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"Sometimes you never know if something
works better unless you try."
Should Motocross
Consider A Playoff
Points System?
Motocross is ultimately for the
riders. Fans are great, sponsors
are important, but the riders are
number one.
Look at the hundreds of tracks
across our country with amateur
races every weekend, and you
will see who the racing is for.
Often there will be more competi-
tors than spectators. Most riders
pay for all their own equipment
(and energy drinks). Despite few
sponsors and fans and no TV
rights, racing goes on. A few rid-
ers get good at motocross, real
good. They get to race against
other very good riders, and win-
ners can receive money instead
of trophies. National motocross
pros have worked long and hard
to get to where they are now.
Some of the best riders, with a
little luck, manage to pull away
from others in their championship
series. I say good for them.
Every rider has the same
chance at every race. Some fall
or break down, may not be their
fault, but they all started with a
fair chance. The idea of running
a championship series down to
some kind of playoff leaves a
bad taste in my mouth. Everyone
loves an exciting final race of the
season to determine the cham-
pion. Well, everyone except the
rider who worked the hardest and
had some luck. Now some want
to diminish this rider's big points
lead so that the fans can have an
exciting finish? I'm against it.
It's not that I am against an ex-
citing finish, it's that I am against
taking anything from a rider who
has done everything right. If you
want an exciting single race, I
suggest you watch the Monster
Energy Cup and see if anyone
forgets the Joker Lane.
Ed Stovin
I like the idea of having a play-
off system. I'm in my 50s and
have been following and racing
motocross since I was a kid. I
realize that most motocross fans
are traditionalists and are set in
their ways, and they are scared
of change. But I don't like it when
there's a run-away champion
and when titles are clinched
before the final round, too. Or,
when championships end up
being a two-rider affair, so, to
me a playoff system would be
worth considering, or perhaps
incorporating throwaway motos.
That would be fair and keep more
racers in the running. I just don't
believe in "…because that's the
way we've always done it," logic.
Sometimes you never know if
something works better unless
you try. You can always go back.
Jeffrey Long
A more sensible solution would
be to give each rider one or two
throwaway races. Such as in a
12-race series, only your 10-best
scores count. That way, a crash
or breakdown early on would
not put them out of the chase. It
would keep the enthusiasm up
for the riders and fans.
Ken Hetherington
No, no and no.
Jeffrey R. Evans
No! It's fine as it is.
Rob MacIsaac