Now for Some Good News - Jordan DeLaurier Takes Steps

Some good news!

Paul DeLaurier's son Jordan, who was paralyzed earlier this year in a riding accident, has been using his arms and a little over a week ago, walked about 25 steps with the help of a walker.

He's been in rehab in Southern California. The recovery thus far has been described as "a miracle," and well beyond what medical folks predicted after the injury.

His dad Paul is one of the most familiar faces in the pits. Paul wrenched for Damon Bradshaw, Mike LaRocco, Mike Alessi, and until a few rounds into SX this year, Chad Reed. Paul is taking 6 months off from L&M Racing (and so did his wife, from her job at Weekend Warrior) to care for their son every day.

Good for them, good for Jordan, and hope for more and a full recovery. This is another example of medicine abusing SCI patients in the beginning by giving them too little hope. Never listen!

See "Cannonlady" shoot 165 ft Out of a Cannon at MiniMotoSX

That's as crazy as a 2-stroke in a main event....

Meet "Cannonlady," who is getting ready to shoot out of a cannon and then go 165 ft into a net in the Orleans Arena Friday night!

That's has to be the craziest thing since the Skycycle...

L&M Racing Donates $5,000 to Asterisk Mobile Medical Center

Larry Brooks gave the Asterisk Mobile Medical Center a $5,000 donation Saturday at Seattle.

The "Asterisk Rig," as they call it in the pits, is supported by donations from teams like this. Before the Asterisk rig days, we had a steady supply of horror stories about getting back and forth to local hospitals, emergency room delays, issues with medical decisions keeping the athelete in mind, things like that. No one wants to go back to the pre-Asterisk days.

Now there is a well-equipped medical semi right at the track entrance, and either Dr Bodnar or Dr Augustine out there and ready to go, for every lap or practice and every lap at night.

That's It!

A Lifetime of Dreams ...

James Stewart has dreamed of becoming the AMA Supercross champion since minibike days. Big James has been there, driving the RV, coaching, and cheering in his personal and entertaining way. Here James and Big James enjoy a quiet moment in the middle of interview time to reflect on making it to the very top.

What next? James is 21 and headed to Vegas!

Willard Wins the 2-Stroke Challenge

It started on a message board with a humble post by the web's funniest moto guy, Rupert X. He wanted someone to make a main on a 2-stroke so bad, he will give someone $5 to do it! He got his wish at Seattle, and Michael Willard on a one-off KTM125 got a lot more than $5 for the honor of making a main in the age of powerful 4-strokes.

Willard and KTM's race shop in California worked together to revive some parts (like an engine) from 2004, back when first turn photos were all Yamaha 250Fs and KTMs. Those bikes hauled.

The "2-Stroke Challenge," organized and funded entirely by fans, was up to $3,700, plus one Canadian showoff, our pal Hammertime with another grand, US money too! He was on hand to pay in cash.

Also going for the 2-Stroke Challenge was Cole Siebler, who rides for Wyvern. He took a chance on missing out a few series points with a slower bike, to have some fun and hopefully take the money! Unfortunately he didn't get a good enough start in his heat or LCQ to get in reach of the main.

But Willard made it!

His start in his heat was mid-pack, but he just needed 9th to make the main and take the money. As the heat was closing, he was about on the line, then back it seemed, but on the last lap, with his dad and KTM, and the 2-stroke fans on the edge of their seats, he came out of the last turn in 9th with LaPaglia on his rear wheel!

Willard was totally going for it on that 125, and was already counting bikes before he even landed on the finish double. He looked around for someone who would know and he got the news - ninth - he made it!

Scott Metz was the first to try the 2-Stroke Challenge, on a borrowed RM250. Stewart's pal Eric Sorby started riding a KX250 they "just happened to have" laying around before Orlando but he didn't feel ready. The next would have to wait for Seattle.

To make it even better, Willard's dad got the Motorcycle Mechanic Institute's award for the night, for another $500.

Even the series folks and AMA are into it. In the morning after sound, the AMA guys doing the test would wave at media walking by and say "We passed 2 two strokes!" They were really quiet too.

Why again did we quit racing those things in supercross?

Weekend Window salutes the fans that helped make the Seattle supercross 2007 a great one by inventing and funding the 2-Stroke Challenge, KTM North America for opening up the parts room to have some fun and take on a challenge, and Willard for going for it!

Hammertime paid up! I take back all the crap I said about Canada, really I do! I had them mixed up with Ohio.



















It's all in the front fender sticker!

Double DQ - Partridge and Davalos

The Lites west title was decided before Seattle (Villopoto champion), and everyone was pretty just slammed with outdoor testing during the break, but they seemed to show up at Seattle ready to prove something all over again.

This was even in the heat races! In heat one, Kyle Partridge was putting in a great ride out front, but Josh Hill caught and passed him for the heat win. Davalos and Partridge get together coming out of the last turn and towards the finish double.

Partridge tumbles and his bike goes off the track to the left, taking out Tuff Blox and tangling with wiring. He got going again and ran into Davalos after he finished, and the two got in a scuffle.

That was just too much for the AMA, and the two were both DQ'd for the night. The AMA trailer did get a visit to oppose the move, but this one didn't make a lot of waves. The mood seemed to be "well you don't don't fight like that in front of everyone, unless you are Tyler Evans!"

(Note - TE is on double secret probation or something already anyway.)