FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Fortunately or unfortunately Fastrack Riders has provided the AMA Privateer Promoter Practice at California Speedway since 2003. The first year Fastrack went it alone and lost well over $10,000 that day doing it. Larry Pointer, my partner, and I decided to “not do that again” as we were trying to help the privateer rider that got limited practice time get up to speed and get their bikes dialed in before the National event. Any racer knows it can take all day to sort out a new track both for the rider and bike which is what the Privateer Practice was set up to do. It was about rider safety and giving the privateer a chance to be somewhat competitive since most factory teams got two to three days of testing on a track that a privateer would only have a few sessions to get up to speed. The next year California Speedway offered the date to Fastrack Riders again and we declined and informed John Ulrich of our decision. He made some calls and we got help from California Speedway and Mr. Ulrich wrote Fastrack Riders a large check to help offset the cost of doing the Privateer Promoter Practice at California Speedway. No one from Team Hammer–including Mr. Ulrich–benefited from Fastrack Riders staging this event. Even with all of his help and the track’s Fastrack Riders lost money. Again, it was not done to make money because that was not the intent as the ultimate goal was to give privateers a chance to get in a full days practice the day before the national event. Now I read this article written by Mr. Abrams and I am left scratching my head and getting a little angry. I am a racer so I understand how unfair and unsafe it can be if a rider new to a track, no matter how great their riding skills might be, is attempting to learn something new to them with limited practice time that the AMA allows during the event. I give credit to John Ulrich for making it possible that at several tracks around the country the privateer racer if they chose can have an entire day to dial their bike in and learn the track. I do not know how Mr. Abrams was able to conclude Mr. Ulrich profited from this because Mr. Abrams did not contact me to determine how much profit was made doing an Promoter Practice nor to ask how much Mr. Ulrich benefited from it. If he had, he would know as already stated there is no profit being made doing these events and Mr. Ulrich was in fact making a financial contribution so the event could take place. Why is it most club racers go to a track day before a club race weekend? To be competitive! I don’t want to comment on my thoughts about the AMA and how they do things as anyone who is a racer each has their own opinion but most would go along the same party lines. However I do want to strongly suggest that Mr. Abrams’ comment stating that Mr. Ulrich is “conflicted” is incorrect. A basic rule of journalism as I was taught was to get your facts correct before writing an article. Obviously this is not the case here. I do not agree with Mr. Ulrich on everything but I certainly respect everything he does for the sport. Last count, the RoadRacing World Action Fund was at $523,644 providing soft barriers for all disciplines of racing around the country. Anyone ever think how much time and man power it takes to manage that program? John does it because he has a passion for our sport and the safety of the sport. Maybe he is “conflicted” because he attempts to do good things for the sport and then reckless articles such as Mr. Abrams’ stab him in the back for reasons unknown to me because they did not take the time to make a call or two to verify if they had made the right assumptions. We all know what happens when you assume something! David Pyles Fastrack Riders Alta Loma, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: As a new road racer, I treasure the Thursday practice for so many reasons. It is the real only chance us privateers have to pick up what the factory boys are putting down. We do not get special days just for us etc etc…And we are lucky to have one person help us race our streetbikes. I work 5-7 days a week depending on work load at my business so doing track days for me alone is tough. Getting to be able to warm up to a track at all or worse a track I have yet to go to is totally needed. Last year I rode the Laguna USGP weekend in the AMA FX class and only got 20 minutes warm-up and a 20 minute qualifying session. Mind you I NEVER rode Laguna. I got close really close to racing the final, but I know a Thursday promotor’s practice would have made all the difference in the world. And as far as Team Hammer making money running a track day the day before… Who cares if you’re the one making it happen and that is what it is all about. I am pumped again to just be riding that weekend and the promotor’s practice is totally needed. Keep doing what you’re doing, I love your site!! Craig Mason AMA RR, SM #181 WSMC #781 AMBA #8 Fast50s.com Auburn, California