R
ome wasn't built in a day.
Although we're not exactly
talking about building an
empire, it's not too far off. We're
talking about rebuilding the U.S.
Superbike Championship.
After what worked out to be a
perfect storm with the combina-
tion of Roger Edmondson (the
DMG boss at the time who told
OEMs, fans and TV to get stuffed)
and a big hit to the economy, the
series was set backwards. Even
with Edmondson's departure and
some movements in a positive
direction, the series was unable
to overcome those setbacks. So
much so, that last season, people
weren't sure there'd even be a
series anymore.
Then the KRAVE Group swept
in with the AMA and rebranded
the championship—MotoAmerica.
It brought hope to road rac-
ing in the U.S. again. It was
a chance for a fresh start. A
chance to rebuild the champion-
ship with well-respected motor-
cycle people at the helm, most
notably three-time World Cham-
pion Wayne Rainey and former
Team Roberts manager Chuck
Aksland.
But as it goes with rebuilding
anything from the ground up,
there's bound to be headaches
and glitches. Especially when
you factor in that they opened
for business just last September,
making it a seventh month dead-
line to put it all together.
Which is why anyone involved
in the sport wasn't caught up
in the frenzy of the newness of
everything. There is a cautious
understanding that the first year
was not to be the benchmark,
rather a year to get things back
on track and in the right direction.
So it was with great anticipa-
tion to see how the fledgling se-
ries would perform in action with
its opening back-to-back rounds
at the Circuit of the Americas
(with MotoGP) and Road Atlanta.
To summarize it: it's still a
work in progress, but it appears
to be on the right path.
For years people in the sport
have called for FIM rules and
BY ANDREA WILSON
CN
III TRACKSIDE
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
P156
