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/127992
America.s weekly motorcycle newspaper Volume XXXVI Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher LETTERS TO THE ED/TOR Jeremy, don't stop As of April 8, Jeremy McGrath was in the points lead in the Supercross Championship. 1 believe he will win. (He did ... Editor.) It's too bad the season is over for him. McGrath says if he can't race just supercross, then he's gone. Well, M.e, do the Nationals one more time, Win it - if you can whip LaRoccoand then be gone. I'll remember you more for winning the ationals than for winning those same old supercross races. And for the rest of you - Emig, Lu k, Windham (who I believe is overrated) and the rest of the Pro class - buck up and start worrying more about how you ride than what color hair to have or what body part to get pierced. Hell, you guys wouldn't know how to deal with a Hannah, DeCoster or Weinert. Thomas E. ALtland Sandy, UT Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor KeIth Bush, AssistOlIt EditorlCopy Editor Matt Freeman, ASsistant Editor Alan Cathcart, European Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor Advertising Western States (714) 751-7433 Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Ma1UJger Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, Ad Coordi1UJtor Bridgett Bobrofsky, Assistant Advertising Eastern States (770) 934-7850 Greg Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager Jim aark, Eastern'Soles MOrlflger Carla Allen, Ad Coordinator Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Ma1UJger Kory Klinger, Dealer Representative New Media Development Rick Matheny, Webmaster Classified Ads Melissa Alvarado Graphics and Production Mandy 1.00, Art Director Amanda Woilny,l..eJuJ Graphic Artist Paul Fisher, Graphic Artist Kim Yong, Graphil: Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Pam Klein, Administrative Assistant AccountingfData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AIR Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator Joy Lau, Dealer Coordinator Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist Jim Olson,Service and Support --------- National Headquarters 3505-M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 751-6685 Eastern Office 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA 30084 P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770) 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-3112 e-mail editor@cyc1enews.com subscribe@cyc1enews.com advertising@cyc1enews.com Internet http://www.cyclenews.com Cyd~ News (USPS 141~340) is published weekly except lhe last two weclcs of the calendar year for $58.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., J505.M Cadillac Avenue. Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mesa, CA and at additional mailing office. Canada Post lnlernational Publications Mail 1546615. POSTMASTEJt: Send addleS changes to Cycle News,. P.O. Box 5084. CooL> M.... CA 92628-5084. To determine the expiration date of your subscription. check the four numbers on the first line of your .add.ress I..~. The first two digits indicate the last issue nUD100 you'll ~ve iiU1d the l~t two characters indicate the year of the Ia$t iMue. Subscription rntcs: Rates for the United States and its p0sses.sions for one year (SO issues), $58.00; two years 000 issues), 5111.00; six months (25 issues), $29.00; trial sub (IS issues), 521.00. (nnndo nnd Foreign, one year (SO issueS), $105.00; two years (tOO issues), $195.00; six months (25issucs), 555.00; trial sub (15 issues), $42.00. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos, etc. Such material, if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and drcuJation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. V __ Wi'BPA ~~~nON Printed in U.S.A. C~ght" Cyd< News,lDc.l999. TrodeDwk Cycle N.... rtgislaed u.s. Polent Office. All rights ....rved. Racers' kids Seldom do I write letters to magazines, Six-time AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath. Beware? Your recent issue (Issue #15, April 21) has a letter in it (or is it an advertisement?) from the ational Motocross Promoters Group, written by Carrie Coombs. I assume it is written to aI! profes ional motocrossers who plan on riding in the ationals (it's not clear who Carrie thinks she is talking to). I'm not an attomey, but I'd hire one before I raced an AMA ational, because this letter sure sounds Like some sort of legal trap. The letter states that if a rider is not inclined to allow the National Promoters Group (NPG) to use their image to sell T-shirts, among other things, the rider has to tell them. They think that just because they put up a measly $200,000 points fund, they own every rider's image? Give me a break. That is wrong. If the NPG wants to use a rider's image, they should a,pproach that rider and work out a deal with them like every other business has to do. My advice to every Pro rider is simple: Get legal representation and have him or her find out what the NPG is trying to pull over on you. ]im]enkins Fillmore, CA but Scott Rousseau's "In the Tapes" column brought a tear to my eye. I raced during the '70s - Amateur and weak Expert - and I loved the long drives every Sunday, practicing with my friends, and bench-racing everywhere we went. DeCoster and Wolsinl< were the heroes, but I have hundreds of photo of others. Then we had a son, Gerrit, and soon after, another son. 1 wanted to name him Roger, but my wife thought it was best to name him Ryan (so he'd fit in with the other 300 Ryans at his school). Any" way, a few broken bones and bruises later, my sons have grown up great. 0 matter how hard they crash at whatever they do, they keep their hand on the clutch, get back up and get going. That's motorcycle racing. Now both sons are in their 20s and are in the Marines, waiting to race with their kids. To this 1 say - grea t. Sonny Kemp Pittsford, NY Ezra responds I just wanted to clear up what I meant regarding Jeremy McGrath when asked what I think it takes to beat him (Issue #15, April 21). I meant that, when we were together, I feel like I have won more of those times. I didn't mean it to show any disrespect to him, Ot the fans. INSIDE'/SSUE#17 MAY5.1999 FEATURES ROAD RACING Round 4 - AMA/MB A Superbike Series from Sonoma, Califomia 6 Round "2 - SOOcc World Championship Series from Sugo, Japan 18 Round 1 - WERA ational Challenge Series from Talladega, Alabama .52 SUPERCROSS Round 15 - AMA Supercross Series from Indianapolis, Indiana 26 TEST 1999 Excelsior-Henderson Super X 34 ROAD RACING FEATURE SECnON Miguel DuHamel interview Aaron Slight interview : GP/World Superbike track guide 38 4O 42 OFF-ROAD Tonopah 300 from Tonopah, Nevada ....46 AMA G CC/National Hare Scrambles Series from Hurricane Mills, Tennessee 56 Round 4 - AMA National Hare Scrambles Series from Redding, California ....58 MOTOCROSS World MX report 50 DEPARTMENTS NEW PRODUCTS .37 EVENTS 60 CALENDAR 69 WANT ADS 77 LEADERBOARD 94 FIRST PERSON 96 LOOKING BACK .............•...........................96 ON THE FRONT COVER Castrol Honda's Aaron Slight will try to win his first World Superbike crown this year. Slight is interviewed on page 40. Photo by Gold & Goose. If there's anybody out there - and people might not think it - but if there's anybody out there that has respect for Jeremy, it's me. l've idolized Jeremy. He is who I ba e my riding and my training off of. He's number one, and when I go ride, I think about doing what Jeremy does, or getting better at that. 1 just wanted to make that comment. I did come across ounding Like I was thinking that I was heads above everybody. That wa not my intention. Ezra Lusk Bainbridge, GA No one is better I'm writing in response to the "What will it take to beat McGrath?" question. First of all, tha t question is so old that it's ridiculous. Riders have been trying to answer that for years. The plain and simple fact is this: Jeremy McGrath is unbeatable! Think about it: If one of the other riders Wins a future supercross, does that mean they "beat' McGrath? Will any racer truly believe that they "beat" McGrath? Other racers may win a race here or there, but no one will ever truly "beat" McGrath. Jeremy McGrath has dominated supercross for so long that it doesn't seem humanly possible for someone to come along and do better. All the others are great, but there is no doubt that he is in a league of his own. When you add up all the records, the races, the wins, the consistency, the personality and the ability to ride a motorcycle - no one can argue. Jeremy McGrath is unbeatable. Tom Hesseltine Saranac Lake, NY Give him a four-leaf clover After wishing Miguel DuHamel good luck on Sunday at Willow Springs, I found it hard to accept what happened to him later in the day. Anyone who has had the pleasure of talking to Miguel knows that words can't describe how much heart this man has~ It's also impossible to tell you what it feels Like to see a man you spoke to hours earlier go flying through the California desert at 100 mph and walk away. After a year of surgeries, canes, crutches, rehab and titanium rods - and Daytona - I can't help but admire Miguel. The guy is amazing, and the awesome thing is, you'll never hear it