The Vital MX Mailbox | Week #02 2

In a new bi-weekly addition to Vital MX, questions and queries will be grabbed from race fans on different platforms and answered in a rather informal format. Consider this a relaxed start to the race weekend! A smorgasbord of topics is tackled in the first edition from San Francisco weather to entering the journalism space. Rider merchandise, Haiden Deegan and Christian Craig are also among the topics covered. If there is something to pique your interest then this pilot feature will be filed as a success.

Questions will be gathered from the Vital MX forum, as well as social media, before each feature, so keep an eye out for those posts in order to be featured. Do not be disenchanted if your question does not get used, however, because some will be kept back for the following week. There were more than one hundred questions in the days prior to this and so the 'bank' is filling up nicely for future features. Anyway, without further ado, on with the questions…

"How do you think tomorrow's forecast will impact the race in San Francisco?" A question from @Ethan_Loera on Instagram.

Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I am from the United Kingdom and therefore what I consider extreme rainfall is somewhat skewed. The forecast for Saturday's round at Oracle Park, in San Francisco, is not as bleak as some on social media would leave you to believe. The most amount of rain that is scheduled to fall over the course of an hour is 0.06 inches and, honestly, that is miniscule. That is not to say that it will be dry, but it will not be reminiscent of 2019's San Diego event in the opinion of this humble scribe.

The rainfall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was most detrimental to Feld's track crew. It was biblical, by all accounts, and the track builders faced a mountainous challenge to cover the entire track before too much damage was done. It will be most interesting to see how the on-track action unfolds. Jett Lawrence's technique should be just as beneficial in the slop and so it would not be a surprise if he makes it two for two. There are a lot of capable riders though. Let battle commence. – @_LewisPhillips

"Are the Lawrence brothers the only riders that can sell their merch?" A question from @MotoBookie on Instagram.

No, not as of this term. Monster Energy Supercross entered an agreement with Canvas to produce replica jerseys. Now, of course, there are many people who receive a slice of the pie: Feld, Canvas, the athlete in question and some additional parties receive a cut. From memory, I believe that each rider receives around fifteen percent when all is said and done. The Lawrence brothers run their program separate to that and, of course, each rider can opt in or out. – @_LewisPhillips

"I am a young sports broadcaster/journalist who covers local college and high school sports, who has a passion for motorsports. What is the best way to get my foot in the door to the industry?" A question from @TourneyEarnie on Vital MX's forum.

I love this question, because so few people aspire to be a true journalist. The fact that the question is so well written with zero mistakes is an immediate strike in the positive column – first impressions count. If I see or receive a query around becoming a member of the media, I pull apart the way in which it's written. If there is an error of any kind then I immediately disregard it. I remember constructing emails to forge a path in this industry and agonizing over the body of text for an hour. The same thinking applies to the way in which one conducts themselves on social media. Public perception matters and sloppy tweets with mistakes are counterproductive. Even if you think that no one will read it, someone will.

Now, to exit this tangent, working for free is a necessity to break into media. I believe that I wrote articles for free for around two seasons before I received my first consistent paycheck, but things began to happen very quickly from that point. I would recommend that you send emails to outlets of interest and attach an article that serves as proof of your skill, but state that the publication in question can run that for free if they wish. Not only would that reveal your skill but it would also underline your willingness to work for free! The article should not be something run of the mill like a race report though. Instead, it should offer a unique perspective on something that is topical. – @_LewisPhillips

"Is Haiden Deegan really injured or is it all hype?" A question from @JJCharles_Fit on Instagram.

I do not want to talk out of turn here, but I'll share what I have received from a fairly reliable source. The consistent rumor in the Monster Energy Supercross paddock is that Deegan sustained a wrist injury, most likely his scaphoid, but will endeavor to race round one of 250SX East in Detroit. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team will limp into Michigan, it seems, as a majority of their riders will strive to salvage points at round one, then regroup in the three weeks prior to the second round in Arlington. The fact that round one is followed by a break is quite unique, no? – @_LewisPhillips

"What happened to Christian Craig? I have not seen any updates," asked @KSmith502 on Instagram.

Including this topic could cause some to lose faith in my skill as a journalist, but there is no answer. It has been radio silence from Christian since Anaheim 1 and the press release from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing failed to shed any light on the topic. The common consensus is that he fell early, then pulled off with a bike that was bent out of shape. It's a logical answer – I myself saw his minor crash early on – but why the secrecy from his camp? Allow me to confirm that he is present at Oracle Park and ready to race, so ignore any rumors about retirement or an injury. – @_LewisPhillips