No-Show?
By TMX Archives on 10th Aug 04
IT'S DIFFICULT these days to write a column that isn't about - whether directly or indirectly - Ricky Carmichael. As I write this he is two-thirds of the way into what could be his second undefeated outdoor national season. He has now won 16 of 16 motos for eight consecutive wins in the 2004 AMA/Chevrolet US National motocross championship. Even more impressive is the fashion in which he is steamrolling his opposition - he consistently defeats a field But that wasn't the biggest Ricky story of the last week. On July 27 Carmichael wrote an open letter to his fans explaining why he would not be attending this year's Motocross des Nations in Lierop, Holland. Citing his impending switch from Honda to Suzuki and some as-yet-unresolved questions about when exactly he would be released from his Honda contract RC regretfully withdrew his name from the Team USA shortlist. The fans accepted this with little or no problem - an encouraging sign that the Ricky-haters have seemingly stopped the hating (only a year or two ago he would regularly be greeted with a chorus of boos - especially at West Coast supercrosses). But, as understanding as the fans and the MX community were, that announcement put a serious hole in Team USA's already leaky hull. Very simply put, Americans like to win. I mean, we really, really like to win. We need to win and if we don't we generally blame it on the game. That's a big reason that football isn't as popular here as it could/should be. But rest assured if we ever win the World Cup (I'll pause for a moment so you can shudder), its popularity will skyrocket to unimagined new levels. Although we'll still call it soccer. During the '97-'99 dry spell during which we failed to win the des Nations even once interest in the event dropped to an all-time low. In fact, we here at Racer X actually had to start a 'Team USA Still Matters' fundraising drive to help pay for the 2000 team's expenses and ensure their spot on the gate. That was the year that Carmichael, a young Travis Pastrana and the veteran Ryan Hughes pulled together for the win in St. Jean d'Angely and the MXdN bandwagon started rolling once more. People were excited again. Then, of course, came September 11 2001. The American team withdrew from the event - held not long after that terrible day. As a consequence most of us aren't even sure who won or if it was held at all. The next year was the infamous debacle at California's Competition Park, where the promoters bumbled things so badly the event couldn't be held at all. A patchwork des Nations was indeed held as was the World Cup of Motocross - a sort of bandage race for those disappointed that the American des Nations didn't quite come off. Last year was most notable for the Carmichael-Everts duel and that was enough to get the kids excited once again. But for this year's event the trouble started once more. As I said last month television coverage would go a long way toward determining American involvement in the race. And it turns out that we will indeed get to see some of the racing on the tube over here - in the form of an hour-long highlights package. There's still no word on when exactly it will air though and to be honest people aren't going to get together with their buddies to cheer for a race that happened a month ago. But Carmichael's withdrawal from the team, while accepted and entirely understandable, was probably the biggest sign that things aren't looking good for our involvement. RC has consistently stepped up over the past six years taking the leadership of the American squad on his shoulders. He loves the des Nations and I'm sure will continue to volunteer his services in the future. This time around though it may be tough to carry on without our captain. That's not to say that no other riders have expressed interest. Former GP competitors Mike Brown and Ryan Hughes have both said they will go. And another member of that winning 2000 squad has also thrown one of his many hats into the ring - Travis Pastrana desperately wants to be on the team. "I fully realise that I haven't done anything as of late to inspire a lot of confidence in anyone that I can finish a race - let alone win one." That was the opening line in a letter Travis sent to the Racer X office. "I can ride sand till the cows come home and I can do it well. I only lost one moto in my life at Southwick and it was a second place after a tangle up in the first turn...and it was to Mike Brown who I hear would also give his right arm for a shot at the des Nations." Now that's the spirit! A Pastrana/Brown/Hughes team seems the most likely if we do attend. Hughes has admitted that he is a less-than-stellar sand rider but he is willing to put it all on the line. Brown has repeatedly said that he truly wants to go. And Travis...well, Travis may not have finished a race in the last year but as usual his heart is in the right place even if his head may not be. To be honest my guess is that we won't field a team this year. The process has dragged on too long and there are too many bumps in this particular road to go much further. If we start planning right now, maybe we can work out a plan for 2005. Until then we can comfort ourselves with the knowledge that for at least three or four US riders Team USA really does still matter.