Sports

OFF THE ROAD

The world’s top supercross and motocross racers prepare for this year’s US Open in Las Vegas.

This month, at the 10th annual Rockstar Energy Drink US Open, the best of the best in motorsports will compete at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Supercross riders race specialized high performance off-road motorcycles (aka dirt bikes) on a dirt track complete with steep jumps and shifting terrain that would be difficult to walk on, not to mention bike.

Due to the track’s narrow width, the uneven terrain, the sharp turns and, let’s not forget, the riders blazing by at top speeds, accidents are par for the course during a race. This high-risk, high-speed sport breeds utterly intriguing athletes that would impress even Evel Knievel. Take James “Bubba” Stewart, who at 21 became the youngest motocross champion and the first African-American to win a major motorsports championship. (He will be defending his title this year.)

In a sport where having good equipment can mean the difference between life and death, many riders like Stewart choose factory-supported teams like Kawasaki to ensure top-of-the-line equipment.

Others, like Tyler “One Punch”

Evans, maintain privateer status. A charismatic guy who doesn’t tolerate disrespect, Evans finds his own sponsors, maintains his own bike, puts together his own team and pays for his own broken bones (of which he’s had plenty), all while earning main event payouts of less than $5,000 a pop. His unmatched work ethic has earned him a fiercely loyal following among the fans of Supercross and led to his own “One Punch” clothing line and a documentary film.

While Evans takes the road less traveled, he will meet Stewart at the starting gates. All thoughts of fame and success will melt away as adrenaline takes over. When that green flag waves, neither one will leave anything on the track, except maybe a busted tire or two. —Alexandra Calamari

SPORTS CALENDAR

OCTOBER 12-14
ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK
US OPEN
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Now that you’ve learned the supercross basics, check out the sport’s US Open in lucky Las Vegas. With always-entertaining riders like Tyler Evans in attendance, Sin City is likely to see plenty of action both inside and outside the arena.

OCTOBER 18-21
STANFORD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dr. Pepper StarCenter, Dallas

To qualify for this tennis championship, players must be older than 30 and have reached at least a Grand Slam singles final, been ranked among the top five in the world or played singles on a winning Davis Cup team, so it’s no surprise that John McEnroe and Jim Courier will be among those competing.

OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 1
WORLD SERIES
Location, TBD

After its 10th All-Star victory in the last 11 years (the one missing being a tie), the American League retains home-field advantage over the National League for the 103rd World Series—but that didn’t stop the St. Louis Cardinals from winning last year. See why baseball is America’s national pastime.

SUPERCROSS
FLAG DICTIONARY

A typical supercross race has more flags than the UN. Here’s our easy guide to some of the most frequent fliers.

GREEN FLAG:
Designates the start of a race and clear track conditions.

RED FLAG:
The race has been stopped.

CHECKERED FLAG:
The race or practice session has ended.

BLACK FLAG:
Indicates a problem with a rider’s motorcycle or a disqualification.

STATIONARY YELLOW FLAG:
Points to a potentially hazardous situation on or near the track.

LIGHT BLUE FLAG WITH DIAGONAL YELLOW STRIPE:
Signals that you are about to be overtaken by faster riders.

WHITE FLAG WITH RED CROSS:
Emergency personnel are on the course.

WHITE FLAG:
Indicates the final lap of a race.

WHITE AND GREEN FLAGS CROSSED:
Signifies that half of the total race distance is completed.