Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Slick tires are a half-a-second a lap faster than DOTs but they aren’t legal for Supersport racing. Nor should electric shifters be. Since the “selectively blind” tech inspectors in the AMA can’t find what makes Eric Bostrom’s ZX6-R go 165mph, they are not going to find the quick shifters in the “Supersport Legal” Black Boxes on the factory bikes.

I think that at EVERY SINGLE RACE, there should be a lottery based on bike numbers, and as the bikes are pushed out for morning warmup, the AMA should hand out a stock CDI purchased from a dealership, marked and tagged in some way, to the randomly chosen teams. That way they get one last chance to make their bike run right in its newly detuned state.

“Good” Electric shifters are not simple to setup for amateur mechanics/riders. Nor are they reliable electronically, ask anyone who has used one. When you crash and tear your rearset off, you have to buy another switching mechanism, and repair the wiring. They are way harder on transmissions, particularly during the dial-in process.

There is not even a debatable reason to allow them. Why doesn’t somebody just make the factories stop cheating so BLATANTLY? You can’t stop them from cheating, but they are all obviously sweating bullets about getting caught at this; they are too exposed. When their bikes are popping and banging between shifts, it is blatantly obvious they are cheating, and they all know it. No one seems to have the guts to stop it.

Max McAllister
President
Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia




I have never understood how tech inspectors can be unable to tell if the factory is using a particular banned device. Seems simple to me: A post race inspection including a test ride to see if the device functions. Now I am sure a factory could still hide a switch somewhere in the cases or something that is not easily found…

In the alternative or in addition to:

What was wrong with the claiming rule we used to have? I remember back when a dominant race winner’s factory 600 SS bike was claimed after winning a race.

The factory team was not happy about it but the privateer that bought the bike certainly was happy with it!

Seems a reasonable claiming rule would do more toward eliminating the domination of factory special bikes in the supposedly close to stock Supersport/Superstock classes.

I could see being a privateer, showing up at the first race of the year with last year’s 600 and claiming one of the leading 600s instead of buying a new bike for this year. Seems a simple way to trickle the factory technology down through the ranks and thereby leveling out the playing field a bit.

George Leavell, former racer
Gilroy, California






I hope you can post this, but realize a lot has already been said on this subject.

I’m writing to air my feelings on the Bell/USGP posts. I think the nail was best hit on the head by Jason Temme. While I don’t feel insulted by the comments of Tony Bell,being a first generation American of Hungarian and Colombian descent, I don’t see why he had to use Cuba as an example, the everglades would’ve been good enough. Last time I checked Cuba wasn’t part of the USA. He didn’t help his cause by making the remark of Daytona being the “boob,booze,fun” getaway. That kind of makes you wonder about his mindset off the bat. Just not very professional at all.

I think I speak on the behalf of many racers in that we go to Daytona because it is DAYTONA. I’ve made a lot of friends from all across the country there that have justed wanted to experience it once. It is the MECCA of bike racers in the USA,like it or not. Harley guys go for the boobs and booze. Racers go foremost for the track.

On the USGP subject, I don’t understand Indy being a choice for a bike race. It is just another cookie-cutter NASJUNK track with some turns on the infield to attract F1. There are already too many tracks that we bike racers are racing on or spectating at that have the dreaded oval incorporated. We need more Road Atlantas, VIRs and Mid-Ohios. Less Las Vegas, Homesteads, PPRs. Road America or Brainerd would be logical because those tracks have straights the MotoGP bikes could stretch their legs on with crazy braking moves available at the end of them.

In the meantime, I’m making plans to go to Mugello in ’03 to see a real GP with all the classes there. Why Mugello? Because it’s not Valencia.

Brian Surtees
Springfield, Virginia




I was quite surprised when I read that Homestead was the favored track to host a USGP. I have been hopeful that with the increasing number of Americans racing in MotoGP, we in the States would be added to list of countries that host one of the rounds. The WSB race attendance at Laguna Seca demonstrate the ever increasing enthusiasm for world level racing. Sure we’re not like Spain or Italy, but spectators nearing 100,000 in number are impressive.

I am pessimistic about Homestead attracting attendance rivaling that of Laguna Seca. Other readers have accurately pointed out that it is remote. This fact will detract people from attending. Most enthusiasts also despise the layout of the track, or better said, having a MotoGP event inside a ‘circus ring.’ A true road course is what we should be aiming for.

So what happens if attendance doesn’t meet the promoter’s expectations in order to turn a profit? I doubt ISC will continue to pour money down a drain. They may float the race for a year or two more, hoping for a turnaround, but that’s it. After this potential failure, how difficult would it be to attract another promoter for a Grand Prix? I would think many would be deterred from giving it a try. Dorna would certainly be unimpressed about the lack of success in holding a USGP. This would be the second time in a decade to have the USGP fail. Would they be eager to give it another try in the near future? I seriously doubt it.

Let’s aim for success this time around. Host the round in an area that would be more inviting for everyone. Barber Motorsports Park seems like an outstanding facility for the event, as do VIR, Laguna Seca, along with many other wonderful road courses.

I’m not sure how much say or influence you have in this matter in regards to your position in the AMA Board of Directors, but please do what you can. I’ve followed your magazine and your editorials for a long time now, and I am always impressed with your views. A MotoGP round in America would be fantastic, but if it’s not done right this time, we can be assured it will soon disappear again.

Sincerely,

Alex Peabody
Oxnard, California




Homestead Pros & Cons:

Cons:

1. A road race at Homestead!!!???

Pros:

1. Bill France marketing muscle

2. Schedule it during Bike Week/Biketoberfest to bring in the crowds

3. Miami Metro area nearby

4. Warm weather – a March or October race can easily be added to MOTOGP calendar

5. Lots of European vacationers there. They may attend, even if Americans do not.

6. Maimi convenient to Latin American fans (US residents and foreign guests). MOTOGP races in Brazil and Argentina have been well attended.

7. So, after the race you can party in South Beach or Indianapolis. What would you do?

John Norton
Salem, New Hampshire





Sorry, I haven’t been on the site in a couple of days and this e-mail is a little late but after reading Erik Buell’s comments on AMA Pro Racing and their decisions regarding Pro Thunder, I really don’t think that Erik came off too harsh at all and has nothing to apologize for or feel regret for saying.

Erik, we could feel your passion and love for the sport ringing throughout your writings.

I raced my first AMA Pro racing event in Buell Pro Thunder 2 years ago on a Ducati, I have always been a Ducati person and never paid much attention to the Buells up until that point. I was completely amazed with the speed and performance of them. To this day every time someone pokes fun at a Buell around me I have to tell them that Buells are not oil-dripping couches. They are racebikes, built by a racer! And that racer sponsors an entire Pro racing series.

I felt that the Buell Pro Thunder series was a great platform for racers that didn’t want to race in the 600 or 750 class and get a 30th-something finishing position on a bike that every 18-year-old kid in town can purchase from their local dealer. As well as have highly paid Pros blazing past them on factory bikes and flipping them off becuase the slow guys are “out there looking for Wal-Mart.”

There is a racing void now that there is not a Twins class in AMA Pro Racing.

Ben Fox
MRA #95
Colorado Springs, Colorado
www.foxperformanceengines.com