BuddyTheElf wrote:Kevin Windham did it therefore it is a legit passing technique! He even jumped the bails too!
Well, Windham was penalized 10 points for that hit so it's not like what he did was remotely legal either. Not arguing just getting the facts straight.
I'm not on either side of this argument though.
I do know that Crain is the more talented rider in terms of bike control betweem the two (Ash is good, still new though) and Ash really screwed himself here. I know Crain isn't much of a dirty rider but the fact that Ash made a bigger deal out of it than it really was with this video means that Crain will remember this down the road, whether or not he does anything about it is up to him. But it's kinda like Tysen/Dudu. Simoes cleaned Tysen at a round in 2012 SX and since then I've seen a couple of gnarly completely on track block passes that Tysen rode away clean and Simoes didn't. Tysen just laughs it off anymore but if people know that that's the way you plan on riding with them then they will surely not give you an inch ever again.
Back on the Windham thing though, up to James on the nature of penalty or no and it sounds like nothing at all will be given out. However, a fair warning that if you do precisely what Ash did in an rF race, our rulebook would deem it to be illegal and a penalty will likely be given simply for the cutting the bails part.
Side note: Australia/New Zealand riders need to understand sooner rather than later the difference your lag will make in this situation. I respect Mikey and Craig and a few others from down under a ton for their willingness to provide more room while racing due to their lag bubble. Crain's pass on Ash would have likely never put him over the berm if they were both American cause the contact was that small. Crain would probably still been over the berm in Ash's pass but it makes it much more "punt-ish" because of the lag.
Just my thoughts.