Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

le"efS to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, PO Box 5084, Costo Meso, CA 92628-5084; foxed 10 714·751-6685 or emoiled 10 edilol1kyclenew,.com. Publi,hed Ie"er, do not nece,sarily reRect the po,ilion 01 Cycle New" Inc. Letter' ,hould not exceed 200 word" ond 011 ore ,ubject 10 editing. Anonymou' Ie"ers will not be considered for publicotion. AlllettefS should contain the writer's nome, address and daytime phooe number... Editor. .. Blackwell fans around the world will be disappointed if he fails to get a ride for the new season." Try Going in Circles Say No to Cheerleaders Great job on the dirt track centerfold in the last issue. It is proudly displayed on my garage wall! Here is a tip for all of you guys trying to catch Ricky Carmichael: Enroll yourself in the Danny Walker Supercamp. I'd bet each of you five bucks you would all gain a second a lap if you'd just learn how to turn left after the start chute. I'd also bet 20 bucks Chris Carr would get the Butterfinger holeshot award every time if he races Supercross. The AMA would just have to give him a champion's provisional to start the main. Bryon Suter Prescott. AZ Is it just me, or are there others out there who disagree with the Supercross cheerleaders? They are a joke. This is supposed to be a family sport and the girls doing their little make-believe "strip tease" is a little much. Remember, there are a lot of kids out there. What are we trying to teach them?? Tom Finch via the Internet Not Impressed Iwent to my first Supercross in 25-plus years recently as I was wondering just how much it has changed from the 19705. Back then, the tracks were neat and had the occasional big jumps to impress the fans, but it still had plenty of ground time for real racing. My experience on January 22 was shocking, to say the least. My expectations, as per the program, were that there would be racing at 7 p.m. sharp! What I was treated to were pom-pom girls in black house slippers and hip-hop, boom-boom music. There were also several unhappy looking guys carrying flags from countries they couldn't find on a map even with the aid of Christopher Columbus, the Datsun truck parade and endless commercials for a video game. Then there was a laser light show with fireworks and the truly shameless WWF/ TNNSmackDown introduction of the racers, which left me truly embarrassed for the riders - the very people I look up to for their special ability to race a motorcycle over dirt. Wasn't this all supposed to be about racing? By 7:30 p.m., I was fed up with the constant assault on my senses and I left the stadium. I made it all the way from the upper deck to my truck before I heard a motorcycle fired in anger. During my drive home I had time to reflect on my experience at Anaheim II. What it boils down to is I'm a motocross fan first, and I value racing over sitting in a stadium expecting to be constantly entertained by a choreographed "show." So I now know were to spend my moto money - going riding, racing and going to the outdoor Nationals to see the racers I admire actually race! The bottom line is that the Nationals are for racers, riders and fans; Supercross is for borderline fans, spouses of said fans, their offspring, and those afflicted with attention deficit disorder! Steve Hockett Yorba Lindo, CA 6 Where's Blackwell? I have been a Doug Blackwell fan for sometime now. In 1998 and 1999, Blackwell was the National Hare Scrambles Champion, and in 2000 through 2003, he has turned in decent results. In 2004, Blackwell rode with some Suzuki support and brought his yellow machine closer to the front as the year progressed. In the final four National Hare Scrambles, he won two, finished second once, and his worst finish was fourth. Doug ended up third overall in the series. In the GNCC Series, Doug also turned it on, placing second overall in St. Clairsville and missing the podium by one spot at Crawfordsville. Blackwell ended up fifth for the season in the GNCC Series, the numbertwo Suzuki rider behind GNCC Series champ Rodney Smith. Doug Blackwell worked hard in 2004 to prove to Suzuki and the motorcycle industry that he could still run up front. After all the hard work, Doug has yet to land a deal with any of the factories for the '05 season. I'm sure I'm not the only Blackwell fan, especially after listening to the crowd at St. Clairsville when he stepped up on the podium. Blackwell fans around the world will be disappointed if he fails to get a ride for the new season. Here is a perfect chance for some company in the motorcycle industry to score big with time running out before the season begins. Mike Nichols via the Internet Poovey's Back Terry Poovey joins Chris Carr/Kenny Tolbert and Willie McCoy/Bubba Bentley on the Ford Quality-Checked Certified PreOwned AMA Flat Track Team? That's just way too cool for school. I'm looking forward to this season. Lorry Barnes Canton.OH Burrito It was with great pleasure that I read the article about Gene Romero winning the Daytona 200 and the one about the 2Sth annual All-British Ride. The key players in starting the All-British Ride in 1980 were Gene and the late Chuck Clayton, the founder of Cycle News. At the time, Triumph had approximately 2500 motorcy- FEBRUARY 9,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Cycle. Volume 'eWS XXX XII Sharon Clayton - President Michael Klinger - Publisher EDITORIAL c1es to sell, but no advertising budget. The best plan for advertising was a ride and social and to invite everyone with an interest in British motorcycles to a free event. When asked to ride, Gene stated that they can buy the boy off the Triumph, but they'll never take the Triumph out of the boy. So he agreed to ride a Bonneville, supplied by Eddie Kretz Jr. Being a promoter, Gene contacted the Los Angeles Times, which resulted in preride coverage in the motorsports section, along with a reporter who covered the event with a great story in the week following the ride in the Metro section. The success of the ride at Hansen Dam motivated the BSA Owners Club to promote the second annual All-British Road Ride on the last Sunday of April. Without Gene's willingness to support our sport by contacting the press, this fun event would not have happened. Pot Owens Temple City, CA Thanks From KJ On Saturday, January 22, while I was photographing the early practice sessions at the Anaheim Supercross, two riders tangled, and their brief contact sent one of the riders off the track and directly into me. Both the rider and I were injured. I want to sincerely thank all the safety personnel who attended to me and the rider, especially Dr. John Bogner and his crew. They all made an uncomfortable situation a lot more bearable. And Pastor Steve Hudson also showed up, well prepared to perform my last rights. (No such luck, Steve, but thanks for providing some much needed shade.) The rider suffered a slight concussion, keeping him from competing throughout the event. I ended up with a badly bruised knee and ribs, along with various other bruises. A big thanks to Jeff Fox and Greg Blackwell for hauling me around in their mule so I could collect all of my damaged camera equipment and put it away in my vehicle, and to Tom Carson at CTI for the great brace that allowed me to continue shooting with equipment Steve Bruhn generously lent me. Several other photographers went out of their way to help me get much needed shots throughout the day. Finally, after a long night of photographing the event, Andy Bullock volunteered to drive me home. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and concern. The worst part of the whole incident is the fact that I missed out on a pre-race ceremony honoring my good friend Ron Crandall, who passed away November 18, with the Micky Thompson Award for his great contributions to the sport. Congratulations. Ron. and Godspeed. Kinney Jones via the Internet Paul Carruthers ~ Editor Kit Palmer - Off-Rood Ed,Cor Scott Rousseau - Managing EdItor Blake Conner - Associate Editor Brendan lutes - Off-Rood Assistant Edrlcr Henny Ray Abrams - Contributmg E.dltor Alan Cathcart - E.uropeon Ed,tor David R. Holther .. Regional E.vents Ed,tor Kimberly Pellman Copy E.dltor ADVERTISING' WESTERN STATES ,714,7"1 7433 Terry Pratt - Natlonol Accounts Manager M... 1'"k Thome. For-n:>st H...yashi, Dan legere, Rod Hipwell, Aaron Auuin - Western Salel Managers Rhonda. Crawford - AdvertISing Coordmator Ashleigh Klein - Assistant ADVERTISING' EASTERN STATES r 770, 279 0304 Carta Allcn - Office Manager & Advert,sing Coordinator Sheri Russell, Suule Smith - Eastern Sales Managers MARKETING' PROMOTION Mart( Thom(" Director Forr(',;t Hily.l~hi Manager Aaron Austin - Support CIRCULATION DEVELOPMENT Kirk Holland - Manager NEW MEDIA DEVELOPMENT Kory Klinger - Si~e Manager CLASSIfiED ADS Ashleigh Klein GRAPHICS· PRODUCTION Kathleen lawlor - Production Manoger Sunju Kwon, Robert Martin, Christina Pendon ~ Graphic Artifts ADMINISTRATION Judy Klinger Coordinator Pam Klein - AdnllniffrOlive Anislont ACCOUNTING' DATA PROCESSING Donna Bryan.Diamond - AR Coordinator Geneva Repas, - AsSiSfon~ Stacy Ryan - Cred't Monaeer CIRCULATION Alma Anguiano - CltculatJon Manoger Carol Maggio - ProceSSing Coordinalor Megan Cannona - Dealer Coordlna~or SERVICE' SUPPORT Bridgett Bobrofsky - Receptlonut Rober~ Escandon - Service and Support NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS )505·M Cadillac Ave., Costa Me....., CA 92626 P.O. 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