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Written by:
Chris Martin
03/23/2008 - 01:13 PM
West Union, IA
Last Friday As Roger Edmondson of the Daytona Motorsports Group was laying out his optimistic vision for AMA Pro Racing, and AMA Superbike racing in particular, it was impossible not to start imagining exactly how the future may be shaped, even if DMG is currently short on detailed answers themselves.
And the opportunity to make some significant changes that could invigorate the series certainly exists. Funnily enough, the old guard guiding AMA Pro Racing were recently starting to push things in the right direction -- their early draft of the ’09 rules was a step forward -- but the trust between them, the manufacturers, teams, and riders had been eroded to the point that it was always going to be difficult to make any sweeping fixes without encountering significant resistance.
However, DMG has the benefit of a paddock already braced for change due to the acquisition, as well as a honeymoon period in which their collective credentials have granted them an unusual degree of latitude.
Following their learning year in 2008, they’ll be well positioned to jump in with both feet in 2009 and implement the changes they feel are necessary to upgrade the product, even if fairly radical. There’s no benefit to easing in and allowing the stakeholders to get cold feet and push back against what’s actually in the sport’s (and therefore their) best interests.
AMA Superbike is a sleeping giant -- the world’s original Superbike championship with an incredible amount of talent tucked within the paddock -- however the actual excitement produced by the racing has been embarrassingly substandard for years.
DMG must recognize what’s important (and what’s not) and introduce changes aimed at improving the show above all else.
The following is simply one man’s plan of attack if he were made czar:
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
The rulebook must be given an overhaul, and the simple reason is because what’s in it now is not working. A single win over two seasons by any team other than the dominant squad in a sport built upon its competitiveness is simply not acceptable.
The first and arguably most important step forward I would suggest is also the one that seems to have the paddock filled with the most trepidation:
Control Tires
To me, this is a no-brainer, a bold plan that absolutely must be executed. It’s a necessary condition if the overarching plan -- one intended to create an environment where any team, so long as they bring the talent and money to the table, have a realistic opportunity to win -- is to succeed.
That’s not the case now. As it stands, no matter how rich, famous, and/or motivated you happen to be, if you don’t have the right manufacturer ties (bikes and tires), your chances of actually competing at a championship level are unacceptably small. You could be Michael Jordan and still feel the frustration of doors slamming in your face, preventing you from growing your team to the level you
aspire.
Giving everyone equal access to tires is the first step towards this goal. During a conversion about the (pre-DMG) ’09 rules, I asked Richard Stanboli, owner of the Attack Kawasaki squad that has claimed the last two Daytona 200s and one of the few private AMA Superbike teams to enjoy any level of success in recent history, exactly what it would take for a well run and funded private team to truly compete in AMA Superbike.
His response: A top rider and access to the best tires. That’s it.
Funnily enough, Stanboli isn’t a supporter of a spec tire rule even though he admits it would create a much more level playing field, being something of a racing purist and viewing the sport as a way to improve the breed.
Even so, despite his philosophical reservations, his answer on its own provides significant weight in support of the introduction of a spec tire.
From a spectator perspective (one way too frequently ignored) there are few drawbacks. The racing should improve, and as the saying (that’s quickly and for good reason becoming a cliché) goes, ‘Nobody comes to the track to cheer for tire brands.’
That may be a bitter pill to swallow for the likes of Dunlop and Pirelli, who work incredibly hard at their craft, but it’s a simple truth. It’s safe to assume that Valentino Rossi’s fan base didn’t balloon and deflate too much just because he’s swapped Michelins for Bridgestones in ’08.
But for a factor that’s not all that important to the fans, tires play a massive role in deciding the outcome, arguably equally as much as the bikes or the riders themselves.
It’s been said that the AMA Superbike Championship already enjoys a de facto spec tire situation as all the top teams field Dunlop-shod machinery, but that’s not the full story. An actual spec tire would mean that every rider on the grid has equal access to not just the same brand, but the same level of tires, and that’s not how things have always worked over here (Stanboli gave the frustrating example of, in their pre-Pirelli days, having their tire allotment shifted over to the American Honda team on occasion).
And as for the argument that a spec tire is a negative because racing is meant to improve the breed, forgive my ignorance, but wouldn’t you think that being forced to come up with a solution to mass produce tires that are at once extremely high performing and safe might perhaps teach a lesson that could be directly adapted to a company’s street line?
Luckily for DMG, World Superbike has already blazed the trail and a move that once brought near-universal damnation now enjoys near-universal acceptance and praise. Thank FGSport for their vision and courage on that one.
A last note on spec tires: Despite Pirelli’s experience in the area, Dunlop should be given a fair shot at the bid, if not the first shot, just as a thank you note for their heavy support of the series over the years.
(Photo: Brian J Nelson) ยป More Photos
And the opportunity to make some significant changes that could invigorate the series certainly exists. Funnily enough, the old guard guiding AMA Pro Racing were recently starting to push things in the right direction -- their early draft of the ’09 rules was a step forward -- but the trust between them, the manufacturers, teams, and riders had been eroded to the point that it was always going to be difficult to make any sweeping fixes without encountering significant resistance.
However, DMG has the benefit of a paddock already braced for change due to the acquisition, as well as a honeymoon period in which their collective credentials have granted them an unusual degree of latitude.
Following their learning year in 2008, they’ll be well positioned to jump in with both feet in 2009 and implement the changes they feel are necessary to upgrade the product, even if fairly radical. There’s no benefit to easing in and allowing the stakeholders to get cold feet and push back against what’s actually in the sport’s (and therefore their) best interests.
AMA Superbike is a sleeping giant -- the world’s original Superbike championship with an incredible amount of talent tucked within the paddock -- however the actual excitement produced by the racing has been embarrassingly substandard for years.
DMG must recognize what’s important (and what’s not) and introduce changes aimed at improving the show above all else.
The following is simply one man’s plan of attack if he were made czar:
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
The rulebook must be given an overhaul, and the simple reason is because what’s in it now is not working. A single win over two seasons by any team other than the dominant squad in a sport built upon its competitiveness is simply not acceptable.
The first and arguably most important step forward I would suggest is also the one that seems to have the paddock filled with the most trepidation:
Control Tires
To me, this is a no-brainer, a bold plan that absolutely must be executed. It’s a necessary condition if the overarching plan -- one intended to create an environment where any team, so long as they bring the talent and money to the table, have a realistic opportunity to win -- is to succeed.
That’s not the case now. As it stands, no matter how rich, famous, and/or motivated you happen to be, if you don’t have the right manufacturer ties (bikes and tires), your chances of actually competing at a championship level are unacceptably small. You could be Michael Jordan and still feel the frustration of doors slamming in your face, preventing you from growing your team to the level you
Giving everyone equal access to tires is the first step towards this goal. During a conversion about the (pre-DMG) ’09 rules, I asked Richard Stanboli, owner of the Attack Kawasaki squad that has claimed the last two Daytona 200s and one of the few private AMA Superbike teams to enjoy any level of success in recent history, exactly what it would take for a well run and funded private team to truly compete in AMA Superbike.
His response: A top rider and access to the best tires. That’s it.
Funnily enough, Stanboli isn’t a supporter of a spec tire rule even though he admits it would create a much more level playing field, being something of a racing purist and viewing the sport as a way to improve the breed.
Even so, despite his philosophical reservations, his answer on its own provides significant weight in support of the introduction of a spec tire.
From a spectator perspective (one way too frequently ignored) there are few drawbacks. The racing should improve, and as the saying (that’s quickly and for good reason becoming a cliché) goes, ‘Nobody comes to the track to cheer for tire brands.’
That may be a bitter pill to swallow for the likes of Dunlop and Pirelli, who work incredibly hard at their craft, but it’s a simple truth. It’s safe to assume that Valentino Rossi’s fan base didn’t balloon and deflate too much just because he’s swapped Michelins for Bridgestones in ’08.
But for a factor that’s not all that important to the fans, tires play a massive role in deciding the outcome, arguably equally as much as the bikes or the riders themselves.
It’s been said that the AMA Superbike Championship already enjoys a de facto spec tire situation as all the top teams field Dunlop-shod machinery, but that’s not the full story. An actual spec tire would mean that every rider on the grid has equal access to not just the same brand, but the same level of tires, and that’s not how things have always worked over here (Stanboli gave the frustrating example of, in their pre-Pirelli days, having their tire allotment shifted over to the American Honda team on occasion).
And as for the argument that a spec tire is a negative because racing is meant to improve the breed, forgive my ignorance, but wouldn’t you think that being forced to come up with a solution to mass produce tires that are at once extremely high performing and safe might perhaps teach a lesson that could be directly adapted to a company’s street line?
Luckily for DMG, World Superbike has already blazed the trail and a move that once brought near-universal damnation now enjoys near-universal acceptance and praise. Thank FGSport for their vision and courage on that one.
A last note on spec tires: Despite Pirelli’s experience in the area, Dunlop should be given a fair shot at the bid, if not the first shot, just as a thank you note for their heavy support of the series over the years.
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