Mlandin speaks up against DMG's

[Charlesbusa]

Quote from Mlandin on the podium;
<div class="iF-Passage"><div class="QUOTEHEAD">Quote:[/Quote]<div class="QUOTE clearfix"><span class="quoteBegin"> </span>

From the podium, Mladin said into the track PA system that the fans of the series should "speak up now" so they won't have to see a series populated by "piece of crap motorcycles and second-rate riders". [/quote]


http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/May/080517i7.htm

 

[Charlesbusa]

I am in complete agreement with this!!

No one wants to watch Moto ST.  How many fans watch that series now?  Not even a fraction of the fans that watch AMA Superbike and Supersport.


Someone needs to tell DMG that running Moto ST and 600s as "superbikes" is like telling Nascar to run 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engines in their Premere NASCARs.

 

[Charlesbusa]

More comments from Matt;

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/May/080517n.htm
<div class="iF-Passage"><div class="QUOTEHEAD">Quote:[/Quote]<div class="QUOTE clearfix"><span class="quoteBegin"> </span>

MLADIN: I won't be riding Daytona Superbike next year.[/quote]

 

[DaCol.]

Look at what they did for NASCAR

 ! Went from REAL STOCK CARS racing, to SPEC Car racing

. There is NO difference in any of their cars, except who builds their NASCAR SPEC engines !!! To me, Howwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Boring

. Not as bad as Indy Cars, but their getting there

 

[Revvv]

Wow!!!!!!!

Hey, sometimes dramatic responses and actions are needed in order to get results.

 

[99'busa]

 

[Charlesbusa]

Wow!!!!!!!

Hey, sometimes dramatic responses and actions are needed in order to get results.

That's what I'm hoping

 

[gtrpimp76]

Finally, someone of importance has something to say about the class structure for next year! Josh Hayes had some opinions too. He stated that it's been his goal to do real well in the feeder series (Formula Xtreme and Supersport) so that he'll get a factory superbike ride. He says because of class changes for next year, that may never come to fruition. He's reportedly already talking to a few WSBK teams and maybe land a ride overseas. I hope Josh gets it. But at the same time, that would be a huge loss for American roadracing b/c he's pure US talent born and raised in America.

This may be what DMG wants. Out with Mladin and all the factory superstars, the factories, and the current fan base. In with the Nascar fans who'll worship every idea DMG has to offer because they're all about entertainment and selling beer and sponsorship spots.

To Jim France, Roger Edmondson, and DMG

 

[schroetf]

what is a nascar?

 

[GMbusa]

what is a nascar?

Your kidding.... right? You never heard of Nascar? Live under a rock do we?

 

[Copperone]

This whole deal with DMG is garbage. I won't even bother to watch any of the stuff they put out. Very sad day for motorcycle racing in America.

 

[Charlesbusa]

Another news article about it;

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin....G50.DTL

 

[Lamb busa]

Lamb is all for closer racing. If the bikes need to be slowed down a little across the board so that the competition stays nice and tight for the entire race, then so be it. Technology is cool and everything but if it doesn't promote closer racing than the fans see bad racing. see F1 for an example.

 

[bigoltool]

I am recording every AMA race this year because this just might be the peak and its all downhill from here! What they are doing is an insult to motorcyclists and racing fans around the world. The reasoning behind the proposed class structures is so that DMG can showcase bike races in their dilapidated, crappy old Nascar tracks the current track owners ought to be pissed about this most of all. Just watch it will just be a matter of time till they are dropping real racetracks in favor of "consumer friendly" venues already on the NASCAR circuit. The argument about safety is hog wash, the argument about sporting parity is hog wash, they are attempting to clean up a mess left by the old guard no question but at least we had good racing! I hope Speed starts covering the Canadian Superbike series because it just might find itself the new top series on the continent by default.

On a side note Ben Spies and Mat Mladin are making this look like a war to the wire this year so if you aren't watching the races you should! I will surely miss this!

 

[Charlesbusa]

I could maybe live with 600 "Superbikes". Maybe...

But Moto ST

No way.

Almost every sport rider would be riding a more powerful machine than the "professionals" Heck, some trackday riders on 1000s could even lap faster than those Moto ST bikes at some tracks at a trackday....


Look at WSBK. Suzuki, Ducati, Yamaha, and Honda are leading the top 4 in the overall standings. Obviously it can work with 600s and 1000s.

I think Spies and Mlandin are just another level above everyone else, rather than their bikes are that much better. Look at T. Hayden, he's not even close to Matt or Ben and he's on the same bike on the same team.

 

[DaCol.]

If the rule changes make lots of people walk away, I can assure you things will change FAST ! Remember, this is a Sport Business, and without fans no one makes $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[gtrpimp76]

Now will be a good time to start getting into club racing like WERA and WSMC. Rest assured the WERA sportsman national champ will pretty much be the top dog if AMA changes formats and no factory rider returns next year. Close racing??!! Also watch WERA, CCS, WSMC, AFM events. Close racing to your hearts content on fire breathing 600 and 1000's.

 

[saygbye]

Another quote from Mladin:
"I've had to listen to - and everybody's had to listen to, World Superbike - apparently World Superbike's competitive because there's controlled tires and all the bikes are the same. Well, our bikes here in the States are all not that far off World Superbike, and everybody in America that matters is on exactly the same race tires. So realistically, we're on controlled tires, and realistically, we're all on the same motorbike, even though they're different manufacturers."

The difference is the riders. Mat and Ben are on a different planet than the other riders. Mat is a 6 time champ and Ben is about to go to Moto. only 2 current riders(that i can think of right off hand) have been overseas. Bostrom & Hodgson, and they couldnt cut it in WSBK or Moto so here they are(and doing nicely but not on mat or bens level). If they want closer racing they need better riders not slower bikes. They also need better sponsorship. you have the factory teams and everybody else. the only team with any kind of $$ is the jordan team and they cant get the parts the factory team gets.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

Well, no opinion about DMG other than I won't be watching next year... remember that Mat has held a spot on the GP and Ben is fighting for a spot for next year... Kevin is also looking to move with him to continue coaching/mentoring him form a managment position within the team...

I think it will be down to the wire!

 

[bigoltool]

The bigger issue is that for decades the AMA Superbike series (and to a lesser extent the old 250 and F-1 series) was the only thing close to a feeder series for world competition. Every American that ever raced at the world level be it MotoGP or WSBK has roots in the AMA Superbike series. Take that away and the European based MotoGP and WSBK teams will stay away in droves. Which means that the young up and comers in the US will have to rely on the Red Bull Rookies cup and series like that to get international exposure of any kind. I hate to seem so gloom and doom here because I think the AMA needed someone to market the series much better than what they were doing on their own and DMG is highly capable of doing just that. But by castrating the series the way they have proposed, I fear that they will alienate the factories, the teams, the tracks, the true fans, everything the series is today or ever was. Perhaps they will actually talk to and listen to those people before this gets so out of hand it is un-salvageable and they are left holding a pile of goo. I truly hope so because it would be a shame to dismantle it all.