Rattray dissatisfied with second
South Africa's Tyla Rattray, who competed in this year's US AMA Supercross series, is not happy with having finished second.
"I'm doing your year review. Anything special I must say?"
"No, I got second. Nothing good to say about that."
The message from Tyla Rattray flew back across the Atlantic at warp speed and glared back at your reporter from the Blackberry screen.
There was not a trace of braggadocio or malice about it, it simply and very succinctly framed the state of mind of a champion at heart -
second place is the first loser.
This is not the South Nowhereville club championship either, mind, this is the US AMA Motocross series, the very pinnacle of motocross
racing. A fractionally small percentage of motocross riders can even realistically aspire to make it to this level of racing, and it says a
lot about Rattray's determination to be at the top that second in a championship like this does not render him into a picture of
contentedness.
From the days that he dreamt dreams of breaking out of his local, then regional, then national constrictions, his gaze was always fixed
upwards. He overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, and step by focused step closed gaps on riders ahead of him who at first seemed to be in
a different league, light years away. He's at the top of the pile now, though, and the weight of expectation lies heavy on his shoulders.
When he gets on a bike, he wants to win. When he enters a championship, he wants to win. Single-mindedness in a super-fit South African
package.
It is not that Rattray for one second begrudges teammate Dean Wilson his championship honours. A champion heart beats in each of the two
chests, and though the racing on track is super-competitive and not an inch is given, the competition always remains super fair and
sportsmanlike.
Off the track the two teammates are fully paid-up members of the mutual respect society. Rattray respects the Scottish teenager's skill,
commitment and drive, and the two riders get along fine on a personal level, this not being one of these rivalries where one fully expects
the battle-axes to be drawn out of the sheaths at any second.
The South African is hewn out of fine stone - he always remains humble in victory and gracious in defeat., likewise his main opponent.
Let us review, then, how the season unfolded for the South African.
As a major part of Mitch Payton's plans for more additions to the already-creaking trophy cabinet over at the headquarters of the Monster
Kawasaki team, Rattray was contracted to ride in the West Coast Lites Supercross series as well as in the AMA Outdoors series later in the
season. Incredible as it may sound, Rattray had not yet participated in an AMA Supercross event as the season rolled along, having opted to
sit out the 2009 series to first familiarise himself with American conditions, and being tapped on the shoulder (literally) by the injury
monster in 2010.
It was with the tiniest tad of apprehension but a whole heap of excitement, therefore, that he rocked up to Anaheim for the 2010 opener. Things
went pear-shaped almost immediately. Attempting a quadruple jump that even Superman on a confident day would stay clear of, Rattray
discovered yet again the sometimes undesirable effects of gravity as he piledrove himself into the ground in a manner reminiscent of a
missile touching down in Baghdad. Bent and bruised body notwithstanding, he made it into the evening's main and despite having to grit it
out, he rode to a podium finish, scoring third place in a Supercross main at his first attempt.
The fact that the team occupied the entire podium made for much jolliness, and but for the handy placement of his ears, Rattray's smile
might have gone all the way round his head. Finishing third on début in the world's toughest Supercross arena is no mean feat, and he
retired to his bed for a painful, yet contented sleep.
After a promising start, Rattray suffered a series of problems and setbacks, and the nadir came when an injury forced him to the
sidelines for Anaheim 2. As is his wont, however, the bounced back like the proverbial rubber ball. Still riding in some discomfort from a
Kawasaki-sized and -shaped imprint on his back, he was keen to turn his run of misfortune around, and this is did with his best Supercross
result to date. Although Eli Tomac had things his own way at the front, Rattray fended off all kinds of attacks to cross the line in second
position. This proved to be the highlight of his indoor season, and after an incident-filled campaign, the scorers noted his name against
the seventh spot as the final scores were tallied up.
Whilst Rattray, in a manner of speaking, explored new lands during the Supercross season, the advent of the outdoor campaign brought more
familiarity. Here he was in his domain, having tasted the sweetness of winner's champagne in all parts of the world already.
The season opener was at Hangtown, and event that dished out a few slaps the South African's way in 2010. He was not to sit in the corner
whimpering and let it happen all over again, though, and come the 2011 edition, he was ready. After a fifth place in the first heat, he
surged into the lead in the second, and then a guided (and sometimes unguided) missile answering to the name of Blake Baggett came by to
claim the race win.
Mitch Payton again had reason to be happier than a bulldog that had just discovered an overturned meat truck. A picture that was due to
become all-too-familiar started to emerge - that of the entire podium being occupied by green-clad Pro Circuit Kawasaki racers.
The second round of the series at Freestone raceway in the Lone Star State exposed the riders to extremely hot and humid conditions.
Texas goes large in most of what it does, including the heat it offers visitors when the ovens are truly turned on. Rattray relishes
environmental challenges, and after he scored a second position in the first heat, it would be dumb money that would bet against him in the
second race as the riders' energies flagged and the burners were turned to full roast. Justin Barcia was at one stage enjoying close to a 9
second lead in the race, but the Rattattack was on the way. A leading rider enjoys a charging Rattray behind him about as much as a burglar
enjoys coming across a Rottweiler crossed with a crocodile, and Rattray was proving this again on the day. He cruised to an untroubled
victory, scoring his first overall win of the season.
Another second place overall at the third round of the series moved the popular South African into the championship lead, but he was
realistic enough to add a quick cautionary note - motocross championships aren't won in June, the road ahead was still hard and long, the
opposition of the finest calibre and the sport unpredictable in nature. The joy was great, but his feet remained firmly planted on the
ground, and his focus already shifted to the rest of the season.
A fine performance followed at Budds Creek. Rattray trailed Wilson home in the first race, which meant that his teammate had clawed back
a few points. In the post-race interview he expressed happiness with his second place and lauded his teammate for the win, and then very
quietly alluded to the fact that a tough second heat was coming up. He did not predict a win. He was not brash. He was not cocky. But the
self-confidence simply oozed out of him, and there was, in the words of one of the classics, a fierce gleaming in his eye. He knew what
cards he had in hand. He surged to the front and rode to an unchallenged victory, which extended his championship lead further.
A troubled outing at the fifth round of the series cost him dearly, and Wilson, always there or thereabouts and ready to pounce, claimed
the red plate denoting him as championship leader. Despite another podium finish at Red Bud, Rattray yielded the second position in the
championship standings to Baggett as the Pro Circuit Emerald Express continued to sweep all before it.
The sandy underfoot of Millville, up next, suited the South African like a glove, and he claimed yet another overall victory, which was
good enough to hoick him back into second position in the championship standings. Every season has its ups and downs, and the depth of those
downs can have a significant bearing on the overall outcome of the year. Rattray's championship aspirations received a severe clobbering
when he a crash that troubled the Richter scale forced him to DNF the second race. Wilson was flawless again, and trotted into a comfortable
championship lead. Another season highlight was still in store, though.
Southwick always elicits fond memories for Rattray, for it was here that he rode to a famous victory in 2010 on the same weekend that his
daughter was born. Although lightning is said to not strike at the same place twice, the Rattray lightning bolt struck Southwick two years
in succession. Rattray was seething after the first race even though he finished second. The reason for his disgruntle was the fact that he
has stalled his bike whilst in the lead, thereby handing the race victory to compatriot Gareth Swanepoel. In the second race he came out of
his corner swinging, and there was precious little short of full armed resistance that could keep him off the top step of the podium. He
rode to a comfortable win, adding another notch to the victory belt, and reinforced his grip on the second position in the championship
run.
Though still in with a mathematical chance of claiming overall championship honours at the penultimate round of the series, the South
African's hopes were dashed. He needed an overall victory to remain in with a shout, but instead it was Wilson, who was consistent as Swiss
clockwork throughout the campaign, who took the laurels, and Rattray, with fourth overall, was quick to extend his hand to his teammate and
congratulate him on a championship that was now well and truly run.
Rattray capped the year's campaign with a second position at Pala Raceway, thereby securing the runner-up spot in the championship for
the second year in a row. The man himself was, as we mentioned right at the outset, not in a state of karmatic bliss as a result of this
achievement, though, objectively said, it is a fine result.
For a champion at heart, second is the first loser. For the great majority of people, this kind of result will forever remain the stuff
of dreams.
There were highlights aplenty, with four overall victories and a couple of comeback rides that were the stuff of Hollywood scripts. Yet,
what's done is done, and in 2012 the quest starts all over again.
Rattray allowed himself a short period of R&R, and took to the skies for a short visit to his native South Africa. His holiday had
scarcely started, though, than he was at it again, training with an intensity that surpassed even his already lofty standards of years
before. He is a man on a mission, and the champagne will never taste exactly right unless it is drunk out of the winner's cup. The heart of
a champion always yearns for only this.