Trey Canard will get a reprieve from the 450 class (for one more year).
ASK THE MXPERTS:
IS THE AMA GOING TO CHANGE THE RULE
THAT MAKES 250 EAST/WEST SUPERCROSS
CHAMPIONS MOVE OUT OF THE CLASS?
I Heard That The Teams Were Appealing the AMA Rule
Dear MXA,
Although I read the “Ask The MXperts” that explained why 250 East/West riders have to move out of the 250 Supercross class after winning their Championship (and defending it), I also heard that the team managers and agents of some of these riders were lobbying to get the rule changed. Although Jason Lawrence has proved that he can do well in the 450 class, Trey Canard is just finishing his second Pro season and it seems cruel to throw him in with Stewart, Reed, Windham and the other 450 stars. Is there a backroom deal in the works?
Yes and no.
Although 250 East and 250 West winners will still be forced out of the 250 Support class in Supercross, there is a new rule in the works. Call it the “Trey Canard Rule.” It doesn’t change the fact that a rider who wins the 250 East/West will have to move up to the 450 class, but it does have one major change. Here it is how it will work (pending approval).
The Supercross promoters want to change the current rule because of pressure from the teams. The new (proposed) rule would guarantee a 250 East/West rider at least three years in the East/West Regional Supercross Championships. These rules have nothing to do with the AMA 250 Nationals (where a rider can stay in the 250 class until he's eligible for Social Security).
PROPOSED 250 EAST/WEST RULE CHANGES (effective from 2007)
1. THE THREE-YEAR RULE: If a rider won the 250 East or West Championship in his first season in the Pro class, he will be allowed to stay for two more seasons before being forced out. There are caveats to this rule though (which we will explain in section 2). This rule affects Trey Canard because he won the 250 East in his first year (2008), but under current rules would have to move to the 450 class in 2010. Now, he can stay in the 250 East/West for 2010, but Trey must move to the 450 class in 2011.
2. THE TWO STRIKES YOU'RE OUT RULE: A rider who wins two consecutive 250 East/West Championships has to move to the 450 class the next season (even if he hasn’t raced three seasons in the 250 class). Two Championships and you get moved up!
3. THE THREE AND NO MORE RULE: A rider who has been in the 250 East/West for three years and wins an East/West Championship has to move out the next year (under the current rules a rider who wins a 250 Supercross Championship gets to come back and defend for one season). The new three-year rule trumps the old win-and-defend rule.
4. THE TAKE A DIVE RULE: If a rider earns a set number of points (the number is yet to be decided) for any three-year period in the 250 East/West, he will have to move to the 450 class. The numbers are subject to change at this point, but seem to add up to an average finish of sixth or seventh in a season. The math is complicated, but it will move up riders whether they have won the 250 East/West Championship or not.
5. THE I'M NO GOOD RULE: As always, a rider who flubs his move to the 450 class (by not finishing in the top 20 in overall 450 Supercross season points), can move back to the 250 East/West the following season.
6. THE 18 OR BUST RULE: What's next? The age limit to get a Pro license is going to be raised from 16 to 17 and then from 17 to 18.
Click here to see an explanation of the current existing Supercross East/West rules and their motivation.
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