Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/882491
CN III VOICES W H A T Y O U A R E S A Y I N G "And you wouldn't need $50,000 prize money. A plastic trophy would do." Not So Super Hooligan In the beginning, Super Hooli- gan racing was a "run what ya brung," casual affair. Now with professional riders and factory sponsorships, it's gone pro and we could use now what we could call just Hooligan rac- ing for the run-what-ya-brung crowd—street-legal bikes with non-ranked riders and wannabe racers out there having fun. When the typical experienced rider can ride to an event and tape up the bike and enter, you will see lots of entries and a bunch of guys and gals out there having fun. And you wouldn't need $50,000 prize money. A plastic trophy would do. Bob Vergeer Super Rossi I was, like many I'm sure, stunned watching qualifying Saturday morning for the Aragon GP. When Valentino Rossi, three weeks removed from a tib-fib fracture and questionable as late as Wednesday, came across the line in the closing laps of Q2 with pole position in hand, eventually locking up a front-row start, my wife literally turned to me, mouth agape, only able to utter, "really!?" I was almost not even surprised to see him during Sunday's race, not just trying to finish, but fighting like a much younger and healthier man with his teammate and champion- ship rival MV25 for a brief time, eventually hanging on for fifth. What else can you say about this man's career at this point? (Oh, just other record, coming back from a tib-fib fracture to contest a MotoGP race less than 23 days after injury, in his 301st ca- reer premier class start no less.) But while I'm not the first nor will I be the last to voice this, I'm sure that literally limping to a fifth-place finish underscored the fact that MotoGP has a big problem when he decides to hang up the leathers for good. MotoGP has 22 riders on the grid, 20 of which he has beaten in the championship over the last three years. Said another way, there are 17 guys on the grid of "The best riders in the world" who cannot beat a 38-year- old man with a broken leg. Is it talent, desire or both that drive his sheer willpower and deter- mination to remain truly one of the best in the world until he leaves the sport? I can't say, but I do cherish these twilight days of this amazing career in which, on any given Sunday, he can still pull out a bag of magic treats for the fans. Sunday's fifth place, far from a watermark of his career, was still one of the most amazing things I've seen in a career filled with jaw-dropping moments. Few in MotoGP will ever have the same draw. Marquez might eclipse his wins and championships, but will he still be at it when time and the odds are against him at age 38? I somehow doubt it. Enjoy this while you still can folks, you're seeing something we may never see again. Shannon Churchill MotoAmerica Another season completed and visible progress made; in quality of racing, entries, riders, money (presumably?) and tv. I'd think making haste slowly is the right way to go, and while we'll not have a return to the hal- cyon days of the past, the U.S. will have a place again in the world of road racing. Classes being tweaked and introduced shows they are in touch with the broader scope of world racing. Joe Roberts and PJ Jacobsen have been given a chance are showing well, and there will be a few more in the next few years, I believe. Tony Elias could be the tip of the iceberg for top-class riders to look to the U.S., and he'll be a good ambassador to Europe, as will Mathew Scholtz, Alex Phillis and Shane Richardson to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. There is a place for a racer with bikes and a van still, perhaps again not like the old days, but for someone with a bit of ambition, a solid calendar of good tracks and professional organization. Well done, MotoAmerica. Barry Glading Letters to the editor can be sent to voices@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News. Letters should not exceed 150 words and are subject to editing. Anonymous letters won't be considered for publication and each letter should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number… Editor P6