THE SILVERDOME SHOOK!

Enable frames

THE SILVERDOME SHOOK!

By Daryl F. Kaczan

(aka WW_Sagnasty - on the MSN Gaming Zone zone.msn.com)

The Pontiac Silverdome was transformed on Saturday, April 13th, 2002, into

a noisy, rowdy, exhaust-filled PARTY for the dramatic 13th round of the 16

round EA Sports Supercross series.  Industry insiders, fans, and Motocross

legends were all hailing this race as an "instant classic" within minutes

of the thrilling conclusion.

"You should have been there"

Nearly 60, 000 Motocross (MX) fans packed the 'dome that night, with only

the last few rows of the nosebleed sections remaining semi-vacant.  From

early afternoon when our group arrived, until late that night getting back

on 75 North, the vibe that this race put out was intense, to say the least.

Overwhelming, might be more appropriate.

It started with a great time in the Pits, chatting with the superstars of

the sport, then getting up-close and personal watching the practice

sessions and qualifiers, seeing the adorable 7 and 8 year old superstars of

tomorrow duke it out in the KTM Junior Supercross challenge. This was

followed by an exciting pair of heat races in both the 125 and 250cc

classes, which led right up to the Main events that saw a relative underdog

keep the new champion from a perfect season in the 125s.  Everything peaked

with the "demolition derby" of a 250 Main that saw six leaders, at least

that many crashes, a first-time winner, and a comeback charge that will be

playing out in the highlight reels for decades.

Some History

For readers' uninitiated to the culture, Supercross (SX) and Motocross (MX)

as we know it, is just now starting to get the attention and airtime it

deserves.  ESPN is contracted to broadcast all the races until 2005, but

ABC holds the rights to 4 of the rounds, and with the last round aired on

Wide World of Sports pulling a 1.6 Neilson rating, (1,740,800 households!)

you can bet that a lot more motocross action will be coming to a TV near

you in the very near future.

Class Act - 7 time SX champion, Jeremy McGrath

Only in the last 2 years has the sport evolved into the National spotlight, owed in large part to the X Games, FMX Freestyle, and the popularity of superstars like Travis Pastrana, Ricky Carmichael, and 7 time Champion Jeremy McGrath, in addition to numerous other athletes.

And I do emphasize athletes. Just try holding on to 200 lbs of a bucking bronco-like machine for a half-hour! (Now add in your weight!). Also, factor in the incredibly precise manner in which these guys straight up pilot these things. They hit 10-foot faces to jumps that launch them up to 100 feet long and 45 feet high. Injury is commonplace, with broken bones, concussions, paralysis, and even death occurring.

Television coverage is typically the weekend following the race on ESPN2,

and the next day for the select ABC broadcasts. Race fans can log on to

www.pacesupercross.com, and listen to the race live as it happens, every

weekend!  (That's how I do it, because I need to know what's happening and

who's winning, NOW!)

The Pontiac track, specifically, is one of the most notorious on the

circuit with its tight, demanding layout, high speeds, and extremely

difficult technical and rhythm sections (think: hop, skip, BIG jump!).

Maybe it's just because it's the 'motorcity'. Maybe it's just because

Michigan fans are world-renowned rowdies. Maybe it's the fact that Pontiac

is the second oldest track in SX, having a history dating back into the

1970's.  Maybe its because the weather that great day went from chilly and

gray in the morning, to sunny, warm, and gorgeous by noon-who knows for

sure?  I think it's just because of its killer layout!

These guys have to ride flawlessly!

Making It Happen

It literally takes hundreds of truckloads of dirt that have to be hauled in

and carefully shaped and molded to form the jumps, whoops (consecutive

3-foot bumps) and berms (banked turns) that characterize a typical

supercross racetrack. Constructing a track is very much an art form, as

well as an exact science.  Take another look at the blueprint of Pontiac's

masterpiece track on the cover image's background. (Props to the track

designers, DirtWurx and crew). These things are marvels of physics, design,

and mathematical engineering!

As I said, the Silverdome course is tight, being a little smaller than a

football field. The dirt is rich Northern Michigan black dirt, soft and

very moist as well. This year's track had three full length rhythm

sections, more than any course so far, as well as some additional obstacles

on the lanes leading up to the triples, leaving no margin for error, and no

place for the rider to rest, except when flying through the air!

Pontiac had a 50-yard long whoop section and an over/under bridge featuring

a Z-shaped switchback (rapid direction change) going through it. Another

unique feature for the 'dome was two bowl turns all by themselves where the

track crossed the start lane. This left the approach to those turns flat

and without bumps as the riders crossed, which made for some extreme speed

coming into the corners leading out.

The Pontiac Silverdome was all decked out and ready for some carnage.

The Basics

Supercross ("SX") runs from January through May, and features shorter

tracks/laps, narrow paths for tight racing action, huge timing jumps,

littler (but by no means 'small') rhythm jumps, and demanding technical

sections.

Motocross (Outdoor Nationals, or "Nats") runs from May through September,

with the main difference being that the Nats are outdoors, on huge

racetracks that sprawl through the countryside, have twice as many racers

running, and the paths are much wider for multiple lanes around track (Yet

still feature huge jumps, rhythm sections, etc.).

Every year during the first weekend in July, the "mx-world famous" Red Bud

Track-N-Trail in the tiny burg of Buchanan, Michigan, hosts the 6th round

of 12, in the AMA-Chevy Trucks Motocross Championships.  This

bash-and-a-half is something I strongly encourage EVERYONE to attend, if

not for the awesome track and racing action, then just for the PARTY!

Check out www.redbudmx.com for more details, and look for my Redbud Report

coming this summer.

Supercross events follow a strict schedule that begins on the day before

the race.  The riders, mechanics, and associated crew arrive early to walk

the track, which is built during the week. The Factory Semi's are parked

and staged in the Pits, the bikes are prepped, and all final details are

ironed out.  Races are held on Saturday, but the stadiums are open on

Friday night for VIP tours, private meetings, contest winners, and the

like, to check out the facility, meet the riders, and such.

Sagnasty Boyz - Nick and Brad Kaczan

chillin with uncle Pahdo

Saturday is when the real fun begins.

The Main Event isn't until 7:30 PM, but the doors and the pits are open at

12:30 to the general public ticket holders.  The parties are kicking off in

the parking lot, the pits are swamped with early bird autograph seekers,

and the overall mood is in anticipation of "what's gonna happen tonight".

Getting there early is recommended, not only for the fun, but so you can

get inside and have your pick of the general admission seats.

Practice for the pros goes on during the day too, and my kids were thrilled

to be able to go down to the front row and see their motocross heroes

flying right in front of their eyes, roosting them with dirt as they scream

by. The first real racing (heats) of the day is the 125/250cc qualifiers.

For both 125cc and 250cc classes, the riders who must participate is based

on the series points rankings to date. The Top 10 ranked riders from each

class, and previous champions, are not required to enter the afternoon

qualifying heats.

This is the way it breaks down:

125cc Class: 2 Heat races (20 riders each) are just 6 laps. Finish

positions 1-9 from each heat automatically advance to the Main Event.

Finish positions 10 - 20 go to the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ).  The LCQ is

just 4 laps. Only the first 4 guys to finish will advance to the Main Event

for a starting gate of 22 riders.  (You can call these guys 'lappers',

'track fodder', or 'rolling obstacles')  No offense to anyone reading this,

that happens to have been one.

The 250cc Class: Heats 1 & 2 are 8 laps (again, 20 riders each heat).

Finish positions 1-4 advance to main event. Finish positions 5-20 go to

Semi-qualifiers.

250cc Semis: 2 Heats, each being just 6 laps. Finish positions 1-5 advance

to the Main event. Finish positions 6-16 from each semi go to the LCQ. The

LCQ for the 250's is 6 laps, and only the 1-2 finish positions advance to

'Big Show'.

The Main Event: 125cc consists of the surviving 22 riders, and is a 15-lap

race.   In the 250cc class, it's the 20 riders who made the cut, for a

20-lap showdown.

The Pontiac crowd showed its Michigan pride when home-state rider Nick Wey

won the second 250 Semi. The DeWitt, Michigan rider passed his Moto XXX

Yamaha teammate Kyle Lewis to take the lead and the crowd came to its feet.

Wey said later about his semi win: "I love coming to the Silverdome and

racing in front of my family and friends - I heard the crowd cheering me on,

and it really pumped me up."

First Timer - Underdog Branden Jesseman Upsets the Champ

The 125 Main Event - Upset:

Ludington, Michigan native Kelly Smith took the $1500

holeshot, (first out of the first turn), Team SoBe Suzuki's

Branden Jesseman right behind him, and newly crowned

125-east champ, Chad Reed, buried at the back of the pack.

Reed clinched the championship in St. Louis the week before

after sweeping the first 6 races of his rookie season.  After

a crash in the 4th lap (which claimed LCR racer Ryan Clark

wearing the helmet cam) Reed was running about fifth. Reed

had come from behind and sliced through the pack to take the

checkers numerous times already this season, so it seemed as

though this race would be no different. Jesseman had never

made a supercross podium before, and it seemed certain to

most that Reed would catch him, as he had always caught anyone

else previously.

The kid from Pennsylvania took full advantage of his good start, and began

to make a huge lead on the pack behind him. By the time Reed stuffed Eric

Sorby (a French newcomer) for second place on the 7th lap, Jesseman was

almost a full 10 seconds ahead.  (Normally, that would be an insurmountable

margin). And that's how it played out from the halfway mark to the finish

of the race. With the pressure building and the crowd very much into the

race, Reed actually reeled in Jesseman, and cut the lead to a second at the

over-under Z, when Jesseman bobbled, setting up a dramatic last-lap sprint

for the win. Unlike all the other riders before, who have folded under

Reed's intense late-race pressure, Jesseman didn't let his nerves get to

him. He out-dogged Reed to the checkereds by a bike length, finally

delivering a win to Team SoBe/Suzuki.

Looking stunned on the podium, Jesseman said,  "I don't think it's really

sunk in yet!" "I was looking behind me, I was looking aheadŠlate in the

race I heard his (Reed's) four stroke and made a few mistakes, but luckily

I held on."

The 250 Main Event - Showdown

The stage was set (and crowded!) coming into Pontiac, with no less than 10

top-speed racers vying for the podium.  Defending 250cc champ Ricky

Carmichael was fending off Frenchman David Vuillemin for the number 1

position in points, with Jeremy 'MC' McGrath in a tight battle with Ezra

Lusk for the third spot. Nathan Ramsey, Ernesto Fonseca, Stephane Ronconda,

Tim Ferry, Sebastien Tortelli, and Heath Voss rounded out the top 10.

High Flyin Action - Vuillemin, MC, and Ferry over the triple jump

The pre-race hoopla and pyro-laden opening ceremonies featured high-adrenaline tunes from the likes of Disturbed (YESSS!), Metallica, Saliva, Megadeth, and others, providing the mood-setting soundtrack while the Top 3 guys did some 'hot laps' (which is really just show-boating, trick throwin', and crowd pumping up). Ricky Carmichael put his bike almost upside-down with one of his patented whips (see cover shot for example),
McGrath threw his signature move - a long sweeping Nac-Nac (throw a leg way out to the side and back), and Vuillemin did a pansy little heel clicker. (Yawn)

The best part of 'all that' was when the three of them went

'boom-boom-boom', very close, one right after the other, throwing tricks

over the finish line jump.

It was insanely cool, but the fans at the 'dome needed little hype to get loud.

The placed rocked.

After the hot laps, a Marine color guard detail marched out an enormous

American flag while Alabama's 'Proud to be an American' song blared through

the house PA system.   The cheers when it got to the part that mentions

'Detroit', was enough to shake the rafters (and it did!).

During the Star Spangled Banner, the fans got so loud it drowned out the

singer. (Sorry, didn't catch the name)  and at the "hooooommme of

the....... brrrrrraaaaaaaaveeeeee" climax, the roar was deafening, and the

fireworks they shot off would have given the Bay City show a run for their

money!  (Okay, a slight exaggeration)

The entire pre-Main show was an amazing patriotic spectacle to witness, it

gave you the chills, bigtime.  I'll never forget it, and I hope my kids

won't either.

FINALLY!

This is what everyone had been waiting for, and the entire stadium came to

their collective feet before the starting gate even dropped.  The roar of

the crowd in anticipation for the battle that was about to occur, muffled

the high-pitched "WWWHAA-INNNNNNNNNNN" of the 2 wheeled terrors revving up

for the start. (They pin 'em, standing still, for 10 to 15 seconds prior to

the gate falling)

The gate finally dropped for the 'big one', and down the start funnel they

streaked. With what had to be tens of thousands of flashbulbs firing like a

huge strobe, the group that emerged from the first turn looked like a Honda

commercial, with Fonseca, Ramsey, Carmichael, Tortelli, and Heath Voss

running the front 5 positions.  Lusk, McGrath, Vuillemin, Ferry, and

Ronconda were all right up in there as well.

As they blitzed through the section nearest to us, I was amazed at what an

excellent start this was.  The 12-pack of leaders read like a 'who's who'

of Motocross.  I also made a mental note to mention in this article what a

ridiculous pace these guys were running.  Believe me, it was the fastest

pace I've ever seen in a Supercross race!

RC settled in, comfortably insulated by teammates Fonseca (an easy pass for

Carmichael) in the lead, and Rams behind. By the fifth lap, the rest of the

pack were all but a mere 2 seconds behind the three "Red Riders" out front.

On the 6th lap, disaster struck as RC 'looped out' coming through one of

the high-speed bowl turns! He basically did an Evel Knievel wheelie at top

speed, and lost the bike mid-air, taking an ugly crash into the corner.

Amazingly, RC didn't even stay down for a second after the spill, but

quickly got up and chased down his ride (doing a 'Frogger' impersonation

through all the traffic flying by), jumped back on with his helmet visor

busted and hanging to the side, got the Honda fired right up and began a

historic charge from almost last place.  (During the 10 or 15 seconds he

was crashing and recovering, almost the entire field passed him!)

I've watched the tape a few times since that night, and in my opinion, it

happened because RC was too fast to be following Fonseca, and constantly

had to keep changing his speed (slowing down) to stay within the comfort

bubble Fonz and Ramsey were trying to provide.  Fonseca maintained the lead

with Tortelli, Ramsey, Ezra Lusk, McGrath, Vuillemin and Tim Ferry in

single file behind him. Tortelli was the next to go down while trying to

get around Fonseca. Ramsey (who would end up winning) went down after the

whoops and hung up McGrath for a good 5 seconds in the process. Lusk

battled with Fonseca, but a case of the nerves in the whoops ended his

hopes for a win. Next to 'do the digger' would be Ferry, who managed to

pass McGrath and Ramsey for second and then Fonseca for first before his

fall.

DOH! Reigning champion Ricky Carmichael, 1 second before

Vuillemin almost cracked his head during a crash when Lusk stuffed him going through the over-under bridge section while in the lead pack. With Ramsey in the lead, McGrath who was the only rider in the top five yet to fall had his hands full in a battle with Carmichael (?). It didn't even seem possible that RC was actually in the picture! No one even noticed his run-up, due to the incredible racing that was going on up front, but RC (looking like a Storm Trooper from Star Wars - see pic) had methodically cruised right up into the top 3, preserving his points lead over Vuillemin in the process. He passed the Frenchie like he wasn't even there, and that's RC's closest competitor in points! Ricky was almost two seconds faster a lap than any other rider, and on the last lap, he got within striking distance of Ramsey.

The Silverdome Shook.

The crowd was going berserk as they sprinted towards the finish line tabletop.

Rams barely held off RC's mad charge, but the checkers flew giving

'NateDog' his first 250 win of his career, and ending RC's 6 win streak.

I believe that if the finish line were 50 yards farther, Carmichael would

have been able to pull off the win, instantly becoming the greatest come

back (for the win) in SX history. Taking second, from last, simply proved

to everyone out there, and the rest of the world, just how much faster he

really is.

After the race, this is what an obviously disappointed RC had to say of his

high speed 'get-off': "That was a stupid amateur move on my part", said

Carmichael.

Top Dogs - Nathan Ramsey 1st, Ricky Carmichael 2nd

and Jeremy McGrath 3rd place

Ramsey seemed to be in shock over how the race played out.

"I had a good start and the crowd kept me going," said Ramsey. "I may have

not been the fastest guy out there tonight, but I crossed the finish line

first."

We (and 50-some thousand of our new friends) hung around long after the

race, reeling over the thrilling spectacle we had just watched, and

realizing that we all had just witnessed the most epic Supercross race ever.

Later, when everyone was streaming out into the warm air of the Pontiac

night, hoarse voices were excitedly chatting about every detail, and every

lap, and who did what, and on, and on.

Little, spontaneous celebrations were popping up left and right as we

happily walked the 'mile' to our car, tempting us to stay for the parties,

and revel in this moment all night long.

Ahhh, but alas, we didn't / couldn't SIGGGHHHH (We did have young kids with

us, afterall).  I was saying "C'mon Baby they're up for it!"  (That is,

until about 30 seconds after we got in the car and they zonked out!)

"You should have been there"

It was 'off the hook'!  If all this sounds interesting to you, order the

Supercross Finals LIVE from Las Vegas on Pay-per-View, May 4th.  It's gonna

be awesome!

And remember - GO TO REDBUD THIS SUMMER!  July 5th - 7th, Buchanan, Michigan.

True Champion - MC gives Ricky a

helping hand and congrats after the race

Enable frames