Premier Top5:
1st - James Stewart
2nd - Ricky Carmichael
3rd - Tim Ferry
4th - Grant Langston
5th - Mike Alessi
* Spoiler - K-Dub

James Stewart - Don't bet against Bubba at Hangtown. He's the fastest rider on the planet, he's healthy, and he won last year. No one will be able to challenge him, including RC.

Ricky Carmichael - RC will finish 2nd at Hangtown. With his part time carrer, and new babies, RC isn't at the top of his game right now. Even so, RC's talent and speed will have the rest of the field easily covered, sans Bubba. Bubba will beat him, but not without some spectacular moments along the way.

Tim Ferry - The new Factory Kawasaki ride has started a fire under the Red Dog. Ferry was written off by nearly everyone as a fading rider, but his sheer determination has put him back in contention. He could have easily ridden off quietly into the sunset, but instead Ferry has made a solitary push to re-establish himself. That characteristic, coupled with the fact that his teammate is Bubba, will put the Red Dog on the podium.

Grant Langston - Langston has flown under the radar nearly all season with injuries affecting him like the plague does a Squirrel in Colorado. But don't let his absence fool you, Langston is still plenty fast enough to run Top5. If his conditioning is what I've heard it is, Grant will have no problem in the Top5 Overall at Hangtown. Don't get me wrong, I have my doubts he'll make it past Red Bud without incident, but we're only talking about Hangtown here.

Mike Alessi - I'm probably going out on a limb predicting Alessi will Top5, but it's just my gut feeling. He didn't do shit during SX... Ok, and the move to the Big Bikes could be a handicap early in the series... Ok, but let's face it, we're in California, his home state. He knows the dirt, and the track... and in 2006 he went 1-1 while everyone else struggled.     

* K-Dub the Spoiler - Kevin Hasn't had a good run at Hagntown since '04. I'm guessing Hangtown won't be any different for KW this year than it was last year or the year before that. The reason I give Kevin the "Spoiler" Spot is because of the speed he showed in Vegas. Maybe K-Dub will come to the opener with something to prove, I hope so, but my confidence isn't high for the Good ol' Boy.  


Lites Top5:
1st - Ryan Villopoto
2nd - Ben Townley
3rd - Ryan Dungey
4th - Josh Grant
5th - Jason Lawrence
* Spoiler - Brett Metcalfe/Broc Hepler

Ryan Villopoto - Please, the kid is amazingly fast, loaded with talent and rides for Pro Circuit. If he doesn't win it will be because Townley did, never underestimate the Pro Circuit Team, ever!

Ben Towley - The guy is a previous World Champ and he rides for Pro Circuit. His 2007 Supercross Series Championship tells only part of the story, Townley's forte is MOTOCROSS. I could actually be wrong on this prediction of 2nd place, he might get 1st?

Ryan Dungey - Dungey showed us how fast he can go outdoors at the tail-end of last years nationals. Then in '07, we got reminded of how fast he is when he won 3 of 7 East Coast SX's and finished 3rd in 2 more. He's had time to learn and mature under the Factory Suzuki tent with the supervision of DeCoster, and I expect BIG things from #62 in the Nat's

Josh Grant - Grant is another California local that knows the dirt and the track, but he's not one to come out swinging at the first round, or at least he doen't strike me as the type. He finished 5th at Hangtown in '05, and 4th last year, my prediction is he'll do the same this weekend but gain some speed throughout the series and be in contention for a Top3 overall at the series end. Time will tell...

Jason Lawrence - J-Law, JL, J-Bone, Law Baby, J-La-Rinse... the J'ster really impressed a bunch of people with his aggressive rides in the West Lites SX Series. It was a stark contrast to his pathetic Rockstar Suzuki effort from '06, and put J-Lizzy back on the map as a racer and not a jack-off punk with long hair and rockstar attitude. J-ra-ra's confidence is soaring right now and he's got a bike, and team, that can obviously put him at the front. Low-Rinse in 5th.

* Brett Metcalfe/Broc Hepler the Spoilers - Both of these guys sat out SX, and because of that NOBODY knows what they've got swinging in '07. Metcalfe gave us a taste at the Pre-Quel of what he's got, but Hepler is still a big ? even though we know he had the speed last year. Either of these guys could get into the Top5 and attack my predictions like illegal aliens attack the Southern California border at nightfall. Hangtown will be the appraisal for the unknown.


Good Luck,
Bodybag

Depressed over the AMA's decision to punish Wey, Hill & Thomas?
Well you're not alone brotha...    Remember when your mom told you if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all? Well screw that, I'm gonna RANT!

   Does anyone really believe that Wey, Hill & JT$ would really use cheater gas to advance themselves in SX? Does anyone believe that their team would do it behind their back, or allow them to do it and run the risk of damaging the team's credibility or name? Even if they did use "cheater fuel" with malicious intent would it REALLY make ANY difference? C'mon, the Top20 guys in a 450 Main are there because of what they are physically capable of. Suspension plays more of a role in a rider’s performance than power. Chad Reed asked Yamaha to DE-TUNE his YZ450F when he first got it because it was TOO POWERFUL.

   This whole thing is stupid. It's an injustice to our sport, it's riders and the teams. After Reed's incident in '05 they should have perfected the system and they didn't, then after RC in '06 it should've been a slap in the face to do something, it wasn't. WAKE UP WHITELOCK and the rest of you Douchebags at the AMA and quit screwing with the integrity of our sport!



Duh, spin the camera around you dolt!    In case you though I was done, I'm not. See the picture on the Right, see how the camera guy is facing James Stewarts crash but the CAMERA ISN'T? Dang fool, spin the camera around and get the action. If it's not his job to film that section of the track then who's was it? How many more highlights are we going to miss this year because of incompetence? The broadcast is on CBS for God sake, can't they get enough cameras on the field to catch everything? Nobody saw Langston crash at A1 because of this same thing. Just when it seems like we're moving forward we slide back another notch, jeeze.

   In our Progressive Direct Fantasy Supercross 2007 standings, Carl180 still stands on top of the list but just barely, Clark W Griswald is now a mere 34 points back after LIFT's SanFran Slugger and the points re-adjust of A2.

   LIFT's SanFran Slugger was the first of 4 Handicap races we'll be hosting this season and it paid-off HUGE of you had the sack to hire HOT Riders. There were a total of 9 HOT Riders that scored at SanFran, with the biggest points being scored by Adam Chatfield at 36. Look for Handicapping at every 4th race during the '07 Progressive Direct SX Series.

   It's raining here in California this week, so A3 could be a mudder. Better get out your galoshes just in case. Bodybag

1/17/2007 4:04:56 PM




No more GOAT. Photo courtesy of VitalMX.com   This is it. This race will be the final nail in the coffin for Ricky Carmichael’s career. It’s difficult for many of us fans to come to terms with the fact that our hero is not going to be competing in entire series. In fact, some of us (including me) have been quite skeptical about his publicly stated plan to not race the entire series. I have been fantasizing about how cool it would be if he just went ahead and raced the entire series anyways. It could happen, of course, with him being at Anaheim this weekend. I feel like a grieving widower or something right now. I’m in complete denial and refuse to admit that RC’s done. Once the gate drops this weekend, reality will (hopefully) set in for me and I’ll finally be able to admit to myself that the GOAT is really, truly, genuinely . . . semi-retired.

   Assuming RC doesn’t race, it’s not really even a question as to who will win the Supercross class this weekend. James Stewart has already shown he is the fastest guy at round one and two this year (even with RC there), and this weekend should not be any different. With the only other guy who poses any real threat to him riding injured (Chad Reed), Stewart should be able to ride a relaxed and mistake-free race all alone out front. It’s bound to be quite boring.

   In fact, even the “battles” for positions two through six have the potential to be unusually predictable this season. Let me clarify. While we have witnessed some decent racing so far this season, the order of the riders at the checkered flag for rounds one and two were EXACTLY the same for positions one through five: 1.) James Stewart, 2.) Ricky Carmichael, 3.) Chad Reed, 4.) Travis Preston, and 5.) Tim Ferry. With other fast guys such as Ivan Tedesco and David Vuillemin riding with various degrees of injuries, that order is not likely to change much. Therefore, it is highly likely that Preston will actually PODIUM this weekend! How cool would THAT be?




Travis Preston has been proving you don't need a Factory Ride to be in the mix. Photo courtesy of VitalMX.com   After losing his factory Honda ride and moving “down” (sort of) to the Sobe-Samsung Mobile-Rockford Fosgate, No Fear, Dunlop, Sunstar, Showa, Renthal, Factory Connection Honda team, Travis Preston has been riding INSPIRED. I personally want “Mr. T” to podium just so I can listen to more interviews with him. He is about as genuine and honest as a guy can be while trying to represent his sponsors well and is always funny at the same time. However, he’s gonna have to continue to ride well to keep Ferry behind him.

   The biggest question mark going into this weekend is David Vuillemin. After an extremely violent crash in the main event at Phoenix, it is unknown how healthy he will be this weekend. If that crash doesn’t slow him down any, he has a shot at the podium this weekend as well. He has consistently shown that he has the raw speed in the timed qualifying at both races this season (fourth fastest at round one and third fastest at round two). All he needs to do is get a good start and ride that way for 20 laps (easier said than done). Again, however, is the question about his physical health. If he is in pain this weekend, he may not be able to perform to his maximum potential. Here’s hoping he does.

   In the Lites class, Ryan Villopoto has shown he is the guy to beat. However, he has some serious competition coming from his “part-time” team-mate Christophe Pourcel. The two of them have split wins in the first two rounds with the other one finishing in second. They are currently tied in points and this weekend is the tie-breaker. The question of the month is “will Pourcel stick around and race the entire West region series before heading back to Europe to defend his World title”? It really is an interesting question. He already has an obligation to the team he rides for in Europe, but he has a legitimate shot at the supercross lites championship in the states. Very interesting dilemma indeed.

   Behind them, the riders are lot less consistent. Currently, there is a three-way tie for third in points between Chris Gosselaar, Jason Lawrence, and Josh Hansen! They each got there differently though. Gosselaar went 7-3, Lawrence went 3-7, and Hansen went 4-6. Then, only one point behind that trio is Star Racing/Bobby J’s Yamaha rider Matt Lemoine. Who? You ask. This hired gun has really surprised a lot of people with his skills on a supercross track. Keep it up dude!

   The biggest question mark right now is Josh Grant. People expect him to have the speed, but he has not been able to show it yet this season. He was injured at round one, but it is not clear whether he will still be injured this weekend. In fact, he may not even be racing. If you’re willing to gamble on him, keep an eye out and make sure he is riding this weekend before picking him. A lot of team managers have lost faith in this speedster so it could pay off huge for you if he can finally put it all together. Good luck Grant!

Bullpen58

2007 AMA Fantasy SX
Ultimate Moto Experience Fantasy SX 2007 is here! Sign-Up now for your chance to win a trip for 2 to the '07 MXoN in Budd's Creek Maryland! Can you think of a better way to cap off a summer of Moto Racing than a trip to the Motocross of Nations? The MXoN hasn't been on US soil in over 20 years, and now that it's here, MotoXDream wants to send our SX Champion and a friend (or spouse) to catch the action LIVE!

That's not it, our '07 Ultimate Moto Experience Fantasy SX will be packed with loads of prizes again from companies like MotoXXX, Bent Clothing, Torco Oil, Renthal, LIFT Safety, ASV, Smooth Industries, Smith and MORE!. Not all the details are complete, but you can bet that MotoXDream's Ultimate Moto Experience Fantasy SX 2007 will not disappoint.

Get signed up now! You'll need to be managing a FULL 5 Teams for a shot at the GRAND PRIZE, so be sure you take 5 Teams for $25 for your chance to see the MXoN in person! Click the link below to view current Series Details. This page will be updated often to give you the up-to-date information on our most exciting series ever!

2007 AMA Fantasy SX

eh-2 * Vancouver Wrap-Up

RC & Bubba courtesy of VitalMX.com
Man guyb (Steve Giberson from VitalMX.com) sure has control of those Canadian SX rounds. Last year guyb stood in the 2nd spot on the famed Canadian SX Pre-Quel podium, and this year he maganged to land on top! The rest of us should be counting our blessings that he hasn't been able to put his Canadian round skills to work in the AMA Fantasy Series or we wouldn't stand a chance.

Number 2 on the Pre-Quel podium is a guy we need to watch out for. Carl180 took the '06 Series by storm and won our Grand Prize Rockstar/Suzuki RMZ250. He's obviously been training over this summer judging by his performance in the Pre-Quel. Someone needs to put him in-check early on once the full-season SX Series starts, or he'll run away with our Grand Prize again.

DMXS1 (David Izer from DMXSRadio.com) even landed himself on the MXD podium for the first time ever. DMXS1 has been around here long enough to own dozens of podium finishes by now, but he's just never had what it takes to bring one home. Could this be the turning point for the veteran Team Manager, or... is this a "one hit wonder". My guess is that DMXS1 will end up sliding into obscurity before A3, leaving the door open for some of the rookie Managers to get their time in the spotlight.

Overall it was a killer series. jock, Monster, MX660, pacyam, and F.B made our Overall Top10. Plus Bullpen58 and mx445 both managed to stay in the Top10 too after their killer starts in Toronto. Oh yeah, we've gotten great feedback about handicapping, and we'll be using it during the AMA SX Series that starts in just a few weeks for sure! I doubt we'll run it all year long, but we'll definitley see at least 4 rounds during the full-season SX Series.

Thanks to the nearly 2000 Team Managers that played the FREE Pre-Quel Series. We hope you'll all come back and join us for the AMA SX Fantasy Series too.

Until then, Bodybag

2007 AMA Fantasy SX

Don't think for a second that we'd let the Fantasy action end with our FREE 2 Race & 'Pre-Quel', sign-ups are already open for our 2007 Full Season AMA SX Fantasy Championship too! Although we don't have all the details yet, you can bet that MotoXDream will not disappoint. Once again we'll have a killer GRAND PRIZE of either a 4-Stroke MX'er or a Trip for 2 to the 2007 MXoN. Plus, we've got prizes coming in from every heavy hitter in the Moto Industry to satisfy our Prize Division winners and our Team Managers who score Weekly wins. You'll have to be managing a FULL 5 Teams for a shot at the GRAND PRIZE, so be sure you take the 5 Teams for $25 option so you'll have your opportunity.

Click the links below to view Series Details. These pages are updated often, so check back regularly.

2007 AMA Fantasy SX