Point/Counterpoint: 100 Rebirth

Point Counter-Point has been on a sort of hiatus. During the racing on-season, P/CP is in it’s off-season. While racers have an insanely long race season, P/CP is every slackers dream job; the shortest on-season schedule in the ‘Merican workforce.

It’s hardly notable to state that Josh Hansen is one of the most enigmatic racers to ever reach the professional leveling this sport. His pedigree is proven, choices, often questionable and talents, marveled at by his peers and fans alike. Over the past few months Josh Hansen has clearly made strides in the department of maturation and perspective. One of the most telling pieces of evidence to this are his two appearances on the PulpMX Show. It’s common knowledge in the pits and on the boards that Hanny and Matthes were long considered arch nemeses’ and the possibility of a cease-fire seemed about as likely as Ricky Carmichael joining as the new full-time cohost on the Show. Alas, the impossible happened and Hanny came on not once but twice and in his first appearance he mentioned his aspirations to make yet another return to racing. At that time, it was baby steps toward that return with some therapy on the docket and learning to be honest with himself, about himself and mistakes made in the past. The second appearance was clearly further along in the process of getting to Anaheim 1 with talk of his program and bike setup progress. The question is, “Can Hanny make this comeback work?”

Hanny looked poised to make it happen in 2011 with Pro Circuit.

Swiss- I want this latest Hanny comeback to work oh so bad. Every Sunday when my kids take a break from a Nerf war or soccer and I’m watching a non Lion’s NFL game, they ask who we want to win and every single time I tell them we want (insert team name here) the underdog team. I LOVE AN UNDERDOG STORY OF TRIUMPH. Are you listening RUDY?! I’m far from unique in this point of view, it’s actually a bit ironic that if you were to poll the entire US of A asking simply “Underdog or Favorite?” The overwhelming majority would side with the underdog. Another Hanny return is a bit of a different deal though. He’s accrued plenty of baggage at this point in the “rebound” game. Many of those who once pulled for that underdog scenario have become cynical or just plain tired of the story. I’m not in that camp though, call me gullible but I still want to see this deal go right… but wanting it and having faith in it happening are two islands separated by measurable distance. I can’t say with any confidence that I really believe the Hanny Project of 2015 has any more chance at ending with a title than any of his attempts before. All indications point toward him being in a better headspace than years before but he’s clearly the elder statesman of the 250 class in the coming year.

Matthes- Bro, he went to a psychologist! Josh’s biggest problem was between his ears and he appears to be working on that. We know he’s got the skill to win races and he sounds like he’s been working pretty hard off the bike as well. If this was a full-time return to the 450SX class I might be a bit worried. I’m not sure he has 17 rounds in him at the level that’s needed to be a top ten guy….but 8 250SX west rounds? Pfft, he’s got that!

There’s something there when a rider that has talent is desperate. I think Hanny knows this, his 7th or 8th chance, is probably his last. Kawasaki is behind him, Motosport is behind him and I think he can be a top five guy every weekend and maybe win some races. I’m not sure if the title is realistic but I think if he does what I just laid out then that would be a successful comeback. I get where you’re coming from Swizzle, WAY more of these things don’t work that do but I think Josh is going to make this work.

Few racers have ever looked as fluid as Hanny on a bike. Can he put it all together?

Swiss- You said it yourself, “I’m not sure if the title is realistic”. That sounds just like 2011 when he and Broc were in a dead heat for the title and he faltered in some whoop section, wrecking his thumb. He was > this < close to that title and it came up short. Was that looked upon as a success? Perhaps it would have been if he hadn’t gone a little mental and started dressing in the H&H truck to help with his mental prep and getting away from his teammate and title threat? Perhaps the mental side is really all that was lacking but I aint cashing in on false hope until I see some results with a different patina to them in early ’15.

Matthes- What results you want to see? Please don’t tell me “title or bust” because that’s unrealistic for a privateer that’s been out of the sport for a few years. What kind of results would make you say “Hanny’s comeback worked”?

Swiss- To be completely honest, if Hanny is still smiling at the end of the series and excited to line up again in ’16 to give it another consistent go; that’s a success in my eyes. That would indicate a levity and realistic approach to racing and career we’ve never seen from the 100.