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/128156
"Stop arguing and complaining so you can focus on riding and win ing." AI Sal Fan Who is AI Salaverria? He is a topnotch motorcycle racer who performs miracles on his Aprilia 250 in any AMA/MBNA 250cc Grand Prix race he participates in. I watched him start last at Daytona and finish third. AI Sal has unbelievable speed, determination, and drive that surpasses many other racers. I have just one question, when are the people at Aprilia going to wake up and realize they need to offer AI the factory ride he so richly deserves? Keep up the great work, AI. Keep on racing. Terr1 Hall Sante Rosq. CA No Fool I wanted to thank the CERA motorcycle club for putting on the Fool's Gold Enduro. The course was simply excellent and the event well organized. But much more than that, I want to praise CERA for working so hard to keep our riding areas open in the EI Dorado National Forest. Faced with very stiff and well-organized opposition, CERA has worked within the system to benefit all riders. I know the 300 riders on May 5 appreciated it. Keep up the great work and I plan on signing up next year. :JIm Pinsky Palo AJtc, CA Number 66 I was wondering if Mat MJadin needs to have his helmet custom-made to fit the big head he's getting. I have noticed something this season that I didn't notice last season - ego! Maybe having his number-66 plate next season will make him rea Iize that he can't be the champ if he doesn't cut the talk and ride his motorcycle. RIchard Andrews san Francisco, CA Defending Mladin I read the letter from Sean McGloin of Yonkers, New York. Bravo to Mr. McGloin. Mat Mladin - three-time AMA Superbike Champion. This ain't because of luck. Nothing more needs to be said about his abilities. Anthony Gobert - absolutely one of my favorites and one of the most talented riders. In fact, at Daytona, he raced and got the podium with huge injuries and tape on his neck. It's time for the boys to stop complaining about each other and race. Funny, though, watch the comments that come at the end of the season. I only got... because I raced injured. I didn't do as well because the bike... Let me repeat, they are two of my favorites and two of the most talented riders on the circuit. Guys, you're the best, you're professionals and you get paid big bucks to ride. I've always believed that you can put the best riders on any manufacturer's bike and they would still be competitive. Stop arguing and complaining so you can focus on riding and winning. Andrew S. Epstein Fort MyetS, R Another In Defense Of Bubba In response to recent letters regarding James Stewart, my son raced against James for a number of years as an amateur and in that entire time I can never recall him intentionally trying to hurt another rider or ever "riding dirty." On the track, he is probably one of the most intense competitors ever. Off the track, he is a perfect gentleman and a huge asset to our sport. James did not rise through the ranks as a "millionaire's kid" mini rider. He has earned spot at the top by hard work and consistent results. As far as accidentally hitting other racers, James always races to win. When two riders are battling for a position, frequently the less aggressive rider winds up on the ground. Serious racers know that is racing, not dirty riding. His competitors who don't like their outcomes should quit complaining and start working as hard as James does, and maybe they would share some of his success. George Mc60urly YTa the Internet Too Much Sucks Gobert sucks, MJadin sucks, Honda sucks, Kawasaki sucks, Carmichael sucks, King sucks, Harley sucks, Vance [, Hines sucks, Stewart sucks. Yeah, right. Can we race now? Bob Braunreltf1r sturgis, SD Too Much T&A I took your advice and watched VIP on May 4. Beautiful Ducatis and the women were nice also. The storyline was lame and the acting was almost too painful to watch. Val Irons is too annoying and fake for me - Molly is 10 times hotter. They could have shown more of the Dukes, but the cameras were focusing on all that T['A. SCott KJpphuf Merlt:Jen, CT Not A Happy Camper I have been attending the AMA Motocross Nationals at Glen Helen since they first started racing there. For the last five years, I have been bringing my RV and staying the weekend. I've always arrived Wednesday to wait in line for the gates to open so that I could assure myself of the best possible site. This was the first year that they had reserved sites, which eliminated a lot of first-come-first-serve sites. I chose not to reserve a site because, to me, they weren't the best possible sites. After four hours of waiting in line, we were led into the park "systematically," as we were told, to the worst possible sites. We were parked so close together that we were unable to open our awnings. The best possible, first-come-first-serve sites that I had my mind set on were behind locked gates at the REM track. Those gates weren't to be opened until the following day - after the worst sites were filled. I was infuriated as you can imagine and so was the guy who had been there since Monday and was eighth in line. Thursday, they opened the gates to the REM track and trailers were parked, "unsystematically," in the best sites in the park. Man=Madore Lorna Undo, CA 92334 Safety Debacle Reading your recent article "Safety Debacle" regarding the Sears Point AMA event really made my blood boil. The AMA and Sears Point both have a lot of work to do to have AMA road racing achieve "real world" status in Northern California. The AMA has proven time and time again that they have no real concern for rider safety. I salute the riders for refusing to race at last year's "rainy" New Hampshire event, and wish that they would force the .. u c I B AMA through similar efforts to finally recognize their responsibility to conduct the type of "safe" events that other sanctioning bodies run. The AMA has never recognized, throughout their race programs and track layouts, that auto courses and motorcycle courses have different safety requirements. They constantly drone on about improvements, but they just don't realize that they are falling short of a "minimum" standard. Until they reach a "safety minimum" their "improvements" are just not enough. I don't care how much Sears Point has spent on their track. While it is a much nicer facility, it still is not a safe course for motorcycle racing. Let's see Steve Page go into turn one on a bike at 145 mph and see if his $55 million-dollar renovation makes him feel any better about his course. The same goes for Ron Barrick and Merrill Vanderslice. Hey, guys, you lean it into turn one and see how you feel about the "safety of the track." They sit on the sidelines and say how great everything is and how many improvements have been made, but the bottom line is that the track isn't safe for motorcycles yet. Motorcycle courses need large run-off areas and a complete lack of concrete and Armco barriers anywhere near the racing surface. The FlM gets it, but I'm not sure that the AMA ever will. I wish that the riders would force the issue. I'm afraid that is the only way the AMA will ever get the message. It's ridiculous that they made Anthony Gobert apologize for speaking the truth about the safety of the track. He is only asking for standards that are demanded by the FIM. Safe racing is good racing, and the riders deserve it. Kent Sheldon YTa the InftHnet n B _ S • MAY 29. 2002 5