If you’re an American motocross fan, last weekend was epic. If you’re a Grand Prix motocross fan, it was epic alright, but it was also humbling. You know the results, and you probably heard about the massive crowds and the general good time had at the 2007 Red Bull Motocross of Nations. In case you missed seeing some footage, here’s the Racer X Motocross Show Wrap-Up on Motocross.com.

Mission accomplished. photo: Carl Stone

We were on deadline for this magazine this week, so between the shows, the magazine and the website, I have pretty much exhausted all of my thoughts and opinions on the race. But then this morning, “MXGeoff” Meyer sent me a small list of questions for MXLarge.com. Rather than rehash it all, I figured I would just post his questions and my responses here.

1.) I can't remember a rider dominating an event like that, especially the MX des Nations. I mean, Ricky was awesome in France and Belgium, but can you remember anyone doing what Ryan did?

To say that Ryan Villopoto transcended the entire race would be an understatement. He was truly in a league of his own, and while we can make comparisons to Johnny O' in '86, or Lammy in '96, or even Tony Cairoli last year, the only thing that compares to this is what Danny "Magoo" Chandler did in '82, winning all four motos in the Motocross and Trophee des Nations. I think Villopoto felt slighted last year after some members of the press (ahem) gave Tony all the credit for winning the class in England, when it was RV who won the overall. He knew he had a chance to avenge himself on the biggest stage of all, and he took the opportunity.

Tony Cairoli is much better than his MXoN result shows. photo: Carl Stone

That said, I felt bad for Tony. He's so much better than the results show. He had a day like RC in '99, nothing more and nothing less. Same with Townley. But neither of them would have been able to stay with Ryan Villopoto at Budds Creek. It was just his day.... Like Paul Malin in Roggenburg '94, only even more so!
 
2.) For me it felt like crap, but how was it for an American—and an American that has followed this event for so long? This was a far bigger beating than in ’96.

It was a great show, and a lot of fun, but I think at the end of the day the racing lacked on the whole. Everyone would have loved a battle like the last MXoN here back at Unadilla '87, where it went right down to the end. This was a foregone conclusion from the moment the practice times were posted on Saturday.

3.) Why did Team USA dominate so easily? It seems like your riders rise to the occasion better than anyone.

This one has a few ways to look at it: First of all, RC has no equal, and the closest guys that come to him on a motocross track -- Stefan Everts and James Stewart -- were there watching. RV has been at the top of the game since Millville, and he has something to prove. He also loves this track. And Tim Ferry knew there were doubters, so he wanted to come through as well -- and he did. Add in all of the fans, the Ricky's-last-race pressure of not being the teammate to let him down, and it's a perfect formula for success.

RC came through for Team USA.  photo: Simon Cudby

But every year, we Americans say things after the MXoN like, "Our guys had to travel halfway across the planet and have jet-lag," or "The track was different than what we ride," or "They were out of their comfort area." Well, all of that is true for the GP riders this time—they had to come across the ocean. I've seen Cairoli and Ramon and Sebastien Pourcel and all of those guys race in Europe, and they are just so much faster over there than they were here. AMA-based riders (including Chad Reed and Grant Langston) took 7 of the 9 podium spots over three motos—and Townley didn't ride and Ferry crashed off the start. The point is, the guys who live here excelled, and the guys who don't live here had their fair share of problems. That's what home court advantage is all about! Next year, our guys will likely be the ones out of rhythm.

4.) Would if be fair to say that Team USA is a lot more professional than the other teams? Your preparation always seems so full on. We laugh when we see all these Americans walking around with team colors on, but we were not laughing in Budds Creek.

Team USA has Roger DeCoster, the most successful and experienced rider AND manager in the history of the MXoN, at the helm. Plus he's got Scott Taylor -- the best fixer/planner/Swiss Army Knife in American motocross -- as assistant team manager. Roger worries about the riders; Scott worries about the infrastructure. Then you have Mitch Payton fully invested in this race. He puts as much into the race as he does an outdoor national or supercross, and his record speaks for itself in all forms of racing. Together, they all give the riders and mechanics all they could ask for, and what they don't bring to the table, a whole platoon of supporters do, like Kawasaki boss Mike Fisher, RC's close friend JH Leale, Bridgestone's Doug Schopinksy, Doc Bodnar and "Fast" Eddie Casillas of Asterisk, of course Bevo Forti of Scott USA, and just a bunch of other people who really get behind Team USA.... By the way, I haven't gotten one of those shirts in three years now!

Ferry won the Open class! Have a question you'd like to ask Timmy? Well, check this out. photo: Carl Stone

5.) From your experience, what is the difference from euro circuits and how Budds Creek was?

We dig the tracks deeper, the set-up is more technical, and the pace we ride -- something Tony Cairoli and Joel Smets both talked about this week -- is just wide-open from the get-go in American motocross. Sometimes that hurts us -- like when Stewart crashed in the first moto last year and got rattled -- but when it works -- think Villopoto -- it really works!  I should mention that Budds Creek is one of the "most Euro" tracks we have. There aren't a lot of rhythm sections, and it's wide and fairly fast. But the preparation was key this time. A lot of Jonathan Beasley's fellow NPG promoters came in to help out, and they prepared the track like they do for a national, which was not the case at the actual national at Budds Creek in June! I think they got it right this time.

6.) Can the Euros come back in ‘08?

Of course the Euros can. Cairoli has 51 weeks to plan his vengeance, just as Villopoto did this year. Plus if Josh Coppins isn't hurt, Strijbos isn't hurt, Pourcel the younger isn't hurt, the Dutch show up, Cairoli doesn't get mind-@#%!ed because his bike got lost in a crate of parmesan cheese, there could just be a whole different outcome. I have watched you go on the boards this week and defend GP honor, but it's not necessary Geoff. Like you said, we dominated at Jerez in '96 and then got clobbered at Nismes '97! The MXoN is an incredibly intense and pressure-filled race, and this year the Americans came through in flying colors. I think we're the favorites again next year, but hey -- anything can happen. That's why we hold these races!
 
That’s it. That’s all I’ve got on the MXoN. But Steve Matthes and Bill Ursic offered a ton of words and colorful insight in this week’s “Observations” for Racer X Canada. Check it out. He also has an exclusive picture of Eric Geboers. Man, I should've had him autograph this 1987 album!
 
And right here would be a good place to turn it over to Carl Stone, who shot many of the pics you see here…

In the months leading up to this years MXoN event the only thing that really worried me was that of the weather being cooperative. September can mean weather in the northeast sometimes brings cloudy, rainy days. I have been to a few races at Budds Creek in the rain and, for anyone else that has, know what a mess it is. The soil has like a mix of clay in it and when it gets wet it is like walking on oil.

But that was not to be the case and Mother Nature shined down upon as and gave us another spectacular day. Was it hot? Sure, but for September it could not have been any better. And what a crowd! I had to get to the track by 6 a.m. to be sure to get parked! It was insane! At 7 a.m. the Mototees truck had lines of people 10 across and 20 deep. They sold out of shirts Saturday and had more shipped in for Sunday which they sold out of! (If you didn’t get a shirt and still want one, they are selling them online here (www.mototees.com).

Didn't get a MXoN shirt? Go to www.mototees.com right now! photo: Carl Stone

I am almost embarrassed to admit it but this was my first MXoN race. As many races as I have attended, it was always near impossible for me to get off the time from my other job after traveling so much all year and make it overseas. I had heard so much about it and the fact it was like no other race, but after being at one, you really have no idea how exciting and different it is.

Each and every year when I go to the first outdoor race at Hangtown and when the gate drops and those 40 bikes rounds the corner wide open, I get goose bumps and a chill up my spine like I was seeing it live for the first time. Happens every year. The point to this is that this past Sunday, just before MX1/MX2, as I was walking down towards the first turn the announcers were talking about the event and then one of them said, "Welcome everyone to the Red Bull Motocross of Nations at Budds Creek!" That’s when the crowd let out a roar like I have never heard at an outdoor event and as far as I could see it was a sea of people. Not an empty spot to be seen. And yes i got those goose bumps again. You really have to attend one of these event to appreciate the magnitude of it all; that was my first MXoN and I am not missing another one.
 
Yes, we won the event, but it was not easy by any means. Yes, Ryan Villopoto holeshotted and schooled everyone, but RC going down on the first lap putting him in last place sure made everyone nervous at first. RC really had to push hard to make sure he got up front for us to not lose too many points. But this is Ricky Carmichael we’re talking about and was there ever a doubt he would podium? No, not really. How many times have we seen RC come way back in the pack and win? So RV wins easily and RC does what he had to do and comes in third behind Chad Reed.
 
Next is MX2/Open. Once again RV nails the holeshot and as the rest of the pack rounds the turn I see a bunch of bikes all get together and all go down in a pile. Much to my horror I see the # 3 Kawasaki on the ground! Now Ferry is in last place! By the time he got his bike up and restarted he was way behind the pack. RC did it but could Ferry? Well all I can say is Timmy dug deep and put in a spectacular ride. He rode the wheels off that bike into fourth place!

It was those two rides by RC and Ferry that for sure secured our taking home the trophy. Not saying that Villopoto’s rides were not important—he was the absolute star of the day. What can you say about how he rode except “Wow!”
 
In MX1/Open RC took the holeshot and did what he always did after that: he checked out. As we all know, if and when RC ever loses a first moto he always comes back with a vengeance in the next moto. This race would be no different. Tim Ferry would come in a rock-solid second.
 
It was awesome to see how loved RC was by all the fans. Everytime RC would come around in both motos all the fans from all countries cheered him on. I thought that was pretty damn cool.
Thanks RC. We all are sure going to miss watching you ride.
 

Ernesto Fonseca was at Budds in support of Team USA. photo: Carl Stone

During the day in the pits, as I was walking past the Honda pits, I noticed a crowd standing around. I walked over to see what it was about and there he was—Ernesto Fonseca was under the tent! He looks great and has let his hair grow all out! People were all asking to take pictures with him and getting autographs. It was great to see. He remains one of the best people ever to get involved in motocross.
 
I have to say thanks to Red Bull for not only being such a big sponsor of this event but for the awesome after-party they hosted Sunday night. Everyone had a great time dancing and partying.
The DJ did an outstanding job. Too bad it ended so early! And yes the Euros sure do love their techno music!
 
No way I was driving back to the hotel after that party and lucky for me I hitched a ride with Moto magazine photographer Paul Bliss. So the next morning I have to go back to the track to pick up my car. I drove over to the pits where most of the big rigs were still parked and as I was saying my goodbyes to everyone, I see Mike Gosselaar putting on riding gear. I said "What the heck are you doing"? He laughed, "I am going to do something I have not done in two years! This will be my last chance to ride RC's bike outdoors.”

RC? Nope, that's Mike Gosselaar! photo: Carl Stone

I told Goose I would gladly take some pics of him riding but he said, "No, don't do that cause my riding style really sucks." I was like, Okay, but without him knowing I did it anyways! I am sure he will appreciate it in the future! Sorry Mike, but I think you look good!
 
Now in the "What was he thinking?” category, I place aspiring filmmaker, part-time photo guy, and all-time live-life-to-the-fullest adventurer Rich Van Every. Rich is a great guy and I consider him a friend, but when it came race time and he came walking over and was wearing a red Jumpsuit with the sleeves cut off and it un-zipped halfway down. Couple that with a Bruce Springsteen red, white and blue headband and you have.... Well I really dunno exactly what! Not that I am a fashion template for anyone but....

What was Rich Van Every thinking? photo: Carl Stone

I said to RVE, What the hell are you wearing? He just laughed and said he didn’t know what to call it! So all day I tried to think of that he looked like, and the best I could come up with was a Men at Work band look-a-like contestant or someone out of a bad ‘80s MTV video. He agreed and we had some good laughs about it.

But after the press conference James Stewart I think nailed it best. As James was walking by us he looked over at Rich and just smiled and shook his head and said, "What are you supposed to be, some kind of superhero?" That was it! Well said, James.
 
All in all I had an incredible time at the races and it was great getting to meet all the Euro photographers, Aussies and New Zealanders, riders and people that usually post on Mototalk. We all talk shit on each other in there but when we met it was all good and it was good to say hello to them all in person finally. Now we can get back to the shit-talking! That’s three in a row for the USA!
 
Also thanks to Mario Marini for all his hard work with all the media stuff he had to take care of. He worked his ass off and everything went smoothly, I think.
 
Lastly, a big thank you to Monster Team USA and all that were involved in helping us take home the MXON trophy for one more year. Can't wait to go to Ireland!

Andy Bowyer added this:

James Stewart came to Maryland to support Team USA. photo: Carl Stone

After the race last weekend at Budds Creek there was a gathering around Ricky