Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

CgcleNews ..The Formula Xtreme Series was a quasi-joke last year because of the lack of factory support, and now it's the Daytona 200!" letters 10 the editor should be $enl to Voices, Cycle News, PO Box 5084, Cosio Mesa, CA 92628·5084; faxed 10 714·751-6685 or emailed to editar@cyclenews.cam. Published letters do not necessorily reflEKI the posi~on of Cycle News, Inc. leiters should not exceed 200 words, and all are subject to editing. Anonymous letters will nol be considered for publication. --"'...,......,. All letters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number... Edifor. 200 Letdown I have to say that I feel this year's Daytona 200 was a bit of a letdown. Miguel Duhamel and two factory Hondas running away from a field of privateers - that doesn't strike me as a great portrait of a "premier" race. I'm sure Honda will make great ad copy out of it, but it's a shame that Miguel was able to go out and rob a win with no real competition (other than his two teammates). It seemed to me that Speed Channel's reporting crew was biting their tongues, not wanting to comment about the lack of a show. At least the "support" classes (Superbike, Supercross, Supersport and Superstock) had some drama to them and didn't playoff as the largest factory in the world robbing some privateers of a payday. How did the 200 winner fare in the "lower" classes? Fourth in Superbike! Mark Roberts via the Internet 200 Letdown II The 2005 Daytona 200... what a huge disappointment. I've been going there since 1990 and have always considered Daytona the "can't-miss" event on the AMA calendar, but after this year... well, I don't even know if I'll be going back to the track anytime soon. I understand the issues with tire wear and superbike speeds, etc., but once again the AMA seems to have taken another step backwards in "advancing" the series. Where to begin: First they take the premier series - superbikes - and shorten that race to a distance that is shorter than any other superbike race on the AMA calendar. So now the marquee race on the AMA calendar is also the shortest? And I can't even think of another racing series where the premier race at an event is substantially shorter than a support race (the new 200). I'd have been happier if they had shortened it to the Daytona 100 and kept the superbikes in it. And the new track layout... while it certainly seems that the new track layout addresses some of the safety concerns, which is good, it has greatly reduced what is the beauty of Daytona - multi-bike trains in a battle to the checkered flag. Now we get runaway leaders, with practically no drama on the final lap. I have to believe they could have found a happier medium between rider safety and an enjoyable experience for the fans. Again, I understand the safety concerns with the old race layout and format, but isn't tire management supposed to be one of the skills of a great racer' And the "new" Daytona 20m Mat Mladin was right - now the fans get stuck with a Formula Xtreme race that consists of only a couple factory bikes and most of the marquee/factory riders watching from the pits (or more accurately, well on their way home). That's the crown jewel of Daytona Bike Week racing? I can't even imagine how AMA racing management could sit in a conference room and make that decision - it's just awful. The Formula Xtreme Series was a quasi-joke last year because of the lack of factory support, and now it's the Daytona 200! Wasn't this lack of competition the main reason they dumped the 2S0s? As if all of the above isn't bad enough, here's the worst transgression: The new layout has killed most of the great infield viewing areas for the fans. Daytona has always been the least fan-friendly venue in terms of paddock access, but now they have made it worse for the fans by reducing the standing/fence viewing areas and pushing more people into the stands. Ironically, Daytona International Speedway is always promoting this new thing and that new thing "for the fans," but as a race fan, if you give me the choice between standing I 5 feet from the track as the racers go by or going to the World Center of Racing, well, I'll take the race action any day. DIS: Do the fans a favor, get them closer to the action, not closer to race-replica sitting on a stand in a building. Randy Renner Chicaga,lL 200 Letdown III This year's Daytona 200 sure lived up to its expected excitement (yawn). I really had to watch every lap to find out who might win (yawn). With all due respect to the racers who attempted to compete against the Honda factory juggernaut, there was never any doubt as to who would win (yawn). Let's face it: The real truth is, Suzuki has chased everyone out of 7S0cc Supersport and has now crushed everyone in Superbike (this year they will probably also win World Superbike), so Honda went crying to the AMA to give them a class in which there were none of those damn Suzukis. How long will it be before Honda decides that the IOOOcc Superbike class is no longer "relevent"? If you can't win, you quit? Shouldn't the most-anticipated motorcycle event, if rarely the best, in the U.S. consist of the premier class? I own a Honda (YFR800), which is an excellent bike, but I guess I crave a GSX-R right now. "Win (the Superbike race) on Sunday, sell on Monday." Eric P. Maurer Tucson, AZ Liking SX TV I liked the three-hour coverage on the Daytona Supercross, with David Despain and Rick Johnson and all-time favorite David Bailey. But why is it there is no more coverage of all the racing, even the Last-Chance Qualifiers? The real plus was when Grant and Hansen were running tight in the 12Scc final: TV didn't go to a break because there was some really good racing not to be missed. Despain made a couple of mistakes, but overall it was good to have people from the sport talking about it - that's the way it should be. Will racing be shown live, or is that asking too much? Or should I say that Volume Sharon Clayton - President Michael Klinger - Publisher EDITORIAL _ someone's pockets will become lighter if the racing was aired live? Jimmy Holub via the Internet Liking SX TV II Speed Channel blows ESPN2 into the pucker bushes. After watching Speed's coverage of the Daytona Supercross, how can we ever accept anything less just because it is there? We must unite against second-rate coverage of our chosen sport - motorcycle racing. And if Jerry Bernardo can't take the heat, he should get away from the fire. Jim Cooke Randsburg, CA Paul Carruthers - Editor Kit Palmer - Off-Rood Editor Scott Rousseau - Managing Editor Blake Conner - Associate Editor Brendan lutes - Off·Rood Assistont Editor Hen"y Ray Abrams - Contributing Editor Alan Cathcart - European Editor David R. Holther - Regionol Events Editor Kimberly Pellman - Copy Editor ADVERTISING' WESTERN STATES (714 , 751.7433 Terry Pratt - National Accounts Monager Mark Thome. Forrest Hayashi. Dan legere. Rod Hipwell. Aaron Austin - Western Soles Managers Rhonda Crawford - Advertising Coordinator Ashlcigh Klein - Assistant ADVERTISING' EASTERN STATES (770l279-0]04 Carta Allen - Office Manager & Advertising Coordinator Sheri Russell, Sunie Smith - Eastern Sales Managers MARKETING' PROMOTION Mark Thome - Director Forrest Hayashi - Manager Aaron Austin - Support Clean Pass In response to Neal Ratners' view of Chad Reed's pass on Ricky Carmichael, perhaps he should review Ricky's passes on both Kevin Windham and Reed the follOWing week. Yes, Ricky does instigate dirty riding and has many times in the past. No, Reed's pass was not a dirty one (there was no contact and nobody else saw him "slam on the brakes in front of him"). There is nothing dirty about blocking. It's knocking them off the track via contact that is dirty - something we've all seen your golden child Ricky do in the past. Take your blinders off and enjoy the competition! Mark Kinghorn Pocatello, 10 BUSINESS AND CIRCULATION DEVELOPMENT Kirk Holland - Manager NEW MEDIA DEVELOPMENT Kory Klinger - Site Manager CLASSIFIED ADS Ashleigh Klein GRAPHICS· PRODUCTION Kathleen Lawlor - Production Manager Sunju Kwon, Robert Martin, Christina Pendon - Graphic Artists ADMINISTRATION Judy Klinger - Coordinator Pam Klein - Administrative Assistant ACCOUNTING' DATA PROCESSING Donna Bryan-Dia.mond - AIR Coordinator Geneva Repass - Aubtant Stacy Ryan - Credit Manager Henry Fan If you're still wondering who to put on the cover of the Bike Week issue, my vote goes to Doug Henry. Dave Edwards Alachua, FL Likes It All I want to say thanks to Speed TV for their excellent coverage of the races at Daytona this year. The interviews they did with the riders and team members were great - it gave us an insight as to how these people live and function in the sport of motorcycle racing. The racing coverage was outstanding, with lots of different camera angles and instant replays that really showed me how hard Speed TV worked to bring the racing into our living rooms. The announcers were great, too. I could tell they had really done their homework in trying to bring out the best in the riders and in the racing in general. I hope all the people who read Cycle News will drop Speed a note telling them what a great job they did. Who knows, maybe we'll get even more coverage next year. I'd love to see the GNCC race and the National Enduro on Speed next year. And a big thanks to Cycle News for your coverage of racing. I like being able to go online to get up-to-date information and news about the world of motorcycling. Kenneth Rogers via the Internet CIRCULATION Alma Anguiano - Circulation Manager Carol Maggio - Proceuing Coordinator Megan Carmona - Dealer Coordinator SERVICE· SUPPORT Bridgett Bobrofsky - Receptionist Robert Escandon - Service and Support NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS ]S05·M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 7SI·7413 • FAX (7t4) 7S 1·6685 EASTERN OFFICE 2775 Cruse Road, Suite 260] Lawrenceville, GA 30044 (770) 279·0]04 • FAX (770) 279-0360 E·MAIL • INTERNET _.cyclenews.com editor@cyclenews.com subscribe@cydenews.com advertising@cydenews.com Cytie Ne~ ,USPS 141-340) IS published weekly e,[ppllJ!e lasl tv.o wens olille Cdlend,jf year I()( S58 00 pel' ,ear by Cycle ~ews, II" 35ln·M Ca6i~ac Avenue, Cosld Mes.l CA :12616 Perio(h[als PtlStace Pilld al Cos!a M~a, CA arld ill ZOClftl')(1al ffiilIhnij offlce ~a Po~1 Inl .....nabollal PlJbhceredrol~la!1~><;"pIJ')rl fatt'S Rate~ flr lhe UnIte;! 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