FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I am a life member of AMA; principally because, when I was racing, I tired of realizing I’d forgotten to re-up each year when I got to Daytona. Participation in the occasional AMA sanctioned event since has made non-cancellation worthwhile. However, I never felt I received a single benefit from my membership. Perhaps I could have taken advantage of reduced prices on eyeglasses, or something; but as a motorcyclist–a rider–I’ve gotten nothing. I’m a member of a stale, stagnant organization whose purpose seems to be little other than perpetuating itself. From the Youngblood/Edmondson debacle, through its shameful state today (particularly dirt track), the AMA has made a shambles of racing. Perhaps only the AHRMA/ Ianucci squabble resulting in AHRMA’s bankruptcy is its equal. One of the reasons I quit racing was that I just got tired of all the BS we had to put up with. As a street rider, I ride a very quiet bike, wear proper gear, and try to be courteous to all motorists. Still, I am looked upon as no different than the most obnoxious, loud oaf in a vest and a beanie helmet. I can’t see where the AMA has done a thing to improve the image of motorcycling or its participants. Quite the contrary, it seems to pander the worst element among us. I know nothing about Rob Dingman, but if he’s started cleaning house at the AMA, I don’t see how that can be a bad thing. Decades of service, however inept, shouldn’t be a guarantee of continued employment. As to how it was done, grow up folks. That’s how it happens in business. You’re let go, asked to clean out your desk, and escorted to the door. While it’s open, let’s hope some fresh, new talent walks in. Jim Hunter USCRA #390 Williamstown, Massachusetts FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: After reading Ralf Pansch’s comments on the firings I just wanted to commend Ralf for further letting the cat out of the bag. Rob Dingman may finally bring some respectability and responsibility back to the AMA for which I am a long standing, suffering member who has long questioned my commitment to them. If you question Ralf’s comments and would like to see Mr Wood’s high opinion of himself and where many of those fired stand you need only read the latest issue of the AMA magazine and Mr Wood’s column. He really expunges how great and loyal he and his colleagues are and have been over the years to all of us minions. I have continued to support the AMA for what it does for motorcyclist and legislation (which I question every time I get a renew notice) and the bottom line is that they have not done enough! Having spent a little time in the industry as a paying customer, a racer, a track day owner and having worked in the industry I feel like one of the top priorities should be to focus on the continued loss of dirt bike riding areas in this country. I have to think that most families get their motorcycling start via a dirt bike on a trail, in a woods in anywhere USA. In my case this is what lead me to streetbike riding and a lifelong commitment to motorcycling. That land is being locked down by to a point where dirt bike sales are a blip on the map which I have to think has a long term effect on the growth of motorcycling as a whole. The AMA’s completely wacked way of promoting, running and growing motorcycle racing is a joke to any person who has owned and operated a company. I am not a flat track junkie, but flat track in particular should be on the list of things that they need to take a long hard look at. This is a series in terms of real racing is top notch and has produced some of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time. Today it is a floundering mess through no fault of the riders. The road race series has produced a set of rules that cater to the factories which means there is no reasonable playing field for any new rider, team or sponsor coming into the series, just ask Micheal Jordan or any privateer. Sadly although Mr Dingman is working on a fix and should be commended for have the balls to do so, those of us who love motorcycling and racing we will not realize these changes for a few years and the question will continue to fly as to whether the AMA will take ten steps forward or one hundred steps backwards. I for one do not feel one bit of sorrow for the firings, it is long overdue. It’s time for the AMA to understand why motorcycle riders support them, what their role is as a “CLUB” and what their supporters pay them to do. Complacency has been tried and it has failed and now its time for all of us to get behind Rob Dingman and see whether or not he can solve these problems. Again congrats to Rob Dingman for thinking out of the box! Jim Sheldon Clawson, Michigan FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: (A copy of an e-mail sent to current AMA Superbike Media Manager Larry Lawrence) Dear Larry, I read your letter and beg to disagree. As an AMA life member (for 3 decades), my view is that it is the chief executive’s responsibility to set the vision for ANY organization and that those who wish to “dissent” need to find another job. The AMA is a membership organization facing some clear challenges, not a debating society. If this is what it takes to get the AMA to take its head out of its posterior and become more effective at promoting “Rights, Riding & Racing” then it’s a good thing. The AMA has suffered for too many years as a haven for good old boys who’ve been better at cultivating inside relationships than they are at simply doing their jobs well. In a time of rising motorcycle registrations (for the first time in decades), the AMA has remained marginal and stagnant. Why is that? Who should be held accountable for that fact? I’ve avidly followed 2-wheeled racing for 40 years. Why is everything but Supercross in such poor shape? Have you seen the empty stands in Daytona? Last year, I skipped several of the Superbike races that I’ve attended for years. It’s a 2 bike race. Who’s responsible for that? If you think that loyalty should equal permanent employment, maybe you’re part of the problem. In my view, some changes at the AMA are long overdue. Respectfully, Pat FitzGerald AMA Life Member #509600 Chicago, Illinois FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Kudos to the new leadership at the AMA, I believe this has been a long time coming. The previous leadership and staff seemed to feel they were above talking to their own members, returning e-mails and phone calls. That is NOT how to run any organization unless you want what the AMA has become over the years, a horrendous bloated sanctioning body that had the wrong people doing the job. The monthly magazine has been a joke for as long as I can remember, as it rarely has anything of any interest to those who are not touring riders. If you want to interest your readers, you need to include content that will be of value to them. How many children are members of the AMA? Seriously, there are thousands of kids that are AMA members because they race. I first became a member when I was 8 years old, and even then It took me less time to read the magazine than it would a box of cereal! Now I’m 39 and I still barely scan it because it’s no better now than it was back in 1978. It’s 2007, almost everyone has a computer and internet access, use the new technology and stop spending money on this normally worthless pile of garbage. This is the United States of America. How do you kill Flat Track? Put the wrong people in charge. There are more oval tracks in this country than MX and road courses combined. The racing is great, the riders are talented, yet the series gets more obscure every year. I grew up racing flat track in Northern California, there were a lot of talented racers who raced every weekend. What the hell happened? Lackluster promotion, bad choices and making rules to allow one manufacturer to dominate for way too long. The latter will kill any type of racing, after all, it’s supposed to be a competition. I’m still very involved in road racing as a racer, promoter, track owner and a small sponsor of an AMA Superstock team. What the AMA has done to the AMA National series is completely and utterly stupid. 10 years ago there were classes at each race that allowed hopeful racers to enter classes where they could actually compete if they were good enough. That’s not possible now with factory teams in every class. Who’s accountable for bringing us this new Formula Xtreme class? It hasn’t been interesting enough for most to pay attention to results. Superstock? Hmm…..One factory team against the privateers, yeah that’s interesting. Superbike rules that pretty much prohibit any private team from being competitive. They’re finally getting rid of Superstock, but for some reason keeping FX? Somebody needs to get a clue. Finally, there’s Supercross and Motocross. For the most part, they seem to work pretty well, most likely because they’re promoted by other partners who are actually promoters. But, unfortunately, the partners had no say in the new names. Supercross and Supercross Lites? MX and MX Lites? Come on, I have yet to hear of anyone either from within the industry or a casual observer who thinks those are good names. Of course using similar names did a lot of good for the Indy Car series, didn’t they? So, for the first time in years, I look forward to sending in my AMA renewal, with the hope that the new leadership will stay true to its vision, and take the organization into the current millennium. The Good Old Boys network will hopefully be soon forgotten. Roger Heemsbergen President, Arroyo Seco Raceway Deming, New Mexico FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Nice. Going with character assassination. Classic. Maybe I’ll post the near 200 positive e-mail responses I received, some from the biggest names in the industry. Larry Lawrence Brownsburg, Indiana FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: My AMA number is 661167. If the AMA does not reverse there gross firings of the two gentlemen who have gave most of there life’s to this sport I will quit the AMA and not spend anymore monies with supporters of the AMA! Doug Pyne Vacaville, California FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: I thought I would add my voice to the chorus concerning the firings of Greg Harrison and Bill Wood as well as the direction of the AMA. I was the Membership Development Director at the AMA for five years in the early nineties. I have no great love for the organization as it was. After all, I got canned. Much has been made of Rob Dingman as the new broom and the fact that the Chief Executive of the organization sets the tone and direction of the organization. Either you’re on board or you’re not; that’s the way things work. If Greg and Woody got the axe, well, that’s too bad, but it happens in corporate American every day. Why should the AMA be any different? What none of the writers that I have read so far have mentioned, though, is the role of the Board of Trustees. While it is true that the President runs the organization and hires the staff, it is the Board that hires the President. If the Board is at any time dissatisfied with the direction of the organization, they are perfectly free (and, in fact, have a duty) to get rid of the old president and find a new one. There’s been griping about the magazine, griping about the racing, griping about the culture. But, at the end of the day, the Board is responsible. And the Board is elected by the membership, both corporate and individual. If you want change, change the Board. Michael Reid Westerville, Ohio (The only catch is, in a typical Board election you can change 1/4-1/3 of the Board makeup, or 3-4 out of 12 members. As I know from personal experience, 3-4 votes out of 12 doesn’t give you the power to make immediate, sweeping changes or to instantly, significantly alter the course of the organization. In this particular case, Rob Dingman was hired to cure the organization’s cronic disfunction and to make it run in a professional, businesslike manner. From what I’ve seen, it looks like that’s what he’s doing…John Ulrich.)