I just read John Ulrich’s editorial about AMA Pro Racing. I’ve been saying a lot of the same things for years. We’re running the same type of rocket fuel in dirt track and it’s ridiculous that we’re paying about $23 a gallon. If anything should be spec, it should be fuel, not tires. Chris Carr Fleetwood, Pennsylvania Very well written, and nice to know that somebody really cares about the sport and the fans. We need more people like you helping the AMA. Carlos Hageleit Vancouver, Canada Does he really think the AMA will start doing things that actually make sense? They have a “smarter than anyone else” attitude, & will not change just because something makes sense. Rick Maron, LRRS Ex. # 49 Fairfield, Connecticut Great editorial, looks like your starting to get the big rock to roll! One thing I’ve been thinking about since Elkhart and have not heard anything about in a while is aggregate time in the case of a red flag. Of course the AMA always said it would confuse the fans but from a teams point of view we have to just throw out the first part of the race. Not sure what you think about it but thought I’d mention it. Tom Houseworth Corona, California Kuddo’s to your editorial!! Coming for the Mountain bike industry, I’ve seen the rise and fall of down hill racing in that sport”¦ I think that if more people were half as passionate as you are, it would still be a growing, publicly known sport”¦ As long as you’re there, I think that the AMA is in good hands!!! Dan Napier Mission Viejo, California I thought it was great what you posted on your website this morning! I have always known you to be a no BS person who has always strived to print the truth. Your magazine has always been more than fair in doing comparisons and coverage from my perspective. I let my AMA membership expire till you became involved. You are making a difference and in time it will show. You care so much about the sport and have done as much as anyone to make race tracks safer. You work hard to get the privateer riders practice time before an AMA event etc. Keep the faith and Keep it up! Unfortunately, we are a sport / industry of rumors, egos, attitude, and takers. I don’t know where all the BS comes! I think I am definitely in the huge majority that supports your efforts and truly understands you are doing things to make the sport better. If there is any way I can be of assistance, do not hesitate to ask. David Pyles Alta Loma, California Over the years I have made some less than flattering remarks about John Ulrich. Not because I thought he was self serving or dishonest, but because I was never sure what was behind his commentary. Always enjoyable to read. This editorial however was right on from start to finish. Bravo, thank you, keep up the good work. Still great reading too. Edward H. Gray Rockingham, Vermont Very well stated!! Thank you. Larry Pointer Tustin, California Very nicely done, Mr. Ulrich. AMA Roadracing would be much better off if you were in charge. A level playing field for all is what drives competition. Rob Davis, AHRMA #128 Tinley Park, Illinois Amen Ken Hill Woodland, California As a European Member of the Jeremy McWilliams 2006 Daytona Team my greatest respect for your article about the AMA. You name it on the point! Jens Krüper Auw, Germany Very well-written piece, John. You made some excellent points, and reiterated your stance on very important issues that, hopefully, will still be addressed by those within the AMA holding the power to actually transform ideas into action. One thing to add to the AMA’s to-do list: send a memo to Ron Barrick, reminding him that the Daytona 200 pace car is, in fact, a two-seater… Mel Gantly Victoria, British Columbia, Canada I agree with pretty much everything that you wrote today. I would love to see the AMA go to a spec fuel, like the FUSA did in the 90’s with SUNOCO. The fuel was $ 232 a barrel, and it was enforced for everyone. Make spec fuels for every class while you are at it. Hearing about Supersport & superstock racers spending $ 125 a tank on fuel for the extra few HP is crazy. Especially when you can figure on going through 25-50 gallons per event, per bike. I would think that everyone would welcome this, including, and probably especially the factory teams, that HAVE to have every advantage they can get, no matter what the cost. This has the potential to save literally tens of thousands of dollars per year for every racer. Mark Lewellen Ozark, Missouri I pretty much agree with all of your rules. But 1 rule that continues to always upset me every year, is when a new bike comes out, the factory guys already have the bikes riding and testing them, even competing on them. Yet these same bikes are not even released to the public yet? Privateers are forced to use last years model, and by the time the privateer gets his or her bike modified with what parts are available the season is half over. Just a gripe I have almost every year a new bike is out. Tim Kamholz, AFM #15 Newark, California Another well put piece of wordsmithing. Hope someone in the AMA braintrust listens to you but I wouldn’t hold your breath. I suggested years ago to one of the at track AMA folks to split up the stupidbike qualifying so us backmarkers wouldn’t have to listen to the likes of the Bostrom brothers etc…took ’em 5 years to see that it was a useful idea. All these committees remind me of a government operation and we all know how well the government works. Keep after them Mike Walsh, former AMA stupidbike backmarker Toronto, Ontario, Canada I think these views would put the AMA series back on the road to credibility. There is a real need to get the costs of Supersport and Superstock racing under control plus allow privateers to be able to build machinery nearer to factories in terms of speed. I would suggest the following: 1. Restrict the amount of engine modifications that can be made – the 600’s and 1000’s are fast enough anyway. Ban the machining of cylinder head and blocks to avoid compression raising and check that cam timing is within a manufacturer’s given tolerance. 2. Run a 93 octane unleaded pump gas that could be supplied at the track. 3. When a machine is homologated for the Supersport or Superstock class, the manufacturer must supply a number of stock ECU’s (not kit ECU’s) that are handed out at Tech at the start of the event and returned afterwards. Police the above modifications with random dyno testing during the event – with stock heads and cylinders, stock cam timing, stock ECU’s and regulated fuel it would be easier to determine the teams that break the rules. If the motors are more even, it will make the privateers more competitive. Garry Hayes Madison Heights, Michigan I’d just like to say that I found the June 19th editorial by John to be very well put together. Kudos to Mr. Ulrich, you are a class act. Louis Glass Overland Park, Kansas In your editorial today you did a good job of defending yourself from the spurious, if not malicious, rumors about Pirelli becoming a spec tire in the AMA. You also made some salient points about race fuel standards and safety measures, and I believe that should be applauded. However, your train of thought quickly derails with one point saying Superstock homogulation regulations should be tighter, and the next saying it should be abolished altogether…which one is it then? Then you get into the “us vs. them” mentality of testing “cartels” and where factory teams are allowed to park? This is so tit-for-tat it is laughable. Does the placement of rental cars in the front row of parking really make the paddock that much more dangerous? Or is it just that you can’t stand seeing the factory teams acting a little differently from your own second-Tier team? Oh again, with the woes of the poor privateer. How ironic is it that you want to change the point system to more of a MotoGP/WSBK format? Neither of those series have bloated 40+ bike grids with people finishing 2 and 3 laps down. So which do you want? The second half of your little screed makes quite clear that you are quite jealous of the position the factory teams and riders have EARNED with their on track success and millions of investment dollars. It’s also telling out of your entire 23 points, you only mention the fans once. And I can tell you as a fan that’s already dropped over a grand to go see racing this year, I couldn’t give a rip about a banquet that’s not even televised in most markets. I care about watching racing, not AMA bureaucrats congratulating one another. Ever thought of working for NASCAR? I heard they might implement that kind of rule for their “award show.” Let’s see, petty, small-minded and delusions of grandeur, fans meet the new AMA, same as the old AMA. Johnny Hall Chatt, Tennessee Stop making sense; you’ll only confuse or affront the salaried AMA employees whose responsibilities include maintaining the status quo and keeping anything NIH (Not Invented Here) from ever being implemented. I guess it would help greatly if the employees of the various parts of the organization were actually answerable to the various Boards that direct them (I know this from being a past CMRA Boardmember). My father, a class C dirttracker and roadracer from the 50s and 60s (and sort of an “industry observer” during his many years with Yamaha), has told me many stories of his experiences with the AMA, and they all have an oddly familiar ring to what’s been happening over the past 20 years there. Needlessly dead racers, preferential rulemaking and enforcement, etc., etc… I was a 15 year member and was on my way to an earned life membership until the whole Edmondson debacle, when I let my membership lapse. I still refuse to renew it. Keep tossing in grenades, though. You never know when one will cause something to happen! Chuck Ergle, CMRA #33 Dallas, Texas I read your comments this morning and for the most part (99%) agree w/ everything you wrote. I have met you in person in the past, talked to you regarding a rider on the phone (and had no problems w/ you keeping your word!) and have been able to approach you in the paddock w/ a question (honestly it wasn’t stupid). While you can be a ball-breaking S.O.B., you are honest and straight-forward and are always interested in the safety and integrity of our sport. Your magazine IS the ultimate source for Roadracing and Motorcycle Technology, and those who wish to impugn your good name and character are only making fools of themselves and those that read their drivel and believe it. Keep up the great work, w/ the magazine, the Team and all your efforts to reform AMA racing. Ronnie Reyes Bastrop, Texas