It's over...

http://www.cyclenews.com/ShowStory.asp?HeadlineID=12798

So no real SB class probably means no Japanese OEMs, althoufgh I
suppose Yamaha is still a possibility in ASB and maybe even DSB, but
even that would likely be through Graves, I'd think. I pretty much
thought it was over when I saw this one:

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33696

Since Ulrich was trying to stop the break, and since his website went
heavily negative on the factories in the last week, I assumed that had
reached impasse and since he was assumedly going the NASBike route he
had to damn the alternate series principals before that even happened.
Now an expected announcement that is more about Ulrich making his
choice than where Cardenas will be racing.

And then there's this one:

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33684

Obviously that meeting won't go that well, since Rog Ed has just
thrown the factories and at least some of the star riders out the
door. So unless he has some big promoter welfare plan to unveil, one
assumes his ultimate schedule for next year won't look anything like
this year - NASBike might look a lot like NASCAR circa 1960...

Now we wait to see if MIC has already revved up series development in
time for 2009, or if I have to spend a year satisfied by watching
MotoGP and WSB on the tube. And finally, this on our boy:

"Edmondson is now embarking on a cross country motorcycle trip with
one of his sons. They’ll ride a pair of Harley-Davidsons, a Road Glide
and a Street Glide, arriving at next weekend’s Grand-Am race at
Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California in time for a Friday meeting
with the AMA road race promoters."

Hopefully he'll meet up with a semi in a rather unpleasant manner
along the way - keep a good thought...

 

That you would wish someone harm and call it a "good thought" speaks
volumes of your mental health.
A new low indeed and you want folks to take you seriously?
Yeah, like that's gonna' happen...

 

I'm not indignant, righteous, or otherwise, just pointing out something
you may need to address, or not, whatever..

So, in your world it's okay to wish "grievous bodily harm" upon anyone
that disrupts your particular brand of entertainment?(and in reality,
he's done nothing of the sort!) What's next, you gonna start hoping
Rossi gets hurt? After all, I'm sure he's fucked up your
"entertainment" a few times too!

That you don't know him makes it easier, or okay?

He's fucking with you? Hmmm...

So, is it him, his Harley, or both that stirs your hatred?

Or for that matter, you..

Trust me on this, you're much more than just an "unfeeling asshole,"
much more indeed..

Dood, when it comes to understanding US Racing you never had any
credibility to begin with, though obviously you have an issue, or five..

I didn't write that crap, you did. I don't go around wishing injury on
anyone, you do. So, if someone picks up a "tool" you left laying around
and knocks the snot out of you, oh well..

Project, spin, project, then repeat as needed. Wow!

If you say so..

I tried to tell ya'......

 

Dude, let's review, you wrote in a world-wide and very public forum of
your wishes that the guy get hurt, or worse, for no other reason than
you object to how he reacted to your beloved OEM's unwillingness to
participate in a series which they demanded. Stunning to say the least!
As far as private mail goes, not a chance, at least not until you
demonstrate some civility..

Clue; Some may think you a fool, writing crap like you did only removes
all doubt..

Why? Because I told you damn near exactly how this was gonna play out
from the opening kickoff? And by the way, you see very little because
you choose to, not so much because it's hidden..

Versus exhibition? BTW, today was a perfect example, Tommy and the Yosh
boxes are back, how thrilling!..

Last week he was a dirty racer too, at least according to you..

Ayup, to you and all your neo-con buddy's anyway..

Who? Name names!

Heheh, then I'd imagine you really aren't gonna go for next year!

Ahh c'mon, we both know it's more than that, don't hold back, go ahead
and get it off your chest, you'll feel better even if there's still not
gonna be a FSB exhibition next year.. (heheh, you soooo easy!;-)

Don't get all thin skinned on me now Mark, after all, you started this
round off without gloves, so don't cry if you take a punch, or 12,
besides, it's raining here and there's no Oly stuff on I'm interested
in..

I have never demanded anyone agree with me, ever! You are free to
believe whatever version of the universe you need to, however, the
problem's arise when you force it upon everyone else..

Maybe, just maybe you need to come to terms with the fact that you
don't know much about US racing beyond your little slice of it, then
again, that's prolly waaaay tooo much to hope for..

Southern bowls? You mean DIS(TWICE!!), Homestead, R/A, Bamaham and VIR?
Versus what, 'Guna, Sears and Fontucky? Get real!! Hey, betcha Streets
of Willow is open! (heheh;-)

Umm, pretty much you..

I haven't said anything today except to task you on all your "good thoughts."

Actually, they parted a few months back just about the time that "train
left the station," sorry you missed it..

Like wishing someone you don't know Jack shit about would get hit by a
semi while on a trip across the country? Tell me, you want a cabover to
take him out, or are you wishing for a more conventional Mac type to do
the dirty work?

Trust me on this, I don't consider getting hit by a truck boring,
though I do consider someone who would suggest such a thing a little
"off."

 

You mean you hold out hope some will return? I do too, in fact, I'd
almost count on it..

You just perceived them as threats, when in fact, they were more like
promises..

Wanna bet that isn't coming?

I believe I said shakey, it's hard to get much worse than what we have
at present..

When a series like the old PR let the OEM's come and go as they please,
why should we bother?

Read the above 20 times..

Only to you it would appear, but that's cool, as that's your
prerogative, no matter how skewed that vision may be..

Real racing? You mean like today, or last year, or, well, never mind..

Sure, I read a lot of stuff, but a whole bunch of it's very narrow and
predisposed to the status
quo that got US racing in the mess it's in today..

Umm, no guess here..

I'll be sure to let you if I ever do, but don't hold your breath waiting..

Nope, I just washed my garage floor.. (time to trade, the F'ing Yam's
startin' to leak!)

That's the real deal here isn't it? You hate the fact that US M/C
racing's finally comin' home, doncha'? All I can say is, "sorry 'bout
yer luck, schmuck!" ;-)

If by that you mean a Florida Cracker, you betcha!

Heheh, so do I, though I doubt exactly like you think..

Now you're talkin,' you see, if you add some joviality, or for that
matter, even dark humor, a wildass statement such as that takes on a
different color and makes it "somewhat" easier to accept, but as it
was, it pretty much suk'd. Anyway, I gotta start cleanin' this joint
up, Lil Red's comin' over tonight in what she says is an "exotic"
outfit. Heh, my luck that prolly means handcuffs, blindfold and a whip!
Gotta run, err, stumble, c'ya...

 

Nah, prolly a gray haired dude on a Harley...

 

So what does this mean for the riders? I assume Mladin and Duhamel will
retire and the Bostrom brothers will become full time party animals /
adrenalin junkies. But where does that leave Spies, Hodgson, Hacking,
DiSalvo, Yates and the Hayden brothers.

Since Byrne, Haslam, Crutchlow, Camier, Sykes all want to go to WSB and
it looks like Elias[1] and maybe others want to go to WSB from MotoGP,
there may not be any room in WSB even with the two new teams. Francis
Batta's slightly absurd suggestion that Suzuki USA should pay Spies
wages to race a 3rd bike in his team may not be so absurd after all.

I suggest they all come over and race in BSB.

[1]Haga + Elias in Yamaha Italia with Corser going to BMW. Maybe.

 

They'd wear out their welcome's about as fast as they'd win all the
races and then you'd be saying, "they're overly fast, overly rich and
over here!"

 

Utter nonsense. We don't have more than one or two riders being
lapped in the race, unlike AMA SB.

Given all the conversations around US circuits that could host
international events, that seems marginal.

That is probably true enough.

Also not really true.

 

They'll stay, or won't be gone long because they need racing more than
racing needs them and for no other reason!

Oh no Bubba, if I say maybe, it's just that, maybe, but if I promise
you can bet your ass that I'm pretty much gonna do what I have to do to
make it happen, if that's disingenuous then I'm guilty..

They can jerk all they want, but I'd imagine DMG has moved on and
prolly won't even acknowledge their BS if they do..

It's called HOPE, catch some!!

And you know this how?

Rossi's sexual inclination's are his business, not mine and BTW, that's
another word I don't use..

Now I have to explain the difference (to you) between a national series
and MGP?

That's the meat of the matter Mark, it's in no-way a generalization..

Nope, that puppy don't weep a drop, of course it's a one-off,
ground-up, hand built badass too. NO, it's the Yam and it's time I
found it a new home..

What, no clever retort?

Given your handle is Buttbomb one might think you speak with some
authority on such matters, but no..

Good guess..

Nah, turns out she wore mesh stockings, FM pumps and a leather skirt,
pretty damn hot too!!

 

Well, doh! Batta says Suzuki Japan spends the same on AMA as on WSB and
both together equals their spend on MotoGP. If AMA goes away, then maybe
they can afford 3 bikes in MotoGP. If they still decide they can't and
Spies is denied his place in MotoGP, maybe they can afford 3 bikes in
WSB. If Spies doesn't get a ride in MotoGP with Suzuki, who else will
give him a ride?

Yeah, whatever. Then either their appearance will raise the game or this
is just a wind up just like my comment was a wind up. Anyway, if you
leave Mladin and Spies out of it, what makes you think the next 5 are
better or worse than 3-8 place in the UK? Here's a hint of a direct
comparison, Ellison isn't doing any better over here than he did in the
USA.

Maybe. As Champ says, are the UK circuits worse than the US? Really?

What money?

Last 4 races won by a non-Ducati. Championship won by a Honda last 2
years.

What if there's no US SBK factory or non-factory. That's really the
story, isn't it? At least some of the people currently in SBK will end
up in ASB and DSB or whatever they get called. So which ones would
rather just leave and try somewhere else? Any of them?

Especially after today. But if he's out of Alice Ducati, where does he
go?

 

(If only it was that simple) If Suzuki takes leave of road racing here
that doesn't mean that money necessarily has to go road racing
elsewhere. Given the economy I imagine those bucks will remain unspent,
however, they could just as easily use them in MX, SX, NHRA, DT, SMoto,
or all of them rather than send Ben anywhere..

Given the expense prolly a lot more profitable..

Most likely will retire to OZ and spend the next few years counting his
money, but with that wiley self-promoting sumbitch you never really
know..

"Wants out otherwise"? Really? I haven't seen, or heard squat about any
"otherwise", you startin' to spin on us again?

Oh yeah you are! Tell you what Bubba, if you think that kid's gonna sit
home on his ass next year if he doesn't get offered a big-time ride we
need to talk us some serious turkey!!

Not goin' anywhere..

MIC? WTF is this MIC, Mindless in Califrisco?
Anyway, Honda US holds Hodgy's ticket, that is, if they don't have a
drop dead clause, in which case I see him back in Ol Blighty soon after
'Guna II, otherwise who F'ing knows?..

Or go race cars..

Tommy, no, Rog, if it's offered(doubtful)it'll prolly be WSS..

Stayin' home, of course when your address is Malibu that ain't so bad..

One can only hope he finds a way out of here, though the odds on that
happening are somewhere between slim and none..

Don't you get dizzy? Damn, you must be up close on the rev limiter!
Mike's in ASB and prolly DSB too with both feet, make no mistake. The
guys a winner and he didn't get where he is by playing loooooooong, or
non-existent shots..

Yeah, they're both looking, but once the reality of being away from
wife and kids, not to mention the expense of it set's in, a trip to
Europe might not look so good..

I hate to break it to Jules, but the "Lad's" been lettin' me down of
late. He gets a D200 win dropped in his lap and then, and then, and
then and again today, WTF?

Anyway, at most I see 3 "maybe's", but it won't surprise me if no one
leaves, well, besides Hodgy and Mat prolly going home for good..

 

T3 notes:

They already snagged Chad Reed for Roger D's SX team.
I guarantfuckingtee you that cost more than Spies salary.


Go fast. Take chances.
Mike S.

 

I can't see Mladin packing up and heading to Europe, unless he's just
that hungry to want to keep playing. He's in a VERY comfortable
position, he's completely healthy, can't see him running around doing
"development" for a paycheck, and I don't see him wanting to start over
for a year and learn new tracks. I think he'd be better off working on
his businesses back home and raising his kids. He'd go out way on top,
whether he gets the prize this year or not. He can get any door he wants
opened for him, and he doesn't need the track for that. Go home and be
the "Kevin Schwantz" of Aussie Suzuki, get things settled there, maybe
get a team of his own.

If he had some guarantee of a future slot, and the right team, I can see
him "parking" in ASB or DSB for a year rather than sitting it out, but
going to ASB/DSB can't be a good career move.

Yea, it's shame to see all his work with Team Green go to waste, but
he's pragmatic enough to go with the paycheck.

Another year off, that's gotta suck.

But do you think he'd do that with Erion if Honda bails, or do you think
that Erion can get Luddington? I think Duhamel would go with/where he
goes. He doesn't want to break in a new team either I don't think, and
he seems to have that kind of personality that takes time to warm too,
so to speak. If Duhamel could get him to crew chief a race car, he'd
probably do it in a heartbeat.

From the sounds of things, it seems Flat Track has more hope than road
racing right now. Just need to get that Pomona Mile going again (the
down south left coaster says selfishly...).

I just hope Bendy gets on a bigger bike and gains some weight. The man
is down right anorexic...

It would be nice to see Eric on a year old Ducati in WSB (like Xaus).
Both the Bostroms did well on the Ducati (Ben obviously, but Eric most
recently), and I think he could do well on that kind of team in WSB
short term, learn the tracks, keep in the limelight, and be available to
move up. But no doubt his years at Yamaha, outside of FX (where he did
very well), haven't been much to write home about. But how much of that
is Eric, and how much Yamaha -- dunno.

He'll stay here, doing whatever he can do to pay the bills. The problem
is that the DMG series are (IMHO) such dead ends. Racers will just go
there to die and it will be difficult to move out of.

Young, has lots of time, but again, I just have this fear that "once in
DSB, always in DSB".

No way Jordan will go back to an "unobtainium" series. He'll stick with
DMG. Yates will stick with Jordan, at least 2 more years before he tires
of it.

Jake seems happy go lucky enough to stay here with the family, he's had
his SB ride, and he could do well in DSB. It would be a painless
transition with Erion.

Hayes is still hungry, he's just getting old tho, so he's well suited
for WSB . See if he can get anything tho. I dunno if he'd sit this
year out or not.

Rapp will stay, and be happy. Giddy even.

Regards,

Will Hartung

 

Mark, I've never met you face-to-face, and I realize people can put
down words in an email or post they wouldn't say in "real life". That
said however, you insist on not backing away from some things you
wrote here that are at once cruel, petty, and childish. What other
people may or may not say has nothing to do with it. Just stop, man.