The completion of round 7 in Dallas marks a pivotal point in the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross an FIM World Championship. We are 3/8 of the way through the season & thus far have notches in our belt that represent multiple race winners, a handful of impressive rides & even a pinch of feel good stories sprinkled in for flavor. It’s at this point in the season that the championship contenders begin to rise to the top & separate themselves from the muddy cesspool of competition. Despite its best attempt at cheap parlor tricks involving air forks, air shocks & tire warmers, the smoke & mirrors of parody in the 450 class this season has not prevented the cream from rising to the top. Just like life & evolution, the strongest find a way to survive.
As we close in on round 8 this weekend in Atlanta, our focus shifts to just 3. To reveal the identity of these 3, look no further than the podium from this past weekend in Dallas. These 3 should be no surprise. When the dust of the 2012 supercross championship settled, it was these 3 men that stood above the wreckage & atop the points. This season they are responsible for claiming victories at 6 of 7 races & landing more podiums than the rest of the field combined. So it should be no surprise that Dave Millsaps, Ryan Dungey, & Ryan Villopoto sit 1-2-3 in the points standings.
Davi Millsaps
Davi has always possessed the talent to be a top contender at the highest level of the sport. However up until this year, he hasn’t been able to put together all the pieces of his program to be there week in and week out. What’s made the difference for Davi this year? Well let’s break it down into 3 categories.
Preparation - Davi is finally starting to reap the benefits of a consistent, uninterrupted riding & training program. His “whatever it takes” approach to training has allowed him to drop significant weight over the past 2 years & be right on par with the most fit in the sport. Through a steadfast commitment to his training program & the guidance of riding coach Ezra Lusk, Davi now has a solid foundation that he is able to build upon. The other aspect of preparation lies with the team. The machine between Davi’s legs is built on a championship proven platform. Although the team is not receiving factory support, the RMZ450 is arguably the best handling bike on the market & a vast departure from the openly criticized Yamaha YZ450 he previously rode. Pair this with the Rockstar Energy Racing team’s strategy to do their airfork testing during the week, rather than at the races (unlike most of the competition who was struggling with the new technology on race day while the points were being paid out) and you have a recipe for success.
Execution - As Jeff constantly reminds us through his “keys to the race” on the TV broadcast, starts are more important than ever this year. Nailing the start & getting out front early is crucial. Dave has executed this game plan better than anyone this year. He has consistently put himself in a good position by getting good starts, minimizing his mistakes & riding his own race.
Confidence - Davi & the team have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with. Not only have they proven this to the competition, the media & the fans, but most importantly they have proven it to themselves. Now that their belief in their program is justified by results, they will continue to grow in confidence & carry increasingly more momentum into each round.
Taking these keys to Davi’s success into account, there’s still one unanswered question. It’s the one thing they have yet to prove. It’s the one thing that could derail their entire season. It’s one thing that they must conquer if they plan to be crowned champion at years end. Adversity. When things don’t go their way, how will Davi & the Rockstar Energy Racing team respond to the adversity?
Ryan Dungey
You hear that? It’s the faint rumblings of a coal burning engine in the distance. You can see it coming down the tracks, picking up momentum as the steam begins to billow from the smoke stack. It may not seem so close right now, but make no mistake, soon this 100 ton beast will be upon us.
Ryan Dungey’s MO has forever been to play the long game. Consistency, patience & precession are his strengths. Like a locomotive, he builds momentum & strength as a race or season goes on. This approach has afforded Ryan much success, but it has also garnered criticism citing that Ryan is not aggressive enough & unwilling to push out of his comfort zone. Ryan’s riding seems to mirror his background & personality. A conservative, humble individual from a blue collar midwestern town. Driven to be the best he can be, he quietly puts in his work during the week & minds his P’s & Q’s on his way to podiums, wins & championships.
However this year, in a field this rich with not just talented, but truly rock solid competitors, Ryan may need to dig deep & alter his DNA. If Ryan wants to win this championship, he’ll need to transform & embrace an alter ego when the gate drops. He’s going to have to get his hands dirty & steal it from his competition.
Ryan Villopoto
There’s a storm coming. Just beyond the horizon the clouds are beginning to form. An ominous grey sky forecasts a seemingly inevitable downpour. How long before we are subject to its wrath & it destroys everything in its path?
The man who has become the gold standard of Supercross is now the slumbering giant. We’ve seen some bright flashes from the reigning champ, but Ryan Villopoto’s season thus far has been riddled with uncharacteristic inconsistency. When you’re at the top, the pressure from the ceiling is great & the fall to the bottom is far. Any hitch or struggle that RV or the Monster Energy Kawasaki team may be battling through is magnified by their stature. It’s easy to over compensate & throw all the switches when your performance isn’t measuring up to the height of the bar you’ve set. But a rider & team that made 2 years of utter domination look like business as usual doesn’t do that without learning to roll with the punches & learn on the fly. It’s that very fact & the flashes of authority that Ryan displays on the track that keeps everyone mindful that at the flip of a switch, the storm could be upon us. If this past weekends race in Dallas was any indicator, then the storm that everyone fears most may be on the horizon.
As we close in on round 8 this weekend in Atlanta, our focus shifts to just 3. To reveal the identity of these 3, look no further than the podium from this past weekend in Dallas. These 3 should be no surprise. When the dust of the 2012 supercross championship settled, it was these 3 men that stood above the wreckage & atop the points. This season they are responsible for claiming victories at 6 of 7 races & landing more podiums than the rest of the field combined. So it should be no surprise that Dave Millsaps, Ryan Dungey, & Ryan Villopoto sit 1-2-3 in the points standings.
Davi Millsaps
Davi has always possessed the talent to be a top contender at the highest level of the sport. However up until this year, he hasn’t been able to put together all the pieces of his program to be there week in and week out. What’s made the difference for Davi this year? Well let’s break it down into 3 categories.
Preparation - Davi is finally starting to reap the benefits of a consistent, uninterrupted riding & training program. His “whatever it takes” approach to training has allowed him to drop significant weight over the past 2 years & be right on par with the most fit in the sport. Through a steadfast commitment to his training program & the guidance of riding coach Ezra Lusk, Davi now has a solid foundation that he is able to build upon. The other aspect of preparation lies with the team. The machine between Davi’s legs is built on a championship proven platform. Although the team is not receiving factory support, the RMZ450 is arguably the best handling bike on the market & a vast departure from the openly criticized Yamaha YZ450 he previously rode. Pair this with the Rockstar Energy Racing team’s strategy to do their airfork testing during the week, rather than at the races (unlike most of the competition who was struggling with the new technology on race day while the points were being paid out) and you have a recipe for success.
Execution - As Jeff constantly reminds us through his “keys to the race” on the TV broadcast, starts are more important than ever this year. Nailing the start & getting out front early is crucial. Dave has executed this game plan better than anyone this year. He has consistently put himself in a good position by getting good starts, minimizing his mistakes & riding his own race.
Confidence - Davi & the team have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with. Not only have they proven this to the competition, the media & the fans, but most importantly they have proven it to themselves. Now that their belief in their program is justified by results, they will continue to grow in confidence & carry increasingly more momentum into each round.
Taking these keys to Davi’s success into account, there’s still one unanswered question. It’s the one thing they have yet to prove. It’s the one thing that could derail their entire season. It’s one thing that they must conquer if they plan to be crowned champion at years end. Adversity. When things don’t go their way, how will Davi & the Rockstar Energy Racing team respond to the adversity?
Ryan Dungey
You hear that? It’s the faint rumblings of a coal burning engine in the distance. You can see it coming down the tracks, picking up momentum as the steam begins to billow from the smoke stack. It may not seem so close right now, but make no mistake, soon this 100 ton beast will be upon us.
Ryan Dungey’s MO has forever been to play the long game. Consistency, patience & precession are his strengths. Like a locomotive, he builds momentum & strength as a race or season goes on. This approach has afforded Ryan much success, but it has also garnered criticism citing that Ryan is not aggressive enough & unwilling to push out of his comfort zone. Ryan’s riding seems to mirror his background & personality. A conservative, humble individual from a blue collar midwestern town. Driven to be the best he can be, he quietly puts in his work during the week & minds his P’s & Q’s on his way to podiums, wins & championships.
However this year, in a field this rich with not just talented, but truly rock solid competitors, Ryan may need to dig deep & alter his DNA. If Ryan wants to win this championship, he’ll need to transform & embrace an alter ego when the gate drops. He’s going to have to get his hands dirty & steal it from his competition.
Ryan Villopoto
There’s a storm coming. Just beyond the horizon the clouds are beginning to form. An ominous grey sky forecasts a seemingly inevitable downpour. How long before we are subject to its wrath & it destroys everything in its path?
The man who has become the gold standard of Supercross is now the slumbering giant. We’ve seen some bright flashes from the reigning champ, but Ryan Villopoto’s season thus far has been riddled with uncharacteristic inconsistency. When you’re at the top, the pressure from the ceiling is great & the fall to the bottom is far. Any hitch or struggle that RV or the Monster Energy Kawasaki team may be battling through is magnified by their stature. It’s easy to over compensate & throw all the switches when your performance isn’t measuring up to the height of the bar you’ve set. But a rider & team that made 2 years of utter domination look like business as usual doesn’t do that without learning to roll with the punches & learn on the fly. It’s that very fact & the flashes of authority that Ryan displays on the track that keeps everyone mindful that at the flip of a switch, the storm could be upon us. If this past weekends race in Dallas was any indicator, then the storm that everyone fears most may be on the horizon.
2/19/2013 8:34pm
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