Monster Energy Supercross 3 Video Walkthrough (450)

[Frag Maniac]

Well, things seem to be going OK with my GRID 2019 walkthrough, so I'm going to post this one up as well, and probably my Ghostrunner walkthrough as soon as I complete another level. I'm about 1/3 way into this career, and usually just post two rounds at a time, so I'll post the playlist link, then embed the two rounds I just completed. I have no idea if anyone here is into supercross racing, and all the tactics and lingo that goes with, but I generally post a fairly detailed explanation of how I ride each track, just in case anyone's interested.

Playlist up to this point - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHB6vX_n-5BPSlaZcNqy91phx4BNLL9NI

San Diego

San Diego I would say is an unusual track, as it's rhythm sections can be hard to hit consistently, and even the whoop sections have irregular spacing and height. It starts out easy enough with a well timed dash to the holeshot, made quicker with no forward lean. Then you just take a tight left turn and a near 90 degree left on near flat terrain, followed by a small jump that you can on/off onto a tabletop while weighting back. This takes you immediately into a 180 semi shallow right berm, which can make possible a triple jump onto another tabletop if you rail it fast enough. When I didn't have enough speed for that I sufficed with a weight back skim jump off the front lip of it (with tempered speed when hitting it to avoid bouncing too high).

This takes you over a small jump and immediately into a near 90 degree right through another rhythm section. I usually chose to use the first small jump of this section to bounce jump off the face of the 3rd jump via weighting back. This is enough to bounce me over the next taller medium jump, then double over two small jumps, then take a slightly bigger medium jump to triple jump in the next rhythm section. You then have one small jump to end that section, and a dogleg right immediately after into the next rhythm section. This last rhythm section involves a small jump double, then a big jump to triple over two smaller jumps. This section then ends with a high, steeply banked 180 berm right.

You then have two whoop sections, connected by another high, steeply banked berm, which is a 180 left. I find these whoops being of inconsistent spacing and height can send you high and slow you down if you use the typical weight back approach through them. So I started weighting forward until I hit the first one, then weighted back, which usually helped me skim over them faster. You then hit the big finish line jump into a big air double, and take yet another high, steeply banked berm, which is a near 180 right. This takes you over a medium jump onto a short, fast flat, and into a flat section via a tight right, and a big bend left back to the holeshot. Here I just leaned hard left and coasted intermittently where the bend tightened radius.

It's a little harder to distance yourself from the AI on this track vs others due to the difficulty of consistently syncing landings on the rhythm and whoop sections, but I still managed an 8.4 sec lead at the final time check.

450 San Diego

Minneapolis

I felt much more at ease with this track, as it's rhythm and whoop sections are more typical and easier to hit consistently. It really only involves tempering your speed going into them to sync your launch spots for the big jumps, something that can take getting used to on the powerful 450 bikes.

It starts with a gradual increasing radius left bend on a flat holeshot, which is not too hard to win on this track if timed well. The trick then is to, as mentioned, temper speed and hit a small jump double, which launches you into back to back medium jump triples, then immediately into a 90 degree left where there's a fairly large berm to use. You then can launch off a small jump over a set of two more increasing height small jumps, then drop onto two fast flat sections connected by a 180 left medium size berm. This takes you to a 90 degree right into a rhythm section. On this section I again temper speed to hit a small double jump, to launch me into a medium size triple jump, then another small double into a high, steep 180 right berm.

This is followed by a fast whoop section, into a high, steep near 180 left berm, onto a long, fast flat, and into a high, steep near 180 right berm to the finish line. You then hit the big finish line jump into a big air double, followed immediately by a medium jump double, and into a high, steep, 180 left berm, followed by a long rhythm section with medium jumps I double all the way through. It then goes into a near 90 degree left, and into a big air triple over semi large jumps. This is followed by a near 90 degree left, over a medium jump, and back to the first rhythm section. On this track I managed just under an 11.5 sec lead at the last time check.

450 Minneapolis

 

[Frag Maniac]

GAME CHANGING UPDATE!!!

I not only have two more rounds finished, I decided to make a MAJOR change. Since this game, and especially the 450 class, is quite surprisingly easier than ME Supercross 2, I am now giving the AI a head start. The amount of time I delay my start will be based on the difficulty of the track, and how well the AI ride it. There is only one track I can think of, Nashville, that I may allot no head start to, based on how well the 250 East class rode it (I settled for 4th).

These rounds include Arlington's AT&T Stadium, and a Triple Crown at Detroit's Ford Field.

Arlington

This track is not too hard to ride, nor do the AI ride it extremely well, so I gave them a 10 second head start here. A 10 second head start allows the field to completely pass the holeshot line, so I had to pick my way though the Tuff Blocks that spawn in once the start chute is clear. I simply arced a smooth outside line on the tight left bend, to set up for a little hop off a small jump to an on/off on a tabletop, which sets you up for a hop over another small jump, into a medium jump I tripled off of. Landing that triple on the outside edge of the track prepares you for lean left hops over a small, then medium jump while making a 90 degree left onto a short, fast flat straight. This takes you into a high, steep 180 berm left, over two small jumps, then onto another short, fast flat straight to set up for a rhythm section after a 90 degree right.

The right takes you over a small jump double and into a big air triple off a large jump, which then takes you over a small jump and immediately into a high, steep 180 right berm. You then take a large jump onto a long fast, flat straight, then to a 90 degree left over a medium jump. Here you can choose whether to swing wide and take another 90 degree left on the outside, or slow down for the inside, as the track splits into two lanes separated by Tuff Blocks. It's a tough call, and I found it depends whether you have AI near, and where they are. You can basically make repeated double jumps through this whole rhythm section, regardless of which lane you pick, but I found when AI were taking the outside lane, I could stay with them better by taking the inside lane and making a crucial on/off on the tabletop.

You then go into a wide 180 shallow berm left, and onto a long , fast whoop section. Then you have a high, steep 180 right berm, a double over two small jumps, and a big air double off the big finish line jump. This takes you into a 90 degree left, then a big arcing left bend over a series of medium and small jumps. I found the key here is not syncing jump rhythms, so much as staying leaned left and maintaining speed. This takes you back to the holeshot line, where the same technique applies to the start due to relatively similar speeds being attainable.

The real battle of course is how you deal with passing AI, avoiding them bouncing you off track, landing big jumps on your head, etc, etc. The basic rule of thumb I followed was use the outside line in turns when there's space for it to maintain momentum (otherwise you can easily get bounced off track as they all slide wide a bit into the turn), but also do block passes on AI in 180s once the pack is thinned out. After clearing big jumps you must be aware of any AI that may be closing in on you as well, so glancing at the minimap is key to avoiding Big Bird Landing on you. Other than that it is fairly critical to hit your rhythm marks to catch them or maintain a lead.

Spoiler

This was a pretty competitive race and came down to the wire. I managed to eek out just over a 1.3 sec lead at the final time check. The highlight of this race for me was at the 2:18 mark at the start of lap 3, I went from 12th to 6th in one rhythm section. Albeit a bit sloppily at times, and wondering if any of the multiple riders flying above me would land on me! It was an adrenaline rush to make it through that with such good result.

Arlington

Detroit Triple Crown

This track is much harder to ride, and the AI ride it reasonably well. This plus the fact that it's a Triple Crown, meaning each race is 4 min vs 5 min, I allotted the AI a 5 sec lead here. Reason being you have MUCH less time to catch up and pass, and the tougher rhythm section this track has can easily allow the AI to catch or pass you if you don't nail it.

It starts with a fast left bend into a rhythm section of small jumps. At the start I took this as fast as I could, and it typically allowed me to take the first small jump, skip off the top of the next (weighted back), bounce jump off the 4th, then skip off the top of the 6th, where I slowed down considerably on the final jump to lean left for a 90 degree left for a double to set up for an on/off onto the 2nd of two tabletops. It didn't work out this way on the start, due to accounting for AI, but I DID manage a double off the front lip of the 2nd tabletop to salvage speed. I then usually like to slow down a bit and swing wide on the 90 degree left, in order to use the flatter part of the track on the outside to time a double over 2 small jumps, which also sets you up perfectly for a big air triple off a big jump. You need to get a feel for this part of the track though, as the AI at times can pass you on the inside where the track has a noticeable jump. If I felt they were closing on me and going to go inside, I would just go inside before they cut me off, then temper my jump speed to make sure I hit that big air triple.

The big triple takes you immediately into a high, steep, 180 left berm, where I usually passed on the outside, but at times boldly squeezed in between the pack and apex pole to block pass multiple riders if I felt there was room. You then go into a long, fast whoop section, and into a semi shallow 180 right berm (where I recommend staying just inside the pack), then over a couple of sets of small to medium size double jumps, then a big air double off the big finish line jump. This takes you onto a fast, short, flat straight, and into a 180 shallow left berm. I would decide outside vs inside on this turn based on where the AI were, and how much room there was with either choice.

This takes you onto a super long, fast, flat straight, and over a big air sort of double and a half if you take it full speed and weight back on the Medium jump you launch off. Reason I call it this is you land WELL past the 2nd medium jump, and can bounce jump (weighted back) off the lip of the dragon's back (3 small jumps bunched together at an incline). What this does is maintain speed and a low enough trajectory to just clear the top of the dragon's back, then be able to skip jump (weighted back) or sometimes just clear the following small jump. This takes you immediately into a semi high, steep 180 right berm, and into the toughest rhythm section of the track.

The hard thing about this rhythm section is 1) it splits into 2 Tuff Block separated lanes, and 2), it can be very hard to sync the back to back triple jumps you are rewarded with if you hit it just right. In the 250 class my problem was usually not getting enough speed off the berm to hit the first triple. On the 450 I often overshoot the first triple, or come too short if I try to even subtly temper speed. This is a BIG part of the reason I gave the AI just a 5 sec lead on this track, as often times they passed me when I didn't nail this section. This rhythm section dumps you out onto a fast, short, straight flat, and into a semi high, steep, 180 left berm.

This takes you onto a medium riser that lands you on a higher area that starts out with a fast, short straight flat, and back to the holeshot. It is now easy with full speed and a straight approach to fully back to back triples on this rhythm section.

Spoiler

Despite these races at times having the appearance of being overall easier than Arlington, due to me usually holding a lead longer, I averaged just barely over a .8 sec lead at the final time check. The highlight for me here was at 4:44 on the final lap of the 1st race, I finally managed to catch up and get by Cooper Webb with a block pass!

Detroit Triple Crown

 

[Frag Maniac]

The next two rounds are complete. This time the venues are Atlanta and Daytona.

Atlanta

Based on my end of race lead at this track in the 250 West class, I thought a 10 sec head start for the AI might be doable here. To my surprise however, this is one track so far that the 450 AI actually ride a bit better than the 250 class, though primarily just 3 of them, and most notably, the fastest of those 3. I settled for a 5 sec head start for the AI, which was just right.

It starts with a long, fast straight into a tight left bend, where you need to hit a small jump double to land a triple/triple/double combo via launching off a medium jump. This combo doesn't require much precision to set up for. This ends the first rhythm section, and sends you immediately into a semi high, steep 180 left berm onto another rhythm section. I generally took this section via using the first medium size jump to bounce jump (weighted back) on the 3rd small jump, which allowed me to do a small jump double, into a scrubbed big air triple.

The rhythm section then ends immediately with a hairpin right, where it is best to brake hard and take the apex, often allowing you to pass AI that go deeper into the available berm. This puts you onto a long, fast straight, and into a tight left bend. When there's AI here, I generally take the inside line of this bend to pass. This takes you into another, easier rhythm section, where I typically go full gas, allowing me to do a triple/triple combo via using the first large jump to bounce jump (weighted back) off the 4th large jump, and skim off the top of the 6th small jump. So technically it's not a perfect triple/triple, and some would even call the 2nd or even both landings a "case", but the fact is, this method is fast and consistent, and that's all that matters.

This ends that rhythm section and takes you to a semi high, steep, 180 left berm, and into a long, fast whoop section. With AI present I generally took the right side of these whoops to set up for an inside pass on the high, steep, 180 right berm at the end. This takes you into a short rhythm section where you double off a medium jump onto an on/off on a tabletop, then a double over a small jump, and a big air double off the large finish line jump. I generally scrub this big air double unless the AI are close, or my line is a bit off, because next is a fairly narrow bridge tunnel you must get through right after landing. You then take a 90 degree right, followed by a 180 right, all on flat, deep sand. This is a good spot to pass AI leaning hard right and taking the inside line.

This takes you immediately into a bridge jump, followed by a sweeping flat, left bend, and back into the first rhythm section. In the 250 class I had to force myself to temper speed on the bridge jump, to go into the bend with good speed after landing on the bridge's down slope, then swing wide on the bend, just to get up adequate speed to hit the triple/triple/double combo. On the 450 this wasn't necessary, but at the start of the 2nd lap I did mess up and miss the launch mark by tempering speed a bit too much on the small jump double at the start.

Spoiler

I ended up catching the lead rider, Eli Tomac, early on in the 3rd lap, and even knocked him off his bike with a block pass, my highlight of the race. He recovered well and stayed close though, so I finished with only just under a .4 sec lead at the last time check.

Atlanta

Daytona

This is a LONG, fast track, which averages a good 1/3 longer lap times than most tracks in the 450 career. At first glance it seems simple in construction, with a lot of small whoop sections. The whoops in places are slightly irregularly spaced, and the surface is a mix of dry dirt, slippery dirt, and sand, so it requires careful attention not to crash. It can also be very hard to consistently sync your landings well on the super long straight, and as well to hit the big jump in the rhythm section thereafter. Despite imperfections in these sections often allowing AI to catch up and at times pass you, there's enough places to make up for it, usually where they swing wide on sharp turns, or don't scrub on big jumps.

This was yet another track where based on my 250 East end of race lead, I thought a 10 sec AI head start might be appropriate. Again, it turned out the 450 AI rode this track better than the 250 class, so I allotted them a 5 sec head start. It starts with a big sweeping left bend onto a sort of pseudo micro whoop section with spaced ripples. The dirt is black here, and seems a bit slippery, so you have to be really careful to brake in advance and preferably while in a straight line to avoid catastrophically overshooting the mostly flat 180 turn onto a short, deep sand whoop section. Normally I accelerate center weighted on sand, but since this sand is only deep between the whoops, and small whoops are generally taken faster weighted, back, I found that method was faster, and allowed me to pass AI.

Next you take a shallow 180 right berm onto a rhythm section that's all medium sized double jumps. It's a bit frustratingly slow on a 450 to be limited to double jumps through a section like this, but I found if you're patient and temper speed enough to so much as hit two downslopes in this section, you propel faster through it, and can catch or even pass AI. Next is a 180 shallow left berm into a big air triple off a large jump. Here I found it advantageous to avoid the berm, and take the deep turn more at it's apex. Sometimes it landed me a bit short of the triple due to AI brushing against me, but I was still able to pass more AI this way. The trick I found is to find middle ground of the 180 between the apex and the berm.

This rockets you into that aforementioned super long straight. It starts with a fast whoop section, then into a big air single jump off a medium jump that lands you on drier, slightly sandier flat ground, which is the start chute crosswise. Here I always scrubbed this big jump, which allows me to pass the AI whom generally don't scrub it for some reason. I then stay full gas hopping over a small jump double, and bounce jumping (weighted back) off a medium jump. This usually allowed me to land a small jump triple, then use the face of the following medium tabletop to bounce jump off the face of the next tabletop two jumps down, and then skim off the tops of the following jumps. The ending of that sequence is where momentum can really be lost, and when that was the case, I tried my best to to temper speed where need be to hit some downslopes of small jumps before finishing this straight on a fast whoop section. This whoop section is very tricky, as it's actually oddly shaped small humps, which have angles and splits down the middle, and a bit irregularly spaced. It can feel more like moguls that are hard to distinguish, due to their small size, irregular shapes, and black color. There are times where weighting back will just cause you to wheelie out of control, yet the end of it often makes you rock forward harshly and go over the bars. I found it best to wait until a ways into it to weight back, even weighting forward a bit at the start can help. Then I'd weight back momentarily at the end to avoid an OTB crash.

Next is a near flat 180 left onto a fairly tough rhythm section. It starts with an easy enough double onto an on/off tabletop, but then you need good enough speed and/or precise enough landing to hit a small jump double into a big air triple off a medium jump. This is critical because the AI generally hit this triple, and if you don't, it saps your momentum both at the big jump and the semi small spaced jumps that follow. This then takes you into a big air triple off a large jump, and into a tight, almost flat right. Thankfully this tight right is one of those spots where the AI generally swing wide, so taking an inside line can allow you to catch back up or pass. You then can do a double/double/double combo on a short rhythm section, into a near flat 180 left, across some rising, almost dragon back-ish small to med whoops, which lands you to a lower area over a small jump, off a med jump double, and into a big air double jump at the filmish line, which merges midway into the right side of that big sweeping bend at the start. At times I took this big air jump with an odd trajectory to land it on it's left edge to avoid crashing onto or into AI.

Spoiler

This race truly came down to the wire. I didn't manage to get the lead until early in the 4th lap, with two block passes one after the other, which was the highlight for me. However I then lost it again at least twice. Both Vince Friese and Cooper Webb were relentless, but mostly Webb pressured me at the end. At the final time check I only had just over a .2 sec lead.

Daytona

 

[Frag Maniac]

Here's the next two rounds, and with these, I really pushed myself on the head start challenge. The venues are Indianapolis, and Seattle.

Indianapolis

The AI aren't particularly fast on this track, so I gave them a 15 sec head start. The track itself is a bit challenging though, as your momentum can easily take you into Tuff Blocks on some turns, or even off track. Most turns in general require intense focus to avoid crashing. In places the AI can also unexpectedly drop into your lane right in front of you where the track spits, or dump the lane dividing Tuff Blocks in your path.

With a 15 sec start, I had to be careful not to crash on the Tuff Blocks that spawned in to block off the start chute after the field had cleared the holeshot line. This caused many crashes and restarts, as it requires precisely hitting the small gap between blocks. Once to the holeshot line, I begin the 1st rhythm section by hopping over the 1st two small jumps, and bounce hopping weighted back off the 3rd medium size jump, while tempering speed a bit at that point to triple jump to a small jump just before a 90 degree left, This technique would either allow me to just clear the small jump, or do a subtle skip off the top of it, while braking for the turn.

After the left turn I use a small jump to hop over a medium jump, then use the front face of a tabletop to double jump over a small jump. The final small jump in this short rhythm section comes just before a near 90 degree left, and was difficult to maintain momentum over if I didn't hit it right. I tried my best at times to skip jump leaning left over it, or slow enough to just subtly jump it vs bouncing off it. It often didn't matter though, as there was usually lots of AI slowing down here, and it was best to make sure I hit the launch point for the 1st jump in the next big rhythm section.

This big rhythm section starts with a tempered speed double over 2 small to med size jumps, then takes you into triple jump off a med jump, then into a double over more small to med jumps, and immediately into a high, steep 180 left berm, and onto a med length whoop section. There is a slightly higher whoop placed just before the last whoops of this section, which is hard to avoid hitting, so it's imperative to slow adequately to not overshoot the upcoming 90 right. This is a critical turn that is best set up for by initiating it deep into the turn, so you are at the far left edge of the next short section. It's hard to do this without swinging wide into the Tuff Blocks.

This short section involves a jump off a small jump onto an on/off on a big tabletop, then a skip off a small jump into a 90 degree right turn, all while leaning hard right. In the next short rhythm section, there's an opportunity to hit a triple if the turn into it is taken at good speed. Often times however I settled for a bounce jump off the face of the 3rd med size jump, into an on/off on the tabletop, and a ho over a small jump. This takes you into 2 short, flat straights, connected by a high, steep 180 right berm, and into tempered speed big air double off the big finish line jump.

The way you take the finish line jump is crucial, as immediately afterward is fairly wide 180 berm left, which is where the track split is I spoke of earlier. I generally let off gas just before where the dirt turns a light color just before the finish line jump, and take the inside line at the split. This allows me to land the double jump on the down slope of the 2nd jump, and the inside lane has a bit higher, steeper berm to rail off of, plus this half of th e track split seems to be a bit wider as well. The technique I use through this berm is coast all the way through it, and barely tap the brakes just prior to the berm, then go full gas out of it over the short whoop section.

This is followed by a short, flat straight, and into a near 90 degree left. This left is critical to get right, because it comes just before a big air triple that takes you back to the first rhythm section. It's crucial to brake adequately before going into it, take a moderately wide vs apex approach, and lean left. This very short section has small to med jump, and med jump, and a small jump, and I would often skip jump over the last two while moderating speed for the next left. There is just enough room before the launch off the first big jump to hit the triple, in fact you can easily jump too far if not careful.

Landing the big air triple on the downslope of the 3rd jump boosts speed considerably, and can aid in passing AI. There's just a short, flat straight before the 1st rhythm section, and I use the same technique on it with subsequent laps. The only difference is, you have to use a bit more care tempering the speed on the bounce jump, after coming off the straight.

Spoiler

This race was pretty close. It took until time remaining had just about expired before I was able to take the lead with a block pass on Cooper Webb at the berm just before the finish line, which was the highlight for me. This meant there was barely more than 1 vs 2 laps to go to the finish. The only major mistake I made was not tempering speed quite enough on the turn into the last, short rhythm section (5:42 mark). This caused me to angle the bike severely back toward the track to avoid landing on Tuff Blocks. I then bone headedly overcorrected the swerve right, which caused me to swerve far left off the face of the tabletop, and off track. Since my only criteria to scrap and restart are crashes and track resets, I was OK with the results, as it only took a couple secs to get back on track and finish. However I estimate that mistake probably took my just over 1.5 sec lead at the last time check, down to more like .5 sec at the finish.

Indianapolis

Seattle

This track has a lot of long, fast sections, with only 1 real rhythm section that's easy to get through, so the AI ride it a bit faster than Indianapolis. Thus I gave them a 10 sec head start here. This also meant there was only one line of start chute blocking Tuff Blocks that spawned in, which was pretty easy to get through.

It starts with a tight left into the holeshot, then a double jump over 2 small jumps, and a jump off a med jump, into a near 90 degree right. I then use a small jump to jump over a med jump and bounce jump off a small jump, then double jump over 2 small jumps, and hit a big air triple off a big jump. It then goes immediately into a semi wide, shallow 180 right berm, which you must rail to use a small jump to hop over a med jump, then use another small jump to land an on/off onto a tabletop, followed by a hop down over a small jump and into a high, steep 180 left berm. Coasting through this berm, then using moderate speed, lands you a big air triple off a big jump.

The big air triple takes you immediately into a very wide, flat to shallow right berm, and to a big air double off the big finish line jump. You then have two med length flat straights with a small jump in the middle of them, connected by a high, steep 180 left berm. There are small to med jumps and a tabletop continuing the 2nd straight, and I generally went into them full speed, bounce jumping off the face of the tabletop. Rarely was it necessary to temper speed and time jumps through this section, and as long as I broke in time toward the end of it, I'd often skip jump off the top of the final small jump. Tis takes you into a high, steep 180 right berm, and I found it best to coast rail near the top of it, then go full gas out of it into the VERY long whoop section.

The straight continues at end of the whoops with a short, flat section, then into a near 90 degree right, onto a short rhythm section of two med size double jumps, where I found it best to stay leaned forward. Staying leaned forward here is crucial to set up for the dog leg right into a LONG flat straight, which continues in a more subtle dog leg right into that aforementioned 1st rhythm section. The technique on this rhythm section then became just weighting back and doing skip jumps off the top of the jumps through it. It IS imperative however to swing wide enough on the flat straight, to allow a straight line approach on the rhythm section.

Spoiler

There was a similar situation here as in Indianapolis, where I didn't take the lead until late in the race, however here it took to about 28 secs after time had expired. Similarly though, I took the lead just before the finish line, which again meant barely more than 1 vs 2 laps to go. This was the highlight for me at the 5:24 mark, as the lead rider Justin Bogle, crashed at the end of the rhythm section, just before my passing the then lead rider Blake Baggett cleanly in the berm at the end of the section. No off track antics this time, but I DID kind of brake too late into the berm connecting the straights at the 5:45 mark, causing me to smack into a couple Tuff Blocks. I still however managed a just over .7 sec lead at the final time check.

Seattle

 

[Frag Maniac]

This is quite a pair of rounds. It's a Triple Crown at Houston, and by far the most difficult track for me, Nashville. Both also feature big jump combos, including a triple/triple/triple at Nashville.

Houston

This track is fairly easy to ride, and the AI aren't blazing fast on it, so I gave them a 15 sec head start. It starts with a not so tight left bend onto a rhythm section, which you can get up good speed for by starting wide right and taking it's apex. Fortunately the Tuff Blocks that spawned in after the long 15 sec wait, were spaced well enough to easily pick a line between them. The reason a fast approach to this section is vital, is it makes for an easy bounce jump off the semi big 3rd jump (weighting back), after jumping over a set of 2 med jumps, which launches you into a triple/triple combo.

You then have a high, steep 180 left berm you rail, that takes you onto a long, fast whoop section. This whoop section has a very short flat section near the end of it, then two spaced out larger whoops at the end just before a high, steep 180 right berm, so you must let off gas when you get to those last whoops to avoid overshooting the berm. You then have a pretty easy rhythm section where you can use moderate speed to hop over two med jumps, and bounce jump of the face of the 3rd, which allows you to do a triple on/off combo on 3 back to back tabletops. The section then ends with a med then small jump you can skip off, then over, into a high, steep, 180 left berm.

Railing that berm with moderate speed allows you to double over two med jumps, then use a big jump to triple over two med jumps, then use a small jump to on/off onto a tabletop while leaning right and jumping off it over a small jump, then immediately into a near 90 degree right on a short flat that takes you under a bridge jump. A good line is critical here to clear the narrow tunnel, especially with AI present. This takes you immediately into another near 90 right, into a double over two med jumps, then onto a med length section with spaced whoops. This section is a bit tricky, as the last whoop can kick the rear of the bike up if you hit it wrong, so I find staying weighted back and/or letting off gas when I approach the last whoop keeps things under control when things are feeling sketchy approaching it.

This takes you into a wide, shallow 180 right berm, and onto a very short flat that takes you to a big air triple off the big finish line jump. I usually scrub this jump, unless AI are near. You then have another very short flat, then the bridge jump, which requires letting off gas as you approach it, to land on its downslope (not always critical). This takes you into a med, flat straight, into a dog leg left, over a big jump, where you must temper speed, lean left, and take an inside line over a short section of small to med jumps, then into another dog leg left onto a short, straight flat that takes you back to the holeshot and 1st rhythm section. The technique on subsequent laps for this section is the same as the start, a bounce jump off the 3rd jump, into a triple/triple combo.

Spoiler

These races came down to the wire, and I averaged just under a .75 sec lead at the last time check. The highlight for me, was at the 4:05 mark of the final lap of the 1st race. I was battling with lead rider Marvin Musquin just prior to the finish line jump, then finally secured the lead just before the holeshot line, after nearly crashing on the Tuff Blocks.

Houston Triple Crown

Nashville

This track was the bane of my 250 East career, settling for just a 4th place after numerous attempts. For that reason, as I stated when starting the AI head start challenge, I felt a strong possibility this might be the only track where I don't allow the AI a head start in the 450 career. I started out trying shooting for the holeshot with the rest of them. Soon it felt a bit too easy, so I tried waiting until the start gate completely fell, then jumped in behind them on the first turn. Eventually I started giving them a 3 sec lead, then 5 sec. After staying up until nearly 2 AM, the 5 sec leads at best ended with me not quite being able to catch the lead rider by the finish line. I was starting to think I was too tired and was better off trying again the next day. What followed was something that made me damn glad I stayed up and persevered, after realizing a 5 sec AI head start was in fact doable.

It starts with a fairly tight bend into the 1st rhythm section. I soon discovered if I broke midway at the outside edge of this bend, it left a long and straight enough approach to go full gas into a triple off the face of the 1st jump, being a small tabletop. This effectively allowed me to do a pseudo triple/triple/triple/double combo, Granted, I was skipping off the tops of jumps on the landings of the 2nd and 3rd triples, but my trajectory stayed low, and speed high, which is far more important than perfect landings. You then go into a shallow, 180 left berm, onto another rhythm section. Here I find it best to double over the 1st two med jumps, then use the 3rd small jump to set up for on/offs onto 3 back to back tabletops. The 3rd tabletop is actually more of a shallow saddle between two small jumps, which then allows you to jump over a small jump, immediately into a high, steep near 180 right berm, onto a long, flat straight.

Off this straight is a wide, flat bend left, where it is crucial to maintain good speed. It is imperative to lean hard left here, and hold a smooth line without skidding. The line is dependent on whether AI are present, but generally I took a more outside line when they weren't. The reason good speed is important here, is this bend takes you into the hardest rhythm section, but also an opportunity to nail that triple/triple/triple combo I spoke of. Speed also helps maintain adequate momentum even if you don't nail it perfectly. There's also the fact that the AI often swing too wide and go off track on this section, only to speed along on the flat concrete, and hop back on track as if nothing had happened. LOL

You then go into a high, not so steep 180 left berm, into a long whoop section. It is important to rail this berm as fast as possible, as these whoops can kick you up high and slow you down, largely because the 1st whoop is a bit bigger, and there's a tiny ripple of a whoop just before it, which can make you bounce jump off it. There's then a very short flat near the end of it, followed by a double over two small jumps, and a bounce jump off the face of a big med jump, which takes you over two small jumps into a high, steep 180 right berm. Again, this berm is also crucial to rail as fast as possible, as it takes you into a med whoop section, which are spaced a bit irregularly, with a very short distance from the last whoop to the big finish line jump. It is very easy to get bogged down here, or even go OTB at the end. On one lap I cased the landing off the finish line jump due to getting bogged down.

The finish line jump is a big air double, then takes you immediately into near 90 left, to a big air triple off another big jump. You then have another near 90 left right after landing the triple, which is important to maintain good speed on to use a med jump just after the turn, to jump across the wide flat just before the holeshot, and on/off onto a tabletop. This section after the finish line is important to hit precise landings to set up for good apex lines leaning hard left, but allowing enough room to not smack into the apex poles. If done right, you can really outdo the AI here. On the 2nd and 3rd laps, I sufficed by skipping off the tops of most of the jumps in this 1st rhythm section, with a bounce jump here and there. On the 4th lap at the 3:06 mark is where I hit a triple off the holeshot tabletop, with a off the top skip and bounce jump after. On subsequent laps I hit a double/double/triple/double combo off the holeshot tabletop.

Spoiler

Despite getting less then 6 hrs sleep due to staying up and struggling through numerous attempts, I'm so glad I did! I had just under a 2.5 sec lead at the final time check. One might think after watching this, I should have given the AI a 7 sec or so head start, but you didn't see all my numerous failed attempts. Trust me, on this one, I got in a rare zone that I've never experienced before on this track. I mean you can clearly see that even at the 2:17 mark on this run, I swerved left exiting the berm to avoid hitting a Tuff Block. This caused me to lose a bit of speed and catch my rear tire on a jump, which caused a near dirt nap crash as I was trying to correct the swerve angle. Take a look at this screenie, and tell me if you think it looks like I crashed! View: https://i.imgur.com/Vxh568v.jpg
I was very lucky not to crash and recover so quickly. The consequence was Justin Bogle, after just having passed him, got back in front of me for a good ways. Fortunately I was able to narrowly miss landing on him at the 3:02 mark, to get by him again. That and managing that triple off the holeshot tabletop right after, which rocketed me into 1st, was definitely the highlight for me.

Nashville

 

[Frag Maniac]

This pair of rounds are the last before the final championship round, so the next post will have just one round. These rounds take place at Denver (in soaking rain), and East Rutherford.

Denver

This track has some tough to hit rhythm sections even when dry, but they become a lot harder when wet. It's also a track that can be very tough to pass on. For this reason I allotted the AI just a 7 second head start. It starts with a fairly tight left bend, which I found is best to brake midway through, just to get enough speed up in the muck to double most of the way through on the small to med jumps in the first rhythm section. This is followed by a single jump over a small jump into a high, steep 180 right berm at the end. It's then into another rhythm section where I use a small jump to hop over a med jump, then a small jump to on/off onto a tabletop, followed by a double/double/double combo, then a lean right jump over a small jump into a near 90 degree right. This takes you to a short rhythm section where I hit a big jump for a big air triple, then immediately into another near 90 degree right.

This takes you to another rhythm section, which is longer and faster, where I come off a small jump, into a bounce jump into a double/double over small to med jumps, then into another big air triple off a big jump. This takes you to a high, steep 180 right berm, and into a long whoop section. This whoop section is semi fast, even in muck, but it has two bigger whoops near the end after a very short flat, which may or may not allow you enough jump distance to clear the small jump at the end (especially when AI are near). I merely made sure I was leaning back when landing if I appeared to be just short, or on top of it. Then it goes into a high, steep, near 180 left berm, onto a straight flat, into a near 180 right, to a big air double off the big finish line jump. The hairpin leading to the finish line I would usually take at it's apex, vs the farther set back berm, which allowed me to pass AI.

The finish line double after landing it goes immediately into a near flat, 180 left, where I again hug the apex to pass AI, then over the holeshot back to the first rhythm section. The only difference in technique on this section with subsequent laps is the single jump is taken at the start instead of the end, with doubles the rest of the way like the first lap.

Spoiler

I had some fortune at the 1:30 mark when James Stewart as he was descending from a jump, brushed against my right side, keeping me on track, after I hit one jump at a slightly bad angle and was headed a bit off track. I say "fortune", because usually any unexpected contact with AI does more harm than good, so I was due for a break. At the 2:50 mark, I was just catching the lead riders, and managed to get into first, with about 2 min remaining, which was the highlight for me. Despite not hitting some of the rhythms well the rest of the way, I wound up with a just under 2.5 sec lead at the last time check. Like the Nashville race, that was unexpected after many prior attempts had much worse results, mostly due to the muck and difficulty passing AI.

Denver

East Rutherford

This track, fortunately was dry, and also has some big jumps in it. However it also has some pretty steep jump faces, so it's easy to go too high and waste time in the air if you hit them even with the slightest of too much speed. Because the AI ride it well for the most part, like Denver, I gave them a 7 sec head start. It starts with a fairly tight left bend, then over a med to large jump into the first rhythm section. Even after just 7 sec, this jump is taken totally blind, as it's already blocked along it's crest with Tuff Blocks to close the start chute. I managed a fairly fast first pass through this section via doubling into a bounce jump off the face of a small jump (weighted back), then a skip off the top of the next med jump, then a double/double combo to finish.

This takes you into a high, steep 180 right berm, where you must use moderate speed to use a small jump to on/off onto a tabletop, then carefully moderate speed to double onto the downslope of a small jump, to gain enough momentum to launch into a big air triple/triple combo off a large jump. This can result in landing atop (or on the face off) vs on the downslope on the 2nd triple if not set up precisely, but it's usually of no consequence, as you don't want to carry too much speed to the end of this section, and you can salvage momentum with bounce and skip jumps to finish it.

The reason semi tempered speed is important going into the next shorter rhythm section after a near 90 right, is it has a half dozen med to small steep faced jumps, that are best taken with moderate speed, doubling all the way through. You also land at the end of it immediately into a high steep 180 right berm, that takes you to a big air double off the big finish line jump. This jump need be taken with moderate speed, as it's a fairly short distance and takes you immediately into a semi flat sand section, with two 90 degree back to back lefts, then over a med jump, across a short flat, over another med jump, and immediately into a 90 degree right. Good, hard leaning and a precise lines through this sand section allows the passing of many AI.

You then hit a big jump into a big air triple, which I never scrub and try to hit with a bit tempered speed, as it's hard enough to line this jump up on track even without a scrub, after leaning hard right into a turn just before it. With AI present, I usually preferred the slight right side of the track for taking and landing this jump, to allow for an inside line on the high, steep 180 right berm after a small jump triple on the straight after landing the big air triple. This is because I found I'd often get squeezed off track on the outside edge of the berm when the AI swung wide. This berm takes you into a pretty fast whoop section, then into a high, steep near 180 left berm, onto a fast flat, into a high, steep near 180 right berm, then through a fast, short whoop section. The high, steep 180 left berm at the end of these whoops, takes you back to the holeshot and first rhythm section. The technique on subsequent laps for this section was to use a moderate speed double over two small jumps, then launch off the steep face of the following med jump, to hit a triple with an on/off landing on a tabletop, then over the final small jump of this section.

Spoiler

More often than not, I struggled to land the triple/triple combo in the 2nd rhythm section. At the 4:06 mark though, with just under 1 min remaining, I managed to nail it. This resulted in me taking the lead over, of all people, Ricky Johnson, whom in reality would have been well into his 50s, and long since retired form the sport, the season this game was patterned after. Not to be easily outdone however, an unexpected mistake on the final lap, where carrying a bit too much speed and landing at an angle on the berm just before the holeshot, caused me to pivot so fast I wound up right in front of the apex pole, allowing Ricky to nearly catch me. So I ended up with barely more than a .3 sec lead at the last time check, and heaved a sigh of relief.

East Rutherford

 

[Frag Maniac]

This concludes the 450 career, with a championship race at Las Vegas. I plan to attempt each career on Realistic, the hardest difficulty, and will probably start with 250 East again. It may be a little while though, as I want to finish up my GRID 2019 walkthrough, and get in at least 2 or 3 more play throughs of RE Village first. Thanks to those of you whom took the time to view these postings.

Las Vegas

This is a track built for speed, with the famed "Monster Alley", that includes 2 pretty long, flat straights. It's not uncommon Eli Tomac takes the lead on this track, and can get out way ahead, as he excels at this kind of layout. Oddly enough though, one of the other AI whom was hard to contend with, was Ricky Johnson, a long since retired Supercross champ from yesteryear. There's places where the AI crash, or don't take full advantage of Monster Alley, but for the most part, they ride it consistently well, especially the one rhythm section, which can really slow you down if you don't hit your marks. I found that if I hit the rhythm section well enough though, a 12 sec AI head start was just about right, which is what I gave them.

It starts with a dog leg left, and immediately into a wide, shallow 180 right berm. There was definitely some Tuff Blocks spawned in after waiting a whole 12 sec, but fortunately most of them were spaced well enough to get through them easily. After the berm is a small jump I use to hop over a med jump, then use a small jump to on/off onto a tabletop, then over a small jump, and immediately into a flat, near 90 degree right. This is the only significant rhythm section, where I start with a jump off a small jump, into a skip off a med jump. I then do a double/double combo by using another skip jump, then a downslope of a med jump to do another double/double combo, only this time onto two on/offs on tabletops. This section ends with a couple small jumps I skip, then jump off. As you will see, this section varies a bit in how I take it, but missing the two on/offs can slow you down, so those variations aren't intentional.

There's then a long, flat straight, that bends right at the end, leading to a big jump in the middle of an otherwise short, flat straight. The AI make the mistake of swinging very wide and slowing down a lot, just before this short straight. I find if I just let off gas briefly, then lean hard right into the short straight section, I can pass a lot of AI here. It then takes a semi sharp bend onto another long, flat straight, and into a section of spaced out med jumps and a table top. On the 450s you can easily reach a top speed of 76 MPH here, roughly 10% faster than the 250 bikes will go (69 MPH). The 250 bikes are capable of hitting a quad jump at their speed though, however that extra 10% DOES allow you to skip off the top of the 5th jump, allowing you to maintain speed a bit better. The AI commonly crash a lot here, and worse yet, can come flying down and bump you off track. The reason I don't consider this a rhythm section is because you can consistently fly through it without thinking about hitting marks precisely. I just basically go full gas and weight back when the small first jump lands me near the top of the next med jump, and then weight back again when landing atop the 5th jump. The only real precision that enters in is making sure you're centered on track, and slowing down adequately for the split track 180 right, which has a shallow berm. Thankfully this split is separated by a dirt berm lip instead of Tuff Blocks. I generally stay on the inside, and just coast through to maintain control.

Out of this berm is a very short straight leading to a big air double off the big finish line jump, then over a bit bigger bridge jump. It was hard to hit the down slope of the bridge jump on the 250s, but it's a piece of cake on the 450. If anything, you're more likely to overshoot it if not careful. This goes into a fast, short whoop section, into a high, steep 180 right berm, and this berm is the other place where the AI can crash a lot by overshooting it. Granted however, these whoops can tend to kick you up due to their spacing at the start of the section, and one near the end being a bit taller. Out of the berm there's another short, fast whoop section, then a 90 degree right under the bridge. These whoops are faster than the others at the start, but CAN kick you up a bit at the end. This flat section continues with a fast, short straight, then into a 90 degree left, with a very short, flat straight leading into a big air triple off a big jump. On the 250, with the 90 degree left leading into this big air jump, I found it best to swing a bit wide and use the high, steep berm, especially in the rain. On the 450, it wasn't necessary, and at times, taking the apex allowed me to pass AI. The big air triple takes you immediately into a 90 degree left, with a med jump right after, then a short flat back to the holeshot. The first section is taken with the same technique on subsequent laps due to equal speed.

Spoiler

I was just about to win this race with a 12 sec AI head start on a previous attempt, after passing lead rider Ricky Johnson halfway through the final lap, only to have him somehow miraculously catch up, and come down out of a massive jump at the end of Monster Alley, bumping me off track, then passing me. It was a bit similar to what Marvin Musquin did to me in this race at the 4:09 mark, but fortunately was not as severe, only bumped me to the outside of the split at the end of Monster Alley, and thankfully wasn't on the final lap. Conversely I had a bit of luck at the start of the final lap here, where just after the finish line jump, Ricky Johnson and Justin Brayton crashed into the Tuff Blocks one after the other on the berm at the end of the first whoop section. I'm sure I would have passed them anyway, but Ricky DID give me a bit of a scare when he hit the rhythm section a bit better than me, and nearly caught and passed me just before the bend leading to the bridge in the middle of Monster Alley. Thankfully this time he narrowly missed me coming down off a jump at the 6:00 mark, landing just behind me, WHEW! At the final time check I had just over 1.1 sec lead, enough to avoid anymore hijinks from Mr. Johnson!

Las Vegas