Posts
874
Joined
8/14/2010
Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/26/2012 5:05pm
The Southwick National reminded me why I have not been there except to race in the last 8 years. You can't see more than 3-4 sections/corners! The racing was so good, but you can't see much of the track from any given spot. Anyway, here is what I saw and heard from MX338.
The Pits:
- Waited in line at Will Call for almost an hour. Dowd and Henry had their own lines for passes.
- Team Arma (aka JLaw) was glad he was not racing as they did not have to deal with the "drama". He was in California doing something else. Regal did not want to pit with the rig as he did not wanted to be associated with JLaw.
- Saw Taka prepping and washing JLaws bike and asked if he was racing, he said "umm no way". I said why you working on it, he said "maybe he race next week". And then rolled his eyes and laughed. He took some time to just b.s. with me and is super cool.
- Look for Arma to be huge in racing next year and there will no longer be a team JLaw.
- With riders joining teams for their first national, woman riders, and some coming from Europe, the rigs were jam packed with riders.
- Wonder Warthog had a great set-up as usual with a lot of riders. Love what they do for the sport, too bad not too many qualified.
- The local pro's with Dowdy parked with them had a huge following and presence in the pits.
- Davi Millsaps and Sebastian Torteilli were on hand. Also saw Langstons bike in a truck but I did not spot him. Davi is recovering well and anxious to race.
- Ryan Mills was riding his bicycle around rapping to himself, pretty funny stuff. Glad to see him back out there.
- Did not see Henry, but his bike was on hand. That thing is pretty sick!
- No Josh Grant? Hadn't heard anything about that.
The Racing:
- They should allow 2 free practices to get the track roughed up. First session is like a highway and I could run a 2:10 as a B rider!! Even Short couldnt get a top 40 time out of the 2nd session!
- 450 Class: I really thought Metcalfe finally had it. Felt terrible for him as he has been so great and tried so hard all year. It was a great race though as Dungy stayed about 3 bike lengths most of the moto and could not gain. Moto Concepts team has got to be happy this year. Chisolm had fastest qualifying time and then pulled a 4th overall with Goerke getting 3rd his first race back! Dowdy did not do as well as people expected, I even predicted a 6-7, but he just did not look up for it. Still for 45, he is the man! Why do some bikes run out of gas? Oh, and they were all Honda's. Robby Marshal put in an awesome first moto, running with Windham for a while and finishing 9th in moto one. Moto 2 proved to be inconsistent from the 1st. Hahn, Regal, Dowd, just to name a few.
- 250 Class: I was rooting for Will Hahn in moto 1 but I could see Canard was reeling him in. Will rode awesome but got sucked up by Canard and a flying Rattray. Rattrays fiance had their first baby at 7:30am Sunday, what a way to celebrate!! Barcia was flying all day but got a bad start in moto 1. His battle with Wilson to the finish in moto 1 was exciting and he just edged him out. Pourcel looked like he was conserving energy as he just didn't look like he was pushing very hard. Jimmy Decotis had a lot of hype leading up to it, as he is a local and rode well at Unadilla. But bad starts looked to plague him.
Overall the racing was close and exciting, but not sure I will go back there to watch anytime soon. The 3 hour ride to Unadilla is far more worth it even though I am only an hour from Southwick.
The Pits:
- Waited in line at Will Call for almost an hour. Dowd and Henry had their own lines for passes.
- Team Arma (aka JLaw) was glad he was not racing as they did not have to deal with the "drama". He was in California doing something else. Regal did not want to pit with the rig as he did not wanted to be associated with JLaw.
- Saw Taka prepping and washing JLaws bike and asked if he was racing, he said "umm no way". I said why you working on it, he said "maybe he race next week". And then rolled his eyes and laughed. He took some time to just b.s. with me and is super cool.
- Look for Arma to be huge in racing next year and there will no longer be a team JLaw.
- With riders joining teams for their first national, woman riders, and some coming from Europe, the rigs were jam packed with riders.
- Wonder Warthog had a great set-up as usual with a lot of riders. Love what they do for the sport, too bad not too many qualified.
- The local pro's with Dowdy parked with them had a huge following and presence in the pits.
- Davi Millsaps and Sebastian Torteilli were on hand. Also saw Langstons bike in a truck but I did not spot him. Davi is recovering well and anxious to race.
- Ryan Mills was riding his bicycle around rapping to himself, pretty funny stuff. Glad to see him back out there.
- Did not see Henry, but his bike was on hand. That thing is pretty sick!
- No Josh Grant? Hadn't heard anything about that.
The Racing:
- They should allow 2 free practices to get the track roughed up. First session is like a highway and I could run a 2:10 as a B rider!! Even Short couldnt get a top 40 time out of the 2nd session!
- 450 Class: I really thought Metcalfe finally had it. Felt terrible for him as he has been so great and tried so hard all year. It was a great race though as Dungy stayed about 3 bike lengths most of the moto and could not gain. Moto Concepts team has got to be happy this year. Chisolm had fastest qualifying time and then pulled a 4th overall with Goerke getting 3rd his first race back! Dowdy did not do as well as people expected, I even predicted a 6-7, but he just did not look up for it. Still for 45, he is the man! Why do some bikes run out of gas? Oh, and they were all Honda's. Robby Marshal put in an awesome first moto, running with Windham for a while and finishing 9th in moto one. Moto 2 proved to be inconsistent from the 1st. Hahn, Regal, Dowd, just to name a few.
- 250 Class: I was rooting for Will Hahn in moto 1 but I could see Canard was reeling him in. Will rode awesome but got sucked up by Canard and a flying Rattray. Rattrays fiance had their first baby at 7:30am Sunday, what a way to celebrate!! Barcia was flying all day but got a bad start in moto 1. His battle with Wilson to the finish in moto 1 was exciting and he just edged him out. Pourcel looked like he was conserving energy as he just didn't look like he was pushing very hard. Jimmy Decotis had a lot of hype leading up to it, as he is a local and rode well at Unadilla. But bad starts looked to plague him.
Overall the racing was close and exciting, but not sure I will go back there to watch anytime soon. The 3 hour ride to Unadilla is far more worth it even though I am only an hour from Southwick.
And yes you had to feel for Metcalfe, so friggin close he could taste his first 450 moto win then disaster.
As it is, the TV coverage makes the sport look easy, boring, and amateur. They focus the cameras on the riders not the track. The track is the primary obstacle last time I checked.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Good shtuff Hasko - thanks.
no RV, bubba, reed, grant, ferry, j-law, milsaps.
Also got to watch history in the making with dungey win the #1 plate, that and excellent weather and many frosty beverages made for a great day
On a sadder note.
Running back to my fold out chair, after taking a leak, I passed the handicapped wheelchair viewing area, There were more people there than I'd ever seen before. Knowing that most were former riders, it put a little gloom in my day.
Henry was walking and had a huge section on the straight away filled with friends and family. He was having a great time and smiling ear to ear!
I'd just like to add being this was my first foray with the new qualifying system.
The timed qualifying "sucks"
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