MXA MID-WEEK REPORT: Interviews with James Stewart, Chad Reed, Travis Pastrana And Justin Barcia’s Wrench, Point Standings, Lake Whitney Results, Cool Videos, Toronto Redux, And More!

On Mar 16, 2010 Last updated Mar 26, 2018

MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORTÿÿÿÿ
By John Basherÿ
ÿ
MXA’S PHOTO OF THE WEEK

ÿÿÿ A lot can change in two years, yet it can still remain the same. Confused yet? Take Ryan Dungey, for example. Two years ago (when this photo was taken at Competitive Edge motocross track in SoCal) Dungey was preparing for an outdoor onslaught against the likes of Ryan Villopoto. Both were racing 250 four-strokes, and both suffered heartbreaking championship losses in their respective Supercross regions. In 2008 Villopoto went on to win his third straight 250 National title before moving up to the 450 class in 2009. Meanwhile, Dungey remained in the 250 class for one final year and cleaned house indoors as well as outside. Now the two Ryan’s are reunited in what should be one epic battle after another as the series heads toward the final 450 Supercross round in Las Vegas. Who will win? I’m putting my money on Ryan……..There couldn’t be any better odds in Sin City!ÿÿ

MINI-VIEW: JAMES STEWART

How is the wrist doing?
It’s coming along. It’s getting better, but it’s not getting better as fast as I want it to. At the same time, I’m a little smarter about my career. I know that the Supercross championship is way out of my reach, and I want to make sure that I’m healthy when I come back. Hopefully I can come back and race a few outdoors. That’s my plan. I don’t know if it will happen, but when I’m out training every day that’s what I look forward to. I don’t know if I can come back for the Supercross season. I’m still in the healing process, and I don’t want to jeopardize myself just to race a few events and pull out because my body isn’t healed yet.

What was easier to deal with, the torn ACL in 2007 or the broken navicular?
It was actually a lot easier when I blew out my ACL, because after only three weeks I was back to training. With the wrist injury I can’t do a lot of things. I can’t even play golf! Even when I sleep at night I have to make sure that I don’t put it in a certain position, whereas with my knee as long as it didn’t hurt I was fine. The knee problem was a lot easier to cope with than the wrist has been.

ÿÿÿ “Hopefully I can come back and race a few outdoors. That’s my plan. I don’t know if it will happen, but when I’m out training every day that’s what I look forward to.”

While you’re healing you still go to a few of the races, and I’ve even seen you as a TV commentator. How has that experience been?
I like going to the races, but unfortunately I’ve been hurt. This has been the first time that I’ve had the opportunity to do some on-air TV coverage and analysis of the Supercross races. I try to give my opinions. I don’t a horse in the race. If somebody stinks, then I say that they stink. Sometimes it annoys me when other people do the commentary, because I think some of them are biased to certain riders. When I talk I am straight up and I tell people how I feel.

What are your thoughts on the Dungey/Villopoto battle for the championship?
I had kind of seen that it was going to be that way once I got hurt. Ryan Dungey has been riding really well. When he came into the season he was one of the underdogs and an unknown. If you’ve never been in the position before of leading the point standings in the 450 class it can be kind of tough, and Dungey had some bad races. When he was struggling only one guy was stepping his game up, and that was Ryan Villopoto. Unfortunately Villopoto had his bad accident in Atlanta and lost all those points. At this point I see Dungey winning the championship.

Although not widely known until well after the fact, you raced Anaheim 2 with a broken wrist. It’s pretty crazy that you finished on the box with basically one hand tied behind your back.
It made me feel good getting on the podium, but then again I have never questioned my toughness. It was pretty painful, but I’ve raced with pain that hurt much worse. My knee hurt badly, and after racing at Unadilla when I hurt my neck it was tough. I knew that I was the fastest rider at Anaheim 2, but I literally couldn’t hold on after eight laps. I was just trying to save as much energy as I could, and I was holding on with one arm. By around lap 13 I was so tired from hanging on with one arm that Dungey and Josh Hill passed me. I was tired. It was cool to know that I could lead some races with a broken wrist, but I ended up third and those guys beat me. It wasn’t really much of a moral victory for me.ÿÿ

IMPROVEMENT: PERSONAL RIDING LESSONS WITH DAMON HUFFMAN

ÿÿÿ Are you looking to improve your speed around the motocross? Then look no further than World Supercross champ, two-time 125 West Supercross champ, U.S. Open champ, and ISDE gold medalist Damon Huffman. Once referred to as “The Baby Faced Assassin” by MXA, Damon is now mostly retired from racing, but he hasn’t lost his speed. He has set up personal riding lessons for riders of all ages and abilities. Here’s how it works:

ÿÿÿ 1. Quick bike setup. Full evaluation of suspension, tires and controls.
ÿÿÿ 2. Full track riding evaluation. Helps Damon see your trouble areas and current technique around the whole track.
ÿÿÿ 3. Work on specific areas. Instruction and demonstration of cornering, braking, jumps, line selection and more.
ÿÿÿ 4. Put everything together. Use proper technique and lines around the whole track.

ÿÿÿ If you’re interested, call (661) 904-4804. Be sure to tell him that MXA sent you. If you’re lucky he’ll be sporting his amazing mustache. Damon’s upper lip plumage isn’t as good as that of Burt Reynolds, but he’s a heck of a lot faster on a motocross bike than old Burtie.ÿÿ

MINI-VIEW: MIKE “SCHNIKES” TOMLIN

ÿÿÿ It takes a mechanic with low blood pressure and a strong heart to wrench for rookie sensation Justin Barcia. As part of the Geico/Factory Connection/Honda team, Barcia is a wild child with an aggressive riding style that either bites him or lands him on the podium. At Toronto, Justin won his first of what will become many Supercross races. Of course he couldn’t do it without a quality mechanic, and the tuner that holds such a distinction is Mike “Schnikes” Tomlin. I ringed him to hear all about the Toronto race.

Mike, please provide a little insight into the Toronto Supercross.
Everything seemed like it was going to be okay in practice, but Justin’s qualifying times weren’t really there. He placed around 12th in the first practice session, and then we made a slight little change in the forks and gearing. The next practice he did a little bit better. In the heat race Justin didn’t have a very good pick, because he qualified outside the top three, but then he pulled a kamikaze holeshot. He was leading, but on the second lap Christophe Pourcel caught up to him through the whoops. Justin wasn’t being as aggressive as he needed to be going into the little double after the whoop section. Pourcel was pinning it through there, and Justin got a wake up call when Pourcel hit him. It didn’t fluster him too much, and he finished second in the heat race behind Austin Stroupe. In the main he was just feeling it. Normally he would do a practice start on the parade lap, but he felt really comfortable about his starts. He didn’t want to rip up the starting gate pad, so he rolled out for the sighting lap. Then he pulled another kamikaze holeshot and lead from start to finish.

Justin certainly didn’t make things easy on himself. Over the course of the main he collected a banner, cased a double through the corner, and then took an off-track excursion.
Yeah, he had a few problems, and I was stressing out a little bit. On the 13th lap is when he went off the track, but he played it cool. I think that what he did in the last few laps by going off the track definitely made things exciting. Of course it would have been a little better for my stress if he hadn’t done that, but it’s racing. In the Atlanta race I was more nervous than anything because he got a bad start. I thought that he was going to try to get on the podium, but he wasn’t settling for the box. The next thing I know he’s battling for the lead, but then he went down. There’s a certain amount of patience that’s needed, but he now he knows that he can win.

Has your blood pressure gone up since working with Justin?
[Laughter] No, I’m doing well. I feel like I’ve found my match with Justin. He and I get along really well, plus we are both very hyper people that love racing. I feel like I’ve finally met my match.

ÿÿÿ “Yes, Justin is aggressive, but he’s not t-boning anybody. He could be cleaner with some passes, but he’s not doing anything intentionally. He just wants to get to the front.”

Barcia’s aggressive and wide open riding style is exciting to watch, but after the numerous incidents with Martin Davalos and Vince Friese, it doesn’t sound like he’s making very many friends on the track. Your thoughts?
I tell him to calm down and be clean. You’re not going to believe me, but a lot of people supporting him like his style. Yes, Justin is aggressive, but he’s not t-boning anybody. He could be cleaner with some passes, but he’s not doing anything intentionally. He just wants to get to the front. A lot of people are coming up to me and telling me that it’s about time that a rider steps up and challenges other riders during the course of the race. Justin’s not a dirty rider, and I think he has more fans out there than anyone else.

Talk about the double that he was doing through the corner. I’m betting that the Dirt Wurx crew hadn’t envisioned a rider doubling through that corner.
It was one of those last minute things. I think that as a rider you need to find something on the track that pulls you away from everyone else. The 250 guys are so close in speed, so when he was doing that double around the corner it really helped him. I don’t mean to brag, but it seems like when Justin gets the start there isn’t anyone that can challenge him. In Atlanta he had a bad start and moved to the front. With more races under his belt he should be able to race up front no matter what.

Did you have a heart attack during the main when he went off the track?
Oh yeah! I was freaking out. With just one crash you can go from a hero to a zero. He got lucky when the hay bale cover came off his bike. Justin didn’t make it easy on himself in Toronto, but that’s how you learn. He probably doesn’t want to hear this, but he is a rookie. Mistakes will come. Hopefully some day they won’t come.

The lappers seemed to play a part not so much in the outcome, but in the race pace during the main.
Definitely. I kept writing on the pit board for him to be clean, because you never really know what lappers are thinking. They could be in a race line and ruin the outcome of the race. The AMA needs to play a bigger part in making sure that the lappers don’t interfere with the race.

REFLECTIONS: TORONTO SUPERCROSS

ÿÿÿ The “World” Supercross series made its one and only stop outside the U.S. this past Saturday, setting up shop in Toronto, Canada. Although Chad Reed decided to sit on the sidelines for another week and James Stewart might not return at all to Supercross this season, there is still fairly good racing in the 450 class. I say fairly because Ryan Villopoto is starting to make everyone look a little silly. At Toronto RV made quick work of Trey Canard in the main event and motored away from Ryan Dungey for the win. If it weren’t for a trip over the bars in Atlanta (Villopoto finished 19th), he would be leading the point standings by nine over Dungey. Instead, the Suzuki rider has a 17 point advantage in the series. Considering the trend that has been occurring these past few weeks (a Villopoto win, and a second place finish for Dungey), if RV wins every race from here on out and Dungey finishes second, Villopoto will win the title by four points. However, there’s little chance that it will happen. Why? Something tells me that when Chad Reed returns he will greatly effect the outcome of the Supercross series. Reed is not going to lie down and let Ryan Villopoto pass easily if he’s leading. Chad is a winner and a champion. He’s out to win and prove a point. Team tactics will probably come out at some point, and if anyone is playing against a stacked deck, it’s Ryan Dungey.

ÿÿÿ I’m not going to say that I told anyone so, because I’ve heard a lot of people saying that they expected Justin Barcia to win a Supercross race in his rookie season. When I interviewed him a few months ago for the March issue of MXA (where he appeared on the cover), he seemed determined to make a name for himself indoors. Although I questioned whether his riding style would see him through the series, because he’s a wild child on a Supercross track, I knew he would be blistering fast. He pulled it together in Toronto, and even made a side trip off the track and collected a course banner in the process. It was an electric night for Barcia, and I foresee another win in his not too distant future.
ÿÿÿ Larry Brooks has commented in the past on the inability for lapped riders to get out of the way sometimes. In Toronto (particularly in the 250 main) a few of the lappers must have been color blind, because they failed to obey the blue flag. The blue flag basically means that a rider is on the track, but he’s really not in the race, so get out of the way of the leaders. It’s my hope that from here on out in the series the lappers move out of the fast line and let the leaders by.
ÿÿÿ This weekend is one of the most anticipated Supercross races of the season. Anaheim 1 has all of the stars and Daytona has the roughest track on the circuit, but Dallas has the 160 foot high definition JumboTron inside a brand new $1.2 BILLION stadium. MXA‘s Zap Espinoza will be in Dallas to report on all of the action. Be sure to check out next week’s Mid-Week Report for all the details (and yes, Internet folks, MXA does travel to East coast Supercross races. I went to Atlanta a few weeks ago).ÿÿÿ

POINT STANDINGS: IS YOUR NAME HERE?

MINI-VIEW: TRAVIS PASTRANA

Photo: Alex Schelbert/Red Bull Photofiles

Before the Indy Trade Show, you had back and shoulder surgery. How are you doing?
The collarbone healed up great. Dr. Augustine took me under the knife and I was able to race cars that same weekend. I had a few bulging discs from the X Games crash (note: where he crashed doing a rodeo 720 in the Moto Best Trick contest), and I had those worked on. I can function fairly well, but it’s really hard for me to sit, which stinks. I had back surgery to repair the discs, but I’m still not feeling that great, so I’ll probably go back in to have my discs worked on again before I leave for Australia.

ÿÿÿ “Before I commit to the X Games I have to get the trick down. Last year I had the trick down about two weeks before the X Games, but then I lost the trick and went for it anyway.”

What do you have coming up in Australia?
We have the Nitro Circus tour down there. It should be pretty neat. We have a mega ramp that a guy in a wheelchair does a double backflip over. He lands the trick about 60% of the time, but it’s hard to watch him crash. There are also two guys on a tandem bike than jump the mega ramp. The guy in front does a backflip, while the guy in the back goes underneath him. There is a guy on a big wheel that’s doing Lazyboy backflips and Cordova backflips fully extended. There are also a few guys doing double front flips on BMX bikes over the ramp. We have a variety of things going on. We even have a tandem scooter! Probably the most fun thing is the pogo stick. The skateboarders laugh at us, but we think it’s a whole lot of fun.

The X Games is still months away. Any thoughts on doing Best Trick again?
Yeah. Before I commit to the X Games I have to get the trick down. Last year I had the trick down about two weeks before the X Games, but then I lost the trick and went for it anyway. I definitely don’t want to put myself in that position again! That hurt a lot!

MORE PASTRANA NEWS: THE CRAZY MAN IS NOMINATED FOR STAPLES CENTER GREATEST MOMENT

Pastrana’s Double Back Flip At X Games 12 Makes Top 25 Greatest Moments

[Press Release]

ÿÿÿ VISTA, CA ? Congratulations to DC Motocross and Rally athlete Travis Pastrana. His historic double back flip at Summer X Games 12 was recently nominated by fans as one of STAPLES Center’s Top 25 Greatest Moments.
ÿÿÿ On August 4, 2006 Travis made history during the MotoX Best Trick event when he successfully completed the first double back flip ever in competition. He took home X Games Gold that night and set the competition bar to a new level for future motocross athletes.
ÿÿÿ Now thru March 31st fans can click HERE and vote to make Pastrana’s 2006 X Games appearance the Greatest Moment in STAPLES Center history. The Ten Greatest Moments will be unveiled on April 14, 2010.

COOL VIDEO: LANCE COURY

ANOTHER COOL VIDEO: KTM RIDERS GO BACK TO SCHOOL

[Press Release]

ÿÿÿ Check out the latest KTM video featuring Tommy Searle, Ronnie Renner, Sean Borkenhagen and Sarah Whitmore as they return to school to learn about their KTM motorcycles.

TWO QUESTIONS WITH CHAD REED

ÿÿÿ Not all interview questions and answers make the magazine. Sometimes copy is clipped due to space needed for a specific layout. Such is the case with a recent interview that I did with Chad Reed. Although you’ll have to wait until the June issue (I know, it seems like forever and a day away from now) to read the interview in its entirety, for now these two questions and answers might wet your reading appetite.

What’s the best advice that you ever received?
I’m not really sure what the best advice is that I have ever received. It’s hard to put a finger on one piece of advice. I’ve been extremely lucky to have many important things said to me over the years. I’ve always tried to make my own decisions, and I’ve been doing that since I was 18. I’ve had to stand on my own two feet for a long time.

What’s your favorite thing to do to unwind?
I literally like doing nothing. I love being home and just chilling out at the house and hanging with family and friends. Sometimes I just ride my jet ski or bicycle just for fun. I even like to rock out on my iPod and sweat a little bit while working out.

JESSE MASTERPOOL NEWS: KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS

[Press Release]

ÿÿÿ Jerry, Tara, Jesse, Jake, and Ty Masterpool are overwhelmed with the support Jesse’s competitors, friends, family, loved ones, and the entire MX community have shown. Each and every thought and prayer means everything to our family and we know it is healing Jesse. Your support is helping immensely in this difficult time. Please continue with your thoughts and prayers for Jesse.
ÿÿÿ To everyone attending the GNC International Finals or any other future event, please remember to race safe, smart, and have fun! Jesse would not want anything other than this for everyone.
ÿÿÿ We would like to apologize in the delay for not reaching out to everyone sooner. We will try our best to update everyone on a daily basis throughout Jesse’s recovery, you deserve this. You are all Jesse’s family.

ÿÿÿ God Bless

ÿÿÿ Love,
ÿÿÿ Jerry, Tara, Jesse, Jake and Ty

ÿÿÿ For More Information & Updates Please Visit: WWW.FOXRACING.COM

NEW PRODUCT: PC RACING HELMET BLADE
ÿÿÿ
[Press Release]

ÿÿÿ Helmet Blade gives any helmet an aggressive new look.ÿ Offered in 2 styles:ÿ Saw or Jagged, the rubber Helmet Blade easily applies to any helmet by the peel and stick method.ÿ The industrial grade adhesive holds tight while riding, but can be removed without damaging the helmet.ÿ Helmet Blades come in 17 inch lengths and are scissor cut to the appropriate length for your helmet.ÿ Two pieces can be used to avoid helmet vents.ÿ Retail price is $16.95. More information is available at www.pcracingusa.com

NEW PRODUCT: HINSON SINGLE SPRING INNER HUB/PRESSURE PLATE KIT

[Press Release]

Hinson Clutch Components is proud to announce the next level of performance in High Performance Clutches, the SS Series Single Spring Conventional Inner Hub/Pressure Plate Kit ($599.99).

-Precision Single Spring allows Pressure Plate to stay flat during disengagement minimizing clutch drag and heat build up
-Eliminates the drag between the coil springs and inner hub/pressure plate creating a smoother more positive lever action and clutch engagement
-Improves clutch performance and life
-Precision machined from billet T-6 aircraft quality aluminum to aerospace tolerances, and Akadized for five times the wear resistance to stock*ÿ (*with proper maintenance)
-Allows clutch assembly to spin more true creating less heat when clutch is disengaged
-Simple installation
-No special tools needed
-When used with Hinson Clutch Components clutch basket helps eliminate clutch chatter

Hinson Clutch Components is the premier manufacturer of high performance clutches & components, providing to all major factory race teams, including Team Red Bull Honda, Team Monster Kawasaki, Team Yagermeister KTM, Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki, & Team JGR Yamaha.ÿ Through this commitment they are proud to have won over 189, National & World, ATV, Supercross, Motocross, Supermoto and Off-Road Championships.

For more info contact www.hinsonracing.com.

LOOK-A-LIKE: LUCK OF THE IRISH!

The rumor going around the pits is that Ryan Dungey is after Ryan Villopoto’s lucky charms. Now we know why. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!