Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION

Via e-mail:

Geez, Thanks for bringing this incident up! Talk about something being blown out of proportion!

Yes, I was fooling around with some friends and an unintended person did get mixed up in my horseplay. Yes, I was blacked-flagged out of qualifying and Ron Barrick was very, very upset with me. No, I should not have been playing around in such a manner.

Yes, a bunch of my friends talked to Ron and Merrill Vanderslice about what happened and cooled them down. A little.

All agreed that I was a dumbass. Or worse.

Ron and Merrill did give me a good talking-to. A couple of times! I deserved it, they were both mad but very civilized. There was never a mention of a fine to me by either Ron or Merrill. But I know that I’m on their list!

I realize that Ron has enough problems to deal with at a race (just listen to the AMA on their radio frequencies) that he does not need to have any nitwit such as myself causing more.

John France




More, from a reader:

I would just like to say Good Job to France on his response to Roadracingworld.com regarding his horseplay.

Not only did he accept the consequences for his actions but he owned up to them. This was a very classy move to put this in writing for all to see.

Good Job!

Roger Preston
AHRMA 4327