The Supercross main event goes off the line in Orlando, with eventual winner James Stewart (#7) on the outside.
Steve Bruhn photo.
 itting here now it’s hard to believe that the 2006 Supercross season is over. It seems like just yesterday we were all getting amp’d up (no pun intended) for Anaheim I, and now the Vegas finale has come and gone. But oh what a show it was! The 2006 Amp’d Mobile World and AMA Supercross Series featured some of the closest, most exciting racing any of us have ever seen. Let’s pick up where we left off in the last issue: Daytona was definitely interesting, and Travis Pastrana’s on-track antics were only part of it. Yamaha’s Chad Reed came into the week with a separated shoulder, yet still managed to put in an impressive second place ride. Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael took home the win, while Kawasaki’s James Stewart suffered a nasty crash early on, yet battled back to a sixth place finish.
As the series moved on from Daytona, Stewart absolutely dominated the field, throwing down monster wins in Orlando, Detroit and Houston. Houston also marked the end of the Supercross Lites East Series, where Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Chris Gosselaar put in some awesome rides, landing him third place finishes in Daytona, Orlando, Detroit and Houston.
Parts Unlimited had a great weekend in Dallas, with Chad Reed earning his second win of the season in the Supercross class and rookie Ryan Villopoto taking home his first ever Supercross Lites win!
Then came the rain in Seattle. Following a week of lovely and uncharacteristically temperate Seattle weather, come Saturday morning Mother Nature decided she’d had enough of the sun and dumped a ton of rain down on Qwest Field. It was a fairly miserable day out there, yet the boys put on a good show nonetheless. It was back to the Bubba Show in the Supercross class, and Grant Langston took home top honors in the Lites, as well as wrapping up the 2006 Supercross Lites West Championship. Langston’s teammate Villopoto followed up in second at his hometown race.
On to Vegas. Now, up to this point, the point standings in the Supercross/450 class had been slowly narrowing between the top three contenders, Stewart, Reed and Carmichael. Coming into the finale in Las Vegas, the points stood with RC and Reed TIED for the lead, with Stewart a mere five points back. Crazy, right? The stage was set for an absolute showdown/barnburner/so-exciting-you-might-wet-your-pants kind of race. The title was on the line, with three champs in a position to claim it.
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Chris Gosselaar was the third place finisher in Orlando, Detroit and Houston. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Detroit Supercross podium with James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
A cool show of support in Houston for fallen rider James Marshall, who was paralyzed during a crash at the San Diego Supercross. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
After finishing second in this year’s National Arenacross Series, Brock Sellards moved into the Supercross class aboard the #18 BooKoo Honda.
|
Chad Reed celebrates his win in Dallas with wife Ellie, mechanic Allan Olson (left) and Yamaha Team Manager Keith McCarty. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto took home his first-ever Supercross Lites win in Dallas.
Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Now, the Vegas Supercross weekend is one of my personal favorites of the year, because in addition to the Supercross madness, well, it’s Vegas! However, I really don’t think I have ever been so excited about a trip to Sin City, or seeing any other race in my life more than this one. The excitement and tension felt about the race was palpable everywhere we went, from the MGM Grand to the Primm MX Museum (very cool, by the way!), to the Parts Unlimited Dealer Showcase, the MiniMoto, and even while that wacky Mike Metzger was backflipping over the Caesar’s Palace fountains, the thought on everyone’s mind was the same–who was gonna win on Saturday? I’m referring, of course, to the race, and not the big De La Hoya fight at the MGM, although I do know a few people who were almost as excited about that event. We even saw Don King eating lunch at the Studio Café. Seriously, what’s up with that dude’s hair? Anyway, I digress…
When the big night finally arrived, the crowd’s energy became electric as the desert sun set on Sam Boyd Stadium. Before the big show came the highly anticipated Dave Coombs Sr. Supercross Lites East/West Shootout. Unfortunately, Thor-sponsored Grant Langston had crashed during the press day ride on Thursday and suffered a partially dislocated wrist, so he was out of the action. Ryan Villopoto got a great start, but then crashed in the second turn. East Coast champ Davi Millsaps was out front battling with Andrew Short for the lead, until Millsaps also crashed. Short had a few other contenders, but rode a smart and consistent race for the win.
Then came the main event. As the 30-second board went up, the excitement and energy in the stadium was absolutely indescribable. However, I did hear a guy standing behind me say, “I’m so excited, I might vomit!” I thought that summed it up pretty well! (I also moved a few feet to the left, just in case). When the gate dropped, it was Stewart who grabbed the holeshot, with RC and Reed in tow. In classic Stewart fashion, James established an early lead on the field, and that’s where he would remain. All three riders charged hard for 20 laps, with Stewart out front, with a few seconds on Carmichael, who kept a few seconds on Reed. It may not have been the absolute showdown we were hoping for, but it was definitely close enough to keep tensions high until the checkered flag flew for Stewart. RC was close behind in second, earning him his 5th AMA Supercross Championship, with Reed a close third. Carmichael announced during Friday’s press conference that for the 2007 Supercross season he will be racing only a selected number of races, so this could very well be RC’s last championship. But, you never know…
This season’s battles were just about as close as they could get. We saw some fantastic races, incredible acts of sportsmanship, and got to witness the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat in its truest and rawest forms, and I, for one, feel very lucky to have seen it all. If you’ve been to any of the races this season, you’ve heard the following quote during the opening ceremonies. I think that no matter what people’s opinions are, good or bad, about the racers, the events, the fuel debacle, or anything else this season, it really sums up the true spirit of this sport and celebrates these athletes for what they are:
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Thanks for the show, boys. We’ll never forget it. Here are some of the highlights from the last third of the 2006 Supercross season. See you at the Nationals!
In typical Seattle fashion, this is how the track looked just prior to the start of the evening program. Jen Emde photo.
|
Grant Langston celebrates his Supercross Lites West Championship with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki Team in Seattle. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Parts Unlimited and THOR hosted a showing of the Primm Motocross Museum in Las Vegas. Greg Primm has quite a collection on display! Kinney Jones photo.
|
Jeremy McGrath checks out one of his old helmets on display at the Primm MX Museum. Kinney Jones photo.
|
Jesse Rooke with one of his custom creations at the Parts Unlimited Dealer Showcase in Las Vegas. Don Emde photo.
|
The always entertaining Phil Davy shows off one of Icon’s cool looking helmets with the help of Icon’s Teri Gorrell and emcee Rob Buydos. Don Emde photo.
|
Travis Pastrana stopped by the Dealer Showcase in Vegas for a chat with Rob Buydos and Smith’s Mark Phares. Jen Emde photo.
|
Alpinestars’ Andrea Brink and Icon’s Teri Gorrell at the Vegas Dealer Showcase. Jen Emde photo.
|
THOR had their fleet of customized Toyotas on display at the Dealer Hospitality area in Las Vegas. Don Emde photo.
|
As always, the Parts Unlimited Dealer Hospitality tent was packed all day with folks stopping by to check out the displays, enjoy some good food and escape the heat! Don Emde photo.
|
Chad Reed charged hard for 20 laps in Vegas in pursuit of the championship, but ultimately finished third. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Ricky Carmichael finished second in Vegas, earning him his 5th AMA Supercross Championship. Don Emde photo.
|
LiveNation put on a great show at the 2006 Supercross Awards banquet, held in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
Ricky Carmichael gave an emotional and heartfelt speech at the banquet while accepting his award. Steve Bruhn photo.
|
|
