Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

·TE R O N.' ADW By Paul CarrUthers ., t seems that the best-kept secret in AMA professional road racing has been let out of the bag. You didn't hear this from me, but apparently the powers that be in AMA road racing have come to the conclusion at there are simply too many races heduled for the two-day events now nown as the AMA U.S . Superbike ational Championship Series . Go fig- reo At the most recent Road Race Adviory Committee meeting, held near the MA headquarters in Westerville, hio, the Monday following the ational at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car curse, those in attendance were anded copies of the initial results of e spectator survey which was collectd the day before at Mid-Ohio. Accordg to the survey, it seems that even he spectators agree on the matter of e overly bloated schedule. In fact, it eems most everyone agrees. You realknow you've outdone yourself when he customer starts complaining that hey're getting too much. Imagine a uy walking into 7-Eleven and comlaining because his Big Gulp is too ig. The AMA should be commended or offering the paying public th e pportunity to give their opinions. nstead of constantly worrying about ho in the industry will be hurt by this r that, let's go see what the spectators antfor their money. A nov el idea . So the axe is definitely going to fall omewhere on the schedule in 1995. ut where? At the advisory committee eeting (I wasn't there, but I receiv ed copy of the minutes), Ron Barrick, he AMA's new road racing manager, aid that the Middleweight Team Chalenge is likely to get the heave-he in 995. Barrick said that public opinion ays there are too many events which re similar on the current schedule. ince one of the more popular and sueessful races is the 600cc Supersport lass, running an endurance race hich features the same basic motorcyIe is a tad redundant. And we already ave an endurance race (more on that n a second). So with apologies to those ho race in and support the Middleight Team Challenge, I'm with Barick on this one. See ya, MTe. . Sam Yamashita, the owner of Moto iberty, the top team in , TC racing, M bviously would like to see the class ontinue. And he said so in the meet. g. Yamashita suggests combining the 25YEARS AGO... August 12, 1969 ~'~ ; :.,..-'~t-:..,,,\ I~ he cover featured a photo of Cal Rayborn j Ii "..~:. . :: and Yvon D uH amel ...-...__.. ... . doing battle at the Indianapolis National Road Race. The story included a photo of DuHamel looking over his shoulder at the Harley-Davidson-mounted Rayborn, as the latter went for an outside pass. "This is no time to be telling Cal a Harley-Davidson joke, Yvon," read the caption. DuHamel dropped out d ue to mechanical problems, while the Yamaha -mounted Rayborn scored the win...An ad was run for the Mammoth Mountain M ot ocross, with entries costing $3.00 for Juniors and $7.00 for Seniors...Gary Bailey won T two into one endurance race - just like the good old days. UTC team owners Kevin Erion (Erion Racing) and Jeff Stern (Team Fastline/MCM Suzuki) disagree, stating that the speed difference between the two classes of motorcycles is too great and that separating them is in the best issue of safety . Chalk that one up to Erion and Stern. I also think Mr. Specta tor finds two classes combined into one a little hard to follow. If those on the paddock side of the fence have trouble with it, think about those in the grandstands. Danny Walker, the 250cc Grand Prix class rider, said many club racers look forward to using the MTC as a way to compete in a National event and that they can't be competitive in 600cc Supersport. Bad argument. Club racers need to stay at club races. Let's remember, this was a professional road racing advisory meeting. My dislike of endurance racing aside, I can see a reason for having the Unlimited Team Challenge. Currently, it offers the only place for manufacturers to showcase their open-class streetbikes . If you want to see a bike similar to your Honda CBR900 race, you look . to the UTe. Ditto with your GSXRllOq. One thing that positively has to change is the practice of the superbike teams using the Unlimited Team Challenge for additional testing: Th is undermines the entire race. Erion brought up the point at the meeting, and he's right. As if endurance racing isn't difficult enough to follow, let's throw in a couple of superbikes that circulate two seconds a lap faster for five laps or so, then pull into the pits , make some changes and go back out in 25th place. ,- "Hey, Bill, what happened to the leaders?" And it' s not like there are informed announcers at each and every race (another point that was brought up at the meeting). In fact, one announcer at Mid-Ohio was more confused with the situation regarding the superbike teams in the endurance race than was Bill's buddy. According to the minutes, Kawasaki's Mark Johnson and superbike racer Miguel DuHamel suggested the possibility of running endurance races on Saturday nights, giving amateurs a way to compete during a Superbike National weekend without taking away track time for the other classes. In theory it's not a bad idea, but I have a motocross in Bay Mare, California. ==__ 15YEAR SAGO ••• August 8, 1 979 Ph o to of Kenny Roberts trying out a pair of roller skates graced the cover, with the cover line, "Can this man win Laguna Seca's F750 meet?" Inside was a preview of the event, complete with an interview of Wes Cooley...A 17-year-old Scott Parker registered the "youngest-ever" win of a Grand National in DuQuoin, Illinois. Steve Morehead was the runner-up ...Kent How erton won the Unadilla 250cc MX GP over arch-rival Bob Hannah and an international field, but Swede Hakan Carlqvist clinched A to play de vil's advocate on this one: this is a lawyer's dream come true let's run the guys with the least amount of experience around the race track in the pitch black of darkness. Roy Janson, the AMA's pro racing director, hit the nail on the head when he said that the AMA and its member tearns must decide what they want; do they want to provide job opportunities, a stepping-stone program or a highly focused, well-directed program that best utilizes the time available at each event? Janson said that the focus is on superb ike racing and that we must remember that the other classes are support classes . Right now the program is too long. Plain and simple. Martin Adams is the owner of the Smokin' Joe's Racing team - the only large outside-industry sponsor in AMA road racing. Ask him sometime about the Camel representatives he entertains on given race weekends. He'll tell you that by the time the Superbike National starts, half of his guests are so confused and I or ready to go home that they often leave before the National begins. They may , in fact, leave the premises thinking that the Harley-Davidson 883 TwinSport class is the premier class in AMA racing and that's not a knock against the 883 class . We only have to look at other successful sporting events to see tha t people have a limited amount of time in their weekends which they're willing . to alot to spectator sports. Baseball has made and is making an effort to shorten their games..Look at professional football. The game starts at 1:00 p.m. and you'reout of there by 4:00 p.m. Three hours . And they don't try to entertain you further by offering Pop Werner, high school and junior college games starting at 9:00 a.m. You came to see an NFL game, you saw one, and you're home preparing for your work week by 4:30 or 5:00 o'clock. That leaves a little time to mow the lawn and help the kids with their homework... We must also remember that some of the people who attend motorcycle races come from great distances. I guarantee that not very many of those in attendance at Mid-Ohio were from Lexington. But let's not get caught up in the trap that people who come from far away want to get their trip's worth by watching 42 races that ru n well into th e late afternoon sun. Let 's instead remember that all this means is that these same p eo p le have farther to ridel drive home. Other suggestions that came up at the advisory meeting were r unni ng longer races so that pit stops can be utilized, and the running of heat races - rather than qualifying - on Saturday. Here's my vote: No and no . We don't need longer races, and we certainly don't need pit stops. In a time when team owners complain about the rising- cost of racing, why ' fatigue the equipment even mo re? Wasn't the attrition level high enough in the 64 .8-mile fina l at Mid-Ohio? And do they really want to hire more crew to successfully man a pit stop? It works at Daytona because eve ry man and their dog from the major manufacturers are walking around in their bowling shirts just itching to get in on the action - but that's not the case at the other nine rounds . And pit stops will only further separate the haves from the have-nets. And I still believe that time qualifying is better than heat races . Meaningless heat races usually provide uninteresting racing. Timed qualifying can be exciting if the importance of the qualifying can somehow be relayed to the spectators. As DuHamel brought up in the meeting, good announcing could be the solution. As DuHamel also said, heat races can be dangerous because the really slow guys haven't yet been eliminated. And what of the 250cc class? Although it wasn't brought up at the meeting, it's only a matter of time before the 250s are pushed back to running on Saturday. As a long-time supporter of the class, I'd hate to see that happen. After all, it's the only tie we still have to Grand Prix road racing. But I can see where all this is headed and perhaps it's time for the 250cc guys to start thinking of the move as a positive one. After all, is it better to be the stars of Saturday or the rabble of Sunday? The answers to the questions don't come easy, but someone at the AMA needs to take the bull by the horns and make decis ions. And they need to make those decisions without worryin g about Mr. Yamashita, Mr. Erion, Mr. Du Hamel, or even, God forbi d, c:N Mr. Carruthers. the title...Bernie Schreiber took over the World Championship Observed Trials Series points lead with a second place in Italy . Frenchman Charles Coutard was the winner.. .Belgian Harry Ev erts clinched the 125cc World MX title with a double moto win in Northern Ireland...Rex Staten came away the winner at the World Four-Stroke MX Championships in Carlsbad, California ...Ronnie Lechien won three mini classes and six motos at the Barona Oaks MX near San Diego. same venue to notch his !-Jf!J,!;j.:1ri;J ! 25th win. Ronnie Jones - ~;;:;.. _~ .. was the runner-up ...An IIIn :~. ;.;;~~ the Wind" item featured i'l ~.=i'. Bob Hannah being pre- I sented w ith a John ' _ Wayne Limited Edition Win' chester 94 rifle at the Unad illa 250ccU.S. MX GP. The rifle was a replica of the one the Duke used in the movie "True Grit," and was presented by Wayne's son Ethan... Eddie Laws on topped Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rain ey at the French Road Race GP...Jordi Tarres nipped Diego Basis for the win at the Swiss World Observed Trials round...Scott Rou sseau was the Division Three winner at the Gold Country Speedway in Auburn, California...Fritz Kadl ec aced the Pikes Peak Enduro in Woodland Park, Colorado. c:N 5YEAR SAGO... August 2,1989 lmost exactly 10 years after winning his first-ever Grand National at DuQuoin, Scott Parker used the A

• Cover