AMA Road Atlanta Spoilers

1st DSB practice,is Buell sandbagging with all the negative press

Pos. Rider Team Bike Time
1 Jason DiSalvo M4 Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R600 1:31.126
2 Martin Cardenas M4 Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R600 1:31.394
3 Jake Zemke Erion Racing Honda CBR600RR 1:31.858
4 Jamie Hacking Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 1:31.959
5 Roger Hayden Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 1:32.425
6 Chaz Davies Factory Aprilia Millennium Technologies Team Aprilia RSV 1:32.718
7 Josh Herrin Team Graves Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R6 1:32.752
8 Danny Eslick Daytona Racing/RMR Buell Buell 1125R 1:32.971
9 Steve Rapp Yamaha YZF-R6 1:33.002
10 Taylor Knapp Buell 1125R 1:33.231
11 Dane Westby Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 1:33.295
12 Michael Beck Team Beck Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 1:33.353


ENDS

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 3 2009, 12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>1st DSB practice,is Buell sandbagging with all the negative press
seems very plausible.

1st American Superbike practice

1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.397
2. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.962
3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.260
4. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:28.306
5. Larry Pegram (Duc 1098R), 1:28.662
6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.814
7. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:29.515
8. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), 1:29.528
9. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:29.908
10. Aaron Gobert (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:30.141
11. Jake Holden (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:30.143
12. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.475
13. Hawk Mazzotta (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.718
14. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.758
15. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.166
16. Ryan Elleby (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.181
17. Barrett Long (Duc 1098R), 1:31.209
18. Mark Crozier (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:33.163
19. Skip Salenius, 1:33.922
20. Shane Narbonne (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:36.052
21. Eric Haugo (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:37.663
22. Josh Graham (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.398


Thats 4 seconds off last years times on Friday practice and 1/2 second SLOWER than last years FX pole time. Remember,FX was 600cc bikes

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 3 2009, 08:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>1st American Superbike practice

1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.397
2. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.962
3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.260
4. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:28.306
5. Larry Pegram (Duc 1098R), 1:28.662
6. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.814
7. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:29.515
8. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), 1:29.528
9. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:29.908
10. Aaron Gobert (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:30.141
11. Jake Holden (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:30.143
12. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.475
13. Hawk Mazzotta (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.718
14. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:30.758
15. Scott Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.166
16. Ryan Elleby (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:31.181
17. Barrett Long (Duc 1098R), 1:31.209
18. Mark Crozier (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:33.163
19. Skip Salenius, 1:33.922
20. Shane Narbonne (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:36.052
21. Eric Haugo (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:37.663
22. Josh Graham (Yam YZF-R1), 1:38.398


Thats 4 seconds off last years times on Friday practice and 1/2 second SLOWER than last years FX pole time. Remember,FX was 600cc bikes

Well, let's go to some events, and help the venue owners make the necessary funds to upgrade facilities so they can go much faster (in the rain too) without killing people. Things will never be fixed until people admit there was a problem.

Tires are what's slowing everything down.

Geoff May is impressive again.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Apr 3 2009, 12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Well, let's go to some events, and help the venue owners make the necessary funds to upgrade facilities so they can go much faster (in the rain too) without killing people. Things will never be fixed until people admit there was a problem.

Tires are what's slowing everything down.

Geoff May is impressive again.
You know,i have been going to AMA road racing events for years and have never seen anyone die.Road Atlanta made the changes to safen up their track last year after Miguel damn near got killed.Laguna has been modified to hold a GP event.Barber is there also. Come to think about it,the most dangerous tracks are the ones owned by the ........ that are ....... up the sport. Lex,for the millionth time,the bikes were not nutted in the name of safety.It was for the show and the paycheck. Yes the tires are a part of it, but .......,those are some magic tires if they were worth 4 seconds a lap..They are down on HP and down on suspension,the tires are probably worth about a half a second of that 4 seconds,the rest is pure lack of performance.Why would i pay to see racing i saw 20 years ago.Im done till they change the rules and become a professional series.I also said all along that as bad as the AMA was, there was nothing wrong with the racing except that we got to see 2 of the best Superbike riders in the history of the sport at the same time and they made it boring.That had NOTHING to do with the AMA or the previous rules package.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 3 2009, 09:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You know,i have been going to AMA road racing events for years and have never seen anyone die.Road Atlanta made the changes to safen up their track last year after Miguel damn near got killed.Laguna has been modified to hold a GP event.Barber is there also.

You are starting to sound like Edmondson. I don't think the tracks are particularly unsafe, but most of the riders have their reservations.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Yes the tires are a part of it, but .......,those are some magic tires if they were worth 4 seconds a lap..They are down on HP and down on suspension,the tires are probably worth about a half a second of that 4 seconds,the rest is pure lack of performance.Why would i pay to see racing i saw 20 years ago.Im done till they change the rules and become a professional series.I also said all along that as bad as the AMA was, there was nothing wrong with the racing except that we got to see 2 of the best Superbike riders in the history of the sport at the same time and they made it boring.That had NOTHING to do with the AMA or the previous rules package.

The bikes have probably dropped 10hp and they've certainly lost suspension performance because the banned the GP one-offs they used to run at the front, but they aren't running stock bikes. The major change is that they've outlawed prototyping by requiring all aftermarket parts to come from a third party supplier. By using third parties they strengthen the teams (since many are run by third party suppliers) and they allow the equipment to be available to everyone.

Furthermore, it has made the riders more valuable. Everyone knows Mladin is good for at least 1 second per lap. Now that many manufacturers are capable of building competitive equipment, and everyone knows Mat is the x-factor, he's worth more and he can leave Suzuki and still have competitive equipment.

The changes have been positive for the riders (who aren't stupid), the privateers, and the third party parts companies. Yet everyone is crying because the manufacturers' feelings are hurt.

The manufacturers are the reason the AMA sold pro racing!! I want them to participate but they are refusing to advertise and hire new talent because they wanna play around with prototype titanium parts at company HQ.

Sadly all of the fans agree---We should have terrible racing with fundamental financial problems so the manufacturers can play with titanium and carbon fiber.

Wake me up when people stop feeling angry and they start thinking.

Lex I think everyone knew Mladin was worth a second a lap. Suzuki just happened to pay him more and let him do whatever he wanted. Do you really think American Honda would have let him handpick his crew and say whatever he wanted for a decade? I used to think Suzuki ruined Superbike racing, I was wrong. The racing wasn't ruined. Mladin and Spies simply beat the piss out of everyone, end of story really. Something is broken, I'll admit that but it wasn't the racing. They've changed the racing and guess what, Mladin can still pull the pin and leave everyone at a second a lap rate. The only difference now is we don't have a Ben Spies or an Eric Bostrom or a Nicky Hayden to keep him honest.

I think Matt is starting to feel better and is getting used to the bike.He just cooked the field in Super Pole

1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:25.280
2. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:26.902
3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:26.943
4. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.072
5. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), 1:27.257
6. Larry Pegram (Duc 1098R), 1:27.558
7. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.612
8. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.145
9. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.334
10. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.677

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Apr 3 2009, 12:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Lex I think everyone knew Mladin was worth a second a lap. Suzuki just happened to pay him more and let him do whatever he wanted. Do you really think American Honda would have let him handpick his crew and say whatever he wanted for a decade? I used to think Suzuki ruined Superbike racing, I was wrong. The racing wasn't ruined. Mladin and Spies simply beat the piss out of everyone, end of story really. Something is broken, I'll admit that but it wasn't the racing. They've changed the racing and guess what, Mladin can still pull the pin and leave everyone at a second a lap rate. The only difference now is we don't have a Ben Spies or an Eric Bostrom or a Nicky Hayden to keep him honest.

The AMA was ruined by a behavioral phenomenon. Whenever you have a group of people who are bent on maintaining the status quo (or group cooperation) you get ...-for-tat. Basically, anyone who deviates from the status quo without group cooperation is summarily beaten back into compliance. The AMA was just a country club with a lot of wealthy respected clients.

Like any country club there are the "rules" and the real rules. The manufacturers did whatever they wanted. The AMA decided to ban traction control, the manufacturers could have stopped it, but they got together and agreed that traction control was going to be banned. Obviously, they would have resolved not to cheat on the rule as well.

Suzuki decided to cheat anyway. The other manufacturers responded by causing a media frenzy. They fully expected that the AMA would do something, but the letter of the "rules" prohibited intervention. The ban on TC was reversed in order to neutralize Suzuki's advantage.

The situation spiraled out of control and the AMA wanted to sell the club to someone else who could get the series under control and help increase it's revenue earning potential. The AMA was dying on the vine b/c they were doing everything but promoting motorcycling in the United States.

At this point the MIC could have moved but they didn't b/c there was still a deep schism within their ranks. DMG showed up and they were suddenly buddy buddy with one another like a pack of teenagers when a cop shows up.

I don't care if no one likes Edmondson or if they criticize his ideas, but its ridiculous to fault him for pissing off a handful of powerful country club clowns who act like teenagers.In this instance (very rare), Edmondson's tactic of throwing them out of the house is probably best. Like true teenagers they've threatened to leave but they've got no where to go, they just wanna sit around and be miserable.

"OMG THIS IS SO UNFAIR!"

They might be right, but they are only screwing themselves. There is a limit the the amount of money DMG can lose. The manufacturers can lose a lot more. If they aren't racing in an FIM affiliated series (like the AMA) they motherships are going to pull their allowances and ground them.

You wanna get pissed? Wait until the manufacturers lose their racing budgets b/c they are trying to break Edmondson.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 4 2009, 08:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think Matt is starting to feel better and is getting used to the bike.He just cooked the field in Super Pole

1. Mat Mladin (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:25.280
2. Josh Hayes (Yam YZF-R1), 1:26.902
3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:26.943
4. Blake Young (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.072
5. Ben Bostrom (Yam YZF-R1), 1:27.257
6. Larry Pegram (Duc 1098R), 1:27.558
7. Tommy Hayden (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:27.612
8. Aaron Yates (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.145
9. Taylor Knapp (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.334
10. David Anthony (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:28.677

Absolute class of the field.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Apr 3 2009, 06:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The AMA was ruined by a behavioral phenomenon. Whenever you have a group of people who are bent on maintaining the status quo (or group cooperation) you get ...-for-tat. Basically, anyone who deviates from the status quo without group cooperation is summarily beaten back into compliance. The AMA was just a country club with a lot of wealthy respected clients.

Like any country club there are the "rules" and the real rules. The manufacturers did whatever they wanted. The AMA decided to ban traction control, the manufacturers could have stopped it, but they got together and agreed that traction control was going to be banned. Obviously, they would have resolved not to cheat on the rule as well.

Suzuki decided to cheat anyway. The other manufacturers responded by causing a media frenzy. They fully expected that the AMA would do something, but the letter of the "rules" prohibited intervention. The ban on TC was reversed in order to neutralize Suzuki's advantage.

The situation spiraled out of control and the AMA wanted to sell the club to someone else who could get the series under control and help increase it's revenue earning potential. The AMA was dying on the vine b/c they were doing everything but promoting motorcycling in the United States.

At this point the MIC could have moved but they didn't b/c there was still a deep schism within their ranks. DMG showed up and they were suddenly buddy buddy with one another like a pack of teenagers when a cop shows up.

I don't care if no one likes Edmondson or if they criticize his ideas, but its ridiculous to fault him for pissing off a handful of powerful country club clowns who act like teenagers.In this instance (very rare), Edmondson's tactic of throwing them out of the house is probably best. Like true teenagers they've threatened to leave but they've got no where to go, they just wanna sit around and be miserable.

"OMG THIS IS SO UNFAIR!"

They might be right, but they are only screwing themselves. There is a limit the the amount of money DMG can lose. The manufacturers can lose a lot more. If they aren't racing in an FIM affiliated series (like the AMA) they motherships are going to pull their allowances and ground them.

You wanna get pissed? Wait until the manufacturers lose their racing budgets b/c they are trying to break Edmondson.
One mans cheater is another mans innovator. Rules are rules and written specifically. A cheater breaks the rules that are written.An innovator finds ways around them. I have a hard time calling anyone a cheater because they are just flat out better than the other guys.How did it work out for the competition when they went ahead and legalized TC to erase the [Suzuki Advantage}

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 4 2009, 07:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>One mans cheater is another mans innovator. Rules are rules and written specifically. A cheater breaks the rules that are written.An innovator finds ways around them. I have a hard time calling anyone a cheater because they are just flat out better than the other guys.How did it work out for the competition when they went ahead and legalized TC to erase the [Suzuki Advantage}

But you're not understanding the implications.

The manufacturers cheated anywhere and everywhere they wanted to. For them to ratify a new rule, they had to agree not to cheat; otherwise they would never have let the AMA ban TC.

Why do you think Suzuki's actions created such an uproar within the club? especially with Honda

Back on topic,it looks as if Eslick and the Buell team were sandbagging. He has magically found 1 1/2 seconds from his pace all day yesterday whereas all the other bikes are running within a 1/10 or so of their best times yesterday.I look for him to come thru the field pretty quick on the rolling start and be in the top 5 before the end of the first lap.

Did anyone notice that both Mercado and Odom got promoted?

Mercado is running 6th in DSB for Attack Kawasaki and Odom is in 27th but he's riding for his dad's team.

I've never been to this track, but my feeling is that the Buell will not have such a marked advantage as it did at the nascar ovals. So it may be a more level playing field.

Is anybody out there? Can you post pics please.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Apr 4 2009, 12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I've never been to this track, but my feeling is that the Buell will not have such a marked advantage as it did at the nascar ovals. So it may be a more level playing field.

Is anybody out there? Can you post pics please.
I have gone to that track forever and im just not a camera guy,so, sorry,no pics but i have excellent track knowledge of Road Atlanta.
http://www.roadatlanta.com/trackmap.lasso

The long straight coming out of turn 7 is super fast and long.What they call 8&9 are not corners per se and it is wide ....... open till about half way between 9 & 10a which is a steep downhill and the better brakers can make hay.Its probably the prime passing spot on the track. Last years Superbikes would hit low 190's mph in that stretch and this years are around 179. So from top speed,you have down hill braking to a 45-50 mph left right chicane and then an uphill climb that leads to a blind down hill for more heavy braking into the last turn which is a very slow right hander and the start finish is im guessing less than 150ft from there. This track is a little longer than Fontana but overall faster as far as avg mph. It has a lot of elevation changes. Thats where i figure the Buell will make hay,there and the long back straight.Where they might lose time is in the numerous down hill braking area's. This is by far my favorite of the tracks i normally visit.It has the best atmospher,you can ride your bike inside the track and go to differnt viewing areas in minutes while the race is going on and it is known thru out the nation as the party track. They have clamped down in recent years because it got so out of control with the late night shenanigans.You could walk into the rest room to take a shower in the morning and the walls would be black with rubber where some jack off took his bike into the ....... and did burnouts half the night.Woke up a couple of years ago to take a leak and the Pota John was i a melted blob and ashes. A couple of drunks got killed in consecutive years inside the track when they were racing thru the infield roads at 2am so drunk they couldnt stand up an dead centerd a concret wall instead of going thru a tunnel.Its ....... crazy. Any way , So far the jap bikes have had a leg up but like i said,it looks like the Buell was bagging all of yesterday and now is running 1 1/2 seconds faster than their superpole time.

Thanks Povol. (Are you missing being out there yet?)

Mat wins race 1 easily

http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/events/resu...pe=F&rnum=1

Good race between May and Hayden by the looks of things. Maybe we'll know by next week?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Apr 4 2009, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Mat wins race 1 easily

http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/events/resu...pe=F&rnum=1

Good race between May and Hayden by the looks of things. Maybe we'll know by next week?

He put over a second a lap on second place for the first 7 laps,had close to a 8 second lead.I guess he took mercy and just beat them by a half second a lap from there on out. Hey Roger,you ever hear the old saying,the more things change,the more they stay the same.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Apr 4 2009, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>He put over a second a lap on second place for the first 7 laps,had close to a 8 second lead.I guess he took mercy and just beat them by a half second a lap from there on out. Hey Roger,you ever hear the old saying,the more things change,the more they stay the same.

Why is everyone hating on Rog?

He changed almost nothing with the racing, but he cut costs by at least 50%. The man should be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. Maybe he'll get it when we get live coverage back.

BTW, God bless the manufacturers for demanding we keep SBK. I wasn't too afraid of 600 FX bikes running as the premier class, but I would have been angry to see Mat squirreling around midpack.

Alright, the AMA just needs a few simple fixes.

1) bring back Supersport for 600s only and run it with DSB tuning rules.
2) Turn DSB into a horsepower limited free-for-all with parity rules (if someone wants to spend 50K making a 600 put out 150hp, let them).
3) New rule: If you run it in DSB you can't run it in SBK.