2013 Monster Energy Cup: Comments

The Monster Energy Cup is perhaps the single most revealing race of the year.  This is the only opportunity we get to see a mixed field of 250 and 450 riders competing on a level playing field.  Since its inception in 2011, it has intrigued audiences around the globe by offering us a glimpse into the exciting potential of Supercross.

Reviewing the results from last year it’s easy to see that the skill level of these riders is pretty close and with only 10 lap main events the race eliminates, for the most part, the conditioning factor.  Most competitors have some sort of factory support so the machines are darn near identical in terms of power and handling.

The track itself is another major distinction with designs so unique that even your season champions are not easily favored.  The split start is really cool and sets the race up nicely.  The high bank turn didn’t really seem to have much of an impact to the TV viewer but sure looks fun from the riders’ standpoint.  My favorite section has to be the Joker Lane because it’s not about simply taking a different line.  There is strategy involved so the riders have to rely on their pit crew to guide them effectively.

Prizes of course are the main motivation for this race and the guys will most certainly ride with the usual intensity.  You also have the special attractions like the Dirt Shark Biggest Whip contest and your chance to see some extreme Freestyle Motocross riding at its finest.  Let’s not forget all the amateur riders looking to make some noise and perhaps pique the interest of some curious team managers looking for the next bright star.

All in all it should be one heck of a good time.  It looks like we have a list of riders scheduled to compete for cash and prizes.  It’ll take me a few days to go through them but I should have some predictions forthcoming.  In the mean time check out the MEC website www.monsterenergycup.com for the latest developments and great virtual track pics.  Thanks for checking in and stayed tuned, I’ve got some great ideas for this project of mine; till then….

The Roost'r

2013 Motocross: The Final Episode

Photo: allisports.com

So the 2013 motocross season is in the books and even though the championships were determined earlier at Salt Lake City it sure didn’t diminish the excitement out at Lake Elsinore.  I'd also like to congratulate Jeremy Martin for earning rookie of the year.  He's been such a competitor all year and certainly deserves the recognition; congratulations Jeremy.

We must have all guessed that the champs wouldn’t let up and they certainly didn’t as both Villopoto and Tomac finished in top form.  The Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot award went to James Stewart and most certainly the easiest prize money Stewart has ever made while sitting at home watching from his couch.  By the way, why should the 450’s earn more than the 250’s?  The challenge is the same for both classes; I’m just saying.  It should be interesting to see how Tomac and Roczen shake up the 450 class next year and after their performances this year they should be able to squeeze a couple of vets out of the top 10.

Almost all season I have had to resort to watching the replays thanks to Allisports, perhaps one day we’ll be able to catch motocross and supercross at any sports bar.  Out of the 11 rounds in which I made predictions I was 29% overall for both classes.  In the 250 class I was 28% over 11 rounds and 30% in the 450 class.  My best was 40% overall which happened twice; Washougal and Lake Elsinore.  I have a formula I use that could work great; I just need to keep working on the metric for dealing with crashes and injuries.  Then there is the lack of access for timely news and rider updates; this perhaps is my greatest handicap. 

My results for supercross are incomplete because I didn’t start to include a handicap until close to mid-season but from the looks of things I think I did much better once the handicap was implemented.

It’s been really fun making predictions and I have a few months to perfect my methods.  I’ve been working my own scoring system for over a year now and it looks I should be able to reveal some exciting news in the next few months.  Till then, have a great summer and check back often for Roost’r updates, or better yet subscribe and get updates sent directly to your email inbox.

I thought about working the Motocross of Nations but I just don’t know enough about most of the riders for it to work.  So the next contest is the Monster Energy Cup in October.  I really like this race because it brings out some unique competition and some interesting matchups.  Until then, check back, I may have some updates before then or better yet subscribe using the g+1 button.

Have a great end of summer and see you soon.

The Roost’r