Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Personally, I’ve seen just about enough of blaming the new Superbikes and their tremendous horsepower for Dunlop’s tire woes. Hasn’t anyone noticed that the MotoGP class seems to run full-out with smoking, sliding tires without any exploding? I think it’s safe to say that they are running with a bit more horsepower than our AMA Superbikes.

And as much as I feel that it’s time we stop racing motorcycles on NASCAR tracks such as Daytona, the track is not the only track where such catastrophes have happened.

Noelle Rohr
Covina, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

This year’s Daytona tire testing is producing some worrisome results. There has to be a solution to this mess and it has to be easily implemented and affordable. Instead of criticizing, I propose this:

How about adding a second chicane at the speedway? After looking at aerial photographs of the track, there seems to be plenty of room to construct something in the huge paved area at or just before the exit of NASCAR turn four. Part of this area is where the big trucks cross the track to enter the infield. I can visualize the riders coming off the east banking, slowing, diving left down through a chicane, then accelerating right, then left again up towards the start finish line.

This new chicane would have to incorporate an entrance to the pits; maybe have two exits to it, one right towards start finish and one straight onto pit road. Or maybe have the pit entrance entirely to the left of the chicane so as to avoid it altogether.

I don’t know if this would work but it should be easy enough to try. Some hay bales, an aerial shot of that area of the track, a ruler, calculator and 50-foot tape are all that’s needed to get started. Jeez, at least somebody should TRY IT! It might work, it’d be cheap and easy and tire temperatures might not be so high.

I don’t blame Mat Mladin one bit for what he’s said about not wanting to race at Daytona this coming March. I almost don’t want to drive 1000 miles to watch. I sure hope it doesn’t take a death before something is done. I hope, hope, hope.

Ed Siccardi Jr.
Eyeball Engineering
Downingtown, Pennsylvania



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

In regard to the Dunlop tire failures I would like to add the comment that if people think that only the riders in the U.S. are having troubles, they should think again.

At the begining of the year in the British Superbike series, Dunlop were having so many problems that the entire paddock who were on Dunlops asked that the promoters reduce the amount of laps run in the second race of the day.

All the teams were concerned that the Dunlops could not last the full race distance. Of course, the Pirelli and Michelin teams were against the shortening of the race but were out-voted by the predominant teams on Dunlops. As reported by Motorcycle Racer magazine.

If I remember correctly “Shakey” Burne crashed twice on the same weekend when his Dunlop tires delaminated.

Neville Hall-Reace
CCS #80
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

First, in response to Noelle Rohr, The complaint is not that the Superbikes have too much horsepower, but that they have a lot of horsepower combined with a lot more weight than a MotoGP bike. The weight of the bikes is the biggest problem combined with the speeds they can generate.

To race at Daytona, they need to at least put in an additional Chicane to break up the run around the banking, This would limit the time on the banking and reduce the time that the tires are subjected to the heat buildup.

Ultimately, it would be better to have a couple of real corners put in the infield, starting where they would put in a chicane.

Daytona could do it if they wanted too, the question is do they want to and how many needed to get badly injured or killed before it is taken seriously enough by both Daytona and the AMA

Paul Trautman
San Jose, California