Here’s some more letters.
Cory
Here’s some more letters.
Cory
I’m embarrased that I have nothing to write about except a story about a cat. By the way, he came back and is now locked in our upstairs room while we try to find a home. I have tried to make friends of the dogs and cat but it didn’t work out so good. The kitty took a few swipes at the nose of Buddy and Prince just won’t stop barking when he sees it. Does anyone out there have a cat and dog that are buddies? How do I do this?
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You know who gets no respect? Mickey Dymond. The mags never talk about that guy but he has two outdoor championships, cool hair no matter what decade it is, and used to hang out with Tommy Lee (remember that Dirt Bike or MotoX Action article back in the day?). Anyhoo, time to get him on the podcast. And start asking way more motor/set up questions like you did with the Beast from the East. That five hundo stuff was great. Or the Dogger having works forks in his garage and ran them on another brand. Sweetness.
On your way too large font website, is your 1991 Honda photo a 250 or five hundo? How’d you like racing the big bikes? There’s a class that should be brought back for retro night. Five hundos on the supercross track. I’ve got my money on the Rock.
In conclusion, the most important thing you could be working on right now is a fund raising event (t-shirts like DC did for des Nations?) to get Bradshaw back at the Nationals. Everyone would feel better once this was confirmed. Maybe the Dogger could be team manager. I’d call both of these guys ASAP if I were you.
Johnathan
Awesome point about the Mick. I bet he’d be pretty forthcoming about his wild days and maybe some Crue stories as well. Nobody looked at good as he did in ’88 with the pink/black/white Answer gear! As far as the photo, I was on a 500 because I was a real man (actually my dad just came home and said, you’re going to race 500’s!). You had to respect the mighty beast for sure and always try to ride a gear higher than you were in. The thing would wear you out and that’s why watching JMB, Stanton etc ride one around a track was a thing of beauty. Bradshaw coming back would be epic and I would cheer him on and write nothing but good things about him, even if he t-boned Ferry. Red had it coming I’m sure.
Anyone that has contact info for The Mick, email me at matthes@racerxonline.com
Steve, screw those who say RC was better than MC. A King acts like a king at all times..which MC does. Remember that night in slc when RC was knocked down by Timmy? Would MC ever get on a podium and call you "desperate" and cry over the deal?? I don’t think so. Then the crowd booed him. You might not have heard that, but I was right behind you as you were getting ready to fight someone…You were Tim’s mechanic then, right????
I don’t consider the records….both have what could be called "the record". However, McGrath took pictures of my kids that night…he gave me a hard time about being too slow. He made a whole group of people laugh..including my step-son who suffered from two broken arms. He still has the cast MC signed for him…Oh yea, MC also took him into the Pro Circuit big rig for a private tour. DV 12 also took this kid under his wings and threw him up on the seat of his works bike.
RC, meanwhile , acted like a primadonna prick.
My king is MC.
Now, RC turned his image around later..but much later. I actually like the guy now, but if were talking "KING" there is one obvious choice.
GREAT PODCAST with Denny S.
Your really the star of the podcast..not the riders. You have to do something featuring yourself.
Sign up for facebook..asap. You have to do it as a Marketing tool…not for personal. CBS radio is under orders to have their hosts sign up for that reason. I have a S***LOAD of celebrities on my friends list. Everything I post, they see.
By the way, I still have the fender RC scratched on Tims bike. If you’re in SLC for supercross, will you sign it for me? If you need a place to stay, work, whatever, your welcome here. I live about 20 miles away from the stadium, but its an easy drive. Also, if I can do anything to help, let me know. People always say that, but I mean it. I would be honored.
Roland..your number 1 fan.
Roland, thanks for the nice words. Ahhhhh, the 2003 Salt Lake City Supercross where Ferry came back from illness and was in no shape to really be out there but he wanted to try and get ready for the outdoors in a few weeks. So he holeshots the main and RC, CR right behind him, going at it. Remember, CR had RC covered the last half of that season and it was making RC (a poor loser) bonkers with rage. So they go into a left turn, all three of them and they kinda all hit and can only single/double the next triple. But what no one anticipates is RC LAUNCHING off the double and right onto the back of Ferry, weeding them both up. So Ferry is down and can’t start his bike and is furious because it was a dangerous move by the angry little elf. RC comes back around in second to lap Ferry and Red tries twice to T-bone him! RC thought it was because he wanted to help Reed but it actually had nothing to do with that, he was upset at getting a Dunlop front tire impression on his back. So after the race, RC stops me and threatens me a few times and goes off about Red Dog and then people get in the middle and some of RC’s "people" want to beat me up (for what I have no idea, I just held a pitboard) and chaos insues.
There were talk of calling the cops because RC was really, really out of line to me and Ferry, he was SO mad. Anyways, I should write a column on that whole night. It was crazy and ended up being like a Hallmark movie at the end.
Hi Steve: How about an article about what the mechanics go through during the week between races. Do they tear down and repair the bikes while bouncing down the road in the back of the semi or do they work at night while the driver sleeps? What do they do? Some people think about things like this.
Curt
PS you make me laugh every week- good job!
Curt, you’re welcome for the laughs, I laugh at myself every day. The mechanics nowadays fly back and forth to Socal and the truck driver usually ships their motor back on the Monday after the race next day. Then everything gets done at the shop and shipped back to the hotel for the next week. Same with suspension. The amount of mechanics that stay on the road, driving across the country like the old days is probably zero. I actually think I might’ve been the last mechanic to drive the whole circuit in 2002 when I worked for Wey. Maybe not but I’m holding onto that anyways. I’ve worked on a bike in the trailer while the semi whizzed down I-80 at 75mph. It’s a lot bouncier back there then you would think. Not good for circlip installation!
Hey Matthes, I’m really enjoying your excellent adventure blog so far. I really wish i was in florida, but instead I have to work for a boss who is a dick and realize that I will never be appreciated at all in the workplace…kinda like the guy who wrenched on bubba’s 60’s. Anyway, I just wanted to remind you that i’m extending an invitation to you and your Racer X buddies (since I’m guessing your bromance partner Ferry doesn’t party during the season) to come to Kilroy’s sports bar before AND after the race in St.Louis. iIll take care of 3-4 tabs if you bring some friends, my treat. i’ll get us a ride to and from the dome too if that is a concern. there probably won’t be a huge crowd, just a few of us flattrackers and hopefully you and a few industry guys, but bring a camera, Kilroys has some amazing motorcycles hanging in the ceiling! let me know if you think you can make it.
Tyler
Tyler, your letters always make me laugh, especially your love for Preston (I think). Anyways, thanks for the offer but I’m not going to St Looey this weekend. Staying home and spending time with my wife before she leaves me. Anyone who’s reading this, go down to Kilroy’s and tell Tyler you’re me and get some free drinks. Sweet!
As sometimes things get a little biased by all you industry "insiders" I offer my own "Observations" from an outsider. First on Saturday I got to Ford Field early to get good parking and check out the pit party ……opps ….I guess we don’t have a race in Detroit anymore. So this report comes from the lazy-boy chair at the Fire station I work at …am I industry if I paid to watch? Mike LaRocco is a true genius to track design that was the best racing action this season by far! It is so cool to watch a race that isn’t a "supercross" cookie cutter of every other track. As I looked out the window as the sun went down I saw a falling star and thought I could see # 100 on it. Along with that thought did anyone get sucker punched in the pits by a couple of "White boy Ricks"? Did J-Law got a little queasy thinking about keeping up with the big boys? Poor Nick at least last year he could use the Orange-Julius for an excuse. I’m a big Tricky Nick fan would a podcast be in order? Last it was cool to see another good effort from homeboy Nico "Double Chin" Izzy. Later and next year I owe you a free beer at the Fox booth at Indy, Joe Stanley
Great read, again. I wasn’t a big fan of yours in the beginning, but like a fungus, you’re growing on me. The whole Ferry thing was annoying and ridiculous at first, but now it’s gone beyond that to be funny again. Kinda like movies like “O Brother Where Are Thou”, or whatever it is. I get it now.
It amazes me that ever since week three, Fro has been saying that Reed HAS to win “this” week. He hasn’t, but they still race the next week, and he’s still within 3 points. Mathematically, though, I’d have to say he does need to win in the next two races to keep the points (and his confidence) within reach.
The hats, seriously? I’m from the Midwest and I love a nice, round curve to the bill. Show more of Brayton, PLEASE! The ear tucked, flat-billed thing drives me insane. No way our sport will EVER be taken seriously with that look. Now, most of them are kids and I can kind of understand, but how old is Reed??
Great Podcast with The King. Man I miss the ‘90’s. Speaking of that and your comment about Reeds nac-nac, I remember Art Eckman on “Motoworld” booming out “You have GOT to see this!” when MC busted out the can-can for the first time in a race win. Fan’s freaked. Skip was pissed.
Quick question, maybe you can help me with this. Who was the AMA’s first African-American Outdoor National champ? Was it James Stewart, or Albee?
There has been a couple tracks this year that have been ok, but for the most part they have sucked. Hang on! Have you seen St. Louis’s track map?? It’s insane, AND has your bridge!! Who designed that craziness? Pastrana?? Lap times are ridiculous now. Is it even possible to get a SX track with lap times in the one-minute range anymore? (besides Daytona). Is it possible to do an exact replica of Houston ’94 or some other ‘90’s track with minute + lap times, or would that be too dangerous in today’s world?
Why is a four-stroke exhaust 50 times more expensive than a two-stroke exhaust? Seems to me there is way more engineering involved in the expansion chamber design than, say, a straight pipe!
Was there EVER, in the history of the sport, a greater win that LaRocco’s at Indy in 2004? Maybe Emig’s in St. Lou over MC in ’96. St. Lou is some great racing. Something crazy always happens there. Love the Midwest, eh? See you in St. Louis!
Sincerely, Geno
Thanks for the letter Geno. Let’s get going on your questions shall we? The four-stroke exhaust is more expensive than the two-stroke because of the machinery used to make the pipe. The tube benders that all the companies bought cost a ton and they pass it on to you, the loving consumer. I agree with the engineering comment for sure, the man who could build a 2-stroke cone pipe and make it work is a magician.
Even if you built a replica of a mid 90’s track, the dudes today on 450’s would jump further and go faster in the whoops to bring the lap times down to about where a track is today. The biggest downfall to supercross excitement to me is the 450’s, they allow a rider to get sloppy and still jump stuff. In the old days your speed would drop at the end of a whoop section, not anymore! When you were on a 125 and didn’t do a turn just perfect, there was no way you were going to jump the triple. Now, however you could stop 5 feet before it and seat bounce the crap out of it. The greatest win in SX history was not Larocco in Indy, nor Emig at St Louis silly. It was Ferry at the 99 Summercross!
Steve, I just had to tell you how much your "Observations-Atlanta" kicked serious ass. It was one of the funniest things I have read in a long time, but at the same time making COMPLETE sense. You are pretty talented at telling things exactly like they are. The thing I really like about that whole article is that everything was true, and everyone that you mentioned even if they may have gotten a little offended, really had to room to get mad. The reason I say this is because all they can do is look at it and go "Well I guess he is right because that is exactly what I said, or thats exactly whats going on." I guess I just wanted you to know that reading that was the most entertaining thing that I have read in a while and it was exactly what needed to be said. Much respect for that,
Steve
P.S. You guys don’t forget about us northerners, I am currently a little north of Grand Rapids, Michigan watching huge snowflakes and enjoying 20 degree weather!! I hate this shit!
Thanks Steve (if that is your real name) and if I ever need a job, I’ll get you to be a reference!
Hey Matthes
Your column is great fun and a must read every week. Keep up the good work.
Scott
P.S I made it to San Diego so I kept an eye out at every BBQ in the pits but I still didn’t see you.
Scott, I didn’t do BBQ at San Diego, I believe I went for the chicken tacos that JGR was serving up. I can’t remember exactly as the meals all blend together but San Diego is not know for it’s BBQ so I stayed away.
