Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126787
"Under this idea, since there would be less races in a day, I would be also in favor of going back to 45-minute motos. That would bring physical conditioning back into play, which really isn't much of a factor right now since we only run 30 minutes, and is even less of a factor in Supercross unless the temperature is 200 degrees or the humidity is out of sight. " This year's double champ is happy yet still somewhat guarded abouttaking home the GNC title. "Winning the GNC means I get to wear the number one plate for another year, and at the same time is a reminder to everyone that I'm a pretty consistent rider and got the most points from all oCthe races. ow, what is really lousy about.the whole deal is that the Talladega (Alabama) Supercross was part of the series that counted, and since Honda and Yamaha decided not to send their teams there, a lot of riders never got the chance to make points." But Bailey was at Talladega Honda turned the other way and Bailey rode the race on a stone-stock Honda CR250R prepped by father Gary Bailey and LUned by Bevo Forte. A privateer-for-a-day ride, if you will. "I flew straigh tin from the Paris Supercross and rode. It was kind of a joke. I had a bad day, finished fourth and Ward won. If I hadn't gone and everything else was the same, Ward would have been crowned as Grand ational Champion. I'm glad I went. " For Bailey and the other factory Honda riders, winning titles translates directly into more dollars. But exactly how much? ''I'll put it this way," said Bailey, "if there was some way I could pull off the Supercross title thiS year, and since I already have two titles, I would be a millionaire. I'm on a performance contract :with Honda; the better I do and as I win championships, the more it goes upand upand upand up. For starters, what I did last year raised my base salary up a bunch over what jt was, and with all of the winning I've done this year next,year will be even better. Should I win the Supercross title, it would go up a bunch." Exactly where Bailey's salary stands right now is anyone's guess. ''I'm not allowed to discuss that figure with anyone," said Bailey, "butI'd love to. I like to brag!" Honda, like the other Oriental manufacturer, pays its riders a specified bonus for winning a championship. "The bonuses are still pretty good," said Bailey. "Winning the Supercross title is worth $100,000, and an outdoor National title is worth a tad less - 80,000. Honda sort of set a trend back in '82 when Donnie Hansen won the Supercross and 250cc National titles for them. Word got out that Honda was paying $100,000 for the Supercross title and $80,000 for the National title, and the press as well as the other riders picked up on it. "As far as I know, Yamaha pays bonuses very close to what Honda pays, and I'm sure Kawasaki is right in there. And I feel the bonuses are very realistic - the titles still mean a lot to the factories. I could ee the importance of winning by just looking at (Honda racing team manager) Toshiro Kezuka and Yamaha's Kenny Clark at the last ational in Washougal. You could see it in their face - they wamed to be sure that everything went OK - and ( don't think either of those guys have any fin~ernails left. "Right now the bonu es are a pretty solid foundation, but (have my doubts about next year. We need somebody in charge of everything, and I'd suggest the AMA. I've heard about the talks AMA and (Stadium Motorsport ') Mike Goodwin have been having, and that they may be getting together. What we need is one series, not two or three. "Some of the riders, including myself, have been against Goodwin for some of his opinions, or things he has tried to do to the sport. But I would be in favor of some sort of series involving both AMA and Goodwin because Goodwin has the guts to do radical things, and seems to be able to fill the stadiums out we t. ( also think the riders need to have a bit more responsibility, such as show up and do the press days before Supercrosses and not just stay at home until the last possible moment, then fly in, race, and go home. Maybe a bit more rider participation other than jut on race day might convince promoters like Goodwin to rai e their purses or to base their purses on a certain percentage of the gate." till, Bailey is very grateful for what the sport of motocross has done for him. There's no doubt he has been raking in megabucks, but up until recently had no one to share it with. He had a new home built less than a mile from parent Darleen and Gary Bailey's home in Axton, Virginia, and he admits living there was pretty much a lonely experience until he met Gina Damone. "Things have really changed since Gina and ( got together, and she's made a big difference in my life. [ have somebody to share everything with, to take alon~ when [ go on trips, and it's made everything a lot more fun. And there are the littlc things - now ( have sail and pepper on the table! "Before she came into my life, being on the road was prelly borin~. I'd be in a motel somewhere for four or five days, and when I'd come home th,'re'd be nobody there. ('m sure she likes it, too, Before we met she was in Vermont, bartending and working in restaurants, and now she Roes with me to most of the races. She calls it a full-time vacation. "I sort of met Gina at the AMA awards banquet last year, but ( couldn't see her for all of the number one plates I had in my hands (laughs), Jeff Ward's mechanic, Mike McAndrews, is from Vermont and hi wife knew Gina's sister, so I ended up meeting her. I saw her at the Seattle Supercross and again at Houston, which I won. She was definitely a good omen! _ ;') invitcd her to visit me at home, with all of the illll'lllions in the world of ha\'ing her move in with me; but [ didn't tell her that. She sort of had the arne idea in her mind, and we've been living together ever since. When I asked her if she wanted to live with me, I he answer was 'yes' before I even got a chance to get all the words out. We're very happy together, and plan to If'avf' thin~s JUSt as they arf' for a while - Wf' don', have any plans for marriaRe in the near future." In the off-season, Bailey plans to spend most of'his lime looking for some wise investments. "( plan to pUt a lot of time into investing some of the money I've earned, so I don't have to pay a huge chunk of it to Uncle am. We'll be scouting around for some apartments to buy, or it may mean some trips up to Vermont lookin~ for a ski resort or something alonR that line. ( might also.look into I • I •• •• ' . , I I . , ~. ... J '" • something in a resort area, like Myrtle Beach (South Carolina). Those type of things will keep us bu y; we don'l have any othet vacation-type trips planned." You'll finp no taLUs-symbol Porsches parked in Bailey's garage, while he does have a rather utilitarian late model Chevmlet Camaro. He says he'd rather sprf'ad his wealth around a bit, then w nt out and proved it when he donatcd 5,000 to build a community occer field 'in nearbv Martinsville. till more of his incorrie goes toward the occer team he has sponsored for the pa t four years, the Flying Ws, of which younger brother Mitchell is a member. And yes, they arealso winners - and have been the local champions twice in four years. One can't help but get the feeling that Bailey is quitecol1lent and happy riRht where he is, as well he should be. "I like having the Ilumber one plate, and I love all of the attention that goes along with it. If it wasn't for motocross) wouldn't have all of the money or all of the fun I have. (guess deep down the reason ( do what I'm doing is because of the money, and I walll to keep doing it and winning all lhal I can," By the way, if anyone ever tell you nice guys finish last, enlighten them about twice GNC titlist David Bailey, Mr. Nice Guy is also mighlY fast! .. • . . 25