2007 Supercross Awards Banquet

The Supercross awards have come a long way. In recent years, the show has shifted a bit from the MTV Awards of SX to the Academy Awards - a bit toned down, and in a theater instead of a banquet hall and a bunch of round tabes.




















Jeff Gibson and date on the welcome carpet, proud dad not far behind.













Center - Torsten Hallman, the namesake of Thor.


















Ryan Dungey and his ticket to the show.














Stewart's crew - (L to R) Rado, James, Beeker, Soreballs (Eric Sorby)












RC spoke first and gave a really detailed rundown of his amazing career. How often do you get to hear that? It was really good.


















Dungey won the Dave Coombs Sr. Supercross Lites East/West Shootout, and the new Golden Mike award for being good with media.


















The lovely new Miss SX is Sara Lipert, and she rides!


















"Team manager of the year? When the year started, I didn't even know I was manager!" Chris Mcavroy, Yamaha of Troy.













Pro Circuit - Team of the year. Of course!


















Jeremy Albrecht - Mechanic of the Year, and on his way to Joe Gibbs Racing (eventually).













Brent Myron, MMI Privateer Mechanic of the Year, and DV, Top Privateer.


















Ryan Villopoto - Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series Lites West Champion













Ben Townley - Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series Lites East Champion













It's time for the big one.














Here James, the sport is in your hands, if you can pick this heavy mofo up!














James Stewart's time - The new AMA and world Amp'd Mobile Supercross champion.













"Uh that's enough Erik...." His unscheduled speech went a bit long...

:)













Proving the drs wrong! Jordan DeLaurier is fighting back from a spinal injury that gave him no hope. Never tell a motocrosser there is no hope, unless you want him to prove you wrong.















Chad and Ernie.

Supercross Going Global

Before our full on banquet report, some notes from the banquet's closing comments by Charlie Mancuso, President of Live Nation's motor sports division, who spoke briefy about the future of supercross.














Mancuso likes to use the supercross banquet to announce the series' priorities and struggles, and usually some news bits. This time Mancuso confirmed that Orlando was off the schedule, and Minneapolis back on it.

Just some notes:

Mancuso's talk: The real message was that the future of supercross is global, and there is going to be just one series championship. Expect things to pick up after next year on the globalization part. He didn't go into specifics, but this comes just after a couple of days of talking with the FIM's Wolfgang SRB, who was in town.














Banquet Opens: "Hey, I'm a global sponsor, I want a global series..."

Peter Adderton's Intro: Peter Adderton, CEO of Amp'd Mobile, actually spoke first at the banquet opening and pretty much said as an international company and series sponsor, he would like to see an international series.















"Nice weather!" The FIM's motocross commission president Wolfgang SRB and AMA's new president Robert Dingman.

Wolfgang's visit: Wolfgang SRB wasn't revealing exactly why he was in town and just joked about casinos, but it was pretty easy. The supercross agreement that created the second FIM trophy runs out in 2009. It's only a matter of time before that idea gets scrapped, and the series doesn't want to walk away from the global market. There were a lot of meetings last weekend before the banquet.

AMA Included: Also in town and walking the pits with SRB, the AMA's new president, Robert Dingman. He also wasn't revealing anything about the meetings, but his presence indicates it's heavy duty (like globalization).

Pit Buzz: A few things kicking around...One is Vancouver and it's moon dirt get dropped and Toronto just becomes part of one series, near Detroit in the schedule. Then everyone gets December off again.

After 2008, anything goes. There has been for quite a while rumors of Amp'd Mobile Supercross in Japan and Australia, and looking to new markets in Asia.

Wow, It Really Pays to be Top Privateer!

.

After Midnight Pics - Vegas Finals

J-Bone, Stewart's mechanic, will manage a new SXMX team, Joe Gibbs Racing, in 2008. The team is looking to run 2 podium/top 5 450 guys to start with.













What a great story! Thanks to Rup X for starting it, PD441 (white shirt next to Willard) and the message boards for getting behind an amazing project, and KTM for having some fun with the web folks, hammertime for his big mouth and extra grand (So the final pay was $3,200 from message board people and 1K from hammer, total $4,200, and of course thanks to Willard for giving fans a great story.


"Supercross's Biggest Loser," Bevo Forti, lost 62 Lb for the Riderdown Foundation! BTW-the foundation is planning something special for Doug Henry at Southwick. Since Riderdown is for amateurs, the Doug Henry project will be a separate thing. Start saving your money for some Doug Henry stuff!


















Lose a bet?














David Vuillemin won this Warrior trailer and $25,000 for being top privateer. Earlier in the day, that same privateer team gave the Asterisk Mobile Medical Center a full-on $5,000 donation.

Rob Buydos, left, the night's replacement "energy announcer." Rob calls the Parts Unlimited public area in the afternoons, and announces at the outdoor nationals.


















RC's schedule for the nationals? Start with the first 5. See ya at Hangtown. (You too Stefan).

Saturday Morning, Vegas Finals

Here's the unique start that starts outside the stadium. They go here and then go left, down thunder Alley and into the stadium.













Leatt Brace guys surprised the KJSC group at the Vegas finals with a custom Leatt Brace for each rider, to keep! Good job Leatt!














Wolfgang in Vegas, must just be to check out the casinos.

Road 2 Recovery Golf Tourney - Memorable Day

Aaron Baker is proving doctors wrong every day of his life. Never tell a motocrosser he will never walk again! Right after his injury 8 years ago, his mom and family refused to believe the doctors that said there was no hope for him walking again. They stayed with him and massaged his arms and legs 24 hrs, and he can walk with a cane.













The highlight of the day for WW was sitting with the upbeat and thankful James Marshall (right), and listening in on a conversation with him and Aaron Baker (center), given no hope to use his arms and legs again, and he proved everyone wrong, and a friend of his that was injured in AX 10 years ago (left). Baker told Marshall don't listen to negative doctors and you will always improve if you keep working.

Baker's SCI injury was vertebrae 4-5-6 eight year's ago. He comes to the Road 2 Recovery Golf Tournament every May and is a real inspiration. He's planning a 3,000 mile bicycle ride across the US in a few months too!

Look for a "5 Min With" Interview with Marshall, on line soon.




















So Ellie Reed goes up to young X-Games star Ryan Sheckler thinking "I'm gonna hook this kid up."

So she does, and Sheckler says just as she leaves "Oh wow, I hope that wasn't anyone's wife!"

"Hey Ryan, 'ppsssssst.' "

"WHAT! That was Chad Reed's wife?! "I'm dead. I AM dead."

(This kid is in Vegas and has a stack of 100s already? Life is good."

Doh! First DNF of the Weekend

Weekend Window claims the first DNF of the Great Vegas Supercross Weekend!

Just before press conference time, camera and laptop ready to go.....

And the mightly KLX says "Oh yeah, that's what you get for leaving ME on the bumper through a Texas hailstorm!"

(and its been an hour, still won't even wimper.)