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Christmas Bench Racing Fodder
Where would one be without the other? Would Ricky have risen to the same heights and win totals without James to make him push ever higher? And conversely how high would James have set the bar without RC to climb over? I realize Reed was a factor but I always saw him as just a percentage point or two below the other two. I watched that 2007 Orlando SX that again just the other day and attended Red Bud that summer. I still contend to this day that NOBODY has gone any faster than those two in 2006-7.
Where would one be without the other? Would Ricky have risen to the same heights and win totals without James to make him push ever higher? And conversely how high would James have set the bar without RC to climb over? I realize Reed was a factor but I always saw him as just a percentage point or two below the other two. I watched that 2007 Orlando SX that again just the other day and attended Red Bud that summer. I still contend to this day that NOBODY has gone any faster than those two in 2006-7.
Not sure it makes a difference to RC, he won regardless and there is really only one series that he maybe wasn't the best guy at the end of it, 03... Reed lost his mechanical advantage and RC gained one next time they met and held it till he quit. Chad was easily the slowest of the three to adapt to four strokes so I don't think he'd have beat RC without James there.
No four strokes? Maybe different.
Might be right about 06/07 speed, but RV in 13 was fucking ridiculous... The Dungey club can piss and moan about lost titles in 11 (Reed was better haha) but RV was no doubt building and by 13 he was so good it was clinical. He'd have at least given RC/JS all they could handle. I still go back and watch a few races that from that year and it was a terrible year for Reed!
The Shop
James and RC never raced in the same class. RC was older and always a few classes ahead. RC was chasing guys like Reynard, Windham, etc... and even they were a few classes ahead of RC...
The first time James and RC actually raced a meaningful race against each other would have started in 2005 when both were in the 250 SX and 250 MX classes. (now the 450 class)
By that point in time, RC was already a multi time 250 SX and MX champion.
Do to their age differences and being in different classes I don't believe there is any correlation that one "pushed" the other to greatness.
James may be a different story, but I think most of his career was also about himself. Ricky may have been a target for him early in James' 250/450F career, but really most of his racing life was about going as fast as he could, not about beating someone else.
Pit Row
Now if 4-strokes never came into the picture... who knows. I think James' career would be vastly different.
That said, I've always thought Travis could have messed up our impressions of both guys had he stayed healthy.
But in the end you look at all three and see a pretty broad differences in how talent, ambition, and motivation were balanced in their respective personalities. And maybe the difference the people around you influencing you can make.
I bet they are riding a bit faster now, despite the risk of life and limb, bikes are better and riders are just as talented. I think the talent pool the last few years has been better than RC days overall. Always hard to compare generations!
RC was a phenomenon, to stay healthy, going that fast, for that long.
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