ASK THE MXPERTS:
WHY CAN'T JASON LAWRENCE STAY IN THE 250 WEST CLASS NEXT YEAR?
Dear MXA,
I read that Jason Lawrence must move to the 450 class in 2010 because he has pointed out of the 250 West. How could he have pointed out, he hasn't been racing very much this season what with food poisioning and chronic stupidity? Is this true?
Yes. Both Jason Lawrence and Trey Canard must move to the 450 class next season (In Supercross only -- not in the outdoor Nationals). And the 450 class will be better for it! Daytona proved that best riders from the 250 East/West can be players in the 450 class.
Under AMA rules a 250 East or 250 West Champion is allowed to defend his crown the following year and whether he wins it again or not, he must move to the 450 class. This rule makes sense if you realize that the 250 East and 250 West series were designed originally as feeder series. They are not National Championships in any respect. They are regional Championships that are suppose to let a young rider get his feet wet in Supercross before moving to the big bikes. There is no doubt that the powers-that-be (agents, team managers, marketing men) will work hard to get this rule changed. Historically, virtually every 125/250F East /West rider who has been moved up has tried to get the rule changed so that they could stay down in the East/West division. Unfortunately, any change that allow East/West Champions to stay longer than necessary is not in the best interest of professional racing. Why?
Unfortunately, over the last 24 years riders have made the 250 East/West a destination class instead of a stepping stone. There have been 125/250 East/West riders who raced in the class for nine years or more. Even worse, there are several very famous riders who took dives to avoid getting enough points to get moved out of the class. Taking dives made these riders unpopular with their sponsors (who paid them to do their best), but it gave the riders a new lease as 250 East/West riders for another three years.
The goal of any sport is to get the cream to rise to the top--not have it hang around at the bottom, beating a bunch of young kids with no real experience. Since the East/West Champions (and their team managers) would rarely agree to move up by themselves (with the exception of riders who truly believe in their abilities), it has become necessary to force the cream out of the class. Thus, there are several rules designed to get the 250 East/West Champions to move up to the 450 class.
It has often been said that if the top five East/West riders moved to the 450 class, the racing would improve and the old-timers of the class would be shuffled off to the retirement home. That is the intent of the rules that effect 250 East/West Champions. It may seem heavy-handed, but it is designed to improve the quality of the racing in the premier class (There is a bail out clause: If a rider can't cut it, and fails to make the top 20 in points in the 450 class, he gets to return to the 250 East/West series the next year).
It should be noted that a rider who gets paid $250,000 to hang around the East/West series (and many make more than that) and beat kids who are fresh out of the minicycle ranks isn't doing himself, or the sport, any favors. Thus, the following rules apply to riders in the 250 East and 250 West.
a. Riders must declare the region in which they intend to participate prior to the season. (Ed. note; This rule was originally intended to mean that the rider had to live in his respective region, East or West of the Mississippi, but factory greed took over and the true intent of the rule was lost in the desperate desire to win something).
b. Once a rider has declared their region, they may not transfer to the opposite region in the Supercross Lites class unless the rider is injured and failed to qualify for an evening program. The rider must remain in the new region for the rest of the season. (Ed.
note; This rule has merit, but probably needs to be supplemented by an appeals process. How so? If a rider races the first 250 West heat race of the year at Anaheim I, but breaks his collarbone in the first turn of the first heat race of the year, he cannot, under this rule, move to the later starting 250 East. This should be handled on a case-by-case basis).
c. Riders who have earned an AMA 450 Motocross class Championship, AMA 450 Supercross class Championship or FIM MX1 (450) World Championship are not eligible to compete in the Supercross Lites East/West Regional Championship. (Ed.
note; This rule is good because, the 250 East/West is a development class at heart).
d. Effective with the 2008 season points, riders earning at least 225 cumulative championship points in three or fewer consecutive seasons of Supercross Lites competition must move to the Supercross class the following season. (Ed.
note; The points number is way to low. 225 points is easy to achieve, given that in the typical seven-race 250/East West series there are 175 points up for grabs, a rider could earn 225 points over three years by finishing an average of tenth place. Something closer to 400 points would make more sense--no matter how you cut it, riders will begin to take dives to avoid getting moved up.
e. AMA Supercross Lites Regional Champions may defend their championship the following season, but must move to the Supercross class the season after their Championship defense. (Ed.
note; No quibbles with this. New talent has to move to the 450 class and be moved out of the 250 East/West to make room for the next generation. As a rule of thumb, this gives a young rider a minimum of two years in the 250 East/West and more typically three to four years).
f. Riders finishing outside the Top 20 of the 450 Supercross Class points in 2007 or 2008 will be eligible to ride the Supercross Lites Class. Designated Supercross Lites riders that competed in the 450 Supercross Class in select 2008 events will remain eligible for the Supercross Lites Class in 2009, provided they have not exceeded any other Supercross Lites eligibility rules. (Ed.
note; The first half of this rule is designed to allow failed 450 move-ups a chance to return to the 250 East/West, while the second half of the rule doesn't penalize a 250 rider who wants to try the 450 class while still racing his 250 region).
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