Racer X Magazine.
hen I heard that the Red Bull Straight Rhythm event at Pomona Fairgrounds was going to become a strictly two-stroke affair, my first thought was that they were taking a very big risk with the success of the event. Sure, everyone loves two-strokes, but not everyone has one. But as the event drew closer, it morphed into something very different and special—a mass tribute to the nineties and early 2000s. And rather than prevent a lot of top guys and their teams from participating, it inspired them to join the retro vibe of it all.
By JASON WEIGANDTÂ Â Â Â Â @JASONWEIGANDT
By JASON WEIGANDTÂ Â Â Â Â @JASONWEIGANDT
didn’t attend the Monster Energy Cup. Instead, I handed the keys to the city (or at least the media passes) to noob Racer X Online associate editor Mitch Kendra and our West Coast advertising master, Trent Lopez. You can read their The Odd Couple-meets-The Hangover story on page 92.
In contrast, I try to spend the off-season doing off-season things, but the racing is never far away. So while practice was taking place in Las Vegas, I was attending a baby shower for my friend Jonny Oler and his wife, Heather, who are expecting their first child. Oler spent 12 years as the suspension man for Joe Gibbs Racing MX but recently stepped down to spend more time with his family. Monster Cup was supposed to mark his first race on the wagon, but just as quickly as Jonny was out, he was pulled back in via Chad Reed’s late entry to the race. Oler worked with Reed at JGR last year, so when Reed needed suspension help fast, Oler pitched in with his new company, Art of War. Jonny helped Chad with some testing, built some settings, and shipped it off to Sam Boyd Stadium.
PHOTOS: Spencer Owens
Opening Spread: Octopi Media/Red Bull Photo Files
PHOTOS: Spencer Owens
Opening Spread: Octopi Media/Red Bull Photo Files
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS & RICH SHEPHERD
PHOTOS: JEFF KARDAS & RICH SHEPHERD