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Technical Regulations

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The basic approach to the technical regulations should also be based on this goal of creating a more leveled playing field. The originally crafted ’09 rules that sought to effectively merge Superbike with Superstock were on the right track.

I don’t feel the need to go into too much detail in this category other than saying I would lean towards 1) keeping the 1000cc machines as the premier class, 2) bringing the rules closer to stock in order to keep costs down and making it easier to build a competitive package, and 3) actively eliminating any area in the rulebook that allows a manufacturer to have exclusive access to, or the ability to dictate exactly who receives, any potentially race-deciding equipment (in other words, attempt to outlaw unobtanium).

Easier said than done, true, but DMG will have smarter men than yours truly on the case who can sort out the details.

BUILDING INTEREST AND ERASING CONFUSION

Creating rules that will allow for closer racing is the first step in making the AMA Superbike Championship a more attractive product, but it’s far from the only one step necessary.

The following strategies are meant to help build interest in the sport with current fans as well as making it more attractive to new ones.

Class Structure

This is another area in which the old guard was slowly moving in the right direction, despite some major blunders in exactly how to get there.

Ten years ago there were six classes and currently there are four (with a tentative plan in place for three in 2009).

Still, the four that exist do not make a great deal of sense when considered in relation to each other. Superbike and Superstock are based on the same street bikes, contain some of the same riders (and racebikes), and from a trackside eyeball perspective, are essentially the same speed. The same can be said of the relationship linking Formula Xtreme and Supersport.

Superstock and either Supersport or Formula Xtreme (whichever you deem the lesser of the 600cc) dilute and cannibalize their shared capacity class, allowing each manufacturer a class to call their own and fostering an environment that actually discourages competition.

This problem was especially pronounced a few years ago when Kawasaki and Yamaha decided it was in their best interests to promote their 1000cc flagships in the Superstock class, while Honda left Supersport for FX in order to showcase their 600cc, which created a big fish/small pond syndrome. Each class had a small number of dominant machinery among a grid full of no-hopers, and each weekend all four manufacturers had a strong chance of securing their Cycle News win ad, but little shot at creating compelling racing for the fans.

What to do? The answer has seemed obvious for years, at least from my perspective. This was the thought guiding a series of articles I wrote for SPEEDtv.com several years ago and little has changed since. The right move as I see it would be to introduce a three-class system, (strongly) headed by a 1000cc Superbike class, backed up by a 600cc class, and rounded out with the introduction of a spec series, sponsored and maintained by an interested partner (whether it be BMW or the Red Bull Rookies Cup or whoever -- whoever brings the most attractive deal to the table).

This leads directly into the next area of emphasis…