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/128610
........ '':'- ··1.4- _ 116et over your little vendetta ag.ainst a sport you donlt care to try to understand. Dissin' Dallas In the many years of attending Supercross events in different cities, I have to say the Dallas event and the track were both poorly executed. The track design was the most cramped I've ever seen and it took an extraordinary talent such as McGrath to make the racing interesting. Why didn't they take advantage of the entire Texas Stadium infield area? The track reminded me of an oversized Arenacross track. It would be nice to see more side-by-side racing instead of the single-file, follow-theleader game. My point is that the Dallas type of track design limits the competition solely on the outcome of the first five seconds and the race to the first corner. One more thing on the track; by the time all the practice sessions were completed and race time had come, the red clay dirt was more like blackish red concrete. They could have done one of those lame burnout displays on anyone of the hundred black-slicked, rock-hard, slick-as-snot areas around the track. The tops of the whoops didn't even flatten out and make for a fast line. I guess running over the track constantly with a 2D-ton dozer tends to compact things a bit. Try a little sand mixture next time. And last but not least, come on with the video game competition. I think their name plastered all over everything got the point across plenty. Congrats to Kevin Windham. It was nice to see him riding at the top of his game again. I have to admit; I would love to see Mike LaRocco finish just one out front. That dude should get the iron man award this year. He takes lots of spills that would discourage most riders enough to give up - but he always ends up at the front in the end. and tired of politicians who, supporting our cause or not, say one thing and do another. It's sickening. And I'd like to rant on another note. To Mr. Greer: You make fun of freestyle motocross as if it's not a legitimate part of the sport of motorcycling just because the riders don't race and they get piercings and dye their hair. I have two points for you: 1) If you at all doubt the skills and talent it takes to do what those guys do, go try it. Brian Deegan won a professional Supercross event before he' started his freestyle career. Conversely, Travis Pastrana dominated freestyle and has gone on to begin a domination of Supercross, and probably motocross soon enough; 2) The greatest Supercross rider to ever sling 11 World MX Where does one start in a respon~e to Steve Farenell's letter (Issue #14, April 12)? How about Bartolini? That's right, as in Andrea Bartolini, the 5DDcc World Champion who soundly beat Mike LaRocco in both Motocross des Nations motos last year. Surely, Mike qualifies as one of "our top J D." In fact, LaRocco is an undisputed number two in AMA outdoor racing. So, imagine Mr. Farenell's surprise when LaRocco was beaten in Brazil (surely the most neutral of all sites for an motocross race) by not only Bartolini, but also by Bolley, Smets, Tortelli, Everts. I don't mean to pick on LaRocco fastest in the world in motocross. The last five out of six Motocross des Nations have paid to that idea. Finally, as for Hughes, his interview at the U.S. GP about European racing being more focused said it all: Ryno's riding better than he ever did here. Kevfn Connor VIa the Inremet Markel and Others Craig Pfndnce Rower Mounct 1X Enough Already Bart Markel - One tough dude. O~ay, that's enough already! I don't understartd why all of these people are attacking Cycle News for pointing out the hypocrisy that Senator Ashcroft demonstrated (Issue #15, April 19). All I remember you guys writing (I read the newspaper pretty much cover to cover every week) was that he supported mandatory helmet laws aT!d rode a motorcycle without a helmet on. Correct me if I'm wrong, but had he either: A) supported mandatory helmet laws, and demonstrated that support by wearing a helmet, or B) not supported helmet laws and rode without a helmet to back up that point of view, then everything would have been okay. I think that a lot of people, no matter what their stance on political matters, are sick his leg over a motorcycle, Jeremy McGrath, has tattoos, frequently dyes his hair different colors and has (or maybe had) a pierced nipple, along with a pierced ear. Conversely, Travis Pastrana has no such piercings, tattoos or different-color hairdos and he was a dedicated freestyler for a couple of years. Besides, I am looking at the freestyle coverage of a couple of weeks ago right now and I don't see a single piercing, tattoo or funny hairdo anywhere in any of the pictures or descriptions of the action. Get over your little vendetta against a sport you don't care to try to understand. RIchard Hayes sacramento, CA because he's a very good rider. And clearly the Americans are very good in the USA. But who isn't tough in their own backyard? The measure of a champion isn't how he rides at home, it's how he rides in a hostile environment. One of those Euros, Sebastien Tortelli, was doing pretty good until his run in with Doug Henry last year. And that was racing every week on a strange (for him) track against 39 other guys who were at home in the USA and on a track they'd seen countless times. That's a hostile environment. As for why the French come here to race, it's Supercross. No one comes to America anymore to prove he's the cue' e Just a couple of quick notes on your latest issue of the greatest motorcycle publication in print. First of all, I have been following the progress of Bart Markel since he underwent open-heart surgery a couple of weeks ago. He's been told by his doctors that he should be up and walking, but as of a couple of days ago he's been spending more time sleeping than walking. When you go through something like he has, it takes a while to get back into the swing of things, but Bart is a tough little dude and I'm sure that he will come through this with flying colors. One thing that hasn't been in Cycle News yet are the problems that another former Grand National Champion has gone through in recent years. Joe Leonard has had his problems as well. He's hap a fight of his own with cancer. I think that he's defeated that problem, but it goes much deeper than that as his wife has been fighting cancer herself for close to seven years. And a couple of weeks ago, Joe's mother passed away. Joe had to fly to San Diego to make all of the arrangements for her services. He then flew home, only to have his wife pass away just when he was at his lowest. It's pretty tough to lose a loved one, but when you lose the two closest people in your life within a three-day period it's extra rough. Everyone say a little prayer for Bart, Joe and Dick Mann. These men are the heart and soul of American dirt track racing - and it's a tough time for all of them. Digger Helm Bakersflelct CA n e _ 50 • APRIL 26, 2000 5