Jeremy McGrath has dominated AMA Supercross for so long that it’s hard to bet against him in the 2000 season. But every champion’s reign must end, and we believe that it is Kevin Windham’s time to step up and win the AMA Supercross Championship. No one doubts that Windham has the talent. There is the story about Team Honda visiting Ezra Lusk’s personal supercross track last year, and Windham almost immediately lapping the track faster than Lusk ever had, showing particularly outrageous speed through Lusk’s hairy whoop section.

On occasion, Windham also beat Jeremy McGrath straight-up in a Supercross last year. He has the speed and the talent, but last year he lacked the consistency.

Windham struggled to adapt to Honda’s aluminum framed CR250 after switching from Team Yamaha last year. Now, apparently, Windham loves the CR250 (particularly the new 2000 model) and is ready to be a consistent front runner in the AMA Supercross Series.

Baring injury or mechanical problems, we are predicting that Windham will win the 2000 AMA Supercross Series. McGrath is obviously still fast and smart — smarter than any of the other riders. He knows how to win a championship by picking his spots, and not taking unnecessary chances that could lead to a DNF or poor placing. There are some cracks showing in McGrath’s armor, however.

McGrath, with his increasing wealth and fame, has started to demand appearance money at every off-season Supercross race (he generally gets it) and, as we all know, skipped most of the 250cc Outdoor National Series. Is McGrath “race ready”? He didn’t look like it when he returned to the AMA Outdoor National Series late in the season (where he was soundly beaten by several riders who are normally slower than he is). His performance in Europe (Italy’s Fastcross, for example) and the FIM World Supercross Championship have been less than impressive this year.

McGrath also skipped the U.S. Open race last week in Las Vegas, because the promoter felt that a $100,000.00 first place prize should be enough to lure McGrath, and refused to pay McGrath any appearance money. McGrath is missing out on consistent, fast competition by skipping the U.S. Open and most of the AMA Outdoor National Series. At his age, he needs to remain razor sharp if he expects to continue dominating AMA Supercross. We just don’t think he will dominate this year. His smarts and his consistency, however, could earn him yet another Supercross Championship this year, but we think it will be Windham’s year.

Please E-mail us with your thoughts on this one.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.