Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

III would highly recommend anyone who can attend races at this track to do SO/I Not So Stoked I must admit, even as a staunch road racing fan, a guy can only take so many kicks to the teeth. I take in four or five AMA Superbike races a year. Last year, I rode solo from the San Francisco Bay area to Pikes Peak, as well as to the races at Sears Point and Laguna. I would have done Willow Springs as well, but the events of September 11 took care of that. This year, I rode to Fontana, Sears and Laguna. I'll be at Virginia next month as well. The point I'm trying to make is that I'll put up with a lot of adversity to watch top-level motorcycle road racing. I do my best to promote it among my buddies. Need proof? This year I purchased $2400 worth of tickets for the Laguna Seca doubleheader after convincing anyone who would listen that Laguna would be motorcycle Mecca. Many of the uninitiated complained that they had been to the road races once before but didn't find any enjoyment in watching bikes rip through the one turn you could see, then disappear for two minutes. "You dummies," I told them. "At Laguna, you buy these cool turn-II reserved seats and you can see from Rainey Curve down the hill to the infamous turn 11, then up the main straightaway and flat out over the hill to turn one. Then, when the bikes are out of our sight, there's a huge bigscreen TV right across from our plush seats to watch the action on from the backside of the track." I sold the non-believers. Twentytwo reserved tickets were charged to my credit card back in March. I was going to show these fools what a good time really is. Friday, we showed up at the track and found our reserved seats. They were the ones across the track from the new concrete luxury suites being built for the corporate big wigs. No more Rainey Curve, no more view of the track into turn 11. Pretty much just what the naysayers said: A bunch of bikes roaring past and then disappearing over the hill for two minutes. What about the big screen, you ask? Well, it's now half sized and pointed toward the luxury boxes on the other side of the track, for the other big wigs to watch. It seems that employees of Parts Unlimited, Goodyear and Gatorade are more valuable than the "Great Unwashed." It's not just Laguna. When we went to the season opener and inaugural races at Fontana, you couldn't see anything other than the main straight from the highest seats in the stands. Otherwise, you were staring at the side of the cement bunkers they use as "permanent pit garages." Oh well, at least you could get drunk on a can of Miller Draft for $7 a pop. I'm a motorcycle road racing fanatic. I'll be back... but I'll be hardpressed to convince anyone else I know that it will be fun to stare at the side of a garage and drink $7 beers. Rene LaPrevotte Novato, CA And They Call It Honey Love I wanted to share my experience with you regarding Honey Lake Motocross. I actually learned about Honey Lake from your article on the track late last year and finally got to experience the facility in April. Since then, we have raced there three times, and I want to take this opportunity to share my experience with your readers. I would highly recommend anyone who can attend races at this track to do so. On top of providing one of the best pure motocross tracks I have ever seen, Larry Wosick and his team maintain the track superbly and keep it well groomed throughout the race and practice days. The facility is well taken care of, and I can guarantee that anyone who loves the sport of motocross will appreCiate their experience there. On race days, all the personnel are polite and helpful, which unfortunately you do not find too often anymore. I have been around motocross for most of my life, and I can honestly say that Wosick has built one of the best tracks, brought in the best people, and provides the best all-around family motocross experience I have seen in 20-plus years. Jason Wallace Vla the Intemet Dear Mr. Wheeler I just returned home from attending the Grand National Dirt Track race that was held at the Lowe's half mile dirt track. I have been to all of the three AMA Grand National Championship dirt track races that you have had, and I will be back next year as well. You have a great track and the racing is first rate. This year, I brought three new fans that have never attended a dirt track motorcycle race before, and I know that they will be back next year as well. I have just a couple of issues that I would like to bring to your attention. The first is minor, but it would improve your event. You need to get an announcer that is familiar with GNC racing. The commentary the past three years has been lacking. The fact that they only interviewed the winner and not second and third place was lame as well. You need to check out Speed Channel's coverage of your race. I saw that J.B. Norris was at the race doing coverage for Speed Channel, so I am sure that it will be concise. How about hiring him for next year's event? The other issue that I have is that your security would not let us down into the infield for the victory celebration. This was the first time that this has happened in the three years that you have been holding the GNC races. I was there the first year and shared Mike Hacker's first win and Mike's call to his mom to tell her about his victory. I was there last year to share Will Davis' victory in front of the hometown folks. I can still remember seeing, feeling, and sharing the emotions that Will was having in front of his hometown folks. I would have loved to have seen and felt Kevin Varnes' emotions after winning a GNC race after a seven-year drought - but it was not to be. Also, the security would not even let us go down the front to the pits after the race. We were forced to go out and around the long way to the pits. It was not like that in year's past, and every other GNC race that I attend opens the pits and winner's circle right after the race ends. So, Humpy, if you would, give this some thought and let's continue to make the race in Charlotte that much better each year. Thank you so much for bringing GNC racing to North Carolina. everything to do with rider ability. I have seen an equal amount of unfortunate accidents out on the track on both mellow and technical sections. If a rider does not feel comfortable with a specific facility, don't go there. There are many places to ride in Southern California. Find a spot that suits your riding style. True motocross as it stands today is all about big jumps, top pros, and championship series. It is becoming more and more televised and considered to be an incredible sport. My buddies and I call it the Sport of Kings. Going out to practice, and even race, at your local track is all about haVing fun, while at the same time improving your ability. How many times have you watched someone like Mike Kiedrowski or Eric Kehoe at your local track ripping it up and tried to hang with them for a straightaway? That all comes from growing up watching those guys pull holeshots at a supercross and wishing you were them. The point is, if you feel the sport is too dangerous because motocross tracks have tabletops, step-ups, and whoops, take up tennis. People get hurt doing everything driving cars, riding bicycles, heck, even my mother broke her ankle walking at Gorman trying to get a better vantage point to watch me race at an O.T.H.G event. Things happen, and we learn from them. If you keep count of all of the crashes out there, it discredits those guys who are out there day in and day out, bumps and bruises and all, who are really improving in their sport. Those who are so much better riders today than they were five years ago. It is those tabletops, step-ups, and whoops that have helped the sport grow. Not high-speed courses through trees. I personally would much rather crash in the whoops that cluck a tree at high speed. 6aTYKrause Albemarfe, NC Forget Me Not Given that my son marks the wrong date on his calendar and, consequently, misses the opening press day at the Virginia International Raceway to cover trials of Dunlop's new D208ZR tires for your magazine (Issue #30, July 31), I hope someone in your organization thought to contact Dunlop to call Blake Conner and remind him not to mismark his calendar for his rapidly approaching wedding date. Jeff Conner Vla the Internet Mr. Conner is associate editor Blake Conner's father. Barring another lapse in memory, Blake is slated to get married on Saturday, August 3... Editor Enough Already In response to Michael Rigdon's opinion about track safety, I have to say I agree with the Tandberg's of the world. Track safety has nothing to do with the design of the track (provided there are competent track designers employed by each facility). But it has cue •• Bryan Dorsey Pasadena" Callfomla n • _ s • AUGUST 7, 2002 5

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