David Bailey Description Epitomizes MX!

motomike137

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Nov 21, 2001
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FEATURE STORY

THE NATIONALS
There is nothing quite like the outdoor nationals. Supercross is cool, but outdoors will always be the soul of the sport. Once you have seen a supercross, you have pretty much seen them all, except for Daytona. There is the left hand first turn. Hey, you know why it’s always a left? I guess somebody decided it was too dangerous for 20 riders to enter a right hand turn with the rear brake being on the right and all. Hello, what are they wussies? I think they can handle it. Which way did most everybody go who had a choice at the Anaheim split? Exactly! Anyway, there is the whoop section, which by the way needs to be like it used to be. Why all of the sudden did the whoops have to be huge and require a rider to be pinned in fourth gear? Remember when the whoops were all different sizes? It would be a whole straightaway full of high ones, low ones, one really big one and it made riders think. Now its just balls! I’m over it. Plus, if you don’t have a practice track with a set of those things you can forget it, and to make it even worse, they don’t even put ‘em in during Friday practice, which really hoses the privateers. OK, then you have the triples. Why does it have to be a triple? They have had triples since the earth was cooling. What is the second jump for? So anyway, my point is while supercross is great, it’s very consistent. Nationals are not. Glen Helen, Hangtown, Mt.Morris, Southwick, Budds Creek, Unadilla and I can keep going, are all so different form each other. The weather plays a huge role too. The other thing about the nationals I like is how close you can get to the fence to see the riders go by, yet they disappear for a while to add a little suspense.

I was going to write a little something about the nationals and who would do what in my opinion, but instead of judging those guys which I really don’t like doing, I thought I would remind everyone what the nationals are all about and how raw they are.

Just fast-forward to how cool it is when you’re driving there in the morning and all of the sudden you get a glimpse of the track. Next, you finally get parked and get in the pits to see the bikes and the riders. Man I got goose bumps typing this! For me, Glen Helen will be my first national this year. Looking at the hills with the huge flag and all the people set up on the hillside with Troy Lee’s hospitality area never gets old. Then it’s time for the first moto and the riders take their parade lap to scope out the track and you get to see everyone up close and maybe even get to wave at somebody and they give you a thumbs up back. Then the start! 20 riders in a supercross doesn’t compare to a national. If your not near the start you can only hear it and have to wait to see who emerges with the lead which is cool too, which reminds me, when you’re at a supercross you are in assigned seats. Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they aren’t. At a national you can roam around all day and watch from different places, or just get there early enough for the best view. Plus you get two motos and end up having to do a little math while the race is in progress, which just pulls you in even more. Fans are great. The girls are great. The color is great and the riders really need tear-offs! You can smell the food, you can smell race gas (in SX you just get fumes), you can smell rubber near the start, and sometimes you can smell those funny cigarettes! The nationals are pure. Only four more days…

Tune in to dmxsradio.com tomorrow night (Wednesday) and share your thoughts or experiences. It’s the best place to rap about the sport. If you want to call in and ask about who is looking good etc. I’ll tell you what I know. In the meantime check out the 2003 national preview at racerxill.com. I’m down with it, except I think they forgot Ryan Hughes.

The photo is of the 1984 500 national at Saddleback. I can’t remember who sent it to me (sorry, send it again and I’ll give you credit), but it’s pretty cool. I’m leading Goat Breker, Broc Glover – also #1, Kenny Keylon and 36 other 500cc 2-strokes down “Bonzai” - the scariest hill ever! Breker and Broc passed me right after that because I was so happy I got the holeshot I forgot to race. Soon after, Breker went over a berm and Broc crashed and I won. Thanks guys. Goat Breker was the “King of Saddleback” a hell of a promoter, a pilot, a juggler, a boxer, a prankster and is basically hilarious. There definitely needs to be a documentary on Goat! Broc still rides, holds the record for the most 500 national wins and works for Dunlop. MX is in his blood. I loved having that blue and yellow #1 plate, but I never thought it made any sense or was fair to Broc who was the defending 500 national champion. I miss the 500 class!

db
 

tx246

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May 8, 2001
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i agree with the above. the only thing that sucks is the lack of season time. there is no summer outdoors in the lower half of the country. none nada zippo. there are national worthy venues but no events. i am sure promoters make more on stadium races and their profits are more predictable because of the lack of rainouts and the huge populations base of the stadium race cities. in reality, most outdoors have 15-20k in attendance where most indoor events are much larger. money is what makes stadium racing what it is. i was reading about the qatar race and they said 200 people attended this event that had world class talent. i am from texas and i would be happy to give up one of our sx dates for an outdoor national. i think most fans here would agree. i also think cali gets too many dates. heck im for all a 9 month outdoor season. leave the stadium racing for winter.
 

flynbryan

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May 22, 2000
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Again its all about the money........Just as stated in the article Nikki started a little while ago. Many people agree that the SX races just pull more money. I like supercross, but agree w/Bailey. Outdoors is the DEAL!!! I've been every yr. since 95 to Budds Creek and will miss it this yr. only because my fiance' is graduating that weekend..........I wonder how close Troy is from here......:think:
 

Kawidude

D'oh!
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May 23, 2000
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Originally posted by flynbryan
I've been every yr. since 95 to Budds Creek and will miss it this yr. only because my fiance' is graduating that weekend.[/B]

Dude, c'mon. You need to check your priorities! I'm sure your fiance will understand that you NEED to go to the race instead. Just explain that you have the rest of your life to dedicate to her. But race day is yours! ;) Hey, I thought I'd try!
 

flynbryan

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May 22, 2000
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LOL Kawidude you and I have a very similar mindset........:) Unfortunately I tried to explain to her the extreme inportance of the tradition of the weekend of Budds.....of course that was accompanied w/the puppy dog look and extreme feeling of guilt on my behalf. Like I said, next yr! And I'm definately doing the harescamble to make up for this yr. :aj:
 

Kawidude

D'oh!
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May 23, 2000
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Just wait until you have a couple of kids. Then it gets real interesting! There are ways to work around it though. This year I'm taking my two year old to Hangtown. And I'll probably have even more fun than I usually do...he absolutely freaks when he sees dirtbikes. I would add the cool family aspect to Bailey's original article.
 

flynbryan

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May 22, 2000
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Kawidude you definately have a way in on this one. If the wife tells ya no way, just reply,"Honey this may possibly be the last yr. at Hangtown. I may never get to see a race there again..... :whiner: " Bet it'd work. :thumb:
 

Philip

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Feb 15, 2002
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I agree I would give up one of our southern SX to have a MX down here. :whiner:
 

Mixel

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Feb 7, 2002
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I'm with Philip on that. I've never been to either a SX or MX race, but if i had to choose, id go MX. We could get our chance though, with some of the tracks being cancled after this year, maybe they'll pick a track or 2 in the south to race.
 

Unkle Moose

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Jan 16, 2001
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Bravo to DB The outdoors will always be racing then SX, yes it's nice to sit in a nice chair, have good bathrooms instead porto cans (gotta think about the ladies and kids) but outdoors you find a good place sit, bring alittle BBQ cook some sausage or burgers, bring in a cooler and enjoy.

For outdoors they need to bring back 45min motos, make these guys work!
I'm glad we finally got a SX back in NorCal at Pac-Bell Park but Hangtown is much better. And yes get rid of 2 Anahiems and add a couple more outdoor tracks. Wish I could make Hangtown this year, but gotta race the Lil Polecat Enduro. Thank you ESPN for race coverage.
 

kiwi_925

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Jan 29, 2001
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Great article by DB, with good points. But i saw a pic of the start line at hangtown, do all the tracks have concrete start gates?? I would be lost as what to do on them, why not have dirt??
 
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