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INTERVIEW I MOTOAMERICA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: CHUCK AKSLAND
In other words, O'Neill didn't
care if factory teams came or not.
His grids were flush with paying
privateer customers, the base of
pretty much any championship
outside of MotoGP, while ASBK
struggled to get more than 15
superbikes on the grid. For him
and a great many others involved
in the FX series at the time, it was
happy days. His base was strong.
The last 10 years or so have
seen a massive rise in the popular
-
the top of the pyramid in the AMA
Superbike/MotoAmerica series.
There was a famous quote
by former Australian Formula
Xtreme promoter Terry O'Neill,
who—when I spoke to him in
2010 regarding the possible
involvement of factory teams
in his series as opposed to the
Motorcycling Australia-run ASBK
championship—told me, "Look
after the base, and the top will
follow."
But, to get there, he first had
to start racing.
Getting kids started in road
racing has been a conundrum in
America for far too long. While
numerous clubs around the
country have diligently given
youngsters the chance to get
on track and start the journey
to perhaps professional racing
stardom, those at the top of the
sport in America have largely
neglected the base to focus on
"THE TRAVEL IS
EXPENSIVE! SO, WE'RE
THINKING THAT IF KIDS
CAN PARTICIPATE IN
A LOCAL REGION AND
THEY WANT TO BE A
NATIONAL CHAMPION,
A LOT OF FAMILIES
COULD SCHEDULE
THEIR VACATION
AROUND ONE
WEEKEND. YOU'RE
NOT TRYING TO BURN
SIX WEEKENDS."
Aksland is roping in
various clubs across the
country to help push the
Mini Cup initiative.
