Mladin Blasts DMG for 2009 rules!

AMA Supersport bikes are around 120 hp

Formula Extreme bikes are around 145 hp

It is my impression that the new Daytona Superbike is going to be more along the lines of the FX bike than SS.And yes i agree with you,it wont have anything to do with prepping riders for GP.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ May 21 2008, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I keep hearing about how a 600 class would be a feeder class for GP.
I don't particularly think that is the case.
I watch the supersport class now and the top 5 guys are backing it into most corners.

They back it in because they have a poor front tire for the amount of hp they run and they don't have GP sophisticated traction control.

The new 600 GP class will be very similar. Whether or not the front will be good enough to make cornerspeed riding the style of choice remains to be seen.

Besides DORNA realized they ruined the spectacle of MotoGP they are adding it back (in a safer manner) to the lower classes.

Plus rookies whining about how easy the bikes are to ride while making little or no style adaptation is lame and causes distress for riders who've dedicated their professional lives to racing in the premier class.

A learning curve will be a welcome addition to the new GP hierarchy that has electronically controlled 800s as the top beasts

Plus new rookies out of the 600+cc class won't have to put up with the heaps of insults they face for having little or no bike control.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ May 22 2008, 12:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>NASBIKE has already been created by Dorna in the new 600+ class.

I want to watch people racing bikes that I don't ever want to ride. That was the appeal of 500cc GP.

I agree entirely

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/articl...nfineon2008.mp3
audio of mladins comments on the podium at infineon
http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/articl...erInterview.mp3
audio interview with colin frazier.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (frosty58 @ May 23 2008, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/articl...nfineon2008.mp3
audio of mladins comments on the podium at infineon
http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/articl...erInterview.mp3
audio interview with colin frazier.
The 2nd interview is really good and sheds a whole new light on what they are trying to achieve. I have a whole new perspective on it. Only one disagreement - Daytona has never been a race of interest to, I would say 99% of the motorcycling world outside of the USA. I watch very little AMA ( mainly due to the crap coverage - .... knows how you guys put up with SpeedTV), but the US market is massive.
One thing about Mladin though, and I see why a lot of people dislike him (arrogant and speaks his mind), is that he has criticized the AMA a hell of a lot (especially about safety), for the betterment of racing in the US in general.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ May 23 2008, 07:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>1. I have a whole new perspective on it.

2. Only one disagreement - Daytona has never been a race of interest to, I would say 99% of the motorcycling world outside of the USA. I watch very little AMA ( mainly due to the crap coverage - .... knows how you guys put up with SpeedTV), but the US market is massive.

3. One thing about Mladin though, and I see why a lot of people dislike him (arrogant and speaks his mind), is that he has criticized the AMA a hell of a lot (especially about safety), for the betterment of racing in the US in general.


I think people never like change, so the first reaction will be discontent and apprehension. I'm in the same boat; I don't want them to .... it up either.

As far as Dayton, I really don't know why this is drummed up as a marquee event. It totally sucks. It’s an ugly track and nothing about it is exciting (personally). Obviously they are trying to piggyback on the historical factor, because motorcycle racing on the beach was a long-standing event. But now they race in that horrible track. People who have seen a race at Valencia, Portugal, Mugello, Laguna etc, Donington, must laugh at how ........ Daytona looks. Yeah the banking is cool, but then you see the orange cones and wonder, WTF, did they just think up this ....?

As far as Mladin, after hearing his pleas, I must admit, I was moved. The spineless announcer didn't want any part of his comments, but Mladin stuck to his guns and interjected his opinion three times. So I don’t know what to think about him at the moment. I've seen many interview and trophy ceremonies with Mladin, being a staunch follower of the AMA, and most have been classic Mladin arrogance, but I didn't get the same feeling listening to him here. I'm a bit confused what to think about him at the moment; don't know if I should respect the guy for taking a leadership position or continue my opinion that he just wants to guard his status quo as a dominant figure in the AMA (big fish small pond).

I guess we don't have a choice but to wait and see. But it’s clear that what we have now in superbike (not so in supersport & formula extreme) needs changing for the premier class of the AMA to be interesting.

BTW, Frost, I would like to thank you for posting this audio clip. (I imagine it was easy to do, but I’m always amazed when I can click and listen without glitch). Thanks man.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ May 23 2008, 06:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>As far as Dayton, I really don't know why this is drummed up as a marquee event. It totally sucks. It’s an ugly track and nothing about it is exciting (personally).

These are NASCAR people we are talking about here; Daytona is their centerpiece. Hype is the language of these folks. They present themselves as the be all and end all of racing series. They refer to cup drivers as "the best drivers in the world" and to Daytona as "the World Center of Racing." It's all as if there is no other form of racing outside the France family's sphere (which would probably be the case if they had their way). As long as the Frances are pulling the strings, Daytona will always be billed as the Holy Grail for whatever series runs there, fan opinion matters not.

I knew they would want to call them "Daytona Superbikes." As a witty Champ Car fan said, "they want to make sure we all remember to bow down to Mecca....I mean...Daytona."

For the longtime AMA fans who are hurting now, try to relax, as chewing your insides out won't do a thing. These people are hard-headed and really don't care what fans think. Growth in their sports car series seems to be slowing as the ALMS, the traditonal sports car series, is growing in strength. It's apparently so bad that the folks in Daytona saw it necessary to float sports car "unification" rumors in order to counter the ALMS' momentum.

So have some hope. If we refuse their product, things may sort themselves out in time. Have some hope.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ May 22 2008, 08:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>II thinkk a 600cc prototype will be closer to a superbike than a supersport bike in power output

Apparently the imposed rev limit will be pretty low, and power outputs may even be lower than production 600's.

Here's a post from another racing forum that I feel sums up the France family's attitude toward "growing" other forms of racing (these are not my words):

"NASCAR's strategy is simple, as long as they (NASCAR) think it looks close enough to what it's supossed to be and the field is at no time covered by more than 3 seconds everyone will love it.

They will never understand that people do not like the COT, they'll never understand how much people dont like Grand Am just as they will never understand how much people will not like what they end up doing to the AMA. NASCAR is arrogance personified"

I would like to place emphasis on the phrase "NASCAR is arrogance personified."

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ May 26 2008, 01:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Here's a post from another racing forum that I feel sums up the France family's attitude toward "growing" other forms of racing (these are not my words):

"NASCAR's strategy is simple, as long as they (NASCAR) think it looks close enough to what it's supossed to be and the field is at no time covered by more than 3 seconds everyone will love it.

They will never understand that people do not like the COT, they'll never understand how much people dont like Grand Am just as they will never understand how much people will not like what they end up doing to the AMA. NASCAR is arrogance personified"

I would like to place emphasis on the phrase "NASCAR is arrogance personified."

They are assuming that bike guys are like car guys and as long as the racing is close,we wont care.That couldnt be further from the truth.Bike guys really dont care if there is a runaway winner as long as everbody plays by the same rules.We admire the team that builds a better mousetrap and we admire the better riders.Nascar fails to realize that ovals and the rules associated with ovals are what creates close finishes,roadracing is a different animal,especially on bikes.Who knows,they might just find a whole new breed of bike fan that dont know a Vtwin from an inline 4 except they sound different,but i doubt it.I go to a lot of races and i literally see the same guys,year after year and if i know them as well as i think,the old gear heads will not roll with this form of racing.The tracks i visit have seen growth in attendance year after year,Barber,VIR,Road Atlanta and the ones that suck in attendance are the rovals,the very .... they are going to try and force down our throat because they own the ....... tracks.I will show them im not a sheep.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ May 27 2008, 01:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They are assuming that bike guys are like car guys and as long as the racing is close,we wont care.That couldnt be further from the truth.Bike guys really dont care if there is a runaway winner as long as everbody plays by the same rules.We admire the team that builds a better mousetrap and we admire the better riders.Nascar fails to realize that ovals and the rules associated with ovals are what creates close finishes,roadracing is a different animal,especially on bikes.Who knows,they might just find a whole new breed of bike fan that dont know a Vtwin from an inline 4 except they sound different,but i doubt it.I go to a lot of races and i literally see the same guys,year after year and if i know them as well as i think,the old gear heads will not roll with this form of racing.The tracks i visit have seen growth in attendance year after year,Barber,VIR,Road Atlanta and the ones that suck in attendance are the rovals,the very .... they are going to try and force down our throat because they own the ....... tracks.I will show them im not a sheep.

That's exactly what the sports car fans felt like when the Frances gave Grand-Am a make over in 2003.

As far as how oval rules influence close finishes, NASCAR tries its best to set them up with frivolous pace car runs. They do it with Grand-Am, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them do it in the AMA.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ May 25 2008, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Here's a post from another racing forum that I feel sums up the France family's attitude toward "growing" other forms of racing (these are not my words):

"NASCAR's strategy is simple, as long as they (NASCAR) think it looks close enough to what it's supossed to be and the field is at no time covered by more than 3 seconds everyone will love it.

They will never understand that people do not like the COT, they'll never understand how much people dont like Grand Am just as they will never understand how much people will not like what they end up doing to the AMA. NASCAR is arrogance personified"

I would like to place emphasis on the phrase "NASCAR is arrogance personified."

Arrogance personified is demanding that other people listen to you when you have no ownership stake and $0 at risk. I don't know who wrote that, but they wasted their breath.

The France's have made some very poor decisions recently, the most obvious of which is intentionally putting many of the old guard out to pasture. Mladin is getting screwed. Suzuki is probably finally getting what it deserves. Most of the big names will attempt to leave ASAP.

The new motorsports DMG has been "ruining" were all scheduled for termination anyway. I'm not sure why the French's love buying junk but they've got a real heap on their hands now. The AMA has good talent with few facilities, few fans, and few advertisers.

One positive thing you can guarantee DMG will do, is use NASCAR to promote AMA. I'm not talking about marketing the sport to rednecks sporting mullets, I'm talking about forcing big networks to give good coverage. If you wanna carry NASCAR you gotta carry AMA.

As far as I'm concerned, more AMA coverage can only be a good thing in the U.S. even if the sport is not as good as it once was.

Nascar is ........ where's the talent in driving around an oval for 4000 laps

I see the problem in AMA racing as one of marketing instead of poor choice of rules. The pre race coverage sucks and usually consists of a 5 minute segment before the race. The camera angles suit car racing more than they suit bikes. The commentary is sub par at its best. The marketing efforts were amateurish. These are the problems that should have been addressed before they sold the series to the NASCAR owners. NASCAR is very good at marketing a dull form of racing and making millions of CONSUMERS look forward to the next race. So much so that they have a high degree of brand loyalty, Jeff Gordon fans will only drink Pepsi never Coke. AMA racing needed a marketing department that worked well. I do not want to watch machines that are slower than the bike I ride everyday.

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