The great Privateer debate

lumpy790
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3/11/2026 1:02pm

Question for you guys ….. have you ever qualified and raced at Loretta’s?

Every person racing at LL’s dreams of racing SX and making a main event. OK maybe not the 30+ and up vets but then again lots of them have already done it.

3
3/11/2026 1:06pm
RDnutz wrote:
disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials...

disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials and Gen Z grew up with along with cell phones and social media where stuff could be pushed on people who otherwise may not have paid any attention to it. Those of use that grew up and raced in the formative years in USA saw the origination of the Super Bowl of Motocross in 1972 and regarded it as a gimmick and ok for a change of pace in the normal outdoor schedule which after regional championships had the most prestige. It is fitting that Feld who owns a circus franchise runs the enterprise as a big 3 ring circus. Us old guys basically referred to it as Jump O Cross and could take it or leave it since we can't relate to it vs. our own growing up loving the sport memories.

So core bro. 

2
Spoonguy
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3/11/2026 1:13pm
Cliffy615 wrote:
To add to my initial post, this is talking about Supercross which holds the most prestige and is the sport that can be taken to a...

To add to my initial post, this is talking about Supercross which holds the most prestige and is the sport that can be taken to a mainstream global sport.
Motocross, naturally, is more grassroots, and I don't see a real issue with privateers attempting to qualify and enter. There is way more space on a mx track and the consequences of lappers is far less severe and MX will never be mainstream - it can grow and improve, but SX i beleive is where the level of professionalism on a lot of fronts needs to elevate.

Someone mentioned Jan Pancar, and completely agree, this is great to see and a great story, he also did incredibly well at the nations last year, but this would never happen in SX.
If privateers can enter MX and arenacross but not SX, you will see a lot more privateers raise their level outdoors and if a rider was top 5 in outdoors and winning AX, perhaps they get a shot on a factory team for SX which would've never happened if they continued on their way with LCQ victories or not qualifying for SX

RDnutz wrote:
disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials...

disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials and Gen Z grew up with along with cell phones and social media where stuff could be pushed on people who otherwise may not have paid any attention to it. Those of use that grew up and raced in the formative years in USA saw the origination of the Super Bowl of Motocross in 1972 and regarded it as a gimmick and ok for a change of pace in the normal outdoor schedule which after regional championships had the most prestige. It is fitting that Feld who owns a circus franchise runs the enterprise as a big 3 ring circus. Us old guys basically referred to it as Jump O Cross and could take it or leave it since we can't relate to it vs. our own growing up loving the sport memories.

I don't know, MotoGP is talking about emulating supercross's success.

Cliffy615
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3/12/2026 5:30am
Cliffy615 wrote:
To add to my initial post, this is talking about Supercross which holds the most prestige and is the sport that can be taken to a...

To add to my initial post, this is talking about Supercross which holds the most prestige and is the sport that can be taken to a mainstream global sport.
Motocross, naturally, is more grassroots, and I don't see a real issue with privateers attempting to qualify and enter. There is way more space on a mx track and the consequences of lappers is far less severe and MX will never be mainstream - it can grow and improve, but SX i beleive is where the level of professionalism on a lot of fronts needs to elevate.

Someone mentioned Jan Pancar, and completely agree, this is great to see and a great story, he also did incredibly well at the nations last year, but this would never happen in SX.
If privateers can enter MX and arenacross but not SX, you will see a lot more privateers raise their level outdoors and if a rider was top 5 in outdoors and winning AX, perhaps they get a shot on a factory team for SX which would've never happened if they continued on their way with LCQ victories or not qualifying for SX

RDnutz wrote:
disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials...

disagree Supercross has the most prestige. It has the most home viewership and promotion and the most consciousness with today's riders because it was what Millennials and Gen Z grew up with along with cell phones and social media where stuff could be pushed on people who otherwise may not have paid any attention to it. Those of use that grew up and raced in the formative years in USA saw the origination of the Super Bowl of Motocross in 1972 and regarded it as a gimmick and ok for a change of pace in the normal outdoor schedule which after regional championships had the most prestige. It is fitting that Feld who owns a circus franchise runs the enterprise as a big 3 ring circus. Us old guys basically referred to it as Jump O Cross and could take it or leave it since we can't relate to it vs. our own growing up loving the sport memories.

The point is really that for the sport to grow it needs to attract new eyeballs, and ones who don’t necessarily ride. SX above Mx is the sport to do this, it’s in cities, in big stadiums and Easily anccesible to watch or anttend, And whilst I personally prefer outdoors. I’m an active rider and understand the sport. For those who don’t part take but enjoy watching SX is far more attractive and easy than mx.

Let the ‘non factory teams’ and riders race anywhere

But the ‘privateers’ paying to race, they should be allowed in outdoors and AX but not in SX.

Then there is a platform for the very best riders in the world to race on the biggest stage in the world, with the biggest possibility to elevate the sport globally and get it to a point where every industry person doesn’t need 3 jobs within the industry to make ends meet,

It is so sad to see how restricted SX is, small mindedness and protectiveness hurts the entire industry- not just in relation to privateers but so many aspects

1

The Shop

The Wolf Man
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3/12/2026 9:12pm

Meanwhile, Cooper 'Cooked' Webb starts to ponder how he can get out of another outdoors season...

PitBits-Indy-2026-017
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Not hillbilly
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3/12/2026 9:17pm
Paul333 wrote:
I am sick of reading about it. Lappers are a part of racing. Want main events or Nationals with ten guys in each moto? Keep letting a...

I am sick of reading about it. Lappers are a part of racing. 

Want main events or Nationals with ten guys in each moto? Keep letting a few pampered millionaires bitch and cry. You are already not paying them, now you are letting the top 1-3 riders disrespect them and want them gone. 

Makes me sick

Can you name any other motorsport where lapping guys 3+ times is just considered part of it?

Paul333 wrote:

With 50 second lap times?

Enjoy your ten rider pro motos..

What’s so great about having 20-40 racers on a course at one time? What do you get out of people battling for 17th or 23rd position? You won’t be paying any attention to them anyway, especially if watching on tv. I would much rather see 10 fast guys go at it unencumbered and staying on the same lap.

But I like speedway too, so maybe it’s just me.

2
1
3/12/2026 9:54pm

Can you name any other motorsport where lapping guys 3+ times is just considered part of it?

Paul333 wrote:

With 50 second lap times?

Enjoy your ten rider pro motos..

What’s so great about having 20-40 racers on a course at one time? What do you get out of people battling for 17th or 23rd position...

What’s so great about having 20-40 racers on a course at one time? What do you get out of people battling for 17th or 23rd position? You won’t be paying any attention to them anyway, especially if watching on tv. I would much rather see 10 fast guys go at it unencumbered and staying on the same lap.

But I like speedway too, so maybe it’s just me.

Having 40 is fine if all 40 are fast enough to be there. I think the issue of when there are 28 who are fast enough and 12 extra guys are let in who really aren’t on the level of the guys who should be at a National

RDnutz
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3/13/2026 9:49am
What’s so great about having 20-40 racers on a course at one time? What do you get out of people battling for 17th or 23rd position...

What’s so great about having 20-40 racers on a course at one time? What do you get out of people battling for 17th or 23rd position? You won’t be paying any attention to them anyway, especially if watching on tv. I would much rather see 10 fast guys go at it unencumbered and staying on the same lap.

But I like speedway too, so maybe it’s just me.

yeah, it's just you. what if in your 10 fast guy only races there are 3 Hondas, 3 Yamahas, 3 KTMs, and 1 Suzuki. How are the other manufacturers getting any airtime to put their brand out there? Same with other major sponsors. Brand promotion/sales is a huge part of what runs SX.

soggy
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3/13/2026 9:53am
Tiki wrote:
Why do the factory boys get whatever they want? How about making them race showroom-stock bikes? They'll still be faster, but it'll be a hell of...

Why do the factory boys get whatever they want? How about making them race showroom-stock bikes? They'll still be faster, but it'll be a hell of a lot more fun to watch.
 

Do you want the entire aftermarket industry to die?

1
ando
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3/13/2026 3:01pm

How many of you have ever bought a bike or a product because a privateer ran it?

How many could name the privateers in any of the SX mains this year without looking it up?  (Maybe excluding Indy given the publicity it’s gotten).

1
1
ando
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3/13/2026 3:13pm
lumpy790 wrote:
Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a...

Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a fill in ride just about every year. 

As for AX winners guys like #118 Cheyenne Harmon they have a shot too .

It happens occasionally but far from all the time.  Satellite or minor teams more often do it.  Jett’s bike has been sitting idle all season.

Outdoors is different but there simply isn’t a group of capable SX riders waiting around for factory level rides.  There’s now eight factory teams (if you include Progressive Suzuki) plus satellite teams like Quadlock, Club MX etc.  That’s over 20 full time factory or near factory level riders.

1
Cliffy615
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3/15/2026 1:20am
lumpy790 wrote:
Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a...

Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a fill in ride just about every year. 

As for AX winners guys like #118 Cheyenne Harmon they have a shot too .

ando wrote:
It happens occasionally but far from all the time.  Satellite or minor teams more often do it.  Jett’s bike has been sitting idle all season.Outdoors is...

It happens occasionally but far from all the time.  Satellite or minor teams more often do it.  Jett’s bike has been sitting idle all season.

Outdoors is different but there simply isn’t a group of capable SX riders waiting around for factory level rides.  There’s now eight factory teams (if you include Progressive Suzuki) plus satellite teams like Quadlock, Club MX etc.  That’s over 20 full time factory or near factory level riders.

There is a whole bunch of them in the 250 class who either won’t or can’t move up because of the way the sport is currently configured!

lumpy790
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Location
York, SC, USA
3/15/2026 9:34am
lumpy790 wrote:
Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a...

Teams have contractual obligations so if the team wants the sponsors $$ they put a butt on the seat.  Guys making the SX mains get a fill in ride just about every year. 

As for AX winners guys like #118 Cheyenne Harmon they have a shot too .

ando wrote:
It happens occasionally but far from all the time.  Satellite or minor teams more often do it.  Jett’s bike has been sitting idle all season.Outdoors is...

It happens occasionally but far from all the time.  Satellite or minor teams more often do it.  Jett’s bike has been sitting idle all season.

Outdoors is different but there simply isn’t a group of capable SX riders waiting around for factory level rides.  There’s now eight factory teams (if you include Progressive Suzuki) plus satellite teams like Quadlock, Club MX etc.  That’s over 20 full time factory or near factory level riders.

Cliffy615 wrote:
There is a whole bunch of them in the 250 class who either won’t or can’t move up because of the way the sport is currently...

There is a whole bunch of them in the 250 class who either won’t or can’t move up because of the way the sport is currently configured!

Any 250 racer can move up to the 450 class if they choose but there are more 250 paying jobs than 450 paying jobs.

Every year 450 injuries means reduced numbers of entries so the 250 racers are welcomed to race their 250 in the 450 class.

1

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