Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

First of all, you guys have the best mag in the States. Thanks for all your work.

Now to the real point of this letter. I think Aaron Yates should be banned from racing in the AMA. He is one of the most talented riders in AMA racing. However, he is also a hot-head cry baby. I lost respect for him a couple years ago when I saw him get all bent out of shape when a slower rider was in his way during a practice session for a race. I can’t remember which track it was, but he was shaking his head and pumping his arms in disgust as he passed a back marker.

Then there’s the incident at Leguna Seca last year with Eric Bostrom. From what I could tell, Aaron showed poor judgment on his line selection, but I suppose one could argue that Yates was inadvertently in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But his behavior at Daytona this past weekend was totally unsportsman-like and shows that he can not control his temper. What if he loses control of his temper at 190 mph on the banking? In my opinion, he is a danger to himself and the other riders. Motorcycle racing is dangerous enough without a short-tempered egomaniac riding a 190 bhp motorcycle around with 30 other guys that might get in his way.

Don Proctor
Plymouth, Michigan



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

The behavior of Yoshimura Suzuki Rider Aaron Yates after yesterday’s on track incident during the Daytona 200 was reprehensible.

Whether or not Mr. Fania or Mr. Yates was at “fault” for the racing incident is not the issue here. Racing incidents happen and must be dealt with as many other adversities in the sport. How champions deal with that adversity is what sets them apart from the other competitors. Mr. Yates displayed abominably poor sportsmanship after the incident jumping, kicking, pushing and butting a possible injured fellow sportsman.

Yates displayed this behavior last year as well by lying on an active racetrack at VIR obviously more concerned about getting back in the race than the safety of his fellow competitors.

In my opinion, the solution is easy. Throw a punch – miss at least one race.

It would be easy enough to verify the aggressor from cornerworkers and video tape. The impact to the teams and sponsors would keep the riders in line.

Physically brutal behavior in direct-contact physical sports is embarrassing but somewhat understandable if you take the physical contact too far.

In motorsports there is no such excuse…. Aaron Yates is a thug. He needs to be dealt with for the good of the series and the sport.

Tom Tracey
Bartlett, Illinois



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Yates is a whiny little spoiled child, out of control, and should be suspended for a race. Aside from that, I hope that he gets sued and loses some coin for this too.

In the last two years, he has ran and laid down in the middle of the track to draw a red (VIR I think), made unnecessary contact with a number of riders, last year he intentionally ran into someone who “got in his way” at Fontana – well after exiting the corner, and he has generally been an asshole on the track. And who can forget the WSB incident where he took out 4 riders, one for the remainder of the year.

A recent article in popular mag portrayed him as easygoing and soft spoken. Yeah. Whatever….

This was clearly his fault, there was plenty of room on the inside, and the guy he was passing was not a slouch rider. Nobody on the grid was really a slouch. Yates decides to make a hairball pass on the outside, gets caught out for it, and then chops into the guy’s front wheel. I don’t give a sh*t who he was trying to chase down, make your pass cleanly, you ain’t gonna lose that much time – and in the end he lost quite a bit of time, didn’t he.

I would love to send a message to Yates personally. Gotta go find his email address, or I can send one to Yosh to properly air my opinion. Or hopefully he will see it here.

This case clearly calls for a suspension, not docking of points or a monetary fine, unless they are added to a suspension. Sit him down, take him out of the championship run this year so he will not feel the need to knock anyone else down unnecessarily. He is dangerous, plain and simple. Show a little backbone, AMA, and do what is right.

Steve Sturm
WSMC #98
Glendora, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I was considering the purchase of an HJC helmet, but no more. I prefer to spend my discretionary income on products made by companies that do not
endorse thugs.

Scott Gilmore
San Diego, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Too bad a few of the SBK guys and Eric didn’t do to Yates what he feels so compelled to do to others–ride without thought to consequence(s) because it’s “never my fault—-just racing” until it happens to him, then it’s ok to react in whatever manner he pleases. I think if I were Aaron’s mother I would be mortified at what an asshole my son turned out to be. Suzuki, do you think maybe it’s time to let a loser like that go and bring on some of the obviously equally talented and much more mature riders like Ben Spies. Now there is a personality the marque could be proud to advertise with, instead of being ashamed to showcase a number two rider that is a number one jerk.

Hugh Flanary
Bow, Washington



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Wasn’t Yates the fellow that ran out and lay spread eagle on the track after crashing once a while back?

Den Hatch
Tampa, Florida



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I just finished watching the Daytona 200. So Yates was up to his usual shenanigans… firstly, he runs into Fania – all his fault, of course; secondly, he throws a tantrum like 1 year-old; thirdly, he starts kicking and head-butting the guy! I was waiting for him to throw rocks at bikes going by and then go lie down in the middle of the track, like he did at Virginia. Whatever little respect I had for him (mainly because of his riding abilities) has all but evaporated.

The AMA will do their “official” investigation and fine him and take points away or whatever, but now I think it is time for Yoshimura Suzuki to step up and take decisive action against their “professional” rider, Aaron Yates. No more of that “we stand behind our guy all the way” bullshit! He is dangerous on the track when other bikes are present. Period. Take his factory ride away and give it any of the top privateers; anyone of them can do just as good a job than him, if not better. Let Yates ride a privateer bike if he wants, with his own money, so that he can realize his blessings. Yates destroys a privateer’s bike (his shit is completely paid for) and then has the audacity to kick and scream!

Fania, for my money, was a complete gentleman. He walked away, not once but twice, after getting his bike destroyed at the hands of this asshole, then getting kicked by him and still then, getting head-butted by him. Fania should be the one kicking and screaming.

Full kudos to Speed TV for showing the incident live and not cutting away. And then to Despain for addressing it in his closing remarks. It is kind of refreshing to see politically-incorrect TV.

I wouldn’t care if I ever see Yates ride again. His past behavior and his constant tenacity to run into privateers proves to me that he doesn’t belong on the racetrack with other bikes.

Gohar Fayyaz
Colorado Springs, Colorado



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I was appalled with the unsportsmanlike like conduct from Aaron Yates in the Daytona 200 race. I understand his frustration, but it is the lapping riders responsibility to make a clean and safe pass and not the one being passed. I was further appalled when Yates proceeded to drop kick and head butt the privateer rider. In my opinion, Aaron Yates should be chastised, fined, and forced to make an apology to the privateer rider and the fans of AMA professional road racing.

Jeff Syar
Columbus, Ohio



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

The actions of Aaron Yates during the 2004 Daytona 200 were unacceptable. His attack upon a fellow rider immedately following a crash clearly caused by Yates’ overzealous outside passing move should be punished by Yoshimura Suzuki Racing and the AMA.

I personally believe that Yates should lose his Yoshimura ride for the remainder of the season. This kind of behavior brings very negative publicity to the sport of motorcycle racing and to his team and sponsors. He should also be banned from at least three races this season – if not the entire season.

As one of the most respected publications in motorcycle racing, I hope Roadracing World gives this incident the coverage it deserves.

Bill Conn
Valley Center, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I have read with interest the comments you have posted about Mr. Yates. I can see political correctness is alive and well at your mag. Don’t you people follow racing. Can you imagine what might happen if the riders was Tony Stewart, Kurt Bush or Jimmy Johnson. This stuff happens all the time. It is FIRE. The thing that make these guys great. It looked to me like the other rider shot his mouth off and brought on the second attack himself. I was always taught to hold your line and do not help the passing rider. If your do signal so he know which side to go on. This didn’t happen here. Yes Mr. Yates has FIRE and he was hot when this bonehead took him out. I am sure the AMA will fine him but to toss him out?? Nascar had better toss out some of its top drivers then but heck look at the ratings on their sport compared to ours.

Steve Snyder
Eugene, Oregon



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I can’t belive that not one person has talked about Yates’ antics in the 600 race. He was pulling the same old crap in the infield. The crowd would actually gasp everytime he made VERY close and unnecessary passes on the warm up lap and in the race.

I was up in one of the suites in the Winston tower, Sadowski and Drebber where in the booth next to us and we could see the live feed from the 200 not being shown. It was unreal the amount of yelling and such coming from the Yosh team and crew. Not only was Yates unprofessional, so was his team. I hope Teknic and HJC see what kind of spokesperson they have and pull their product. It’s plain to see by your article on Yates what kind of money he gets from his sponsors.

Great magazine and website.

Tommy Morgan
Ocala, Florida



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I am not at all impressed with Aaron Yates’s child like behavior during the 2004 Daytona 200. It was his responsibility to find a safe way to pass the rider he was lapping during the race. He caused the crash, and then he had the poor moral character to attack the rider he knocked down. I hope Yoshimura will take the appropriate actions against their disgraceful rider.

Tom Hagan
Torrance, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I just wanted to say that the whole mishap was Aarons fault. Basic racing rules say it is up to the guy in the back to make a clean pass and clearly Aaron did not do that. I hope the AMA steps up and suspends him for a minimum of 2 races and a hefty fine and then the AMA donate that money to your Airfence program! On top of that I hope he is sued and pays another big fine along with some community service and anger management classes. Also I hope Suzuki fires him because I will never buy a Suzuki just because of him. Also he is a shitty spokesman for Suzuki as he just blasted his new Suzuki GSX-R600 saying it was way down on power. Yeah, Aaron that’s a good way to sell your product you dipshit.

Also I hope I don’t see you at any California Nationals because I along with a bunch of people are going to boycott you and Yoshimura. Now go home and watch that race with your wife and kids and then say look honey and kids what a ASSHOLE daddy looks like on National TV.

Tim Kamholz
Newark, Calif
AFM #15



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I feel that if Yoshimura doesn’t fire Yates then they are supporting and endorsing his totally unacceptable behavior. Maybe if enough people boycott Yoshimura Suzuki and the products they sell it would get their attention.

Ron Cornelius
Speedsport Leathers
Tulsa, Oklahoma



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

When will the AMA hit this guy where he deserves it. To just list a few: The crash on the 600 after winning the race that could have injured someone, the red flag he caused by crashing off track and then running on the track putting other riders in danger, trying to end Eric Bostrom’s career with a bonehead move at Laguna and now trying to push a privateer from the line that was taken and then trying to hurt the guy after he gets up. Yates could not have known how bad this guy was hurt. How about a life time suspension? I don’t want to watch him on any track again.

Scott England
Fresno, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Fallout from the Aaron Yates incident is sure to include the factory rider opinion of backmarkers and how much of a nuisance they are. Several factory riders have been vocal about this subject in the past. I’m sure The Daytona 200 would be just as exciting with 8 bikes lining up at the start instead of the usual 30-60! Yeah, everyone would tune in to see that.

Aaron is 100% wrong and should be suspended for his actions. The FIM probably would have shot him for what he did!

Scott Schneider
Bellport, New York



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Can you say capital “a” for asshole!?

Yate’s behavior was totally unacceptable. Suzuki should have the balls to fire him just like they did with Gobert a few years back. Give michael barnes the ride or some other top privateer (Someone who would relish the ride and make the team proud to have him).

We’ve seen enough f–kups and tantrums from this guy—it’s time for a reality check for Mr. Yates. I hope they fire your ass like I would be fired from my job if I pulled a stunt like that. Accountablility for one’s actions is a bitch!

Thats’s my two cents on the deal.

Jim kelch
Vacaville, California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Aaron Yates should vist the same bar at Daytona that Scott Russell did. What was the name of that bar? Uppercut Alley?

On a lighter side….. Looks like he’s taking dance lessons from Ashton his kid. I wonder if he will dance like that for the AMA or Suzuki after they fine him.

Mike Reeves
Martinez California



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Regarding Yates behavior today and previously— Suzuki and/or AMA need to put that redneck dipshit on the first bus back to Hayseed Gap. As a former racer, it disappoints and embarrasses me to see our sport degenerating to the level of other “professional sports” which seem to idolize the “win-or-cry” attitude. Certainly, there are a dozen other unsigned riders out there capable of putting a factory GSXR1000 on the podium with regularity (witness Pfeifer, Orlando, etc in the top 10). And there are probably thousands who could dismount the same bike in the dirt with more dignity than Yates will ever have. Yates attitude is perfectly suited to the WWE, but should not be condoned by the AMA or the racers and fans who support the AMA Superbike Championship. Somebody please send Yates back to the minor leagues, and put a qualified professional rider on his bikes!

Ken Downing
Denver, Colorado



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

It’s so easy for everybody to bash Yates and not admit that everybody can have a temper, try running two thirds of a 57 lap race just to have a backmarker not a hold a tight consistent line and collide together, shouldn’t Fania’s bike been turning into the corner or did Yates turn too early…….seems to me the blame can go either way, Yates gets abusive but Fania’s hand gestures on his lower body could have been just as offensive to some people. I have been in races many years ago and have had Yates go by me at different tracks, I’ve never had a problem, racing is racing and shit happens.

Joe Conforth
Newark, New Jersey




FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Anthony Fania is a racer’s racer. He’s a privateer in every sense of the word and has been racing for a long time. Having watched Fania race for the last 10 years, I know personally he is all business on the track and a good person off the track. He has been running the 200 for a lot of years and knows the proper racing etiquette when it comes to racing against factory riders on superior machines. Fania simply doesn’t do stupid things. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Yates.

John Anderson
Somerset, New Jersey




FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Aaaron have a little trouble negotiating that turn at Laguna Seca last year? Nobody tried to assault him when the dust settled…

I have always enjoyed watching Aaron compete (e.g. in the 600 Supersport race), but I am now convinced that he is a pea-brained hypocrite.

He’s like school on a Saturday…..NO CLASS!

Greg Jacob
Haddonfield, New Jersey



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

This is getting out of hand. It’s time for the bosses to tame their riders down. It’s amazing that it’s never their fault. These overpaid prima-donnas need to take a step back and look around. They run into people and blame the guy that get hits by them. Must be tough to be perfect. They spend all their time complaining about the non-factory guys, so then what happens? The AMA bows down and reduces the cutoff for the races and you have 37 guys in the field and they still hit people and blame the other guy. Those other riders in the field make the factory “stars” look pretty good and it sure seems they also bring out their own stupity. But it’s not their fault. I understand that things happen, I’ve been around for awhile but give me a break.

Miguel punching Paul Harrell at Mid-Ohio, Yates putting his bike and body on the track at VIR to get a red flag, Ben Bostrom takes 3 guys out at Barber and then Eric Bostrom has the balls to go on Speedvision and blame the other guys, Miguel throwing rocks on the track in the same incident. Do you see a pattern? It’s time to stop this crap, but I’m sure the AMA will bow down once again because after all they now have to keep the field as large as they can. It’s getting so stupid that it’s sickening, these whining over-paid prima-domnas need to start using their heads. But as we have seen that is probably a stretch.

Greg Esser
Pompano Beach, Florida




FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

First, great magazine and website, thanks!

I could not believe that a Suzuki factory rider would actually drop kick and head butt a man that he hit from behind. Racing Daytona is scary enough Fania got blindsided and while he was making sure he had all parts of his body the guy that hit him is coming at him with a drop kick. Whats next, the people’s elbow? No room for such childish behavior in pro racing. Pull his license and give it to the next guy in line. To the Privateers if the AMA doesn’t punish Yates like he should be pull out of the rest of the season. Let’s see how the paddock looks with 6 riders. I do wonder what the Yoshimura/Suzuki boss will do?

Carmen Centennial
Fort Knox, Kentucky



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

I will admit to being somewhat of a fan of Yates … his (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to breakaway on his underpowered bike in the morning race was inspirational.

Except in a voyeuristic sort of way, I’m not a fan of what we saw on TV.

The accident was just that, an accident. Either rider can try to blame the other, even though we all try to subscribe to the idea that it is the passers responsibility to complete the pass cleanly.

The aftermath was excessive, but we all only SAW it — we were not there, and did not hear what was being said. If you believe maybe Yates was stood up, but he shouldn’t have carried it any farther, the same could be said about Fania’s gesturing. They both should have dropped it — but at lap 48, that weren’t likely to happen, was it?

Reviewing the tape supports the comments later made by BOTH riders — Fania feels aggrieved, Yates surely didn’t seem to put any real rancor into his actions … but it ain’t up to public opinion, and past actions shouldn’t be a factor. Hopefully the AMA deals with THIS action, fairly.

Not many people are as monstrous as our flamemails would make them out to be. When we all come out from behind our firewalls, most folks are pretty decent.

B.J. Worsham
Old Westbury, New York



FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

At 8:00 a.m. this morning, March 8, 2004, Anthony Fania, Jr. filed an affidavit with the State Attorney’s Office in Daytona detailing the assault.

Anthony Fania, Sr.
Milford, New Jersey