Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Via e-mail:

Watching the race on TV certainly isn’t the same as being there, but as a racer there were a couple of things that really surprised me about the weekend’s action.

When Nicky’s RC-51 burst into flames, it was frustrating to see a cornerworker casually sauntering over to the machine, turn around and get a fire extinguisher, and mosey on back to the bike. Then Speed showed a shot of Nicky trying to put out fires on the bike while fighting the cornerworker for possession of the extinguisher. Where’s the sense of urgency? These teams don’t have money presses in the back of the trucks…salvaging as much of a downed bike as possible is as important to them as it is to me, I’m sure. Plus a fire on the course isn’t a minor occurrence…it was enough to merit a red flag on the course.

As far as Aaron on the track…naturally he would be pretty wound up on adrenaline after getting his bell rung like that, especially after being put on his head by a loose cannon crashing in front of him. But I imagine he was quite shocked that there was a smoking RC-51 on the track and no one was doing anything about it. Like I said, TV doesn’t tell you much…but it looked like the red flag was not thrown until Aaron threw himself. The TV view made it look like the advertising banners were blocking the corner station’s view of the downed bike. And this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a horizontal RC-51 burst into flames, so it’s a doubly dangerous possibility.

From a viewer’s point of view Aaron may have overreacted, but maybe he didn’t. I’m not about to condemn the guy for what he did after being run off the track, seeing a smoking bike lying in a visibly obscured part of the track, after having to kick the haybales off himself at Mid-Ohio while trying not to bleed to death only two weeks before. I hope he doesn’t get reprimanded, especially after the determination it took to ride all those events he did this weekend. The red flag would have flown with or without him, but this way it happened before more riders closed in on the downed bike #80.

Of course, there are three sides to every story, but that’s what it looked like in my living room.

Clint Fleckenstein
CRA #87




Wow…did Sadowski get up on the wrong side of the bed or what? Tony’s comments were straight forward and are right on the mark. ..Aaron ran onto an active track and laid down. I can only surmise that Aaron and David must be close. He and Drebber were making excuses for Aaron from the moment he pulled the stunt. They certainly tried to spin the follow-up, rinky-dink track, Greg White interview.

Tony, by the way, has been at the forefront in taking action to make safety happen and has helped improve our racetrack immensely

David’s comment’s are emotionally charged and without merit. He ought to think before he hits the send button. I hope that this knee-jerk reaction is atypical.

Fred Olsen
Pittsfield, Maine



Wow, I check in everyday here for news/gossip… but this takes the cake, Tony Iannarelli seems to make a couple of rational opinions and ole Sadowski rips him a new one!?!? (“you are an idiot”)

Give me a break, while Yates’ acts at VIR are entertaining and somewhat admirable, they should come with some kind of punishment to prevent this WWF thing from happening again.

Additionally, “that’s why they have
superstock….run with Jimmy Moore then move up”…….That is funny chit Dave , now we can watch more 8 rider races…………Dog away, I have a life.

Matt Carlyle





Without getting into the name calling that Mr. Sadowski feels is necessary, I’ll just give a brief background.

I’ve not been around road racing as long as Mr. Sadowski, but I have been racing for almost 9 years. During that time I have always been a strong advocate of safety in road racing. I made both an individual donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund to buy Air Fence/Air Modules, and also organized a group that purchased 2 full sections for my local track. I’ve also pushed for other safety related items over the years, but my point is simply that track safety has always been an important issue to me.

I searched for the Roadracingworld.com post you’re referring to, but the only one I found is the one titled, “A River of Blood: Aaron Yates Talks About His Mid-Ohio Superbike Crash”. If that is the one you meant, then all I can say is that his accident was unfortunate and the fact that he was pinned under the bike must have been horrible. I agree completely that it sucks that we have to race at tracks with little or no run-off room, but that is the current situation of racetracks in America.

Regardless of that unfortunate incident, however, I see nothing in that message that supports laying down on a live track.

Apparently, quite a few people agree with me on that point as you can tell by an AMASuperbike.com poll. At the time I’m writing this, almost 60% of the votes say it was, “Easily the most careless, selfish and blatantly dangerous move I’ve ever seen in a race”.

As far as Yates’ efforts to improve rider safety, that’s great. I applaud his efforts and know full well how hard it is to see something that is potentially dangerous on a track and be unable to get it corrected. It may give us some insight as to WHY he did this, but it still does not justify laying down on a live track.

While Yates’ actions through traffic was a very minor point of my original email. I will respond to your comments above.

As racers, we both know that it is the faster rider’s responsibility to get cleanly around the slower rider. As you have rightly stated many times during broadcasts, those lappers are out there going as fast as they can and often have no idea that they are about to be lapped. The best thing they can do is to maintain their speed and course and be predictable… if they do that, the faster rider will usually get by cleanly.

Having said that, we also know that sometimes you make a pass that was a bit hairy and might have spooked the lapper – possibly even causing them to crash. When that happens, you suck it up and apologize. Nothing I’ve seen on TV, or heard from other racers that have raced with Yates, would indicate that he apologized afterward. This was the reason for my comment.

As for the Blue Flag, I agree the AMA should use it. As a racer, I would rather know ahead of time if someone is going to lap me. Not because I will alter my line, but because it will reduce the “spook factor”.

As for riders running Supersport bikes in Superbike, I agree they should stay in Superstock. I imagine crappy purses in that class are what encourages rider to step up to Superbike (not that those are much better, but that’s a whole different subject). Regardless, blame the AMA for bad rules – not the rider you’re about to lap.

The simple answer is to lower the percentage over the POLE TIME (again?), but that brings up the whole other issue of too few riders on the grid. Contrary to your statement, I don’t think “I know it all” and will go on record to state that I don’t have the answer to this problem.

And lastly, you say Yates should be commended?

I sincerely hope you’re referring to PREVIOUS efforts on his part to improve safety. If you’re saying that laying down on a live race track is a commendable action, then I think you may have bumped your head one too many times over the years.

As far as I could tell, the three riders that went by Yates after he got up, were still racing. They had not seen a Red Flag. This means that Yates intentionally laid down on a HOT TRACK, which put himself and those riders in danger.

I still maintain that this is WRONG… regardless of anything else that might have happened prior, such as Himmelsbach’s incident, which is also inexcusable and something the AMA should have to answer for.

And just to be clear. I am NOT stating that Yates’ actions are what brought out the Red Flag and that is why he should lose the points and finish position. I am saying that he should be stripped of his points and finish because of his actions.

Tony Iannarelli



I was extremely disappointed to read David Sadowski’s immature name-calling antics and reply to Tony Iannarelli, regarding Aaron Yates’ actions at VIR during Race One.

Iannarelli is correct, there is simply no excuse for what Yates did. If any one of those three riders had crushed Yates’ sternum with a front wheel, Yates would be a front-runner for a Darwin Award. Imagine the headline: “Motorcycle Racer Killed After Voluntarily Going Spread-Eagle On Track During VIR Superbike Race.”

As I watched the race, the amount of time that Yates spent lying flat on his back with no regard for oncoming traffic had my jaw on the floor. Stunning, and very dangerous. A live race is not the forum for protesting, people’s lives were put at risk.

Why does a racer of Yates’ immense talent do such a thing? Seeing Kevin Schwantz or Colin Edwards grab an oil flag and start waving after falling in goo is one thing, but you certainly don’t very often see a factory Superbike racer strolling out on the tarmac then dropping flat onto his back in front of a horde of oncoming motorcycles.

Didn’t the World Superbike Championship cancel the last race weekend of the ’93 season in Mexico (handing Scott Russell the title in the process) because people were invading the racetrack during practice/qualifying? VIR ’02 looks like the same old, same old to me.

Regards,
Rick Williams
Sacramento, CA

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The Timing & Scoring system failed to transmit data to pit-lane monitors about 30% of the time during the AMA National at VIR last weekend.

The system was not up and operational at all for the first two hours of official practice on Friday, and failed repeatedly during the weekend.

Race teams rely on data transmitted from the system and displayed on monitors along pit lane.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From an e-mail:

Regarding Aaron Yates laying on the track at VIR:

If Yates had confirmed there was no traffic, ran on onto the track waving an invisible flag, and then gotten OFF the track well before the riders came by, then I would give him some leeway and say that he was looking out for the best interest of the riders.

As the video shows, however, Yates put at least 3 riders in danger (not counting himself) by his presence on the track.

There is NO EXCUSE for his actions and the penalty must be SEVERE enough to deter any imitation of this stunt. I also believe he should be stripped of his finish and prize money in that race.

On a side note, I bet (TV commentators) Sadowski and Drebber would have torn the guy a new one if that was a NON-Factory rider. Instead, there were few, if any, negative comments made.

And by the way, Yates is actually one of my favorite riders even though I think he needs to get through backmarker traffic cleaner… or at least apologize when he takes someone out (like Pikes Peak, I believe).

Below is a link to the video courtesy of GRAHAM PATTISON, a Loudon Road Racer.

http://www.stargraham.org/loudon/yates.ram


Tony Iannarelli
Springfield, MA



And now a reply from former racer and current TV announcer David Sadowski:

Here we go again, a loud mouth “Know it All” thinks Aaron Yates should be “Stripped” of his efforts at the final AMA Superbike Race of 2002. Mr. Tony Iannarelli of Springfield, Massachusetts you are an idiot. Just log back on to Roadracingworld.com and read the comments about Cornerworking, Track Safety and Recent Events (Read: Aaron Yates/ Mid-Ohio)

Your comments reveal to me that you speak well before you think. Yates is one of just a few riders this year that has tried to inform and contribute to the overall well-being of riders in regards to safety and pointing out what changes are necessary. The AMA listens to Yates’s advice, but more often than not we run into very “High Cost” solutions to fix what he and others see in need of improvement. Your audacity to criticize Yates’s riding technique through traffic put me over the top! Guys are racing in the premier road race category in the USA on basically Supersport Bikes. They (AMA) don’t use the blue flag in America. So you don’t think a guy on a Supersport bike should make sure he doesn’t hinder the path of a front running prepared Superbike…Think about it, if you can. That’s why they have Superstock (Formerly know as 750 Supersport.) Run with Jimmie Moore and then move up!

Aaron Yates Should Not Be Penalized, He Should Be Commended. Besides, Race Control Had Already Called for the Red Flag and I’m the only “Loud Mouth Know it All” that has all the facts!!!

“Strike One Tony”

David Sadowski

From a press release:

Traxxion Dynamics, Inc. named Fox Racing Shox Authorized Service Center

Traxxion Dynamics, Inc. has formed an alliance with Fox Racing Shox that will see Traxxion provide sales, technical and service support for Fox customers in North America. Fox Racing Shox offers a complete line of high performance shock absorbers designed specifically for motorcycle racing, sport riding, and touring applications. Traxxion will provide routine service and repair as well as custom valving and dyno analysis for Fox Racing Shox Customers.

Max McAllister, President of Traxxion Dynamics, Inc. is very pleased by this new alliance: “Fox Racing Shox has a 27-year history of building
race-winning high-performance shocks. The Fox product line allows us to provide our customers with a range of choices they can’t get anywhere else, from trick aluminum piggyback shocks for expert racers, to more economically priced shocks for amateur-level racers and street consumers. We will have a product to suit any need or budget!”

More information is available at www.traxxion.com or by phone 770 592-3823.

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From e-mails commenting on “Words Of Advice From A CHP Motorcycle Officer,” posted 08/12/2002:

Thank you for sharing officer Gramm’s e-mail about the accident he responded to. Perhaps because of a late interest in riding motorcycles I may be a bit more conscious of the dangers. I wish that e-mail could be made mandatory
reading for all applicants for motorcycle licenses. While I seldom ride on the public roads, I have become unusually sensitive to its dangers and the obvious risks I see others take out there.

The one thing I have learned in this short experience of motorcycle riding is that racetracks are about as safe a place for riding as you will find. Without much research there are lots of clubs, schools, and open track days
where we can go out and ride as fast as we are capable. Everyone is going in the same direction, everyone generally doing things you would expect. There is no cross traffic, no stop lights, just clear safe track and a gang of
people keeping it that way.

What I would add to the comments of officer Gramm, if you want to go fast, do it on a race track. It’s fun and as safe as it gets.

Keith Giglio
WSMC #583



I am writing in response to the letter of the CHP officer regarding the fatality on Glendora Ridge Road. A few years ago my first real street crash occurred on this road. I worked at a local motorcycle shop and would go up there every Sunday morning before work. I was using both lanes on my CBR600 F2 and I hit the brakes way too hard while on the yellow lines. I was new to both Southern California and to hardcore street riding and had just started to ride too hard. It was that morning while at the hospital in Glendora (which I rode to with a broken wrist and no coolant in my bike) that I decided to start road racing. Six months later I was in the CMRRA racing YSR50s at local go-kart tracks, a year after that I started racing 125s with the WSMC and GPRA and I still do to this moment with the USGPRU.

I ride quite a bit on the street and I enjoy it very much, but like most racers who head up the Angeles Crest Highway on off weekends I try to use plenty of reserve, never cross the yellow lines, and try to keep a pace for conditions. Yes, the bulk of us including me end up going too fast and endangering ourselves on the street, fortunately I have an outlet for that in road racing.

It is like a war zone up on these highways, and I hate to overreact to the issue but we lose lots of good riders and good people for no other reason than for senseless bravado and machismo. I am not saying that the racetrack is a place for such B.S., it is an equalizer and a humbling experience for most “fast” street riders. It gives us all perspective and makes us better street riders every time we make a loop around a roadrace course. It is unfortunate that we have this poor soul to use as an example of Natural Selection but if he had been at Thunderhill with me on Sunday I assure you he would have had to do something very stupid to end up in a Head On Collision.

Quentin Wilson
USGPRU/CCS/FUSA #808
WSMC #818

From a press release issued by Traxxion Dynamics:

To All Traxxion Dynamics Customers:

In regards to our press release about our new alliance with Fox Racing Shox, it seems we created some panic that we would no longer be selling and servicing Penske Racing Shocks. Traxxion will continue to sell, service, and support the thousands of Penske customers we have made as always. Just as Traxxion was the driving force that has made Penske the racer’s shock of choice, we will now elevate Fox Shox to that same standard.

By adding Fox Shox to our product line we will be able to offer you the same level of quality and performance but with different features and prices. We will have a Fox Twin-Clicker custom-spec’d by Traxxion and fitted with a Hyperco Spring (the highest quality coil spring available, and same as OEM on Penske). Also, we will have custom-spec’d Aluminum-bodied Fox TC-R Piggyback. (Most racers don’t like remote reservoir fitment, as that configuration lends itself to crash damage. The Piggyback is virtually crash proof).

In the end, it isn’t a contest of products, we are just giving racers more options, and hopefully more reasons to choose Traxxion Dynamics. We have just received our initial shipment of FOX Shox and will have them prepared to our spec and ready for sale within a week.

You can check out some photos and info at www.traxxion.com.

I have a neat essay there that explains all of the differences in the products we have, and a list to help you choose which is best for you and your racing budget.

I look forward to your continued patronage!

Sincerely,

Max McAllister
President
Traxxion Dynamics, Inc.
Axxion Arm Systems, Inc.

From a press release:

Injuries Force Retirement for Leonardo Venega

With great sadness, it has become painfully apparent to me that I will have to end my professional racing career. Because of my street accident in July of 2001, my leg and my physical stamina have seriously degraded. I am not able to perform at my physical peak for the extended period of time that racing at the professional level requires.

So it becomes necessary for me to retire from active continuous participation at the professional level, that is the AMA. I am grateful for all the support that my sponsors have given me throughout my career. Without them, it would have been impossible.


(Editorial Note: Venega has hit broadside by a car while riding his streetbike in Miami and suffered serious injuries.)

Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

From an e-mail:

Subject: VIR Cornerworking (you can print this)

I just read the piece on the VIR cornerworking deal with Hayden’s bike. I agree there is a problem that needs to be looked at a little closer.

On Saturday, I took the Red Bull track ride. I took my street-legal pit bike on the course because I felt like I wanted to see the entire venue first-hand. It seems as the specating at VIR is in a nice setting, but you can’t get to both sides of the track like you can at a place like Mid-Ohio, for instance.

Anyway. I ran my XR100-carb-equipped CT70 wide open for the entire session & on the last lap, I ran out of gas. I figured I’d look around & a cornerworker would see me. Wishful thinking on my part. No cornerworker stations were within an eyeshot of my spot on the track. I didn’t know what to do. I rolled the bike onto the grass & figured a truck would come eventually. That didn’t happen, either.

As I was waiting, I was chatting with some fans on the other side of the fence. After a couple of minutes, I asked if they had any gas. They handed me a can & I was able to start the bike.

At this point, I didn’t know if I should pull out onto the track in fear that I would get collected by a 100 mph Supersport bike in the soon-to-happen practice session. I putted along the infield to a cornerworker station & pulled up to his gazebo.

As the quiet engine of my CT70 idled, I had to yell to get his attention because he had his headphones on & wasn’t aware of my approach or presence. He turned to see me & was VERY surprised that I was on a little bike on the infield at the opposite end of pit in/out.

“How’d you get out here?!” he yelled. I explained I was a on the track ride & ran out of gas a few minutes prior. I asked if he could open the gate & he let me back in the infield.

As I rode back to the pits, I realized that absolutely no cornerworkers were aware of my presence on the track. If any cornerworker had seen me, he would have radioed & they all would have known. When my bike ran out of gas, the rear wheel actually locked. I could have been thrown from it at a lofty 50 mph, nonetheless, nobody would have seen it happen.

I was amazed of the series of events that had just taken place & it made me wonder what would have happened if it were a real racing incident.

Later that day, we found out what could happen. It didn’t help that the cornerworker was literally strolling to Haydens bike as it burned.

I watched the live feed as it happened & Earl Hayden actually said “could he have walked any slower?”

Enzo Assainte



From another e-mail:

A note of agreement with Stephen Robinson regarding the cornerworking crew reactions as seen on television for the past two AMA weekends. As a relatively regular cornerworker for the AFM for the past 7 years, I am pretty proud that we do our job well enough to get the praise that riders like Stephen and many of the top AMA and world riders have given us. I also know the AMA has been to VIR only twice now, and by the worker response, I am guessing that worker crews at both recent tracks were indeed short handed (and more than likely more accustomed to auto races).

I think they did what they could, but I agree that it was not what I would expect if I were a rider or a turn marshal. (My wife caught me screaming ‘Where are the Turn Workers?” more than a few times…) And from watching tapes of races I have worked, I know the cameras rarely catch us, let alone at our best.

However, it appears that more attention needs to be focused on ensuring each set of turns is staffed by an appropriate number of experienced workers at each AMA event. While they don’t need 20-30 workers on a turn like the FIM required at Laguna, 2-3 handlers per turn segment, in addition to the main communicator and flagger is generally appropriate at this level.

Following the Sears Point race, many interested and very experienced AFM workers submitted their names for consideration for what was represented as a potential new data base of experienced workers willing to travel to other venues. I assume the AMA has made this available at each event since, so that perhaps during this long off-season, the AMA safety staff will be able to compile and make use of a list of those willing to travel from around the country to assist at the tracks that would like/need more coverage.

Jim Douglas, AFM #143-W
AMA #549972


And now a differing viewpoint, again via e-mail:

AFM racer Stephen Robinson states:

“Then at VIR, I watched in complete amazement as Nicky Hayden’s bike sat for minutes on end (sound familiar?) before anyone bothered to check on it, or *hey* pick it up (I know, radical thinking on my part). Then the RC-51 that costs more than most of us make in a year bursts into flames and THERE ARE STILL NO TURNWORKERS!! Finally, someone bothers to show up, and Nicky has to put the thing out himself.”

After reading this, I went to my TV and rewatched the crash in question. It took approximately 1 minute and 50 seconds from the time Nicky’s front wheel lost traction for Nicky and the cornerworker to begin fighting the fire.

Less than two minutes.

I think this is a rather good response, and wish to commend the cornerworkers that responded to Nicky’s crash.

In my experience cornerworking for MARRC at Summit Point, and both CCS and the AMA at VIR, I have learned a few things.

When dealing with a crash, the corner worker must think of his own safety first. Then the safety of the riders on the track. Last, but not least, the safety of the downed rider. This is what I have been taught by both MARRC and AMA cornerworking schools.

In this case, Nicky was obviously not seriouly injured. The closest cornerworking station was ACROSS the track, and some ways from where Nicky’s bike came to lay. From what I can gather from the televised race, the track was STILL HOT when the first cornerworker approached the bike. That means that cornerworker who responded either had to wait for a clear spot to cross the track, or that he came from another station. That section of track has a lot of elevation, and it’s difficult to move quickly when carrying a 50+ lb. fire extinguisher. (VIR uses “Cold Fire” extinguishers which use water mixed with a chemical agent. They are heavy and cumbersome, as I found out last year while working the AMA event at VIR.) Don’t forget that the cornerworker has to move through an impact zone to get there. (While the track was hot.) This means that he has to keep an eye on oncoming traffic and while moving to the downed bike.

In my opinion, the cornerworkers did everything by the book in this situation, and did it quickly and efficiently. There was no need to endanger their own lives, or the lives of the riders on the track, by crossing a hot track, or by placing themselves in an impact zone beside a hot track. If Nicky had been unconscious or immobile beside the bike, that would have been a different story. Since he was obviously OK, and out of danger, their response was appropriate.

Cornerworkers are the unsung heroes of road racing, and I commend them for their time, efforts and professionalism.

Regards,

Sean Jordan
Mid-Atlantics CCS #779, WERA #778
Centreville, Va

From a press release:

The Mid Atlantic Ducati Owners Club, NESBA, and Summit Point Raceway will put on a Charity Track Day at Summit Point Raceway, August 21, 2002. All
entry fees will go to a local charity.

For details, go to www.mad-ducati.com or contact NESBA at www.nesba.com. Come out and join us for a good cause. Hopefully this will turn into an annual event.

Michael Wheeler
Mid Atlantic Ducati Owners Club, President