Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From e-mails:


To Dave Sadowski:

Let me start by saying, “WOW!”

I certainly didn’t expect the volume of e-mail and web-board posts that were generated as a result of our emails.

You’ve given me no reason to doubt the sincerity of your apology, so consider it accepted… with one condition.

I plan to race my 250 at Mid-Ohio and VIR next year, and it will be my first time at either of those tracks. How about taking me around in a van to show me the “hot” line? And maybe Yates can join us to show me the best places to pass people. 🙂

Seriously, apology accepted and I too hope that RACERS (as well as TRACK OWNERS and SANCTIONING BODIES and CORNERWORKERS) can all work together to make 2003 the safest road racing season ever.

As for your future…

I know many people are calling for your “broadcasting head,” but I vote that you be kept on. I believe your job is very hard to master and I think you’ve shown improvement each year.

You’ve also had the opportunity to gain valuable insight during these last few days…insight that can give you an advantage over other announcers. I hope you use it wisely.

Good Luck.

Tony Iannarelli
Springfield, MA




I was really happy to see David Sadowski’s apology to Tony Ianarelli. David refers in his letter to “sticking together” and I feel that when someone like Tony takes the time to be a reader of a road race website and then sends in his thoughts for public review, he is obviously very committed to road racing and deserves a spot at the table too. I want to know what guys like Tony feel about the issues.

David, you have accomplished much in your motorcycling career, first on the track, and now in your very important role as the color man on the television coverage of road racing in America. What you don’t want to do is to use your name recognition to intimidate people with less and cause them to quit participating in the process of voicing their views about the sport. I know that wasn’t your intention and it was the right thing to do to clear the air with Tony.

I would like to add my thoughts about the Yates issue and a few other things in the Sadowski’s letter:

I agree 100% that riders need to stick together. Even this old pilot from the brake-shoe days is with the riders of today when it comes to issues that effect them all equally. There are times however when good people do bad things and I don’t think it’s expected that everyone defends someone if they did wrong. For example just a few weeks ago Tony Stewart punched a photographer at the Indy NASCAR event and no one jumped to his defense. Everyone knows you aren’t supposed to do that.

While I am a big Aaron Yates fan and want to see good things happen to him, in the case of his VIR incident what concerns me more is where do we go from there if there is no penalty? If the AMA does not assess some form of reprimand, what happens the next time another rider does exactly the same thing?

Here’s a scenario to chew on: It’s Daytona 2003 and you’ve got a great battle up front with the factory riders going at it. Sadowski and Drebber are at the mic and television viewers around the country are eating it up. The laps are winding down and we’ve got the battle of the century heading for a great photo finish.

On another part of the racetrack, one of the GSX-R750 privateers goes off the track. Could very well be one of the guys that Sadowski refers to in his letter order, the rider runs out on the track and lays down. A couple of riders have to dodge him, but no one gets hurt. So then the red flags come out and the race is stopped. And along with it the live television program comes to a halt and our great showdown is ruined.

Not only is the drama of the event destroyed, this is very bad when the clock is ticking in your TV time slot. So instead of having some time after the event for Victory Lane interviews, David’s show immediately goes off the air and now we’re watching a show about fishing.

And who knows how the restart might go? As we saw last year, every time you bunch the pack up for a restart, there are great risks involved there. Just ask Scott Russell.

If my scenario were to happen, then we would be revisiting the same issues as we are now. I am sure that the cry would go out: “Disqualify him, ban him, fine him, pull his points.” But then someone will ask: Isn’t this just the same thing the factory Suzuki guy did at VIR?” Do we have one set of rules for the factory rider and another for the privateer?

I don¹t know what the AMA will do about VIR, but if we asked NASCAR what they would do now, I’d bet lunch that here¹s what they would say: Make him understand that he did a bad thing. He put others in danger and impacted the television coverage purely in his self interest. It¹s the AMA’s job to decide when the red flag come out, not his. The most severe action would probably have been to disqualify him on the spot, but at this point you should fine him and put the money into more air fence. Then put him on probation for 90 days or so starting with the first race of the season. That way, he rides Daytona, but also know any future lawbreaking will result in being suspended.

One last point I¹d like to weigh in on. The Supersport riders will never get close to making the Superbike event look like a full field. There are clearly two races going on out there and everyone knows that. I¹d keep them all on the track together, but I¹d go with a format like in the American LeMans car racing series where you actually have different classes running at the same time. Let the Superbike riders have their battle, but instead of just mentioning the “Top Privateer” status of the GSX-R750 boys, I say pay OEM. Make it the 750 Supersport race and let the top finisher get credit for the class win, get the points and the cash. And if you did that you¹d have an extra time slot let in the schedule and maybe one of the classes the AMA is dropping could be saved.

Sorry to ramble, but those are my thoughts. Tony, keep your letters coming in. It¹s the American way to have a forum to speak your peace, no matter who disagrees with you. And David keep up the great work on television. You were a great racer and are on track to become just as great in your second career.

Don Emde
Laguna Niguel, CA

(Editorial Note: Emde won the Daytona 200 in 1972.)