Friday Practice for Pros "Press Day"

Why is there only certain riders who get to have friday practice? 2 sessions actually. "Press Day" is really just practice/test day, so it is pretty unfair to any rider not invited to ride press day. Why are pro riders not allowed a practice on friday? And why is it a rule that they cannot ride Amateur open practice, it is the same thing as riding press day? Unfair advantages to the factory boys per usual... AMA/MX SPORTS - Why not make 2 sessions for all other pro riders who wish to ride an open practice? Think of these guys who travel across the country to race the nationals, some never having ridden these tracks, now you tell them show up saturday morning and you'll get 2 laps to roll around and learn the track and then GO TIME buddy you have to be the fastest 36 of the day or you're heading to the LCQ death race. It would make qualifying saturday morning alot safer as well because now these guys at least have a few sessions to test the bike setup before having to send it in qualifying.
Poll

Should there be a practice session on friday for the Pros?

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kb228
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6/7/2019 4:43am
I thought all riders had press day for outdoors and that only sx limited riders for press?
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6/7/2019 4:45am
kb228 wrote:
I thought all riders had press day for outdoors and that only sx limited riders for press?
Negative.
GangGreen
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6/7/2019 5:17am
Another good question, along the same line is, Why do some "rookie" racers get permitted to ride A Group practice? It is a significant advantage to ride the A Group practice session at AMA Outdoor Nationals and AMA Supercross. It doesn't matter if you did well at some amateur race down south or race professional road race or hare scrambles. If you're fast enough, you'll be in A Group the next weekend.
If Ronnie Mac showed up under the Monster Energy rig, would he get to ride A Group practice?
If Jordan Jarvis decides to attempt to qualify, will they put her in A Group?
kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 5:26am
Many of those guys shouldn’t even waste their money traveling around the country.
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brocster
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6/7/2019 7:04am
kkawboy14 wrote:
Many of those guys shouldn’t even waste their money traveling around the country.
Many people posting shouldn’t waste their time typing on the keyboard...


Everyone signed up to race should get the exact same amount of practice time no matter what the session is “called”
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ML512
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6/7/2019 7:08am
As far as I'm aware, riders are limited to two press days this year unless otherwise allotted due to hometown race or other specific reasons. I know a bunch of privateers who did Hangtown and Fox Raceway but have now used up their two press days, but I know one who's probably getting the allowance for his hometown race on top of that.

The factory Kawasaki guys did Colorado due to Tomac's home state deal but I remember them saying it was going to be a long time before they got another round. I think they're only getting one more this season.

The factory teams don't get a claim to all rounds, similar to privateers the first two rounds were wide open and basically anyone could do it and now they're about out.
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6/7/2019 7:21am
ML512 wrote:
As far as I'm aware, riders are limited to two press days this year unless otherwise allotted due to hometown race or other specific reasons. I...
As far as I'm aware, riders are limited to two press days this year unless otherwise allotted due to hometown race or other specific reasons. I know a bunch of privateers who did Hangtown and Fox Raceway but have now used up their two press days, but I know one who's probably getting the allowance for his hometown race on top of that.

The factory Kawasaki guys did Colorado due to Tomac's home state deal but I remember them saying it was going to be a long time before they got another round. I think they're only getting one more this season.

The factory teams don't get a claim to all rounds, similar to privateers the first two rounds were wide open and basically anyone could do it and now they're about out.
What is the reasoning behind this? Why shouldn't anyone who wants to, be allowed to ride press day? Or a friday practice session?
6/7/2019 8:12am
I think I'll claim mine at washougal then. Good to know.
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GuyB
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6/7/2019 8:23am
In the past they’d do two 20-minute sessions. This year they’ve been doing one 30-minute session.

The first couple rounds were open season. Now it’s limited to a smaller number of teams and local privateers.
kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 8:25am
kkawboy14 wrote:
Many of those guys shouldn’t even waste their money traveling around the country.
brocster wrote:
Many people posting shouldn’t waste their time typing on the keyboard... Everyone signed up to race should get the exact same amount of practice time no...
Many people posting shouldn’t waste their time typing on the keyboard...


Everyone signed up to race should get the exact same amount of practice time no matter what the session is “called”
Everyone gets the same practice time! I get that the guys going ludicrous speed get more laps in than the guys that really are wasting their money going there.

An Outdoor practice doesn’t do that much for the guy in 58th place in time. You think he is all of a sudden gonna move up to 18th? Keefers experience should tell you all you need to know. (by the way I have mad respect for Keefer doing what he did) you think 3 more laps woulda helped Keefer?
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mxer15
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6/7/2019 8:49am
Having wretched for a privateer we never did Friday track first track is totally different the next day and also need to save bike for actual practice because of limited budget so it was not a big deal
kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 8:57am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2019 9:06am
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience)
I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up (not having to think) or you are thinking to much.

If your thinking, you shouldn’t be out there. What I mean is that a true Professional is just reacting instantly to any situation in front of him.

Super cross is even worse.

If a Pro comes back to the truck and says “there is to many lines out there”.... he’s thinking to much!

Twist and Shout, get mad at what’s in front of you and attack it like you have been there a million times before, is a reactionary way of riding.
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6/7/2019 9:06am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2019 9:09am
kkawboy14 wrote:
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience) I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up...
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience)
I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up (not having to think) or you are thinking to much.

If your thinking, you shouldn’t be out there. What I mean is that a true Professional is just reacting instantly to any situation in front of him.

Super cross is even worse.

If a Pro comes back to the truck and says “there is to many lines out there”.... he’s thinking to much!

Twist and Shout, get mad at what’s in front of you and attack it like you have been there a million times before, is a reactionary way of riding.
In a way you are proving the point, if friday doesn't matter then why did they make a rule prohibiting riders from riding open practice? Or limit how many press days they can ride? Bring back saturday qualifying
DC
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6/7/2019 9:10am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2019 9:13am
Why is there only certain riders who get to have friday practice? 2 sessions actually. "Press Day" is really just practice/test day, so it is pretty...
Why is there only certain riders who get to have friday practice? 2 sessions actually. "Press Day" is really just practice/test day, so it is pretty unfair to any rider not invited to ride press day. Why are pro riders not allowed a practice on friday? And why is it a rule that they cannot ride Amateur open practice, it is the same thing as riding press day? Unfair advantages to the factory boys per usual... AMA/MX SPORTS - Why not make 2 sessions for all other pro riders who wish to ride an open practice? Think of these guys who travel across the country to race the nationals, some never having ridden these tracks, now you tell them show up saturday morning and you'll get 2 laps to roll around and learn the track and then GO TIME buddy you have to be the fastest 36 of the day or you're heading to the LCQ death race. It would make qualifying saturday morning alot safer as well because now these guys at least have a few sessions to test the bike setup before having to send it in qualifying.
Welcome to Vital.

We offered open practice for everyone at the first two rounds, Hangtown and Pala, in order to help everyone make the transition from SX to MX.

At each round that follows, we invite a couple of teams and local privateers to press day, as the local media and news stations want to talk to either contenders or local heroes. In order to do that, the riders and teams have to come in a day early, which cuts into their midweek prep and riding time. So in return we allow those who do come early and make themselves available to the press to ride for 30 minutes on Friday.

We also allow the privateers following the series to pick a couple of press rides to participate in. We try to spread it as evenly as possible between everyone in the paddock.

DC
Racer X

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kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 9:11am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2019 9:15am
kkawboy14 wrote:
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience) I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up...
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience)
I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up (not having to think) or you are thinking to much.

If your thinking, you shouldn’t be out there. What I mean is that a true Professional is just reacting instantly to any situation in front of him.

Super cross is even worse.

If a Pro comes back to the truck and says “there is to many lines out there”.... he’s thinking to much!

Twist and Shout, get mad at what’s in front of you and attack it like you have been there a million times before, is a reactionary way of riding.
In a way you are proving the point, if friday doesn't matter then why did they make a rule prohibiting riders from riding open practice? Or...
In a way you are proving the point, if friday doesn't matter then why did they make a rule prohibiting riders from riding open practice? Or limit how many press days they can ride? Bring back saturday qualifying
It does matter for the guys that are the top 10. From there on back not so much.

Have y’all ever sat with the 30th place guy that just rode 70 minutes in 2 motos?
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DC
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6/7/2019 9:13am
kkawboy14 wrote:
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience) I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up...
(By the way, I’m cool with you disagreeing with me based on your experience)
I have ridden everything, you are either comfortable when you show up (not having to think) or you are thinking to much.

If your thinking, you shouldn’t be out there. What I mean is that a true Professional is just reacting instantly to any situation in front of him.

Super cross is even worse.

If a Pro comes back to the truck and says “there is to many lines out there”.... he’s thinking to much!

Twist and Shout, get mad at what’s in front of you and attack it like you have been there a million times before, is a reactionary way of riding.
In a way you are proving the point, if friday doesn't matter then why did they make a rule prohibiting riders from riding open practice? Or...
In a way you are proving the point, if friday doesn't matter then why did they make a rule prohibiting riders from riding open practice? Or limit how many press days they can ride? Bring back saturday qualifying
We do limit the amount of press days someone can ride. We aren't bringing back Saturday qualifiers. And we don't allow open practice because that would require everyone to come in a day early, which means another two weeks (12 days) on the road for every rider, team and mechanic. We went to a one-day program at the request of the vast majority of privateers and all of the race teams.

DC
Racer X

DC
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6/7/2019 9:16am
GangGreen wrote:
Another good question, along the same line is, [b]Why do some "rookie" racers get permitted to ride A Group practice?[/b] It is a significant advantage to...
Another good question, along the same line is, Why do some "rookie" racers get permitted to ride A Group practice? It is a significant advantage to ride the A Group practice session at AMA Outdoor Nationals and AMA Supercross. It doesn't matter if you did well at some amateur race down south or race professional road race or hare scrambles. If you're fast enough, you'll be in A Group the next weekend.
If Ronnie Mac showed up under the Monster Energy rig, would he get to ride A Group practice?
If Jordan Jarvis decides to attempt to qualify, will they put her in A Group?
If a "rookie" racer is legitimately on a team -- Ty Masterpool, Derek Drake -- they went in the A practice at Hangtown. They immediately scored points and stayed there. If a rider visiting from Europe (Herlings, Simpson) comes over, we accommodate them too. If it's a publicity stunt, we won't allow them in A practice.

DC
Racer X
DC
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6/7/2019 9:18am
kb228 wrote:
I thought all riders had press day for outdoors and that only sx limited riders for press?
Negative.
RickyStewart, we opened the first two rounds for everyone, we limit from there on out. Just like supercross.

If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer for one of these press days, please email me: DC@racerxonline.com

DC
Racer X
Jerkolantern
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6/7/2019 9:51am
DC with smackdown of facts. Find another pro racing series where you can talk to the owner- and he's bought me beers at the Lakewood mxon for watching the gate. I salute DC
3
6/7/2019 10:16am
Press day ride is at what 1pm Friday afternoon, everyone is already there, the bikes, the teams, if a guy doesn't want to fly in til friday night then that's on them. Anyone who wants to ride press day/open practice should have a chance to get some laps in on friday. Why make a rule against it?
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early
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6/7/2019 10:16am
Relevant question here is how close to qualifying conditions is the track on press day? Probably not very, right?
Knobbyjake
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6/7/2019 10:23am Edited Date/Time 6/7/2019 10:23am
Knobbyjake
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6/7/2019 10:24am
mxer15 wrote:
Having wretched for a privateer we never did Friday track first track is totally different the next day and also need to save bike for actual...
Having wretched for a privateer we never did Friday track first track is totally different the next day and also need to save bike for actual practice because of limited budget so it was not a big deal
I wretched for my best friend at his bachelor party, I know what you're talking about. Sick Wink
early
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6/7/2019 10:26am
Exactly so you can learn where the turns and jumps are on Friday but it's gonna feel alot different Saturday morning
6/7/2019 10:31am
early wrote:
Exactly so you can learn where the turns and jumps are on Friday but it's gonna feel alot different Saturday morning
The track will also feel alot different in the races than from practice so screw it why even practice the track in the morning? Have you ever gone to a track and said damn i wish i had less track time here. They aren't doing anything magical between friday and saturday morning, the track is the track.
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early
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6/7/2019 10:40am
early wrote:
Exactly so you can learn where the turns and jumps are on Friday but it's gonna feel alot different Saturday morning
The track will also feel alot different in the races than from practice so screw it why even practice the track in the morning? Have you...
The track will also feel alot different in the races than from practice so screw it why even practice the track in the morning? Have you ever gone to a track and said damn i wish i had less track time here. They aren't doing anything magical between friday and saturday morning, the track is the track.
And as DC said they are trying to make it so everyone does the same amount of Fridays, factory or privateer.
kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 1:04pm
I’m not guessing!

But my opinion and experience doesn’t mean your experience and opinion is wrong. We just have differing opinions.
kkawboy14
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6/7/2019 1:05pm
Exactly

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