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/128162
"By the way, everyone alre~dy knows Harley cruising is the only true 'fringe sport!'" More Bad Taste Thank you for publishing the letters egarding EA Sports' wretched ads in your July 3, 2002, issue. I had also written them a letter, but followed it up with a phone call June 28, 2002. I was told by Anna Mederios of EA Sports that the ad had been canceled June 27, 2002. I directed her to your publication to see additional responses, and she carefully took the Cycle News information. She was extremely gracious and helpful, and promised to pass the feedback along. Thank you again for giving us a voice. Kathertne Bassanl VIa the Internet MXTracks Great to hear Bob Johnson suffered no permanent injury in his accident at Saddleback Park (Issue #25, June 26) and I thank him for publicizing the unfortunate high number of injuries at the local Southern California tracks this year. Get well soon, Bob! The answer to Johnson's question is absolutely yes, the tracks and riders are going too far, and for those of you who feel things are fine and that the old farts simply need to go home and sit down, the simple truth is, too many people are getting hurt these days. If the majority of injuries are coming from jumps, then by all means let's try toning the jumps down to see if this reduces the number of injuries. I enjoy jumping to a degree, but I enjoy walking around without injury during the week infinitely more. Unfortunately, I don't see anything in the works to reduce these numbers, since every weekend there are so many willing participants just waiting to go out and attempt that big step-up or double before the end of practice or on the first lap. Before 1998, I would have suggested joining the Over The Hill Gang for safer racing, but now even Gang races at Competition Park are on the main track, not the Vet track. This main track is filled with doubles and triples that require absolute blind faith, since you can't see the landing area. REM really is the safest alternative in all of Southern California, since at the majority of motocross tracks the risks are being elevated unnecessarily due to track design encouraging a go-for- broke style regarding many track obstacles. Perris, Star West, Competition Park, Lake Elsinore, LACR and other tracks should get together now to work to reduce the possibility of injuries and also communicate to Cycle News what steps will be taken and when. The time is way past due. Michael Rigdon Hennoso Beach, CA Jump Start In response to Mark asters' letter regarding the start-line incident at Road America during the Superbike race, give me a break. "The replay from his bike cam clearly showed he jumped the gun"? You better rewind the tape and run it real slow this time. The replay from the bike cam clearly shows the light malfunctioned and, instead of going green, restarted the sequence. "If there was trouble with the thing, why didn't anyone else jump it?" Now there's some fancy logic. Because everyone on the grid didn't respond exactly as Nicky Hayden did under a bizarre circumstance, then he must have jumped a light, right? If you again put the VCR on slow motion, Mark, you might notice a green Kawasaki with the number 32 on it clearly out of the box early. You will also see a few other riders acting downright confused. Watch closely. Considering the incident on the start line the previous' day, you can't blame Hayden a bit for getting the hell out of there. Comparing anyone in our sport to O.J. - or to a participant in the NFL, for that matter - is an insult. This kid has consistently handled himself in a much more modest and professional manner than most current pro athletes giving interviews, even if he isn't as polished as you'd like. "Racing gets boring when it's constantly the same dude three and four bikelengths ahead every week." Guess last season was much more exciting for you up to that point, huh? We've had 10 races with four different winners up to this point. You think that's boring? I haven't noticed anyone running away from the field week after week. I have seen some damn good, close racing this year. Maybe you should check out another sport like NASCAR, where the rules change week to week to manipulate the brands finishing up front. The reason champions win championships, Mark, is that their team effort is better than the other competitors'. That's the goal here. En route to a championship, you may notice one guy winning a few times more than the others. Sf9venCulp \ITa the Internet And Another Regarding Mark Oster's take on Nicky Hayden's "O.J. response" as to why he jumped the start at Road America, maybe Nicky's lawyerspeak was not so eloquent, but anyone who saw the Formula Extreme start can understand why Nicky was clearing the grid in a hurry to avoid the potentially very dangerous consequences of the AMA-botched board signals. Maybe we should have Scott Russell speak as to the possible outcomes of sitting there in confusion. Anybody who knows Nicky Hayden, or has seen him race this year, knows that cheating on the start isn't even a topic of discussion for those in the know. "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit." QIfl'Cook Kingsport, TN Our company conducted a very thorough study at this year's Vintage Iron World Championships and found absolutely no one in the nearly 500 entrants that had fringe of any kind on the bikes or apparel. (We did have one dressed like a zebra, however). Another interesting fact is that Cycle News provides the most Vintage coverage of any motorcycle publication, hands down. In my humble opinion, you can think of us as old-bike nuts, a fringe group, mainstreamers or whatever you like. Just keep thinking of us. By the way, everyone already knows Harley cruising is the only true "fringe sport!" RIck Doughty \ITa the Inff1met WML Fan I think it's very cool that there is a top women's motocross organization, the Women's Motocross League. I checked out the women's autograph tent at the Budds Creek AMA National Motocross round, and I got Jessica Patterson's autograph. (I didn't know who any of the women were - I just went up to the best-looking one at the table.) I'd like to tell Jessica thanks for the autograph, and that I think it's awesome to have women in motocross. I said to the women at the table that the tent they were under should have said "Dream Girls." They rolled their eyes at me - oh, well. I know a ton of guys who would love to have a girlfriend who rides motocross. The WML is a great start of an awesome trend. Good luck! Carey Hargrove \ITa the Inff1met Ain't Nothin' But A Fringe Thang The recent irate letters you received about Vintage motocross not being a "fringe sport" appear to be accurate. c U a • - Doughty owns and operates Vintage Iron... Editor Local Coverage You've got to admire the latest Cycle News reporting of a Mr. R.C. Dohan (Issue #24, June 19). Mr. Dohan feels obligated to make sure the Alessi brothers are the main subjects of nearly every story he contributes (85 percent of the story, in this case). Granted, the Alessi brothers are fast, but the last time I checked, the two or three hundred other riders at the races were also paying their dues (gate fees, entries, gas, parts, etc.). So much for objective journalism. It's a shame everyone doesn't know that R.C. Dohan is really Tony Alessi. I'd be interested to hear what Cycle News readers (and Alessi's competition, for that matter) would have to say about that. 6reg Robettson Palmdale, CA Robertson, like Alessi, is a regular contributor to Cycle News' Euents section... Editor n __ S • JULY 10, 2002 5