Solutions to lappers problem in Supercross
Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Villopoto respond to the concern of lappers in Supercross races and discuss solutions to prevent this issue in the future such as added fines and more attention to blue flags during the races.
Video Transcript
A big topic this week before we get into the call of Cardo.
We got a pretty cool section there, but, we're, we're the lappers.
I want Aaron to run a quick sound on tape from, what Eli had to say post-race and, and Cooper Webb as well.
And before, before he runs it, RV, I thought that, Eli, Hunter, and Coop, were very diplomatic.
they were very to the point.
I think they all drove it home.
Couldn't have said it any, any better, and I don't think that they were They, they weren't, they didn't take the stance of the lappers need to get the hell off the track and there shouldn't be, there shouldn't be privateers on the track.
I think that they had fair points, but let's hear it from, the, the riders themselves, and then we'll base our opinion off of that.
Go for it, Aaron.
Yeah, it's, it's bad.
It's bad.
I, I think if the track's sub 50 seconds, make it a 15-man gate.
I mean, there's, there's, they're just riders that are way off the pace of, of the top lead group, and if the promoter wants to potentially lose championship contenders, I mean, then let's keep it the way it is.
Well, when a guy goes from the very far right side of the track to the f- very far left side, like what happened in Moto 2, it's just And, and like what Hunter said, it's repeat offenders.
Yeah.
It's the same people doing the same thing over and over again, and they don't get a, a big enough penalty for it.
It's just, it's kind of outrageous.
So it's, it's frustrating.
It's frustrating for us.
Yeah, I mean, these guys are, what are they?
Six, sevens a second, six to seven seconds a lap slower, maybe even more, and they're out there with us, so really they're just a hazard.
I don't know for the exact penalty, but I think it's just less, less, less riders on the gate, and I actually think motocross should be 30 guys on the gate.
So I think both series has, an issue with, with too many bikes on the track, and then especially once it gets to a short lap time.
I mean, this evening it's Russian roulette.
Like, it's straight up because they're going so slow, and then you, you go w- to do a triple, and you don't know which way they're gonna go, and then tonight it, amplifies it with the dirt.
So there's, there's really not much you can do, and then, yeah, just, you just have to do what you can do.
Yeah, no, I, I heard him, and he's right.
Like, there should be penalties.
There should be, whether it's money, 'cause they clearly don't care about points, 'cause they're not in the points.
So if you take their money away, and that's how they live, then maybe they'll get the, get it.
So like I said, I think it's unacceptable.
the series needs to step in and do something, 'cause they clearly haven't.
and yeah, I think like Eli said, he could have been out in the championship from, from a lapper, and any other motorsport that never happens, and it's what?
It's a joke for our sport.
All right, where, where are you, first, where, where are you at with the lappers?
I know they've always, it's always been a part of the series.
It has.
It has.
Ricky, I, respond to, respond to what you just heard, and what's your position, bro?
Y- yeah, you know, I think I, I totally understand, each of their positions as, as being, you know, as a past champion and as a, as, as a guy who had been put in that position before.
the question is, is Well, I guess not a question, but I don't think you can get rid of the privateers.
we have a 22-man gate in Supercross, 42-man gate outdoors.
I think like Coop said, maybe, maybe, making that penalty, because I don't think we should get rid of them.
you know, I think the system has worked.
It does work.
Maybe that the, like he said, it was sub 50 lap, se- second lap times, so maybe we try to keep those tracks out of those, out of the, that quick of a, of a track lap time-wise.
Maybe we gotta push it up to the, to making sure they're closer to a minute, lap time, 'cause that does help, with, with lappers.
And m- maybe it's just like eventually we have, always have a tunnel, right?
Like, maybe that's a way we could work around it.
And then like Coop said, finding them, especially repeat offenders, when it comes to that.
And look, there was a lot of close moments.
Eli had one, Hunter also with Cole Thompson.
very scary, scary things and moments.
but Ricky, you've dealt Well, you've raced with the lappers.
Yeah.
I've done it.
Chad's done it.
James has done it.
you know, I'm not saying it's right.
the riders need to pay attention to more to the flags.
they are rac- Bingo they are racing for their position too, but I think the number one thing is just being, A, maybe better with the flags and the riders paying attention more.
And if it costs, like Coop said, if it, if it takes AMA or, or Feld to, to fine them a, a, a nice little pretty penny, that probably won't happen again last, next time if they get hit with a $5,000 fine.
Yeah, I, I, I agree.
I, a- again, I don't I think there's a place for the privateers, and you can't just not, not have them out there, and, and there's some privateers that straight, straight haul the mail.
I think the overall view of it, and, and I agree with everything that you said, I agree with what the riders said.
I loved what Coop said about, you know, like, they're, some of them are racing for points, but they're also racing for money.
most importantly, that's how you, that's how you're able to eat throughout the week .
And, and you, if you want to get their attention, and I know it sucks, but take money away from them, fine them.
They have to be mindful of the blue flag.
not only f- not only for others' safety, but their own safety.
That, that one with Thompson and Hunter, dude, that could have been bad, and it could have been bad for Eli as well and, and Freezy.
Yeah.
And, you know, Hunter was pretty straightforward.
That I think with the repeat offenders, that's one of the guys for sure.
and I think that they're I, I don't, I don't want to speak for them 'cause I don't know what they're thinking, but the way it looks- Mm-hmm from us sitting here on a podcast platform and up in the booth is just like they don't pay attention to the blue flag.
They are so, focused on their own race, rightfully so, but I think as a duty, and being, one of the top 22 riders in the world, they're racing a, a Supercross race, you have a duty to pay attention to the leaders coming from behind and give way to them, okay?
And that's when I think that your actual race, part of that is being mindful of those guys.
And I'll give you this ex- I'll give you this exampleWhen I was in NASCAR, I got lapped quite a bit, okay?
I, because I w- I wasn't fast enough to, to run with the leaders.
And my biggest concern, RV, when my spotter would say, "Hey, leaders are coming probably in the next couple laps," my biggest concern was making sure that I wouldn't be in their way 'cause I didn't wanna mess up their, you know, their race.
Like, I was so worried I was gonna affect it.
Now, some tracks are harder to get out of the way than others, like, Martinsville.
Martinsville s- is so tight.
It's a, you know, it's basically a one-line track for the most part, and it's hard to get out of the way compared to a Daytona or a mile-and-a-half track or, or, or like a road course.
A road course on, on four, on four wheels is tough to get out of the way compared to a m- mile-and-a-half or two-and-a-half mile oval.
So I know certain tracks are tougher, but still, I don't think that they're, they're yielding to the yellow or blue flag as much as they should.
And I think that's where I agree with, with the riders, with Eli and Coop, that they need to, they need to get these guys' attention.
And the riders need to be more aware, too.
Yeah.
Dude, they just have to surrender their race at that stage and get the hell out of the way.
Yep.
And then, and then go back to their race.
Go back to- That's right their position and I'm telling you and yeah, it might cost them, you know, a spot here or maybe catching a guy in front for that quick second.
but also it's, it's, once one lapper gets past, they're gonna go pa- up to the next one.
That dude should give way.
And- Yeah the g- the rider that just gave way three turns ago is now gonna make up that time that he had did, that did lose, you know- Yep in, in theory.
100%, without a doubt.
So, yeah.
No one's, I don't think anyone's saying that they, th- there's not a place out there for 'em.
I'm not saying that.
You're not saying that, for sure.
I do think that the rules need to be heightened.
I think that the penalties need to be heightened, and that'll get their attention.
because, y- def- definitely this scenario could've been, from a safety perspective, could've been, could've been way worse.
Some great stuff there.
