CN
III VOICES
L E T T E R S T O T H E E D I T O R
"It's also great to see Jack Miller riding
the wheels off the AJO KTM in Moto3 - so talented
and so entertaining too."
More On Doping
Thank you for the link to the
article on the Jenkins case vs.
doping courts. Unfortunately, the
world-doping police (WADA) have
already gone after a motorcycle
racer seeking to ruin his career.
Moto2 racer Anthony West drank
a small amount of an over-the-
counter low-sugar energy drink
two years ago before the 2012
LeMans GP. He was tested and
a "banned substance" (not listed
on the label and applicable more
to body builders trying to gain
muscle mass from prolonged use)
was found. The FIM disqualified
West from that race and sat him
out of another race as further
punishment, but then he could
return to racing.
Enter WADA, who appealed
the FIM's decision over its own
racing series and judgment that
West gained no advantage from
the banned supplement in the
energy drink. WADA argued for
a two-year ban from competi-
tion, the minimum penalty in their
minds for a single infraction under
world anti-doping rules, citing
that increased alertness from the
energy drink alone was an advan-
tage in a sport that requires quick
mental and muscular reactions.
Yes, you read correct, the case
made and upheld was the energy
drink alone was the performance
enhancer. Considering energy
drink companies are the primary
sponsors of racing these days this
poses obvious problems for riders
and sponsorship agreements with
series organizers. The end result
for West was an 18-month ban
for which all his results are to be
nullified.
His only saving grace was the
FIM went to bat for him and were
able to make it retroactive so by
the time the ruling was settled
the 18 months had passed and
West was still able to continue
racing even if a year and a half of
his results are to be stricken from
the record books. More about his
case can be read here (http://
www.tas-cas.org/d2wfiles/
document/7282/5048/0/Award-
20302920FINAL20internet.pdf
Stephen Hagberg
Houston, TX
Flat Track Kudos
Thank you for the interview with
Bryan Smith in the May 20 issue,
as well as the piece on the 1977
Superbike season. I remember
it well. Once Pops Yoshimura
started to grasp the importance
of suspension and swingarm stiff-
ness, his wobbly fours became the
bikes to beat.
But back to dirt track. I under-
stand intake restrictors were first
introduced in the 1980s when the
118 horsepower Harleys and 125
horsepower Honda RS750 start-
ed finishing some of the miles
with no rubber left outside the
carcass cords. The restrictor size
was (I think) 34mm. That actually
ended up reducing the four-valve
Honda's competitive edge, the
tires lasted, the Harleys started
winning, the crowds started com-
ing back, and Honda took its bat
and ball and buggered off.
Now the AMA dirt track series
has more brands racing than at
any time since the 1970s so the
officials must be doing something
right.
But Smith's concerns about
the added stress on the XR750
from the removal of the intake re-
strictors is valid. Perhaps we will
see a water-cooled, 60-degree,
750cc Harley racing before much
longer?
Keep up the great work.
Michael Esdaile
Auckland, New Zealand
The Surgeon?
Just a thought after watching a
master in action at Le Mans Moto
Grand Prix: If Valentino Rossi is
"The Doctor" then perhaps Marc
Marquez should be referred to
as "The Surgeon" - particularly
after he carved up the best in
the field with such precision and
ease, coming from 10th to first in
emphatic form.
I look forward to every MotoGP
as much as I did when Casey
Stoner was racing. I can't wait
to see the battle between Marc
and Valentino at Mugello and
Rossi's other favorite tracks that
are coming up. Good to see the
Doctor finding form again. It's also
great to see Jack Miller riding the
wheels off the AJO KTM in Moto3
- so talented and so entertaining
too.
Ian Thomas
Adelaide, Australia
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