Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

"He was there, with all of his hair, and was even so gracious as to pose for a picture... '~ The Showdown just finished watching the Anaheim I Supercross on ESPN. After watchng Ricky Carmichael and Jeremy cGrath's fantastic performance, I ave to say that I now have the greatst respect for Carmichael's sportsanship for allowing Jeremy to epass him following his ragged ump pass on Jeremy. Carmichael clearly wants to beat eremy, but he wants to do it cleanly. r, as he put it, "fair and square." 've seen Carmichael take people out ecause of his extremely competitive ature and desire to win in the past. icky, you are not only maturing as a acer, you are maturing as man. You got second in that race, but ou are definitely a winner. Gordo McComas Napa, CA It's All 600d aving just enjoyed the whole experince of Anaheim II, I want to comend Jeremy McGrath and Ricky armichael on the great sportsmanhip that they both exhibited. In his day of trash talking and "the ig head" in professional sports, t was refreshing to see these oung men act honorably. This is he example I want my son to ee. Both of these riders could ave taken each other out, but hey didn't. Ricky felt so bad bout touching Jeremy when he assed, in the next corner he let im go by. Their actions are also credit to their sponsors. My thanks also to the promotrs of the series for running a lass program. Supercross was Imost ruined by the loud hard ock music and the "drug" crowd t drew. I hope the fights, drunknness, and beer-throwing days re over. 1 can now take my famIy and enjoy the racing. age of 44, when it comes to the number 13, I will fQllow popular opinion. I wasn't implying that people born on the 13th had bad karma, but was only expressing that I would never run that number on a motorcycle I was competing on. In response to the most dangerous sport question, motocross/Supercross or road racing at 180 mph, the answer is off shore powerboat racing. Now, Mr. World, if you want to talk about the world's most demanding sport, it definitely isn't road racing. MIchael Rigdon Hennosa lJeach. CA Supporting Campbelf I'm a little disheartened toward Honda for not, as it would seem, helping Johnny Campbell more in the ParisDakar Rally. Johnny did a fabulous job in the most grueling race of them all. Let's give some recognition to the American Honda rider. Randy:Jones Via the InffHnet Didn't Like Jlmarllo Please, no more "outpourings" of Euro-trash (emphasis on trash) from Jimarilo. The numbers 420 and 120 (as in proof) appear to have affected his mind, causing him to write in a dizzy and discombobulated way. The piece is more appropriate for a Daisy jHi- Torque publication than Cycle News. Martfn Ublnsky Oeveland, OH Not A Shootout Fan Over the years I have cancelled all my "slick-paper" magazine subscriptions, largely because I have absolutely no interest in yet-another 600cc Sportbike Shootout. The breadth of reporting in Cycle News, however, has kept my attention. However, when I saw the January 21 cover. .. oh, no! Don't worry - I'm not canceling. I always enjoy stopping by your booth at our annual family vacation to Laguna Seca in July. The Last One Number 13 r. World's opinion but wanted to dvise him that my head is not in the and and to thank him for finally nswering that long-standing quesion (that I didn't have) about what eally happened to all those 13th oors. While taking pride on being an ndividualist and doing my own thing ike racing motocross at the tender The publisher had agreed to 168 pages, which was abbreviated to 156; the list of references, a standard acknowledgement of other authors consulted in research, was dropped; interviews with Carl Fogarty, PierFrancesco Chili, Ben Bostrom, Colin Edwards, Terry Vance, Claudio Domenicali, Eraldo Ferracci and ~ther key players were deleted. Plus, a number of excellent photographs by, tireless shooter Bill McMillan wereoverlooked in favor of lesser images. My apologies to all of you. The deleted pages included a summary of the first half of the 2000 Superbike racing season; Fogarty's career-ending crash, the Ducati team in disarray, Corser's Aprilia surprise and the accomplishments of Troy Bayliss. Thus the text concludes with the 1999 season, although the book wasn't published until October 2000. My purpose here is not to snivel about the incompetent editing, although most of the humor was excised and the several revisionists displayed the combin~d wit of the average school board. But the expurgated and abbreviated result shortchanged the readers, who also have my apology. Since the book won't likely be revised or reprinted in the near future, I can only offer to supplement the missing text via e-mail. If you're interested, notify me at traff@the grid.net. I'll send the missing text, bibliography and a list of typos that went uncorrected. (Though identifying Miguel DuHamel as his dad was my own brain fade.) The photos will eventually be available on the website (fatburns.com, now under construction) . Tod RatrlMty San Luis ObIspo, CA Don Wallace Red/ands, CA t was with great interest that I ead Vic World's response (Issue 4, January31) to my letter here I questioned the logic of unning the number 13. I respect ous Ducati books went uncredited. Team Honda's Johnny Campbell NDucatiN The Afterword This is an open letter to those who purchased my latest book, "Ducati," those whose interviews didn't appear in the pages, and the authors whose preui- I couldn't agree with you more let's get rid of that unlucky number 13. Also, let's abolish that risque 69 number. Who knows what acts poor, innocent Nicky Hayden has committed under the influence of that carnal digit? Let's also raze SOl, since it causes porky, Australian habitues to change from team to team and series to series. Gregory P. SftJrr Albuquerque, NM Forgetting Fabio I was surprised to see that in your "Briefly... " section of your Supercross coverage in the January 31 edition (Issue #4), you did not mention Fabio in your list of notables spotted in attendance. Certainly we were not the only ones who spotted him in the pits. He was there, with all of his hair, and was even so gracious as to pose for a picture with my daughter, Erin, and her boyfriend, Tyler. I would like to thank him for being so accommodating while I fumbled with my camera. Finally, annihilate the most heinous of all whole numbers, the infernal integer - 666. I rest my case. 6eotI'Marr:Jnko Macedonia. OH The editor has now put a moratorium on the "Number 13 Issue." No more letters regarding the subject, please... Editor cyol. :Jodie Miller Ojal, CA n ... S • FEBRUARY 7,2001 5 '

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