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/143881
EDITO IA~ ll=======1[ The motocross strike IS COMING! Dismayed as I am lIT the current strike of the Big Three against AMA's motocross ~pro gram, I am encouraged to tIiink that now we, the enthusiast public and the participants, may be able to answer a big question that has been growing larger lately: Is the U.S. ready for big time motocross - I mean on the order of NFL football and, if so, what organization is best equipped to handle it? As a non-profit, member-owned association of clubs and businesses, the AMA does a number of difficult jobs very well, even excellently, including running motocross for the benefit of the riders first, promoter and factory second. But, as the current NFL players' strike demonstrates, big time promotion means big money for the promoters. It is not likely that a billion dollars in TV revenue will ever be negotiated by any non-profit association. For truly big time sports promotion you need a private profiteer, like NASCAR. The key 'to success in big time promotion, so it's said, is having the stars on' your starting line. AMA has never been able to guarantee a promoter that the stars would come out on a given nighL Only the racing factories, which hold the stars' contracts, can promise where they'll perforIJ:}. So the key is the factory contract. A series featuring the top factory stars is bound to be more successful, no matter who sanctions it. It does not follow that a motocross without the contracted stars will' necessarily fail. But since the stars cost the promoter nothing, and probably add considerable revenue through his gate, the major promoters will want to deal with the sanctioner of the stars, no matter what its monogram may be. So what the sport faces, if the current strike is carried into a permanen t split, is a factory series - big time, top professional contract stars, and. a privateer series, where few of the bIg names compete. The factories can dictate any rules they choose to their promoters, and their contract riders will have to race on any obstacle even Bandini fertilizer. The rider will ha~e very little say in the factory senes. I expect that TV and. sponsors will jump on the Bandini wagon, new fans will be attracted to the spectacle, and promoters will get rich. But w~ll we ever see the best motocrossers In head-to-head racing? Can the factories hold their power over the promoters when there is so much money and audience at stake? Will the riders go on strike as the NFL players have done? Stay tuned to this newspaper for all the developments. Chuck Clayton Saturday, November27th ~ 00 ~ o C\l ~ (1) ,.D. with cooperation from the SCMA chartered VICTOR McLAGLEN MOTOR CORPS and the SILVER CITY SCRAMBLERS PRESENTS ' THE 4th ANNUAL BARSTOW to VEGAS Motorcycle Road Ride and Poker Run Road Bike Finish At GII~ Registration - Saturday. November 27. 1982 opens: 8 a.m. closes: 11 a.m. Drawings at Circus Circus (Road) and Las Vegas Union 76 (Off Road) at 3 p.m. sharp. Start and Registretion-I-15 eastto Harvard Road Exit (approx. 20 mi. east of Barstow). right turn. Turn left on Frontage Road (on south side of Freeway) approximately four miles turn left on Alvord Road then across Freeway to CYCLE NEWS' motorhome. First Check - Baker. California (approx. 40 miles from Alvord Rd.) Check in by taking Baker Exit Road to Kelbaker Road (1 st stop sign). Turn right, go past 1-15 on ramp to CYCLE NEWS Check In. (Road Bikes only) Second Check - Jean, Nevada (approxi· mately 65 miles from Baker). Jean off-ramp to Pop's Oasis and CYCLE NEWS Check inside the Casino. (Road Bikes only) Poker Drawings - Las Vegas Nevada (approximately 20 miles from Jean) Off Road Drewing-Bluediamondofframp left to Union 76 Truck Stop and CYCLE NEWS Poker Run Drawing under the Union 76 sign. Roed Bike Drawing - Las Vegas Strip offramp north on Strip (approx. 7 mi.) to Circus Circus Drive turn left (approx. % mi.) to Circusland RV parking Blue checkered pylons on right to poker drawing. o HOTEL/CASINO • Off Road I Poker Drawing Union 76 Station No freeway exit for Alvord Rd. DIRECTIONS & DETAILS u '~~~DJ8 Off Road Poker t!rawing at Las Vegas UnIon 76 Barstow o ~ La. Vega. OPEN TO ALL MOTORCYCLISTS FREE EVENT STICKERS SUPER FINISHER PINS SUPER PRIZESI'--.---....., 1st $150.00CASHI2nd $100.00 CASHI 3rd $50.00 CASHI PLUSI Cycle News T-Shirts and Vests and loads of other great prizes $5.00 Donation per rider Profits go to the Phantom Duck of the Desert Legal Fund and the AMA Legislative Support Fund. For Circus Circus Hotel/Casino Room Reservation and Circusland RV Park information call Toll Free 1-800-634-3450. Watch Cycle News for more Information or call the Cycle News office (21 3) 427-7433. -------------------------------------BARSTOW TO VEGAS 4 MAIL-IN ENTRY FORM MAIL -IN ENTRIES Send $5.00 (check or money-order made payable to Cycle News. please) for each rider and/or passenger along with a completed registration blank to: Cycle News B to V 4, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498. Please Print Name _ _--= _ Address ....,..- City ....:.... Motorcycle Brand AMA # Other Association State _ Zip Engine Size _ _~ Number _ _ _ Mail·ln Entry Closes November 5, 1982 Let's get wheels turning It's time to end the ridiculous standoff squabble between the AMA and Honda, Suzuki and (Continued'to page 4) You will receive your registration number by return mail. Just show up at the start area between 8 & 11 a.m. November 27th, pick up your event package and head for Vegas I 3