We're slow huh? Well, I wonder why....

[Nate R]

That, and what parts will they get that you and I cant? Who knows?

[Jeff]

I'm not calling him out and I'm not jealous.  I don't have what it takes to run AMA, period.  I just wanted to know how he felt about it now, since his post a year ago was so passionate about not having the right equipment and what a difference it would make.  I don't know what he ran before, so I wanted to hear the comparison...

[tshort]

.It doesn't matter how fast a rider you are , if you don't have the equipment or technical backing which costs big $$$$$$ you will never see the top ten in an AMA race , and considering there are over 20 factory supported bikes this year you will never see the top 20. Spend about $20,000 plus the cost of the bike and thats a different story!

I read a privateer finished 4th yesterday in the 200.  So wassup with that? (and don't tell me 16 factory riders *all* DNF'd).

[Super Dave]

Parts won't make the bike that much faster.  It's been done before.  It will be done again.  Barney ain't riding anything special and he was runnin' up front on TV yesterday.

Set up time will will make the speed come.  Anyone setting up a bike that it being paid to do so will have access to a GMD Computrack set up, or they can at least source numbers from somewhere...and use a tape measure, etc.  That should ball park it.  Extra motor won't make that kind of difference in lap times.  Eslick's KWS Suzuki was a lot faster than mine, but I could ride around him most of the day.  

Anyway, the set up team has their responsibility, the rider has theirs.  Hard work on both ends.  

K3, you got an e-mail address for Tez...I should hook him up with the bone stuff so he can heal...just a few weeks until Fontana.

[Super Dave]

I read a privateer finished 4th yesterday in the 200.  So wassup with that? (and don't tell me 16 factory riders *all* DNF'd).

Well, there isn't 16 factory riders anymore.  

John Ashmead won the Daytona 200 in like 1989.  It happens at Daytona more so now than in the past.  Years ago, there were huge efforts put in by all manufacturers, and riders from Europe and Japan would compete.  But it doesn't happen like that anymore.  I don't have a great reason why, but that's the way it is.

[ScubaSteve]

Jordan's team really WAS building the bikes at Daytona.  It had only been a week or so before that they even got the bikes.  Tez hadn't seen the bikes before he got to Florida, and he was riding a borrowed bike in the CCS stuff, so he only had a couple of practice sessions to learn the bikes, have the crew de-bug them,  and set them up before his races.  Plus he was hurt.  He still managed to move forward from his starting positions.  I imagine that things will get better for the Jordan effort as time goes by.
 ;) Still, it IS kinda funny to see you guys callin him out... ;)
Just make sure it's not motivated by jealousy.

  Im not jealous at all I think its great that hes gettin backed by someone like Jordan i think its great for the sport. I just think the crewlooked silly but then again they are promotein Jordans stuff. I plan on running some AMA stuff next year. I agree with dave its not always the parts look at Barnes for example.

[r6_philly]

I do think the right parts will make some different, but the team, mechanics have to know what to do with them, like Super Dave said. I am sure with time, and experience in the equipment accumulated, the time will drop. I had a real learning curve with the new bike I just built, and I dropped 10 seconds after 4 days at daytona. Still have another 10 to go, but I think with track time and set up time, it will slowly drop. I know the track real well, so its not about me learning the track, just about how to get the machine to perform at its best so I have confidence in riding it. I am spending 2 extra days to set up for VIR before I go race there, I think I will go fast. Learning to use track time effiiently and not just go to races unprepared, better use my resources is my goal this year. Last year I tried to race so much, this year I am going to concentrate on going faster instead.

My best wishes to Tez and the Jordan team. I think it is refreshing to see somehting different in the paddock and on the track, not just the status quo. Looking forward to meeting him and seeing him succeed.

[Steviebee]

I think there is a big differnece !!

Just look at what would happen when Barnes would get on the banking,   He would loose 20-30 bike lenghts on the factory guys.

He had his bike geared for the draft like the facotry guys, but didnt have the HP for the acceleration.

But hey he said hes 5'9" and 130 lbs,  he could make it up in the infield.  Guess he had a smoking setup !!!

And yea !!  I was soooooo rooting for him !!!  And Tez.  

[Thingy]

Tex man,

Dude, I think that you did great!  I was impressed that you qualified for both races on new bikes.  (That I saw show up just a few days earlier.)  

I told you last week about wrenching on the Safety First team last year and seeing in real life how big of an accomplishment it is just to make the show.

I watched you in the International Horseshoe and could tell that you still looked uncomfortable on the bike.  But, you did a great job.  (I was curious to see of you would qualify.)  You earned my respect.

Props to you, from somebody who watched his local CCS boys just try to qualify in Superbike and FX all season long last year.  Your the man, good luck the rest of the year!

PS - Infineon is tough...

[Frank_Angel]

Dave, I agree with you for many guys, but in Barney's case 3 or 4 more HP would have likely put him on the podium. The bike was geared correctly (unlike in the F-USA Sportbike race), he was just down on power. HP does make a difference at Daytona, as you well know, if you are running near the front. You need it to be able to pull out of the draft and sustain a pass. Barney was just a little bit off on power, and he couldn't make the passes stick.

At the highest levels, money can make a big, big difference in results.

It was a great race, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season. Supersport and Superstock will be exciting to watch.

[Thorny]

Hey Tez, I am jealous!!!! But with that said, I am not jealous of the work ahead of you.
 I also helped out a little with "Safety First Racing's" AMA schedule, Bill is super right on about Infinion Raceway, very cool but difficult track.
 People like us don't get it, we are so used to just entering a race and racing. AMA has a cut off as far as the % you need to be inside of to get to "the show." You already made the first one, next step get more consistently faster.
 I am a firm believer that if you can't win regional races in CCS/WERA, keep your butt on the sidelines. Tez, you have won expert races and allot of them, at our level. You have no one to answer to besides your sponsors, the closest thing allot of people who are talking smack on here have had to a sponsor is some local dealer giving them parts for cost.   Ride hard, work hard, and remember HAVE FUN!!!    You are living a dream!!

        Your old AM. nemesis
           PJ #55

[Super Dave]

Dave, I agree with you for many guys, but in Barney's case 3 or 4 more HP would have likely put him on the podium.

He may not have even needed that much.  I bet if we ran the finish five times, Barney would have consistently been closer to the front.

And, Barney didn't have any friends up there.  I mean, if you're gettin' a paycheck from Yamaha USA, or Kawasaki North America, you're gonna do what you can to make sure that you or your team mates are up there with you.  

How does that make the teams look?  

Anyway, for someone like Barnes, the little bits and tricks can be utilized to an advantage that is tangable.  For the rest of us mortals, and maybe a little above mortal, it isn't going to make a huge difference in the reality of going around the track.  There's still time to be gained from our own personal efforts in riding and set up.