Random SX thoughts

[oldguy]

The last 2 days after attending the Minneapolis SX I have been thinking about the experience. I have come to the conclusion that this may have well been the last SX i will attend for many reasons.
The one reason I may change my mind in the future would be this is one of the few chances I get to see guys like chili and his family.
This was not my first SX as for the past 8 years I have attended at least one (and at least one outdoors national) but I go to see racing not practice sessions where riders check out the track and then decide to make their one hot lap to get into the night program. It used to be the riders got their practice sessions and then RACED in order to qualify for a chance to race again at night. Many times the afternoon racing was better then the night show.
The lap times are down to less then 50 seconds (at Minneapolis) so we got to see 2 qualifier races in SX of 8 laps (less then 14 minutes), 1 LCQ in SX of 4 laps (3 minutes), 2 qualifiers in Lites of 6 laps (10 minutes), one Lites LCQ of 4 laps (3 minutes), a main in Lites 15 laps (13 minutes) and a main in SX 20 laps (17 minutes). in the end we saw 50 minutes of racing. Thankfully the Lites put on a great battle because the SX class was a pretty lackluster showing.
On top of this the SX class had a total of 34 riders trying to qualify. Not so long ago there would be enough that there would be 2 non- seeded and 1 seeded rider sessions. The gate for the SX night qualifiers were not even full of 20 riders.

I sat down and figured out that I could load Spider and his bikes in the truck, drive 4 hours South (instead of North) and for less then what I spent to watch the pro's go about collecting a paycheck watch my favorite rider practice (for more then 50 minutes).

 

[BigRedAF]

Keep your chin up, it's not so bad.

I would like to see last years format back to give the riders an other heat to make up for a bad start if that was holding them back. The current format is keeping some good riders out of the main and good starters are getting in.

 

[funktree]

I probably won't go back to a SX either for some of the same reasons. The other reason is all the extra hassle, the prices of food and drinks (and you can't bring any in) the constant barrage of advertising every spare second they get.

I have a much mcuh better time at a national, you can bring in some food and drink without getting hassled at least at Hangtown which is the one I hit pretty much every year. You can barely hear any loudspeakers so I have no idea if there are constant advertisements. Plus you get 2 hours of racing to watch in a day, and my favorite thing about nationals over SX is that you can walk around and see a lot of different sections of the track up close.

 

[oldguy]

Funktree you are right on par with me. No way will I ever stop going to outdoor nationals. I love watching racing at any level- amateur or pro but I go to watch racing not videos or advertisements. I will still follow the SXs as long as I can but MX is truer to my needs.

 

[wardy]

dave, I don't go to "pro" races. but i did go to indy at the last minute. First time for the kids and the wife. I have gone to a total of 2 sx races and 4 pro outdoor races the last one I went to was 1989.

I don't like to watch. I like to do.


Stupidcross is a show, with a touch of racing. It's not much more then monster trucks with the major exception that the riders have a boat load more talent. AND have a hell of alot of risk.

Absolutely right, much better to take the family riding then drive 8 hours and breathe exhaust fumes for 5 hours. Lets not forget they make those seats in those places for midgets.

asked the wife on the sunday after the race, so, you want to do this every year?


instant reply.

NO.


cool fine with me.......hell can see more on tv if i remember to watch it. LOL!

 

[BigRedAF]

I agree with everything said but I do enjoy the racing this year with RC and JS out and CR sucking wind.

I just hope that Chad throws it away and Kevin gets the title for hanging in there...

 

[YamaB]

I still like going, and will continue to attend St. Louis and/or Dallas every year as long as I am able. I was HUGELY disappointed when they went to qualifying for the night show based on fastest lap times in practice instead of making the local guys RACE to make it into the big show. I used to always get there before the first bike touched the track and loved watching the local/regional guys bang bars to try and fufill their dream of racing in an actual sx race in front of thousands of screaming fans. Now with the removal of the qualifying races and the semi's, you now get 1/2 as much racing for the same/more $$.

 

[XRpredator]

. . . I was HUGELY disappointed when they went to qualifying for the night show based on fastest lap times in practice instead of making the local guys RACE to make it into the big show. I used to always get there before the first bike touched the track and loved watching the local/regional guys bang bars to try and fufill their dream of racing in an actual sx race in front of thousands of screaming fans. Now with the removal of the qualifying races and the semi's, you now get 1/2 as much racing for the same/more $$.

That's the dealbreaker for me. We would spend ALL DAY at the SX, for qualifying races and touring the pits. It was fun because those local yokels are leaving it all out on the track to try and make the show.

Probably the best one I went to was Seattle in 97. Lance Smail almost became the first guy to qualify for an SX on a 4-stroke when he came in third during the LCQ, and Doug Henry won on his YZ250 (and had the points lead at the time). Of course he got injured shortly thereafter, then came back to Vegas with the OWH2, made history, and changed SX and MX forever.

 

[whenfoxforks-ruled]

If it wasn't for landing the cushy handicap seating, I would agree with everything else! Wonder which of my children will hook me up next year? If I went just for the big show I would have been REAL disappointed. This new BS about intentionally stopping, I do not know about that. It is not nascar or F1, it is glorified MX, sissy style! Now bring on the mud!

 

[HiG4s]

I won't drive any distance for SX,, when I live in the Detroit area I use to love to go because they would run amateur races after the pros and it would go on all night.. When they stopped doing that I stopped going.. Then I moved to Florida and I'm only an hour away from Daytona.. much more fun race, but I did like the old format better. I wish I lived closer to any outdoor pro race.. I occasionally go to an amateur MX, Hare Scramble race. I agree the being able to walk around the track is nice, but being able to see most or all of a track has an advantage too.. I do wish they would make the tracks a little longer. Times should be over a minute.. I mean, come on, when the times for the KTM 50s are around 1:30 the track is too small.