I know I’m preaching to the choir here. 99.99% of regular VitalMX posters have been to races in person, and probably have raced themselves. But I just think the fan experience, or even expectation, is different when you go to a race, versus following the series on the tube. Here’s my point:
A lot of people (okay, some people) say the races are boring when there’s a runaway winner dominating the series. But when we’re at the track, I don’t think it’s boring at all. Sure, so-and-so might go wire to wire, but I will be standing as close to the track as possible, watching him circulate faster than anyone else, and be blown away by his technique and bravery lap after lap. And while I’m waiting for him to come back around, I’ll be checking out the many battles taking place in the rest of the field, and marveling at just how fucking fast that 3-digit dude in 28th place is going too.
We go see the pros race because we’re racers too, and we wanna see them haul the mail like we wish we could. It’s NEVER boring. Ask the fans that used to line up 5 deep at that insane triple step-up they used to have at Glen Helen. Or ask the ones that braved the hike up Mt St Helen’s to watch the bikes fly by… ask them if they’re bored.
But just watching on tv, we get caught up in the competition because that’s all the tv production team thinks they can sell. The leaderboard is the sole focus (at least until a certain reporter chimes in with news about what a racer ate for lunch during the week), so if the same racer keeps winning, then it seems boring.
But it’s not.
I dont think either is boring. Plus its only been this mx season so far thats kind of been a run away. Before that we had webb vs sexton in sx and the 250 class had like the most different winners ever or something. That was awesome and now watching deegan and jett putting belt to ass is awesome too. Chase comes back next week at red bud too.
If you’re a true fan of the sport I just don’t understand how you can be bored, no matter who’s winning or how many passes are made. I see things that intrigue me, and blow me away, everywhere.
You may not like the race winner.
But the battles going on through the pack and the story lines behind each rider make every race weekend worth watching haha
Not trying to derail this thread but I'm curious. Why would folk from Colorado treat a Texan/s like shit?
All of you are Americans right?
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Free shipping: VITALMX
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
I've been around moto for a very long time and even though one dude might be running away with the series there is much more going on.
Sure it will be nice to see two guys or the top 5 covered by 2 seconds fighting for the win but that ain't always the case.
There is so much going on in a field of 40. TV does no justice to the racing. I mean the TV crew can't get it all. There are battles everywhere.
The 40 on the gate are real athletes, riding powerful machines around often treacherous conditions. This is Pro Motocross. The battles throughout the field can only be justified when one is watching mive from the track side.
I'm Ok with what is shown on TV. I'm happy to be alive and to be able to watch what is available.
Jett is on top for now and I enjoying watching him navigate these tracks.
At some point someone will bring it to Jett.
Maybe next week when Sexton arrives...
Edit - spelling - missing text. I'm having issues typing. Type a word and then there is a delay before the letters pop up.
Nobody can honestly say watching from their living room is anything close to attending a race in person. It might be more convenient, cheaper, and less of a time investment, but trying to compare watching on TV vs attending live is like saying watching a concert on YouTube is the same as being at the show.
Yes racing is better Live being there . See a race live then see it on tv a week later on espn . On tv it was a different race
A few years ago we went to High Point and it was awesome. I came home and checked the Vitals and a lot of people were complaining about the track prep and other stuff. I posted that the TV did not do the race or the track prep justice. I then watched the race on TV and it seemed like a very different race than what it was like live. I took note of this, and started paying more attention to the difference in live sporting events vs TV broadcasts of the same event. I later attended a Raiders at Eagles football game on Christmas Eve. I came home and watched the TV version of the same game. I could barely tell it was the same game. It was crazy and eye opening. I now understand that TV portrays a very distorted reality and can not be trusted.
I will also say this. If sporting events live vs Tv come across like this, what else on Tv is also distorted. Whether it is intentional or not I have no idea. So everything I see on Tv or any screen I take with a few grains of salt. I really don't believe anything, unless I see it myself. Especially anything that might get me riled up emotionally.
This is merely history repeating itself. Every so often there is a dominant rider for a couple of years. Nothing new to see here. More often than not, we have 1 winner and it gets boring. Remember the days of Carmicheal and McGrath? You just have to look deeper.
Even with my new 75” OLED, sitting on my couch this morning, rewatching doesn’t compare to the ground shaking, fist pumping action from yesterday . My ankles are thanking me though. These photos are a product of fatigue and ridiculous glare on my iPhone screen, and these guys are much quicker than my ability to take a good picture 😅
Going to the races and watching it live is awesome. Even if it’s two guys dominating like yesterday. just watching them ride and take the lines they take is incredible to see.
I will say though that having the race day scheduling built around and catered to live tv really takes away from the in-person fan experience. Going to the race used to be much more of an event and an experience. Now it’s a live show that you can watch in person. Having the motos all crammed together there’s not even time to go back to the truck and have lunch with your buddies in between the first and second motos.
Em hunter boys are baddazz
Maybe not magazine quality, but those pictures mean a lot! Permanent memories of having been there; a historical record of a great day in your life.
Couldn’t have said it better, every year I hit the budds creek national and for the past couple I’ve also went to Charlotte SMX, while yes I have riders I root for but at the end of the day I’m just happy to be there watching the best in the world shred tracks that would put me in the hospital. Dirtbikes are just cool, plain and simple
Man I deleted my post about it shortly after I posted it because I quickly realized how irrelevant it was to the original post, haha.
You wouldn’t think it would matter but people are weird about it. I personally don’t understand it. We saw a car a couple years ago here with California plates on it and they taped a note next to the plate saying it was a rental and they aren’t from there.
There is no substitute for being at Reddddddddddddddddd Buddddddddddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in person!
Is that timed practice? Because it looks smooth compared to the local concrete hard pack track with rocks everywhere.
Pit Row
450 moto 2. The track was anything but smooth
I agree 100%
Been going to Pro motocross/SX since 1972, always arriving as early as possible to watch practices and qualifying. Out of the hundred of races I’ve attending I was never bored for one minute. Put a pro rider on a moto track and I could watch him all day. The speed/talent/conditions can’t be felt in front of the tv
No facts detected
The Jett and Deegan dominance is starting to remind me of the Carmichael and Stewart days. Still plenty of excitement going on and makes it more enjoyable when someone challenges them. Just like windham used to do against RC. Agree seeing live is way more cool than TV but I still watch every race on tv.
It’s the broadcast and camera angles. When they spend 90%of the turn following one rider, even when there is no one near them it gets boring. Get some cameras at track level, raw video with sound of the bikes and follow some battles going on in the pack, even if it’s not with “name” riders and the broadcast would draw you in to the race.
100%. They need 2-3 gritty/raw camera angles to mix in. They need the existing angles to follow the race but it definitely takes the sense of intensity and speed out of it. Get lower than the bikes at some of the jumps. Let the bikes pass the frame without panning, etc. It wouldn't take much I think.
My favorite part of the races on tv is when they have the NBC broadcast as well, but I'm of course watching on Peacock, and they go to commercial break. Then its all announcers silence for about 2 mintues or so. You can hear the bikes but only a little. Still, its nice and it's the best part.
I might take a lil road trip up to Washougal in a couple weeks. Never been to an outdoor though so not really sure what to expect. Do they have parking for everyone or do you have to shuttle in?
Great post and so true!!
I can’t wait until I’m at Millville in a couple weeks!
Some of us still are but others I'm not sure about.
You will have parking inside Washougal park. 2 lane road so expect long wait times unless you get there early. We would shoot for 7-8am arrival and it was pretty quick getting inside. One year we showed up a couple hours before gate drop and sat in line for at least an hour. It’s a beautiful park … my favorite National in person
They need a Go-pro on every bike.😉
Post a reply to: It’s just different…