Manuel Band of Mission Indians/Yamaha/James Stewart Entertainment, in its current configuration, is a supercross-focused team.  Racing the last four Nationals knowing that there are problems with the bike and the rider that could lead to crashes and injury would be counter-productive.  After missing most of the 2010 supercross series and after failing to defend their supercross title, this team really needs to focus on being healthy and ready to race in January 2011.

Apology accepted, James.

James Stewart: Face meet Palm

Honestly, I feel blessed that I have had the opportunity to see James Stewart Jr. race a motocross motorcycle. Numerous opportunities, in fact, and each time it was well worth the cost of admission... from the high and lows of his debut supercross race way back when (at Anaheim, California on a 125cc two-stroke), to the laid back fun at his free public ride day in Southern California. And I honestly feel sorry for those MX fans that have not seen the man ride yet. There are a lot of them out there, and I can understand why they would be upset if they had paid money to see him do his thing... and he just decided not to do it.

And according to Stewart himself, that's exactly what he did at Unadilla. Today, he broke his media silence by dropping, if not a bombshell then at least a small concussion grenade of insight in his "An Open Letter From James Regarding Unadilla and MXoN" (posted by Garth Milan at JS7.com) He "straight up" said:

"...I just decided to pull off, lick my wounds, and learn from the weekend."

Learning is a good thing, but sometimes the lessons are hard. I have a good friend that drove 5 hours to Unadilla to see James race the year that Stewart got injured in practice. He never got to see the man ride (no, television doesn't count), so he actually balked at the opportunity to make the trip this year to upstate New York. In fact, he did not go, because he was afraid he would be disappointed again by his motocross hero. What did my friend learn this weekend?

Last year, I truly felt sorry for the motocross fans in Italy and Australia, who had waited all year for their first ever opportunity to see James race in person, and whose hopes were dashed when James fell ill after the Bercy Supercross and canceled his remaining international race schedule. It wasn't James' fault by any stretch, but the result was unhappy fans nonetheless.

But this time in New York, James admits plainly that he believed he had "nothing to gain" by completing the moto.

Rather than submitting to an interview with his friends and enemies in the moto press, he once again chose to directly address his followers and foes. In my opinion, he took his time to prepare and present his thoughts, and I respect that. But after reading this open letter, it pains me to think that he misses the significance of some of his own words.

I haven't even commented on what he wrote about not being selected for the 2010 Motocross of Nations team. Read it for yourself.

Meanwhile, I will go back to looking forward to seeing Stewart ride at the season finale National at Pala in SoCal. But I might start a new habit of not looking forward to hearing or reading what he has to say.

So... what happened to James at Unadilla?

Apparently, he was too tired to race the second moto. That's according to his team manager, Larry Brooks, from this podcast interview with Steve Matthes. Brooks said James left it all on the track in moto one, and that after setting fast times in both practice sessions and running well and finishing third in the first moto, it was still a good day for the team.

As far as I can tell, James has not said a word to the moto media yet. I wonder when this silence will end? Actually, I wonder why it started in the first place?

Unadilla Undone: Mystery in New York

So, after spending nearly all of the 2010 Supercross season and most of the 2010 Motocross series on the injured reserve list, so to speak, James Stewart Jr. returned to professional racing at the challenging Unadilla circuit in upstate New York. He finished 3rd in the first moto, behind series points leader Ryan Dungey and visiting World Championship contender Clement DeSalle, but according to this lap chart for the second moto, Stewart finished the first lap in 15th place and moved up as high as 11th before dropping out of the race. James was credited with 35th place in the moto, giving him 11th overall for the event.

So what happened? It's Sunday night, and there's no news on Vital MX or Racer X Online or even JS7.com. This is not good. Stewart and his team need to tell everyone what's up, otherwise there will be nothing but rampant speculation about Stewart's motivation, and much of this speculation will turn into ugly talk on internet chat boards.

I thought the team had their PR act together.

Racerhead of the Year: Tennessee Stomp

Jeff Emig knows something about starting gates. Go read and enjoy Racerhead #32 at Racer X Online. It's food for the moto mind.

XGameX: Grant Gets Gold

Check out GuyB's X coverage at Vital MX.

Killer D

Ya know, in January I thought this man would have to go a long way to top his killer 2009 double championship performance on the half-size bikes. Well, he's going the distance on the full-size ones. 2010 is the Year of Ryan Dungey.

This pic by Guy was taken shortly after RD slaughtered the field at Washougal. He looks like he is not finished kicking ass. Yikes.

Bad News from Chad Reed

The Epstein Barr virus claims another professional motocross racer.

"It just got to a point where it was dangerous for me to be out there. My doctor, team and I have decided that I need to be off the bike for a while to try get this handled."

Chad Reed, the defending National Motocross champion, announced today (in a strikingly well-written letter to his fans) that he is too ill to continue with his title defense.

No question about it, 2010 has been a tough year for Reed. And for us fans, it sucks that one of the fastest racers is sidelined indefinitely. But now Chad gets to take his wife and newborn son back to Australia and spend time with his family earlier than expected, and that's got to be a good thing.

Get well soon, Chad.

James Stewart had a great conversation with Steve Matthes of Transworld MX

And the BTOSPorts.com TWMX Podcast scores with another big James Stewart interview. It is always cool to hear it directly from the man, and he clearly feels at ease with Matthes. Soon he'll be racing and then he will really have something to talk about. I hope he keeps up the "fireside" podcasts with the moto press.

News - James Stewart #7 | Official Site | JS7.com

Millville Mashup: Crowd Pleaser

"When the horn blows, you better be ready to go."
- George Clinton

Kdub knows what's up. All eyes on him. National number 14. On a factory Honda. When the gate drops, he better be ready to rock. Kevin Windham rocked it.

In his first race back since the Supercross season, Windham grabbed the holeshot and led the first 450 moto at Millville for 7 laps, thrilling the Spring Creek crowd with his speed and style. But points leader Ryan Dungey (above in full attack mode) was the fastest man that Saturday on a Minnesota motocross track. GuyB has the goods at Vital MX.

Millville Modern: Excitement in the air

Here's a really cool GuyB photo from 450 moto 2 at Millville: Ryan Dungey leading Tommy Hahn, the newly-returned Kevin Windham and Mike Alessi, and the lead pack is so tight they're sharing airspace over this double jump.

Red Bud Fireworks: 450 Moto 1

This is the best 450 moto of the year, by far. Thanks to Allisports incredible archive!

Look Who's Riding: JS7

From James Stewart's twitpic thing.

Wow. That's a nice backyard.

German Grand Prix: Trans Europe Express

Stylin' at the Grand Prix of Germany in Teutschenthal, factory Suzuki star Ken Roczen has got a really nice rig.

Photo by Jeffrey Beersden/Vital MX.

High Point Low Point: Technical Foul

High Point was horrible for defending U.S. National 450cc motocross champion Chad Reed, starting with goggle problems in moto 1, and winding up with his front brake nearly wrapped around his forks in moto 2. When Reed arrived at the Pennsylvania circuit he was leading the title chase; now he sits in 4th, 31 points behind new red-plate-holder Ryan Dungey.

From GuyB's High Point Photo Blast at Vital MX.

OK, show 'em how it's REALLY done, Ryan D!

Check out how the newly crowned 450cc indoor motocross champion rolls to the outdoor motocross races. Not only does Flyin' Ryan Dungey sport a target on his back... GuyB shows us the other side.

Show 'em how it's done, GuyB!

This is living, motocross style. When your company gives you a truck and a trailer and sends you out on the road to cover the national motocross championships... with your teenage son. Vital MX's top dog motojournalist Steve "GuyB" Giberson turned down the plane tickets to live the life of many dreamers. That he's taking his son along makes it that much sweeter. Have fun, guys!

Pic by, you guessed it, GuyB!

Freestone Firestorm: Foreign Nationals

What's wrong with this picture? Well there's certainly nothing wrong with those beautiful ladies, especially Ms. Dream on the right. And if you work at Pro Circuit, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this shot of the 250cc winner's podium at the second round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro National Motocross Championship (whew!) in Freestone, Texas (unless, of course, your name is Dean Wilson).

But some may have noticed that there are no Americans on the box. And while that may not be "wrong", especially considering the gutsy performances under grueling Texas-in-the-summer conditions put in by these French, South African and Canadian racers, it still seems kind of weird.

Another great pic by GuyB/Vital MX.

These boots were made for winning: Dungey's Nikes

Rocking these red Nike motocross boots, Ryan Dungey romped all over the Nation's best 450cc riders at the Texas round of the LOAPMC. Coolpic by GuyB.

USGP 2010: Townley Trucking

New Zealand's Ben Townley administered a serious beatdown on the MX1 class in the second moto, passing both Tony Cairoli and Mike Alessi early on the first lap and then running away to win by almost 8 seconds or so. "Uptown's" Troy Lee/Lucas Oil Honda was the only other make to take a moto win away from the otherwise dominant KTMs. GuyB got it.

USGP 2010: Return of the Ryno!

Yes indeed, that Ryno. Ryan Hughes came out of retirement to race against the best in the world in the MX1 (450cc) class! Hughes looked pretty fast and very fit. He finished 17th in moto 1 but only completed 3 laps in the second; not sure what happened there. GuyB pic.

USGP 2010: Magic Marvin

Gotta give GuyB props for this great shot, and of course, "Wow!" goes to the motocross magician, Marvin Musquin, rocking the #1 plate on a nearly-flat factory KTM.

USGP 2010: Roczen Rocks

Germany's Ken Roczen scrubs with style on the Glen Helen circuit. The Suzuki rider finished 4th overall for the day and sits in second place in the championship standings. GuyB photo.

United States Grand Prix 2010: Mighty Musquin

There was some hot racing at Glen Helen for the return of World Championship motocross to the United States. Defending MX2 (250cc) Champ Marvin Musquin (1) of France stormed off to dominating wins in both motos. GuyB captured the world's best over at Vital MX.

Hangtown Hookup: Eli Tomac Wins!

Wow, this is a big deal. Absolute rookie (as in first-ever AMA national, indoors or out) Eli Tomac raced GEICO Powersports Factory Connection Honda to 3-1 finishes to grab the overall victory at the opening round of the American motocross championship series. (Action photo by Marty Mosley)

Congratulations Eli! Don't forget to ask her out before you leave that podium!

(Podium pic by Guy B/Vital MX)

Go in peace, good men: Danny "Magoo" Chandler and Andrew "Sharkey" McFarlane

Peace, young brothers in motocross. You will be missed by many.

Racerhead has more on the tragically short lives of these great racers.

Vegas Swoosh: The Champ Represents

Check it out: Supercross champ Ryan Dungey's marketing team has effectively sold the soles of his feet as promotional space. Ryan rocks his (as yet) unobtainable Nike boots at press day in Lost Wages.

Photo by GuyB at Vital MX.

Vegas Finale: Weimer wears the (w)One

Jake Weimer's Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki KX250F caught sparkling in the Las Vegas pits, sporting the always-impressive numero uno (with a dash of regional seasoning).

Congratulations, Jake! And congrats to the whole Pro Circuit team for dominating 250cc supercross in 2010.

GuyB on the scene with great pics on Vital MX. Thanks Steve!

Ryan Dungey is the 2010 Supercross Champion

Big ups to Ryan Dungey for bringing it home in his rookie year on the 450cc racing bikes. I don't know what Roger DeCoster is saying to the new 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Series Champion in this amazing photo by GuyB of Vital MX, but you know Ryan is listening attentively. DeCoster and Dungey are a formidable combination of drive, determination, talent, experience and endurance, proven by this latest and most significant title.

Amazingly, this is Ryan's third professional championship in a row.

Is Supercross Over? Don't be ridiculous...

All photos from GuyB's great Seattle coverage at Vital MX

Sure, the Big Title is wrapped up with two rounds remaining, but that doesn't mean this series is finished with putting on an exciting show of indoor motocross racing by some of the fastest motorcycle riders on the planet.

One of those guys, beyond any question, is Nick Wey, national number 27. Nick was a Team Green amateur champion back in the day, so it's really cool to see him get a chance back on Team Kawasaki.



Kevin Windham is also, without a doubt, one of the best motorcycle riders in the world. His ability to precisely control his bike and his savvy race craft are well-established and on top of that he's just fun to watch. 2010 has been a great year for Windham, and there are two more chances to see how he finishes this season.


Though still recovering from his injury, the outgoing Supercross champion showed up to sign autographs at Seattle. Two more rounds means two more opportunities for fans to meet James Stewart and share some kind words.

So even though the 2010 Monster Energy Supercross Series was remarkable in that on-track injuries sidelined the defending champion, the past champion AND one of the two-most-likely-to-become champions, resulting in the National Championship being suddenly decided by default with three races to go, when these guys hit the track next Saturday night there will be fast times to set, heat races to run and main events to win. Those that can race will be there. I think supercross fans will be there too.

St. Louis Blues: The Drummer gets it all

This shot doesn't quite tell the whole story of a momentous night in St. Louis for the racers of the MESS, nor does it quite tell the whole story of this unpredictable supercross season, but it certainly nails the ending: Ryan Dungey is the 2010 Supercross Champion. Congratulations Ryan!

And get well soon, Ryan Villopoto. Yes, the tale of two Ryans came to a dramatic end last night, with Villopoto carried off the field of battle with a broken leg. Here's the story from GuyB.

Nice pic by GuyB/Vital MX

Houston Rockets: 5 on the floor

Ryan Dungey is having an amazing rookie year in the 450 cc Supercross class, especially considering that out of the 13 races run so far, his 5th place effort in Houston was his worst finish of the year! Unfortunately for Ryan D, his championship rival, Ryan Villopoto, took the win and made up a bunch of ground in the points. The tale of two Ryans continues...

Photo by GuyB/Vital MX.

Christophe Pourcel is the first Supercross Champion of 2010

Congratulations to Pourcel and the Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki squad for defending their 250cc East region title. The champ went wire-to-wire in Houston to win his fifth race of the eight-race season, clinching the crown with one round remaining.

One down, one to go Christophe?

Photo by GuyB/Vital MX.

Bubba's World, Ep. 1: Hey, wait a minute...

The producers of the new cable show "Bubba's World" of Fuel TV have all the elements they need to create a historical document of modern motocross the likes of which the sport has never seen. For the first time in the history of the sport, a television production crew enjoyed unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the top rider in MX and no doubt they shot hundreds of hours of fascinating footage.

So why oh why did they decide to take the low road and (poorly) stage certain scenes and scenarios?

I get it. It's all about fun, right? If the Stewarts don't mind being portrayed discussing important professional matters while picking food from their teeth, what gives me the right to get bent out of shape about it? Well, I actually care about the Stewarts and I care about how their images are being used.

Unfortunately, I cannot levy all of my criticism on the producers of the program. I grew up in a household that valued education. My parents insisted that we learn and use good grammar at all times. Clearly that's not the case with some families today and apparently the Stewarts do not put much emphasis on clear diction. I wish that were not the case, because it makes this show sort of difficult for me to enjoy. C'est la vie.

Let's see what the next episode brings.

Atlanta Dream: Who was due?

My bad. I said Josh Hill was due for a win; I meant RYAN DUNGEY (5), of course! Numba 5 got himself a big one, his third of the year, at just the right time and in just the right place: the Georgia Dome, the scene of his very first professional win at his very first professional supercross waaaaay back in 2007. It was a huge win for the Rockstar superstar, as he entered the race tied in championship points, but left with a 20 point lead. Dungey fully capitalized on rival Ryan Villopoto's (2) trip over the handlebars while running in second place late in the 450cc main event.

By the looks of this GuyB photo, supercross motorcycles never actually touch the ground, they just fly around the track.

Atlanta Dream: Green Dean

Say "one-oh-ate" one time. Dean Wilson (108) grabbed the holeshot and led for 8 laps, setting the pace for a very exciting 250cc supercross main event in Atlanta last Saturday. Wilson's Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki team mate Christophe Pourcel (1) ended up winning the race, after the fastest guy on the floor, Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Austin Stroupe (45), actually hit the floor of the stadium while leading. Photo by GuyB/Vital MX

A Tale of Two Ryans, a Supercross Saga Starts

Look at the MESS! The Monster Energy Supercross Series is tied up for the second straight week but with three different riders, something that I can't recall ever happening in the 450cc class.



Two weeks ago in Andyheim, Ryan Villopoto (above, the epitome of cool) took the win to put him within 3 points of the two co-leaders, Ryan Dungey (below, intensely focused) and Josh Hill.


Last Saturday in Motor City (the Hoosier version, not the Detroit one), Ryan V scored another win over Ryan D to grab his share of the championship points lead, after Hill (below, in thoughtful repose) failed to make the podium for the first time in 5 races.

Now the two Ryans are tied going into Hotlanta this Saturday night, and the Man in Blue sits 10 points in arrears. Hill is due; will it happen this weekend?

These great portraits of Supercross are from GuyB's Vital MX Pit Bits from Indianapolis.

Indy Jones: Woulda, Coulda and Did It Again

Honda Red Bull's Davi Millsaps (18) nipped Geico Powersports Honda's Kevin Windham (14) for the holeshot in the 450 main in Indy, and led for a bit, but for whatever reason could not keep the veteran rider behind him for long. Lurking in the back of this GuyB snap is Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto (2), who would pass both Honda riders and go on to convincingly win his third supercross on the year.

Look at that crowd! Yeah, the East loves supercross!

Indy Jones: Christophe Crushes

Well, the MESS moved Eastward this weekend, landing at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and kicking off the Eastern region of the 250cc class. And defending East region champ Christophe Pourcel dominated the proceedings with his smooth-as-butter style. If anyone has a chance to go undefeated in supercross this year, Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Pourcel is the one. GuyB snaps the shot.

It's good to be The King: riding with Jeremy McGrath

Monster Energy Video Blog - McGrath Ride Day

Transworld Motocross drops another big 'un, a really cool video by Dirt Shark, filmed at Jeremy McGrath's king-size ranch. Nice.

Anaheim 3: Mayhem before the AM

Yep, weak headline I admit, but the race itself was outstanding! Unfortunately, my man with the hot cam, GuyB, decided to spend time all the way in Indianapolis for the Dealer Show, so I got nothing... that is, no fantastic Vital MX photos for the final round in California. Oh well...

But I did go to the race, and let me tell ya, it was indeed off the hook, despite what you may have seen on CBS.

I was able to catch the top 450 riders in their final qualifying session, and I was quite surprised to see Jason Lawrence aggressively jump to the head of the line on the first lap and set the first fast lap. Seeing ol' #338 on the leader pylon was both amazing and confusing... but it didn't take long before the customary leaders displaced him. And in a sign of things to come, Ryan Villopoto finished the session with the top time as the only rider to get around the tricky circuit in under a minute.

Which leads to the track layout itself. Walking into the stadium, the over/under bridge was the first thing to get my attention. Riders landing from the third base triple had to deal with a short landing area into a tight, 90-degree left under the bridge, which then led to the rhymthm section that contained the "wall." During practice I was waiting for some daredevil to launch over the wall into the next double, but no one dared. Survival instincts run high among supercross racers.

But those instincts weren't enough to save everyone, hence the "Mayhem" in the headline. I saw more riders carried off the track on stretchers than I can remember, so much so that at times it seemed as if the announcers were doing their best to avert everyone's attention away from the carnage. But there were plenty of exchanged worried glances and comments circulating among the crowd. In the second 250 heat, Jake Weimer and Trey Canard were locked in a death struggle for the lead when Max Anstie went down very hard, fracturing his hip. Anstie was down on the track for so long, the officials ended up redflagging the 8-lap heat race and re-starting it. And in the first 450 heat, WORCS star Bobby Bonds went OTB into the face of a triple, breaking his collarbone. And these are just two of the injuries I've seen reported so far. I don't know if the track is to blame or what, and I'm grateful that no one was more seriously injured or worse.

Both main events featured unexpected twists. In the 250 class, past East Region Champion Trey Canard quickly chased down early leader Wil Hahn and tried to get away, but 4-time winner Jake Weimer was closing fast... and then he went down and stalled his bike. (ELECTRIC START!) By the time it fired up, Weimer was dead last. For a few laps, it looked like Trey Canard was going to score a full whopping 25 points on Weimer, but that's not what happened.

Instead, Jake reached down deep and went to work to minimize the damage to his 26-point cushion in the championship standing. Jake fought his way up to 8th position, while Canard crushed the rest of the field for his second win on the year. Weimer still holds 14 sizable points over TC with only two rounds to go, but Canard takes the momentum into the West Region hiatus.

In the 450 class, Ryan Villopoto got his first holeshot of the year and ran the table by leading every lap and even setting fast lap of the night. But Josh Hill, Kevin Windham, and to some extent, Davi Millsaps and Ryan Dungey all made RV work for it. Hill especially, as it always seemed that Josh had the speed to catch Villo, if only he didn't have to worry about riding defense against the constant attacks from first Millsaps then Kdub. Thos three had a great game of cat and mouse going, even though their positions didn't really change that much. Dungey seemed early on content to just let those guys slip up so he could slip by, but when that didn't happen, Ryan started making moves. First he pulled a nice pass inside Davi and then he started pressuring Kevin. And then Dungey spun out in the same turn where he passed Millsaps earlier. Of course, this let the Honda-mounted Millsaps by and Ryan had to pass him AGAIN, this time just stuffing last week's main event winner in a bowl.

As the laps wore on, things just got more intense. It wasn't until lap 16 or 17 that Kdub seemed to settle into third and Hill seemed to be happy with second. Somehow, Ryan Dungey accepted finishing off the podium for the third straight week; he had nothing for Windham after the slideout. And I have no idea WTF happened to the Davi that beat everyone just a week ago. But I'm starting to suspect that tricky track, I guess it brought out the best in the top bike-handlers.

Riding With Turbo Trey | Transworld Motocross

Swapmoto at Transworld Motocross is transforming motocross coverage this year by filling the internet with great mx video. He shows a particularly deft touch with this one, using music only when absolutely necessary!



Riding With Turbo Trey | Transworld Motocross

San Diego Chargers, Pt. 2: The Three Amigos

Here are the top three finishers in the 450 class in San Diego, sharing some post-race good vibes. From left to right, Honda Red Bull's Davi Millsaps, San Manuel Yamaha's Josh Hill, and Valli Motorsports' Ivan Tedesco. It was a great race for all of them: Millsaps gave Honda it's first supercross win in, like, forever; Hill pulled to only 4 points behind Dungey in the points standings, and this is Tedesco's first podium in, like (wait for it... ) yes, forever. GuyB gets the love.

Good job, guys!

San Diego Chargers, Pt. 1: Wey to Go!

Here's the shot of the night, courtesy Vital MX's GuyB: Nick Wey, "filling in" for Chad Reed on the Monster Energy Kawasaki, gets his first supercross holeshot in, like, forever, while the points leader and two-time race winner Ryan Dungey goes down in the slippery San Diego first turn.

Ryan Dungey's unbelievable San Francisco crash

Oh man. I am so glad Ryan didn't get badly injured in this spectacularly scary get-off. Whoa. The guy must be made of rubber, because he literally bounced back up, sprinted to his bike and got going again before Villopoto and Hill could pass him.

Frisco: Dice a Roni

The San Francisco Treat! The City by the Bay hosted the fastest supercross racers in the known galaxy last Saturday and these two dudes put on a particularly entertaining show. Old Northwest rivals Josh Hill (75) and Ryan Villopoto duked it out cowboy style, electrifying the crowd in the process. Another fine photo by GuyB.

PS - For those I may have offended by referring to San Francisco as "Frisco," I apologize for being too SoCal oblivious to know better!

Frisco: Return of the Jedi?

Geico Powersports Honda's Trey Canard opened a can on the 250cc class in San Francisco, halting Monster Energy/Pro Circuit racer Jake Weimer's winning streak at three. That green blur in the distance? That be Jake.

Way to step up, TC. GuyB gets the angle.