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MXGP doesn't want 40 riders on the gate and that's fine, AMA wants 40 riders on the gate and that's fine. Many of the MXGP tracks have a hard time handling 40 riders at the top level as their typical lap times are 15-20 seconds shorter than the AMA tracks. As a fan I like both...
Who are all the “world class” riders stuck in their national series? Unless they are top 10-15 guys, which I doubt, they aren’t adding anything to the race, they’re just filling a gate.
If I want to see local pros battling I’ll go to a local race.
To my earlier post, Pro Motocross has 40 riders, MXGP typically 25 or so, that’s the way they’ve decided to run their respective series. However the extra 15 riders doesn’t improve the quality of the product.
And - there is nothing magical about the number 40. If, historically, there were only 30 gates we’d be saying there has to be 30 riders on the gate.
Not entirely true. The British MX Championship this year hasn't had a full gate countless times. Struggles to get 30 on the gate at certain races!
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Have you ever been to either a GP or AMA national? I have been to both multiple times through the years and I prefer to see 40 riders storming into the first turn way more than 20. With 20 it feels like a local race but as I said before the shorter tighter GP tracks are better with fewer riders. I'm not a fan of every rider receiving points that are in the race which happens more than not in GP's. I find that watching a top level rider come through the pack to try and get into the points gives a little more intrigue to that part of the field than just not mattering at all.
Yeah, I remember when Ping scored points in both motos in China a few years back cause there was like 17 riders in the 450 class. He got lapped like 6 times both motos, lol.
I 'Thumbed Up ' this as :
You can't force riders / teams to race.
But, you ( Organizers / Controlling Bodies ) Can provide Incentives / Encouragment / Rewards / ROI for doing so.
If you've ( readers here ) few years on you, you might remember the Grid numbers in 500 GP Road Racing - well, in all Classes, and World Superbike Racing. BIG numbers, that are now - in MotoGP and WSBK, are down to the mid 20s. Luongo , has wanted such numbers, for years now.
Not many top 10-15 MX2 riders who are only riding national championships,
Only Braceras i can think of. And i guess you can say Mustoe although he did a few wildcards. Maybe Soulimani and Pietre would be top 15.
so yeah you are right with that. However EMX250 riders is different story.
Garcia, Skovbjerg, Doensen, Callemo, Askew, Mancini, Bellei, Cannon, Brookes, Hinderson, Reichl, Monne, Owens, Fredsoe all did MX2 wildcards and had a top 10 or at least a top 15 result. They allready have shown they would add to the show.
And if these guys can get top 15 then guys who got a top 3 in EMX250 like Alvisi, Brunet, Tiburcio, Kubulins, Katona, Leok, Fueri, Rispoli, Faure and Escandell should be similar if they did MX2.
So i would say there is enough talent to fight for p.10 to 15 in MX2 that simply isnt lining up at the moment. Thats 25 names who would imo add to the show.
What about all the EMX250 riders battling inside the top 10-20 every week? How many go on to ride MX2 or MX1.? There's a full grid of 125 and EMX250 at every GP and about 90% disappear without getting to the GPs and a lot of them are world class. And that's before starting on all the established GP riders who end up in national series because there's no budget for GP's.
Every GP thread on here constantly has people asking "where's ___ these days?" followed by someone saying he's signed for a national team because he couldn't get the budget. Often a fast guy who was scoring points.
There's a lot of talent out there that should be on the GP grid - even if they're battling for 35th. Some of the best racing I've seen at GPs has been battles further down the field from hungry guys not yet at the front but on the cusp.
MXGP hasn't "decided to run with 25 riders". The costs have led to only getting 25 riders..
Why would anyone say having less racers is a good thing?
F1 lapped up to 8th last race, they should only run 8 cars, the others don't add anything (aside from millions in sponsorship, dedicated fanbases, etc).
Actual Riders: "OH MAN, IF THEY COULD REDUCE THE FEE FOR LOCALS I COULD DO ONE ROUND OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (or AMA PRO), WITH HERLINGS AND GASJER (or the Lawrences and Deegs), WHAT A DREAM"
The fat lads here, on their couches: "AHH WHY HAVE MORE THAN 14 RIDERS? THEY ARE ALL LAPPERS, I DONT WANT TO WATCH THIS ON MY 32k OLED GIANT 87264''inches TV"
It looks terrible, absolutely terrible, I'll never be convinced it's not lame. Obviously the elite are the elite at the very top in both series and are always going to more than likely end up at the sharpe end doing their own thing (Jett, Hunter, Herlings, Gajser etc) that's the same in any sport and is just part of it.
From a sheer racing pov with minimal chance of interference 30 is ideal imo, but 40 (despite the lapper issue) has other benefits in terms of sheer spectacle and encouraging riders at or near that level to have a bash. For these guys it needs to be cheaper, obviously, with the realistic chance of getting something back. When you can barely field 20 riders even in Europe at times, with some of the overseas races having struggled to field 12 -15, it sticks out like a sore thumb. It's embarrassing.
The riders that are on the gate are of course amazing in the GPs but as above you have to wonder what's happening between the healthy looking EMX and the (what's meant to be this side of the pond) final level of the sport.
The biggest issue is the lack of development the current set up has took away. Back in the day you had to be top 5 or something in the British champs to even get a spot to go for qualifying at a GP. Then you had to qualify against 80 other riders to get in. But the prize money made it worth it to do and you could challenge and work your way up. Or maybe you could have a couple stand out rides and get noticed. Now a days unless you come from money or have wealthy backers it’s impossible to get the opportunity to race MXGP tracks and be around those guys to even develop as a rider to begin with.
Yes, been to both and agree... having stood at the first turn multiple times for both, it's a notably different experience.
And if someone falls in the first turn at a GP, their race back to the top 10 is vastly easier than at an AMA national. At some GP's, every rider gets points...
I enjoy both, but they are different. I still wish the 2 series could come up with 2 races intertwined that provided points for both series. 1 race in the US and 1 race on a GP track. The fanfare would be outstanding... I've read where they have talked about it, but it seems they can't agree on the $$.
Pit Row
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