By Joe Facer

The red flag is always unlucky for the racer who causes it to be brought out, but it can be lucky or unlucky or both for all the other racers. A restart, if it is early enough in the race, can wipe out a great start or erase a blown start and give you a second chance from your original grid position. If the restart comes later in the race, you can keep your race position when you grid in the previous lap’s race order. It can also allow you to correct a mechanical problem, make suspension adjustments, mount fresh tires, and save the day for you. But you can also find that all the racers that you had worked so hard to leave 10 seconds behind, are now parked alongside or right behind you. Or you can find that the change you made to fix a handling problem while you waited for the restart has now made the bike handle worse.

At Sears Point in 1996, Mat Mladin received a fabulous break when a red flag caused a restart and rescued him from having stalled his bike on the grid during the first start. Aaron Yates got a rotten break in the same race when he went from a 10-second lead to sixth place on the restart, but he also got a fresh set of tires at half distance, something that made his return to the front possible, and he made the most of the fresh tires and won the race. At Road Atlanta in 1999, Mat received a fabulous break when Rich Oliver’s luck went bad and Mat was rescued from a very bad situation that was not of his creation. The racers who were chasing Mat in the Championship missed an opportunity to take the points lead or draw ahead of Mat because of Rich Oliver’s bad luck. Fate gives and Fate takes away and it always favors someone over everybody else. But you cannot lose sight of the fact that the cause of a red flag is invariably that an incident has occurred that poses a substantial hazard to the safety and well-being of the racers. Whether it is a spot of oil or a 5-ton ambulance, the red flag is the surest way to minimize or eliminate the hazard and rider safety is always paramount. Well then, can we find a way to level the playing field and make the red flag situation more fair?

Not as much as we’d like to. There will always be too many red-flag situations in motorcycle racing, it is in the nature of the sport. I’ve had the opportunity to watch some vintage auto and motorcycle racing recently on Speedvision and it is painful to watch some of the early open wheel auto and stock car racing films because of the high standards of safety that we’ve grown to expect in auto racing today. Up until the 1960s, it was not uncommon to see open wheel race cars with the driver dressed in cotton coveralls. Often the driver sat with his head higher in the car than the roll bar, and was fully exposed from the waist up in a car that was no wider than his body, and that did not enclose his arms. When these cars rolled over, the end results were always brutal and often deadly. When you segue from one of these vintage programs to a current auto racing series with cars with full roll cages, five-point safety harnesses, and complete or virtually complete driver coverage, you begin to see why a full-course yellow flag with a pace car is so common in auto racing instead of a red-flag situation.

Roll cages and safety harnesses minimize injuries to drivers and the driver walks away from the typical crash. When the occasional broken bone or concussion occurs, the driver is protected and stabilized within the confines of the roll cage. Life-threatening injuries are relatively rare, even in the fastest cars. The recent death of Dale Earnhardt, an exception to this, has been laid to failed safety equipment/the racer’s choice to forgo a full coverage helmet and optional head and neck restraint, and just plain bad luck.

Advancements in auto racing safety have been significant and widespread. Usually crash cleanup in auto racing is about moving cars off the track or out of impact areas. A full-course yellow flag with pace car keeps the race lap count going while the track is cleared. The cars are bunched behind the pace car in the order they were running and circulated around the track at a very low speed. The race is kept from being overly long and the cleanup is kept safe since the pack appears at the incident at relatively long intervals and at a very slow speed. The track can even be completely blocked with tow trucks and wrecks in the process of cleaning it up while the pack is elsewhere. If need be, the whole field parks behind the pace car while the track is cleared. Many auto races are long enough that pit stops are required or can be accomplished without putting you out of the points. The full course yellow gives teams an opportunity to minimize the impact of a visit to the pits. Pit stops will move cars to the end of the pack but keep them on the same lap if they are quick about it. When you are racing for from one to four hours, or from 150 to 600 miles, a couple of 5 to10-minute sessions at 20 to 40 mph under the yellow flag and behind the pace car does not impact the racing in a major fashion. The full course yellow maintains the continuity of the race and allows spectators at the track and TV viewers to make their own pit stops. This is also an opportunity for the broadcasters to run commercials without cutting away from the racing. When the track goes green, the race gets a fresh start with the pack charging the first turn with all the excitement of the original start. This arrangement appears to work well for auto racing and is widely accepted as fair by the racers, broadcasters, and fans, and firmly incorporated into race strategies.

There are problems with implementing this crash clean-up strategy in motorcycle road racing. As a practical matter, the predominant type of professional and amateur motorcycle road racing in the world today is some form of sprint racing. Most races run from 20 minutes to just under an hour and over distances that can easily be accomplished without pit stops. Races of this type cannot withstand even a moderate interruption or shortening of the racing without profoundly affecting the race character and results. Motorcycles are highly tuned and the bikes and the riders run as close to flat out as they can and still have something left for the end of the race. Of the seven AMA Superbike races at the time of the Road Atlanta incident mentioned above, more than half of them, Daytona, Phoenix, Willow Springs, and first race at Road Atlanta, had Superbike races in which the podium was still in question going into the last lap or the last turn, or in which a conservative riding strategy up until the last few laps of the race played a major part in the finish. A 10-to-20-minute stretch of running at a third of racing speed under the full-course yellow flag would eliminate much of the race. Interruptions of the races or shortening the laps spent at racing speeds should be avoided if at all possible.

To be continued…

Paul Wright of Marietta Motorsports has announced a nationwide contingency program for riders who buy Kobe leathers. Marietta Motorsports is the U.S. importer and distributor of Kobe leathers.

A press release announcing the program read:

“Kobe World Class Leathers has expanded their national contingency program to include all WERA, all CCS/Pace, and all CRA road race events. Paul Wright at Marietta Motorsports says they are negotiating additional contingency deals with more racing organizations, and expects more announcements soon. The program pays back 8 places in each sponsored sprint class.

“Payout for WERA, CRA, and Pace Pro-Am classes: First place $50, then $40-$30-$25-$20-$15-$10-$10 for second through eighth place.

“Payout for WERA National Series sprints and Pace Pro classes: First place $75, then $50-$40-$30-$25-$20-$15-$10 for second through eighth place.

“Total contingency posted by Kobe for the 2001 season totals is an astonishing $496,930. Kobe contingency certificates are good towards purchases of anything in the Marietta Motorsports 1-888-FASTLAP Racers Catalog, making the Kobe program unique and very racer-friendly.

“Marietta Motorsports can be reached at 1-888-FASTLAP, or more information can be found at www.1888fastlap.com, or www.kobeusa.com.”

Traxxion Dynamics’ Max McAllister obviously thinks he’s on to something. McAllister issued a press release that read:

“Max McAllister, President of Traxxion Dynamics, Inc. has recently formed a strategic alliance with Shogun Motorsports, an active sponsor of many racing teams and general positive force in the sport of motorcycle road racing. Shogun will provide Traxxion with funding to develop a revolutionary new damping system for Supersport racing motorcycles.

“McAllister’s vision and concepts, combined with engineering commitments from Penske Racing Shocks Vice President Jeff Ryan, will bring Formula One auto racing technology to professional and club-level racers around the world.

“The concepts, while currently unable to be revealed to the public, have been approved by all major sanctioning bodies except for the AMA. Prototype systems will be tested later in the 2001 racing season. Production components should be available to the racing public in 2002.”

Car road racer Frank Parise, a member of the five-man commission that oversees operation of the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona, is heading a task force to determine the feasibility of adding a road course to the drag strip and oval track already operating at the fairgrounds. Parise, 49, retired three years ago after a successful career in real estate and now spends his time on volunteer work–like serving on the fairgrounds commission–and on racing a Dodge Viper in the Viper Challenge Series. Parise is seeking input from motorcycle racing organizations, riding schools and teams to determine the level of interest in a road course.

“We’re trying to demonstrate that the track is financially feasible to operate, with cash flow sufficient to retire the cost of building the track,” Parise said in a March 22 phone interview, while driving to Buttonwillow for a car race.

Parise and his task force are asking the following questions:

1. How many weekend days per year should we assume that your club, school or race organization would be willing to rent the track for its exclusive use?

2. How many weekends per year should we assume that your club, school or race organization would be willing to rent the track for its exclusive use?

3. What do you consider to be a reasonable daily rental rate for the exclusive use of a desirable road course facility?

4. What are the most important factors in making your decision to rent a road course for your events?

5. On average, how many vehicles typically participate in your events?

6. Our current concept is to build a road course having the following features. Please list other features which you feel would be important.
a. Maximum length of 2.5-3.0 miles with a minimum of 11-12 turns.
b. Emphasis on safe and adequate run-off areas.
c. Multiple track configurations available.
d. Combinations of technically complex and high-speed sections.
e. Moderate elevation changes.
f. Spacious asphalt paddock.
g. Covered and/or enclosed garage space based on demand.
h. Conveniently located within two miles of an Interstate 10 exit.

7. Is there a maximum top speed you desire to see on a road course? How long should the straight be?

8. How long and wide should our hot pit lane be?

9. How wide should the track surface be?

10. What can we do to assure ourselves that you will use our facility?

11. What can we do to differentiate ourselves and be successful?

12. Would you be interested in participating in the ownership or operation of the track? In what capacity?

13. Would you be interested in establishing/operating a full-time driving school as the anchor tenant of the track during the week? Please describe the desired operating arrangement.


Parise has requested responses by March 31, and can be contacted via phone at (520) 906-6844, via FAX at (520) 290-3459 or via e-mail at [email protected].

BMW North America introduced several 2002-labeled new products and innovations to media representatives March 21-22 in Austin, Texas, including the updated R1150RT Tourer, the completely redesigned R1150R Roadster, and the third-generation BMW ABS system. Reporters present at the press launch included a mix of representatives from smaller motorcycle magazines as well as journalists from the New York Times and other large newspapers.

BMW’s new EVO integrated ABS system is lighter and produces more stopping power with less lever effort compared to earlier BMW ABS systems. During a test ride through the central Texas hill country, BMW technicians set up a test course to allow journalists to compare the new brake system against other systems. But few of the assembled journalists actually wanted to test the brakes.

One journalist who did want to test the brakes was Roadracing World’s David Swarts, and his antics led other journalists to break out the cameras and start photographing Swarts. BMW representatives ended the test session when Swarts started pulling the R1150RT Tourer up onto its front wheel from 60 mph.

The new integrated BMW ABS system applies all the brakes when either the front or rear brake levers are used. The system is power-assisted and senses brake-line pressure to distribute the stopping force to the wheel that has the most traction. When Swarts had the rear wheel of the R1150RT in the air, the system automatically sent more pressure to the front brakes and the rear wheel did not lock up. And unlike a conventional automotive ABS system that can go directly into anti-lock mode and cause the brake pedal to flutter, the BMW ABS system gives tremendous feedback at impending lock-up—which allows the system to work well under any circumstances and not just during panic stops.

The 2002-model BMWs should appear in dealerships in the next two months.

29 Dreams Motorcycle Resort, a motorcycle-only campground located on Highway 25 just outside Birmingham, Alabama, has scheduled a grand opening on April 21.

The new 29-acre campground features six four-person heated/air-conditioned cabins, along with a barbecue pit and pavilion, and numerous remote tent camping sites. The main lodge has a full kitchen facility, along with a garage area for patrons to work on their motorcycles if needed. A loft area complete with pool table overlooks the main lodge area.

The campground is a short ride from the new Barber Motorsports Complex being built in Leeds, Alabama. Campground owners Greg “Big Daddy” Calhoun and Tim Langley are both motorcycling enthusiasts and members of the Floribama Riders club.

29 Dreams is also sponsoring WERA racer Jeff “Jeffro” Rozycki, who will compete under the 29dreams.com Racing banner.

Additional information about the campground or race team is available from www.29dreams.com or via e-mail at [email protected].

Ducati North America is making plans to replace Aaron Slight for the balance of the AMA Superbike season as well as finding a substitute for the injured Scott Russell.

According to Ducati North America Racing Manager David Roy, Slight’s European Touring Car Schedule conflicts with the AMA Superbike Series schedule, and although there have been discussions concerning Slight competing in five of the remaining AMA races, that isn’t what Ducati wants to. Instead, said Roy on March 22, “We’ve been talking to a couple of people” about taking Slight’s place and filling in for Russell.

Slight agreed to come to America to test the Ducati and then run Daytona. At Daytona, Slight said that he has offers to race touring cars in Europe this summer, and he has now apparently taken those offfers.

When told that fellow World Superbike expatriate Carl Fogarty had no plans to go car racing, Slight then said, “That’s good, because Foggy can’t drive a car for shit!”

During the March 4, 2001 Formula USA race day at Daytona, the GPRA/F-USA 125cc Grand Prix race was started three times and red-flagged three times. The race was then postponed until the end of the day’s racing program, to be run if there was enough time. But there wasn’t enough time due to a lack of daylight.

In a phone call to Roadracing World, GPRA President Chris Wallace made it official that the 125cc at Daytona was canceled due to darkness, with no points or purse awarded. Wallace said that he is working on a make-up race date and will announce that date as soon as he has it.

Wallace added that the make-up race will only be open to racers who were physically present on the grid for the first start of the Daytona GPRA 125cc Grand Prix race. Wallace said that he could’ve put the make-up race at the next GPRA round to be held in conjunction with CCS at Road America in April but felt that venue wouldn’t be fair to everyone due to its distance from Florida.

Freddie Spencer’s High-Performance Product Line has named Alex Florea’s AF Motorsports the at-track Michelin tire distributors for AFM events at Thunder Hill Raceway, Sears Point Raceway and Buttonwillow Raceway.

Freddie Spencer’s High-Performance Product Line has also posted contingency for AFM events, in the form of Freddie Bucks redeemable toward the purchase of tires. In AFM Formula Pacific, the program pays $400 for first, $250 for second, $150 for third, $75 for fourth and $50 for fifth. In AFM 600cc Superbike and 750cc Superbike, the program pays $300 for first, $200 for second, $100 for third, $75 for fourth and $50 for fifth. In AFM Open Superbike, 600cc Production and 750cc Production, the program pays $100 for first, $80 for second, $70 for third, $50 for fourth and $40 for fifth. In AFM Formula III, the program pays $75 for first, $50 for second, $25 for third, $15 for fourth and $10 for fifth.

For additional information contact Freddie Spencer’s High Performance Product Line’s Morgan Broadhead at (702) 591-8915 or Alex Florea at (650) 400-3461.