Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

VOICES America's weekly motorcycle newspaper LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Volume XXXIV Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher In defense of us I am a journalist and sometimes [ like to write articles about motorcycle races. Sometimes I get to see all of the action on the track; sometimes I miss a few things. But the people [ know at the races are usually able to accurately fill me in on what I mi sed. I think this happens to all journalists at least once or twice a race, because we can't watch all of the riders all of the time. When Brock Sellards e-braked and then ducked inside of Ricky Carmichael at the Indy SX, an accident followed that took both riders out but really was no one's fault. Carmichael tripled the previous jump and was committed while Sellards was switching lines from outside in to make a pass on someone else. Carmichael hit the back of Sellards. Cycle News reporter Kit Palmer probably didn't see it happen because the riders were outside the top five when it occurred. He probably wrote what he heard from other people who saw the incident. Things like this happen in this line of work. I don't feel that it was fair of John Hill, Peggy Adamic or John Fox - all from Ohio - to react the way they did in ganging up on your reporters with a letter-writing campaign and make it seem like Kit conspired against Brock Sellards. As a part-time journalist, Peggy Adamic should know better. A Cycle News journalist does not have the benefit of ESP 2 or instant replay on the infield, and his story is printed before the television show airs. a one doubts that Brock's a good kid from Ohio with a lot of potential; and Ricky is a good kid from Florida with lot of potential. No one is out to get Brock Sellards. Davey Coombs Morgantown, WV Show me the money . I don't get it. I've just finished reading the Willow Springs NASB HarleyDavidson TwinSports highlights in my latest issue of Cycle News (Issue #12, March 26). As far as I can tell, Roger Edmondson (or actually NASB) apparently got to pocket the first-place prize money from the H-D class because Eric Bostrom's bike was disqualified after a post-race inspection. Am I mis ing something here? So in short, Eric rode a great race and won the event but the bike was found to have one hor epower over the limit (measured on an ever-fluctuating dyno, affected by changing temperatures, etc.) and now ASB gets to keep the firstplace prize money. If this is indeed their policy, how could the NASB justify this? And why would a rider found winning on an illegal bike get to retain the physical trophy, but not the points or the money? Certainly, in real terms, the one extra horsepower did not give Eric Bostrom any actual advantage on the track, and. he certainly deserves the win in my eyes (I watched the race in person). But if an infraction of the rules was discovered, however unfortunate, why should the sanctioning body win from this and not the other riders finishing second, third and so on. And it seems just a tad brazen to me that Mr. Edmondson would say after the post-race dyno run of Bostrom's bike, "He brought a gun to a knife fight." One horsepower, Roger? Maybe I've misunderstood omething. But if the above is, in fact, true - does anybody else think the ASB policy sounds a little strange? Mark Miller Long Beach, CA Miller competes in both AMA 600 and 750cc 5upersport on HyperCycle 5uzukis... Editor. Thanks for the memories After 38 years of involvemen t with motorcycles, including street bikes, offroad and dirt track, I finally made it to the big show. Having never won any kind of contest in my life, obviously I was in a state of shock when Cycle News called several weeks ago to tell me I had won the grand prize to Daytona. My wife and I had an unforgettable trip and enjoyed every part of the Daytona experience. We would like to thank everyone at Cycle News for a great time. I have been a Cycle News junkie since the mid'60s and want to tell everyone that if you want to know what i going on in the world of motorcycling - Cycle News is it. One other comment I mu t make on the racing programs during Cycle Week. My wife had never been to any form of professional motorcycle racing. After watclnng the dirt track, supercross and road racing all within a few days, I asked for her comments on what venue was most exciting as a spectator. Without hesitating, she answered dirt track. "All of the action is right in front of you, you know who is winning without the announcer having to tell you and the racing is close," she said. How strange that the March 12 issue of Cycle News would have the article on dirt track and its plan for the future. There were several hundred thousand motorcyclists at Daytona and the grandstands still had empty seats at a Grand National short track only 10 minutes away. If I was the director of dirt track racing for the AMA I would ure as hell be scratching my head on that one. If the answer to the dirt-track dilemma is the pro osed "five-year plan" then dirt track fans are in big trouble. Bud olting Olathe, KS Letters to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90806-0498, faxed to 562/4276685 or e-mail.editor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necess.arily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters shou1d n{)t exceed 200 words and all letters-are snbject to editing. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. AllJetters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number ... Editor. EditorUu Paul Carruthers, Editor IGt Palmer, Associate Editor Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor Keith Bush, Assistant Editor/Copy Editor Cameron Coatney. Assistant Editor Alan Cathcart, Europe1l11 Editor Advertising Terry Pratt, Nationn! Accounts Manager Mark Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Mannger Mark Thome, Western Sales Mannger Thomas Gonter, Western Sales Mannger Forrest Haya hi, Westem Sales Manager Greg Mitchell, Eastem Sales Manager • Rick Matheny, Eastern Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator Laurie Torstensen, Assistant Carla Allen, Eastem Ad Coordinator Tina Farr, Assistant Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager ew Media Development Mark Mitchell, Director Rick Matheny, Webmaster Robert McTigue, Production manager Oassified Ads Laurie Torstensen Graphics and Production Roo Johnson, Produt:tion Supervisor Mandy Loa, Production Manager Dennis Greene, lAb. Tech. Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist Vance Lanoy, Gmphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, CoordiTUltor Leanne Sims, Administrative Assistant AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R CoordilUltor Geneva Repass, Assistant Herlane Lewis, Credit Circulation Rheba Smith, Manager Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinator Keshona Dawson, Billing Coordinator Carol Maggio, Dealer Coordinator Service and Support '. Bridgett Bobrofsky, Receptionist Michael Swedberg, ServIce aud Support National·Headquarters 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498 (562) 427-7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX (562) 427-6685 • FEATURES SUPERCROSS Round 8 - AMA Supercros from Houston, Texas e-mail 4 MOTOCROSS Round 1 - World Championship 250cc Motocross Series from Spain editor@cyclenews.com subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Internet http://www.cyclenews.com 28 ROAD RACE Round 1 - WSB opener from Phillip Island, Australia 10 GNC International Motocross Finals 34 from Mosier Valley, Texas CRUISER SPECIAL ISSUE SECTION Cruiser New Products 14 FMF Spring ationa! from Lake Whitney, Texas 18 ENDURO Round 2 - AMA Cherokee National Enduro from Georgia COMPARISON -1997 Suzuki Marauder 800 and 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Classic FIRST RIDE - 1998 Honda VT11 00 Shadow American Classic .20 Edition Tourer M546615. 24 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cyc~ ews, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801~98. To determine the expir.arion date of your subscription. check the four numbns on the first line of your address label. 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