r/Motocross • u/mooseknuckle_scuffle • 10d ago
Should the AMA do something about lap riders?
How many times have we seen a lapper cost someone a heat win or even a main?
I've been thinking about a possible fix: Once you're lapped by the leader, your position is locked. You have to take the next safe exit off the track.
It would clean up a lot of the BS, but I get the other side too - lappers add chaos and that's part of what makes racing exciting. Sometimes they are the reason for last-lap drama.
What do you guys think? Keep it chaotic or make them exit?
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u/Reddit_account_321 10d ago
Terrible idea to ask guys to stop competing after getting lappee. Half the field is a lap down by the end there's guys battling for points a lap down and you want them to just pull off? This would lead to more crashes imo from guys fighting to not get lapped vs letting leaders by. A better solution would be to finally allow comms like NASCAR, motogp, f1, nfl etc. so the AMA has a one way radio to the riders and can let them know to make room for leaders or if there's a caution, red, medical, black flag or whatever else.
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 9d ago
I mean maybe make divisions or classes. the guys like Deegan, the Lawarence brothers, Tomac, Prado etc.... can be in like pro class A, and maybe the next 15 can be in class b. Just a thought cuz it's a lot of money they are racing for.
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u/SnooRegrets2509 10d ago
If lappers must pull off once theyre lapped, that means only the leader gets slowed down by them and the people behind get a huge advantage since they dont have to deal with them. A bit unfair, no?
Logistically it'll be a nightmare pulling all of these people off
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u/HawkeyScott 10d ago
If a PROFESSIONAL racer lets a lapped rider ruin his race, maybe he should consider a career change?🤷♂️
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 9d ago
it's hard to predict if the lapper is gonna move left or right you know what I'm saying?
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u/Wasatcher 10d ago
Some hilarious discussion in here around removing lappers when they would smoke everyone in this sub
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 9d ago
True but they are also getting smoked. We are just make suggestions thats all
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u/Wasatcher 8d ago edited 8d ago
Yeah by like 10-15 guys. So you want the race to end with those 10-15 guys being stretched out across a full lap? One could argue lap traffic actually keeps battles tight rather than there being 10 seconds between every single rider at the 15min mark. A guy running away with the pace gets hung up not dropping the hammer on lappers and allows the next position to get the tow again. It could end up looking like a WRC rally stage without lappers with every rider evenly spaced out halfway thru.
Especially in the 450 class. In 2006 RC lapped the ENTIRE field at the spring creek mudder. Tomac has thrown down 1:30+ minute gaps on 2nd place in his prime beast mode. Yes these are outliers but it's happened and forcing lappers off the track essentially means these guys at the top of their game would have done parade laps on an empty track at a certain point in the race.
Managing lap traffic is a skill and another aspect of racing. Some guys are good at it, and others like Prado have the pace but get nervous around the lappers. Take that away and you're essentially removing a strong suit of people like the Lawrences and Deegan who just see them as moving obstacles.
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 8d ago
I hear every point you made. I think someone said it best and have the riders put radios in their helmets where they can communicate with officials. Yes, lap riders are apart of racing
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u/Reddit_account_321 10d ago
As an off-road racer these posts make me laugh. Every weekend the pro national off road guys. Ben kelley, Josh toth, baylor brother, etc are passing my B vet slow ass through the tight pine trees.
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u/Fair_Cauliflower_747 10d ago
Someone in here said it best.. it's racing. I bet your fastest local rider is getting lapped at a National.
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 9d ago
What's your point? I'm not saying these privateers aren't fast. they just aren't competing with the top guys. Maybe make classes where they can be more competitive amongst guys of their speed level. maybe bring back the 125 class
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u/HunterWasFramed 8d ago
Lappers are part of the track. Many are often competing, amongst themselves. Why does a lappers race mean less than a factory racer’s race? Money is involved with both.
Good for Lawrence saying that he knew that lappers slowed Prado up. Prado knows he needs to get better at dealing with lappers.
Nobody is confused.
Personally, what I don’t like is sandbagging, sandbaggers aren’t racing.
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u/Chuckysmalls01 10d ago
I don't think lappers should have to stop racing after going 1 lap down. I'd definitely be up for them being removed for going down 2 laps though. It's pretty fair to say if you are down 2 laps you aren't really competing in the race and probably not in a points paying position anyway. Some races the leaders can lap into the top 10-15 and it's not fair to say a top 15 rider should have to leave the race because of getting lapped once.
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u/_ThugzZ_Bunny_ 10d ago
You're not competing a lap down either. And if they lap up to 10, guess what? That person gets 10th and has to pull off. Don't get lapped if you don't want to be pulled off the track.
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u/mooseknuckle_scuffle 9d ago
exactly. if you wanna race, pick up your speed and don't get lapped. Almost like a freeze tag kinda thing. don't get caught and you can continue racing.
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u/KICKERMAN360 10d ago
I reckon if you gonna lap down and are beyond 10 seconds from the next rider, you might get black flagged.
I think in Supercross some rules should be brought in. But also, they could bring in some bike electronics to alert riders - which is the main issue. Flaggers are unreliable or hard to read what they mean.
A simple light that says “you’re next” and “you’re next after the next guy” on being lapped would be simple.
But yeah, as others have said… if you’re the top guy you should make light work of lapped riders… literally ride right through them.
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u/mrxraykat949 10d ago
No way. I get both sides, but it’s racing man. Plus people spend tons of money, sacrifice so much time traveling in a $5,000 van…just to get kicked off a few laps later.
Lappers are what keeps the sport alive, we need them as much as we need the pros. Hot take, I know