Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail

Being a former Loudon regular, I am very familiar with walls and racetracks. It would seem to me that a simple procedure would be easy to initiate that might save lives and and prevent injuries.

Get a layout of each track on the schedule before the season starts, with the position & distance of each fixed barrier to the track surface for reference. Have a team of riders/ promoters do a lap on paper looking at the potential impact zones and likely possible angles from running off, bumping of bikes, sliding & hooking, etc.

This could all be done without visiting the track for the most part. You would cover pretty much every conceivable situation with some simple guessing by guys who have had just about every type of get-off there is.

Naturally, when a wall is parallel to the race surface, it is less likely to become an impact zone without a freak situation. There will no doubt be isolated instances where every precaution is still not enough, but a better effort would no doubt make a difference.

I agree with Mr. Lunde’s outcry for looking at the situations in advance. I was at Road Atlanta right after his son’s tragic accident, and boy, did it wake us up to that impact zone. Why do we have to be reactive instead of proactive?

A good guy to ask for help would be Dave Sadowski. He was the victim of an impact to a badly-positioned Armco section at high speed at Grattan Raceway that I believe helped him decide to give it up.

A few more gravel traps couldn’t hurt either. Everybody bitches that you always crash when you go in one or it makes a mess of the bike, but I’d choose that over hitting a wall or barrier every time.

Bob Robbins
CCS MA #46 & Proud Has-been
Riegelsville, Pennsylvania

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail

I would like to point out that this isn’t the first instance of a rider and bike falling down, hitting a barrier, and then not having protection brought in immediately. Didn’t Jamie Hacking hit a barrier in a test at VIR, and then hit the same barrier (still unprotected) a few weeks later at the actual race? Did the AMA just assume lightning wouldn’t strike the same place twice?

I, too, have expressed how disappointed I am that no long term contribution program was set up, particularly for the manufacturers. I would like to see Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Buell, and Ducati all donate $2900 a year for 10 years. $2900 out of the promotion budget for any of these companies is like the average guy buying lunch, and yet it could make such a huge difference in rider safety.

I don’t think the factories want to have extended television coverage of one of their bikes laying smashed into a wall with the camera on a severely injured (or worse) rider laying on the side of the track next to their smoldering bike.

I have released a new instructional video on suspension set-up, and I have pledged $5 of each copy sold to the Roadracing World Action Fund. We have already sold 50 copies, so I am going to mail in a check today for $250, and will continue to do so until my video stops selling. (the video is available at www.traxxion.com).

Max McAllister
President
Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail

Here’s a few more thoughts on the walls at Atlanta:

I raced in the very first AMA National at Atlanta in 1971 and thought it to be one of the best racetracks and facilities on the circuit at the time. But speeds have increased and changes have been made to keep up with progress. That I understand. What I am unclear about is how a track change is approved for use in AMA Nationals?

Gordon Lunde made some very good points in his letter and I’d like to take those even a step farther. He is so right that a motorcycle needs to be used to spot danger points, but you have to do more than send someone out on a Gold Wing or a Buell to see where the problems are. On a streetbike those walls look like they are mile away. And the “pilot” needs to be someone with the experience of seeing that stuff at speed. Names like Mladin, Duhamel, Roberts, Yates, and a couple of Bostroms come to mind.

I don’t know if these guys were in the loop on the changes at Atlanta or not? Maybe they were. I was very impressed by the way that California Speedway worked with these guys and AMA Pro Racing to make the changes there this past year and that seemed to work pretty well.

I would hope that some policy could be put in place that establishes some group of riders that would be consulted on any change to any previously approved race track. The FIM has just this week announced a Rider Safety Committee for MotoGP and I would encourage AMA Pro Racing to follow their lead.

Another point to note is that danger points on a dry track can differ from a wet track. Ask Miguel Duhamel how much farther a rider can slide on wet pavement. When tracks are reviewed, the danger points need to looked at with the assumption that it can rain. At a minimum, an additional supply of haybales and/or Airfence needs to be on hand if it does rain. I know that takes time to set up, so really a track needs to be outfitted assuming it will rain.

As I read the letters coming in about Woody’s crash at Atlanta, one message is clear, the AMA’s supply of Airfence as well as that provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund program is still insufficient to keep riders out of the fences. So we need to keep the campaign going until riders no longer are making direct contact with walls and fences. I lost too many friends in my racing days to fences and here we are today talking about the same problems.

Gordon, we all agonized with you when your son was killed and also wish the best for Woody Deatherage.

Put me down for another $500 on the Roadracing World Action Fund campaign and I challenge others who read this to join me.

Don Emde

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Suzuki MotoGP racer John “Hopper” Hopkins turns 20 years old today.

Hopkins was born May 22, 1983 in Ramona, California, shortly after his parents, Roy and Linda, emigrated from Acton, London, England. Hopkins’ father, an Isle of Man TT winner, passed away when John was 12 years old. Hopkins’ mother resides at the emerging star’s ranch in Ramona, California.

Hopkins got his AMA Pro road racing license when he turned 16 in 1999, immediately started finishing well in AMA 600cc Supersport and 750cc Supersport races and won the 1999 Aprilia Challenge Cup Championship. In 2000, Hopkins won the AMA 750cc Supersport Championship and also won seven out of 12 Formula USA Unlimited Superbike races. In 2001, Hopkins won the AMA Formula Xtreme Championship and tested with the Red Bull Yamaha 500cc Grand Prix team.

At age 18, Hopkins joined the Red Bull Yamaha team for the 2002 FIM MotoGP World Championship and scored points in 12 of 15 race starts with a best qualifying result of sixth (Catalunya, Donington Park), and a best race finish of seventh (Assen).

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Racer and Roadracing World contributor Beth Wyse and boyfriend Craig Cranmer became engaged on May 15. The couple is planning a Spring, 2004 wedding.

CCS racer Devin Simon and longtime girlfriend Erica Thomas became engaged on April 5. The couple is planning a November 28 wedding in Chicago, Illinois.

From a press release:

SUPERBIKE AND SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Philosophy & Mission

Following the Press Conference held on the 21st May, chaired by the FIM President Mr Francesco Zerbi, FGSPORT confirms that they are in total agreement with the FIM. Furthermore FGSPORT wish to reaffirm their commitment thereby ensuring that the philosophy and mission of the Superbike and Supersport World Championships remain both now and in the future based on the basic principles stated by President Zerbi in Geneva both now and in the future.

In summary:

–WORLD SUPERBIKE represents the competitive tradition of the products on sale and therefore, the tool to promote specific models through racing which, although technologically sophisticated, maintain a direct link with the excellence of sports production;

–MOTOGP represents the peak of technology, encouraging development and promotion of the manufacturer’s image through the exclusive use of prototype bikes.

This distinction has very important implications:

1) World Superbike and MOTOGP are, and will continue to be, two distinct championships with their own particular personalities, not merely in terms of what happens on the track but also in terms of what happens with the event viewed in its entirety.

2) As agreed with the FIM and the manufacturers, motorcycles participating in the Superbike World Championship are, and will continue to be, based on mass-produced models. This will also enable the coordination of the Technical Rules with those applied to the most important National Championships in order for those to rely on the availability of a large number of motorcycles and therefore, successfully expand motorcycle sport and the development of new young talents.

3) The World Supersport Championship will continue to remain an exclusive property of FGSPORT. Should new categories be introduced into other World Championships in future, substituting existing classes, the machines competing would nevertheless be prototypes not derived from the production machines.


The Superbike World Championship’s current achievements can be categorized as follows:
– 12 Rounds on the 4 Continents
– 2 Billion Worldwide Television Viewers
– 88 Television Networks covering 173 Countries
– 1,908 Broadcast hours during 2002 with a Television Media Value of US$ 593 Million
– 1,100,000 Race Spectators during 2002
– 25 Million Internet page views

Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail

The Ontrack System (Pat. U.S.) is a portable laser wheel alignment system designed for baseline chassis set-up as well as crash damage assessment. To emphasize the safety aspects of this product the manufacturer has announced a Race Team Support Program. As part of this program, they will provide a licensed road racer discount as well as a donation of $25 to the Roadracing World Action Fund for each Ontrack unit sold for competition end use.

Visit the website of BBVR Performance Products, LLC at www.get-ontrack.com, or call 860-918-2989.

Mark Bremer
BBVR Performance Products, LLC
Higganum, Connecticut

From a press release issued by Brainerd International Raceway:

Viking Coke, Grand Casino join BIR as track sponsors

BRAINERD, Minn. – Brainerd International Raceway officials announced that Viking Coke and Grand Casino have signed on as track sponsors.

Brainerd-based Viking Coke renewed its sponsorship, signing on for another three years. Grand Casino, based in Onamia, Minn., signed a one-year commitment. As part of their sponsorships, Viking Coke and Grand Casino will co-sponsor BIR’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event June 6-8. The Lucas Oil race features the top drivers from the National Hot Rod Association’s 11-state Midwest division who compete for valuable circuit points in Top Alcohol dragsters and Funny Cars, as well as a variety of Sportsman categories.

“We have relationships with Viking Coke and Grand Casino that date back many years, so we’re excited that they’ve agreed to continue supporting the world-class racing that takes place here,” BIR General Manager Scott Quick said. “We can’t say enough about the integrity and class that these two organizations bring to BIR.”

Viking Coke has had a presence at BIR over the last 10 years but chose to increase its sponsorship after Coca-Cola’s POWERade became the title sponsor of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, which features the top drag racers in the world.

“When POWERade became the title sponsor of the national series, we wanted to become more involved at the track and tie in to the national sponsorship locally,” said Mark Jeffers, sales center manager for the Brainerd office.

“The track has had a long-standing relationship with the community and we’d like to be part of that. Our goal is to help the track continue to move that relationship forward,” he added.

Grand Casino and BIR also has a relationship that dates back nearly a decade, but the casino hasn’t had a presence at the track for the last several years. That will change this summer as Grand Casino recognized that a sponsorship would re-establish a valuable partnership and increase its visibility in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

“The Brainerd Lakes Area has always been very supportive of Grand Casino, and now this is our turn to support this community,” said Brad Kalk, general manager of Grand Casino Mille Lacs. “We want to show our support of the Brainerd area and motorsports, which is an important component of life in central Minnesota.”

BIR is a subsidiary of Michigan-based Sports Resorts International Inc., a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange (SPRI). Now in its 34th season, BIR is one of North America’s largest racetracks, featuring 800 acres of rustic camping, 159 full-service RV sites and on-site condos. BIR is about 120 miles north of the Twin Cities, and it now has a new concrete drag strip that is one of the flattest and fastest in the country. Visit www.brainerdraceway.com.

From a press release issued by Tom Clancy of Augusta Triumph-Ducati:

I would like to announce just how pleased we are with Steven Breckenridge as our rider in the AMA Supersport race at Road Atlanta. His 17th place finish is incredible. This was his first race ever on the Augusta Triumph-Ducati 2002 Triumph TT600 and also his first race on Bridgestone tires as well.

Steven has shown a most professional approach to our endeavors and is a delight to work with. I would also like to thank Mike Moree for his tireless efforts in preparing our motorcycles. We all had hoped to debut the new Triumph Daytona 600 at this venue; but were unable to do so at this time.

Thanks to Road Atlanta and the AMA for letting us all do the things we love.