DMG Caves -- new rules announced.

 

http://superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080719a.htm

Here are my two favorite lines in the posting:

"The program we are releasing today represents the best combination of
our vision and the vision shared with us by the manufacturers,
promoters, fans, and independent teams"

and

"Works bikes, salaried star riders, rules written by and requested by
the manufacturers, special tires, no-holds barred superbike racing by
the strongest teams in America.....what more could a racing fan ask for?"

The first line is notable because it seemed pretty clear that DMGs
vision and the "manufacturers, promoters, fans and independent teams"
vision were different. Perhaps less so the independent teams, but
certainly the factories and fans.

The second line is notable because he's crowing about the exact thing he
didn't want. Everything in that statement is against the vision he's
been promoting.

The 3 classes, Factory, American and Daytona Superbike are also interesting.

Factory is going to run on the 2 year rule set the factories had already
worked on. American sounds like SuperStock with a spec tire, basically.
And Daytona is DMGs petri dish and proving ground with rules we've heard
about before.

The notable thing is that they're allowing the Pro license riders in all
of the classes. That means that the factories get to dominate all three
again, just like today, if they want. Perhaps by restricting testing and
the homolgation requirements, the factories will have less of an edge.
But even then, if the factories decide to play, you know they're going
to be on top.

Also, I'm betting we're still going to have 2 DSB races each weekend.
I'm guessing the schedule will be Moto-ST and DSB on Saturday, and Red
Bull, American, Daytona and Factory on Sunday.

If you think about it, this is the smartest thing the DMG could have
done, and you have to wonder why it's taken all the teeth gnashing and
screaming to get here.

If you have a better vision for the sport, then promote that vision.
Here he has DSB as his example, and his vision. And it gets to perform
head to head with the Factory Unobtainium series. Now, the fans and
teams will be able to compare head to head, and let that input determine
the future of the series.

I think that this is the best news I've heard all year, but it most
certainly is more than just a "compromise" for DMG.

If he wanted to stick it to the Factories and their influence over the
series, he lost the first battle. There's still no say on how the series
will be promoted, and, to be fair, the fact that it's "Factory
SuperBike" is a conscious decision to tell the fans that they're
watching the Factories race here, and that it's there show, which can
cut both ways.

It could well be promoted as the AMA Daytona Super Bike Series, and the
DSB teams will have the most track time (outside of ST, natch) and, most
notably, TV time.

This will be important if DMG gets the races on ESPN instead of Speed,
as it has a wider reach. So, the factories may well have less TV exposure.

So, overall, I think that this is a good thing. It a perfect transition
plan to keep the series going, give DMG a chance to develop their new
idea, and yet let the fans and factories maintain with what they had.

I think I would have rather seen a SuperSport clone than a SuperStock
clone, but perhaps that's what DSB will inevitably turn in to.

All that said, I MIGHT go to Fontana next year. I might go both days
just to check it out, but I doubt I'll be traveling to Sonoma like I
have past couple of year. It's still, to me, a 1 day event, and that's a
long trip for a single day event. But who knows, we can always watch the
Motocross on Saturday in Sonoma.

Regards,

Will Hartung

 



Too many Superbikes classes, 2 too many. Wanna' bet on which one dies first?

 

T3 wrote:

I agree, to a point, but is X SuperBike, Y SuperBike and Z SuperBike
really any worse  than SuperX, SuperY, and SuperZ?

Kind of same thing only different. The earlier one is harder to say, tho.

Regards,

Will Hartung

 



One of the hits on the old regime was too many "supers" in the program
(bike, stock and sport) and how that was confusing to some folks who
weren't that familiar with bike racing, (new blood) IMO this is only
makes it worse, substantially so too. My 1st take? I dunno for sure,
but I wouldn't get real cozy with Factory, or for that matter, possibly
American (at some point down the line) too..
For the sake of conversation think about who'll be in Factory next
year, that is, *IF* all the factory teams return.
Yosh-2 riders, 3 if Ben doesn't leave and he most likely will.
Honda-2.
Kaw-2
Yam-2(maybe?)
Duc-IF and it's a fairly good-sized if at the moment, 2 at most..
BMW-no word, but I'd be very surprised if they bother..
Buell-Doubtful at best, at least in SB, err, FSB..
Who else?
Jordan? I would NOT count on it..

Oh yeah, this too..(for what it's worth)
... Edmondson said in a press release issued with the new rules. ÒIt
will be a shooting war among the big guns and the meek need not apply.Ó

I take that as a for sure no grid filling American Super's in Factory.
So, tell me, is a 2 row grid gonna' hold your attention and if so, for
how long?
Anyway you add those numbers it comes up a pretty slim and *$UPER*
expensive grid..

Consider this for a minute, what if Yam backs away from FSB and instead
throws their weight behind some ASB, or DSB teams and Duc says it
didn't have enough time and maybe does the same, that could easily
leave a 6 rider field. Tell me honestly, how long do you think that'll
fly?

American will more than likely be loaded, as I'd imagine Daytona will
be and if nothing's changed on that front, and I have no reason to
believe it has, that's where a bunch of $'s as well as the majority of
TV exposure will be too..

So, a cave-in? At first glance it might appear as such, but I think
it's more a reality check and in this particular case, one that
reflects our current economic climate more than anything else...

 

T3 wrote:


Oh, no, I have no confidence this being some long term plan. They needed
something to get going next year, and this is what they had to do. Like
I said, I don't think they're vision has changed.


Teams will avoid FSB only if they think that they exposure they'll get
in DSB is better. I can see Jordan going full bore in to DSB simply
because he may feel that he can compete there AND because there will be
twice the TV coverage. Jordan could race FX, but they don't, and I don't
see a dramatic difference between DSB and FX save that FX was an "also
ran" with SStock on Speed's broadcast sharing a 1hr show. DSB will
(likely) at least get 2hrs of TV. So, that's where the bikes will be seen.

Otherwise, I think that Jordan could have easily fielded a competitive
bike in FX now. But they don't.

The biggest change to FSB is one race each weekend instead of two. I
mean, I don't know why that back half of the grid is there save for
either track time, or they just like racing big snarly bikes. Those
riders could be in of the other classes, but they picked SB. So, at
least some of them will be back.



I can certainly see the potential for it being an (even) smaller grid,
but I don't see it (through my technically ignorant glasses) being any
more expensive than it is now.


It could, but I don't think it will. I just don't think the "attraction"
of DSB and ASB is that high vs running with the big boys, even if behind
them.

But, again, it could solely be sponsorship and TV time, though it's
tough to argue they've been getting a lot of value in the past.

SOMETHING has been keeping those bikes in SB, so it's more a question of
what's going to attract them out.


Oh, certainly. FX and SStock are both full now, no reason for them not
to be next year.


Well, I don't know if I agree that if we were in a economic boom that
DMG would have told the factories to pound sand, and that they conceded
solely to get viewers to the track. Arguably, FSB fans aren't what they
want there, simply because that's not what they want for the series.
There only real hope is that the FSB folks will come out and watch the
rest of the package, which hopefully have some "stars" in them, and like
what they see so when they try to kick the factories to the door again,
the fans won't be so unwieldly.

I mean, seriously, I'm a big fan and frankly couldn't have expected, all
things considered, a better outcome yet I'm still hesitant to participate.

Regards,

Will Hartung