Ben Spies. F%^K YEAH! and maybe some spoilers

[derby]

"...Spies has a number of business interests to keep him busy in his retirement, running a successful burger restaurant in Austin, Texas…"   

in dallas, actually...

http://stackhouseburgers.com/

[gm2]

money won't be his problem (not said based on owning a burger place). 

figuring out what's next, different question.

[fastwin]

in dallas, actually...

http://stackhouseburgers.com/

Yes, I eat there all the time. But they'd be smart to open one in Austin too.

Does this thread have a shelf life now that he has "retired"? Guess I can go hang with The Ben since he lives down the street from my yahoo of a brother in law.

PS  What are the bets that he sits out a year (two at the max) and comes back and signs a good deal in WSBK?

[Triple J]

Mladin's take on it:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Oct/1310281166.htm

What an a-hole!

[gm2]

oh mat, mat, mat...

par for the course.  o' course.

i suppose he did race on an ankle for a long time that eventually had to be cut off and reattached.  so there's that.

[ducpainter]

Mladin's take on it:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/Oct/1310281166.htm

What an a-hole!

All this from the guy that couldn't make it on the world stage.

Exactly...

what an asshole.

[mdgore]

All this from the guy that couldn't make it on the world stage.

Exactly...

what an asshole.

Mladin's funny.  Anyway, Mladin didn't want to leave the AMA (he had offers).  He was making big $$$$$ and winning.  He left when the money dried up and went back to OZ, where he's a very successful business man.  I think he has exclusive rights to sell Suzuki's down under, and his race schools and race teams are doing well also.  Not to excuse his boorish behavior, but when an Aussie hates you, he really does hate you, and doesn't give a flip about being PC.  I doubt if Spies is losing sleep over what Mladin has to say about him. 

I thought that Spies would be a force in MotoGP after winning Rookie of the Year, but when things start going wrong it's hard to win.  It was honorable of him not blame his crew, but they really did screw the pooch on many occasions. I hope he does come back, but from what I've read, his injuries are chronic and will never fully heal.  Too bad. 

[ellingly]

Mladin's funny.  Anyway, Mladin didn't want to leave the AMA (he had offers).  He was making big $$$$$ and winning.  He left when the money dried up and went back to OZ, where he's a very successful business man.  I think he has exclusive rights to sell Suzuki's down under, and his race schools and race teams are doing well also.  Not to excuse his boorish behavior, but when an Aussie hates you, he really does hate you, and doesn't give a flip about being PC.  I doubt if Spies is losing sleep over what Mladin has to say about him. 

I thought that Spies would be a force in MotoGP after winning Rookie of the Year, but when things start going wrong it's hard to win.  It was honorable of him not blame his crew, but they really did screw the pooch on many occasions. I hope he does come back, but from what I've read, his injuries are chronic and will never fully heal.  Too bad. 

Not exactly. Mat Mladin's dealership in Sydney is where I bought my 2003 GSX-R 750 (in 2003); it ceased being a Suzuki dealer in about 2005. He's definitely not the Suzuki motorbike importer either. He was the Yoshi, Joe Rocket and other brands importer and might still be; out of that he also ran a moderately successful internet business that went tits-up in about 2011 called Bike Gear Warehouse. Like I said, it closed down as they were being reamed by people buying while the AU$ was mega compared to the US$ and the importers (including Mladin, it must be said) were still charging big bucks in AU$ and getting heaps of cash on the exchange rate difference. He has been moderately successful but certainly not a standout business man.

It's a bit of an ex-Aus racer thing; Wayne Gardner is the distributor for stuff like Michelin motorbike tyres and a heap of other brands.

[mdgore]

Not exactly. Mat Mladin's dealership in Sydney is where I bought my 2003 GSX-R 750 (in 2003); it ceased being a Suzuki dealer in about 2005. He's definitely not the Suzuki motorbike importer either. He was the Yoshi, Joe Rocket and other brands importer and might still be; out of that he also ran a moderately successful internet business that went tits-up in about 2011 called Bike Gear Warehouse. Like I said, it closed down as they were being reamed by people buying while the AU$ was mega compared to the US$ and the importers (including Mladin, it must be said) were still charging big bucks in AU$ and getting heaps of cash on the exchange rate difference. He has been moderately successful but certainly not a standout business man.

It's a bit of an ex-Aus racer thing; Wayne Gardner is the distributor for stuff like Michelin motorbike tyres and a heap of other brands.

thanks for clarifying that, I knew he had exclusives on something, just couldn't remember wtf it was.  and I haven't checked up on him for years, so things do turn quickly in the powersports biz.  I also remember an interview where he said that he was keeping his family in mind when deciding about where to race.  In effect, he was just a quick plane ride back to his home from anywhere in the states, and that was important to him. Still, Mladin may be an ahole, but he was a fast ahole. I know a lot of people here in the states didn't like him because he was a bit abrasive.  Same thing happened to Fogerty, but damn that guy could ride.

Back on point, Spies will be missed. I think he was the last, best hope for a world class motorcycle racer in the here and now.  When Nicky is gone, which will probably be sooner than later, I don't know who'll step up.  And CE II isn't getting the hardware ever again. Kinda sad. 

[zooom]

CEII isn't getting the hardware for sure, but he will still play a role on the world stage. My bet is as a manager somewhere along the lines.

Nicky may not be in GP much longer beyond this 2 year stint, but he will still be world class should he decide to make the logical move to WSBK as others have done.

Spies may end up eventually on a SBK, I know that many here certainly hope so.

As for up and coming talent in the USA, people are trying, but due to the shitshow that DMG has turned this national series into, it is going to be increasingly harder for any American to do or penetrate any of the world level racing series from America. It will have to be through a series outside, like the Spanish CEV, or BSB, or World Supersport for then to get the attention and recognition to be even considered for some of these rides.

[fastwin]

Mladin's funny.  Anyway, Mladin didn't want to leave the AMA (he had offers).  He was making big $$$$$ and winning.  He left when the money dried up and went back to OZ, where he's a very successful business man.  I think he has exclusive rights to sell Suzuki's down under, and his race schools and race teams are doing well also.  Not to excuse his boorish behavior, but when an Aussie hates you, he really does hate you, and doesn't give a flip about being PC.  I doubt if Spies is losing sleep over what Mladin has to say about him. 

I thought that Spies would be a force in MotoGP after winning Rookie of the Year, but when things start going wrong it's hard to win.  It was honorable of him not blame his crew, but they really did screw the pooch on many occasions. I hope he does come back, but from what I've read, his injuries are chronic and will never fully heal.  Too bad. 

Chronic shoulder damage is never good in the long term. Just call Neil Hodgson for clarity. Many good athletes have packed it in over similar circumstances long before their sell by date. Again, hopefully he'll reappear in a year or two fresh, healed and ready to race a factory superbike. Count me as one who'd like to see him return to WSBK.

[gm2]

CEII isn't getting the hardware for sure, but he will still play a role on the world stage. My bet is as a manager somewhere along the lines.

Nicky may not be in GP much longer beyond this 2 year stint, but he will still be world class should he decide to make the logical move to WSBK as others have done.

Spies may end up eventually on a SBK, I know that many here certainly hope so.

As for up and coming talent in the USA, people are trying, but due to the shitshow that DMG has turned this national series into, it is going to be increasingly harder for any American to do or penetrate any of the world level racing series from America. It will have to be through a series outside, like the Spanish CEV, or BSB, or World Supersport for then to get the attention and recognition to be even considered for some of these rides.

i seriously doubt there will be an AMA series 2 years from now.

[ellingly]

I would have liked to see Ben on the Suzuki MotoGP bike in 2015. I honestly don't think he will be back though. Nasty shoulder injuries and riders not getting paid that much unless they are right at the top => why risk your body?

[OT]

Spies always seemed like a guy who raced because he loved it, not for the money.  At the same time, not being able to do it at the level he wants to and knows he has/can has to be very frustrating, and even depressing, and may have factored into his decision to quit as much as if not more than the discomfort of the injuries.

[Jester]

Spies always seemed like a guy who raced because he loved it, not for the money.  At the same time, not being able to do it at the level he wants to and knows he has/can has to be very frustrating, and even depressing, and may have factored into his decision to quit as much as if not more than the discomfort of the injuries.

Not to mention you can't perform at a winning level unless you ride one of 4 available bikes anyway.  Now with Stoner as their test mule, Honda might be THE only bike capable of winning in another year or two.  You can't beat having someone of his ability giving input on machines tuned to the razor edge.