TMX Says: Rain-hit MXGP surprised us all
By TMX Archives on 9th Mar 17
Some things are just so much better when theyre wetter and I reckon that the Indonesian MXGP was definitely one of them.
There's been a lot of talk on the interwebs about how rubbish it all was and how they (they being Youthstream) should never have gone there (there being Indonesia) during monsoon season (monsoon season being when it rains lots) or at all, preferably.
It's definitely true that Pangkal Pinang could never be classed as a hotbed of motocross but there's no denying that the spectators – many who seemed to not own shoes – turned out in their droves and paid the entrance fee. So there is interest.
In fact, it's safe to say that there's a whole lot more interest in MXGP in this part of the world than there has ever been in SoCal which is basically the epicentre of MX in the US...
Of course, fan interest is not reason enough to go anywhere and when the World Championship does commit to visiting a certain venue then that venue needs to be up to hosting an event of this stature.
Pangkal Pinang obviously ticked Youthstream's boxes in that respect – the bigger problem was the timescale in which they delivered it.
Had the track been built last September and let stand up until now then not only would it have looked a damn sight better (with grass and stuff surrounding it rather than just a sea of grey mud) but it would have taken the rain much better as well.
Many riders said that the layout was actually pretty good but since it had all just been built, so once the rains came the soil just soaked it all up like a huge sponge, which in turn created these huge boggy sections that became impassable over time.
But I feel that this actually added to the spectacle and helped create interesting racing as riders were forced to think about line selection and how to tackle certain sections.
Had the rains not come then us TV fans would have been ‘treated' to yet another really boring flat-out jump-fest. Snore.
Just for giggles let's make a list of things everyone hated about the Pangkal Pinang GP:
1 – it was rutty.
2 – it was boggy.
3 – it was held during monsoon season.
4 – the TV footage was blurry.
Now let's see if that list applies to any events we've liked over the years and – I mean – actually liked and not just given a Facebook thumbs up to.
The Hawkstone International – held annually in February the weather can be a tad suspect at this event. Heck, it's even been rained off in the past what with it being winter and that.
As a result the track is often boggy and there are ruts – lots of ruts. In fact, if you're nuts for ruts then this is the event for you.
It's also fair to say that the TV footage from this event is blurry – thanks Motors TV. However, despite delivering all of those things that we hate (this week) we actually love this event (long time)!
The 2006 Motocross of Nations – back in September 2006, the Winchester area was battered by storms just before the MXoN hit town.
To be fair September isn't the UK's wettest month – October (that bodes well, huh?) and November are – but on this occasion Matterley Basin was wetter than an otter's pocket.
As a result the track was rutty and boggy and people still rave about how good the racing was that weekend but not the quality of TV coverage.
So, erm, yeah. Moisture is good, right?
