Had Jett taken out Barcia at an earlier race? It could have been payback. Barcia never forgets... It takes more than speed to survive/thrive in the adult class.
Jett's been at the front damn near every race all season and typically he's gotten there ASAP so he's ridden very little next to BamBam this year in races. I can't think of anything #18 did all year to warrant an intentional punt like that and to give Barcia credit, I highly doubt he'd have torpedo'd him THAT hard if it was a simple "payback's a bitch, kid" move on his part - that looked 100% like a racing incident to me - hopefully Jett is just sore and has no long term injuries.
Barcia was completely out of control, and many riders turn hard inside rather than push guys up into the tuffblocks. It's not Jett's responsibility to ask permission of an out of control dipshit who is trying to win the race on the opening lap.
There is stuff that goes on in practice etc that most of us don't even hear about or see. Barcia probably didn't mean to hit him that hard, but I wouldn't be shocked if it was some sort of payback. Could have been from cutting him off at the first corner of a race in the 2023 outdoors (just an example) - only #51 knows. There are a few guys that you just don't mess with, cause they will make you pay sooner or later. Life lessons.
Well, maybe next time he can atleast give Barcia a headsup he is going to cut hard left closing off any line at all..."Hey Justin, I'm taking the WHOLE FUCKING TRACK FOR MYSELF, so PissOff BackMarker".
Apparently Tomac said he hurt his ankle three weeks back during the press conference. That's what pulp is saying at least. Would explain some of the recent performances.
musta been a rowdy press conference if guys are coming up injured. wonder if he got t-boned on his way to the mic.
I think it was from either the press conference or a post race interview. In a Racer X article as well. Warren Reid's assessment was that the #51 - #18 collision happened because BOTH riders chose very unconventional lines trying to get to the front quickly, simultaneously.
"racing incident" I think. Being that early in the moto, Barcia shouldn't have been going into the turn that hot with that many riders around, but Jett also shouldn't have been cutting down that hard that early in the moto with so many riders packed up like that. I think Bamboo was surprised to see him cut down and hit the binders hard but not going to stop with that much speed. I think maybe he was thinking to cut off the outside line, but when Jett cut down things got ugly. For the red cross flag, that's a tough one. Eli saw it, but pretty sure he was alone in second place at that point and not as focused on the corner or finish line, the other racers were battling and I'm sure they didn't see it till they where half way up the face of the jump. If there was a flag before the corner or in the corner I could see the penalties, but putting a static flag just past (at least it looked that way in the video) the checkered flag on top of a jump was poor planning. But hopefully they learn from it and figure out a better way to do it. If you are going to have a flag for no jumping, it needs to be well before the jump. But when the rule says no jumping on the flag and you (and many others) jump, penalties gonna happen.
For the red cross flag... That was dumb. flag draped not waving, no yellows or medical flags prior to the corner or jump. Some guys hit the jump twice like that, and were penalized. They are committed to speed to clear that huge finish line double, from the 180 turn prior... You cant just brake mid way up the face without injuring yourself. Also if you watch there is some sort of tv screen right where that flag was, I saw it as white, several times. not sure what it was but, with similar colors and nothing happening, you ignore it. If it isnt waving, most riders including me, will ignore it. I did see it prior to Jett jumping but, was unsure due to the fact IT WASNT WAVING. The flagger had the white flag, checkered flag waving, and the medical flag just there. Very weird. Ski
I thought the exact same but then remembered I don't race MX so I have no idea what the expectations are for them. It was in a horribly distracting and limited sight part of the track, but is this also what they're supposed to expect? Jett/Barcia thing to me looked like Jett was very aggressive and Barcia was out of control. Jett is just the rider he hit but he wasn't stopping that thing until he got to the berm on everyone's exit line.
The red cross flag takes precedence over all other flags, the rule is very clear on that. It doesn't have to be waving, and waving it at the finish line flag stand would be more problematic because riders would be more likely to see it as just a waving white. It was pushed outward as prominently as the flagger could in the circumstances. The "TV screen" is just the ad screen on the team manager tower behind the finish line. From the camera angle, it might be distracting but from the rider vantage, it is not anything that would be a distraction. It certainly isn't ideal to have the flag there, and I can't recall the last time there was a cross flag at the finish line stand. But most riders did see it and reacted properly. The situation overall sucked, I am sure the AMA will see if there is anything else they can do for situations like this at the finish line.
I saw a brief glimpse of waving yellow flags on the TV broadcast, though I cannot say when or for how long they were present. Eli clearly barely caught it, and looked back to confirm he had.
Best interview of Eli I've ever listened to. I've followed him since his early Geico days. Worth the listen, from my perspective.
It's a freize fault, no but really racing incident. Bacia knew he was going to get taken out by him since you can clearly see freize on the left of him so he went inside and Jett turned down. Shit happens this isn't ballroom dancing. Apparently they were setting up Tomacs suspension softer for his ankle, normally runs it super stiff.
This is not the first time flagging has been a mess in SX. I have seen it several times over the last couple of years. I have even posted on social media about it. I think it boils down to two things. 1) First and foremost -- The people running the show at the top have no clue where on the track the rider needs to commit to clearing the jumps. Putting a flag on the top of the jump just past a sharp turn is fukin stooooopid. By the time the rider sees the flag he is committed. They commit on corner entry. Couple that with the massive ruts they need to focus on so they do not cross rut and you have a recipe for disaster. In our world it's like putting the yellow flag at the scene of the crash, by the time we get there well it's too late, better do it the corner before. 2) Because of #1 on the list, the track design crews are not making enough room for proper corner worker locations. There needs to be more room on the "inside" of some of these tracks to place corner workers properly. I say inside as it is a bit variable, but the overall concept is there needs to be more corner workers at critical corner entries, to allow the flags to be shown BEFORE the rider has to commit to the corner and then clear a massive double or triple on the exit.
Having worked side by side with some of the SX crew, I couldn't disagree more. There's a TON at play prior to medic flag being brought out. You got a corner worker relaying race control, while also helping tend the track, clear bikes, tough blocks, etc. Then you got Medic radio to race control of situation, needing medic flag or not, then radio from control to flag man to throw medic flag. All this is taking time with bikes racing, loudly, mud, dirt, etc. The simple fact of the matter is the vast majority of riders saw the flag, and didn't jump. A lot of people get all in their feeling when one of their fave riders is penalized for breaking rules. its a rule, its written, its in english, pretty easy to translate. Yall act like the best riders in the world cant hit the breaks on a face and flat land before the landing. Come on guys.
AC officially hanging it up at the end of the year. He seems like a solid dude. Would be awesome to see him get on the podium this year, but the field is likely too stacked for that.
