As usual, I pulled a 'Slowsky" and get my small photo report out after some cool ones have been featured online. If you want some cool report, check out Racer X Andy Bowyer's Kawasaki Race Report, his 250 Words, and 450 Words  (D.C. definitely kept Hattica busy!).

Despite a chilly weather outside and even a bit of snow, the track in the Jones was in flames. Practice was pretty interesting. Usual suspects getting the faster times. As you all know Reedy wasn't jumping a 3-3-1 section in the back that only Bubba and the GOAT mastered. Again, JS clocked the fastest times, followed by RC in the same second and Reed, almost 1 sec slower. I had the privilege to be in the booth with Jim Holley, Weege and Fro for a little while, during practice and it was a blast listening to those 3 guys studying the lines, checking the riders and commenting on lap times.

Thunder and Lightning still draw big crowds

The pits were a Mad House, and the lines for RC, JS and Reed were as long as the giant hot dog they served at Reliant Stadium. Even though the pits area is small, it was cool to see so many people, the series is doing well and although there are still some snags here and there that Live Nation could correct, things are pretty cool.

Again, the 250F (SX Lite) is my favorite class. Whether it is watching them in practice, trying to qualify, or during the night show, this class is stocked with talents and plenty young guys who not only really want it, but most of all have understood that it is through hard work that Stewart and Carmichael are at the top. Congrats to Big E and Suzuki because Ryan Dungey is rock solid. The kid has speed, determination and the right attitude to win championships. Of course, like every jockey who gets his butt on a Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki, Ben Townley and Darcy Lange are fast, very fast. Lange is impressive. After Little Goose in '06, another Cinderella story by Producer Mitch Payton. Darcy was my pick for the Main and if it wasn't for a last minute, 2 corners before the end, move by BT101, Man... The Canucks would have had their first SX victory.

Track walk

Like a pro with his proud daddy!

Ryan Dungey was there and fast and definitely a contender for the win if it wasn't for a small mistake in a corner and then a stupid - STUPID - tuff box left on the track too long without yellow flag. It is time Live Nation and the AMA get some pro flaggers for the AMP'D Mobile Supercross Series. If we want to take this sports to the highest level of professionalism, marketing and media, let's eradicate these kind of flagger problem that we see too many times at all rounds. If Ryan had hurt himself bad in that crash, I would expect that someone would have been held responsible.

Anyway, let's move on. It's too annoying.

Tommy Hahn is very unlucky. He's fast though, no doubt about that, and trying hard. But a crash in his Heat sent him to the LCQ where he crashed pretty hard again. That same small triple-left corner that took RD62 and Lange.

Morais' pre-race dance!

Qualifying for the Lites wasn't a piece of cake in St Louis: I think that we had 62 riders trying and 40 made the show. 22 guys went back home early. And you could really notice that in the Privateer Pits: it got really empty before the night races started. Congrats to Tucker Hibbert, WWR's Kyle Tobin, Cory Green, Team Solitaire's Ricky Renner, Andy Bakken, Modjewski, Hoffmaster, Canada's Tyler Medaglia, WWR's Zach Ames, Team Tamer's Ronnie Jackson and most especially to the cool boyz of Team All American KTM Firepolicemx, #514 Eric Nye, #745 Kevin Rookstool and #244 Tyler Kalisiak.

In the 450 class, 'Average Joe" Oehlhof made the night show on his Team All American KTM Firepolicemx #115, along with (Give a round of applause and a lot of credit to that guy!!) Barry "62 year-old" Carsten!!! and Scott Metz, on a four-stroke 450, a week after trying to qualify on the 2-stroke and missing the cut by one stroke (eeer).

The rest of the crowd in the SX Class was mostly the same as what we've seen before, including Mike Sleeter on his #111 KTM, Chris Whitcraft, Pro.30's Brock Sellars, WWR's Jacob Saylor. Note that Carpenter and Siebler had Top 15 lap times.

Racing went on. Great night show intro. DV gave the crowd a "surfing-wheeling", followed by a great nose-wheelie and intentional crash (in memory of his 2002 Intro crash that later inspired Bubba at SD '07).

K-Dub was awesome. Amazing wheeling followed by one of the best nose-wheeling ever. K-Dub Rocks!!

RC's intro was again pretty emotional with ther short film commemorating his career and a tribute to his parents.

Yes, Mister Boyd said "St Louis do you wanna......rockstar!!" :)

I hope you DVR'd (or Tivo'd) the 450 race on Speed. Watch again. It was great. It was great witnessing one of Ricky Carmichael's last Supercross win. It was great to see RC blazzing through the 3-3-1 and the whoops, to win his last SX in St Louis anf give the Midwest crowd one of the best farewell. It was awesome to see Bubba come back from 17th to 2nd, passing sometimes 3 guys in one corner. It is great to see that Chad Reed really wants it, but we already knew that. Chad wouldn't be here, doing what he does every weekend, working hard during the week, if it was not to try to win this championship. But after seeing Stewart's speed and ability to do whatever he wants to with his J-Bone tuned KX450F, I really doubt that Chad can come back. Unless.... unless...

As you know #22 and #7 had two little issues on the track. Very good racing I would say, bringing back great memories from the time when Hannah, Tony D., Weimer, RJ, O'Show, Lechien, Ward, Stripes, Bailey, Bradshaw, Stanton or JMB were ruling the tracks. Great racing, is what Bubba and Reed gave us in St Louis.

Of course, tempers were red hot (well, I mean green and blue hot) after the race. Chad was extremely upset and James, although he is better at hidding it, was obviously unhappy.

St Louis was a success for Suzuki and PC, a success for Jeannie Carmichael and Aldon Baker. 2 riders on top of the box. The departing GOAT and the newcomer from past Down Under!