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Supercross & Motocross
WEIGANDT: Improving The Breed
Jason Weigandt claims that Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto, and Ryan Dungey are pushing each other to heights not seen since the epic wars of James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael.
TwoTwo Motorsports' Chad Reed (Photo: Honda Red Riders)
Motocross’ transformational shift from two-strokes to fours took place right on top of the podium. Once Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart parked their old 250s for the big 450 bikes and unleashed them on AMA Supercross and Motocross, the rest of the world followed, from their competitors right down to the customers buying bikes with their own money.
Yes, other riders brought the big thumpers to victory lane first, but the talented hands of The GOAT and Bubba drove the final nail in the two-stroke coffin. They two could make a 450 go faster than any other motocross bike had ever gone around a track. Speed may always be evolving in racing, but the radar gun is still stuck on the Carmichael versus Stewart battles in the summer of 2006 and 2007. Five seasons later, I’m not sure if anyone has gone faster.
When The GOAT met Bubba, they didn’t merely engage in battle, they created explosions. Earthquakes. They shook the ground… bent gravity… broke the laws of physics. There wasn’t anything pretty about these battles except for the classic beauty of two athletes pushing each other to be better, faster, and stronger. And that was the key: without the other guy to push him, neither rider would have ridden so darned hard, or gone so darned fast.
What followed were seasons of one-man domination. Stewart cruised to a perfect season in 2008, winning all 24 motos. Chad Reed cleaned up in 2009. Ryan Dungey in 2010. All three rode well, but none had to deal with the constant challenge from a worthy opponent. When Stewart won them all in 2008, Carmichael was into retirement. When Reed won in 2009, Stewart sat out the series, and early-season race winners Ryan Villopoto and Mike Alessi were out with knee injuries. When Dungey won last year, Villopoto was out with a broken leg, and Reed later scratched from the tour with illness.
I’m not attempting to determine if that makes the last three champions any less of a, well, champion. That riddle will never be solved -- put it up there with creating world peace. They scored the most points and they won. They were the champs. But let’s move on and agree on one thing: competition improves the breed. All you have to do is watch the late laps of a 450 moto this summer, with Reed, Dungey, and Villopoto all on their game, and you’ll see a whole ‘nother level.
Yes, other riders brought the big thumpers to victory lane first, but the talented hands of The GOAT and Bubba drove the final nail in the two-stroke coffin. They two could make a 450 go faster than any other motocross bike had ever gone around a track. Speed may always be evolving in racing, but the radar gun is still stuck on the Carmichael versus Stewart battles in the summer of 2006 and 2007. Five seasons later, I’m not sure if anyone has gone faster.
When The GOAT met Bubba, they didn’t merely engage in battle, they created explosions. Earthquakes. They shook the ground… bent gravity… broke the laws of physics. There wasn’t anything pretty about these battles except for the classic beauty of two athletes pushing each other to be better, faster, and stronger. And that was the key: without the other guy to push him, neither rider would have ridden so darned hard, or gone so darned fast.
What followed were seasons of one-man domination. Stewart cruised to a perfect season in 2008, winning all 24 motos. Chad Reed cleaned up in 2009. Ryan Dungey in 2010. All three rode well, but none had to deal with the constant challenge from a worthy opponent. When Stewart won them all in 2008, Carmichael was into retirement. When Reed won in 2009, Stewart sat out the series, and early-season race winners Ryan Villopoto and Mike Alessi were out with knee injuries. When Dungey won last year, Villopoto was out with a broken leg, and Reed later scratched from the tour with illness.
I’m not attempting to determine if that makes the last three champions any less of a, well, champion. That riddle will never be solved -- put it up there with creating world peace. They scored the most points and they won. They were the champs. But let’s move on and agree on one thing: competition improves the breed. All you have to do is watch the late laps of a 450 moto this summer, with Reed, Dungey, and Villopoto all on their game, and you’ll see a whole ‘nother level.
SX Seattle
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