IN
THE
WIND
P32
WASHED OUT
T
he fourth round of the Off-Road Motorcycle/
ATM Nationals in Newark, Missouri, on June
27-28, was canceled.
"This is a very unfortunate decision, but with
majority of the track under water with no chance
of recovery before this weekend there was no
other option," said an OMA official. "We apologize
for any inconvenience and will be posting the re-
scheduling information very soon. [This is the] first
time in 42 years that race promoter Bill Gusse has
had to make the call to cancel an event."
The race will be rescheduled in November.
NO LOITERING
M
oto3 riders found guilty
of loitering in practice
and especially qualifying face
instant grid-position penalties,
with the threat of more to follow,
including possible "Superpole-
style" one-lap qualifying, they
were told in a special pre-race
briefing at the June 28 Assen
MotoGP.
This follows the debacle at
the last round, where almost
the entire field was circulating
slowly, all waiting for one rider
to speed up so as to take a tow
for a faster lap time. The
problem is well known,
but always more acute
at circuits with long
straights, where slip-
streaming can make a
significant difference to
lap time.
"In the past we
have issued warnings,
penalty points, various
other penalties…but
the message clearly
isn't getting through,"
said race director Mike
Webb, who added that
the new strictures have been
warmly received, in a matter
that affects all riders. From now,
there would be an immediate
penalty: "specifically grid posi-
tions for the race. If someone
going slowly disturbs other rid-
ers they can expect to start from
further back."
The penalties would be
cumulative; and a system
examining section times will be
applied. Any rider going slower
than 107 percent of his best
time would be investigated.
This was the first step. "[It's] a
bit stronger and a bit clearer
than previously," said Webb. "If
it doesn't work we are pre-
pared to change the format of
qualifying, though I'd prefer
not to do that during the racing
season."
The system being considered
was "not exactly Superpole"
(where each rider, alone on
track, gets just one fast lap),
"but much more limited track
time."
Michael Scott
Going slow in Moto3 qualifying won't be tolerated anymore.
