Several people on the Vital Forum were really shocked when MX sports announced the Honda CRF150 Cup Race. They wanted to know why? Why, with so many fans dying to see something like the the 125 class which has been so successful in Europe, we instead get something added to the race program that almost NO ONE is interested in?
The response from DC was along the lines of: "Get over it guys, it's just a 2 event exhibition class.."
After being at Steel City last week and getting a sense of the bullshit for myself, I wrote the post below to try to shake some of the bullshit loose and lots of people have gotten behind it. I dont' know why we are lied to and manipulated constantly instead of just getting a moment of sanity and reason from DC and some of the others behind the curtain, but it's coming to a head and people everywhere are getting sick of it!
"AMA Mowercross! wrote: Yeah... That race was pretty lamestupidslowcastratedboring but at the same time... Maybe it was a stroke of GENIUS on the part of MX Sports...
It all boils down to profit and bladder control... Not working against each other like they do in a bar, but working as a team.
When MX Sports took over and began improving Motocross by doing things like eliminating the Glen Helen race and threatening to eliminate High Point and maybe even Steel City, they also realized that peope needed another bathroom break or two in the course of the race day program. They tried to give those bathroom breaks to the fans last year by staging the 2 stroke exhibition races, but it didn't work. People loved the 2 stroke races and lined the fences during those events cheering for John Dowd, Ricky Carmichael, and all the other great riders who participated. Because of all that fan enthusiasm, hardly anyone sprinted for the bucket booths as MX Sports had hoped, and the bathroom break plan for 09 failed...
Also, and perhaps worst of all, those 2 stroke races had the opposite effect on people than what was apparently desired. Instead of being a nostalgic goodby wave, they turned out more like a call to action and fanned the flames of a resurgence that was already underway. More and more people started checking out 2 strokes again after seeing those fast guys out there on those fast, light, and dependable bikes. Even with the announcers mentioning the word "Vintage" as many times as they could fit it in during the races, no one listened and the attempt to put a "Vintage" spin on the 2 stroke races failed... You can bet that most of the people who pony up the major money to keep the traveling show on the road didn't like that... not one bit. ***If you don't believe me just check into Fred Andrews Racing, who had it's Yamaha support pulled because it chose to compete off road with YZ250's intead of WR250F's to lower it's expenses. Yamaha pulled all support for the team despite race winning performances. It's not enough to be out there winning on a Yamaha, it had to be the 4 $troke Yamaha or nothing.***
So now, back to MX Sports and what to do about the perfect Bathroom Breaks?.... Maybe they thought about a lawn mower race.... No, that might be too redundant given the rest of the day's program... Then some guy asked about a 125cc support class for the up and coming racers, but we already talked about what the money bags in the industry think of things like that. And unfortunately it's those industry money bag people whose boots are planted on the necks of the guys who make these decisions and besides, if they put a full gate of 125s out there, not a drop of tinkle would sprinkle until it was over! Something like that would not make for a good bathroom break... What to do... What to do???....
THEN, along comes Honda with an idea... and they're carrying a fat wad. (No, not the CRF150R, I mean a fat wad of money!)
Here's MX Sports's chance to get payed not played homie! And they go for it of course.
Everyone involved gets a piece I guess, and the little baby elephant bikes parade down vendor row past the race fans on their way to the track. The commentary from the announcers is a cookie pie love fest as they talk about "The Future of MX" and all the glowing attributes of almost every kid's least favorite bike. (Paid Homie!)
The genius of this move by MX sports is that they gets PAID! homie.... AND the bathroom break problem is finally solved!
So, MX Sports gets Paid, we fans get 2 nice bathroom breaks one during qualifying and then one after the 1st WMX Moto, and Honda get's to run it's live infomercial, secure in the knowlege that ANY mechanical failure witnessed by people waiting in line for the bathrooms will be called a "Flat Tire" by the announcers. (Paid Homie?)
Every race is a bike commercial, we all realize that. This new Honda glaze just makes it painfully obvious, that's all.
Thanks,
Jim"
