Ricky Carmichael in +25 LL

May have been a bit short in my post.

I think its cool that the GOAT is back to his roots (kinda, much more $) and I have no problem with him doing it. The class is full of past champions and super fast old(er) pros, along with the several regular dudes who can haul ass..
 
The interesting thing you see at LL with the ex-pros, is that they sort of "even out" after retirement.

What I mean by that is that the guys that rise to the top during their careers like Doug Dubach, Emig, Scott Sheak, Trampas Parker, etc. end up back down a notch in retirement. Meaning the guys they could smoke in the Nationals like Katin, Povolny, Stiles, Keith Johnson, etc are now competitive with them at a race like LL.

I think that is really cool to see, and it shows just how much raw speed and talent all these guys have. It also shows how much extra work and effort the top guys put in to be the top guys.

Let's not forget a guy like Robbie Reynard in +25. He has straight up beat RC before in Nationals and could be a tough guy for RC to beat at LL. I can't wait to go watch!
 
i think it's awsome he is riding .everyone is missing the point . you'll never get this sport out of your blood. it is like it gets embedded in your dna. the smell of race gas or two stroke exhaust is like a drug. people need to use him racing as a tool to make us ride better.ricky is a great racer and i would love to follow him as long as i could just to learn from him.its a rare oppertunity to ride with a legend so if you have a chance do it people . quit looking at this as a negative. get out there and ride .
 
Im not being negative about his racing, I think its great. And like pit said its cool how the ex pros even out and race against each other after retirement. My point is , and we've been over it a thousand times, it is an amateur race. Pro sport class is where he belongs not +25. Not just him but all the other ex factory pros. Give the real amateurs a place to race and not be flooded out by all the ex national level pro racers. They had their day in the sun and for many amateurs it is the only chance they have at racing in such a national style event. I just dont think it is right for those who have had their time racing at national level come back and bump out guys who never did just to extend the glory days.
 
Maybe Lorettas needs to hold a separate Retired X-Pro Vet MX roots race.

Jody Weisel commented in one of his articles in MXaction that we all go through the bell curve of speed throughout our riding and racing life. It takes some time to peak, but once you do it only goes down from there. And this holds true for everybody.

But past peak and getting slower should never be followed by "out to pasture".

Give them boys an invitation back, for the love of the sport, and for their racing followers to see them back in action again. Where the prize is a handshake, (and maybe another cheap plastic trophy for old times sake) and smiles all around and a thrilled spectator gallery.
 
I suggested a "Vet Pro Class". Maybe where if you were in the top 15 or 20 for like 2 or 3 years, you have to run the Vet pro class.
 
John250 said:
I suggested a "Vet Pro Class". Maybe where if you were in the top 15 or 20 for like 2 or 3 years, you have to run the Vet pro class.
Click to expand...

The Vet classes should be 30A, 30B/C, 40A and 40B/C. Then add 40 riders to the plus 50 class. They should then get rid of the plus 35 and 45 class. Nice and simple!!
 
They might have to look at that.......the Vet classes are the largest classes at the local races this year.
 
I bet those guys sitting on the gate, look over their shoulder and see the chubby number 4 pulling up are just like..... F.
 
As much as I like seeing that Carmichael will race LL this year I do agree with you guys about this being the Amateur National Championship and guys like RC should race a pro class instead of a vet. In his defense he's not entirely to blame for riding 25+, I think it's a situation that MX Sports should take a look at and create a "Vet Pro" or ex pro or whatever you prefer. I've been down there the last two years and will more than likely be going again this year. One of you pointed out Reynard. He raced the 25+ and Pro Sport and in the 25+ he walked them all. But in the Pro Sport class since he actually had to race the whole moto, he set the fastest lap of the entire week. The rulebook for Pro's competing at LL is that if you scored one national championship point the previous season, you are not allowed to compete. So John Dowd for example would not be able to race this year since he finished inside the top 20 in one moto last year. Maybe the rule should be changed to three years or five years. And think back five to ten years when there wasn't a B/C split for vet classes. Guys like Trampas Parker, Keith Bowen, Shaun Kalos, etc. would come in and win the titles when they were factory riders back then. So I don't think RC is necessarily "cherry picking", I just think he is going by the rules from a system that more than likely can't be perfect to make everyone happy.
 
I think there should be separate classes for anyone who has held a pro card. Then allow the entries to go the other way, if you want to race against the old fast of the fast then even if you never held a pro card you are allowed to enter and give it your best shot.

There are several plus's and several minus's doing it my way and I don't think MX sports would want to work it out.
 
Lone wolf did you just mention Shaun Kalos? Lol thats a blast from the past right there... wasn't he the one who did a huge flying W at the Coliseum in LA one year?
I agree tho they should have a pro class. Simply holding a pro license should keep you out of AM classes. Have a pro +25? People wouldn't want to run it tho...
 
I'd like to take a van. Wouldn't leave until Monday (practice day) that way we would get there about 9pm monday night. Then we got 4 days to watch races...no sense in going way early as the camping prices drop about 100 bucks by Monday.
 
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