Once lapped, riders should have to pull off

The mentality of the lapper has to prioritize staying out of the leader's way. At that point, your battle for 19th place is secondary. You can't hold a line in the sand section, then you make sure the leaders get by you before the sand section. 

Sponsors help riders. Sponsors like their riders to be seen racing...not being seen forced off the track and not be allowed to race during a tlevised main event. You want to hurt the sport? Keep on with this stupid idea of forcing riders, who have earned the right to race the main, off the track. Eventually, you'll have a stacked field of 12 riders and no system or riders to race to replace them. Suppose 3 of the 12 get hurt during the season...which they will. Then what? Who the fuck will want to watch 8-9 guys racing? Ummm, nobody. Malcom, I assume, got lapped plenty of times. But he stuck it out and raced. Guess what...he just won.  

You left out - "Racing is ruining racing!" 

👍

Sounds like a job opportunity for us slow guys on vital! We can be professional riders, as roadblocks! 

I’ve been training for this for decades.. 

If lappers had to pull off, there would be cases where there is only 8 ot 10 guys left in the race by the end. Spectators didn't buy expensive tickets for that.

All this would do is help the people behind the leader and hurt a leader artificially. Once a rider has been lapped, the damage is already done. You're not going to help the guy in 1st at all with this rule. 

Kenny made the mistake in this one. Full stop. He shot left because he chose to go for it in a sketchy section. That's on him. 

And that's saying a lot. 😄

I like the uncertainty lappers add to the second half of a race. I would go so far as to say at times they are the only thing that keeps a race interesting. It sucks when your guy is the one that gets caught up and loses time, but no need to materially change the sport.

Yes after being lapped the second time

There’s a race going on and you’re not in it…

If a lapped rider pulls off but then another guy crashes out who gets the higher finish? 

The biggest downside I see is that even if a fast dude falls off the start and gets lapped, he loses any chance to make up points even if it's nearly impossible to un-lap themselves. Tomac salvaged a 17th last weekend because even if he was lapped twice he still finished the race. 

On the other hand, do you think he deserves more points than Roczen who got taken out by a lapper incident? I say yes, but I could understand how some may believe that the faster rider deserves more points. 

I think I agree with another poster above that there should probably be a re-write of the rules regarding obeying flags. I think if you're a lapper and you make contact with a racer on the lead lap you should get black flagged. If you fail to yield, black flag. Lapped riders should not be allowed to pass a yielding rider for position. 

I don't know just brainstorming. 

They still have to be passed in order to be lapped. So how have you solved anything?

Didnt stewart lap all the way to 2nd or 3rd place a couple times?  So the entire field needs to pull off and he would have ridden the track by himself.

knew this thread was coming. So if RC lapped all the way to 2nd, then he should just roll the entire track literally by himself. That checks out.

When did this poon mentality take over ? Lappers have been part of EVERY race in EVERY race series known to mankind since Fred and Barney rolled up to the line. 99.9% of us here have been lappers at some point....deal with it, part of the show.  So when the next RC laps the field you really think sitting there and watching him alone on the track is a good idea...smdh

The blue flag just needs to actually mean something. One thing that is pretty obvious to me is the difference in Tomac (or any of the other top guys) getting lapped vs the guys that are used to getting lapped. When the top guys are getting lapped they know its coming and get to the side of the track and get out of the racing lines. The guys that get lapped every weekend just seem to think the leaders are so much faster they'll find a way around them. Im all for black flagging riders that ignore the blue flag if theyre in a position where they can safely get out of the way. Suspend them for the next race on top of it to let them know its not going to be accepted.

I dont think getting lapped is that big of an issue. Its the part where they refuse to get out of the way because they're battling with someone else for 19th place thats the problem. 

So.....  when the leaders lap into 10th place and further, let's black flag top factory guys.

Makes sense.

Vital needs something to rage about each week.

Deegan is on break, Friese was at AX last week....something has to fill the void.

(there's a trap set in my response.....wait for it......)

How about this...once lapped, your bikes electronics automatically shut down and your goggles go dark. . 

That was me....  🤣

Seriously....we keep taking skills completely out of the equation.....passing lappers being one of them.

Backmarkers are a part of motorsport they just need to obey the blue flags. Pull completely off the racing line when you're being lapped. If you don't you get a penalty. Just like every motorsport. They don't need to be black flagged, they just need to respect those who are actually racing for the win

It's certainly an interesting topic. 

Reading & hearing some of the riders (current and retired) takes that have actually raced SX holds the most weight IMO.   I believe most think something needs to be done. Even just the AMA being more pro active would be a step in the right direction..

Then there's the fans that feel it's part of racing SX  and  at times the front runners can get away and the lapped traffic can help  guys get closer and catch the leaders in lapped traffic which can make racing good at times..

Then there's the fans that truly enjoy seeing the lapper's create carnage so they can watch a guy like Roczen go flying and come close to getting his throat ran over or head caved in like last weekend. 

Is this like your argument that whoops should be taken out, or is that different?

I’m okay with this. I also like fewer racers on the course. I’m in favor of a “B main” for the slower guys; other motorsports employ this.

I’m also in favor of a “winner takes all” points structure, where only the winner earns championship points. Everyone else gets fuckall. But I’m weird.

Formula 1, 107% rule.

Qualifying slower than 107% of the fastest and you don't make the show.

Sarcasm, for any that can't tell.

Show me where I ever said the whoops should be taken out.     

Oh, sorry... You go on and on about "taming them down". They should take less skill then, right?

Ok...enough about "lapped riders have to pull off", since that's never going to fly. How about training flaggers...or them showing they have considerable experience, before being hired to flag a race?

Yeah, that sounds safe.

Lappers are part of motorsports, the leader needs to find a way around them..period.Kenny made a stupid decision and he paid the price. Get rid of the blue flags, a lapper shouldnt have to be nice and move over. Faster riders are responsible for passing them.