A Couch Racer's Perspective
The newly formed AMA/DMG road racing got off to a rocky start to say the least. The names of the Classes, the deletion of what I would consider the best class out there “Super Stock”, the modifications allowed to the bikes, manufactures mentioning they may not race, racers not happy with the changes and more. At one point during the early stages of the season I really wanted to contact DMG (Daytona Motorsports Group) and searched for a contact number, an email address, anything with no success. Was I looking in all the wrong places, or are they really that hard to get a hold of? So off to the AMA Superbike website, and found no contact info there either. If you can’t get a hold of them, then you can’t influence their poor decisions!
Anyway, why would I want to watch the AMA Roadracing series? Because I love the race, have made friends with many a racer, and it sure beats just going left!
So, why the long face about the series? There are many. Let’s take for example that the 1000cc Super Stock race of yester-year was just so exciting. You had Aaron Yates a former champion, not racing for the manufacturer, but for Jordan, Geoff May on the same team and Jake Holden, getting off of Suziki and racing a Corona Honda for the first year and winning. Close racing for sure and exciting to the very end. No one was walking away with a win, they had to earn it. Now it is a defunct series and that great racing is seemingly gone forever.
SuperBike? What is so super about it? Started off as the Matt show again but no Ben. It only proves that the class modifications to keep it from being the Matt/Suzuki show was a complete failure until Matt got to his least favorite tracks and nearly the same time lost heart in racing – you could clearly see it in every interview. Congrats to Matt for the victories and number one plate, but you could tell he was not into it by mid year. Is it the politics, he’s really not challenged or his heart really isn’t in to racing anymore? Who knows? Will there be another champion with the skills of Matt and Ben? Could it be Josh Hayes – time will tell. The racing was a bit closer this year, but not as exciting as the former years of Super Stock and part two will go into that one.
Attendance at the races is down again and should we blame the economy? I don’t think so. Typically people want a distraction from their woes. I’ve been to the races, lots of them. In fact 2005 and 2006 I went to every race in the series. There are some really good times available, but there is just no marketing to get the folks out to the races. I listen to a lot of radio, watch a lot of sports shows, and never hear or see good marketing for the races. Who’s job is it to market the racing now? DMG. I think they are taking the money from AMA and not doing a good job at all. We the people really expected to see them turn it around like they did NASCAR, but I think they just don’t know how – they think like a caged driver, not like a biker. Did you know there is an endurance series? Yes! There is and you never see it – well highlights – about 5 minutes of look at this, no look at this, and this guy won – WHO IS THAT GUY? More on that later – part two again.
So the first nail in the coffin for the AMA is really how they (AMA/DMG) are handing the series. The change up in the series has been a huge blunder from the side-line point of view – uh – not including the 600 series – part two or three if there is a three. The marketing to get new interest – significantly lacks. What marketing? The might have a commercial for racing during a race – HEY- Dumb@$$ - marketing racing to folks already watching racing gets no new interest – it’s preaching to the choir – go advertise on channels for 18-50 year old males – NEW BLOOD = NEW INTEREST – don’t need a marketing degree for that one. BTW AMA/DMG – have you even looked at how many women are racing today and their interest in the sport? Did you notice that Kawasaki for years has been putting women on their bikes? Open you frakkin eyes!
Remember, this is a couch racer, yell at the TV to go faster while I’m sitting in my PJ’s point of view. But it’s still accurate to issues at hand and the first nail in the coffin. Stay tuned for my explosive part two in a few weeks. Those are my two cents and they’ll buy you nothing!