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Posted by Mark N on June 29, 2008, 4:50 pm
T3 wrote:
> walter said:
>> http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jun/080626bombshell.htm
>>
>> is this going to be like KRSR's effort to gain leverage with DMG, or
>> will it end up like the CART/IndyCar split that just about killed open-
>> wheeled racing in the US?
>
> Doubtful at best, but who knows? This did catch my eye though, evidently
> "our members" means 2, or 3 Jap Oem's not the 300 aftermarket folks that
> make up the bulk of MIC membership..
>
> "Our members are better served by having alternatives to the changes for
> the AMA Superbike Championship that the Daytona Motorsports Group has so
> far described," said MIC President Tim Buche.
>
> http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33059
>
> Reached by Roadracing World, John Paolo Canton of Ducati North America
> said that Ducati was not involved in any discussions concerning the
> potential establishment of a manufacturer-controlled, MIC-sanctioned
> North American road racing series designed to compete with the AMA and
> FIM-sanctioned, DMG-promoted 2009 AMA Superbike Series.
>
> "Interesting," Canton told Roadracing World. "I personally know nothing
> about it- and am pretty sure I would know if we were involved!"
>
> Smoke and no fire, at least at this point.....
Yeah, right, seems more like our group Daytona fireman trying to put it
out before it really catches big-time...
Anyway, here's the link to the really interesting article at RRW:
> http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=33044
Here are a few of the things that caught my eye on the bigger picture:
"One justification of the emphasis on 600cc machines, although not
revealed at the time, was a pending move by the FIM and Dorna to replace
the 250cc Grand Prix class of the MotoGP World Championship with a
600cc-based class. That move by the FIM and Dorna has since been made
public."
Who are they kidding? That's an utterly absurd claim, and of course no
mention of this connected to the Daytona issue or anything else. I guess
I could understand this if WSB or MotoGP had moved to 600s, but a ~100hp
support class going to ~120hp 600s? Please.
"The proposed rules for building bikes for each class were criticized as
being either unenforceable (in terms of the bike’s onboard electronics
and a dyno-enforced horsepower limit) or actually encouraging tuners to
build outrageously expensive engines with extensive internal
modifications designed to produce more torque underneath the horsepower
limits; interestingly, all four Japanese manufacturers currently support
teams in the Canadian Superbike Series, which runs under the same type
of dyno-limited formula, and this does not seem to be a concern north of
the border."
So RRW doesn't see any of this as any issue? They think the factories
spend as much on racing in Canada as they do in the US?
"Meanwhile, DMG sources told Roadracing World last week that the
organization had already moved away from several of its more
controversial rule proposals, taking the following actions:
--Renaming the 1000cc class “American Superbike” and eliminating a
dyno-enforced maximum power output of 185 horsepower in favor of
something close to existing AMA Superstock engine rules, in line with
ongoing calls by FIM President Vito Ippolito for National Superbike
Series worldwide to move closer to production motorcycles by 2010.
--Moving American Superbike chassis rules closer to existing AMA
Superstock chassis rules but also allowing aftermarket front fork triple
clamps, swingarm pivot inserts and aftermarket front brake master
cylinders and discs, again in line with FIM proposals."
So basically literbike is evolving much further into AMA SStock, with a
handful of additional allowable mods. No wonder Yamaha is staying out of
visible involvement in the MIC deal, if they really are backing DMG
obviously it's because they have no interest in racing SBs here. Given
their previous four-year absence from the class and the fig leaf offered
earlier, no surprise.
"--Backing away from the concept that Daytona Superbike would be the
featured class and instead agreeing to promote both classes as
“co-features.”"
Wonder what this means - two race for each class? We'll see, but I doubt
it. And isn't this what lots of people used to complain about in the AMA
series, SB not clearly being the feature class, factories choosing which
class they'd focus on?
"--Providing a purse for American Superbike, with $10,000 paid to the
winner."
But obviously not equal purses...
"--Moving to ban expensive, major internal engine modifications designed
to dramatically change the power delivery of 600cc four-cylinder
motorcycles in Daytona Superbike."
Ah, so they're already further legislating against the Japanese. At
least they're trying to deal with a huge, gaping hole in their proposed
rules, but why selectively?
"--Agreeing to work with a rider safety committee in the future. DMG
officials said they invited the existing AMA Pro Racing rider safety
committee (well in advance) to participate in a track inspection with
DMG staffers and Road America CEO George Bruggenthies prior to the
recent AMA National at the Wisconsin track, but that the only member of
the committee who actually showed up was Ben Bostrom."
Ah, the Yamaha-employed rep - politics raising its ugly head? And before
"someone" says it's because the others were told not to by their
employers, it could equally be because Bostrom was told to by his...
"--Stating that the series would not return to Loudon unless significant
changes were made.
--Stating that the series would not go to Watkins Glen as it currently
exists."
No-brainers, and Edmondson had already publicly backed off those
ridiculous notions.
What is interesting here is that DMG has apparently backed off further
from their frankly laughable approach to date. So are they doing just
enough to break one of the Japanese OEMs away from that block, perhaps
hoping for two? Is there any reason for any of them to trust DMG? When
will they give up on their "but we can change the rules at any time if
we don't think the racing is close enough" thing? Ever?
Anyway, more evidence on where RRW and Ulrich come down on this matter,
as if we needed that.
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