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General Category => General Banter => Topic started by: RidinAgain on September 03, 2014, 04:21:53 PM
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Check This Out!!! :o
http://www.cyclenews.com/646/24985/Racing-Article/AMA-Road-Racing--Wayne-Rainey-In--DMG-Out.aspx (http://www.cyclenews.com/646/24985/Racing-Article/AMA-Road-Racing--Wayne-Rainey-In--DMG-Out.aspx)
Steve
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Best news involving stateside pro racing in probably 10 years now. I hope they can figure out a way to work closely with Dorna.
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I totally agree pkpk!! It is nice to see some people in the new group that actually have roadracing experience at a high level. This hopefully will help them bring the AMA, etc. up to the level they were in the past.
Looking forward to good things coming. May be a slow road at first as getting the mfrs./sponsers back on board could take some time.
Patience young Skywalker......for me... ;)
Steve
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This is great news! Whatever this group does it is sure to be an improvement over the sad state of affairs in 2014.
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The only real up since ama killed Formula 1 bikes (1982 if I remember right). Anyone else remember Miles Baldwin beating the factory teams on his TZ750 at Elkhart? 8)
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Miles Baldwin was my underdog hero at the time! A greasy "do it yourself" privateer type - like I was back in my CRA days.... :D
There was also a guy by the name of Dave Busby that was running TR2/3 & TD2/3 against the TZ's at the time giving them a run for their money too.....
I really miss two strokes in roadracing - the sound and smell can't be beat IMHO!!
Steve
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Unfortunately I'm not sure there is anything that can be done to reverse the downward direction of motorcycle road racing in America.
Motor vehicles and motor sports are simply not as relevant today as they were two decades ago. All forms of motor sports are facing shrinking audiences with the exception of extreme sports and the only audience growth is in Asia, where motor vehicles are symbols of new affluence.
A generation steeped in reality TV and short intense spectacle extreme sports is unlikely to become racing fans where the action is spread out physically and across a long period of time, no matter who is managing a race series. CART can't reverse the trend, and even the once almighty NASCAR can't reverse the trend. Traditional sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey and golf are all facing shrinking audiences too. I fear the challenges which face motorcycle road racing in America extend well beyond what can be managed and overcome by a race organizing body.
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I agree with you Ray. Did anyone notice the stands during the Indy MotoGP? They were empty!!! Every other stop on the tour, races are packed. Does not bode well for the future of the sport here...
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Ya gotta remember Amerika is the land of the pickup/suv/hoglie mentality. With obesity being so popular sport bikes can't compete w cruisers for fitability. Milwaukee=beer bellies on Hoglies=True Amerikana! ::)
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Traditional sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey and golf are all facing shrinking audiences too.
I don't think pro football is "shrinking". They are still selling out stadiums, even with ridiculous ticket prices.
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At the Indy MotoGP this year. There was a lot of empty seats. But there always is for the number of times I have been there. There was a lot more than the last time I was there in 2012. There was a threat of rain everyday there also but it seem to just go around the track. If I go next year which I think I will. I guess I will see if more or less show up.
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Let's also not forget the economy is still in the dumps - has been for a long time now. Expendible income is not what it was 10 years ago and people just aren't spending like in the past. This is affecting many activities....not so much football as was stated which is curious....
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Here's more:
http://www.cyclenews.com/307/25022/Racing-Article/Editorial--Road-Racing-101.aspx (http://www.cyclenews.com/307/25022/Racing-Article/Editorial--Road-Racing-101.aspx)
Personally I am very excited to see what happens.....
Steve
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Even more info from Rainey himself.....
http://cyclenews.uberflip.com/i/389578/0 (http://cyclenews.uberflip.com/i/389578/0)
Go to page 38.
Steve
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I wish Rainey lots of luck. I fear it is going to be a very tough road. While the classes and approach are familiar, the toughest thing in my mind is going to be bringing back the funding necessary to run full fields and competitive races.
The 1000 Stock class holds allot of promise in this area for rebuilding fields and funding. Maybe the makers will step up with enough contingency money for these classes to make it possible for an unknown privateer to emerge the way Doug Polen emerged in the GSXR Cup in 1986.
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I agree Ray it will be a long tough row to hoe, but at least there is what I hope a positive change moving away from DMG. It has to start somewhere and I think this has as good a shot of being successful as we have seen in the AMA roadracing scene in quite a while.
Manufacturers are key as you state. I hope this management gives them the push to re-install themselves in the US RR scene.
We'll have to wait and see. Daytona next year will really be something to keep our eyes on to see if they are starting to turn things around.
Steve
BTW - glad to see Rainey was confused with the previous class names - I thought I was the only one.... ;D
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.... the toughest thing in my mind is going to be bringing back the funding necessary to run full fields and competitive races.
The 1000 Stock class holds allot of promise in this area for rebuilding fields and funding. Maybe the makers will step up with enough contingency money for these classes to make it possible for an unknown privateer to emerge the way Doug Polen emerged in the GSXR Cup in 1986.
If you recall, Polen made $90,000 (in 1986 dollars) strictly from contingency. You make a very good point that it's hard to imagine that kind of money being advanced for privateers today. It was compelling for Suzuki to spend serious money while marketing their early GSXR's and probably no where as compelling today.