Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

"Bring back Gatorback and put a big smile on the faces of thousands of fans and roost-eating motocrossers." AMA On Jones Cycle News Issue # 16 featured an article penned by Scott Rousseau on the career of AMA motocross legend Gary Jones titled "He Was ReallyGood : Jones is indeed one of the all-time greats in the sport, and his 2000 induction into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame serves as testimony to his stature in the motorcycling community. In the article . Jones voiced displeasure with the AMA citing he was not cred ited with four AMA 250cc National Motocross Championships. In addition. the article pointed o ut that the AMA Media Guide incorrectly lists his 1974 championship was won on a Honda when, in fact, it was on a Can-Am . In the "Past Cham pion" section of t he me dia guide Jones is impro pe rly listed on a Ho nda during the 1974 AMA 250 Motocross Cham pionship. T hat has been corrected. In every oth e r section of the guide, Jones is properly liste d on a Can-Am. Jones ' claim to the 197 1 AMA 250 National Championship is so mewhat dubious. There was , in fact, no official AMA 250cc National Championship in 1971. Jones finished seve nth in the Inte rAMA Series that year and was the topfinishing AMA rider in a field of international riders . While he was the leading American rider in the '71 Inter-AMA Series , Jones was not credited with an AMA nat ional title. The AMA 250cc Motocross National Championship was granted national status in 1972, and Jones won the se ries that year and again in 1973 and 1974. So, for the reco rd, Jones is a three-time AMA 250 National Motocross Champion. In no way do I wish to belittle Gary Jones ' exceptional racing record . I simply want to set the record straight on his true number of nat ional titles . There is no question that Gary Jones is one of the elite riders in the history of AMA motocross. That is indisputable. Larry Lawrence Brownsburg. IN Lawrence is the AMA Chevralet Motocrass Championship media manager... Editor Hadsell and Team BSY Racing Respond Team BSY Racing and Tyson Hadse ll would like to apo logize to o ur sponsors for any negative publ icity the recent unleade d fuel situation may have caused. Although we feel we should pursue this until we are exonerated of the charge , the denial of our appeal has prevented a dialogue. We wo uld like to tha nk Yamaha Motor Corp. for their assistance , as this matter would use our budge t in an area that does not best support our riders in their pursuit of the AMA Chevrolet Motocross Championship series. We strongly disagree with the unprofessional behavior of the AMA. We were not made aware of the availability of fue l test kits, nor were we aware containers used to store leaded fuel and pumps used to transfer leaded fuel could contaminate the approved unleaded fue l. This should be a lesson to privateers who might practice with less expensive leaded race fuel during the week and then switch to legal fuel at the race - you cou ld be out o f spec. We feel the AMA cou ld have used this situation as a learning experience for all competitors rather than creating confusion and skepticism regarding the use of undocumented testing methods, distrust and lack of respect. O f co urse, the tru e losers are the privateers, the racers who live off the mea ger purses fro m race to race trying to folIowa dream. Tim ot hy Buffaloe via the Internet Buffalae is the team manager for Team BSY Racing... Edilor A Captured Fan T he picture of Bobby Bonds in the "Captured" section of the May 5 edition was exceptional. Perhaps the best picture I th ink I have ever seen. Keep up the good work and I look forvvard to seeing more pictures like it. Dove Rounsevelle via th e Internet All About Money I have an issue w ith Mr. Skeen praising Ricky Carmichael for leaving Honda . I don't actually mind that Carmichael left Honda. My problem is the rumors that people like that start. I've always heard it's better to keep qu iet and have people believe you don 't know, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Mr. Skeen obv iously does not know, and he 's proved it. There is only one reason Ricky Carmichael left Honda. Money. Honda, or HRC to be exact, pays its riders different ly than most facto ries. Ho nda pays for success . There is a substantial salary, plus financial incentives for results . O the r co mpanies, Suzuki for example, pay a yea rly salary and nothing else. When it came dow n to Mr. Carmichael's negotiations, he wanted just one large salary. He de mand ed that Honda do that. Honda, as most of you know, has had many years of success with legendary riders. All of them have had the same pay structure. Hon da will not change its racing philosoph y. Even for a rider as skilled as Mr. Carmichael. Mr. Carmichae l was always Honda 's first choice . During negotiations, Honda offered Mr. Carmichael a substantial salary plus incentives. Suzuki offered Mr. Carmichael a larger salary, but no incentives . Mr. Carmichael obviously made his choice. Here's the thing I find funny: IfMr. Carmichael w ould have stayed with Honda and won the amount of races he letter> to theeditor ,hook! be sent10 Voice" Cyde New" POBox 5084, Co,1o Mew, CA92628-5084; foxed 10 714·751-6685 Of emoiled 10 editorilcydenews.com. Publi,hed Ieller' do notnece,wrily refleet the pcslficn 01 Cycle New" Inc. lellers ,hook! notexceed200 words, and all are subject 10 ed i~ng . Anonymous Iellers will not be considet-ed for publication. Allette

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