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/128000
Make-A-Wish Burnouts - friend or foe? caused by another rider, Kevin Magee, stopping on the track and performing a burnout to vent his frustrations. I have seen a lot of this sort of thing on the TV lately, and it seems that stopping on the track with others still at speed is a dangerous thing. I love to celebrate as much as the next guy, but let's stick with the standup wheelies. Patrick Moore moorepd@mindspring.com Real emotion I just finished watching Fox's coverage of the German round of the World Superbike Championship. I was sad to see Colin Edwards crash in the oil that led to a melee, but it was great to see some real human emotion. Plus, Colin looked like a bad-ass pushing that track official off of him. Colin, keep up the hard riding and keep U.S.A. on the podium. D.R. Wann Whittier, CA Our 31st annual Hangtown Motocross Classic wa a little more special than the others. Our PG sponsors were outstanding as always, the crowds were huge and having a good time, but this one was differen t. This year we were honored to be a part of a Make-A-Wish Foundation wish come true. Julio Leon, a 14-year-old from Berkeley, California, asked to meet Ezra Lusk and Ernesto Fonseca, and to be part of a team for a Ernesto Fonseca - making wishes come true. while - plus go on a shopping spree for motocross gear. I set off to put it all together and wha t I found were a lot of lap before the opening ceremonies to the big-hearted people in our industry. Greg huge cheers of over 23,000 fans. I'm sure Wright, the team Honda public-relations he will never forget a moment of that guy, was wonderful, and a big thanks day. goes out to him and Lusk and Cliff On Saturday, he was also treated to a White for allowing us to be there on lap around the track with Fonseca, their busiest day. Julio was taken on a thanks to Erik Kehoe and the Yamaha of tour of the Honda truck by Wright and Troy gang. They were so nice and introduced to Ezra, who was so very friendly to Julia as well. None of this nice to him. would have been possible without help: Then the fun part began - he rode a Hylton Beattie and FMF loaned us Tallon Vohland's practice bike for Sunday, and Scott Sepkovic of Spy Optics loaned his bike on Saturday; Melissa Price from the Sheraton Rancho Cordova gave Leon's family complimentary rooms for the weekend; and Thor and A1pinestars donated gear through John Ayer's Superstore. It all made us very proud to be part of the motorcycle industry. I think all of our club members came away with a good feeling and hope to see Julio and his family often. Again, we challenge other people to get involved and sponsor a wish or make a donation to help make a wish come true. Our big thanks to Jim and Jane Etherington and Dr. and Mrs. Randy Johnson for allowing us to be part of such a neat thing. Keep Julio in your thoughts. Pam Santin Sacramento, CA Santin is a member of tile Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club... Editor Open letter from Tom Kipp Colin Edwards II - bad-ass? When I was asked as an eager, willing and enthusiastic member of the advisory board committee of the AMA to serve on the TRAC safety committee, I accepted the job because I believed it needed someone .in its ranks who knew ju t what a modern, high-performance racing machine could do in the wrong circumstances. What I never intended was to be considered as some kind of "riders' representative." The issue of track safety needed addressing and my input into the discussions seemed to fill a void. I felt tha t [ was working as a part of a collective body trying to solve ti).e problems. Instead, [ now find myself reluctantly in the role of riders' representative. My racing career and the needs of my team and sponsors, particularly Suzuki, do not give me time or opportunity to fill that role. Throughout my racing career, my commitment to my team and sponsors has always been my number-one priority. This season it is even more important to me, particularly in view of how the race program has been put together in such a short period of time but with spectacular success. [ have no desire to jeopardize the team's championship hopes by outside distractions. Nearly 20 years ago, the Grand Prix riders discovered they needed their own independent riders' representative. The job went to a former racer who had the experience, knowledge and respect to do a very difficult task. Is there anyone in today's paddock who fits that ·description? In view of everything listed above, I would like to give notice that effective immediately I wish to remove myself from the TRAC safety committee. I will give 100 percent support to whoever replaces me in that role and will continue to play my part in the advisory board committee of the AMA. Tom Kipp Chardon,OH For more infonnntion, see "Briefly..." in our coverage of the AMA/MBNA Superbike round from Loudon, Nw Hampshire... Editor Letters to the editor should be sent to Voices, 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 subject to editing. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. All letters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number ... Editor.