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Why Do They Go - FIM vs AMA

Why Do They Go - FIM vs AMA

Oct 23

  • News

For decades now, many leading international riders have had a dream of racing in America, from Pierre Karsmakers in the 1970s, Jeff Leisk in the 1980s, J. M. Bayle in the 1990s and so forth. Hundreds and hundreds of motocross races have wanted to test the waters in America and on most occasions, they have failed to be a success or have just lost interest and left.

Of course, Karsmakers went in an era that the Grand Prix riders were still the best in the World and he quickly found success when he won the 500cc motocross national championship series in 1973 and then in 1974, Karsmakers won the inaugural 250cc AMA Supercross Championship by winning at Daytona, taking second in Houston and finishing fourth in Los Angeles.

The plight of Europeans racing full-time in America had begun and since that 1974 season, the GP series has lost a couple of their premier World champions to America, those of course being Sebastien Tortelli in, who went in 1999 as the World 250cc champion, when the 250 class was the premier class and surprisingly, only the second premier World champion to head stateside, is Jorge Prado, who will go to America in 2025.

A bunch of World champions have of course made the move, Bayle, who was the 250cc champion when he left, although back in 1988, the 500cc class was still the premier class in Europe and other World champions have given it a try, John Van Den Berk, Stefan Everts, Alessio Chiodi, Jeffrey Herlings, Antonio Cairoli and Tim Gajser have all tried some races, be it supercross or motocross, but never really felt the urge to move to America to race full-time.

World class riders like Greg Albertyn, Grant Langston, David Vuillemin, Chad Reed, Ben Townley, Dylan Ferrandis, Stephane Roncada, Tom Vialle, Hunter Lawrence, Tyla Rattray, Ken Roczen, all moved there, and a handful even got to win titles in the AMA events. But in general, from the very start of the European assault on USA, in a span of 50 years, the Grand Prix series has lost just two premier class World champions and a handful of 250/125/MX2 champions (Bayle, Albertyn, Langston, Townley, Musquin, Rattray, Vialle). So, in total, maybe 20 riders from 50 years, that is not even one every two years.

I always find it amusing when keyboard warriors on American forums say that ALL the GP riders want to race in America, because from my memory and as you can see from what I have written above, that just isn’t the case.

From the all-time greats of Grand Prix racing, ALL didn't go full time, but nearly all tried it. Stefan Everts didn’t go full time, Antonio Cairoli didn’t go full-time, Joel Robert didn’t go full time, Tim Gajser didn’t go full-time, Jeffrey Herlings didn’t go full-time, Joel Smets didn’t go full-time, Eric Geboers didn’t go full-time, Roger De Coster didn’t go full-time, Georges Jobe didn’t go, Torsten Hallman didn’t go full-time and we could go all the way down the list and not many went full-time, but all wanted to give it a try.

Hell, when names like De Coster, Hallman, Bengt Aberg, and so many others went, they sure didn’t go because America was better, but they still wanted to sample what it was like to race in America, a long time before the American riders were even World class.

Are you getting the picture yet?

In the same period of time, former AMA champions like Danny Laporte, Brad Lackey, Broc Glover, Micky Dymond and Ryan Villopoto have raced GP, while names like Mark Blackwell, Jim Pomeroy, Danny Chandler, Mike Brown (won an AMA title after his GP career), Rodney Smith, Billy Liles, Trampas Parker, Tallon Vohland, Donny Schmit, Bobby Moore, Jimmy Button, Robbie Reynard, Jeff Dement, Zach Osborne (won AMA titles after his GP career), Scott Sheak, Ryan Hughes, Thomas Covington, Jack Chambers and many more American racers have raced GP. It hasn't always been one way traffic, you know.

Euros just love adventure and trying something different and in return, Americans don’t usually travel as well. Since time, Europeans, Australians, South Africans and New Zealanders have travelled the World to make a name for themselves in sports and it didn’t often matter what sport, these countries athletes just want to experience something new.

You will find dozens and dozens of Aussies racing Speedway in the UK, whereas you might find a couple of American’s racing it and MotoGP will always have some international riders, from Australia, South Africa or other parts of the World, but in recent years, probably a few decades in fact, very few Americans race MotoGP.

Same with F1, World Superbikes, or so many other international sports, so why expect them to race MXGP? There is not a single American racing MotoGP, but that doesn’t mean the AMA Road Racing is bigger than MotoGP, it just means American racers prefer to race at home.

There isn’t a single American racing F1, but that doesn’t mean Indycar racing is better, because they actually have dozens of international racers racing that series over the last decade.

The last American F1 World champion (the biggest motor racing series in the World) was way back in 1978 with Mario Andretti, yet in the biggest motor racing of the year in America, the Indianapolis 500, drivers from Colombia, Australia, Japan , Brazil and Sweden have won in the last 10 years. That doesn’t mean the Indy 500 is bigger than F1, it just means many countries around the World travel a lot better than American athletes, who prefer to stay home.

It’s been a decade since Ryan Villopoto flew to Europe to live and race MXGP, but names like Dylan Ferrandis, Hunter Lawrence, Ken Roczen and Jett Lawrence moved to America and won titles. Just because, Aussies, and Euros don’t mind travelling and American's, not so much and I get it. Why leave home to the unknown, when you know what you are getting at home.

So, while Jorge Prado, Lucas Coenen, Mikkel Haarup and Kay De Wolf look at the possibilities of trying something new, and experiencing the AMA supercross and AMA motocross, let’s not assume that is because there is something wrong with MXGP, it just means Euro’s are more open to taking on a challenge, no matter where that challenge might be and what a wonderful series these man go to when they travel to USA.

So, while the MXGP pyramid continues to bring in the most exciting talents in the sport, from Jett Lawrence, to Hunter Lawrence, to Jorge Prado, to Lucas Coenen and Kay De Wolf, let’s just enjoy wherever these guys want to race, because as long as riders leave the GPs, they will be replaced by amazing young men, who have been brought through a system that makes talent grow. MX2, or the EMX250 class has never been stronger in Europe and there are dozens and dozens of riders with ridiculous technical skills, who can easily fill a factory spot left open by the riders I have mentioned.

Look out, because going by the World Juniors this year and the EMX 65 and 85 classes, the European talent is bursting with young kids, who will succeed once they get to the big boy’s class.

I for one, will be watching with excitement as former European based riders like the Lawrence brothers, Jorge Prado, Tom Vialle, or Dylan Ferrandis battle the best in America and I will also look forward to seeing the Coenen brothers score AMA wins, and anyone else who travels across the Atlantic for this amazing goal and dream.

But lets just leave the whole "they go because its better", because we know that just isn't true. Both series are brilliant and both series offer riders the chance to make a living from their beloved sport. The more riders who get to make money the better and as we have seen in recent years, Ducati and Triumph didn't join MXGP because its crap and there are more factory teams involved in MXGP than ever before, in both MXGP and MX2. Monster Energy back MXGP as title sponsor, and they don't do that because the series is failing, they do it, because it is a huge success Worldwide.

Lets just enjoy that, sit back and watch the racing.

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