No James Stewart and no Ryan Villopoto – what have our outdoor Nationals come to!?! Is it even possible to have a good series without these guys? They are the stars of our sport, the most influential riding technicians, tacticians and ass-kickians.

Without them Mike Alessi actually won an overall. That blows my mind. I’ve become so accustomed to seeing Holeshot Mikey blast to the front and then get mowed down it barely even registers anymore. The guy isn’t my favorite rider, but he definitely works his tail off, bounces back time and time again after defeat and this is what happens. He was right in the thick of a championship battle a couple years ago when circumstance threw the series wide open late in the game. He’s my pick for the title this year. And frankly, for once, I think he will deserve it.

How about Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Chad Reed? Good to see him back outdoors, I guess... Watching that guy hem and haw until Stewart bowed out before committing reminded me of the annual pussyfoot in the Supercross Lites class - decide which coast will be the hardest and then go the other way. However, Reed’s still a big name, a big draw and a big threat for the title.

Ivan Tedesco is rocking so far. He seems to do this every year with spurts of speed and then crash his way out of contention. Maybe he or any of the other Red Bull Honda riders will see the golden opportunity before them and step up. Andrew Short would be a prime candidate.

Not only is this a great opportunity for the racers, but for fans, sponsors and the young series promoters. Motocross racing is always better when there isn’t a single guy slaughtering everyone. Guys are going to be hanging it all out for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to run the tables without the big dogs hanging around. It’s a free-for-all right now to see who will emerge as the temporary alpha male. So does motocross need Stew and RV Park? It's one of those glass half-empty/half-full things.