Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

less), I'm amazed that the AMA has yet to mandate shoulder pads (with full back protection) for both Professional and Amateur competition. I've ridden and raced motocross for 15 years -always with full"gear. Not one collarbone broken, and believe me, there have been plenty of opportunities. I know full-floating shoulder pads saved me numerous times. I also know it is an advantage for movement not to have full pads - thus few Pros use them. But if the AMA leveled the playing field by requiring full pads with back protection, the injury list would e much shorter. Ano er side benefit would be .(hopefully) more local riders wearing protection - instead of trying to look like their unprotected AMA heroes. I just hope it doesn't take mor~than a few broken collarbones to wake'the AMA up to the need for change in Professional motocross competition. The time is now. Jon Thomas Orange,CA NASCAR numbers In the "Briefly..." section of Cycle News in the coverage of the Minneapolis Supercross (Issue #12, March 31), an item refers to the AMA adapting a "NASCAR-type numbering system" in which the numbers two through nine are reserved for former champions, while the remaining numbers 00 through 99) will no longer change from year to year to improve rider identification. As the AMA's Duke Finch is quoted as saying, "Everyone knows who #24 is in NASCAR" It sounds more like a dirt track. numbering system to me. In NASCAR, I think Steve. Park drives the #1 car. When lid he win the NASCAR Championship? Al Sumner sumneasb@exe.cpc,com Yes - NASCAR numbers I think the new National number plan is a fantastic idea and will help our great sport make more of an impression on 'the mainstream audience. Now, for us hard-core fans, how about making the supercross main events timed instead of having them based on a lap count? In St. Louis, the mains were 13:23 minutes in the 125cc class and 16:16 minutes in the 250cc class. Those races are simply too short and don't allow the racers enough time to recover from a bad start. My suggestion is to have a program closer to 20 minutes for 125s and 30 minutes for 250s. This would allow for more great racing, and the fans would also get to see more of what they are paying for. . Michael Rigdon Hermosa Beach, CA No - NASCAR numbers The AMA's proposed plan for a NASCAR-type numbering system for motocross next year is not as good for the sport as they trunk. Riders bust their 'rear to "earn" a National number, and it should remain that way. Who gets first pick for numbers two through 1O? What if a top-10 rider elects to go back to their old three-ligit Amateur number instead of picking a nonused number in the two-through-l0 range when they really earned another top-10 number? I bet the riders would prefer "to leave it as it stands now - well, at least the riders who continue to improve on their National ranking. NASCAR can be exciting to watch and I do know who #24 is, but I probably can't tell you the numbers of 10 or more drivers. How hard is it for a nondevoted fan to look at a'supercross program or television starting-gate lineup and figure out who is running what number? It works for me with NASCAR. Compare the career life of a NASCAR driver to a super cross or motocross rider. Ours is a short-lived world; let them earn their number and strive to better it in each of their short years in the sport. This marketing idea by the AMA stinks and hopefully it won't be implemented. What's next - a manufacturers' championship, the possibility of riders being able to qualify somebody else's bike for them? Our sport is more exciting than any other on the planet, but apparently the AMA hasn't learned that you can't pass if you follow in somebody else's lines. It should be put to a vote so the riders can decide themselves. Need a marketing idea? Bring back the big-bore class to the National Motocross Series. Tim Simpson dogger224@aol.com GNCC photos rule Your photos of the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series are great. The GNCC race terrain is a lot more interesting than the supercross track. Please continue your coverage of off-road racing. Kutt Blust Loveland, OH How about Hallett? I was glad to see Benny Ray Abrams' column about dangerous tracks (Issue #12, March 31). As a sportbike enthusiast and spectator of road racing, it really sucks to even see races on TY at tracks like Phoenix International Raceway. It just looks more stupid than anything to show that crap. Are we that desperate for tracks? Some of you may laugh, but I know of a little-known track that's just 37 miles west of Tulsa, Oklahoma, called Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. It's a technical course that has miles of runoff in every corner - and it'sa true road-racing facility. It's not a fast course, but it looks like turn one could be made about as fast as they want with a little detour. It also has a hot pit, which is essential for any kind of endurance racing. Take a look at it, you might find it interesting. I wonder if the powers that be at the AMA have any idea how many sportbike enthusiasts there are in the midcentral section of our country. ObviOl';Sly, they don't have a clue. This area, particularly the Ozark Mountains, is riddled with roads that rival the best anywhere - and sportbikes are being ridden on them. I think a turnout for a race in this area would be impressive to say the least. Robert McKenzie Fort Smith, AR A track map ofHallett can be found at the followin.g address on the World Wide Web: http://www.l1U1vier.com/haIIett/trackmap.htm ... Editor Let them be kids I have worked at the races for the past 11 years and get so disgusted when I see these parents running around and yelling and cussing at their kids. I mean, come on, people - it's just a trophy. I've seen parents throw a bigger fit than any kid ever could. I always thought you were supposed to teach your child not only to be a good winner, but also a good loser. What do you think yelling and cussing at your kid is going to accomplish? Do you really think you are setting any kind of example for them? I have always felt that it's great to see parents actually spending time with their children, bu t come on - do you really think it has any kind of quality to it? I'm not talking about every single parent out there, but there are far too many. If your kid races, please just let him/her have fun doing it. You are only a kid once, and it should be the best time of your life. Terre Audibert Ontario, CA Missing Ricky The Mark C. Dambrowski letter ("Yoices," Issue #13, April 7) on Ricky Graham . was right on the money. It couldn't have been put any better. We miss you, Ricky. . Patrick Caselli Santa Clara, CA Why change? Just a couple of comments about changes and proposed changes in Grand Prix road racing. First of all, I don't see why the FIM did away with leaded fuel in the first place. The amount of fuel burned by all the GP bikes combined is such a small amount, I doubt that any reason could justify it. Secondly, I don't get the brouhaha surrounding the reintroduction of fourstrokes to GP racing. The bikes w¥J be heavier, and ultimately more complex and expensive. The power-to-weight ratio of two-cycle engines is unequaled by any four-stroke. It sounds more like Bernie Eccelstone's further castra tion of . motor racing. What's next - multigrooved tires? Dale Covington La Crescenta, CA Letters to the editor should be sent to Yoices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084, faxed to 714/751-6685 or e-mail, editor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words and all letters are subj ect to editing. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. All letters should contain the writer's name, "address and daytime phone number ... Editor. '" '" '" 5

• Cover