This sucks, but as you've said @brex it's an unfortunate part of these two wheel sports we all participate in. Cameron has really made a name for himself this year. Both with the way he's ridden as well as how well he speaks to the media and public in general. I'm a fan.
The 250 main was great. Swoll pulling an over the top move to take out Hammaker, but that top 5 was great racing.
Swoll = Friese 1st Sexton rose up my like list when he gave Webb the business but Anderson jumped him with his last turn move on him. Webb riding off hanging his head was so sweet. Extra bonus that we don’t have to hear his surfer dude voice being interviewed on the podium
Well that send it move reminds me of Friese’s overall douchbaggery. That move makes Bam Bam look like a saint Actually I didn’t watch any of the podium or after interviews, I was just hopeful everyone that did, would be spared.
Kind of a meh 450 race. Jett has been the best guy and deserves it. The tracks have been a bit boring. I miss the gnarly whoops sections and dragon's backs. I'm ready for outdoors.
Friese has branded his style of riding as his trademark. Jarek was just 'Swoll' up with the youthful exuberance of a kid hoping to hold on to score his first SX podium, as Bubba phrased it. C.W. was extremely humble when interviewed post-race. Didn't use arm-pump as an excuse, though I'm guessing he was dealing with it again, the way he slowed late in the race.
Jalek's Instagram post after a couple discussions with Seth, below. They initially blamed each other when they first spoke after the finish, but later agreed it was a 'racing incident,' according to Racer X reports. "Well, wasn’t the outcome that we wanted but I had to go for it, showed a wheel doing that same line in the sand multiple laps in a row and when I got close I felt I’d be able to jump in and make the pass without touching but unfortunately he hit the outside quick that lap and yeah, I’ll have to live with the outcome of going for it…. Spoke with Seth and we are all good he knows I’m not going for a clean out let alone putting us both down. Onwards and upwards speed was good and got to get my first heat race win much to love the people who have supported me and gotten me here."
I thought Swoll had been taking that line most of the race???? Wrong place, wrong time kind of move. Would've liked to have seen the Triumph get a podium though.
I was pulling for Seth, Max and Jalek to all be on the podium, and didn't care what order they finished, as they were all riding great. Max was using the same line Jalek was using in the sand, but with his greater experience, he talks about how he new it could end badly if he tried to pass Seth there, in his interview with a Racer-X reporter. https://racerxonline.com/2024/04/28/insight-the-little-red-team-that-could
Reading on the Vital MX 'Bench Racing' thread that Eli's experiencing some 'off' moments in practice today. +2.767 behind Jett in Q1. Photos and comments by 'Shred,' on Vital MX: "Not gonna lie. Eli looked a hair off. Went down pretty hard in a corner and flat face cased the big tripple...which happens to be the straight that ended last season." "Not a great pic...barley got camera up when I saw he was way short. Can you say fully compressed!!" This year's track building inspirations, in my opinion:
Eli and I agree with you, @brex . From Racer X earlier this year, and I think this was a big mistake, personally: "This year I’ve heard there have been some changes to try to improve safety and get the riders to round 17 of the series. There are mandated track changes like no dragon-back obstacles and whoop sections will max out at nine whoops (not including the starter whoop). Whoops will not only by a bulldozer, not a loader. I’m not sure this will work but hey, maybe? We do have a huge problem with millions of dollars in salaries sitting on the sidelines almost every other year. For those of you wondering what’s the difference, generally speaking loader whoops are steeper and tougher than ‘dozer whoops but then again dozer whoops, if not built right, can be faster and therefore more stuff can go wrong when you do crash."
Go stand at the mechanics/tire guys spot trackside and wait for someone to land short any triple and slam their body and bike on the ground from 30 plus feet and let me know what you think
Yawn. You think you're some kind of super-insider to anything with wheels, but in reality you're a snooze-fest of shit. I actually have been trackside at multiple SX and MX events. Will be next week as well. The tracks this year have been gutted of tech, as pointed out above by someone else that actually does know what they're talking about. This year it is more about flow in the name of "safety", but everyone knows what it is really for. How about you learn a bit about what's going on, learn a bit about SX track design and why they have been neutering courses. Nah, you'll just keep on being the douchebag nobody that claims to know all.
No one said tracks don't need to be changed to reduce serious injuries. I simply believe these changes have effectively reduced the passing opportunities for the '24 season. I wonder if DirtWurx ever surveys the current or past riders for their suggestions? I believe former Pro Warren Reid has the best suggestion though. Get rid of 'bowl turns.' Both corner speeds and average speeds would be reduced with flat turns but racing would remain the same.
It's an easy comparison to MTB park trails. Those are all about flow and jump lines, getting those rhythms down. Then you have purist downhill and enduro natural terrain trails full of tech, where just being the latest speedy wunderkind that can nail flow and jump lines won't save you if you can't ride serious skill tech. It's faster and flashier. Some say it's more fun, and that's fine. But others say it isn't as fun and takes a lot away from the racing. Eli is very outspoken about it but many others are more quiet about it while looking forward to MX and hoping some of those courses don't get the dozer treatment this year.
