FEATURE
MOTOAMERICA
P104
back loop to contend with. Marquez and
Co. are currently inspiring legions of fu-
ture Marquez's in Spain, while the lack of
American participation will only negatively
impact the likelihood of securing the at-
tention and dedication of any potential
next Wayne Raineys out there. Kids now
are more likely to be riding Supercross or
playing football.
The best bet for a new American MotoGP
champ might be the Spanish style of grooming tal-
ented prospects from the cradle and developing
them in the European system. But that does very
little good for MotoAmerica, and it doesn't allow
American audiences to get to know and love their
superstars on the way up.
The days in which a rider could develop a fan
base Stateside while winning multiple AMA titles
and then go on to successfully defend the nation's
honor in Grand Prix were ideal, but perhaps no lon-
ger realistic. Even if MotoAmerica turns out to be
a smashing success, something like the Red Bull
MotoGP Rookies Cup might be better positioned
to produce the next American MotoGP champ.
Relating it to mainstream American
sports, the old system was more akin to
the symbiotic relationship enjoyed by
NCAA Football and the NFL, in which the
NCAA turns top players into household
names before they ever go pro. Both par-
ties win. Today, the best path to success is
more similar to baseball. The most promis-
ing talents are frequently snapped up directly by
Major League Baseball teams and rerouted to their
minor league systems while NCAA Baseball largely
suffers as a result.
It's something of an intractable dilemma.
What MotoAmerica can certainly do, howev-
er, is reopen the pipeline to World Superbike. A
strengthened American series would prove a fan-
tastic breeding ground for the next Fred Merkels,
Doug Polens, Scott Russells, and Ben Spies's.
If MotoAmerica even marginally rehabilitates
the image of the championship, there's little
doubt Americans can be winning races and titles
again in World Superbike in the near future. Giv-
en the proper opportunity, Josh Hayes and Cam-
eron Beaubier are good enough to win in World
Many see Cameron
Beaubier as the
next greatest
American export,
but realistically is
Superbike still a
path to MotoGP?
