Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

..If any of you have the opportunity CgcleNews Volume to say 'hi' to Juha [Salminen], I'm XLII Sharon Clayton - P,cljdcllf Michael Klinge'r - Pub/idler sure you won't be disappointed." letters 10 the editor should be senl to Voices, Cycle News, PO Box 5084, Cosio Meso, CA 92628·5084; faxed 10 714·751-6685 or emoiled 10 edilor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reHect the position of Cycle News, Inc. letters should nol exceed 200 words, and all ore subject 10 editing. Anonymous letters will nol be considered for publication. .._".-All letters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number... Editor. ... They Got It The boys at ESPN2 have finally found it announcers who have a clue about what they are talking about: Robbie Floyd, Denny Stephenson and the best roving reporter, Davey Coombs, are the dream team to take supercross/motocross to the next level. Not that Cameron Steele is that bad, but Todd Harris needs to be dealing with a different crowd. He doesn't say one thing that makes you believe he has ever been on a motorcycle. And if you don't think it makes a difference, listen to Robbie and Denny vs. Cameron and Todd. Big difference. Kudos to ESPN2 for getting the right guys up there. Robbie, Denny and Davey make yourself at home, because as far as I am concerned, you have a home at ESPN2. Keep up the good work! Jim Whitten via the Internet Vintage Whine "If It Happened, It's Here!" If only that cover line on the front of Issue # I I was true. Coverage of two full days of excellent racing that took place March 7-8 is completely missing. I am referring, of course, to the AHRMA Vintage road races. Since these races occurred five full days before much of what has received coverage, it's not like you didn't have time to assimilate the results and include them in your reports. I realize that you may view Vintage racing as appealing to just a small percentage of your readers, but that group is probably much larger than the readers who are interested in a motocross race in Armpit, Arkansas, that would receive immediate coverage. It amazes me that the press can print multiple articles about legends like Jay Springsteen and Gary Nixon preparing to compete, and hyping their participation in the months prior to the event - yet when they don't win the premier events, as they were expected to, we hear nothing. Don't get me wrong, Jay and Gary are great guys and everyone enjoys haVing them racing with the organization, but a lot of very talented and dedicated riders from all over the world were on hand to compete in two full days of excellent road racing. Jay's teammate, Tim Joyce, on Keith Campbell's immaculate "Hourglass Racing" Harley XR750TT has won the last four Daytona Formula 750 races in a row. The battles between Jay and Tim are as exciting as any modern race - yet those not present may not get to read about the races for weeks or months. I would like to thank the AHRMA officials for doing as good of a job as humanly possible, given the excremental conditions that the Speedway gave them to operate with. As a "pit monkey," I was not able to stray far from the pit area, therefore my total Daytona experience was a two-second view of turn four, as we were afforded no access to reasonable stands or areas to catch any of the action without Daytona's Barney Fife running us away. Does the Speedway hire all of its employees from the pool of people who flunked out of Wal-Mart's Greeters' class because of surly attitudes? I would appreciate a little better coverage in the future, as I, for one, will likely not return to Daytona to waste my time and money to be treated like the proverbial red-headed stepchild. I can get that kind of abuse for free without ever leaVing home! Tam Sharp via the Internet EDITORIAL _ know nature. Also impressive was his command of the English language. If any of you have the opportunity to say "hi" to Juha, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. By the way, Juha, Michigan has many Finns living here, so if you ever find yourself coming this way, let us know - we'll warm up the sauna! Good luck during your stay in the States. Kurt Haveri Clawson, MI Juha Fan II So let me get this straight: A guy who's name sounds like "Yahoo" is winning all these backwater East Coast off-road races? That is awesome. Fred Nichols via the Internet Paul Carruthers - E.ditor Kit Palmer - Off·Rood Editor Scott Rousseilu - Managing Editor Blake Conner - Associate Editor Brendan lutes - Off· Rood Assistant Editor Henny Ray Abrams - Contributing E.ditor Alan Cathcart - European Editor David R. Holther ~ Regional Events Editor Kimberly Pellman - Copy Edllor ADVERTISING' WESTERN STATES (7141 7~t ·74]1 Terry Pratt - Notional Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Forrest Hayashi. Dan Legere. Rod Hipwell. Aaron Austin - Western Soles Managers Rhonda Crawford - Adve,.Cising Coordinator Ashleigh Klein - Assistont ADVERTISING· EASTERN STATES (770,2790304 CarlA Allen - Office Manager & Ach-ertising Caordmator Sheri Russell, Suzzie Smith - Eastern Safes Managers MARKETING' PROMOTION Mark Thome - Director Forrest Hayashi - Manager Aaron Austin - Support BUSINESS AND CIRCULATION DEVELOPMENT Kirk Holland - Manoger NEW MEDIA DEVELOPMENT Kory Klinger - Srte Manager Our AHRMA coverage of Doytona ran in Issue #/2 ... Editor A Farce To piggyback what Henny Ray Abrams wrote in the March 23 issue (Issue # I I), it all comes down to what works and what doesn't work. Everyone points to NASCAR for its success, and rightfully so. Busch on Saturday, Nextel Cup on Sunday. What doesn't work: Spreading the amount of capable riders in any given race too thin. Just limit the choices down to two. Formula Extreme? It's just an ad for Honda. What works: On Saturday, run a Novice 600cc race for the up-and-comers. In the afternoon, run the Pro 600cc class. Sunday gets the Novice Superbike, sandwiched by the Pro Superbike races. Let the factories come around to that idea. Both spectators and racers would be treated to great racing, eliminating the guys that have just come from McDonald's being on the track at the same time as the top guys. Those riders would be in the Novice class. If you want to look where the AMA is going, as far as road racing is concerned, just look at auto road racing in this country today. It's almost extinct. Henry Coleman Sonoma. CA Juha Fan Congrats to Juha Salminen on his recent success in the GNCC and WORCS openers. In 1996, I moved to Finland, the country my grandparents emigrated from. Through my first employer, the Finnish KTM importer, I had the opportunity to meet Juha. Although Juha was already a multitime World Champion, I was impressed with his friendliness and easy-to-get-to- Minibike Racing Mat Mladin's comments on the Daytona 200 being a minibike race will be even funnier when he's standing in the paddock in July at Laguna Seca and the Moto GP people are chuckling about the silly street bike races that will fill the program over the weekend. Gary Patton Riverside. CA 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-Diamond - AiR Coordinator Geneva Repass - Assistant Stacy Ryan - Credit Manager Henry Fan Kudos to Doug Henry on a great ride at the Florida GNCC. Doug is not only a great and truly impressive racer, but he also showed that he's a true fan of motorcycling with a heart of a champion when he came out to race a GNCC for fun. No cherry picking for him, as he doesn't just show but races the AA class and wins. Unbelievable! What would it take to get him to ride on the ISDE trophy team? Neal Soenksen via the Internet CiRCULATION Alma Anguiano - Circulation Manager Carol Maggio - Processing Coordinator Megan Carmona - Dealer Coordinator SERVICE· SUPPORT Bridgett Bobrofsky - Receptionist Robert Escandon - Service and Support NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 3S0S-M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (114) 151-74]] • FAX (114) 151-6685 EASTERN OFFICE 2175 Cruse Road, Suite 1603 lawrenceville. GA 30044 (170) 119-0304 • FAX (170) 119-0360 E-MAIL· INTERNET www.cyclcncws.com editor@cyclenew...com ..ub..cribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Locals in MotoGP Just wondering if there were any talks or possibilities of some non-GP racers getting a ride for the U.S. MotoGP. I remember seeing Jimmy Filice given the chance and running away with the win. I'd really like to see one more Yamaha, and maybe see Mat Mladin on a Suzuki, Neil Hodgson on a Ducati. What do you think? Frank Santiago Costa Mesa, CA You won't see that happen, especiolly with the two you mentioned also racing AMA Superbikes at the same event... Editor C/CI~ "tWS IU$PS 141· 'l401 is puOl'\.Ili'd \~~ekly flCl"[lllhe I~'t two we,:"~ of I~e caltnd.lf l'~ar 1,-" $50 00 per rear !II' Cy,:l~ ~~"'~ Inc 3505· MCad.Hac AV~~\J~. 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