While no one can deny that the “four stroke revolution” is upon us, many two-stroke loyalists have pointed out that the 250cc premier class has yet to fully succumb to the lure of the big thumpers. While 4-stroke 250s are dominating the AMA 125cc Supercross class, the 250cc class is still predominately 2-strokes. Of course, Windham is on his Honda 450 every Saturday, but the vast majority of top riders are still on 2-strokes.
It seems that this situation is likely to change for the AMA Outdoor Nationals. By now you have probably heard that Carmichael will make his return to the outdoors on a Honda CRF450R, and he is expected to go head-to-head with title rival and fellow Honda rider Windham. Timmy Ferry (definitely one of the top competitors, especially outdoors) is likely to race the YZ450F again, and even current two-stroke racer (and top SX contender) Chad Reed has mentioned the possibility that he may race the big blue thumper outdoors.
Added to this is the possibility that Suzuki may race its RM-Z450 outdoors. The Suzuki has already proven itself competitive in Europe (see last nights article), and if it were ridden by a competitive rider (say a healthy Sebastien Tortelli) it could prove a serious threat for race wins.
So, will four-strokes take all three steps on the podium at your local Outdoor National this year? It seems increasingly likely. Let us know what you think.
