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/128398
"I hope the AMA hands down Letters 10 the edilof should be senllo Voices, Cycle News, PO Box 5084, Cosio Meso, CA 92628-5084; foxed 10 714-751-6685 or emoiled 10 editorClcyclenews.com. Published 1.lIefs do nol necessarily reRect the posirion of Cycle News, Inc. L.tters should not exceed 200 words, ond 011 ore subject 10 ediling. Anonymous leltefs will nol be considered lor publicorion. A1llellefs should contoin the write<'s nome, oddress ond doynme phone number... Edi"". The GOAT! It Is time for mainstream sporting media to start recognizing Ricky Carmichael for what he is: one of the greatest athletes ever, from any sport. It is hard to think of a direct comparison, but just considering that no one else, in over 60 years of the sport, has ever come close to a perfect season and Ricky just had his third (plus he has twice as many wins as anyone else) surely puts him in very rare air. Maybe Edwin Moses or Lance (he's one word now), or Eddy Mercx or Mark Spitz. I think that's about it for the short list of possible comparisons. The bottom line is that Carmichael deserves the same recognition. Ricky is the total mental and physical package. He's focused, intense, smart and talented. Enjoy him while he's here, there won't be another. Long live the King! Rob Green Seattle. WA Albee Is Wrong In 1998 and 1999, my wife and I had the great fortune to stay at the same hotel as Team Suzuki for the Binghamton Nationals. In '98, after a tour of the team transporter, we found most of the team in the hotel restaurant. As we sat at the bar, we had great conversation with Greg Albertyn's brother, during which Greg popped in for hot chocolate. After just breaking my shoulder on an RM 2S0, the inevitable scar comparison took place. Greg won hands down! The following afternoon, when Doug Henry was crowned champion and the podium ceremony was over, Greg was immediately out in the crowd with his fans. Even the next morning, disappointment or not, all Greg had were great words for Doug, especially how he had overcome so much to be champion. It was wonderful to see the Albertyn family go on to win the championship the following year. We would like to thank Greg, Colin and Roger for the greatest two weekends racing fans could ever hope for. Forget Ablee 10 years from now? We don't think so! Barb and Rich Parker via the Internet Bad Alessi I just got through watching the final round of 125 motocross at Glen Helen, and I am disgusted at Mike Alessi and Steve Whitelock. In the first moto, Grant Langston is pushed off the track by Alessi and is penalized for cutting the track. After a fair re-entry (waiting for Alessi to get ahead) and a clean pass, Whitelock docked Langston a position. But in the second moto, after Alessi takes out Ivan Tedesco and stands on top of his bike, Whitelock sums it up as "comical." 6 a stiff penalty to Alessi." Then, when Alessi is interviewed, he lies and says his bike was caught in Tedesco's front wheel. Maybe he should watch the video replay of himself dragging his bike towards Tedesco's. Alessi should have been fined. Maybe Steve Whitelock should change his career focus on becoming a WWF referee. Darren Jackson San Jose. CA Bad Alessi II I watched the Glen Helen race and could not believe my eyes. I have never seen such a poor display of sportsmanship. Mike Alessi was literally standing on Ivan Tedesco's bike and dragging his bike to him. It was clear as day that his handlebar was not in Ivan's front wheel. Iwas watching this race with my 6-year-old son, who is starting to race, and was embarrassed of what was going on. I hope the AMA hands down a stiff penalty to Alessi. The Alessi family needs to learn early that their questionable amateur tactics will not fly at the Pro level. They are continuing to lose fans, and hopefully some of their sponsors will also drop them. I will definitely make an effort of not supporting his sponsors, because this does not send a good message to the younger generations who are coming up through the ranks. David Triplitt Fresno. CA Bad Alessi III I hope everyone who watched the last round of the outdoors on OLN saw what a terrible move Mike Alessi made by trying to stand on Ivan Tedesco's bike after they got together. After reading the article in Cycle News in which Alessi says: "I couldn't pick up my bike because it was buried in his front wheel" and "my handlebar was stuck in his front wheel," I thought I had heard the true story. After watching the race on Tv, I now know what a cheap and unsportsmanlike move Mike put down after the crash. I know that moto was for the 125 championship, but to stand on someone's front tire and pull your bike closer to theirs to make it look like you are hung up - come on! And for David Bailey, a former racer, to say that is "competitive spirit"? No, that is simply dirty. If you have to resort to a cheap move like that to win, maybe you don't deserve an AMA championship. OJ Gold via the Internet Happy With Glen Helen My friends and I always go to the Glen Helen National each year, and it was getting worse each time we were there. It meaning the awnings that were littered along the trackside with caution tape placed out on each side. OCTOBER 5,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Just getting a look into "their" area of the track would almost get you in a bind with the turf management. This year was a 180 - the awnings were down and the tape was gone so everyone who paid their money could get a few of the choice areas of the track. Kudos to the Glen Helen track management for listening to everyone from last year and enforcing the rule. TImothy Scearce via the Internet Barbie's Dream House As for the line, ''A few inches offline in the disgraceful turn 12, which has less runoff than the gutters on Barbie's Dream House..... (Chicanery, Issue #37, September 21), we took a vote. One-third thought the line was trying too hard; two-thirds thought the line was creative and hilarious. I fall into the latter group. Thank you, Henny Ray Abrams, for the chuckle. Dave Novick via the Internet Go Supermoto! I'm a 52-year-old police officer and ex-road racer from the 1970s. I love the sport and still read Cycle News every week and attend every National within 500 miles of home. I don't work Sundays because of MotoGP on Speed - it's a sickness I tell ya! Sometimes I wonder Gust as I'm about to fall asleep) how much faster those guys (Valentino, Gibernau, Hayden, etc.) would be than me. And the more I think about it, the faster I become and then I fall asleep. When I wake up, I'm sure I could at least stay with those guys. After all, they don't look so fast on 1Y. So I figured I'd try a little Supermoto for a warmup. "Yeah, that's the ticket." So several weeks ago, I paid $225 to attend a Supermoto class at the Grange racetrack in Apple Valley - with instruction from Gary Trachy. Andre Barbosa (Three Bros Racing) was kind enough to lend me one of the shop 450s for the day. I showed up in the morning with my brand-new colorful road race leathers ready to go (they fit a little tighter than I remembered), and all the guys must have liked them, because they were smiling and rolling their eyes. All kidding aside, the day was an absolute blast, and Trachy was a very patient and knowledgeable instructor. I left the track with so much new information that it took me three days to compute it all. It was the best $225 I've ever spent, and if you've never tried it, beg, borrow or steal a bike and take this class - you'll love it. I can't wait to go back. As for you Valentino, Hayden and the rest, I think your jobs are secure for now. I'm going to go take a nap. Steve Lang Temecula. CA