Isde 03

[Earthpilot]

The word is that RACER X is going to 'fund" the 03 Trophy Team
along with a possible junior or club team. The BEST riders from
the USA would be selected for the team. RACER X will raise funds
for the team throughout the 03 season in various ways. RACER X has not recieved AMA approval as of this time. Also the riders would be chosen by the end of January and would begin training for the ISDE together with several practice "camps' and training days to prepare. Many of the top riders currently will not compete because they have no financial support (8k+ to attend) and have no incentive to attend,,, this will definately change their situation and give the top riders preparation and a better chance for the gold... I will update on this as information becomes available. Hopefully the AMA will cooperate with this venture.

 

[WaltCMoto]

RacerX Rocks. period. They have a great magazine plus they give back to the sport. They raise funds for MXDN also. I hope the ISDE deal works out.

 

[ScottYZ250]

We have riders who are capable of top results, it's about time someone try's to organize them to go kick some roost at the rest of the world! :worship:

 

[WoodsRider]

The AMA tried doing something similar back in '96. The team was hand-picked from the "cream of the crop" off-road racers. They all trained together before the ISDE that year. Over in Finland the trophy riders had their own chase riders.

I don't think reviving this program will improve our overall results. I doubt we'll ever field a trophy team that's capable of anything higher than a third place finish. Unfortunately the ISDE is really about who is the best at riding and cheating.

 

[Berkyboy]

WoodsRider lets not cut this RacerX effort short. This year's ISDE is in Brazil and the Europeans have a loooooong way to travel.

You're correct in putting our chances at a USA finish much higher than 3rd, but at least there's some interest in recuiting a 6-man Trophy team early on. More importantly a US rider may have an outside chance for a class championship or even the overall.

As far as cheating goes, you're right again. The European's have always been good at breaking the rules. But at least in Brazil the American support effort (usually around 100 people) will far outnumber any Euro effort.

RacerX's efforts may also bring in some fresh GNCC and MX talent.

Here's my RacerX dream team.

Jason Raines
Rodney Smith
Mike Kiedrowski
Destry Abbott
Ty Davis
Mike Larocco

Steve

 

[Earthpilot]

The "dream team" has already been picked.. the riders they have selected have agreed to go as long as the funding is in place...as said they need AMA approval which hasnt happened yet. Remember that Rodney Smith is a HUGE national hero in Brazil,, he lived and raced there many years. He ranks right up there with Senna, Fittipaldi etc in Brazil racing circles, he is really pumped about going back there to race. As far as cheating and politics I agree thats a real issue, the point is that we make a "REAL" effort and send the best riders with a proper training program that supports the "qualifier" format and backs them up with proper race support and personel. The rest will play out and maybe we can get a some top finishes compared to recent years which will encourage industry support for the future years.

 

[WoodsRider]

Remember the Euros have been here twice, '73 and '94 and have still managed to take our best guys to school. Also remember that everyone had to travel to Austrailia in '98. And speaking of Austrailia, those riders seem to do pretty good in Europe and it's not exactly right next door. So I don't believe Brazil is going to be any easier on our riders.

I do find your list interesting. Good mix of off-road and MX backgrounds. I'd have to give the edge to Smith for being the highest placing American in that group. Mainly because he raced GPs in Brazil for several years and knows what to expect as far as the special tests go.

I'm not knocking the Racer X effort. It's just that if we're going to beat the Euros, we're going to have to play their game. Our qualifier series is a joke. We need riders competing in the FIM World Enduro Series and learning "how" the game is played. Much like what Brad Lackey did in MX back in the 70's. On the flip side of the coin most Euro off-road guys have a difficult time adjust to our races over here. Paul Edmondson was an overall winner at the ISDE (I think) but never really adjusted to American off-road racing. Shane Watts has been the only rider that's really been able to adjust, and he's Austrailian.

 

[Berkyboy]

Rodney Smith is by far the key to a better USA overall ISDE finish this year. He was Brazilian MX Champion prior to making the switch to off-road and his presence there this year is important.

Smith was also the first modern era MXr to succesfully convert from the "dark side" and at the 92 ISDE in Austrailia he nearly won the 500cc 2-stroke class during his rookie ISDE year.

He and Ty Davis (who also switched to off-road in '93) helped usher in a new era in American off-road racing. It can be argued that their MX backgrounds, that emphasize sprinting rather than endurance, are the keys to better overall ISDE finishes.

Were does this leave Lafferty, Hawkins and Hoess (arguably our best "American" off-roaders) hopefully on a 3-man club team that can repeat the winning '96 ISDE club efforts of Hoess, Guy Cooper and John Nielson.

Steve

 

[23jayhawk]

With the heavy MX background of the top guys in either GNCC or AMA H/S series, we should be able to field a competitive team with almost any combination of them. The way the ISDE has changed from a woods racing endurance event to a series of grass track shootouts, I can't wait to see Rodney & Company get it on.

Notably absent (IMO) is Fred Andrews - easily as fast in the woods as Smith, and maybe faster on the track.  

 

[dirt bike dave]

Fred Andrews is another former MXer that would represent the US very well.

I would also like to see the Garrahans on the team.

 

[WoodsRider]

I'm sure we all have our favorite riders we'd like to see there. Heck I think Doug Henry or John Dowd would be good addition.

The ISDE/ISDT was never just about woods racing. It has always been about special tests. Whether they be terrain tests through the woods or motocross tests on the grass tracks, they have always been a part of ISDE/ISDE and World Enduro (FIM) competition. Motocross actually derived from World Enduro Competition.

It does seem that lately there are fewer terrain tests and more motocross tests, just like there are fewer enduros here in the U.S. Environazis are all over the world. I believe it was the '89 ISDE in Germany where the riders had to stay on paved bicycle paths to travel between special tests.

 

[Berkyboy]

Every year this type of ISDE "dream team" speculation goes on and Henry and Dowd's names have come up before.

Recieved some "inside" information that RacerX and Racer Productions are
indeed behind this year's "recuiting" effort but that it wasn't a sure thing.

Also adding even more to the equation this year is the heat factor. The Brazil ISDE Web page talks about daily temperatures near 100 degrees.

Day 1 and 2's schedules are planned for the beach. Day 3, 4, 5 and 6 schedule's are more high mountain riding areas. Probably similar to high mountain desert terrain (like Nevada) so we better add the Pearson's to the wish list as well!

Steve

 

[Bliz]

McGrath isn't doing anything now is he?

 

[Katoom22]

You can rant and rave about this all year. if there gonna make a true effort it should have started in 1996 and continue on to the present. this hit and miss effort is not gonna bring it home. they should have made improvements from 1996 to present day. look at the fast euros most are young and super fast. where sending older guys in to pull the slack. experience is key but these euros and aussies are amazing in the special tests. i know i have been to 3 isde, the US and was a chase rider in 1999 for a JR world rider. If you haven't seen it first hand there FAST. But, not unbeatable!!

 

[exc rider]

hey earthpilot,you said the "dream team" has already been picked,well,who's on it?

 

[Barbarian]

Frankly I don't really give a damn about the ISDE. I think American style enduro's are infinitely more fun and a better test of off-road skill. Who rides on grass tracks anyway?

 

[Moose95]

Would the list be complete without Jeff Fredette?  Seems like he's raced over 20 ISDE's and still counting.

 

[Ernie Estes]

I don' understand why people say our off-roaders can't do well at th isde because they don't get enough practice at the format. Then why are people always mentioning mxers all the time. This is a joke. Not because they aren't great riders-but they are totaly unprepared. None of our mxer's are Joel Smets and our mxer's(sxer's) aren't even prepared when the mx-des nations is to GPish. Our best bet is are best off-roaders, and then have a real qalifier series(set up isde style)
Rodney Smith
Ty Davis
Fred Andrews
Mike Keidrowski
Destry Abbott
Mike Laferty

 

[Ernie Estes]

Bradzuka will kill'em in Brazil.

 

[wayneg]

Back in OZ at the '98 ISDE we sent some of our best mx'ers over who did pretty damn well. Shayne King got 7th in the over 175cc two stroke and Darryl King got 1st in the over 500cc four stroke (or maybe 2nd - I can't remember now as it was so long ago!). The problem was not so much with their riding or timekeeping, but with the little things like bike maintainence and tyre changing etc. Joel Smets also raced at that event and won the 400cc four stroke class. These riders were all riding in the World GPs so were used to pacing themselves for two 45 minute GPs, and definitely didn't seem to suffer any speed problems. Their fitness played a big part as well because of the timing of the event was after the World GPs finished so they were clear to concentrate on the ISDE a bit better. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the ISDE is not just won on talent or cheating (although the OZtralians throwing out the whole third day was a bit suspect!), but more on how the event is run, so training camps are very important to get the riders and supporters understanding how things work, and what to do. Riders such as Jeff Fredette and Rodney Smith are very important because of the the experience that they have accumulated over their past efforts.

Shane Watts was unbeatable at this event as it was at the peak of his career and was riding extremely well, and he had a huge amount of support from the Oztralian fans, and it was his hometown area. From the tests and parts of the event that I managed to see, he was extremely smooth the whole time. Very impressive.

 

[Ernie Estes]

Like I said GPs are closer to ISDE grass tracks than say Troy, OH rnd. of the 250 nationals.

 

[WoodsRider]

Unadilla!

 

[Ernie Estes]

Definitly, if most of our nationals were like Unidilla, our MXers would stomp everyone.

 

[wheelie4strokeB]

Any word on the dream team Buddy?

 

[Earthpilot]

I really don't want to "announce" who will be on the team, let RacerX
or the AMA make the official word. The riders that have been contacted
and chosen have all been mentioned in above posts, however don't expect
to see any full time MX'ers on the team. I would expect to look for a
press release regarding all this a little later this month. Lets just say
Blue, Orange, Green and Yellow & White bikes are involved. Of course
it's all subject to change with injuries etc that can occur during the
race season.