MOTOCROSS ACTION’S MIDWEEK REPORT BY DARYL ECKLUND (1/8/14)

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Anaheim Stadium lights up like it is 4th of July!

PHOTOCHOPS OF THE WEEK: INTERNET GENIUSES AT WORK

BAD NEWS ON THE HOMEFRONT: AUSTIN POLITELLI BREAKS FEMUR

    An engine failure caused Barrett Heritage Racing Yamaha rider (and MXA tester), Austin Politelli, to crash and break his femur at Milestone’s Supercross track on Tuesday. Politelli had recently joined forces with Larry Brooks, and the defending 250 Canadian National champion finished 10th at Anaheim 1 in the 250 West. We wish a speedy recovery for Austin and hope for the best outcome possible. Get well soon, Austin! 

MY TWO CENTS: A1 PRACTICE

Well, Anaheim 1 sure did live up to its hype. Big crashes, questionable passes and some surprising results. The day, from start to finish, was a spectators dream. But what most fans missed was some of the best entertainment of the day, practice. I always get to the races early to watch the opening laps. Every year at A1 the riders nerves are high and the newbies to Supercross find out if they are going to be able to make the cut.
When I went down for track walk I came across the first set of whoops. I started to experience flashbacks of my A1 whoop experience back in 2006. These whoops were three to four feet in height, fairly close together, sharp as a knife and “V” shaped in the middle making it just about impossible to roll them. Being a Supercross newbie is tough?I know because I was once in their shoes. Heading out through the tunnel for the first time you are ecstatic when you look up at the 45,000 seats, until you get your first look at the track. I had flashbacks as I watched this year’s crop of newbies?the group C riders (group C are usual first year riders). I have empathize with them, but I have to say watching them is some of the best entertainment that money can buy.

Zach Osborne make the difficult whoops section look like a breeze. 

First and foremost I will have to say that I have the upmost respect for the Group C riders. They are putting everything on the line in the name of passion, but they are already at a disadvantage the moment they lay rubber to track. Imagine riding the toughest track imaginable, never seeing anyone ride it before, being the first to break in the mud and your rear tire is stepping out around every corner and around every corne ris the steepest jump face you’ve ever seenons. Talk about intimidation. 

When watching these riders I get just as nervous as they are. When I see them line up for the daunting whoops for the first time I cringe. Supercross practice is only 10 minutes per session. Every one of these 10 minutes is precious. There is a lot to be accomplished in a short amount of time. At A1 there were two triples, with the shorter one causing many riders to over-jump to the flat. There were two sets of whoops, one set causing many riders to have some close calls or crashes (just like old pro James as Stewart did in the main). The second set, after the  straightaway, made it very difficult to judge speed entering the whoops and this added to the mayhem. There was also a dragon back with four large whoops on the incline. The riders attempted to skim up hoping to gain enough speed to land on top of the tabletop. Some misjudged the speed  an went front end first into the tabletop. Bottom line the track was tough. This make it an intimidating experience for all the new comers to the illustrious world of Supercross. 

So, if you have the chance, get to the stadium earlier?not just to watch the stars, but to watch Group C. All of them deserve to be seen.

DID YOUR DVR NOT WORK? NO WORRIES, HERE ARE THE COMPLETE A-ONE MAIN’S FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

ANAHEIM 1 250 MAIN EVENT

ANAHEIM 1 450 MAIN EVENT

 

BUBBA’S ANAHEIM 1 LID… AIN’T SHE PRETTY

Are those golf balls?

Yep, definitely golf balls.

RONNIE MAC TRAINING FOR SUPERCROSS?

 

MSR ADDS DANIEL BLAIR TO THEIR 2014 TEAM

MSR is pleased to announce the signing of Daniel Blair through the 2014 season. Placing seventh overall in the 2013 AMA Arenacross championship, Blair is looking to carry that momentum into the 2014 Amsoil Arenacross series as it is set to get underway this month in Worcester, MA. “I am so pumped to be working with MSR this year. I wasn’t planning on racing this year, but everything came together last minute, and I am so grateful that MSR still believes in me and was willing to take a chance on me this late in my career,” said Blair. 

“We are all excited to add Daniel to our team and have him represent the MSR brand in the 2014 Amsoil Arenacross series. This year we have a lot of great things happening with our brand and having someone with Daniel’s experience will help us continue our push of having the best dirt bike brand out there,” said MSR’s Randy Valade. Blair is set to get the series underway on his Frontier Lubricates KTM. The entire 12-race Amsoil Arenacross series will air on FOX Sports 1, with re-airs on FOX Sports 2.

CONCRETE WHOOP RACES? INTERESTED?

FLY RACING’S 2014 F2 CARBON ANDREW SHORT REPLICA HELMET

The F2 helmet has quickly become a leader in the high performance off-road helmet category. The F2 Carbon sets itself apart with a unique style and identity all its own. Utilizing state-of-the-art, aircraft grade carbon fiber and Kevlar composite construction, the F2 Carbon represents lightweight race-inspired helmet technology for the masses. Yes, you too can wear the same off-the-shelf helmet as the one worn by Andrew Short, Trey Canard, Weston Peick, Jimmy Albertson and other top FLY racers. Availabale colors are Black/Yellow/Blue and Black/Purple/Orange in sizes small to double extra-large. The Price is $299.95. For more info: www.flyracing.com.

ATTEMPTED DOUBLE FRONT FLIP

NEW! RIDE ENGINEERING YZ RUBBER MOUNTED TRIPLED CLAMPS
 

The 2014 YZ450 & 250F Ride triple clamps come with rubber-mounted bars ( for the first time since these models were introduced). The rubber bars mounts reduce vibration and lessens hand fatigue. The good news for riders with 2013 and older bikes is that these same clamps will fit their models as well. The Ride clamps come in three different offsets (20mm, 22mm and 23.5mm) to customize the handling of your bike. The retail price is $629.75

MXA FITNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

To get the most bang for your buck when working out. use free weights rather than machines. While both free weights and machines have their pros and cons, free weights tend to be a better choice for almost everyone. Even beginners should try to progress to free weights as quickly as possible since they will see more noticeable improvements with this type of equipment. With free weights you will have an increased use of stabilizer muscles, improved balance, burn more calories and will be able perform exercise that are rider specific. Make sure you are using correct form when using free weights. If you are new to them invest in a few sessions with a certified personal trainer. This will put you in the right direction.