Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
I have a question.
How significant would you rate the feat of a Superbike title hat trick: BSB, WSBK, AMA?
If Neil does win the AMA title, wow, that will be a nice accomplishment, a superbike hat trick of all significant standard series; BSB champ, WSBK champ...and maybe AMA champ (first ever right). Do you think this is Honda's big chance to reclaim AMA superbike title? Yamaha will be there on the podium, but is this the year we see a Brit at the top?
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I obviously would rate a AMA, WSBK, MotoGP hat trick more significant (here's hoping Spies can do it some day or Hayden for that matter) but I would rate a Superbike hat trick very high and historically significant. Unlike MotoGP, standard superbike racing is a bit more of a test of rider than machine. (Or in other words, GP machines/package seem to have more an effect on results compared to standard bikes). Yes, there are many things to consider, but it seems that standard bikes seem to have more of an even handed playing field. Now in Neil's case, he won the BSB in a close championship down to the last round when Walker's Suzuki had a mechanical, then his WSBK title on a Ducati dominated series, and he didn't do much when the AMA was Suzuki dominated while on a Ducati/Honda. So yes, I understand that circumstances & machine (or more like rules in the series) has influence on results. Notwithstanding, this year, with a depleted field, this may be his best chance to win an AMA title. So there are 'special' circumstances of course, but then again, I think all championships have 'special' circumstances, so I'd say it would be very significant (and more so as time goes on if accomplished).
Think about it for a moment, who might rise to the challenge of a superbike title this year? The short list would be in the Honda & Yamaha camp, so: Hodgson, Bostrom, Hayes, and unless Mladin gets a ride Mladin. Even if Kawasaki changed their minds and returned to AMA/DMG, we all know they wouldn't do .... (hell they didn't do .... when they were full factory). So with Suzuki and Kawasaki out, then where does that put Tommy and Roger Lee? So, its looking pretty good for Neil at the moment if he beat his teammate (whoever that will be). Hayes beat Neil at Daytona last year (though dq) but this year he will be learning that R1. Now of course, there is still Jordan Suzuki to contend with, but with the lack of Suzuki involvement, it will still be a major wild card.
What do you think?
How significant would you rate the feat of a Superbike title hat trick: BSB, WSBK, AMA?
If Neil does win the AMA title, wow, that will be a nice accomplishment, a superbike hat trick of all significant standard series; BSB champ, WSBK champ...and maybe AMA champ (first ever right). Do you think this is Honda's big chance to reclaim AMA superbike title? Yamaha will be there on the podium, but is this the year we see a Brit at the top?
LINK
I obviously would rate a AMA, WSBK, MotoGP hat trick more significant (here's hoping Spies can do it some day or Hayden for that matter) but I would rate a Superbike hat trick very high and historically significant. Unlike MotoGP, standard superbike racing is a bit more of a test of rider than machine. (Or in other words, GP machines/package seem to have more an effect on results compared to standard bikes). Yes, there are many things to consider, but it seems that standard bikes seem to have more of an even handed playing field. Now in Neil's case, he won the BSB in a close championship down to the last round when Walker's Suzuki had a mechanical, then his WSBK title on a Ducati dominated series, and he didn't do much when the AMA was Suzuki dominated while on a Ducati/Honda. So yes, I understand that circumstances & machine (or more like rules in the series) has influence on results. Notwithstanding, this year, with a depleted field, this may be his best chance to win an AMA title. So there are 'special' circumstances of course, but then again, I think all championships have 'special' circumstances, so I'd say it would be very significant (and more so as time goes on if accomplished).
Think about it for a moment, who might rise to the challenge of a superbike title this year? The short list would be in the Honda & Yamaha camp, so: Hodgson, Bostrom, Hayes, and unless Mladin gets a ride Mladin. Even if Kawasaki changed their minds and returned to AMA/DMG, we all know they wouldn't do .... (hell they didn't do .... when they were full factory). So with Suzuki and Kawasaki out, then where does that put Tommy and Roger Lee? So, its looking pretty good for Neil at the moment if he beat his teammate (whoever that will be). Hayes beat Neil at Daytona last year (though dq) but this year he will be learning that R1. Now of course, there is still Jordan Suzuki to contend with, but with the lack of Suzuki involvement, it will still be a major wild card.
What do you think?
