Slaw Dog
For 33 years GUTS Racing has prided themselves on being the innovators in seat technology. If you’re looking for a comfortable and stylish place to park your rear end on your dirt bike then look no further. GUTS carries an extensive product line of seat covers and foam no matter what you ride! Use the promo code Vurb20 at checkout to save on your order!
Since it’s the off-season we decided to change things up a bit in the Guts Racing Vurb Power Rankings. Going forward, Slaw and Troy will be ranking different topics until racing starts again at Anaheim. Ginger Dog is currently breaking up fights in middle school for the next few months and will rejoin the rankings once racing starts.
As always, feel free to flame away on Troy below or on social. Not Slaw.
Now onto this weeks topic: Our favorite 450SX title fights.
Troy Dog
-The year Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, and Chad Reed gave us everything that we ever wanted in a championship battle. These three battled all season for a winner take all finale in Las Vegas.
-I wasn’t born in 1985, but it seems like the 1985 series was an all-timer. Jeff Ward won the championship by two points over Broc Glover and six points over Ron Lechien. Rick Johnson and Johnny O’Mara were big in this championship as well. What a time to not be alive.
-I have to have the 1992 season in my top three. It was Damon Bradshaw’s championship to lose and boy, did he. It all came down to the final round, which was postponed due to the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. Jeff Stanton won the race and the championship after Bradshaw faded late in the race. Bradshaw had a BIG one at the Indianapolis SX that year too, over a triple. Go back and watch it if you need a refresh!
-The 2011 series was actually closer than you may have remembered. Ryan Villopoto came into the finale with a nine point lead over Chad Reed and 12 over Ryan Dungey. RV did what he had to do and left Las Vegas with a four point win. That season was amazing with RV, RD, a resurging Reedy, Stew, and a rookie multi winner Trey Canard.
-You need to go to YouTube and watch Throttle for the Gold, which is a documentary on the 1990 SX season. You had reigning champion Jeff Stanton battling it out with Jean Michel Bayle, and the young guns Damon Bradshaw, Mike Kiedrowski, Larry Ward, Jeff Matiasevich, Mike LaRocco, and more. Jeff Ward won the best race of all-time in Atlanta that season and Rick Johnson was trying to find himself again after his wrist injuries from the previous season. Stanton won the championship by seven points over Bayle.
Slaw Dog
-This was peak Stew v Reed. One of the greatest rivalries in history and Stew just edged Reedy for the title.
-This championship is STILL talked about so many years later.
-Another classic RC, Reed, Stew title fight.
-Emig finally dethroned MC to claim his only title.
-This was underrated. Cooper and Ken DID not like each other. Plus, Red Bull Moto Spy documented the entire thing and it was amazing.
Main image: Red Bull Content Pool
