Not sure we'll ever see the likes of RC again in our lifetime. Every rider out there would be happy with second place, but RC hates losing more than winning. Relentless determination...
My guess to that is that RC will not line up for an AMA Pro National ever again since he retired after the 2007 MX des Nations. Ricky said he wanted to go out on top, and that's what he did. What he did with 10 MX titles in 10 years, 3 perfect seasons, 150 combined MX/SX wins, 5 SX titles from 2001-2006... nobody will ever topple those stats ever. The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is Ricky's back-to-back perfect seasons in 2004 and 2005. That's a stat that I feel nobody will EVER match.
Right. If you're a Stewart fan, it's got to be frustrating that James lost almost all of them, and anytime he won, it was because of a mistake on Ricky's behalf.
Totally! This also went down as one of the last times Ricky was beaten straight up, too until 2003 when Windham won 6 motos. Unfortunately, Windham started kinda doing the wrong things while at Suzuki, and the femur injury was the cherry on top. Personally, I'm glad to see that Kevin Windham didn't end his career like that. Kevin was better than ever after coming back in summer '03. Although Windham didn't win anymore titles after 1997, I certainly liked that he ended his career on better terms and not from an injury.
True there. The culprit was the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Ricky was going through (stomach problems) going back to Unadilla. There were even reports on the Internet that Ricky crapped his pants at the last race at Troy.
@@chadflorack9342 Ricky had said that it was irritable bowel syndrome before the first 250cc moto got under way. I have the full broadcast on my channel for proof.
Its nice to see a race where Ricky Carmichael got beat straight up, I have nothing against the guy, but most of his career wins were kind of the uninteresting "get to the lead and check out" type of deals, which isn't as interesting as an epic race long battle for the lead, much like this race was! Windham did look very good on that RM in this race. You could also tell in this footage that the four-strokes were in their infancy. I noticed Tim Ferry's bike had that popping/gurgling running quality, which was common on the first gen carbed 4-strokes. Also, it looked like Carmichael's KX 250 (actually wouldn't his be a SR 250?) and Windham's RM definitely didn't seem outgunned by Ferry's YZF at all...fast forward 4 years and other then James Stewart (well the entire Kawasaki squad that year), the 2-strokes were all gone and the one's left were struggling to keep up with the big thumpers.
Same here. It's races like these where I would say that James Stewart (despite the unforgettable battles) has NOT beaten Ricky straight up in an AMA Motocross. Chad Watts said it best about Kevin Windham -- "when he's on, he's on." This was an example of Kevin being "on." Anytime Stewart won was because of a goof on Carmichael's behalf. Yeah, 4-strokes were definitely in their infancy in this time period; FTR, I actually find the 4-stroke period to start at the '97 Vegas finale when Henry won. You also couldn't forget how much trouble Ernesto Fonseca was having on that YZ250F in the 125cc class -- specifically trying to restart the motorcycle. At the time, I felt the 4-strokes in the 125cc class was a fair rule simply because Henry and Button rode the 4-strokes in the 250cc class, and that it'd be only fair if people could do that in the 125cc class. That was my take on it. Honestly, I hadn't heard SR250 for a Kawasaki once. I still remember Davey Coombs saying "KX250" on the 2000 Glen Helen broadcast. Yeah, you could see that the 2-strokes were definitely more competitive with the 4-strokes, and 2005 (the year Kawi didn't have their 450 available) was when James Stewart paid for it big time. You still had to give JS a ton of credit for still trying to win a race on that 250 against all the 450s, but it also proved what David Bailey said about the 250cc class being "different." At the same time, that had to have been James Stewart's first lesson about the 250cc class -- when he rode the 125cc class, NOBODY was man enough to take him on; in the 250cc class, NOBODY is going to let you have a moto win! They don't care if your name is James Stewart, or how many records you set and/or broke in the 125cc class, etc.
SR was the factory Kawasaki designation for the works race bikes. I believe it stood for "special racer" from Japanese translation **when factory bikes were just that, production spec but basically hand made for the racer and before energy drinks took over our sport
@@DM_-mq6dv As I was growing up, I always heard "KX" for Kawasaki. Not once did I hear "SR250" or anything like that. I should know -- I rode a KX60 in 1998 myself; Davey Coombs even said "KX250" on the Glen Helen 2000 broadcast, and has also said "KX250F" on the San Diego 2004 125cc broadcast.
Indeed. :) I still consider Kevin Windham the last rider to really beat Ricky straight up. I wouldn't put James Stewart in that category because he always won when Ricky made a mistake on his behalf.
Not sure we'll ever see the likes of RC again in our lifetime. Every rider out there would be happy with second place, but RC hates losing more than winning. Relentless determination...
My guess to that is that RC will not line up for an AMA Pro National ever again since he retired after the 2007 MX des Nations. Ricky said he wanted to go out on top, and that's what he did. What he did with 10 MX titles in 10 years, 3 perfect seasons, 150 combined MX/SX wins, 5 SX titles from 2001-2006... nobody will ever topple those stats ever. The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is Ricky's back-to-back perfect seasons in 2004 and 2005. That's a stat that I feel nobody will EVER match.
thats why him and stew gave us such good battles!
Right. If you're a Stewart fan, it's got to be frustrating that James lost almost all of them, and anytime he won, it was because of a mistake on Ricky's behalf.
This was a huge moment for KW. One of the few at Suzuki.
Totally! This also went down as one of the last times Ricky was beaten straight up, too until 2003 when Windham won 6 motos. Unfortunately, Windham started kinda doing the wrong things while at Suzuki, and the femur injury was the cherry on top.
Personally, I'm glad to see that Kevin Windham didn't end his career like that. Kevin was better than ever after coming back in summer '03. Although Windham didn't win anymore titles after 1997, I certainly liked that he ended his career on better terms and not from an injury.
The only time I've ever seen Ricky loose when I feel like he was giving his all.
True there. The culprit was the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Ricky was going through (stomach problems) going back to Unadilla. There were even reports on the Internet that Ricky crapped his pants at the last race at Troy.
Huh, had no idea. Good to know....
Lol guess I'll let him have that one
@@chadflorack9342 Ricky had said that it was irritable bowel syndrome before the first 250cc moto got under way. I have the full broadcast on my channel for proof.
I was at thi s race first outdoor awsome atmosphere
Lucky you! One of my Dad's friends went to this race in 2005.
Its nice to see a race where Ricky Carmichael got beat straight up, I have nothing against the guy, but most of his career wins were kind of the uninteresting "get to the lead and check out" type of deals, which isn't as interesting as an epic race long battle for the lead, much like this race was! Windham did look very good on that RM in this race.
You could also tell in this footage that the four-strokes were in their infancy. I noticed Tim Ferry's bike had that popping/gurgling running quality, which was common on the first gen carbed 4-strokes. Also, it looked like Carmichael's KX 250 (actually wouldn't his be a SR 250?) and Windham's RM definitely didn't seem outgunned by Ferry's YZF at all...fast forward 4 years and other then James Stewart (well the entire Kawasaki squad that year), the 2-strokes were all gone and the one's left were struggling to keep up with the big thumpers.
Same here. It's races like these where I would say that James Stewart (despite the unforgettable battles) has NOT beaten Ricky straight up in an AMA Motocross. Chad Watts said it best about Kevin Windham -- "when he's on, he's on." This was an example of Kevin being "on." Anytime Stewart won was because of a goof on Carmichael's behalf.
Yeah, 4-strokes were definitely in their infancy in this time period; FTR, I actually find the 4-stroke period to start at the '97 Vegas finale when Henry won. You also couldn't forget how much trouble Ernesto Fonseca was having on that YZ250F in the 125cc class -- specifically trying to restart the motorcycle. At the time, I felt the 4-strokes in the 125cc class was a fair rule simply because Henry and Button rode the 4-strokes in the 250cc class, and that it'd be only fair if people could do that in the 125cc class. That was my take on it.
Honestly, I hadn't heard SR250 for a Kawasaki once. I still remember Davey Coombs saying "KX250" on the 2000 Glen Helen broadcast. Yeah, you could see that the 2-strokes were definitely more competitive with the 4-strokes, and 2005 (the year Kawi didn't have their 450 available) was when James Stewart paid for it big time. You still had to give JS a ton of credit for still trying to win a race on that 250 against all the 450s, but it also proved what David Bailey said about the 250cc class being "different." At the same time, that had to have been James Stewart's first lesson about the 250cc class -- when he rode the 125cc class, NOBODY was man enough to take him on; in the 250cc class, NOBODY is going to let you have a moto win! They don't care if your name is James Stewart, or how many records you set and/or broke in the 125cc class, etc.
@@MathewVsSportsMediaandGames That's some WAAAY too hardcore moto knowledge - I say that as I know and remember what you wrote!!
@@kevinoneill1516 Little things like what I put in the description really come in handy. I follow the racing aspect of the sport very closely, too.
SR was the factory Kawasaki designation for the works race bikes.
I believe it stood for "special racer" from Japanese translation
**when factory bikes were just that, production spec but basically hand made for the racer and before energy drinks took over our sport
@@DM_-mq6dv As I was growing up, I always heard "KX" for Kawasaki. Not once did I hear "SR250" or anything like that. I should know -- I rode a KX60 in 1998 myself; Davey Coombs even said "KX250" on the Glen Helen 2000 broadcast, and has also said "KX250F" on the San Diego 2004 125cc broadcast.
Looking back, you can hear him saying, about basically jumping ship off that Kawasaki.
Well, it was pretty much confirmed at the last race in Troy, but I think it truly started coming out at the Vegas Supercross finale IMO.
I was there
How about that! Lucky you! :)
Yeah k-dub
Indeed. :) I still consider Kevin Windham the last rider to really beat Ricky straight up. I wouldn't put James Stewart in that category because he always won when Ricky made a mistake on his behalf.