Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Champions are made on and off the track. In my 25 years of professional racing I have met no one who comes even close to the character, professionalism, and pure humanity exhibited by Randy Renfrow.

I have been fortunate to spend a great deal of time with him over the past 10 years. He will be missed around the garage and on the track immensely by racers and fans alike. To his family I send my deepest regrets.

God Speed Randy.

Rick Shaw
AMA #79

From a press release issued by Yamaha:

The Brno circuit sports a reasonably simple layout, technically speaking, in the fact that each corner is similar in design. These constant long radius turns not only suit a more flowing GP250 riding style, but the Yamaha’s chassis characteristics too. Meanwhile the actual width of the track allows the rider to choose his own line, and in Biaggi’s case to keep up his high corner speed. Although it’s definitely not a flat circuit, its elevation changes are far from drastic, while the corners themselves feature what could be considered a typical positive camber. As for the track surface, it offers a surprising amount of grip without the reputation for tearing up tyres.

Due its nature Brno is not overly demanding on any specific area of chassis set-up, other than the need to concentrate on the overall balance for good turn in and easy change of direction; supported by a high level of feel from both the front and rear. To do this Yamaha will ensure that the weight bias is slightly more focused towards the rear, preventing both the YZR500 and M1 from overloading the front Michelin in the midpoint of the turn. This will build the rider’s confidence therefore encouraging him to keep a high rolling speed – the key area in making up time at this particular venue. And since the track surface is relatively smooth and the top speed only just nudges 280kmh, stability can be sacrificed to some degree in order to support this.

Although the base set-ups are similar there will be a difference between the two-stroke and the four-stroke Yamahas; the latter will run a slightly lower center of gravity in an effort to improve the rate of pitching and the bike’s ability to change direction. It will also reduce the risk of the front folding under the rider while entering the downhill sweepers, caused when excess weight transfers onto the front tyre under deceleration, in turn causing the front to understeer. There may be a slight modification to this, however, with the introduction of the latest generation YZR-M1 Deltabox frame. Visually the change will not be dramatic, especially when viewed alongside the new, more streamlined M1 carbon-fiber bodywork – which will make its debut in Brno – but its modified characteristic is expected to improve front-end feel and the bike’s nimbleness.

With no real specific hard braking anywhere on the five kilometer layout fork springs will be chosen to follow the feel theme – focused more towards the softer side. It will also be a similar case on the rear with the monoshock’s spring rate. This is possible due to the circuit’s design, which allows the rider to keep up his corner speed, and is therefore unlikely to load the rear shock under power to the same extent as riding the stop-and-go Le Mans layout.

With this in mind the four-strokes will have a bigger advantage over the 500s at the Czech MotoGP, more than usual. The long radius corners, and consistent throttle action needed to ride them quickly will prove a much simpler task on these more predictable machines. The M1’s latest spec inline-four, which will be added to the Marlboro Yamaha Team’s arsenal in Brno, is expected to increase this advantage further still for both Biaggi and Checa. It will boast an increase in power, better acceleration and a more precise throttle connection in an effort to continue the M1’s strong development program.

From a press release:

Grant “Yasuji” Matsushima has opened a shop specializing in race engines and chassis, Matsushima Performance Tuning.

Grant has worked with the following race teams: HyperCycle, Yoshimura Suzuki, Bruce Transportation, and Attack Suzuki. He has worked with Nicky Hayden, Jason Pridmore, Roger Lee Hayden and Ben Spies.

With the 2002 AMA Season over Matsushima Performance Tuning will be accepting jobs for the Willow Springs 200, remaining Formula USA rounds and Suzuki Cup Finals.

For additional information please contact Grant Matsushima at [email protected] or (909) 268-9251.

The shop is located at 11305 Homewood Dr., Fontana, CA 92337.

From a press release issued by Mat Mladin’s publicist, Steve Reeves:

MLADIN TALKS THE FUTURE – FORMULA XTREME, MotoGP AND RUNNING HIS OWN RACE TEAM

Within days of arriving back in Australia after completing his seventh season racing in the American AMA Superbike championship, Mat Mladin was a guest at the Formula Xtreme race meeting being held at Oran Park Raceway, southwest of Sydney.

Oran Park is Mladin’s home race circuit, having lived just 15 minutes away for all of his 30 years, but it was the first time that he had been to an Australian race meeting for many years.

Mladin took time out while at the circuit to take part in a press conference along with a number of the leading Formula Xtreme riders such as Kevin Curtain and Robbie Baird from Radar’s Team Yamaha, Josh Brookes from Team Honda and Jamie Stauffer from the Bio Magnetics Sport Yamaha team.

The early conclusion of the American season this year has allowed Mladin time to return to Australia and take part in a number of different ventures both in racing and business before returning next year for the season opening at Daytona in March.

At the conference Mladin announced his intentions to race a Suzuki GSX-R1000 at the final round of the Formula Xtreme at the Xtreme Tri-State held at Eastern Creek on September 29, his desire to obtain a ‘wild card’ entry into this year’s Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island and his thoughts on running his own road racing team in Australia.

“I’m looking forward to coming back out here and having a race and see what the current riders here have got.” said Mladin. “I know that Yamaha has put a lot of effort into the series and there are some good riders such as Robbie Baird, Kevin Curtain and the Stauffer brothers Jamie and Daniel. So I’m looking forward to just coming back and having a good race with them.

“We tried really hard to have the bike ready for this weekend, but basically we just ran out of time and that made it difficult. We’ll be at Eastern Creek for sure.

“There’s not that much development to be done. The Suzuki GSX-R1000 that I’ll be riding will be essentially fitted with parts readily available from our dealership (Mat Mladin Motorcycles) and Yoshimura. The motorcycle will be anything that anyone can come and buy or have prepared at our dealership.

“There’s no doubt that there are a lot of good riders racing here in Australia and I think that any series that you race in is very tough. The best riders in most countries are very competitive and if they are with a professional race team, such as some of the guys here, then they are very hard to beat. At present there are a number of Australian riders racing in America and winning races in classes such as Superbike and Formula Xtreme. Three different Australian riders won races in the Formula Xtreme class alone over there this season.”

As a 20-year-old, Mladin raced in the World 500cc Grand Prix for the Cagiva factory team in 1993, almost ten years later, Mladin is still eyeing a return to the Grand Prix, either as a Wild Card entrant, or on a full time basis.

“I’d love to go back to the Grand Prix, but unfortunately with the way things are over there at the moment, I’d like to be paid to race rather than pay someone to let me race in their team, but it’s just one of those things.

“I am hopeful of scoring a ‘wild card’ ride at this year’s Australian MotoGP in October. Suzuki America have requested to the Suzuki Grand Prix team to let me ride for the Suzuki GP team. It would be great to be on the new four-stroke MotoGP bike and see what happens.

“Two and a half years ago I rode the Suzuki 500 down at Phillip Island in a test and did a day and a half on it and certainly since then the itch has become more and hopefully one day it might happen. I feel that I have a few more years racing in me, especially if I can have a different goal and it’s something different to achieve than just racing the AMA Superbikes for the next five years. I’m sure that if something else came up I could do it. I’ve maintained my training because if the Grand Prix thing comes off in two and a half months from now, I’ve got to be in great condition for that.”

Even though Mladin still has a year to run on his Suzuki contract, he is looking ahead and to what he can put back into the sport here in Australia.

“I have small plans at this stage but I don’t want to build something up and then not have something happen. I’d certainly love to try and have a rider out there and start doing a bit in the way of a team. This is what I know and this is what I love to do, and one day I’ll finish racing and might come home and do a little racing myself. Hopefully I’ll have a couple of guys racing in a series out here either next year or in the next few years. The profile of the sport is lifting and I would like to be able to bring some sponsors into the series and I’m just looking forward to many on and off track challenges ahead.”

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From e-mails:

The true measure of a man’s character is not (IMHO) what he says or does every minute of every day, it is what he does when confronted with his own shortcomings and tribulations and must face himself in the mirror. I have to give David credit for being a big enough man to apologize publicly and THEN take the time to articulate his position in a much more amicable demeanor.

As a former radio broadcast professional, I can tell you that it can be extremely distracting to have a producer talking in your headset (or earpiece these days) while trying to give a news broadcast or host a radio show. I can certainly see where David is simply working to sharpen his skills as a broadcaster and I personally find his coverage satisfactory, albeit less polished than MotoGP coverage.

Running track days we’re constantly concerned about making sure we have proper cornerworker coverage to do a good job ensuring our riders’ safety at all points of each racetrack venue. Working as course control we have to deal with monitoring radio traffic from only about 8-15 people. I can’t imagine having to try to coordinate the massive crush of support personnel on the airwaves at a national road racing event. While I don’t excuse what happened I can certainly see that every great once in a while a miniscule percentile of communications breakdown finally comes into play. Seeing these events transpire on SPEED only underscores the need for good course control 100% of the time, and I personally chalk these incidents up to “lessons to take to heart” in our business model on the track we run out here on the West Coast.

Kudos to RRW for being a place where readers and industry professionals can openly and candidly exchange opinions and perspectives on making the sport safer.

Todd Robinson
Sales & Event Director
Pacific Track Time
Wrightwood, CA




In regards to this whole Sadowski/Yates/Tony thing, I just have to say that Sadowski saved alot of face with me by his formal apology. Hopefully it was not forced by the Speed Damage Control Division.

Based on a quote I saw in this thread, “Respect is something you earn. Respect is something you lose,” Dave has earned back my respect.

For the record, I think Speed’s team of White and Sadowski are very good. Now if Speed could just get Andres Cantor (the Spanish soccer “gooooooaaaaal” announcer) to be the “play by play” man…

Ryan Stefani





To David Sadowski:

I have always enjoyed your commentary on Speed Channel. Keep up the good work. You give very good insight to the racing, and you have great credibility. Really, the whole broadcast effort is very good, though I agree with your comments about filming the privateers a bit more.

I thought you were a little hard on Tony Ianarelli the other day, but he was also a bit innappropriate in his comments. In any event, your apology was very impressive.

Best regards,

Thomas A. Warr, MD
Great Falls, MT

From a press release issued by series organizers:

Event 5, 2002 Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State
Oran Park Raceway, NSW

Race report

STAUFFER STARS WITH DOMINATING PERFORMANCE IN FORMULA XTREME AND SUPERSPORT AT ORAN PARK

Jamie Stauffer was the star of today’s racing at round five of the Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State series being run at Oran Park Raceway.

The 23-year-old from Kurri Kurri (NSW) rider was in brilliant form taking out the overall round win in both the Yamaha Formula Xtreme and Supersport classes. To further add to his performances he was credited with a new lap record in each class for the 2.62km Narellan circuit, south west of Sydney.

Near perfect weather set the scene for a weekend of fast and close racing and that’s what the competitors produced. Lap records were broken in every class during the two days of racing in front of one of the largest crowds to turn out for a motorcycle road race meeting in NSW for many years.

The weekend also saw three titles decided, with Craig McMartin (Ducati Sydney/Pirelli Ducati 996R) taking his second consecutive Pro-Twins title, Craig Trinder wrapped up his first Buell NakedBike title aboard his Bio Magnetics Yamaha FZ1 and Rob Hermans collected the Streetfighter NK Lites crown aboard his Buell Dealer Network Buell X1.

The scene is now set for the season finale at Eastern Creek on September 28-29. With in excess of $200,000 in motorcycles and prizes up for grabs the sixth and final round of the series will be an event not to be missed.


YAMAHA FORMULA XTREME

Kevin Curtain may have secured pole position for the four 8-lap Yamaha Formula Xtreme races, but the three times champion left Oran Park with only one win to his name, but continues to hold the points lead in the title chase over his Radar’s Team Yamaha teammate Robbie Baird.

The opening race saw a frantic battle between the Bio Magnetics Sport Yamahas of Daniel and Jamie Stauffer, who were able to break away from the trio of Radar’s Team Yamahas led by Curtain, Craig Coxhell and Baird.

Curtain turned the tables in race two by taking the win from Daniel Stauffer and Baird after Jamie’s bike began to run on two cylinders after his battery ran flat and put him out of contention.

He came out with all gun blazing so to speak and took full control of the final two races to record the round win, the first for the new Queensland based Bio Magnetics Sport team.

“When we got here on Friday the bike was good,” said Stauffer. “We found a few things with the set up of the chassis at the last round and now all that we have to do is make some finer adjustments when we got here and the bike was right. The firs race was a good battle between Daniel and myself, but in the second race the battery went flat and overheated the bike and then it actually caught fire when we brought it into pit lane. That was annoying and after that I didn’t think that I’d win the day. In the last two races I had to run a harder compound tyre because we ran out of the softer ones I was running and then I was getting a lot more wheelspin. Overall though, it was a great day. Except for the fire in race two I guess. I’m more than happy to leave here with two overall wins and two new lap records. I’ve always enjoyed riding at Oran Park. It’s a bit more technical than most and that sorts a few people out. It’s not necessarily a horsepower track. I like it and I enjoy it here.”



YUASA BATTERIES FORMULA XTREME LAP RECORD CHARGE

Jamie Stauffer scored his second Yuasa Batteries Formula Xtreme Lap Record Charge award of the year when he set a new mark of 1:10.310 around the Oran Park circuit, eclipsing the previous mark of 1:10.82 set by Kevin Curtain.

Stauffer was the first rider to take advantage of the $1000 cheque made available by Yuasa Batteries, when he set a new FX lap record at Victoria’s Winton Raceway at Round two of the series.



YAMAHA FX SUPERSPORT

Current series points leader Kevin Curtain may have fired the first salvo by taking pole position and the opening race win aboard his Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R6, but it was Jamie Stauffer who was the star aboard his Bio Magnetics Yamaha YZF-R6 as he took the win in the remaining three races.

As he had done earlier in the day in the Formula Xtreme class, Stauffer was able to lower the class lap record, setting a new standard of 1:11.982 set in race three.

Stauffer took the overall honours for the day, but still finds himself in second place on the points table behind Curtain, who finished third overall today, but who has a 77-point lead in the title chase.

Second overall today was Russell Holland (Pirelli Tyres/Biketek Suzuki GSX-R600) who put in his best rides of the season. He battled with the more experienced pair of Stauffer and Curtain and could well prove to be a serious race threat at the final round at Eastern Creek.



BUELL NAKEDBIKES / STREETFIGHTER NK LITES

Bio Magnetic Sport Yamaha pilot Craig Trinder has taken the Nakedbike title in an awesome display of skill winning all four races at Oran Park to remove all doubt about who is the number 1 in the class this year. The new king of Nakedbikes commented on his win “It’s a good series and is well done by Formula Xtreme. The young guys coming through are getting better and the younger guys will go faster and get up there. You have to remember I was racing GP bikes before some of the younger boys were ideas in their father’s pants, so I’ve got a lot of experience I can pass on to them in the Nakedbikes that I’ve learnt from all those years of racing and I am sure if I run 36s at the Creek next round the top four will follow too.”

The Buell Dealership Network have thrown a lot into the Streetfighter class and it has paid off for them with Rob Hermans decimating the field aboard his Buell X1 for his title as 2002 Streetfighter NK Lites Champion. “I’ve been really happy with the bike – it’s done two seasons and was Mark Wacker’s bike from Queensland before I started racing it and it’s only crashed once. I find that for the series I made lots of points early and that’s helped me in this last half of the competition.” Despite this win Hermans will compete in the last round and race to place as well as he can against
the more powerful Nakedbikes.



EXEL APRILIA CHALLENGE

Queensland riders again dominated the 2002 Aprilia Challenge, with Brendan Clarke and John Allen sharing the spoils at Oran Park.

2001 Aprilia Challenge winner Clarke captured the first three races, with veteran Allen annexing the final leg following the demise of his chief rivals. Allen now leads the series going into the final round at Eastern Creek, from Central Coast teenagers, Dustin Goldsmith and Josh Forster.

The young pair both crashed over the weekend, swinging the points’ advantage back to Allen, who claims his experience may well be the decisive factor come Eastern Creek. The trio all go into the final round with a chance of claiming the 2002 Challenge.



FX PRO-TWINS

Craig McMartin (Ducati Sydney/Pirelli Racing) continued his dominance in the Pro Twins class, winning all four races this weekend and now has an unassailable lead in the class, making it two consecutive titles for the Wagga rider.

The Ducati rider was hounded throughout the weekend by the Aprilias of Mike Soderland (JSG Gowanlock Racing), Shaun Geronimi and Zac Davies (Australian Security Concepts) who were scrapping for the minor places behind McMartin.

Soderland’s consistency won him second place overall, ahead of Geronimi who provided repeated heart-stoppers as his bike repeatedly stepped out.



FORMULA OZ

Alistair Maxwell (Kawasaki ZX-7RR) made a clean sweep of the Oran Park round of Formula OZ, and setting up a final round battle with defending class champion John Allen (Aluma Lite Racing Honda NSR500V) at Eastern Creek.

The two have swapped race wins all year, with Maxwell being the more dominant of the two in recent rounds and that form continued today.

The closeness of the two experienced rivals is evident in the split at the end of three of the four 6-lap races. Just 0.102 of a second in race one, 0.082 in race three and 0.025 in race four indicate how close these two were at it all weekend.

From a press release issued by Radar’s Team Yamaha:

2002 Yamaha Xtreme Tri-State
Event 5, Oran Park Raceway, NSW, Australia

FX Qualifying & Supersport Race report

CURTAIN TAKES XTREME POLE AT ORAN PARK

Kevin Curtain bettered his own existing Formula Xtreme lap record to secure pole position for tomorrow’s four 8-lap Formula Xtreme races to be held at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway.

Curtain blasted his Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1 around the 2.62km Narellan circuit to an incredible time of 1:10.554, almost three tenths of a second under his existing lap record of 1:10.82.

Joining Curtain on the front row of the grid tomorrow will be the Bio Magnetics Sport Yamaha YZF-R1s of Jamie and Daniel Stauffer. Jamie edged out his brother with a 1:10.604, ahead of Daniel’s 1:10.665.

Defending Formula Xtreme champion, Brisbane’s Robbie Baird, made it an all-Yamaha front row when he set the fourth-fastest time of 1:11.211 aboard his Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1.

Multiple New Zealand Champion Tony Rees (Bikebiz Yamaha YZF-R1) was fifth with a 1:11.640, just ahead of Victorian teenager Craig Coxhell on the third of the Radar’s Team Yamaha YZF-R1s with a 1:11.768.

“I’m real happy about being under the lap record in Formula Xtreme,” said Curtain. “The R1 is running very, very well at the moment. We have changed very little on the bike since we tested here two weeks ago. At the test I was doing 11.7s and now we’re doing 10.5s which is good. There could be a bit more in it tomorrow if the weather holds off. I think that we should be able to get our times down to the low 10s.”

“I tried a couple of different gearing settings today and found that I had no corner speed,” said Baird afterwards. “I can’t get on the gas coming out of the turns and I think the back of the bike is too high and too steep and pushing the front end too much. We’ve been going higher and higher in the rear to make it turn better, but I think we’ve gone too far. I can do low 11s and sit in them, but I’m struggling to get into the 10s. We just have to find some time.”

“I was happy with my time after the first session this morning, but we had too soft a tire in the rear and by the time we got on top of that it cost us the session,” said Coxhell. “I didn’t realize that it was too soft, I thought it was just me. On top of that I didn’t get any clear laps. We put a hard spring in the rear and that was the wrong direction and the bike just didn’t handle. We’ll go back to the original spring and make some changes to that. All I know at this stage is that I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me for tomorrow.”

In addition to his Formula Xtreme duties, Curtain was busy in the FX Supersport qualifying and opening two races.

Curtain then went out and scored pole for the FX Supersport race, before taking the opening race win, with a new class lap record of 1:12.152. A crash on lap three of race two saw Curtain having to come from behind to record a twelfth place finish in the six lap race.

“I was pretty chuffed about it, I didn’t think I’d get the times down that far,” said Curtain on his pole position winning time. “We just kept trying different set-ups and along with the things that I’ve learnt from overseas it’s definitely made it better.

“As far as the race goes, Jamie (Stauffer) gave me a really hard time. At the first corner he outbroke me going in there, but I got him back and then he had another good go. During the race I thought he was all over me, but then I looked around and he dropped off a long way.”

With regard to the crash in race two “I just put it down to the chatter that we have had on the front ended and haven’t had time to sort it out as we are already into a race mode,” said Curtain. “After that I had another front ender going down through the dip after that. There was a bit of oil out there, but I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it.”

From a press release issued by Willow Springs International Raceway:

TOYOTA 200 QUALIFYING UPDATE
The next qualifier date is Fri. September 13!

NEW PROVISIONAL POLE SITTER VINCENT HASKOVEC (Suz GSX-R750) ran 1:22.557 averaging 109.016 mph on Friday, August 16th. He joins Jeremy Toye and last month’s fast qualifier Aaron Gobert on the front row for the $150,000 200-mile road race event to be held on September 15, 2002.

Toye now sits second-fastest with his fast lap in June of 1:22.960 (108.486 mpg) on his Suzuki
GSX-R1000, and Gobert on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 600cc supersport-spec bike running a best of 1:23.896 averaging over 107 mph around the 2.5-mile Willow Springs road course in July.

Racers can learn more about this event online at www.race-wsmc.com

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail:

To Tony Ianarelli

First off, I sincerely apologize to you for name-calling you. You obviously care for our sport passionately. It was wrong and it was inconsiderate. I’ve since consulted with my computer friend to rig my computer and not allow me to speak spontaneously to Roadracing World anymore. My computer guru said there’s no guarantee it will work, but he’s on it!

At my own expense, and possibly some of yours Tony, a lot has happened since we hit the “SEND” button to voice our opinions on RW. Very interesting reactions to my comments about your post on RW have brought public opinion to the surface where I can see it finally. Now, if I may explain, when I used the word “idiot”, (you’re from New England,) it’s not the end of the world, it just means I didn’t understand your motive to blow a whistle on Yates and I had to disagree with your efforts to encourage a penalty on another rider, especially Yates. That job is the AMA’s.

We as riders can never stick together in our small community of people, it seems to me, and I’m sick of it. When I tried to unite the riders in 1991 to get some serious issues dealt with, it revealed to me the politics and the division amongst the ranks. When I logged on and saw your comments encouraging the AMA to levy heavy fines against AAron, I think I blew a gasket, sorry!

Yates has got his reasons for lying in the track and I have mine for sticking up for him. Mine mainly, because I tried to put myself in his place, fathom the season he’s had this year. Witnessed his regard for the other riders’ safety in his off-track efforts to address safety issues. He risked persecution for speaking out, despite the fact he’s factory contracted, etc. That was the only way he could show the world that things need to be different next year and beyond and we are so close to achieving a big change.

Yeah, he overdid it; yeah, I over did it. But someone has said it’s because Yates and I are close, we’re not. I don’t know Yates outside the racetrack. You can speculate what could have happened, waving yellows were displayed so no one was racing for position, but in the end, nothing happened.

At Mid-Ohio I was devastated by Yate’s ordeal. We have the ability with the SPEED cameramen crew to get so close to the action. In my private monitors (ISO) Aaron’s arm looked like a shark bit him, a big shark! Those images didn’t go over the airwaves. I saw Yates handle that entire situation with so much grit it was incredible. The commercial break covered most of time that Yates pulled off his leathers and saw for himself what happened. I had every angle of his incident in front of me. It made me nearly sick to watch him wait under the bike and wait again for help. I thought what if that thing lights up, what’s he going to do? After the race I couldn’t stop thinking about Yates and the way he handled himself. He tossed his bike down in an effort to keep from hitting the bike ahead. After impact, he lost close to two pints of blood. Then he came back in two weeks after his wife gave birth for the second time in his life to race the final at VIR.

Any of us would have excused him under those circumstances. Aaron Yates defines my interpretation of a Motorcycle Racer, he’s Just Like Randy P. Renfrow, “Built to Race.” I can’t help but to think about “Cool Hand Luke”–Nobody wants that to happen to Aaron.

Most people completely misunderstood my comments about the 750 class. I’m not saying that everyone should not race a Supersport bike in the Superbike class. I’m saying turn the same lap times as the front-running Supersport guys consistently and then, if you want to race the Superbike class with the same Supersport bike, at least put some fresh slicks on it that will go the distance when it calls for slicks and maybe modify it enough to cut a faster lap time. Just a few tenths per lap can help you from being lapped, anything to reduce the closing speeds from the Factory Bikes.

And yes I’ve stated on TV and it is the general rule for the faster factory rider to find his way around a less experienced privateer, but the privateer has got to leave an opening for the closing bike if they are headed for apex together. Deatheridge is probably the best at being heads up. Next year’s rule changes hold the key to this problem, we’ll have to see what happens. I wasn’t rich as a privateer, but I had a Superbike along with a dedicated Supersport bike. Look again at Woody Deatheridge, or Parriott or Livengood. And there’s a lot more names who race with Supersport bikes, some on DOTs and they don’t cause trouble. Some don’t get lapped! They have great battles and we go to them if Bostrom and Nicky and the others aren’t all over each other. The grids are not going to be 9 or 10 factory bikes alone. The privateers will always be welcome there, it’s just the closing speed is too high, too tempting for the factory guy.

By % of pole time or however it’s decided next year, the grids will be more exclusive. To get there you’ll have to be considered one the best, rider and machine. That’s what will bring in the “outside” financial backing everyone is so desperately seeking. Now, when I bring a guest to the track who is new to Superbike, they ask, “Why is that guy (the poor privateer) able to run with that guy?” (Joe Factory) Most newcomers don’t see the logic of it and neither do I. I listen to the factory riders and I listen to the privateers. I’m way more privateer than factory rider, always will be.

Remember, my job is to talk to the pictures on the screen. If I could direct from my chair, I’d show Opie Caylor more often having the “Ride of his Life” or Parriott–He’s blazing a trail this year!

Anyhow, as far as TV goes. We get it from all sides, can’t please everyone.

Yeah, I make mistakes on TV and try to correct myself when there’s time in the show. These shows are live and I’m the analyst, Drebber is the Man at “play by play,” he’s got the stats. I watch the screens, listen to the producer’s directions “mid-sentence” and call the action on the fly. I’ve got one shot at getting the right call and sometimes I blow it, just like I did when I posted my comments and used the word idiot.

Anyhow Tony, this may be what I’ve been looking for for a long time. I consistently ask the “Powers That Be” if I can improve with my broadcasting. They told me to “Pick-up the Excitement Level” last year and that comes easy for me. Outside of that, everyone with whom I speak with regularly, the seasoned fans, the industry insiders. Everyone seems to encourage me and are thrilled with the shows. Some give me bits and pieces to improve my style and give pertinent information, others say it rocks as is! This debate we started opened up a lot of critics’ opinions and one that troubles me is the guys that say I should step away from the booth. Believe me, if I’m hindering the growth of the sport or causing it any harm by doing what I do in TV, well I’m defeating my heart’s desire to see motorcycle racers receive the highest honors in sport and I will gladly step away. This has been quite a journey if I remain, or if I go, regardless.

Good to see everyone getting active about safety, though, isn’t it Tony?

If you’ll forgive me, I’d be indebted to you.

“Ski”

David Sadowski