Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

"Shorter motos don't require as much of that." Problem With Purses .As a long time road-racing fan of 30 years, I always assumed that the purses won at AMA events were decent. I know that road racing doesn't attract large corporate sponsors very far outside the sport, but the prize money for risking your butt and winning an AMA Superbike race is usually only $4000. What's with that? Where does the TV contract money and the gate at each race go? Surely not to the racers. I have even more respect now for the privateers than I ever did, knowing prize money won't even pay the costs to get to each race for them. In every sport, I assume the prize money is related to how popular the events are and the income generated, but the entire prize structure seems to me to be able to be covered by the gate receipts of a few thousand paying fans. I can't believe that racing participants haven't united in some way to improve prize money. The AMA should be embarrassed to even publish the purse for each race. Dale Hughes via the In~met Brown vs. Hughes In his letter to the editor, David Maselli as much as accuses Ryan Hughes of being a baby after his actions involving Mike Brown. While I cannot support Ryan's actions, I fully understand why he may have conducted himself in that manner. If what was reported about the incident was true and Mike was bumping and banging Ryan in a practice session, knowing full well that he had a broken leg, then I find Brown's actions reprehensible. What kind of sportsman is Brown if he's trying to further injure a fellow competitor while practicing? I have a major problem with contact in motorsports of any kind because of the inherent danger. To indulge in such actions in a practice session is simply uncalled for. Blockpassing and brake-checking are one thing, but direct and purposeful contact are another matter altogether. If it were up to me and what was reported was true, then Mike Brown would have received some sort of disciplinary action as well. Dane leimbach via the In~met Sorby And Mammoth Fans at the Mammoth motocross were treated to some excellent Pro racing. The only exception was Eric Sorby. The Pro Circuit rider was knocking down competitors all weekend. When the crowd was vocal and showed their displeasure with his riding style by booing him, he flipped them the bird! Then, to top that off, he cuts the course during Sunday's main. He was black-flagged and kept racing. All Eric Sorby managed to do was give Pro Circuit and Kawasaki a black eye. David Burson Ridgecrest, CA Golfing With Stars Hats off to the Racer Productions crew for putting together a great fund-raising golf outing for the ISDE team. I have been to many of these types of golf outings, and this one was as well run as any. The idea of the GNCC Pros teaming with the other racers and fans was excellent. Our group played with Mike Lafferty, and we had a blast. Many thanks to the sponsors and the Wisp golf course, all of whom helped make this a success. Same Rules, Same Points? After reading about the AMA and the World Superbike Series trying to come up with one set of rules that are the same, all I can say is I hope they get it done for next year. Hopefully, the points structure goes with it! Greg Colyer via the In~met A Vet Rider I'm a Vet "B" rider who doesn't mind good competition but can't enjoy the Vet class at the national Amateur races - otherwise known as the Loretta Lynn qualifiers. I don't understand why "C" riders don't have their own class and why "B" riders don't have their own. I know that the AMA and any of their sanctioned races aren't 100 percent about the money they can make (only 99 percent) so it would only make sense to have two more classes that would actually create more revenue and bring more working-class people to the races track and seek a policy waiver to do so. A request for a waiver will depend on the outcome of an environmental analysis (begun under an agreement with MMSA). Should the INF determine that continued use of the Motocross track is an appropriate use of federal lands, a policy waiver from the Chief of the Forest Service could be sought at that time. Until a deci- Rich Jubak via the In~met Poll Question Regarding one of your recent online polls asking people what they think about a World Championship Motocross Grand Prix returning to the USA, I'd just like to say that I think it's absolutely horrible that the Grands Prix have been changed to a one-moto finale format. What the hell is that? I think it's bad enough that Supercross is that way, but GPs? And in the same line of thinking, I hate the fact that National Motocross motos were changed from 45 minutes each to the 30-minutes-plus-two-lap format. I didn't follow National MX for a number of years, and only in the last couple of years have I started following it again, so I don't know when they made that change - but I don't understand it. Part of the big deal about motocross, particularly on the national and world level, was the incredible amount of stamina and endurance required. Shorter motos don't require as much of that. Do you know why they changed it? I've asked AMA Pro Racing a couple of times via e-mail, and they can't even be bothered to answer me. I also hope they're not considering a change to the onemoto format for Nationals as well. DeWItt Henderson via the In~et The promoters of the Grand Prix series have announced that they plan to go back to the two-moto format... Editor next year. This would be fair to all because a lot more people would go to the bigger races again. Otherwise they feel like, "Why try when the top six or seven riders are 'A' riders (and they take all the qualifying spots)?" Thanks for your time. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Ray Koker Nashville, TN Mammoth Woes There is a possibility that no more races will be held at Mammoth after the following notices were passed out. "The Mammoth Motocross track will not be open for the public use during the summer of 2003 (excluding the motocross event on June 1529). The Inyo National Forest (INF) does not have the discretion to renew MMSA's permit to opc:atutr. r

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