A Young Gun and an Old Cowboy
Out in the middle of the desert, in a place where nobody goes, is a supercross track laid out just like the one at Dallas in 2004. The whoops are monstrous. The triple is huge. The rhythm section can be done double double but that won’t get you any wins. If you didn’t know it was there you’d drive right by. But for two privateers named Bagge and Huffman, it’s just part of a journey that leads to Vegas.
Each day they show up early and leave late. Hours are spent pounding out laps, one after another. And in between, it is time to critique each lap, each turn, each charge through the whoop section. Then it’s time to gas up, water up, and get back on the bikes to put in another 25 minute moto.
Each day they show up early and leave late. Hours are spent pounding out laps, one after another. And in between, it is time to critique each lap, each turn, each charge through the whoop section. Then it’s time to gas up, water up, and get back on the bikes to put in another 25 minute moto.
In modern day Supercross each track is designed to keep the rider in the air about 1/3 or more of the time. While the rider is in the air he can’t go faster. It’s only when the wheels are on the ground that the bike and the rider can advance at a faster pace. The real skill in modern day Supercross is corner speed and fast whoop times. How fast can a rider get into and out of the corner? How fast can a rider blitz the whoops?
With the need to adapt in order to win, new terms have come up, such as "the Bubba scrub," that describes a new style of riding faster. Riders are identified by style. Technical, out of control, wide full open, show time. All associated with certain riders.
But on this day it’s just Bagge and Huffman. Josh Bagge (sounds like bag) is the new kid on the block. A local favorite, Josh grew up out by Magic Mountain. He frequented the hillside out behind the amusement park and the local tracks (some legal, some we’re not sure about, some we KNOW aren’t). Early on Bagge caught the eye of locals who urged him to follow his passion and race professionally. Last year Bagge emptied his piggy bank, hired a mechanic, got a Funmover, and hit the road to challenge the entire THQ Supercross 250 series. While it didn’t all go as planned Bagge learned a college education on how tough the road was for privateers.
Huffman, on the other hand, is the old pro. Familiar with success, Damon Huffman already has a Supercross championship under his belt. In Canada, Huffman is a regular in their outdoor series, living week to week on the podium. Huffman has won several 250 class Supercross races both in the US and in Europe as well. Last year, Huffman won a beautiful truck and travel trailer rig for his efforts.
This year both riders are looking for improvement. Huffman is soft spoken, yet smooth and stealthy. At any moment Huffman can show you a wheel in one corner and then blow by you in the next. Always a top finisher, Huffman proves that a race takes twenty laps to win. Rarely flustered, Huffman is relentless once the gate drops. Last year Huffman finished the last few races in the series with a hand that got badly chewed up when his chain snapped and tore through his hand. Still, that didn’t stop him.
Bagge is looking at this year with a whole new attitude. Last year was about making the evening program. This year Bagge is looking at making the main event, the 250cc finals. Practicing each day with Huffman, the new kid is learning. His lap times are down, his style is getting smoother, and his training regiment is finally paying off. Each day Huffman pours his skill and knowledge into a new generation of rider. Each day the student is growing. But neither is satisfied where they are. Both still have that look that says, "Win or go home." Neither is ready to give up. One is starting a career, one finishing a career. Both want to do it on top.
As the Sun begins to set, the track is dry and the riders are worn. Prairie Dogs and Ground Squirrels stick their heads up out of their holes as the ground stops rumbling and the dust settles. A lone rattlesnake slithers to the top of a tabletop jump to catch the last rays of the day. Both riders are ready for a good hot shower, a meal, and maybe a video game. Tomorrow they will do it all again.
See you in Anaheim on January 8, 2005.
