Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128387
Riverside County Off-Road Law on Hold Kenny Roberts Jr.: An Uncertain Future A t the end of this season, Kenny /""\Roberts Jr. will be a free agent, his contract with Suzuki's MotoGP team coming to an end. So where does the 2000 World Champion go from here? At this point, he doesn't know, though it sounds as though staying with his current team is still an option. "I would like to be competitive, regardless," Roberts Jr. said after finishing 14th in the U.S. GP at Laguna Seca. "I haven't thought about next year. Realistically, I haven't given it much thought. Suzuki allowed me to win a World Championship. As funny as it sounds to you and to other people. it's not easy to win a World Championship. It's not easy to be in the right place at the right time. My dream since I was growing up has been to win a World Championship, so if 1 would have made a deal a long time ago when I was small to win a World Championship and be uncompetitive every year thereafter or there before, I would have still picked that. That was what my whole deal was. "It would certainly be nice to get Suzuki back to the position of winning - Kenny Roberts Jr. with me or without me. It would be great if John [Hopkins, his teammate1 and I were first and second. I wouldn't give a crap if John won every one and I was second. That would be awesome. John is riding great; he's riding hard. He's probably one of the best guys out there. He can make the thing go around the track a little bit better than it should. That's what happens when you're pushing past 100 percent, and he's risking more than he needs to risk for eighth position. It's just a hard deal right now, but there's a lot worse things we could be doing in this life." Paul Carruthers The Motocross Files TV Is Coming After almost two years of development, preproduction and initial interviews, The Motocross Files (MXF) lV is coming to the television and home video marlkets with its debut on Speed Channel set lor this falVwinter, according to the series producers. While no set airdate has been confirmed, the program will air at least twice weekly with each episode running two weeks for a 10-week flight. MXF is the first weekly documentary series about the history of the pi0neers of motocross and is a must-see for motocross and supercross fans young and old. Each episode is a biographical look at a motocross hero of the past, examining career highlights of those heroes. The first rIVe episodes will feature true greats of motocross, induding Brad Lackey, Marty Smith, Roger DeCoster, Rick Johnson and Bob Hannah. Future episodes will continue to look at the past as well as offering a glimpse of today's MX stars. "We are excited to get this great show on Speed Channel and to all the motocross fans who would love to leam more about the history of their sport," said Todd Huffman, series producer and creator. "The initial demo was extremely well-received by the industry and consumer u.s. Open Invitations Are Out Clear Channel Entertainment-Motor Sports division has announced the AMA-sanctioned U.S. Open invited riders list. Riders from the 250 and 12scc classes are included for the U.S. Open, which will be held at the MGM's Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, October 7-9. "This year's U.S. Open should be the best yet," said Todd Jendro, senior director of operations. Clear Channel Entertainment-Motor Sports. "The racing will be competitive. with the world's top riders in attendance, coming off Chad Reed's second U.S. Open Championship in 2004, and coupled with track improvements, being in Las Vegas on October 7-8 is a must." The U.S. Open will air on NBC for the second consecutive year. This year's race will be broadcast October 23 at 3:30 p.m. EST following the NASCAR race from Martinsville Speedway. The 2004 U.S. Open aired on NBC for the first time ever and earned a record 2.1 overnight Nielsen rating. making it the second-largest watched television audience for off-road motorcycle racing ever, according to Clear Channel. MX fans. It was even screened to youngsters. who said they wanted to see more." Series producer Todd Huffman and director Don Hoffman have enlisted composer Chris Brady (Fox's "The Billionaire," MlV's "The Real World") to continue the dramatic theatrical music he composed for the program's demo. "What first caught our anention was the innovative approach that Pipeline is taking with this material," said Robert Ecker, Speed Channel vice president of programming. "They have established a visual signature for the series that is uniquely well-suited to the content and that compellingly draws the viewer inside the narrative. Interesting stories freshly told will be the hallmark of this program." MXF will be produced by Pipeline Digital Media LLC and principals Hoffman and Huffman, who have produced lV series and specials for Fox Sports Net, Outdoor life Network, Speed Channel, ESPN and Fuel networks. Most recently their work has been seen as part of ESPN2's coverage of the 2005 Supercross Series with EPK segments on the new 20th Century Fox feature film supercross. For more information, visit www.motocrossfiles.com. The race features a purse of $300,000, and the list of invited riders includes four-time Supercross Champion and two-time U.S. Open Champion Ricky Carmichael (Suzuki); two-time defending U.S. Open Champion Chad Reed (Yamaha); twotime 12Scc Regional Supercross Champion James Stewart (Kawasaki); former U.S. Open Champion Mike laRocco; and 12scc Regional Supercross Champion and action sports star Travis Pastrana (Suzuki). Tickets for the 2005 U.S. Open are on sale now and available through www.ticketmaster.com.by calling 702-474-4000, or at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office. Jeremy McGrath has been invited to compete in this year's U.S. Open in Las Vegas. According to a report published in Riverside, California's Press-Enterprise, the proposal to impose some of the nation's strictest rules on off-road vehicles in unincorporated Riverside County received a lukewarm reception on Wednesday, July 6 from the County Planning Commission. The proposal would limit off-road activity to three days a week in unincorporated areas and restrict the number of off-mad vehides on private property, the report states. The proposal came up nine months ago with supporters stating that because of noise and dust, the off-roaders are ruining their quality of life. Opponents say the county has no right to interfere with what people do on private property, including those who bought large plots solely for off-road use. Private property rights advocates, meanwhile, say all property owners, whether they live near an off-road site or not, should pay attention to the debate because the proposal if adopted could set a dangerous precedent on how govemments regulate land use. Some commissioners said the proposal on the table was too far reaching and would be difficult to enforce. According to the Press-Enterprise story, commissioner John Snell said the county should seek a more reasonable compromise by adopting a noise ordinance that would apply to everyone, not just off-road enthusiasts. "There is no question something needs to be done," Snell told the newspaper, "but we have a big gaping hole because the county has no sound ordinance." The commissioners agreed to postpone until August 31 any recommendations to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. The county has sent its draft ordinance to the state for review. One of the people the issue affects is Supercross legend Jeremy McGrath, who regularly trains on a track built on his 98-acre plot in Aguanga. "We have a few disgruntled neighbors, and they're trying to flx the problem by stepping on the whole of Riverside County," Jack McGrath, Jeremy's father, who attended the hearing, told the Press-Enterprise. Edward Moreland, spokesman for the AHA, said he is optimistic about the commisston's reluctance to recommend such a stringent law. The planning commission on Wednesday agreed to work with the association to craft off-road rules that would address the noise and environmental concerns voiced by opponents. One of the opponents of off-roading in the area is Michael Gray, a resident of Mead Valley, and he told the /'ressEnterprise that off-roading has ruined his rural tranqUility. "This is a great abuse," Gray told the newspaper. "There's hardly an evening that goes by when I get to sit out and enjoy a quiet evening." CYCLE NEWS • JULY 20,2005 13