JuliusPleaser

Too much of a good thing.
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http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/supercrossmotocross/30691/

McGrath To Call It Quits After Jeremy McGrath Invitational SX
Written by: Scott Rousseau, MXi Magazine

Corona, CA – 8/9/2006 Jeremy McGrath is retiring for good after his Invitational Supercross at the Home Depot Center in October. (Photo: Steve Cox, MXi)

Seven-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath announced that his Jeremy McGrath Invitational Supercross at Home Depot Center in Carson, California, on October 6-7, will be his last supercross race ever, in an exclusive phone interview with Motocross Illustrated today.

“I’m for sure on that, and you can print it,” the 34-year-old McGrath said. “I don’t think I’m going to race supercross after my race. As much as I love it, I think I can do without it now.”

Jeremy McGrath leaves the sport a 7-time supercross champion with 72 supercross wins to his credit. (Photo: Steve Cox, MXi)

McGrath, who leads the all-time AMA Supercross winner’s list, with 72 career supercross main event victories, said that while he enjoyed racing a limited, eight-race Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series schedule for American Honda in 2006, it is simply getting too difficult to maintain the state of physical and mental preparation that supercross requires while spending time with his family.

McGrath sounded as though he was making the decision on the fly while speaking to Motocross Illustrated, but the longtime “King of Supercross” said that the decision came after speaking to those closest with him.

“My wife and I have talked about it, and [Erik] Kehoe [American Honda Motocross Manager] knows, and some of my friends know, but I haven’t told anyone else about it until now.”

McGrath said that he could understand his fans’ reluctance to let go of him.

“I’m the same, you know, I don’t want to let go either,” McGrath said, “but at some point…If I went out and rode in ’07 and finished sixth instead of fourth, I’d say, ‘Wow, I put in a lot of work just to get sixth.’ And it’s just going to get harder, and it is too brutal, trying to have a family and get all that training in. I think everyone remembers what happened this past season and in my career. I’m ready to move on now.”

Always Showtime: McGrath grabbed the holeshot at the 2006 Phoenix Supercross and pulled a Nac-Nac while leading the field. The crowd went nuts. (Photo: Steve Cox, MXi)


Just not before the $500,000 McGrath Invitational.

“Basically, right now, that’s all I’m working on,” McGrath said. “You know, on that track we’re going to have to freestyle-type ramps that we have to ride on every lap. They’re like 25-foot wide, 85-foot doubles. We have a different race format. The winner over the two nights is going to make $125,000. It’s going to be totally different than anyone else has seen. It’s going to be unique.”

Unique? It sounds like it is going to finally be the end of an era.
 

YZ165

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May 4, 2004
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McGrath said:
“You know, on that track we’re going to have to freestyle-type ramps that we have to ride on every lap. They’re like 25-foot wide, 85-foot doubles.

That should be cool.....:aj:
 

Micahdawg

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Feb 2, 2001
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Man...I'm a little sad. An end of an era...plus it makes me feel old!?!? Maybe he can enjoy success for years to come in something like Supermoto. Ward is a huge inspiration there.

Micah
 

Okiewan

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Good thing Thump has such an awesome wife .... her B-Day gift to him was two VIP Tickets and I get to go :) Yeah, I'll be taking a few pics.
 

Vic

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funkypunk97 said:
I hope they televise the JMC SX race someplace........

NBC is set to air it- I believe on October 22, if memory serves.
 
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