RACE STUFF THREAD

[Cher]

Does the DMG bunch also manage the Rolex Sportscar Series?  I know for sure there is a 100% tie between NASCAR (the Bill France family) and the RSS.  The reason I'm asking this is because I could have sworn I heard over the weekend on a telecast with the President of RSS, that he was also the managing director of AMA...

Now I'm not a huge fan of NASCAR - I know enough about the series to stay "current" - but once the France family took control of the Rolex Sportscars Series, their quality of competition has improved 1000% percent, along with their viewership not surprisingly.  In fact they are in the enviable postion of having to ADD race dates to keep the sponsors happy  

If there is some tangential tie between the AMA and the folks at NASCAR, maybe their series can improve too.  The only real question is are we really ready for a Viagra/Monster Energy/Huggies GSXR?

Didn't think so  

[Pinocchio]

Hey, if taxi cabs can go round in a circle a little faster than rush hour traffic in Houston and "La Frances' "can make people believe it's actually fun to watch AND get them to cheerlead behind the mindless drivers with mass advertising products all-the-whilst controlling it to the point of telling each driver..."psssst, it's your turn to win this week"....

But, don't you see, it's precisely the American Spectacle of NA$CAR that makes up it's appeal! All those colorful blurs rushing past the fence, the cars and racing suits covered in cool stickers all over the place from sponsors you and I patronize every day, right here in the USA! And everyone stands up and puts their ballcaps over their hearts when the American Idol winner steps up to belt out the National Anthem! From the spectator standpoint. it's a no-brainer, a lot easy to understand than other professional sports, and it's American!. Better'n that, it's Southern! Why, it's Southern Hockey, by gawd!
Did I mention it was American?

I see no big take over or expansion moves by anyone on the horizon due to the unpopularity of the DMG run series.

However... I could see the manufacturers getting together (without Buell ) and starting their own series. Which they threatened to do last year over the tensions with the DMG yahoos. If the economy was hitting on all eight cylinders and they were all doing well I could really see some possiblities with a Motorcycle Industry Council series....

Of course, if it weren't for the economy, the deal with DMG probably wouldn't have been necessary. But if anyone can make another NA$CAR out of AMA racing, DMG can. It may not be anything that track day enthusiasts care to watch, but ask yourselves, how many NA$CAR fans are serious about going fast themselves? Probably a small minority, with the majority being thrill-seeking spectators ponying up lots of cash, and who measure the return on their entertainment dollar in spectacular, but fortunately harmless, crashes.

If there is some tangential tie between the AMA and the folks at NASCAR, maybe their series can improve too.  The only real question is are we really ready for a Viagra/Monster Energy/Huggies GSXR?

Hmmm..sounds like that would cover the entire life cycle in reverse, kinda like if Benjamin Button had been a motorcycle racer. Unless those Huggies turned out to be Depends, which had doggone better be inside my leathers if I ever go racing!

[Cher]

An interesting idea explaining why only one rider seems to be able to ride the Ducati GP bike:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/15september09_desmomystery.htm

Makes some sense but this "issue" must just be one of many that have kept the current Ducati GP team from consistently scoring points for BOTH bikes competing

[fastwin]

Wow, where did this come from? Simoncelli in WSBK this weekend? Isn't he trying to win another 250 GP title and move on to MotoGP? What's up with one race WSBK deal???

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38195

[RED]

Cool pictures from Imola:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/photo.php?pid=2683824&id=706353648

[junior varsity]

watched race 1 of imola last night, watching race 2 tonight. i already know the results, but it was great fun to watch the race.

[RED]

watched race 1 of imola last night, watching race 2 tonight. i already know the results, but it was great fun to watch the race.

That was some very hard fought territory the front 8 riders did. I thought the jockeying was great. And OMGoodness did you see young Simoncelli! Jeez louise fresh from MoGP on 250's and now in the big leauges. He's what like 20 years old! What a rider.

[fastwin]

Cool pictures from Imola:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/photo.php?pid=2683824&id=706353648

Looks like you have to log in and have an account with facebook to see the pics... which I don't have. Oh well.

[fastwin]

I think we could all this coming given the "IZ_" wording of Yamaha's press release when they re-signed Spies for another two years. I guess they had to wait to see how arm twisting it would take for Toseland to play ball and be a team player. I think he will do well in WSBK.

I still wonder if Spies is jumping series too soon. I would love to see him duke it out with Haga and Co. in SBK. I just like that series better than MotoGP. It will be interesting for sure!

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2009/10/01/trading-places-1

[RED]

Looks like you have to log in and have an account with facebook to see the pics... which I don't have. Oh well.

Oh dang B, I didn't think about that. Since you're a biker-dude if you were to get a FB account you'd be in touch with mille's of moto fans around the world. That is if that's a benefit of course. If not I'll dl some of the pics that look interesting and post em. Only a couple of um-girls to look at. Don't understand that when it's there in front of you to photograph WHY NOT?

[RED]

I think we could all this coming given the "IZ_" wording of Yamaha's press release when they re-signed Spies for another two years. I guess they had to wait to see how arm twisting it would take for Toseland to play ball and be a team player. I think he will do well in WSBK.
I still wonder if Spies is jumping series too soon. I would love to see him duke it out with Haga and Co. in SBK. I just like that series better than MotoGP. It will be interesting for sure!
http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2009/10/01/trading-places-1

It seems ambiguity has it's purpose

[Pinocchio]

....I still wonder if Spies is jumping series too soon.....

I think the timing is just about right. Edwards said once he waited too long to move up. Learning to ride superbikes, then switching to MotoGP prototypes can teach riders habits that are easy to revert to under pressure, but that don't translate well: you can't ride a thoroughbred the same way you do a quarterhorse.

Ben could do a lot worse than learning the MotoGP ropes at Tech 3. He'll have Edwards for a teammate and Herve Poncharal for a manager. With a determined couple of Texans on the satellite team, 2010 could see some fierce competition in the Yamaha camp.

[fastwin]

You're right. It could really be a great team. Who better to have in the corner of your satellite team as a team mate than Colin Edwards. A fellow Texan and a no bullshit, tell it like it is kinda guy who happens to know what he's talking about. Rossi thought an awful lot of him. Not an easy person to impress I'm sure. Too bad Toseland didn't make it work better and pissed him off... and many others. Had their relationship been better Toseland might have gotten some tips and help from the other side of their garage instead of a curtain! Sounds like the Pedro-bot vs Hayden days!

[webspoke]

From http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Oct/091001-45on11.htm

Tech Three Yamaha will feature an all-American line up in 2010 when American Ben Spies joins the squad. "Team Texas" has already been applied to the team as both Spies and Edwards hail from the Lone Star State.

"Or, Team Redneck," Edwards deadpanned this morning on his mobile phone. "Whatever you call it, I like it a lot better than 'Team Wanker'."

[fastwin]

Typical funny Edwards stuff!

And now for something completely different: another kind of Italian v-twin racing!

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38289

I like the idea of a sporting Harley with Ohlins and Termis! [moto]