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/127994
Voices America's weekly motorcycle newspaper LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Volume XXXVI my rides last year was six hours, no rider change, and 936 miles - you figure the average speed. This ride is with cars, semi-tractors and 300 miles of rain. Promoters of motorcycle road racing often wonder why it's hard to get a large fan base in this country - it's because we pay to see them race, not whine. Cris E. Murray votd@email.msn.com Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associirte Editor Scott Rousseau, AssociateEditor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor Keith Bush, Assistant Editor/Copy Editor Matt Freeman, Assistallt Editor ' Alan Cathcart, European Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor Advertising Western States (714) 751-7433 Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Glory days Mark TI,ome, Western Sales Mollager Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, Ad Coordiliator Bridgett Bobrofsky, Assistant Advertising Eastern States (770) 934-7850 Greg Mitchell, Eastem Accounts Manager Jim Clark, EasteTtl Sales Manager Carla Allen, Ad Coordinator Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager Kory Klinger, Dealer Representative New Media Development Kory Klinger, Site Manager Classified Ads Alicia Franklin Graphics and Production Mandy Loo, Art Director Amanda Wollny, Lead Graphic Artist Paul Fisher, Graphic Artist Kim ¥ong, Graphic Artist Ad,ministra,tion Judy Klinger, Coordinator Pam Klein, Administrative IIssistant AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AIR Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit MaMger Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Ma"ilger Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinalor Joy Lau, Dealer Coordinator Donna Sharp, Billing 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 5064, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 751-6685 Eastern Office 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA 30064 P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770) 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-3112 e·mail editor@cyclenews.com subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Internet http://www.cyclenews.com Cycle News (USPS 141-340) is published weekly except the last 11\10 weeks of the calendar year for $58.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., 3505-M Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mesa, CA and at additional mailing office. Canada Post international Publications Mail #546615. Kenny Roberts put on a show for the fans at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. Viva Las Vegas On May 1, 1999, I attended the supercross final in Las Vegas. I was treated to some of the best racing I've seen all year. Unfortunately, I was also treated to some of the worst behavior by a lot of irresponsible fans. If PACE/Sam Boyd Stadium cannot control these idiots, this will be the last final I attend. Since security could not take care of the problem drinkers, I politely asked them not to stand on their seats. I thought I was going to get into a fight. Disney / Anaheim set a great standard early in the season, and other venues should pay attention. How about a little less profit and some beefed-up security? AI Perry Placentia, CA rules state that we restart the race if it's less than 80-percent complete (which it was) - on the condition that the track was clear and presented no danger to the riders (which it was). As far as I'm concerned, it was a no- ' brainer·. The fact that Mat Mladin, or anybody else, didn't like it shouldn't matter one bit. What the hell do you have rules for, anyway? You have rules, so you stick by them. This way, decisions are never left to the subjective whims of the human mind. You want the rules to change? Greatdo it in the off-season, when everyone gets a vote. Not now. Anyway, Anthony Gobert stood to lose more than anyone else, so Mladin's cry-baby routine doesn't cut it with me. D. Lacerda lacerdad@icarus.ssd.l,oral.com. A bunch of whiners .Laguna restart After reading your article on the AMA Superbike National from Laguna Seca, I applaud the AMA officials for making the right decision - but I chastise them for taking so long to arrive at that decision. The best strategy would have been faT the AMA officials to state, with forcefulness and with conviction: The I'm not a paid racer, but these factory racers seem to be a pack of whiners, always blaming their shortcomings on somebody besides themselves, I constantly see where the factory riders (AMA Superbike, World Superbike) are complaining about slow riders on the track - as if they were never slow. They think they have obstacles - they should try and ride with the rest 01 us. One of INSIDE: ISSUE #19 MAY 19, 1999 FEATURES POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cycle. News, P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084. MOTOCROSS Round 1 - AMA/Mazda Trucks 125/250cc National Championship MX Series from San Bernardino, California ..... 6 DIRT TRACK Round 2 - AMA Grand National Dirt Track Series from Hagerstown, Maryland 18 To determine the expiration date of your subscription, check the fout nu.mbers on the first line of YOut address label. The first two digits indicate the last issue number you'Ureceive and the last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. Round 3 - World Champonship SOOcc MX Series from Schwanenstadt, Austria ........ 34 Round 1 - SuperTrapp Super Tracker Series from Hagerstown, Maryland ......22 Subscription rates: Rates for the United States and its posses-sions for one. year (SO issues), $58.00; two years 000 issues>. $11UXI; six months (25 issues), $29,00; trial sub 05 issues), $21,00, Canada and Foreign, one year (SO issues), $105.00; two years 000 issues), $195.00; six months (25 issues), $55.00; trial sub (15 issues), $42.00. Round 5 - World Championship 250cc Motocross Series from Marquay, Venezuela : .36 West Coast Indoor Short Track Championships from Daly City, California 38 Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material includjng 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 circulatjon information will be sent upon request. See S,R.D.5. W/BI"l'A V 1lIT1!"~ AUDITED CIRCLfLATION Du Quoin 50-miler test RoUnd 4 - World Championship 125cc MX Series from Bellpuig, Spain 37 ROAD RACING Round 3 - World Championship Road Racing Series from Jerez, Spain 12 Printed in U.S.A. Co,?yrightC Cycle News, Inc. 1999. Trademark Cycle News registered U.S. Patent Office. All rights reserved. If you can recall the glory days of flattrack racing, or only know them from books and old magazines, you should have been at the Cow Palace on May I for the West Coast Indoor Championship and A&A Racing Service Tribute to Ray Abrams, If you missed it, you have my sincere condolences. ,Rod Lake, Dante D' Ambruoso, Rochelle Abrams and their friends waved a collective magic wand over the old auditorium and, for one night, recaptured the glory of a lost era. For a never-was racer like myself, it was an' unforgettable opportunity to ride on the same .track as the legends of the sport the equivalent of playirig fantasy baseball with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig or Willie Mays. By far the'greatest moment came when the legends rolled out for the main event. The air crackled with tension. Riders like Mike Yarn and Keith Mashburn, who hadn't been aboard a racing motorcycle for 25 years, lined up for the start. The desire to win was still evident, though their skills may have been dulled by time. The g1.1J1fighters' eyes of their youth were undimmed by the creases of age around them. Rick Hocking was on the front row, . his entire body looking like it was vibrating with barely contained energy, like a mongoose ready to tangle with a cobra. John Gennai, on the pole, was poised like a cat ready to pounce. When the green flag dropped, he was into the first turn like a cheetah after a gazelle, moving himself and the motorcycle in one fluid motion. And then there was Kenny Roberts. Even from the stands, he radiated the cool detachment of an open-heart surgeon stepping into an opera ting room, wieJding the Yamaha like a scaJpel - perfect economy of movement, no wasted effort, working his way through the race like it was all algebra equation. Okay, maybe J was carried away by The Grand Prix numbers game 32 44 OFF·ROAD Round 5 - AMA GNCC Series from Clarksburg, West Virginia 40 Round 1 - Parts Unlimited Off-Road Championship Series from Fenton, lllinois 42 FEATURE Cycle News Mojave Dual Sport adventure 24 DEPARTMENTS PRODUCT EVALUATIONS EVENTS RESULTS LEADERBOARD CALENOAR. WANT ADS IN THE PADDOCK LOOKING BACK 46 ,.,.47 54 56 57 66 83 83 ON THE FRONT COVER Sebastien Tortelli and Ricky Carmichael stormed to victories in the AMA National Motocross Series opener at Glen Helen. Photos by Kinney Jones. Jay Springsteen, meanwhile, won the Hagerstown Half Mile. Photo by Dave Hoenig.