Why are Americans...

mccread
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mccread
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 12:58pm
So much better than the rest of the world at starts?!... you just knew Short and Dungey would come round 1-2 in the final moto.

Is it because of Supercross and the short races - the start is so important there that they practice them more?
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JLong
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JLong 9/28/2010 9:35am
9/28/2010 9:35am
Just better at everything.
OW38B
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OW38B 9/28/2010 9:38am
9/28/2010 9:38am Edited Date/Time 9/28/2010 9:38am
I think supercross has much to do with it, on some shorter SX tracks, the "big boy" main is not much over a 15 minute race so a good start is paramount.
BOBBY LEE
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BOBBY LEE 9/28/2010 9:38am
9/28/2010 9:38am
Because better is better.....
Neutra
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Neutra 9/28/2010 9:39am
9/28/2010 9:39am
JLong wrote:
Just better at everything.
LOL....

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captmoto
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captmoto 9/28/2010 9:41am
9/28/2010 9:41am
Americans have a "start is everything" mentality from SX and the leader wants to checkout and let everyone behind them work harder. Euros according to Jimmy Albertson let the race come to them over 30 minutes. I think it gets in the euros heads once they have to play catch-up, except for Roczen, that kid is amazing. Can't wait to see hime here next year.
peelout719
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peelout719 9/28/2010 9:41am
9/28/2010 9:41am
starts and opening lap sprints are everything here. especially in supercross, a good start and a few really fast laps and you can have a 3-5 second lead. a bad start and a couple rough laps and you can be down by 10+ seconds in supercross.
Sondy132001
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Sondy132001 9/28/2010 9:44am
9/28/2010 9:44am
mccread wrote:
So much better than the rest of the world at starts?!... you just knew Short and Dungey would come round 1-2 in the final moto. Is...
So much better than the rest of the world at starts?!... you just knew Short and Dungey would come round 1-2 in the final moto.

Is it because of Supercross and the short races - the start is so important there that they practice them more?
maybe cause our races are short, you have to get the start (sprint) then stay up front, seems to be a lot of one-line tracks and win in 20 mins or less. Where as in Europe you guys pace yourselves, because it's gonna be a long ride. Just an observation.

S
FreshTopEnd
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FreshTopEnd 9/28/2010 9:48am
9/28/2010 9:48am
We get the good tires.
pie8man
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pie8man 9/28/2010 9:52am
9/28/2010 9:52am
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that the US teams and riders put more effort into the start than the international group. From bike setup, fuel/ignition settings that are start specific and lots of practice in the seat against a stopwatch. Comfortable, confident and muscle memory trained.
Or it could be the tires!!
mx295
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mx295 9/28/2010 9:54am
9/28/2010 9:54am
Because we have the Red, White and Blue power bands..
Nutty C
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Nutty C 9/28/2010 9:58am
9/28/2010 9:58am
Best Bikes, Best testing, best mechanics, excellent practice tracks only available to select few (aka factory tracks in cali) Parents mortgaging everything to keep little johnny racing until the factory picks him up.
Torco1
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Torco1 9/28/2010 9:59am
9/28/2010 9:59am
Practice practice practice....

JackLHyde
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JackLHyde 9/28/2010 10:03am
9/28/2010 10:03am
Why does every thread mccread makes have the potential to start another USA vs. Europe vs. rest of the world keyboard war?
jeffro756
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jeffro756 9/28/2010 10:07am
9/28/2010 10:07am
JackLHyde wrote:
Why does every thread mccread makes have the potential to start another USA vs. Europe vs. rest of the world keyboard war?
To me it doesn't seem like it is mccread (most of the time) but the other yahoos that want to condemn him for every little bit of patriotism he shows towards his guys.

I agree with sondy, short races and sprint laps.
Nutty C
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Nutty C 9/28/2010 10:13am
9/28/2010 10:13am
Sure would be nice to see them bust open 100 crates on race day and put gas in them and the best man wins. Everyone gets the same box stock bike.
joltonjay
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joltonjay 9/28/2010 10:14am
9/28/2010 10:14am
Because all the American riders are sponsored by Energy Drink companies....They are jacked up on caffeine!!!Laughing
RedRider31
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RedRider31 9/28/2010 10:18am
9/28/2010 10:18am
Nutty C wrote:
Sure would be nice to see them bust open 100 crates on race day and put gas in them and the best man wins. Everyone gets...
Sure would be nice to see them bust open 100 crates on race day and put gas in them and the best man wins. Everyone gets the same box stock bike.
communist
umagumadog 9/28/2010 10:21am
9/28/2010 10:21am
We're not better at starts, just lucky. Y'all just keep doing what your doing and we will keep doing what were doing and everything will be ok. Wink

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Huckster
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Huckster 9/28/2010 10:23am
9/28/2010 10:23am
4 lap amateur races teach you very early that you have to get a good start or else.....

Was it Albertson who also said that the GP's were more like an enduro or Gncc race compared to the nationals?
grover738
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grover738 9/28/2010 10:34am
9/28/2010 10:34am
I wouldn't read too much into the starts this weekend. Starts are about confidence, technique, and horsepower, and short has all three. Short had no doubt whatsoever that he was going to pull 3 holeshots this weekend, no matter where he started from. He had that confidence since he started pulling holeshots earlier in the year. A euro (Barragon) pulled the holeshot in the MX1/MX2 class over Dungey.
rocrac
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rocrac 9/28/2010 10:36am
9/28/2010 10:36am
Huckster wrote:
4 lap amateur races teach you very early that you have to get a good start or else..... Was it Albertson who also said that the...
4 lap amateur races teach you very early that you have to get a good start or else.....

Was it Albertson who also said that the GP's were more like an enduro or Gncc race compared to the nationals?
Nailed it...
Hugh
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Hugh 9/28/2010 10:43am
9/28/2010 10:43am
Short and Dungey were getting holeshots almost every national this year. I wouldn't look into too much. Especially seeing as Canard got raped in both starts.
Butters
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Butters 9/28/2010 10:47am
9/28/2010 10:47am
They just nailed their shifting points.
Mstock
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Mstock 9/28/2010 11:05am
9/28/2010 11:05am
In America it's almost as cool to pull a holeshot as it is to win a moto. Just saying. It's two races. One to the first corner and then another to the finish. We treat them equal in importance. Always have.
drummer dude
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drummer dude 9/28/2010 11:27am
9/28/2010 11:27am
doesnt matter what country you are from as far as starts go. if you have slow reaction times,you aint getting no holeshots. look at the guys who are professional drag racers. their reaction times are amazing...just my 2 cents...
Riesenberg448 9/28/2010 11:29am
9/28/2010 11:29am
A lot of it comes down to bike set up. Starts are seen as the most important part of the race in the US, so many guys will sacrifice some set up somewhere else in order to gain an advantage on the starts.

In the Matthes podcast with Jimmy Albertson, they speak to this a bit as well.
SMITH201
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SMITH201 9/28/2010 11:30am
9/28/2010 11:30am
Starts here are critical here. That and the first few laps to sprint and break away. I think it comes from Amateur days. The generation of riders now is to get out and sprint! GPs you just want a decent start and let the race come to them. This has been a major problem for Rattray and Searle. I remember Rattray talking about how he has been adjusting to do that. De Reuver talked about it to when he was here at Southwick. He called us crazy for how we started races. Pourcel and DeSalle have done well with it. Thats why Cairoli does so well in the GPs. He races with the same style as us.
chillrich
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chillrich 9/28/2010 11:32am
9/28/2010 11:32am
They start in 2nd gear and shift with their heal to 3rd.... don't tell anyone
Hanaa80
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Hanaa80 9/28/2010 11:44am
9/28/2010 11:44am Edited Date/Time 9/28/2010 11:52am
GHOPPER
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GHOPPER 9/28/2010 11:56am
9/28/2010 11:56am
Didnt you see AC holeshot the usgp over our best starter (MA). Short has been a great starter all year but other than that I dont think the usa has better starters. (just finishers)

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