Italy - Race Day

Race weekend finally arrived, and after a few days of checking out the sites, sounds, smells and tastes of Italy, we were ready to work. To be honest, things weren’t looking to good for Team USA after Saturday qualifying concluded. In Dungey, Tedesco and Weimer’s defense, the team did draw 33rd pick on the starting gate. Balls.

One of the first people we ran into at the races was Italian photographer Claudio Cabrini. I met him through Flickr, where I like to post photos for my family to see, so that they can keep track of my family. Don’t bother looking for me though, after Claudio creeped me out, I made our entire blog private. Haha! Because he used to check out Samantha and Megan’s soccer photos, Claudio messaged me a few years ago and said, “In Italy, futbol is a man’s sport. We are very serious about it. In America, it seems like futbol is just a sport for little girls.” My response? “Well, Claudio, just because you follow my blog and seeing my daughters playing soccer is your only impression of futbol in America, that doesn’t mean that they represent ALL of the sport in the United States. For instance, Stefy Bau is the only Italian motocross rider that I know. So does that mean in Italy, motocross is a girl’s sport?” HAHAHA! Claudio is actually good friend with my brother Ross, and two weeks ago, just before Rossi broke his back, he spent a week on vacation in Italy, hanging out and riding with Claudio and the rest of his crazy Cremona crew.

Eileen actually snapped this photo with her point and shoot Sony camera. Armed with a photographer’s credential, she can now justify her photo pass, thanks to her photos that I am running in my blog here. (She also shot the three stooges at the top of the page, and many of the shots at Alpinestars, earlier in the week.) These doves were just hanging out by a jump. At first, I assumed that they were tied up by their ankles of something, so that they could be set free - cheesy wedding style - when the opening ceremonies got under way. I was wrong. I saw packs of the white birds in several other places on the track, too.

You know the stupid tourist photos that everyone takes with the Leaning Tower of Pisa? This is my version, except I am holding Lutz, who is up on the jump working away. My mistake though…I didn’t properly anticipate Lutz’s GIRTH. He says that like me, girls often have the same trouble.

Many years ago, the Shoei VFX was the most-copied helmet in all of motocross. It looks like the new Shoei VFX-W
is being copied now, too. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

A crew of freestyle riders kept the crowd entertained in between motos. Eileen and I were entertained by this guy’s faux Louis Vuitton seat cover. Siiick! Earlier in the week, I was shocked to see street vendors selling tons of fake handbags, just like they do in Chinatown in NYC. Every time I’d see them, I’d blurt out, “Yo! Is that a Leroy Veeton?”

Eileen snapped this shot of the crazy fans. When Antonio Cairoli was introduced to the crowd, chainsaws, smoke bombs, and air horns went off in the crowd. Europe has the raddest race fans, hands down!

TALK ABOUT CREEPY. During the races, I ran from one side of the track to the other, trying to capture as much good video footage as possible for our coverage on the web site. Instead of hanging out in the press box and surfing the web, Eileen decided to shadow me as I worked. I thought this
was a great idea, as she could get an idea of what all of us actually really go through on a race weekend. She was a trooper, keeping up with me every step of the way. She even helped me carry my camera tripod and water, and helped spot the American riders as they approached. Here’s where it gets creepy. In the press box, a sketchy French dude came up to her and beckoned her to come to where he was set up. “I have present for you, please…” he said. Then he asked her to bring a flash drive. What did he give her? A sequence of photos that he shot of her, running behind me! Can you say, CREEPER? The only thing that would have made him creepier, would have been if he was a creepy mouth breather, too! Oh well, maybe he thought he was watching the Filipino version of Baywatch.

As you should well know by now, the weekend ended on a high note. Dungey, Weimer and Tedesco rode like bad asses and won, even though many expected Team USA to falter this year. Eileen snapped this photo from behind me, as I filmed the podium festivites.
Heck, we’ve used so many of her photos, that I think my higher ups should reimburse me for her plane ticket! What do you think? haha…

What a great trip…