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/128155
"... l've seen parents inftict all kinds of horror on their children. The Stewart family does not fall under that category." Speed Channel Screwup hat a disaster. I can't believe what st happened. There I was, totally uned in to the live coverage of the MA 600cc Supersport race from ears Point, and what happened after he second lap of exciting racing? he program was interrupted with ASCAR highlights from Friday ight. Unbelieveable! What programming idiot at Speed hannel decided to interrupt a live otorcycle race for NASCAR highghts? The folks at Speed Channel better et in touch with reality. Motorcycles Ie, NASCAR sucks. Jim (Goose) Cooke Randsburg, CA And More Suckage hat a great hour of programming om Speed Channel. Ten minutes of ntastic live 600cc Supersport racing terrupted by a full 40-45 minutes of 'ghlights from a NASCAR race that nished 10 minutes earlier. Thanks a lot Speed Channel. You uck. Lance Sudano Chartesfon. SC In Defense Of Bubba am writing regarding the "And More" tter from Dave Sciabaras (Issue 18, May 8) about James Stewart Sr. alking away after his son's crash. I on't sponsor James, and I don't ave an agenda to promote him. But I id years back, and I got to know the tewarts. With all my heart, I promise ou that the Stewarts are a close, lovg family, and that James' parents ever push their talented child. Over the years, I have sponsored early everyone at one time or anothr, and I've seen parents inflict all 'nds of horror on their children. The tewart family does not fall under at category. Congratulations to Travis Preston r a great championship. He, James, hris Gosselaar and the rest are the al thing! As a fan, many thanks to II the racers for making the 125cc lass exciting again! DrewUen Canoga Park,. CA ien is the man at 100% Racing... Editor Katja Fan That is so cool that Katja Poensgen is finally going to get to ride here. Any bets who signed the most photos at Sears Point? Since when do Canadians (road racer Jordan Szoke) have trouble getting into the U.S.? Chilly White VIa the Internet When they head south for employment without the proper visas and claim that they are coming as tourists... Editor Congrats to RC Hey, Ricky, congratulations on your number-one plate. You shook off crashes that would have most of us taking up golf, and put up with the booing nonsense all year long. So congrats on a kick-butt season. Way to go - you eamed it! On another note, think how bitchin' it would look on the front of a motorcycle. Come on, man, run that puppy. Go out and find the biggest number one they make and slap that baby on there - you eamed it. I bet Travis Preston will wear his. BIll Bouman san Oemente, CA Bruhn Kudos I have been meaning for weeks to offer my thanks to Steve Bruhn for the great shots he has been supplying to Cycle News. One can see by looking that Bruhn is a great photographer, but what I can't understand or believe is how the guy is always where the action is (i.e. RC's crash in Pontiac). Keep up the great work, Steve! On a different subject, now that I have watched the unfortunate tum of events for James Stewart in Dallas on ABC and ESPN, read Kit Palmer's coverage (Issue #17, May 1), plus read Chuck Ball's and Dave Sciabaras's letters ("Voices," Issue #18, May 8), I would like to ask two tough questions: 1) Is 16 one or two years too young for a professional license? 2) Should the AMA require all professional motorcycle racers to have a high school diploma or equivalent before they ride in their first professional event? The NASCAR boys say before you can win a championship you have to lose one. I wouldn't bet against James Stewart next year - provided he leaves the occasional unnecessarily rough pass behind him. Hopefully, losing a championship because of rough riding will be a lesson he remembers in the future. I also strongly encourage James Stewart Sr. to stay trackside in the future regardless of how many crashes his son makes. I'm sure Junior probably has more than enough pressure on him to win to begin with. MJchaei RIgdon Via the Internet Congrats, Big Red Congrats to everyone at Team Honda on winning the 125 West and 250 supercross titles in Salt Lake City. RC shook off his opening-night bell-ringer and made it happen. He shook off the boos, and he shook off getting beat by the French guy. The bottom line is that no one wanted the title as badly as he did, again. According to his manager, Travis Preston is every bit as genuinely cool in real life as he seems to be on the podium. He stayed focused despite all the hoopla surrounding James Stewart, and going into the final round had won as many rounds as Bubba had. Honorable mention goes to his teammate, Chris Gosselaar, for making them work for it. My pal Chuck Miller certainly deserves huge props for stepping in as race teams manager (motocross and road race) and kicking ass. This is arguably the most high-pressure job in the industry. If you don't think so, consider that Honda hasn't won a motocross title in who knows how long. The first thing that Chuck did was hire Ricky Carmichael. Sure, they hired the fastest guy, but so did Suzuki when they got Jeremy McGrath from Honda, and they didn't win. That scenario could have easily been repeated this year, and it didn't look good after round one. The naysayers were hoping for RC and Honda to fall on their faces, but the best rider on the best bike prevailed. Toss in the impressive season that Mike LaRocco was having before being cut short, the improvement in Ernesto Fonseca's riding, and the stellar win by "Natedog" Ramsey, and you cannot help but be impressed. Honda's commitment to winning is second to none, and these titles are a direct result of that commitment along with the combined effort of all the engineers, technicians, riders and support personnel involved. Congratulations to all of Team Honda. Steve Bauer Via the Internet Qatar Joke? A Motocross Grand Prix and the Motocross des Nations in Qatar? Please tell me this is a joke. c U c I e Just when you think the alphabet organizations can't sink any lower, they once again prove you wrong. Isn't one of the staples of World Championship Grand Prix Motocross the natural-terrain, traditional, real motocross tracks? Sinc.e Qatar is barren desert where motocross is basically non-existent, isn't this is a completely man-made track like the supercross-type tracks the Europeans often complain about in Grand Prix? What's next, a OP in Timbuktu with all the riders wearing clown suits? This is just more evidence that the tradition, history or integrity of worldlevel motocross means nothing to the suits who are now in charge of our sport. All they care about is money, period! LeWis Sreer Fayetteville, AA Totally Flat MX. Has anyone noticed that Dorna appears to be trying to make some kind of motocross/supercross hybrid? First they go to a single-moto format, then they wanted to put the Motocross des Nations in the middle of a Formula One circuit. I understand increased television exposure will be good for the sport, but at what cost? Doma believes that placing motocross tracks on flat ground will achieve better viewing for fans and TV. I've gone to, and watched on TV, the Glen Helen National many times and have never noticed a problem - big hills and all. Maybe it's time we call it the Flat Track des Nations. Some people may find fault with the AMA, but at least they know how to run a real motocross. As a wise man once said, "Come on, Dorna, wake up." 6eorgeWade Via the Internet n e _ s MAY 22, 2002 5