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/917325
CN III VOICES W H A T Y O U A R E S A Y I N G "All my brother and I wanted to do was to be like Gene Romero and Dave Aldana!" Flat Track You're going to get a lot of these, I suspect. Flat track racing is getting an injection of energy and imagination that's been missing for as long as I've been paying attention to the sport. The late, great Bruce Brown certainly recognized the poten- tial. Did I just read that people might lose interest if Indian becomes too dominant a factor? The long, slow waning of interest in the sport and the coincidental monopolization of the sport by Harley-Davidson have been pain- fully obvious ever since anyone's been paying attention. Attempts by individuals or teams to break that decades-old stalemate have given us cause for hope over the years. Then, Indian breaking cover last year with its factory effort—how awesome was that? Virtually every manufacturer has a platform on which they could base their own efforts. Could be the Golden Age of flat track. Don't forget the grass roots. Once upon a time, youngsters were dropping out of moto- cross because the sport was so expensive. The latest machine would be rendered obsolete halfway through the season. In the early-to-mid 1970s, kids were crossing over to flat track. They could build their own bike and race it season after season. Suddenly (for a while) there were tracks everywhere. Given the levels of technology and the media we have now, maybe it's time, again. Let's not blow it. And by the way Indian, where's that FTR750 replica street bike? Waiting patiently. John Sener Bruce Brown Bruce was beyond bitchen! I also Lived in Dana Point and I knew of Bruce because of The Endless Summer and his very rusty and old Maico sitting outside of his garage in Dana Point. I am in the origi- nal On Any Sunday movie—stuck in the mud at the Elsinore Grand Prix! Bruce made me a movie star. And I got to spend time with Bruce at a sprint car race on the central coast of California where he was racing his 1939 Hudson- powered sprint car. R.I.P., Bruce. Bob Brownell [On Any Sunday] definitely influenced my family after two weekend showings at a local drive-in movie theater. After that, all my brother and I wanted to do was to be like Gene Romero and Dave Aldana! It kept us out of trouble. R.I.P., Bruce. Eddie Baldizan On Any Sunday changed my life. I already had an interest in motorcycles when I saw it with friends in junior high school, but after [seeing the movie] my inter- est became a passion. I never achieved my dreams of earning a living racing MX professionally but I have a lot of fond memories of trying and I be- lieve my life is better because of that. I'd like to join in and say thank you, Bruce. Thank you! Phil Dilmore My dad dropped me off at the theater around noon-ish and returned around 8 p.m. I would hide under the seats between the movie showings. Then I went out and delivered papers all summer to buy my first mini bike. Great movie. R.I.P., Mr. Brown. Randy Dobson Bruce was a great man, and he made the best motorcycle movie of all time. Anytime I want, I can hum the tune and it always brings a smile to my face. I've probably watched this movie 100 times or more. Thanks, Bruce, what an inspi- ration to just go out and ride! Al Banta 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