Howdy y'all and welcome back to MotoSport.com Gear Head weekly observations! The final round watching, championship winning, Gear Head Ryan Roberts back at it with all the takes from Round 17 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross from Salt Lake City, Utah!
Well, that is it, all the championships have been handed out and the only question that was answered was that R.J. Hampshire won the 250 West championship. The overall theme to me of the series, sadly, was that the tracks this year were not good. The track didn't allow Levi Kitchen to push very hard to try and catch R.J. and it came down to the first 200 yards of the race and that decided the entire race. I don't know if the person that designs the tracks has been doing it for a long time and they are out of ideas, or if something else has changed and we can't get creative designs. Everyone did the exact same combos and did them easily, so that no one could really make up much time. Jordan Smith crashed in a turn and R.J. did catch up to winner Haiden Deegan but that was really the only movement of the whole race. Like I have repeatedly said here, I don't know how to fix it, but I have some ideas. Maybe we need to go to a Loretta Lynn's style stock class and outdoors can go wide open with mods? Slowing the bikes down a little may help competition. Possibly have some new people create tracks so bring in some fresh thoughts and ideas. We just need something to change up how the races go where start is the only thing that really matters and whomever gets a good start wins and if you get a mediocre start, you are stuck finishing around where you started.
Jett Lawrence walked away winning his championship relatively easily and all I can do is hope someone steps up their game and gives him some kind of challenge in the near future. I don't see anyone coming up from 250s or anyone in the 450s that can give him a challenge. The only real slip ups that Jett had this year were in mud races and without those he wraps up the Championship with one, maybe two rounds to go. Can this become a Jeremy McGrath era type run where the only thing we wonder is who is getting second place each weekend? I am very concerned that we are there.
Jason Anderson and Hunter Lawrence had a run in and that was really the most exciting thing that happened all night. Anderson is someone who definitely doesn't care about getting into it with people, but folks at Kawasaki have got to be over it. If any rider wants to win a Championship in this era, you can't make enemies out on the track. You must have guys that are racing you with respect and that you know won't take you out as soon as they get a chance. So, if Anderson wants to keep riding like that, that is his prerogative, but don't expect to be competing for a title any time soon.
That's it folks, all 17 rounds of the AMA Monster energy Supercross series are done and dusted. This is your favorite Gear Head Ryan Roberts checking out and remember kids, if you need anything for any bike, dirt or street, ATV, UTV, just hit up any Gear Head at MotoSport.com and we will get you hooked up! The next time we see you will be at Pala for the opening round of the outdoor nationals, which Motosport.com is a huge sponsor and supporter. We will see you in the Great Outdoors!
