I never thought a series of events could take place where I would not only accept but claim an asterisk in racing.
I never thought a series of events could take place where I would not only accept but claim an asterisk in racing.
Lead Photo By: James Lissimore
I looooooong ago took a totally hardline stance regarding the asterisk in racing. I hated it. Believed it to be a bitch-move to claim it and just a catch-all excuse for any race result not ending how said “asterisk-claimee” wished it had, to cling to like a safety net.
Trust me, I’ve thought about this complete flip flop long and hard. And I am someone who prides myself on my pragmatism and logic when coming to conclusions and hardening my resolve into, typically, unwavering belief. It’s just that this instance involving Jason Anderson’s horrific pummeling following the 2nd race of the 2016 MXdN is essentially the silver bullet to my “no asterisks in racing” mantra.
I don’t want to get into the nitty gritty of pointing fingers of blame and all that, that’s a whole separate article. If the incident had happened during the race, even THAT could be chocked up to a racing incident but it didn’t. It happened beyond the checkered flag, when Jason had secured his victory and the result was ready for the history books. It was quite literally a kamikaze move that sent a shudder through the spines of moto fans everywhere and erupted a sick feeling down in the stomach’s of American’s and U.S. supporters everywhere. Nobody wants to see that limp, unprepared for impact, body. Tumbling over, off the bike and track, unable to defend or brace for the hit.
That completely unexpected and unprecidented post-race event was a painful footnote to that incredible ride by Jason. His only opportunity at the event, signed, sealed, delivered and then brutally nullified.
In every way that you could consider this 2016 U.S. MXdN team, it was a B-team. Our two best options on 450 declined and our best 250 choice saddled the 450 after securing the 250 MX title just like Ryan Dungey did in 2009. Unlike 2009 though, we didn’t win.
Not many people thought the U.S. team would be in the hunt for the overall win prior to the weekend and then following the qualification races, it looked even worse. Our guys battled hard from their shitty gate picks in Moto 1 to really put in inspired rides for bulldog like efforts from Alex Martin and Cooper Webb. In the second race Alex kept it consistent with his 9th overall and 2nd 250cc machine and Jason Anderson did what nobody expected and won the moto outright. El Hombre is not scared of a Herlings.
Despite the wind being utterly sucked from the lungs of the American fans when the ASTERISK occurred, we had a long mathmatical shot at the overall still and when the gate fell those long odds tightened up a bit. France had terrible starts like team U.S.A did in Moto 1 and Cooper Webb was really putting in the type of ride we’ve come to expect of him when the pressure is reaching nuclear levels. In the span of about 1 minute we, as American fans, went from jubliation to a sickening disbelief that is only just starting to relent. Cooper’s miraculous charge forward halted with a simple mistake that we’ve all made in our racing days.
It’s really too bad that it ended the way it did and B-team or not, our guys rode their asses off and impressed the hell out of me. Cooper has nothing to hang his head over. That damn ASTERISK incident is the only target of blame in all of this. So bizarre.
