Phoenix SX 2002

We covered the 250 class already but this week Matthes, Weege and Rarick look back at the 2002 SX opener from the 125SX angle. We get Buddy Antunez on to tell us about his comeback to SX/MX for Suzuki, why he got dropped at the end of the year, his memories of this night, why he chose this race, his early days at Suzuki and more. --- CHAPTERS --- 00:00 Show open 01:36 Why we're covering Indy's 125 race 08:56 125 field breakdown: the gray beards return 11:30 Sponsor read & Buddy Antunez joins the show 16:08 Suzuki tryout, dropping the ego, taking a pay cut 24:12 Unfinished business & the Indy main event breakdown 29:40 Replaced by Chad Reed & Suzuki loyalty 37:22 East Coast choice, Glen Helen mishap, Axo gear 40:54 Millville CRF test reunion tangent 44:29 Season consistency, Broome-Tioga letdown, Le Louis & the Suzuki firing rant 53:06 Contract confusion & rookie-year context 59:06 Weege's Racer X 'bring some thunder' story 1:01:53 Post-interview debrief & Havasu tangent 1:09:00 Lit Kit / Shit Kit Award 1:12:24 Jacob Marsack Award: John Dowd's forgotten 125 ride 1:16:35 What The Fuck Happened & sign-off

Weege, Matthes and Rarick get together to talk about the epic LA Coliseum race where Rick Johnson comes from last to first and we break it all down. RJ himself joins the show to talk about shoveling the whoops, the terrible track, his bad luck in '87 and other seasons, win bonuses and more.

Cooper Webb's first 250MX win, a close finish, Stew, Reed, RV, Dungy, Rocze in the 450's and more to talk about with Matthes, Weege and Rarick. Guest starring Matt Burkeen who was in the race that day as we'll!

Weege, Rarick and Matthes talk about the 2002 Phoenix SX where David Pingree's bike breaks in half, the great 250SX race, the announcers and more. The Ping himself comes on to talk about that night, his win the week before, racing Stew, his Racer X columns that got him in trouble, not getting signed by KTM and more.

Special edition of the show with Lewis Phillips joining Matthes to talk about Tommy Searle's epic day in front of his hometown fans, Phillips was there himself, the great battles him and Herlimgs had that year and then Tommy himself joins the show to tell us about that day, his lonely Monday, his relationship with Jeffrey now, that season as a whole, moving up to MXGP the next year and more.

This is it! Kelly Smith takes KTM's first ever win in AMA SX/MX on his Steve Matthes-tuned KTM125 and Rarick/Weege have to put up with Matthes talking about it. Then they get Kelly Smith himself to talk about that day, how much money he got, the mud, his history with KTM and more.

This is it! The episode where they guys get Jacob Marsack on the line to talk about his podium at Daytona in 2008! Matthes, Rarick and Weege recap the night of mud at the speedway, where they were, the track cutting by 22 and more.

RC's first 450SX win on a Suzuki and Matthes, Weege and Rarick talk about the thoughts of him going to Suzuki, this race itself, Windham pressing him, Ferry/McGrath battle and more. They then call up Carmichael's mechanic at that time, Mike Gosselaar, to talk about him going to Suzuki, what that was like, the bike and team and more.

Broc Tickle captures the 250SX west title in a great final race with Eli Tomac. Weege, Matthes and Rarick break it all down and have Tick himself on the show to tell us what that was like, what he bought with his title bonus, moving to 450's the year after and more.

Kevin Windham breaks RC's OA streak with a 1-1 day in New York. Matthes, Weege and Rarick talk about that day, the comeback of Windham, Tim Ferry, DC doing color, 125's and more. Oh and they even get Kevin Windham on the line to talk about that season and more!