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The live coverage just rocked so now I’m going to hook you up with some visuals for this 8th round of the 2005 ATVA ITP Moose Grand National Championship Motocross Series taking place at Muddy Creek in Blountville, Tennessee. Here is a panoramic view of the track. Yet again my photo-stitching doing a so-so job.
The fans milled around the many displays of vendors.
Terry Racing and ITP
The massive FMF Media Allstars set up was missing its leader Jorge Cuartas for the first time this season. His team did a great job filling in making sure the setup looked great. Jorge would be proud.
Fans were out checking the great looking bikes the Pro’s were riding. Travis Spader had his hands full keeping his “pet ape” from running off with his machine. :p
A not so joking note.
As a “reporter” I don’t form an opinion publicly, I don’t have favorites (well I do, I just keep that to myself), I just state the facts for what I know (yeah, I make mistakes from time to time…I’m not a robot) but something that happened this weekend made me really sad to realize that people like this are among our awesome racing series.
ex•trem•ist n. One who advocates or resorts to measures beyond the norm
This word can be looked at two different ways.
1. Suzuki is an extremist because they had the desire to “resort to measures beyond the norm” and do something no other original equipment manufacture (OEM) has done in 15 years by looking, acting and playing the business game that is involved in racing. Racing is and will always be business to anyone involved in it (promoters, sponsors, etc.). If it wasn’t good for business to be a part of it they wouldn’t do it. Chad Reed would be riding dirt bikes in his back yard in Australia while Ricky Carmichael would be the most popular local motocrosser in Florida. That’s a good form of being an extremist!
2. Now another way to look at this word is by those who take their distaste for a brand by “resorting to measures beyond the norm” and actually vandalizing their so-called enemy. You out there know who you are and what you did in the dark hours hiding in the shadows like cowards. This industry is just on its way to be something great, people like you don’t deserve to be a part of it. True fans of any sport will realize brand loyalty is normal, but taking it beyond proudly riding the brands you love, wearing the shirts of your favorite riders and partaking in friendly banter on “who’s better” is absolutely ridiculous.
Now, please raise your hand if you want to go right back to two years ago before all of this started, where a stellar rig like this was no where to be seen but at the nearest Flying J.
We have a long way to go before we are taken seriously by the world. Supercross is just now getting there after 30 years of existence AND they didn't have the CPSC almost destroy their industry. This industry needs your support no matter what you ride or who your favorite rider is.
Don't be a coward like some of those extremists that attended Muddy Creek this weekend. Get over whatevers the problem so we can all work together to make this sport rock...not suck!
Okay enough with my soapbox...I apologize to those that are true fans of the sport. Fans like these waiting/anticipating (just like me) who the first to make it to the corner will be.
Doug Gust and Tim Farr talk while the track gets prepped. Farr looks rather calm, but just the day before during practice his back went into spasms to where he had to get off his ATV as his knees were buckling from the pain. Anyone suffering from back problems will tell you motions like that of riding an ATV are the last thing that you want to do. Trust me…I know. I don’t know how he’s doing it.
Just 20 Pro’s signed up not needing a qualifier for the first time this season. With that Chad Lohr decided to make this his return to the Pro class, donning number 15.
Jason DUNKelberger does a little dance getting warmed up for the moto.