AMA - Daytona (Spoilers)

[gm2]

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Mar/090305aedsa.htm

Q I'll open it up for questions.

HODGSON: I have something to say. Do they not - are they not going to show Superpole? I thought the whole idea of the show of Superpole was to actually televise it, so we can all go "Ooooh" and "Aaaah" when you're watching it.

MODERATOR: You'll see highlights of it on the primetime show that'll premiere on the 21st.

HODGSON: Right. 21st.

MODERATOR: March 21st. There'll definitely be highlights on there.

Q Neil, you have the most Superpole experience here. How do you think things went today?

A All right. I think you've just sort of missed the concept of it. The concept of Superpole is, it's pretty exciting for everybody to watch live, there and then. It's the most boring thing to watch after, when you know the result, watching one guy ride round on his own. Sighting pit lane, watching a guy go across the stripe and looking at the splits, is not very exciting. I understand the concept of it, obviously. It works. But not the way that we're doing it at the moment. So I think maybe the organizers should actually think about what they're doing.

[Spidey]

Man, I love Hodgson.     Didn't he pregnant dog slap Mladin two years ago?   

[superjohn]

I'm confused? Are they not broadcasting the SBK races this year?

[gm2]

a ~week later, on a "innovative" saturday night show on Speed.

so, basically, no.

[mitt]

a ~week later, on a "innovative" saturday night show on Speed.

so, basically, no.

Chapter 3, from the book "How to Kill a Sport Completely"

mitt

[enzo]

Wow, I thought the AMA and Speed's coverage of it sucked last year.

Some questions:

-why the rolling start?
-why the new numbers?
-who the hell are all these new riders?
-why is an RSV1000 racing against 600's?
-why can't the Buells just go away?
-Superbike race on Friday afternoon?  What is this, JV football?

...and the stands are still empty.  Looks like the AMA is now both a failure for spectators and insignificant as a racing series. What a mess.

[kopfjäger]

...and the stands are still empty.  Looks like the AMA is now both a failure for spectators and insignificant as a racing series. What a mess.

You could have bought a ticket , and helped fill the stands.......or just 

Oh, and the Buell leading lap 1 over the Jap bikes is awesome.

[DanTheMan]

I thought the coverage and the race were not bad at all. Nice to see different MFR's in there mixing it up. Looks like the buell is going to have a slight advantage this season.

[kopfjäger]

I thought the coverage and the race were not bad at all. Nice to see different MFR's in there mixing it up. Looks like the buell is going to have a slight advantage this season.

I hope so, just to shut up the weenies on this forum. 

[superjohn]

The trouble with the lights and the red flag was unfortunate. The racing was ok, but I still wish there were better explanations of the technical regs for this class. I mean, maybe I'm dense, but I just don't get it. 1000cc Aprilias, 1125cc Buells, 848cc Ducatis, vs 600cc 4's? Is weight the equalizing factor?

[derby]

Wow, I thought the AMA and Speed's coverage of it sucked last year.

Some questions:

-why the rolling start?

safety... remember what happened to russell in 2001?

-why the new numbers?

no good reason, really...

-who the hell are all these new riders?

who, specifically? if you've been watching ama racing for the last few seasons, especially supersport and the redbull rookie cup, you should know all the "new" guys.

-why is an RSV1000 racing against 600's?

i know, it doesn't "make sense." in a way, it's performance indexing. iirc, the rsv weighs about 40lbs more than the 600s.

-why can't the Buells just go away?

eslick was doing his best...  seriously, it looks like they have a competitive bike with this rules package.

of course, one could argue that they should be competitive with nearly 2x the displacement, but whatever.

-Superbike race on Friday afternoon?  What is this, JV football?

thursday afternoon, actually.

daytona is a little weird in that respect. the supersport race and the 200, when it was the superbike race, used to be run on sunday. i seem to remember that the support classes (750ss/superstock, fx, pro thunder, 250gp, etc) were run on friday.

~5 years or so ago, for two years in a row, a rainstorm delayed the sunday races and speed lost their broadcast window. in 2003, they actually had to run the 200 on monday.

in 2004, they moved the 200 to saturday afternoon, mostly to give themselves sunday as a built-in "rain day" if saturday didn't happen. traditionally, saturdays were an "off" day for roadracing at daytona due to the supercross running in the tri-oval grass. sx was moved from saturday afternoon to saturday night to accommodate the change.

i'm not saying i like it, just that i see how they went from running races on friday and sunday, to friday and saturday, and now to thursday and friday.

given the 1-2 week broadcast delay for the races this year, i guess it really doesn't matter when they run 'em. 

...and the stands are still empty.  Looks like the AMA is now both a failure for spectators and insignificant as a racing series. What a mess.

we'll never see the "daytona of old" with fans in the stands. hell, the race used to be a "big deal" internationally, with teams flying in from all over the world to attend. it's now wholly insignificant to the rest of the world.

i think the best chance they had of "re-endearing" daytona to the american fans was in 1999, with russell on the harley. that was the year he got punched in the face at a local bar and his face was so swollen he couldn't get his helmet on.

[RodeoClown]

"Friday Night Lights"

The racing was fun to watch, but Speed's coverage, announcing, lights and the safety car were killing it. I couldn't believe how many time the car seemed to slow, I am sure part of it was the bikes speeding up occasionally and then having to check upi in the turns and almost hit the car?

I am stoked for the guy that won the 200! I would have died if the Buell pulled it off and hit pit crew sucked on that first stop

[gm2]

75. Danny Eslick (Buell 1125R), DQ for passing multiple riders during safety car laps

i should have put money on that thing not finishing.  not the least bit surprising.

[derby]

75. Danny Eslick (Buell 1125R), DQ for passing multiple riders during safety car laps

i should have put money on that thing not finishing.  not the least bit surprising.

higbee had ya covered, though:

5.   Shawn Higbee   (Buell 1125R)

i have to say, the top 10 is kinda interesting:

1   Ben Bostrom   Team Graves Yamaha   Yamaha YZF-R6
2   Josh Herrin   Team Graves Yamaha   Yamaha YZF-R6
3   Jason DiSalvo   M4 Suzuki   Suzuki GSX-R600
4   Jamie Hacking   Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki   Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
5   Shawn Higbee   Higbee-Racing.com   Buell 1125R
6   Chaz Davies   Factory Aprilia Millennium Technologies Team   Aprilia RSV
7   Dane Westby   Westby Racing   Yamaha YZF-R6
8   Martin Cardenas   M4 Suzuki   Suzuki GSX-R600
9   Leandro Mercado   Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki   Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R
10   Steve Rapp   

factory yamaha, factory yamaha, suzuki support, factory kawasaki, privateer buell, factory aprilia, privateer yamaha, suzuki support, factory kawasaki, privateer yamaha

[gm2]

really more like "sorta-factory" kawasaki..?

and yeah, good for higbee.  but that whole duct tape episode was.. metaphorically perfect.