Supercross and Motocross are not a sport for everyone

"If it were easy to race motocross and supercross, everyone would do it."

"You gotta' be tough to race dirt bikes."

"Chicks dig scars ... and I got a ton of them."

"That race was like going 12 rounds with Lennox Lewis."


All of us that follow supercross and motocross have heard sayings like the ones above. Either from the top pros we follow, or your neighbor down the street that's revving his bike as loud as possible after washing it and replacing the air filter.

How tough is it to really race supercross and motocross? From the perspective of a novice to the sport, they are probably thinking "It can't be that hard - they just sit on the motorcycle and ride." But for those of us that ride, and race, we know how brutal it is ... how hard it is. Heck, I get arm pump sometimes after 2 laps on a mini!

And think of the professional riders. It's probably off-the-charts for them. Not only it is their job, they are truly fighting for positions. Have you ever been behind a 450f, getting a face full of dirt? Even with a chest protector on, it's like bullets hitting you straight on.

There is a pressure for top professional riders to perform. The pressure comes from within - they can put it on themselves. But it also comes from wanting to perform for their teams, their sponsors, their friends, and their families - they don't want to let any of them down.

Of course, as those of us that ride now, there is a physical factor for the pros. 35 minutes is a long time for working at maximum physical exertion. And what happens when you get tired? You start to make mistakes! Your brain knows it! And that leads to mental factor. You have to be tough mentally too. Racing at the top level is just as much mental as it is physical!

As I look at the current AMA Motocross season so far at the halfway point, I see a trend that disturbs me. The almost week in-week out schedule that the current pros have, starting with the first weekend in January, could be a source of some of the plague of injuries.

The list of riders out right now, or riders with at least some physical ailment is alarming. And costly.


Ryan Villopoto - out with knee injury/surgery. He certainly was a top contender for the 450 Motocross Championship.

Mike Alessi - out with a different type of knee injury/surgery. He was a contender for the 450 Motocross Championship.

Chad Reed - current 450 Motocross points leader - dealing with some sort of stomach ailment.

Trey Canard - 2008 AMA 250 East Lites Supercross Champion - out with a broken arm.

Tyla Rattray - 2008 MX2 World Motocross Champion - out with a broken thumb.

Christophe Pourcel - current 250 Motocross points leader - dealing with stomach ailments as well.

Tim Ferry - Factory Monster Kawasaki - in and out of the series because of various injuries.

Broc Hepler - factory Yamaha - out for the season with a concussion suffered back in May.


And these are only some of the top riders that I've listed above, and that I'm fully aware of. I'm sure that there are other riders out there that have similar issues. And I would almost guarantee that just about every rider is riding with soreness, bumps, bruises, cuts, and other various 'ailments'.

I talked with a few of the older, retired top professional supercross and motocross champions, and 7-time AMA Champion Rick Johnson summed it up best:

"We used to have off and on weeks. Maybe we'd race two or three weeks in a row, then have a week or two off. We'd have some years where maybe we'd have 24 'important' races to do in a calendar year. And we'd have an 'off-season' to recoup physically and mentally. Same for the motocross Grand Prix series. In today's era, a lot of the guys are racing year round. It's not healthy.

I think Jeremy McGrath was the first to realize both the body and mind need a rest. He went to supercross-only. That's smart on him! I think James Stewart is doing a smart thing by taking some time off now as well. It's just a simple fact - you can't continue to beat yourself up all year long, and expect to always perform at peak performance. Look at other sports - they have off-seasons.

Today's riders, and yesterday's riders, are always riding with bumps and bruises. It's the usual suspects that get injured - ankles, knees, shoulders, fingers, hands, wrists. We really needed to have those off weekends to recover. Today, there really isn't any time off. It's a brutal, brutal sport. Look at any of the top guys - they are lucky if they reach the ten year mark in performing at the very top level. Most careers are much shorter.

When you ride and practice and race week-in and week-out, and you have those small injuries, it start to play on both your riding style (because you'll adjust depending on what's hurting) and it also starts to play mind games with you (Will I be able to perform how I want to this weekend???)."


It seems that this season has been as tough as any. "Tough" being the key word! : )

But of course, let's balance this theme. We still have a tremendously competitive series in the USA, and the GP's are in full swing also. It's exciting and entertaining. I think in all four major classes (250 and 450 in both AMA Nationals and MXGP) we will end up with four brand new class champions! Not bad! And we have tons of newcomers coming up - which is exciting to see too. Which one will someday rise to the level of a James Stewart or Chad Reed? We'll see!


I did ask some others in the industry what their thoughts are on 2009 MX so far ...


Nate Adams - X Games Gold Medalist - I think the outdoor season in AMA MX is the most exciting it has been in years. I Tivo'd the Colorado round and have been watching it over n' over! Those guys were swappin' postions till the very last lap, and we just haven't been seeing enough of that lately. Soooo many top guys can run the pace right now. Look at Dungey and Pourcel sometimes - they can't even get through the field if they get a bad start! It's sweet! The 250 class is especially exciting. Without Stewart in the 450s, that's seemed to keep the battles up front closer as well. Huge respect to all those dudes though in both classes, bad dudes for sure!


Michael Sleeter - 450 privateer - I think the new one day program and much better TV package has been a great step in making the program not drag out so long. The racing has been great and the drama has been high, so all in all how could it be any better?


Ryan Fedorow - MX Trainer - I think the AMA National Motocross Series has provided a great opportunity for the underdogs to make a name for themselves. On the other hand, the plague of injuries for the favs is a bummer for the fans, and our industry. The fans want to see their fav rider winning and they pay to see a good show.


Andy Donahue - Shock Doctor - What may have started out to be a run away season that may not have played out very unpredictable, now has amounted to a battle each and every week. Both classes each week could be anyone's game. Saturday races, amazing venues and a STACKED field. I think we are going to have one of the best surprising seasons we've seen since before Ricky Carmichael went out with his knee injury when he was on Honda.


Tyla Rattray - Team Pro Circuit racer, 2008 World MX2 Motocross Champion - The season and tracks have been good. The organizers do an awesome job on the tracks! I injured my thumb at the last race so I probably have to miss the next two rounds. But I'll be back soon!


Donny Emler, Jr. - FMF Racing - I think this season has been great for spectators, great racing a lot of different winners and championships up for grabs. Unfortunately injuries are a part of motocross and it's never  fun to watch people get hurt but this is shaping up to come down to the wire!


Mike Metzger - The Godfather of Freestyle Motocross - With Ryan Villopoto out with an injury the 450 Motocross championship title could become anyone's. With the riders pushing themselves and their machines to a level most have never ridden, there may not be anyone left at the last round! Believe me, every top racer is on the ragged edge week in and week out. It's a race pace they know will put them in the hospital with any small mistake. There is nothing more hardcore than MOTO-CROSS!


Denny Stephenson - Former Arenacross Champion, Representative of Connexions - This has definitely been a strange year for injuries. Supercross is notorious for being injury filled but this year we saw a long relatively healthy season of racing. But now the Motocross season has lost a number of riders to injuries. I think it looks even more dramatic losing three title contenders in Villopoto, Alessi and Canard. At the end of the day, the bikes of today are incredibly powerful machines and they can put you on your butt quickly whether it be SX or MX. 2009 we just happened to see it happen more in the outdoors. Next year? Who knows?


Malcolm McCassy - Personality, FMF, Ethika and NOHo - This has been one of the most exciting, and unpredictable starts to a season I've seen in while. I hate to see any of the riders get hurt, but it is motocross, one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. Props to every racer out there, because to me I can't pull out one rider that isn't putting his blood, sweat, & tears into every moto. It was great to see Ivan Tedesco get his win at Thunder Valley, with Andrew Short following. I love Reedy racing outdoors too! I was so stoked when I got a phone call with the good news Josh Grant won Red Bud! Grant is such a cool kid, he reminds me a lot of one of close friends, and favorite riders - Jeremy McGrath. Motocross fans are getting a big treat right now, talent is all-time, and I personally look forward to every race.


Casey Johnson - Former Motocross & Supercross, currently a Rider Trainer - If you've ever thrown your leg over a dirtbike then you know the thrill and adrenaline you get from riding. It's all fun until you crash and get injured but hey that's the risk riders are willing to take. Take for example this years outdoor season with the two top 450 guys getting hurt while they were leading the ama outdoor series. Getting injured is something that happens to everyone who rides and it's not a matter of if you crash it's when.With Villipoto and alessi out it has opened the door for some riders like Ivan (hot sauce) Tedesco and Andrew (Mr. Consistency) Short to step up and  make this a 3 way battle with the yellow 22 bike we all know as Chad Reed. The racing has been great and if Josh Grant can keep it on two wheels every weekend expect him to be stealing alot more overalls as well. As for now we will just have to sit back and watch to see who will take home the 450 AMA Lucas oils National Motocross Championship. Who do you think will win?


Travis Clarke - Sports Management/Athlete Representation - It seems like the year of the Red Plate Curse, as whoever has been leading the Championship standings has gotten hurt. Very different from last year, where James Stewart dominated every round. It's made for some much better racing since you never know who is going to win!


Ryan Dungey - Factory Suzuki rider, contented in the 250 Motocross class, and 2009 West Coast Supercross Champion - I think that this year the 250 class is stacked with talent. It's great to have though cause it makes good racing and it makes you want it that much more. I think it makes you stay on top of your game because at any moment there's someone right there waiting for you to make a mistake. With each year the pace gets faster and you don't have time to take a breather, so its intense and makes for good racing!



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