Jeff Simpson
Round #14 of Monster Energy Megacross, I mean Supercross, from Atlanta has come and gone like Freddy Freeman’s home run in his first at bat against the Braves last night but there are still some talking points to hash out, mainly the MEGACROSS track that we were treated too.
“I hate to be the Karen, but at the same time, I feel like someone needs to speak. If something happened to me on one of those jumps, I’d be frustrated if I didn’t say anything.”
Jason Anderson when asked about his opinion on the track.
As many of you have seen by now, the ATL Megacross track was YUGE! Too Yuge in fact to run as originally built. Now while I understand the track builders were trying to get the most out of the the massive infield, is there really a place for 120’+ triples mid track? We watched some of the worlds most talented dirt bike racers nearly ruin their summer during press day and it didn’t go unnoticed as they mowed it down shortly after the session ended.
Team Fried’s own, and eventual race winner Jason Anderson, was asked about his comments on Twitter during the press conference.
From your Twitter comments yesterday, you didn’t seem to like the track, but I feel like it came around quite a bit. It made for some good racing. Did it change your opinion? I know you just said it was a good track, but did it change your opinion from yesterday?
“Yeah, to be honest, right now I believe that 80 percent of the 450 class is out with injury. Then I think 120-foot triple, I understand they want shock value for the fans to be like, longest start straight, longest triple, but at the end of the day, we’re four rounds away from the end. Let us get through the season. Have good racing. We’re all going to have to hit the triple, but it’s going to rain too and we’re all still going to try and hit the triple. Luckily, the track ended up good. I just think the shock value that they’re trying to get out of some of the obstacles they put in is a little bit too much for us racers and our safety. But at the same time, I understand where their head is at, but us as racers, we’re humans and we want to stay safe. We want to limit the risk. We know the risk that we take, and when they make it a little bit bigger and we don’t really have control over that, it’s a little bit frustrating for me, personally. I hate to be the Karen, but at the same time, I feel like someone needs to speak. If something happened to me on one of those jumps, I’d be frustrated if I didn’t say anything.”
Hunter Lawrence took a massive digger after landing on the deck of the landing. Justin Bogle had a close one as well, as did Robbie Wageman and some others. I’m with JA21 on this one, no one ever wants to be the one to complain about things, especially in this sport, but at what point do the riders need to be taken seriously on topics like this? Now thankfully, this is one of the first issues with the track builds all season so that is a step in the right direction. But as you saw with Hunter Lawrence’s gnarly get off, the one misstep that has been made with the track could have been a costly one.
Phil Nicoletti and Justin Bogle took to Twitter to express their thoughts about the track as well.
We seen a full blown MXGP held at an even smaller speedway in Charlotte, NC a few years back plus MXdN in Assen, NL so wouldn’t a venue like Atlanta Motor Speedway be better suited for more of an outdoor set up? Or maybe even a proper Monster Energy Cup would be better suited in a Speedway setting since the original plan was to feature a “hybrid” track. This begs the question: are the Speedway races good for the sport? Should Supercross lap times/track lengths be capped? I know these 450’s can jump literally anything but does that mean that they should, for 22+ minutes?
What say you guys? Sound off below.
No Racers equals NO RACE. The track builders/designers are destroying our heroes and sport.
The whole thing is out of control, the AMA really does not care whether these guys are crippled for life or worse and for the few that actually made it to this point in their race careers it is a slap in the face ESPECIALLY the privateers who have suffered and have “0” backing after the accident! When i hear Ricky Carmichael talk about how great the design is i always think to myself that in his era they didn’t even have jumps this gnarly, most of us can’t stand the top guys out because at the end of the day anyone taking their spot for now isn’t really as good as the position they end up in simply because of the percentage of riders injured due to such bad planning / designs / expectations….
Ok, there’s always working at McDonald’s if they don’t want to take the risks! Nobody forces them to race those tracks for free. They get millions for racing… if you’re a privateer, once again, your choice pursuing the chance to make millions. No Risk – No Reward! This is not a soft man’s sport! I broke my back under direct orders from my Tank Commander to launch my 60 ton tank into the air. I had no choice but to follow orders and didn’t get paid crap to do it. You think the rider association takes bad care of you? Try the VA! No crying here girls! You don’t like the risks? Be a weekend racer and roll the triples!
@Are you that soft …. Are you that stupid ? Or is that what everyone teases you about cause you can’t get wood 😂
Do you enjoy the greats like Doug Henry , Ernesto fonseca ,Jessy nelson and a whole lot more having life altering injury’s ? Is that fun to watch ?
What are you even doing commenting on the sport if you don’t support the riders well-being
Imagine one of the top ten has a big crash on tv and I don’t wish it upon anyone but they end up dead … the Karen’s nowadays will slow supercross right down and it will be devastating for the sport
Rather go wank over your tank days you clown
Fuck it. Should’ve been 150ft, minimum.
Really enjoy the speedway races, ok with that said make them outdoor type tracks, the bottom line is they must protect the riders, those jumps were not in the best interest of the riders. More speedway races less stupid jumps.