Slaw Dog
Welcome to the Top 5 Best Moments of 2020. No, this isn’t a sick joke, we actually found some good in this year.
We’re glass half full types here at Vurb, so looking back on a year that most people would find way more bad than good (and we can’t blame them) we’ll take the other approach and save all our complaints for the Vurb HR Department (which doesn’t actually exist).
So, what are the Top 5 Best Moments of 2020? We’ll release these daily up until the clock strikes midnight. And you thought Christmas was over!
Previous Entries
#5: Vurb is Back
#4: Tomac Gets it Done
#3: Loretta’s Takes Place
#2 Osborne’s Resurrection Continues
We’ve known Zach Osborne since he used to rock the 338 and was given the unfortunate “Snack Pack” nickname by one David Pingree.
At this point, we’re all pretty familiar with Zach’s long-winding journey from amateur sensation to his move to Europe where he slept in tents in Russia and shit to his return to the U.S with GEICO Honda to his three 250 titles with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna to today. If you don’t know the story, well, we can’t help you much there. Dem the cliff notes, doggies.
Entering the readjusted 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season, all signs pointed toward another Eli Tomac title. He’d won three in a row to that point, was a dominate figure outdoors, and honestly, a clear-cut favorite to claim a fourth.
Osborne showed up to the opener at Loretta Lynn’s (yeah, 2020 was strange people) and went 2-1 for the overall. A race win is great, but did anyone outside Zach, his team and family think he could win the title at that point? Eh, probably not.
He returned the next week at Loretta’s (2020 was a strange year, people) and won another moto. Then went 1-1 at RedBud 1. At this point his title chances were picking up steam as Tomac struggled and Adam Cianciarulo was trying to dig out of a second moto DNF at Loretta’s.
Zach went 1-1 again at WW Ranch in Florida and then cruised home to his first title two rounds later at Fox Raceway.
“Every experience you can either learn from it or allow it to be a failure or a setback,” he said after his win. “Today was just kind of the culmination of a lot of years of doing what I do and trying to claw my way back to where I am today. Still, nothing that I’ve ever done really prepared me for the pressure that I would feel today and last night trying to sleep. It’s nice. I’m looking forward to going to bed!”
At 31, Zach is the oldest title winner in the premier division. It’s remarkable that Osborne is enjoying success at this age. Consider this, Ryan Villopoto (26), Ryan Dungey (28) and Ricky Carmichael (27) all retired before hitting 30! Zach, meanwhile, is over here putting in his best years ever. When Slaw hit 30, I had trouble just getting out of bed, rather less winning Pro Motocross titles.
In true Vurb fashion, let’s celebrate his amazing year with some classic footage through the years.
