Mladin out at HPT even as Track makes last minute changes

[backMARKr]

pssst, mark... watch race number 2... specifically the last handful of laps

I am guessing the lil Columbian won that one???

[Burt Munro]

Hey Mark,

Wanna borrow some of my blood pressure pills?

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

Wow what a topic!
I just noticed this thread and decided to see what has been said.
Why don't you Heartland Park Track walls naysayers just ask Brian Hall what he thinks of those walls!
If you do a search in past forums on here you might be able to have seen this problem coming with the AMA.

So interesting that I said at the last CCS race there just 3 weekends prior that mark my words, "There is no way in hell Mat Mladin is racing here. I can't believe Josh Hayes approved this track to be safe." Those were my words and you can ask several CCS officials if I said that.

I don't care what anyone says if you understand racing at high speed and have a care for your health you will agree that the walls going up the front straight don't belong in motorcycle roadracing. The walls leading down the hill into turn 1 don't belong there either.
Yes we all have a choice to ride on that track that day because the series is trying to put on some races for us.
Let me ask any of you. Have you ever hit a solid object on the race track such as a wall?
Here let me make this easy for you, for all you racers who think racing in walls at Heartland Park is just fine with you, put your full race gear on and run as fast as you can and aim head first full blast and smash into a concete wall.
Math says you can only possibly run maybe at most 15mph in leathers. Now if 15 mph hurts try hitting one at say 40mph. Or 60mph. Here go run out in front of a car thats going 40mph with your full gear on. Bet you'll be F###ed up or dead.

Now if you want to go out and race at any track that has solid objects thats your choice and risk to take.
Mat Mladin, Jamie Hacking and another rider opted not to ride. I'm sure some of you think that those riders were pulling punches at the DMG for doing that. FYI!! It has nothing to do with the DMG. It has everything to do with risk they are not willing to take. Its their choice to make not yours. I don't understand how some can say comments about a persons manhood since they chose not to race at a track like that.

I can think on the top of my head of over 10 motorcycle racers that have died during my lifetime because they hit a wall. You know what? After each one of those casualites the track made changes to the track.
You don't need to tell me that I SHOULD wear a helmet when I ride a bike down a street. That's obvious. Just like Matt Mladin, Hacking and others don't need to tell me that I shouldn't race there if I want to live if I should happen to crash in that spot. That obvious too. Apparently those of you who call others chicken for not riding don't get it. Maybe they will get it if they hit the wall.

Imagine crashing and sliding along merily at 60mph totally fine and WHAMO!! Your dead because of a wall! Was it worth riding there then? I don't know about you but I'd like to live to race another day.

[backMARKr]

Hey Mark,

Wanna borrow some of my blood pressure pills?

Rick...thanks for the offer....but fear not.....a total stranger's pokes won't raise the BP and have gotten used to Tim at this point

ultimately....just don't care.

see you at Gateway in  few days...

M

[roadracer162]

I remember when Foggarty sniveled about Daytona, it's a scary place.

I raced a Florida Grand Prix Riders endurance race in Hollywood Florida in the 80's.
It was a drag strip with road course on the return road and through the parking lot, worst make do track ever, dodging holes and rises in the aspalt.
I said I wasn't going race it, but was 3rd. in points and did it without incident, just turned it down a notch and collected points.

I can certainly understand pulling out if you think it's unsafe, funny how Mladin can't just pull out without another jab at the AMA and DMG.

So you were there at Hollywood when Dwaine Williams ran the show?

[Gino230]

I can't say I'm surprised at some of the comments, but at least most of us get it.

I might not like Mladin much, but you would have to be insane to not respect his accomplishments as a competitor. The man has been dominant on several types of machines. No doubt about his abilities.

I had the opportunity to ride a pretty tricked out 1098R superbike back to back with one of the AMA regulars and I learned a few things.

One is that unfortunately for me, data acquisition does not lie......but unless you've raced with these guys, you have no idea how hard they are pushing and how consistent they are. Even at a track day loaded with traffic of all skill levels, they are turning, braking, and opening the throttle with amazing consistency and speed.

The new AMA / DMG has made some changes. Whatever your opinion, they know how to market and promote racing. And that should be a good thing for all of us. They have done this by making some rule changes for more exciting racing. Arguably this has worked. The spec tires are, for the most part, crap.....but they're the same for everyone. The riders have complained, protested even. The DMG ruled with an iron fist (Jamie Hacking's suspension, for example). I understand DMG's position, you can't promise sponsors a race and then not be able to produce because the inmates are running the asylum, so to speak. Then again, this is motorcycle racing, not NASCAR, and it's far more dangerous.

So I think the riders are of the opinion that they're risking thier lives to put on a show and DMG is pulling the strings. For now, that's just the way it is. Crummy tires, dangerous track....at the end of the day, the riders are making thier point by sitting it out. It takes courage, in my opinion. Does Mat really have anything left to prove? No, so he's making his point.

Point taken, hats off to Mat and Jamie for sticking to thier principles.

Just my 2 cents, of course.

[JBraun]

I understand and respect his decision, but it would have been more meaningful had he not put himself at odds with the promoter from day one on insignificant issues. Right now he just looks like a crybaby because he hasn't stopped bitching since March. The track has issues for sure, but how is Mladin helping fix anything?

He's basically drawn a line in the sand and divided his followers from those of motorcycle racing in general. He has the loudest voice and is the most influential rider in the paddock. He says he cares about the sport, but I don't see how racing in general can benefit from this.
Not saying he should have raced, but he could have respectfully withdrawn and stuck around for the autographs and PR. It would have given him a thousand opportunities to allow his voice to be heard. If he wanted to make a difference that would have been the way. He's a professional. Suzuki pays him to win races AND be an ambassador to the sport and their brand. If it was only about going fast, Anthony Gobert would still have a ride.

The thing that pisses me off most about the track is that Brian hit the wall outside alpha and was almost killed last year. Then he had to make his comeback on that same track and stare at that same wall every lap. Nothing was done after he was seriously injured, but the AMA guys bitch about it and there's equipment there the same night to move it. Just proves that profits mean more than lives.

[deltadave]

I thought I would post my observations since I have raced at HPT this year with ASRA and I worked on the airfence crew as a volunteer for the AMA races this weekend.  The wall on riders left in alpha has been removed and the ditch somewhat filled in. Where the wall continues into turn four, was covered with airfence, but more wall needs to be taken out of here.   The dragstrip walls on riders left at exit of turn one were moved back about 60 feet and covered with airfence.  Airfence was installed on the wall outside of the carousel.  Airfence on the outside of turn four.  Airfence on the exit of turn six.  Airfence on the outside of turn seven.  Airfence before the bridge at the exit of turn nine. The concrete barriers at the exit of turn ten were removed.  Airfence on the outside of turn eleven.  Airfence at the exit of twelve.  Nine sections of airfence on the dragstrip wall at the exit of turn fourteen.  The wall on riders right approaching alpha was moved back. There was a total of fifty sections of airfence in place in addition to the soft wall barriers that HPT uses.  Ideally, I would like to see some more work done in the alpha/turn one area and some gravel traps installed in some areas.   I think the track management did a pretty good job of getting the track race ready and I think that most of the ama guys that raced this weekend share the same opinion.

[Burt Munro]

Dave,

Did they do anything with that connecting wall about 1/3 of the way down the front straight on riders right where it narrows down to form the front straight?  Last time I was there it was a perpendicular wall ( to the front straight ) with air fence on it.  Curious if they made that more of a diagonal wall.  I always thought that could be a problem.

[deltadave]

I believe that was about where the airfence ended and there were soft barriers stacked out in front of it.  It was covered well enough that it seemed to be a non issue.

[HAWK]

The thing that pisses me off most about the track is that Brian hit the wall outside alpha and was almost killed last year. Then he had to make his comeback on that same track and stare at that same wall every lap. Nothing was done after he was seriously injured, but the AMA guys bitch about it and there's equipment there the same night to move it. Just proves that profits mean more than lives.

I think  you have answered your own post right here. Yes, some of the parties involved are interested in profits more than our safety. The only way to reach those parties is to reduce their profitablity. By not staying around Mat will certainly have had an influence on attendance even if only a small one. The shut up and ride or cry-baby attitude will never have any effect on profits so is a useless approach (this is not directed at you).

I have not followed the political aspect of the series so while your views of Mat's conduct thus far this season may be spot on I cannot address any of that. I can however say that I personally have nothing but respect for any racer who can walk away from a situation he or she feels is unsafe rather than bend to the powers that be.

[benprobst]

I understand and respect his decision, but it would have been more meaningful had he not put himself at odds with the promoter from day one on insignificant issues. Right now he just looks like a crybaby because he hasn't stopped bitching since March. The track has issues for sure, but how is Mladin helping fix anything?

Mladin accomplished more with his move than others with nearly as much sway have accomplished in the past 2 or 3 years at some of the biggest tracks in the country. The track immediatly busted out the heavy equipment and tried to make some things better. Your post is also wrong about the wall in T1. The track moved it before the event.