Rapp and Holden left twisting in the wind

[Speeddog]

Rapp: http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=35478

Holden: http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=35479

Dog eat dog out there...

[gm2]

both caused by the OEMs quasi-bailing.  really sucks for both those guys but i'm glad the hacking situation got resolved at least. 

....sure is gonna be a good year for WSBK.


(actually, there's a lot about the nasbike series i'm excited to see.  but that's probably a minority opinion.)

[ducpainter]

<snip>


(actually, there's a lot about the nasbike series i'm excited to see.  but that's probably a minority opinion.)

It is from this perspective.

[Spidey]

(actually, there's a lot about the nasbike series i'm excited to see.  but that's probably a minority opinion.)

Do tell.  I'm interested to hear.

[Speeddog]

I suspect he's excited to see the competition amongst the riders.

For a while there, it looked to me like US pro roadracing was going to split into 2 factions, neither of which would have enough wheelbase to survive.
It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than the alternative.

[gm2]

I suspect he's excited to see the competition amongst the riders.

pretty much.

Do tell.  I'm interested to hear.

things i'm excited to see:

bboz and josh hayes on the '09 R1... that bike , the competition between the two, and whether or not between that machine and the rule changes if they really have something for yosh

to see bboz in general, based on the new racer he became in '08

same with josh hayes.  he had a phenomenal end to his year with WSS and he finally has his factory sbk ride.  i bet he can barely feel the ground right now.

healthy haydens.  he did it quietly but tommy was getting really fast on that yosh before he got taken out.  and i'm sure roger lee wants to prove '07 wasn't a fluke.

hacker back on a 600.  last time he rode a 600 he killed everyone.

whether or not blake young on a factory yosh lives up to the exponential expectations he created with his performances on a non-factory bike last year

to see the competition between tommy aquino and josh herrin

to find out whether or not DiSalvo comes out guns blazing on the 600 after losing his sbk ride or if he remains fast-boring-mid-pack guy

to see chaz davies on a big heavy 1000cc twin in the sportbike (aka supersport) class

whether or not buell has anything for anyone

to not see duhamel

topeka

daytona at night

daytona 200 in general.. all 4 yamaha riders out there, roger lee, hacker, (probably) zemke... going to be fierce.

aaron yates and geoff may (less so the latter, excitement-wise) on closer-to-equal machinery in the sbk class

larry pegram on a 1098R (hasn't been confirmed for some reason, but he's been testing)

the superbike class in general.  i would have rather they'd gone to WSBK specs, but as the economy gets worse and worse, there'd be no one that could afford to be on the grid.  there would have been 5 bikes.  that said, spec fuel, spec tires, no 16.5" wheels, no $40,000 forks, more strict homologation rules, limitations on the amount of fanciness your electronics can have, and more limited engine development *should* get DMG what they wanted: closer racing and a class that's accessible to a much broader audience of racer.

and finally, with all of the above, whether or not mladin is still going to come out and stomp everyone.  he probably will.

[GregP]

Dang man!  You really thought about this season.  I'm excited after reading that.

As far as the thread topic, no contract no promises for Rapp.  That just sounds like poor business sense.

Holden, that sucks to get stiffed pay.  Good for him for pursuing it. Sounds like the team is shadey.

PS I just got an email from Pro Italia advertising $14000 Ohlins forks that didn't include all parts needed for installation.  I ordered two pairs just in case i messed up when I bolt them on my $4k bike!!!

[gm2]

Dang man!  You really thought about this season.  I'm excited after reading that.

heh.. well in truth i was always a fan of the AMA series.  granted it was pretty effed up, and it's not exactly fixed now, but at least someone made a decision or two and they're marching in 1 direction.  always some great racing in amongst the static.

and as is obvious, i HATE the off-season.  =)

[GregP]

I watch AMA as it's on Speed and it is really the series that got me into moto racing.  It has been pretty lacking in suspense the past few years with the dominance of each respective manufaturer in the different classes.

I'm looking forward to something new this season if nothing else.

I'm really looking forward to WSBK.  Hopefully Speed runs a few more of the races this year.  Maybe I'll subscribe to the wedsite this year and bag he MotoGP subscription.

[gm2]

I'm really looking forward to WSBK.  Hopefully Speed runs a few more of the races this year. 

...a few more than all of them?

[derby]

...a few more than all of them?

 

[Spidey]

Thanks, gm2.  That's an interesting perspective.  I haven't really focused on AMA in the past, and it good to hear from someone who hasn't just completely written off '09. 

Back on topic, Rapp's story just sounded mean.  Can you imagine hearing about it that way?  Or worse, showing up for testing and having no bike or crew?  Damn, that's some cold shit. 

[GregP]

...a few more than all of them?

I guess since I don't have tevo I don't count it when they run the races on Tuesdays at 10 am.

If I can't see it when it's run I'm SOL.

[derby]

I guess since I don't have tevo I don't count it when they run the races on Tuesdays at 10 am.

If I can't see it when it's run I'm SOL.

you must have a really loose interpretation of "when it's run" considering they haven't showed a live worldsbk since ~7 years ago.

[gm2]

I guess since I don't have tevo I don't count it when they run the races on Tuesdays at 10 am.

If I can't see it when it's run I'm SOL.

   "didn't catch it" is not the same as "didn't show it".  they do show all the wsbk events.  and wss for that matter, which you should also definitely watch.  the wss races are some of the best racing on 2 wheels.  those guys are effing crazy.

(and greg, do you want a series 2, i.e. not HD, tivo?  really, i have one collecting dust.)