Cycle News

VOL. 52 ISSUE 46 NOVEMBER 17, 2015 P117 owners and it wasn't delivered. Also, it was hard to get too carried away when there were so many unknowns. Who were the new guys? With the odds stacked up against them, can they bring the series back to its feet? Do they have the staying power to stick it out? As far as the new guys, it didn't take too long to get to know them better. Both Varner and Karges were present at all of the races. And with that there was more confidence that maybe this time around it would be better. Although not a figurehead in the paddock before the KRAVE Group got involved in the series, Varner gained a lot of respect and admiration around the paddock (mine included). His dedication and love for the sport is palpable. He's not just silent money or the guy sitting at a distance. Varner is actively involved and visible in the paddock, talking to everyone, no matter what role they play in the sport. Seeing that commitment and passion for the series, from all of the partners, new guys includ- ed, brought more confidence that they appear to be sticking it out for the long haul. As far as can they make it work? That's still undecided, but how they handled the early teething issues in the series also brought more confidence. Timing and scoring on the onset was a nightmare, but they found a way to resolve that. There was disap- pointment with the TV package not being live, tape-delayed and aired a week later in a one-hour highlight show. There was a cry from the fans for live streaming. They made it happen, making a deal with Fanschoice.tv to get all races streamed live (Superbike/ Superstock 1000 on the Motor- Trend site and the support classes on Fanschoice). It wasn't a perfect arrangement, but it got the job done. Another notable improvement that made everyone much hap- pier was the provisional schedule being released much earlier—in September. The technical and procedural rules have also been announced, sticking with their goal to more closely align with the FIM standard, something that OEMs and fans have been want- ing to see for a long time. There's also talk of an improved TV pack- age for 2016 as well. But even more important is that the vibe has completely changed in the paddock. It has a more "kumbaya" feel. Gone are the hos- tilities, the bickering, the unhap- piness. For the first time in my 12 years in the paddock, everyone is happier and working together for a change. Even during the teething issues, there was complaining behind closed doors, but it did not spawn an all-out war. At the end-of-season awards ceremony, that sense of harmony and happiness was even more noticeable. It was full of nice speeches and shared feelings of gratitude for the change and the progress in the series. It also brought to light how very close the whole thing was to never happen- ing at all. As RoadRace Factory Team Principal Danny Walker put it, late last year they thought they might have to suffer horrible Eng- lish food and move to the British Superbike Championship just to keep racing. Thankfully, KRAVE helped them avoid that. But more powerful than all of the nice speeches was the season review video (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=VLzO7ofOYXQ) that kicked off the awards ceremony. It starts with the recorded phone call led by Varner after he got the go ahead from the lawyers, he asks the other three partners if they are in. That exchange had a lot of impact, especially in the context of what was at stake at that time—the future, or lack thereof, of road racing in the U.S. Hearing the commitment from all four partners, the guys in charge of righting the ship, it was not only confidence-inspiring, it was inspir- ing full steam ahead. When you have guys that know how to lead, that have a history of success, and have the conviction and willingness to make the series succeed, it's sort of infectious. You can feel that momentum in the paddock. It's a nice momen- tum, a positive momentum for a change. So things have moved beyond "cautiously optimistic" to a genuine sense of hope. That in spite of all the obstacles, these guys will not accept failure. It's a nice feeling. A feeling that, hell, these guys can pull this off. CN

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