And Now For The Stretch Run...
4/7/2009
A regularly updated blog by Rupert X Pellett...
April 7
Five measly, lousy, stinkin' points is all that separates the Makita Suzuki from the San Manuel Band Of Mission Indians' Yamaha. If you're a Stewart fan, your fingers are crossed, while the Reed fans are hoping for a Stewart mistake. It's that simple. Reed has indeed been more consistent, while Bubba has won a bunch more races and, generally speaking, been faster. Three more races: Seattle, SLC and, then, LAS VEGAS.
AMA Supercross Class Results, Jacksonville
- James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Yamaha
- Chad Reed, Tampa, Fla., Suzuki
- Kevin Windham, Centreville, Miss., Honda
- Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Yamaha
- Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, Honda
- Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki
- Thomas Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Kawasaki
- Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha
- Heath Voss, Mico, Texas, Honda
- Billy Laninovich, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Kawasaki
I just had a flashback with some chunks of meaningful data from that brilliant Monster Energy AMA Supercross at Jax, next to the St John's river inlet, so here goes (breathe)...
- Pits were loud, busy and chock full of fans and there was a strange throng of religious-cult-like protesters outside the pro-pits fence. They were chanting. And chanting well, I might add. A very professional squad of chanters they were. Robes, cymbals, symbols and rhythmic movements, too.
- Seen Larry Ward and highly attractive significant other, female type exit the pits late at night. Larry still appears in shape and ready to ride. He looked to be about 28 years, eight months, although, surely, he's older than that.
- As I mentioned earlier, I ran into the RC at the Atlanta airport, fresh off some Cali-Nascar business. He joined Ralph and Jeffro in the Speed Channel booth. Earlier in the race day, RC took some warm-up laps, busting out and over-jumping the HUGE triple -- first lap out. AMAZING.
- Vince Friese -- he of the long-hair and rockstar -- look, is riding fast for Moto-Concepts and impressing, consistently. He ran second in the main before his CRF motor went all southland on him...
- Talked to my old buddy Daniel Blair for a bit. He's loving his new Geico Honda. His band is on hiatus while this dirt-bike career takes off.
- The track at JAX has had the dirt laid down for more than a month. Prior to the Supercross, they had a Monster Truck Jam thingy go down, so they left the base fabric and earth on the field. They just had to remove some smashed cars and cotton-candy sticks, stuff like that...
- The Jacksonville area had more than 10 inches of rain during the week prior to the Supercross event, but you couldn't tell. The track was el perfecto. They even had to spill some H20 to marinate the jumpy circuit!
- Get-well-soon to Josh Grant (arm) and NICO Izzi (heel).
- James Stewart had at least 50 family, friends and neighbors cheering for him from Industrial Seating. Pretty cool to see he has not forgotten the folks from back home.
- No. 198, JACOB SAYLOR (Jaylor?) will be heading back to his base in Germany soon. He's back on with STURM racing to contest the German Masters National Motocross Championships.
More when my memory gets logged in correctly...