What Can Be Done About Lap Traffic? Lawrence, Tomac and Webb Frustrated After Indy Supercross: “The series needs to step in and do something”

The biggest talking point leaving round 9 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross in Indianapolis was lap traffic and what, if anything, should be done going forward. 

Since the dawn of time, lap traffic has been an issue. Every year, it rears its ugly head and top riders voice their frustration. While the AMA has implemented a new penalty standard for refusing to abide by blue flags, it hasn’t done much to thus far to deter lap traffic from effecting the race.

It is a complicated issue to solve and one that I’m not paid to solve, so I won’t weigh in on a fix. Because, in fairness, it is not a simple black and white issue. It’s complicated and why it probably hasn’t been solved in the last 4000 years, since cavemen were racing wooden wheels. 

But, you should hear what the top riders had to say following Indy, where lap traffic was BAD. Eli Tomac, who nearly collided while lapping Vince Friese, Hunter Lawrence, who clipped lapped rider Cole Thompson and Cooper Webb were very honest and forthcoming about the situation.

FYI, per SMX Media no riders were penalized following Indy for potential blue flag infractions, although all incidents were reviewed.

Here is what the top three finishers in the 450 Class had to say. 

Hunter Lawrence – 1st Place

It just complicates it all that much more, like we’re moving already a lot more than a normal main event track and I don’t know, it’s don’t mean to get on a rant but it always seems to be the same repeat offenders you know on the lap traffic that are just pretty sketchy and kind of, I know they got their race on but I don’t know, it’s tricky and  very unique for sure.

Eli Tomac – 2nd Place

Yeah, there was time to be made, it’s just how much risk you want to take, and I was able to get to second at one point, and then got balled up by lappers and paid the price for it. So it was frustrating that way, and then I almost got taken out in the second model by lappers. So, yeah, it’s bad. It’s bad. I think if the track’s up 50 seconds, make it a 15-man gate. I mean, there’s just riders that are way off the pace of the top lead group, and if the promoter wants to potentially lose championship contenders, I mean, then let’s keep it the way it is. But, yeah, frustrating, but got out of here healthy and clean, and second’s what we had.  

And like Hunter said, it’s repeat offenders. It’s the same people doing the same thing over and over again, and they don’t get a big enough penalty for it. It’s kind of outrageous. So it’s frustrating for us. Yeah, I mean, these guys are, what are they, six to seven seconds a lap slower, maybe even more, and they’re out there with this, so really they’re just a hazard. I don’t know for the exact penalty, but I think it’s just less riders on the gate. And I actually think motocross should be 30 guys on the gate. So I think both series has an issue with too many bikes on the track, and then especially once it gets to a short lap time. I mean, this evening it’s rushing a lot. Like it’s straight up because they’re going so slow, and then you go to do a triple and you don’t know which way they’re going to go, and then tonight it amplifies it with the  dirt. So there’s really not much you can do. And then, yeah, you just have to do what you can do.

Cooper Webb – 3rd Place

I heard him and he’s right like there should be penalties. There should be whether it’s money because they clearly don’t care about points because they’re not in the points. So if you take their money away, and that’s how they live, then maybe they’ll get it. So like I said, I think it’s unacceptable. The series needs to step in and do something because they clearly haven’t. And yeah, I think like Eli said, he could have been out in the championship from from a lapper and any other motorsport that never happens and it’s what it’s a joke for our sport.