Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

"I find the FIM World Superbike races boring." Kudos To KTM If courtesy, detailed planning and follow through are hallmarks of success, the KTM/Red Bull Supercross/Motocross team is a sure winner on track and off track. In January, Thayer Motorsport Farm, Ltd., contacted Justin Quinn, race team coordinator for KTM. The purpose? The KTM transporter carrying the team's race bikes and equipment would be en route from the Houston SX to the March 31 race in St. Louis. Would KTM consider a stopover in the Ozarks to display their race bikes, transporter and equipment? Quinn checked with Selvaraj "Sel" Narayana, the team manager. You can imagine how excited we were when they said, "Yes." We secured the hall at the Civic Center in West Plains, Missouri, and local motorcycle dealers enthusiastically welcomed and looked forward to supporting the KTM show. The one-day exhibit further reflected KTM's support in promoting the entire spectrum of the sport, as well as their own bikes and equipment. Under "Trucker" Fred Tompkins guidance and supervision, riders young and old, along with motorcycle enthusiasts, toured the KTM/Red .Bull transporter and saw the equipment on display. Drawings for prizes supplied by local dealers and KTM were made throughout the day. What we are trying to say is, "Thank you, KTM." Thanks for the quality men who represent you and your machines, and for your extra effort in furthering the sport of Supercross/motocross in the Ozarks. Tony Ackerman Alton.MO Cannondale Comments Having raced off-road over the last 30 or so years, I immediately thought it was terrific when Cannondale introduced the idea of a four-stroke dirt bike two or three years ago. I knew, however, that they would have an R&D period to work through. In my mind, the teething period would be at least three years before a prototype would be introduced, and four to five years before they could go into production. Lo and behold, here they are introducing not only their second dirt bike (Issue #14, April 11). but a quad as well. We out here in the Cannondale dealer network have watched Cannondale build bicycles over the last 15 years or so in a way that many in the bicycle industry claimed they would fail - but they did not. I personally believed that Cannondale would build more than bicycles ever since Joe Montgomery picked me up in his jet years ago. While I sat in the second seat in the cockpit, we had the most straightforward and insightful conversation I've ever had with a bicycle-industry executive. There is potentially a Cannondale 400 Enduro in my future and, even though I don't need an $8100 dirt bike, I want one. And that is exactly what Cannondale is banking on. Wally Tunison Wfcketunk, IC Tunison is a Cannondale bicycle dealer... Editor What About 250s? Paul Carruthers' column on AMA Superbike racing was good. I agree that the Superbike riders should not be allowed to ride in the 600cc class. More riders is a good thing. More factory riders is even better. By keeping Superbike riders off the 600s, the factories will have to put someone in those seats. The 600cc class, after all, should be a stepping-stone to Superbike racing. One thing I didn't like was Paul stating, "you run three quality races ... " Hey, what about the 250cc GP class? You have got to keep the 250s. After 25 or so years of spectating at road races, I want to tell you that my absolute favorite sight is watching a pack of 250s going thru "Rainey" curve at Laguna Seca. That is racing! Also, does Paul's father know what he is saying about 250s? I would also like to suggest that the use of very short (i.e. five-lap) qualifying heats/semis/last-chance qualifiers, in a similar structure that that used in dirt track racing, would make Saturday very exciting but with the added fairness of allowing multiple chances to get into the field. And, unlike Superpole, qualifying would be a man-to-man competition with the additional drama that that involves. DavtdBeII Castro Valley, CA Paul believes he can talk his father into the fact that racing 250s on Saturday is okay ... Editor Ways To Improve Greg Colyer, in the Voices section, and Paul Carruthers, in his column Teardown, touched on some very simple yet significant ways that that the AMA could improve their road racing program. I have been attending AMA events for over 20 frustrating years, and while their programs have improved, they still have a long way to go if they ever hope to attract more than a cult audience to their events. Colyer and Carruthers make sound observations that could lead to easy, yet major, improvements in AMA racing events. It's strange how the simplest things, that require just common sense, seem to elude the AMA year after year. Why can't they look to NASCAR and the FIM as examples of how to market and promote a sport? They don't need to reinvent the wheel, just follow proven, successful strategies. Hey, AMA, I would even consider joining and becoming a dues-paying member if it looked like there was some common sense starting to take root at your headquarters. You're making it harder than it has to be and limiting your success in the process. how much more seriously the fans, and the sponsors, take motorcycle racing when compared to what we get here. Thank God for Speedvision and the good print coverage you guys offer. Dave Johnson VIa the Inlemet And Now For Something Completely Different Kent Sheldon Pleasanton. CA More Ideas I enjoyed your article on improving the AMA series. It's sort of ironic that a lot of us fans who attend these AMA races also get to experience the World Superbike series in July at Laguna. We have been saying, since we saw the first Superpole (we got a suite last year), it's a blast to watch. I actually went down to trackside and stood by the bridge leading to turn one, and that was quite a show. They have a closed-circuit TV monitor there and we were able to see the "current rider" doing his Superpole hot lap, while the next rider was lining up to launch. That was really cool. I also think that, with so many races being held on Sunday, it makes it really confusing and also makes for a lot of chaos on the big race day. But, being the race fan that I always have been, I love seeing a lot of racing in one day - so the extra races do not bother me much. I agree, though, that two-segment races are great. The World Superbike boys always have that second leg to redeem themselves if the first race did not go well. I also think that the AMA should require the tracks to improve sound. Even Laguna Seca is guilty of having serious sound holes all over the track. Those "pesky" fans really do like to hear the commentary. I lived in Europe for a few years, and the races over there show just cue I e I won't respond to all the comments that Paul Carruthers made in his column, but I totally disagree with running two legs in the Superbike races. I find the FIM World Superbike races boring. Although the riders are exceptionally good, I find it boring because there aren't enough riders in a race. The tracks are long and, with not enough entries, the riders are spread too far apart. This results in not enough passing. Having two legs just makes it worse because there is very little lapping of riders. The race ends before the leaders have had a chance to lap the slower riders. Lapping is passing and that's a good thing. How many races were won or lost when the leaders were in hot pursuit of each other and the decisions they made while lapping other riders was the difference between winning and losing? This brings a lot of excitement to a race. Longer races also make pit stops necessary. The action in the pits also brings drama and excitement to a race. In my opinion, the AMA races are more exciting to the spectator than the FIM races. The changes to be made, if any, should be toward getting more riders on the track, less of the factory bikes that out class the privateers, and more brands of motorcycles. louis A Duplessis VIa the I~met n e _ S • APRIL 25, 2001 5

• Cover