End of an era.

[bigoltool]

If you didn't get a chance to watch or record the races from Laguna Seca today you have officially missed the Last Ever (That is correct, last Ever!!!) AMA Superbike, Superstock and Supersport races! The last chance to Watch Ben Spies racing on US soil (until he returns in either the MotoGP or WSBK series). Perhaps the last chance to watch Mat Mladin race, ever! By this time next year the AMA series will have crowned its champions in an entirely different set of class structures and most if not all of the big names now Synonymous with the AMA series will be long departed, replaced by a new crop of club racers/privateers. I honestly hope it is a good show! But for now I will have to make do with the DVR full of races from the last year of the series as we knew it.

 

[motogp08]

Why are they making the changes????

 

[Scar]

A sad day, to be certain.

 

[bigoltool]

LSS The AMA sold the rights to the series to the Daytona Motorsports Group who is heavily founded in NASCAR. So the DMG thought it best to scrap the entire show and rewrite the rule book. There is talk of an alternate series being run by the manufacturers themselves next season. ALL of it is still in flux though. No one knows what they are doing next year as of this moment!

Why are they making the changes????

 

[motogp08]

That sux, I liked watching Mat Mladin race...

 

[pcosho]

That stinks!:mad2:

 

[MPH 200]

It will be different. All the racers are still waiting for contracts???

 

[ekz]

watching spies and mladin go at it was great, although they always beat the field by 10 seconds. there were 2 races in one, their race and who would finish in third.

 

[bigoltool]

I can only speak for myself but the only reason I watch a bike race at this level is to see the Best of the best doing what they do...best. Look at Tommy Hayden, he was a stud in Supersport but when he moved up to Superbike on theoretically the exact same bike Mladin and Spies were riding he was back fighting with the privateers most of the season. It takes a man amongst children to ride one of those things to its limit! The series is about to lose a lot of those men! Next year the AMA will be the best of the rest, all on the same bike.

 

[Rayabusa0818]

It was definitely the last time we will get to see Mladin and Spies go toe to toe. They have provided a lot of great memories. Here's to them

 

[ToXSicK RoCKeT]

Man that's shety, had no idea this was comming down the pipe, where the hell have i been :stoopid: .........Well its mainly do to i've always enjoyed the straight line stuff a little more. BUT I STILL LOVED THE AMA races TOO! Wow, wonder what there going to SCREW UP......im mean change next year(I hate NASCAR!!!)? I'm definitely going to have to check into this :suspect:

 

[bigoltool]

If you really want to read about it go here and do a search on the page for the term "DMG". You will find all the info you need.

Man that's shety, had no idea this was comming down the pipe, where the hell have i been :stoopid: .........Well its mainly do to i've always enjoyed the straight line stuff a little more. BUT I STILL LOVED THE AMA races TOO! Wow, wonder what there going to SCREW UP......im mean change next year(I hate NASCAR!!!)? I'm definitely going to have to check into this :suspect:

 

[semperfi]

Matt made it look easy. Bummer

 

[WWJD]

I do sympathize with all the opinions here, but there is another perspective to this.

AMA was about to fold and go away completely.

DMG actually pumped some life back into it's withering business model and poor finances. So, be it different, be it a whole new feel and rules, at LEAST it is still some motorcycle racing and maybe they will reach larger crowds to help the sport be more self sufficient. Would have been sadder to see: RIP USA MOTORCYCLE RACES

 

[Mr Bogus]

watching spies and mladin go at it was great, although they always beat the field by 10 seconds. there were 2 races in one, their race and who would finish in third.

funny you should state that... in other racing venues (car, boat etc) the promoters found that it really hurt the gate revenue when the top 3 runners were predictable.. You build a very narrow fan base with an uneven leader board..

From what I have seen (just as in F1 racing) it (bike racing) is more an equipment race than a riders race.. I bet if they can even up the results by evening up the equipment race and making it a riders race, the sport may just find an accepting crowd in the US.. (at least one large enough to support it)

Change is not alway an easy pill to swallow... hope it all works out..

I LOVED the MotoGP race... the hurricane weather made it super exciting..