Big jump on this track and lots of big air. Still, why Leon, MX???? View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjWmIdkQ_Wo
The 2 MX2 races were completely riveting! I was able to watch them online and talk about drama! Both Herlings and Tixier stepped up and did what they had to do. Just so happens that Herlings job was just a little more than he could handle with a recently broken femur. I gained a ton of respect for Herlings for just going out there and trying. He must have been in a ton of pain. Tixier being able to deal with the pressure and rise to the challenge was pretty impressive also. Especially in moto 2 when a Husky fell out of the sky on him.
I've read several times that Guiseppe luongo charges around $300,000 to host an MXGP race! The GP series travels to several shitty places because local governments subsidize the payment of the race hoping to bring in big tourist dollars. They have races in Qatar, Thailand, Mexico and 2 in Brazil. I'll bet that the combined spectator turnout from those 5 races is less than one of their regular stops in say Italy or France.
I was being kind of rhetorical . Luongo is obsessed w/non-markets, 2nd/3rd world $$$ handouts and treating the racers like property. Nobody at Qatar for a night race (except the TCN's working the track), nobody at Thailand (except for maybe a few tourists) and so on. The only real markets they go to are in Europe. Oh, and SoCal back in 2011 @ Glen Helen. I concur 100% regarding the MX2 races. Wide open and the guys really go for it. I love how they just air it out, grip it and rip it - so much fun to watch. I was semi-shocked to see Herlings come back so soon but thouoght he might. If not for Herlings Tixier would be the man at Red Bull. Unfirtunately he's the domestique for the team.
On the surface and putting my white-(good-guy)-hat now, I don't see anything wrong with promoting \ advertising your country, town, county via dirt bike riding of some sort ... Taking off the white hat now and thinking about this business deal in todays' reality ... First and foremost, about every country is corrupt on some level along with many businesses, everywhere... Just a couple business points below: 1. Who will you accept revenues from for your services? 2. In the case of MEX, do you wanna take your employees there? Even with the small stuff I do here, I consider both those points in high regard. (replace MEX with PHIL and employee with rider(s))
Watched the rest of MX2/Moto2 last night. Tonkov had a serious panic rev moment and found himself wrapped up in Tixier's real wheel. View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwaz-9NDClo
Luongo is without a doubt running that series into oblivion. It's a shame to see a great series run into the ground, but on the other hand we get the benefit of seeing many of the best riders in the world come over here to race the nationals.
OOOOuuch! That looks horrible. I gained a ton of respect for Herlings even going out and trying. He did way better than I thought he would, and came as close as possible to pulling off his defense.
Right? I'd like to see an xray from the day after. I hope that young man didn't complicate his recovery and career by trying. Stressing and traumatizing a bone that is knitting can lead to complications ultimately requiring bone grafts to correct. No Bueno.
I certainly hope Herlings choice to ride does not bite him too much later in life ... Riding both motos was about as hard mentally as physically as you know he was not out there finish so far back ... I'll take my hat off to him also and say he wanted that championship .. -- This pic maybe says more than him trying to race I think ... -- You guys might not watch the MMA stuff but the competitors are very respectable after the fight to each other and to the official in the ring. I like seeing competitors with this type of attitude during and ESP after a contest, setting a good example for all the little ones out there watching ... Seems our sport, across the board on ~all different types of dirt bike racing events, is chocked full of very good, upstanding young and old people; this seems to be our story around the world.
