Jeff Alessi stood on the side of the track at Washougal and shined a laser pointer at rider’s eyes.
Even typing that sentence some seven years later, it seems impossibly stupid and hard to believe actually happened. But it didn’t stop there, becuase this story gets weirder and weirder.
When caught red-handed (with a green laser), he refused to admit any wrong doing (we all take a laser to a motocross race right?). Soon after his father, Tony, stepped-in and shit escalated fast with accusations of assault by series boss, Davey Coombs and Jeff threatening journalist Steve Matthes, saying he would put his, “…f@cking elbow right in your f@cking face.”
After trying to blame a “crazy ex-girlfriend,” eventually Jeff had to admit that the laser he was caught with while he was hiding behind a tree (again…this is just bizarre to write), is the same one seen by witnesses, caught in photos and a Ryan Villopoto helmet-cam video.
But wait, there’s more.
Before Jeff came clean on being a (puts on Dr Evil voice) “Fricken’ Alessi with a fricken’ laser” in his hands, Tony rang the PulpMX show and…well he lost his shit. He let loose the inner mental monkey and accused motocross series owner and promoter, MX Sports, of being an illegal drug trafficking ring. Ya…that’s where this all goes. He also said Jeff, “Has an assault charge on MX Sports head, Davey Coombs.”
“He’s going down. MX Sports is done in the next two years.”
“I was in a managers’ meeting and I’m hearing Factory Connection Honda saying there’s a drug ring inside of MX Sports.”
“They’re going to bring in federal marshals becuase it’s not getting handled right.”
And on it goes till David Vuillemin says, “Hey Tony, you’re being paranoid here. I think you need help.”
Jeff eventually issued this apology:
“I’m here to inform all of you that I am responsible for the incident that happened this weekend at Washougal national. As many of you know a green laser went across Ryan Villopoto and Malcolm Stewart before the start of the first moto. I was the person who did that and I would like to say to those two riders that I am very sorry for causing any distraction to them before the start of the race. I had no intent to harm either rider or affect their results.
I would also like to extend my sincere apologies to Steve Matthes who had to hear the wrath of my father who was defending me with the thought that I was innocent because I told him a story to make him think I wasn’t guilty, and also for saying what I said to him during the confrontation.
To my brother, my father, and Mike Genova, words cannot describe the pain and shame I have to live with right now knowing the problems I caused for all of you and the rest of the team. I know how hard you work Mike800, and how you’ve made your one goal to stay out of drama and just race and try to show the masses that you are a great rider that loves racing.
When I sit here and think about what I did and what it caused I feel like I ruined EVERYTHING you spent the last 5 years building on, and I am so sorry brother because you don’t deserve any of this.
To my dad, thanks for standing up for me and showing me you would take that bullet for me. I shouldn’t have told you a story when you looked at me and asked what I did. I should’ve just told you the truth but I couldn’t because I was terrified and scared and what came out instead was little and low and you still believed me because that’s what you do when your kids say something. I was so dumb.
Mike Genova, what can I say other than you tried getting me back on track here and wanted me to make a difference and I didn’t make any difference except cost you a lot of people’s respect they had started having for you. You’re like my second father, and just like my dad I lied to you too, and you defended me against it all and I’m here to finally give up my story and come clean and tell you I was standing in the grass with a $12 dollar laser acting like a five-year-old, doing childish pranks and it all came down on your team and my brother. I’m really sorry, Mike. I thought I had changed and I made an effort prior to that mistake to do nothing wrong all week and try to help but I stopped thinking and I’m truly sorry.
My last apology I will end with is to the man who did his job and found me when I was doing something wrong, Davey Coombs. I am so sorry I had to put you in that situation that you had to spend important time looking for who was causing the big problem. I know how disappointed you were when you found out I was the one with the device and you had to do what you did, but I also want you to know I never thought you were rough with me, you were just doing your job.
To everyone else, the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, JGR, the Stewart family; MotoConcept team members Vince Freise, James, Dave Dye, Daniel Castloo, Shauna Genova and Sandy Genova; I’m sorry for the outcome of this, it was never my intentions and I will work hard to learn from all of this and return to a professional human that uses his brain before making actions.
To the motorcycle community, I hope this does not reflect who I am because I’m not the person it looks like I am right now and I will try and prove that in the future. “
Jeff Alessi
In response to the whole saga, the AMA handed down its ruling which included fines for Mike Alessi and a suspension of points from the round. Jeff Alessi was ‘suspended indefinitely from attending further AMA Pro Motocross events and from possessing an MX Sports credential of any kind.’ While Tony Alessi was, ‘suspended from attending the remainder of the events for the 2013 race season and from possessing an MX Sports credential of any kind. Violation of this suspension will constitute trespass.’
For the team itself (Motoconcepts Racing) ‘all credentials issued to MCR are hereby revoked pending receipt of payment of the $10,000 fine issued to Mike Alessi.’
Jeff would go on to claim racing is rife with performance enhancing drugs, that Aldon Baker, “is no different then a modern day drug dealer pumping kids full of dangerous drugs,” and that Villopoto was using PEDs as well saying on a Vital MX thread that, “remember at the end of that sx year rv retired, didn’t go after breaking mc record, he left the country to race in Europe where he did nothing. This is all going to come out. It’s ridiculous I feel like I’m the one that has to do it.”
You can read the brain dump here but be warned – it’s not easy to follow and absolutley nothing comes out of the effort you will put in. Is he wrong? Maybe not, we have no idea but it isn’t exactly laid out in a way that busts the story wide open.
https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Jeff-alessi,30372/all?page=11
