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Court
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - 09:06 pm: | 
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>>>>So by missing Daytona, I missed the amayzing cupcakes as well?
Well ...... Here's the deal. For NOW you have. BUT...... I hope to fix that. Mrs. Cupcake & her Mother in Law will be joining Vickie and I for lunch in the near future.
I, as recently as Daytona, lobbied on behalf of Buell owners worldwide to "set the cup cakes free".
I, too, am relentless and while it's cute that her husband is a great motorcycle racer ...... Well.... Man does not live by racing motorcycles......cupcakes are a staple and I'm intent to keep bugging her.
In the meantime ...... You take a look at them and let me know if you'd ante up for a a couple dozen " race cakes" (stripped down to racing weight for ease of shipping).
http://amayzingcupcakes.com/index.html |
Trojan
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 06:09 am: |
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The good news is that there is TONS of money and folks interested in racing at the moment.
Really? I don't see many major corporations lining up to throw money at bike racing at the moment, either in the US or Internationally. In fact I would say that racing at the top level is the poorest in relative terms that it has been in many many years.
The latest Daytona fiasco certainly hasn't won over many converts and I'm sure potential sponsors who watched it wouldn't be exactly thrilled to have their premium products associated with a sport that looks like it can't organise itself (even if the reality is somewhat different to the outward appearance!) and can't even work out who the winner is at the end of a shortened race!
Motorcycle racing nees to appear professional in every respect, not only from the paddock and riders/teams but more importantly to putting on a professional slick event for TV/live spectators and sponsors.
This is the ONLY way to attract big name sponsors outside of the industry away from other professional sports and even other motor sports.
BSB realised this a few years ago and it has started to work now (although big sponsors are still hard to find) |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 06:55 am: |
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>>>Really? I don't see many major corporations lining up to throw money at bike racing at the moment
Worry not. The world is plum chuck full of folks who don't see opportunity staring them in the face.
My forte' is seeing and finding it.
See you at Daytona next year . . . my reservations are made. |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 07:01 am: |
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By the way . . . there has never, in the history of America . . . been a time where there was more idle money sitting on the sidelines begging for opportunity.
The economy of the last couple years has sent sophisticated investors (that's a defined class under the United States S.E.C. rules for those who need to look it up) and institutions into a period of hoarding cash. They are currently making savings account rates on massive cash balances and eager to get back on the track as things improve.
I didn't sweat yesterday when the market dropped like a rock, instead I made a fairly significant buy in the middle of the afternoon. I doubt the jumbled and convoluted news of reactor #4 is really going to impact the long term outlook for utilities.
Similarly . . . I'm not letting a race that had some confusion . . . deter me. I'm going to rely on the fact that the most exciting last couple laps and finish that most folks have ever seen at Daytona, and the excitement surrounding Erik Buell's 90 minute talk on Saturday, drive me.
It's a long game. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 08:20 am: |
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I'm going to rely on the fact that the most exciting last couple laps and finish that most folks have ever seen at Daytona, and the excitement surrounding Erik Buell's 90 minute talk on Saturday, drive me.
I'd agree with the Erik news, but the finish at Daytona, while close, was also confusing to spectators (who won?) and unattractive to sponsors. if you declare a top 3 and then remove 2 of them 10 minutes later it doesn't reflect too well on your organisational skills.
All sports are looking for investors , and some look a lot more slick and well organised than motorcycle racing at the moment. If you are going to invest a lot of money into any sport you want two things:
Maximum exposure through TV and healthy spectator numbers.
Good publicity! The old adage that any publicity is good publicity doesn't attract sponsors any longer. They want to be associated with well run, ethical and professional looking sports like Tennis and Golf, and these are the sports that we need to fight against to attract their sponsorship money (Just look at how fast sponsors deserted Tiger Woods when he got bad press!).
Can you imagine the uproar there would be and the exodus of major sponsors if the US Open golf championship was suddenly shortened to one day becuase Dunlop realised the balls were no good, or that they declared a winner only to overturn the order a few minutes later to declare a completely different winner (one who didn't even figure in the original top 3 and would probably be protested by half the field!).
See you at Daytona next year . . . my reservations are made.
Unfortunately as much as I like the circuit (which is an amazing complex!) I'm afraid Daytona as a holiday destination doesn't do it for me. Florida in gerneral is lovely of course, but last time I was in Daytona (2004) it looked like the whole town needed a good coat of paint and an upgrade  A bit like a faded British Seasside resort but with Pelicans and more sun. |
Crusty
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 10:20 am: |
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Let me see if I've got this right:
The AMA sucks and doesn't know how to put on a race, and they should not have stopped it for concerns about rider safety.
Dunlop sucks because they made a bad batch of tires.
Photo finishes suck.
The Town of Daytona sucks.
So a good race is one where the riders can slowly proceed in single file on tires that are guaranteed to last the distance; preferably put on by the FIM in a seaside community other than one in Florida?
Sounds like the Isle of Man would fit the bill (except for slow part).
How many people die during the TT each year? |
Trojan
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 11:03 am: |
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Let me see if I've got this right:
The AMA sucks and doesn't know how to put on a race, and they should not have stopped it for concerns about rider safety.
Dunlop sucks because they made a bad batch of tires.
Photo finishes suck.
The Town of Daytona sucks.
That isn't what i said. The AMA and Dunlop are at fault for not ensuring that they had a tyre suitable for a 200 mile race. Who else would you say is responsible? Somebody has to admit responsibility for this and they are the only two who are in the frame in most peoples eyes.
Dunlop have been making tyres for Daytona since at least 1970, so any excuse about ambient temperature etc is just an excuse, period.
The AMA should have either stopped the race completely or let teams/riders know that the situation was marginal prior to the race so that thye could have made an informed decision about tyres.
The fact that, even after the restart and short sprint race they still couldn't figure out who won just about sums it up.
Yes, Dunlop and the AMA should bear the blame fully between them.
However, that doesn't mean that they can't put on a good show, and the rest of the meeting went pretty well I hear 
The town of Daytona doesn't suck, it just needed a coat of paint and and update last time I was there. There are plenty of resorts here that are the same and look a bit shabby out of season. I wouldn't go there on holiday either
So a good race is one where the riders can slowly proceed in single file on tires that are guaranteed to last the distance; preferably put on by the FIM in a seaside community other than one in Florida?
Sounds like the Isle of Man would fit the bill (except for slow part).
Have you watched a Moto2/WSS/WSB race recently?
I'm pretty sure that the FIM could put on a btter organised festival than whoever is responsible for Daytona this year.
The TT organisers would make a much better job of it in my opinion, and the plans for next year for a world 'real road racing' TT championship should prove that They have plans for a 6 round series using public road circuits including a round in the US.
I've never seen a race where riders parade slowly, but the least I would expect of a tyre company would be to produce a tyre that can last race distance, regardless of venue, speed or temperature.
By the way, Dunlop are a British company and their race dept is based in Birmingham (England not Alabama) so I am not being 'anti US' here
How many people die during the TT each year?
Hardly comparable really is it? |
Davegess
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 11:57 am: |
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Trojan, I have to agree that Daytona was another missed opportunity to present the sport in a good light. The finish was exciting and the AMA did not "revise" the results of the top 3, just took a bit to resolve who was first ad they were really close. The did drop the two crashers down which I think is unfair. Not their fault.
I comment at length about the TT here, http://www.davegess.com
I think the DMG group is going in the right direction, the first has to be to improve the quality of the racing and they have done this. The Daytona Sportbike races are near as good as Moto2 already. If Dunlop hadn't screwed this up... |
Davegess
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 12:06 pm: |
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I didn't sweat yesterday when the market dropped like a rock, instead I made a fairly significant buy in the middle of the afternoon. I doubt the jumbled and convoluted news of reactor #4 is really going to impact the long term outlook for utilities.
I agree Court. In fact this may be good for the economy. Japan is not going be like Haiti, arguing about where to build houses, Japan is gonna build them. They will be buying a lot of stuff, sorta of a giant economic stimulus. |
Hootowl
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 12:14 pm: |
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I respectfully disagree. This is not going to stimulate the economy. Breaking a window does not stimulate the economy, it simply moves money from where it would have otherwise been spent and redirects it to the window maker. Good for the window maker, bad for the shoe maker. |
Jscott
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 02:21 pm: |
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Gotta love Bastiat's broken window parable! Let's destroy our way to prosperity. |
Hootowl
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 02:39 pm: |
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Yeah, I didn't make that up. In fact, I've yet to have an original thought. I think.  |
Firstbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 03:00 pm: |
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go Danny !!
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/video-ama-d sb-eslick-on-wind-tunnel/ |
Firstbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 03:02 pm: |
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RE: crash at end of The Daytona 200 -
you decide:
http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/video-poll- who-caused-daytona-200-crash/ |
Lostartist
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 12:14 am: |
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AMA released this just a bit ago
http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid= 41808
it tries to explain their actions in the Daytona 200 and they admit they have work to do.
but I didn't see anywhere, but I haven't really looked either, in AMA pro road racing are racing teams allowed to work on their bikes under red flags? in nascar they aren't allowed to touch the vehicle while a red flag is out . . . different rules for different sports, no problem, I just don't know the rule for AMA |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 01:01 am: |
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AMA Pro Racing just let fly a press release concerning the race and issues of concern.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/158 664/621442.html?1300338038 |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 01:24 am: |
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I think Herin is fixin' to be fined, justly so. See following video of crash on final lap.
http://bcove.me/du9hoa2m |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 05:28 am: |
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I think Herin is fixin' to be fined, justly so. See following video of crash on final lap.
Two sides to every story I suppose. if you read Josh Herrins facebook page he said that he knew the other bike was going to get close so he stuck his elbow out to protect his bike and himself. As it was his front brake lever got clipped and that was that. Certainly a case for compulsory brake protectors like they use in the Triumph Street Triple series at WSB meetings (Gresini Moto2 used them on Elias's bike last year at some meetings too).
(Message edited by trojan on March 17, 2011) |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 05:35 am: |
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Because the first five riders crossed the finish line prior to the red flag, their race was ruled complete. Once the red flag was thrown, however, the results of those remaining riders reverted to the previous lap. The exception to this is riders involved in a red flag, if fault is not then assigned. Those riders are moved to the back of their respective lap-groups, which put Herrin behind the four who'd already crossed the line, and put Knapp and Westby behind a group that had not yet taken the checkers (but in front of everyone a lap down).
Clear as mud ?
At least the AMA have issued some form of apology and explanation, although trying to assign blame in a mad cap dash to the line involving 5-6 bikes is a little difficult I think. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 08:28 am: |
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Another riders eye quote from JD Beach, involved in the last lap fracas at Daytona...
Were the final laps really like a Mile dirt track? "I think it was more crazy, because we're going 180 and we're just all bouncing off each other and stuff. It was a lot of fun. We were all doing crazy stuff, running into each other, passing each other down on the bottom of the track. We probably weren't doing the smartest stuff, but we were all doing it. Nobody, luckily nobody really got hurt, I don't think. I heard that the two guys that crashed walked away from it. So I think AMA might change some rules for next year that we can't go on the bottom, whatever, but I think it's still going to be a crazy race."
Makes it doubly sad that they will single out just one rider for punishment in what was a 'racing incident' lasting more than just the 100 yard race to the finish line. |
Davegess
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 10:05 am: |
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It was mindful of the finish at Springfield each and every year.
I remember Chris Carr leading our of turn 4 knowing that the guy drafting behind him would fly by as soon as he got hooked up. He went low and stayed down just long enough to sucker them in to going by on the outside. Just as they were committed, the front wheel up to his rear, he came back up all the way to the wall. The passing rider had little choice but to back off and Chris won. Not often that the leader off of turn 4 wins one of those.
I do not think that Herrin hit that brake on purpose, it would be pretty hard to do with your elbow I suspect, but he did keep trying to push that guy off that line. And they need those lever covers, that would have prevented that crash. |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 02:26 pm: |
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I watched Chris Carr, who'd been racing Dirt Track for 27 years now, last Saturday night and was reminded of why I flew from Kansas to Sacramento to see him . . . Springsteen, Parker and the other mix it up.
Nothing says racing like AMA Dirt Track. |
Firstbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 03:11 pm: |
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Court,
did you just say, "Sacramento"......?
this just arrived in my email:
--------------------------------------------
Issue #1 March 2011
Flat Track Motorcycle Enthusiast!
Welcome to The Sacramento Mile National newsletter.
After a December meeting in Daytona with AMA Pro Racing management, staff and some team owners and other promoters, I am convinced that Flat Track racing is on its way back in a big way. With the leadership exhibited by the AMA Pro Racing management and with the quality staff who will be focused on the sport of Flat Track racing, this is the first time in my 40 years of involvement with the sport-as a racer, sponsor and promoter-that I feel Flat Track will be getting the attention it deserves. With the resurgence of Flat Track racing and with multiple brands winning races, the timing could not have been better. But no matter how good all of the above is, Pro racing does not exist without the race fans.
The fan support that the 2010 Calistoga Half Mile National received encouraged us to look again at the Sacramento Mile. We are exited about working with the management at Cal Expo to bring back the Sacramento Mile as a headliner event of the California State Fair. With the addition of The Mile, GNC racing in Nor Cal is on its way to being all it can be--the most exciting form of motor sports!
See you at the races!
Sincerely,
Bob Bellino
Circle Bell Enterprises
The Sacramento Mile National
Mark July 30 on Your Calendar!
What's that rumble you're hearing? It's the rolling thunder of the impending return of The Mile motorcycle racing to Sacramento! Yes, it really is true - after over a decade away, the AMA Pro Racing Grand National Championship series is on its way back to our capital.
In the wake of 2010's wildly successful, first-ever Calistoga Half-Mile National [which is returning on 10/1/11], this year's schedule includes two inaugural events. On Saturday, April 23 - the Salinas TT will offer exciting outdoor competition occuring on a shorter dirt track, complete with a jump & other challenges. Saturday July 30 introduces the return of the iconic Sacramento Mile after over a decade away. This trend reflects the nationwide revival being enjoyed by AMA Pro flat track racing and motorsports enthusiasts alike.
Despain's Take on The Mile
".....The Mile. Pile on the gearing and tighten up your gut. Imagine hitting the end of a 130-mph straightaway - eyes big as dinner plates, engine screaming for mercy and hay bales dead ahead - surrounded by a dozen like-minded maniacs packed tighter than a fat man's lunch bucket. Bar banging is likely. Together you pitch your 350-pound dirt-trackers sideways into a corner so vast you can't see its exit. And no one even thinks of letting off. Welcome to dirt-track racing's toughest test -vehicular and testicular....."
Dave Despain, SPEED TV
-----------------------------------------
Do your part to help motorcycle racing be all it can be....BE THERE!
Thank You.
Bob Bellino |
Fresnobuell
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 05:51 pm: |
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Good God, why wouldn't a racer install brake guards? No drawbacks (unless the add'l weight is a concern) and plenty of upside. Nuts to me. It happens at least a few times a year I know of and probably much much more when you take the lower levels of racing into consideration. |
Buelldyno_guy
| | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 - 11:29 pm: |
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This year we are so lucky out here in Northern California as we will get a chance to have four different AMA Dirt Track Grand Slam events within a 100 mile radius. Starting with the Salinas Short Track and TT followed by the Sacramento Mile and ending the season with the Calistoga 1/2 mile. Dirt track may have always been big in the mid west, but I think you guys have always needed to travel from one state to another to see all four of these different events. Jimmy and I were at Calistoga last year, but this year we plan to hit them all.
terry@jtsperformance.com |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2011 - 03:39 am: |
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RRW noted the Sports Illustrated write-up of the 1977 Daytona 200. What's old is new again.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/mag azine/MAG1092185/index.htm |
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