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Edited Date/Time
1/27/2012 1:02pm
Quote MXA - "Lest we forget, The King of Supercross himself - Jeremy McGrath - claimed the coveted "rookie" status after he moved up from the 125 class to the 250 class, never having raced in the (then premier) 250 class at all. A true, certifiable rookie."
Is this correct, I could have swore that in 93' I watched him get around 5th in the 250 class at Pontiac while he was a west coast 125 rider. I could be wrong?
Is this correct, I could have swore that in 93' I watched him get around 5th in the 250 class at Pontiac while he was a west coast 125 rider. I could be wrong?
The Shop
it's the same resounding theme , back in the day, no back in the day, no the other day.
As soon as this crop of riders retires they (MXA) will be looking for a reason the new crop is bigger pussies than the last.
That being said, his first title was far more impressive than Dungey's. He beat the '92 champ (Stanton) and runner up (Bradshaw) in their primes, as well as a full contingent of top riders straight up( as JS7 likes to say). All due respect to Dungey for winning this year, but he clearly benefited from injuries to the top 4 in the series. We will never know what would have happened had even #2 kept it on two wheels. Long term, Dungey's name is safely in the books as the champ. As time goes on, they don't ask how, but how many. He could be like Mike Bell or win a few more and further raise his level closer to MC's. All-in-all and apples to oranges comparison. 1993 was a spectacular SX series while 2010 was mediocre at best.
So he did race 4 complete 125 sx seasons before killing everybody in 250's in 93.
I will have to look at some old cycle new's cause I remember seeing him in pontiac in 91 on a 250 peak honda #125 and of course in 92 on peak honda #17.....
1993. MC and his legend is born. Why? Because after a few races, he caught fire and destroyed the field. A field of hall of famers such as Stanton, Bradshaw, Bayle, LaRocco, Kiedrowski, Cooper, Ward, Emig... ect ect. Why did he destroy them, in his OWN words, I was behind Stanton and following him and wondering why he was taking the outside, then I thought, why am I not passing him, hes leaving it wide open, and I had to get it in my head that I belonged in front of him. thats paraphrasing but damn close from MC's own mouth in his book and the Matthes podcast.
Now lets look at the facts:
Stanton, radically changed his program for 93, went veggie, had peaked the year before, this was the beginning of the end in his own words, see Matthes podcast.
Bradshaw, at this same time, he was so over racing and burned out, he wound up with a shotgun in a hotel room, it was over after 92 and 93 about killed him literally. His own words.
Bayle was so over MX by 93 he was just finishing out his contract. He was in road race mode. His words.
Ward, all he was thinking was retirement.
Coop, see above.
MXKied, could go but was outdoors
Larocco, could go, but was all ways in the back
The rest, indoors, either never were "the guy" or were "the guy" in the 80s.
To say that MC didnt get some luck and catch things at just the right time is BS. What it DID do though, is it gave him the mindset you HAVE TO HAVE to continually be the champ. You have to KNOW, not hope, not wish, not think you can, you have to KNOW to your core, you belong on top.... not only belong on top, that you ARE the top. MC caught the class under just the right circumstances, capitilised on it, got the mindset, and it carried him from 93 to 2001. Fact. It took another rider hitting some very simular circumstances to get the mindset and when he did, it was over for MC, RC. He caught MC when he changed his training, had peaked a bit before, ect ect, pretty Stanton like.
But before you guys build a bonfire to roast me, I readily admit, both MC and RC, it was inevitable. It was destiny based on talent, desire, a host of reasons. But something in these cases is always the catalyst, the spark, that sets it all off.
Ask MC, ask, RC, CR, JS, they will ALL say the same thing.... they KNEW, no question or doubt, that every time they lined up, noone could beat them and if someone did, it was a fluke and a miracle and the next week they would be ruined.
So to Dungey. He shows up at A1. Against a healthy JS, CR, Windham, Villipoto, runs away from them for 15 laps. Then gets rookie nerves, blows a bit in the 16th and 17 lap, gets passed, regroups, and runs down a sprinting JS. Then Phoenix happens, and hes the man. He lined up with THE GUYS and won. We all know there were circumstances... just like 93. Then his only threat, Villipoto, he either stays with, or sees him crashing trying to run away with it... adds more fuel to the KNOW I belong fire. Plus, Dungey learned the hardway, its better to stay up and finish behind your competition 1 or 2 places, than try to go nutz and win and go down.
So, did Dungey "get lucky", undoubtedly. So did MC. Will Dungey do it again, who knows. Just saying he was in the right place at the right time and became the guy, just like a SX legend. IF next year they line up, and hes outfront with JS and VP... you never know when the next legend is coming. Several were supposed to be the next huge deal, Pastrana instantly comes to mind, but it takes the right set of "lucky" circumstances imo to make it happen fast.
Pit Row
Well said. VERY well said.
Now, someone go get a lighter and 5 gallons of gasoline outa' the shed.
No 80's 60's or pewwee's. Just a childhood of BMX racing.
In sum, though, it's nearly impossible to fairly compare riders and series from different eras. there are just too many factors involved.
He was road racing full time by then.
I believe Bayle was still the man in '92, was still in the hunt for the title with 1 race to go, Stanton was already loosing physical power and Bradshaw was super-fast but already fragile mentally... JMB was still young and physically intact and could have had quite a few more good years...
And had Bayle stayed on it, who knows if Jeremy could have gained that "I KNOW" feeling that you describe very well ?!
From the bunch, he was the one with the type of style, talent and confidence that could potentially have MC doubt a little.
But Bayle did'nt stay on it and one can't re-write History !
More power to Jeremy, more power to Dungey today, they were in the right place, at the right time, with the right mindset and the right program.
That's a hell of an accomplishment, any way you look at it.
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