The Official 2008 AMA Roadracing Thread

+1

It sure sounded at the beginning that that was his ultimate goal.

Sheheen is quite possibly the worst commentator on TV. I am seriously thinking of dropping Speed and getting my fix 'elsewhere'

And he's hired by SPEED, not Roger E. or the AMA.

I guess I don't quite understand what NASCARization is. We aren't going to get silouette motorcycles if that's the fear. It's production racing and the aproach seems to be an attempt to keep it that way in order to give more teams a chance to win. Then there is the money they hope to bring into the paddock... Stuff like the point fund to allocate among the regular teams. That's pure NASCAR, but it seems a pretty good deal for the competitors. Why fear that?

On the other hand, if we are talking about fake yellow flags and other field bunching and point-leveling nonsense, that would surely kill it for me too.

ohh...well...yah got me there...

ohh jeez

I guess that would be a little hubba bubba. On the other and, maybe the number plates go the way of MotoGP. Ya can't even read 'em!

Clearly. I never said otherwise

Whoever hired him, it doesn't stop him being a dick. He should stick to NASCRAP for which he seem eminently suited.

Yes. We already hear that.

Damn, who makes that frame?

That setup with a street legal dirtbike for a donor (or at least the paperwork so you can get it tagged ), brakes, and a headlight would make one gnarly street tracker.

Maybe with the rules changing there will be some rollers out there to snag.

I think there have already been discussions about the teams owning the # on the bike. And in Edmondson's address to the AMA he stressed parity, competition, and close racing at all costs and how that was part of the France family formula.

I am not a fan of the slippery slope agrument, so I will watch and see what develops. IMO AMA racing already kinda sucks. So, my big disappointment is that I thought there would be a real chance to do a few little tweaks to get things back on track.

We have been over the WSBK formula before, and everyone knows it works and would fix what was wrong with AMA SBK racing.

Again, I will have to sit back and watch.

I wonder if DMG plans to enfranchise this idea to have worldwide rules.

New World Order comes to motorcycle racing. Can't wait.

I was thinking the same thing.

Was sorry to see that... maybe they're thinking that, since you have to buy the whole bike to get the engine, you might as well use more of it.

I like the idea of the smaller, unrestricted twins... I hope it makes for some interesting bikes on the starting grid.

It's that and the give and take throughout the season to appease the whiners (in the name of parity). In NASCAR it meant template tweaks and allowances to get an uncompetative package competative rather than forcing the OEM to step up. Essentially penalizing teams that do their homework.

I'll wait and see what the rules package is for Superbike. Barring some huge/weird change I do think that the Suzuki/Mladin combination will continue to be dominant even with a stock crank.

Cheers
Brett

Wouldn't looking back at CCS or AMA during RE's tenure or the present Grand-Am package be a better measure of what DMG's operating procedures than NASCAR?

Of course. Personally, I think Grand-Am sucks. It's slow and boring, and not especially interesting from a commercial point of view. But there are important differences relative to motorcycle racing, chief among them how easily and relatively inexpensively modern production motorcycles can be transformed into respectable racing machines. Combine that with the fact that the fans will be riding to the race on virtually the same machines and you have the potential for valuable manufacturer involvement without pricing (or rule-making) competent private entrants out of the picture. Big, competitive grids are within reach.

Management is key, obviously. The jury is still out on that front. Roger E./DMG's start wasn't encouraging, to put it kindly, but of late they seem to be making the necessary accommodations and compromises.

Roll on Daytona . . .

Not sure who makes that one, but here is one popular builder. They're only a few miles from my house. I need to visit one day.

Now that is a great post! I vote Harvey Mushman for yet another career as Race Director of AMA Pro Racing. Also I insist he utilize his cameras for documentation of the best parts of his festivities; and share them with us first!...and I think he should agree to a side job as PR for AMA Flat

Yes, there are important difference relative to motorcycle racing and thats why I don't believe the comparisons, and general fear mongering, with respect to NASCAR are appropriate when discussing AMA roadracing.

My post mentioned procedures and my point was that RE didn't manipulate AMA pro racing with yellow flags or pace car laps and doesn't seem to do that in Grand Am though I only watch maybe four Grand Am races a year so I'm not the best judge.

But make no mistake, DMG=NASCAR and that is who RE works for now. They will build AMA SBK into a brand and into a product if they are able. That is what they do. For better or for worse.

That's a Ron Wood frame with Yamaha power.