Joined Mar 2006
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Here is part 2: http://www.speedtv.com/articles/moto/amasuperbike/42280/
I'm scared of the France family factor and the Roger Edmondson excerpt regarding Moto _St. Judging from the highlight shows of Moto_St races that aired recently, the bikes are slow and boring (and the Buells are downright hideous!). If Jim France wins the bid for AMA SBK promotional rights, will the twins class be promoted as the top series? Common sense would say no, since the Japanese sportbikes are so popular among road racing fans. One would be hard-pressed to imagine fans coming in droves to watch air-cooled BMWs, Buells with Bulbous fairings, and sub-100hp EX650s. However, lack of fan interest hasn't stopped the NASCAR mafia from dumbing down sportscar racing with the Grand-Am series. Let's all hope for the best!
I'm scared of the France family factor and the Roger Edmondson excerpt regarding Moto _St. Judging from the highlight shows of Moto_St races that aired recently, the bikes are slow and boring (and the Buells are downright hideous!). If Jim France wins the bid for AMA SBK promotional rights, will the twins class be promoted as the top series? Common sense would say no, since the Japanese sportbikes are so popular among road racing fans. One would be hard-pressed to imagine fans coming in droves to watch air-cooled BMWs, Buells with Bulbous fairings, and sub-100hp EX650s. However, lack of fan interest hasn't stopped the NASCAR mafia from dumbing down sportscar racing with the Grand-Am series. Let's all hope for the best!
If that happen, see all factory support leave. Only person I see right now who could help AMA road racing is Michael Jordan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Jan 7 2008, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>If that happen, see all factory support leave. Only person I see right now who could help AMA road racing is Michael Jordan.
come on hf that won't happen. could be difficult for a while but whatever happens the ship will right itself eventually. the france thing worries me abit but if it happens we got to give it a chance. i doubt he'll try to turn it into nasbike. i don't think that would work very well...
come on hf that won't happen. could be difficult for a while but whatever happens the ship will right itself eventually. the france thing worries me abit but if it happens we got to give it a chance. i doubt he'll try to turn it into nasbike. i don't think that would work very well...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Jan 7 2008, 04:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>come on hf that won't happen. could be difficult for a while but whatever happens the ship will right itself eventually. the france thing worries me abit but if it happens we got to give it a chance. i doubt he'll try to turn it into nasbike. i don't think that would work very well...
I think AMA will fix itself, but yes, that France thing scared the s$%t out of me too. Nascar for the past 20 years has not helped the little guys, the privateers, and that is the real problem I see in AMA.
I think AMA will fix itself, but yes, that France thing scared the s$%t out of me too. Nascar for the past 20 years has not helped the little guys, the privateers, and that is the real problem I see in AMA.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ Jan 7 2008, 01:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>come on hf that won't happen. could be difficult for a while but whatever happens the ship will right itself eventually. the france thing worries me abit but if it happens we got to give it a chance. i doubt he'll try to turn it into nasbike. i don't think that would work very well...
I would like to believe this but there is no way they can resist the temptation. One thing that helps make NASCAR such a circus is the scoring format. France wouldn't resist the temptation to copy and paste the NASCAR scoring format onto AMA SBK racing, if allowed.
The problem is, if an American company buys the rights, AMA will turn into a circus with delusions of grandeur. I fear the series will focus on setting itself apart from the rest of the world. It's not a bad idea, it's just a bad idea now. Manufacturers aren't looking for another expensive circus and a cheap circus is NASCAR. The AMA could take that route later with different series spin-offs if they wanted a series that captured global audience.
I think if the AMA was smart, they would approach WSBK and other national SBK series and try to broker a big SBK style cooperative deal that would allow the national series to serve as feeders for WSBK. It's that way now, but it's not as integrated as it could be. For instance, approach the manufacturers and try to smooth production rules for bikes so they can limit the number of one-off specialty parts they have to make.
They could also broker a deal with Pirelli so the national series can use the spec tires, or spec tires of similar construction built by the company of their choice.
You know, stuff that would allow closer racing, less cost, and greater chances for national riders to move up to WSBK.
I still believe the national series' should race stock production bikes. I think the idea of global homologation race machines, built for track purposes but available for sale to any privateer with a little backing, has merit.
That's the only part of NASCAR that's worth bringing to the AMA---all private squads and easily obtained competitive machinery.
I would like to believe this but there is no way they can resist the temptation. One thing that helps make NASCAR such a circus is the scoring format. France wouldn't resist the temptation to copy and paste the NASCAR scoring format onto AMA SBK racing, if allowed.
The problem is, if an American company buys the rights, AMA will turn into a circus with delusions of grandeur. I fear the series will focus on setting itself apart from the rest of the world. It's not a bad idea, it's just a bad idea now. Manufacturers aren't looking for another expensive circus and a cheap circus is NASCAR. The AMA could take that route later with different series spin-offs if they wanted a series that captured global audience.
I think if the AMA was smart, they would approach WSBK and other national SBK series and try to broker a big SBK style cooperative deal that would allow the national series to serve as feeders for WSBK. It's that way now, but it's not as integrated as it could be. For instance, approach the manufacturers and try to smooth production rules for bikes so they can limit the number of one-off specialty parts they have to make.
They could also broker a deal with Pirelli so the national series can use the spec tires, or spec tires of similar construction built by the company of their choice.
You know, stuff that would allow closer racing, less cost, and greater chances for national riders to move up to WSBK.
I still believe the national series' should race stock production bikes. I think the idea of global homologation race machines, built for track purposes but available for sale to any privateer with a little backing, has merit.
That's the only part of NASCAR that's worth bringing to the AMA---all private squads and easily obtained competitive machinery.
Joined Mar 2006
1K Posts | 71+
US
Another thing to think about is how the Frances would interact with the Rider Safety Comission. As can be seen in NASCAR, the France family has been about total control. Drivers who criticise the organization or leadership are fined or otherwise dealt with. Would they take kindly to riders telling them what to do in the area of track safety? Don't forget, the ISC/France-run Moto-St series was run at the Iowa Speedway roval. The bikes ran on the banked oval turn without a chicane. There was a nasty crash on the high-speed banking, which injured the rider and ended the race prematurely. The rider actually hit the concrete wall. Hopefully a lesson was learned and, if he aquires the promotional rights, Jim France will be open to the safety comission.
Joined Oct 2006
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Your Mom's House
Did anybody see the AMA Supercross this last weekend on Speed (they are going to replay on Tuesday). Wow, now that was covered and run great. I imagine from seeing the coverage that it must be similar to what the European are priviledged to get for MotoGP. Why can't it be so for the AMA roadracing division? God only knows.
I don't know how to fix the AMA. I do know when I see a good product, like say WSBK at the moment. I don't see why it can't become a national version of WSBK. Its exciting and I believe for the most part its authentic. I like that the teams bring in corporate sponsors, unlike the AMA where the factory is the only major logo on the bike.
One thing is for sure, the talent pool is great. I'd even say it rivals anything the international series have to offer. The pieces are here to make it both a great contest and an exciting show, but something needs to change, and soon because people are losing interest fast if it continues to be a Suzuki cup.
I don't know how to fix the AMA. I do know when I see a good product, like say WSBK at the moment. I don't see why it can't become a national version of WSBK. Its exciting and I believe for the most part its authentic. I like that the teams bring in corporate sponsors, unlike the AMA where the factory is the only major logo on the bike.
One thing is for sure, the talent pool is great. I'd even say it rivals anything the international series have to offer. The pieces are here to make it both a great contest and an exciting show, but something needs to change, and soon because people are losing interest fast if it continues to be a Suzuki cup.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Jan 8 2008, 02:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Did anybody see the AMA Supercross this last weekend on Speed (they are going to replay on Tuesday). Wow, now that was covered and run great. I imagine from seeing the coverage that it must be similar to what the European are priviledged to get for MotoGP. Why can't it be so for the AMA roadracing division? God only knows.
I don't know how to fix the AMA. I do know when I see a good product, like say WSBK at the moment. I don't see why it can't become a national version of WSBK. Its exciting and I believe for the most part its authentic. I like that the teams bring in corporate sponsors, unlike the AMA where the factory is the only major logo on the bike.
One thing is for sure, the talent pool is great. I'd even say it rivals anything the international series have to offer. The pieces are here to make it both a great contest and an exciting show, but something needs to change, and soon because people are losing interest fast if it continues to be a Suzuki cup.
That is the only reason Nascar might possibly, be good, but saying that, it could kill the sport even quicker. Bigger coverage could happen, but a main reason bikes do not get the coverage is because of Nascar and many Americans getting brainwhashed by the pass happy, oval crap, called Nascar.
I don't know how to fix the AMA. I do know when I see a good product, like say WSBK at the moment. I don't see why it can't become a national version of WSBK. Its exciting and I believe for the most part its authentic. I like that the teams bring in corporate sponsors, unlike the AMA where the factory is the only major logo on the bike.
One thing is for sure, the talent pool is great. I'd even say it rivals anything the international series have to offer. The pieces are here to make it both a great contest and an exciting show, but something needs to change, and soon because people are losing interest fast if it continues to be a Suzuki cup.
That is the only reason Nascar might possibly, be good, but saying that, it could kill the sport even quicker. Bigger coverage could happen, but a main reason bikes do not get the coverage is because of Nascar and many Americans getting brainwhashed by the pass happy, oval crap, called Nascar.
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