Bike Week is now officially done and over, and the streets of Daytona no longer rumble and shake from uncorked Harleys and sportbikes. It’s so quiet that some may not believe the center of the dirt bike racing universe had been here just 36 hours ago. The GOAT-designed track is still standing, but the men who battled with the ruts and sand have all split the scene. The race team transporters are already motoring up the interstate towards the Canadian border, but we’re still here cleaning the infield roost off our cameras and digesting all the action from the famous Daytona Supercross.
The Daytona Supercross track lived up to its reputation once again. Some rider struggled all night, while some made it look easy.
This week the race teams worked out of the garages usually used by NASCAR teams, giving fans a close look at their favorite rider’s machines. A couple of the factory teams had an extra bike in their stable this weekend. Ryan Morais filled in for Matt Moss, who is out with a busted wrist. This was the West Coast Lites rider’s first race since his horrific crash at Anaheim 2. Morais went through a rigorous physical therapy regimen in a bid to return at A3, but he was still in too much pain to make the last race before the long break. The 27-year-old from Murrieta, California rode to a 10th-place finish, “I feel like I could’ve done better, but I’ll build off of it and get better from here on out,” he said.
Monster Energy Kawasaki also had three bikes inside their garage as Chad Reed made his return to the series. It was unclear all week if the Australian as going to throw his leg over the Number-22 KX450F in competition. The rumor mill was pegged wide open. Reed was already unsure about racing, but then he jacked his right thumb in a practice crash this week. Kawasaki sources could only tell us to wait until practice was over, and then we would know. During the first practice session he laid down the fastest qualifying lap that would be seen for the 450-class. It seemed Reed was back and was going to destroy everybody, but at the 11th hour we received a text from Kawasaki Racing PR that it was a no-go. With a sore right thumb and left hand that is still on the mend, it was decided that he had better wait until he is fully ready to return. We hope to see the two-time champ this weekend in Toronto.
Despite being the quickest in the 450-class, Chad Reed decide to postpone his return to racing. Expect to see the Kawasaki rider in Toronto.
The first lap of the Supercross main was red flagged when Grant Langston had a huge get off on a step-on step-off section along the back straight. The JL Racing rider’s footpegs dug into the soft face of the step-off, throwing him nose down into the next jump and over the bars. For a few minutes, Langston laid motionless on the track while the Asterisk Medical Team assessed his injuries. Track workers close to the accident said it looked like he was unconscious for a short time. As the field returned to the starting gate Langston was placed on a backboard and moved to an ambulance. The South African managed to give the crowd a wave as he was carried off the track. Whitney Langston, Grant’s sister, reported that he had hit his head hard and went in for a CT scan. The full extent of Langston’s injuries has not been made public yet, but he was able to post a short update to his Facebook page, “Hi everyone, and thanks for the outpouring support, I have several injury's, but nothing to serious. I will be going for further evaluation, and will be out of racing for a while!”
Josh Hill continued his slide, the Oregon rider looking the exact opposite of early-season self. Once a model of consistency with five-straight podiums, San Manuel Yamaha's sole rider once again missed the box with a dismal ninth-place result. Battling for the points lead had a mental effect and the YZ450F rider is looking forward to getting back to speed and breaking out of this slump.
"I don't know what's going on," he admitted in a Yamaha press release. "I know I have the speed, but I'm just lacking the intensity in the first few laps. I think maybe I have to just go out and race and forget about points and everything else, because when I did that in the beginning of the year, things went really good."
Although Christophe Pourcel told us he was not 100%, he beat 100% of his competitors across the finish line.
The flying Frenchman, Christophe Pourcel put on a clinic on the rough and rutted infield track. The Pro Circuit rider nabbed his third win in as many races. During qualifying he turned the fastest lap; that’s including the 450-class! At the post-race press conference Pourcel kidded around with Ryan Villopoto, “I smoked you. 1:02! You’d better check it out!”
In an interview before Saturday’s practice, the now two-time winner of Daytona revealed he was not 100% at the Atlanta Supercross and is still not fully up to speed. The week before he crashed while practicing, hitting his head very hard, “I didn’t know if I could ride last weekend. I’m better than last weekend, but I’ll be better next weekend.” That little tidbit is part of a longer interview that you can check out on Wednesday. What does this mean for the other Lites riders? They had better dig deep and find some extra speed, or else they will be racing for second place.
Stayed tuned as the series heads north to Toronto, Canada. Also check back for updates on Reed’s return and Langston’s condition.
