#)%#)(%$ SPEEDTV

[tigerblade]

Some pretty good letters...

http://venus.13x.com/roadracingworld/scripts/NewsInsert.asp?insert=7194

[motomadness]

Where are they getting the motorcycle rating from?  Auto enthusiast homes, or motorcycle enthusiasts homes.  If the predominate mix auto based, of course the rating will suck.  My best friend, who often attends my races when  I am in town, rarely watches the stuff on TV.  He is a diehard auto enthusiast, who doesn't care much for any kind of racing, but he will watch the magazine and tuning shows.  I don't know much about the NASCAR fans, but I can guess that they support the sport because of a lot of marketing appeal.  It's like watching the Olympics, we Americans typically root for American atheletes.  We may not even watch all of the games, but the ones the media hypes up the most, gets the most coverage and typically is the most appealing.  With the right marketing/promotion, the sport of motorcycle road racing can take off.  Movies about the street scene aren't going to do it.  I also think there's a problem rating all things on the same scale.  If the Tides, Cheers, Viagra and the like were to sponsor more teams, and demand more TV coverage - live racing and post-racing discussions/programming, we would see more things turn around.  I believe in most non-enthusiasts' minds they view motorcycles and motorcyclists as bad people, outside of the mainstream.

[EmerWil]

SpeedTV? Never heard of it....

Just look at MTV.  It's nothing compared to what it was 20 years ago.  Yeah Brad, money talks.  But why would Clear Channel buy it if all they were going to do was run it into the ground?  Is CCS just a tax write-off for CCE?  CCE has such a HUGE untapped market if they would do a little advertising on their DOZEN or so radio stations in the DC/Baltimore region.  Hell I still TO THIS DAY talk to people that don't/didn't know that there was motorcycle racing in Summit Point (granted they didn't know where Summit Point was either).

When's the last time you saw speed boat racing on speed? Or a motocross event? or mud bog racing?

NASCAR is a cancer....

[Super Dave]

I'll agree that motorcycle racing sucks...

Why should there be fan appeal?

The AMA has created a set of rules that changes year to year that only a few can actually flex to attempt to comply with.  

Support from the motorcycle industry is an absolute joke.  (Here's you free exhaust for the AMA Pro season...)

NASCAR understands that racing needs to have some amount of equality.  I'm sure that in belt sander racing, there is a set of reasonable and attainable rules that allow riders and builders to feel that there is some amount of fair play.  Can you afford the Ohlin's internals for your AMA Supersport bike?  Did you production bike come with them?  How about a $65,000 set of forks?  If you had the money, would anyone even sell them to you?  NASCAR wouldn't allow stuff like that.

Next, personalities...  NASCAR sure has a lot of them.  AMA Superbike?  I don't know Jordan Szoke from Sean Wyatt in the paddock, and I'm a motorcycle racer (ok, I know Sean at least...).

I think that TV came to NASCAR when they realized that all the things were in place.  It's entertainment.  

As for CCS and CCE....CCS racing is club level sportsman racing.  It's an event for the racer.  Why should CCE spend money on that?  If you want that to grow advertise for yourself.  

I'm not sure who was the first outside the industry sponsor was, but I'm sure that they were drawn to sponsoring the rider/driver because of something that they did that was different from everyone else...either a real winner, or an entertainer.  That's what creates growth.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

NASCAR understands that racing needs to have some amount of equality.  I'm sure that in belt sander racing, there is a set of reasonable and attainable rules that allow riders and builders to feel that there is some amount of fair play.  Can you afford the Ohlin's internals for your AMA Supersport bike?  Did you production bike come with them?  How about a $65,000 set of forks?  If you had the money, would anyone even sell them to you?  NASCAR wouldn't allow stuff like that.

Yeah Napcar rules stay the same only if you run a Chevy. ::) Look at all the new "rules" put on the Intrepid because its faster than the MOnte Carlo because the Chevy camp cries like a school girl who had her lunch money stolen. Same thing happens to Ford but not as much as to Dodge. After Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison died in 93 I pretty much gave up on Napcar. kinda got interested again when Dodge returned but after they had to raise the spoiler, increase this, decrease that nearly EVERY WEEK, f-em. I've heard rumours Dodge might pull out of the Craftsman Truck Series because of this type of BS.

[Super Dave]

Look at all the new "rules" put on the Intrepid because its faster than the MOnte Carlo because the Chevy camp cries like a school girl who had her lunch money stolen....

It happens to everyone.  And there seldom are complete run aways.  Still comes down to strategy, working with team mates or others.  The teams are SUPPORTED by manufacturers, they are not manufacturer teams like in motorcycling.  Drivers are a commodoty for their driving as well as their image to the people.  Each team has a huge crew of people that are actually employed in the sport rather than borrowed family members or friends.  How about a purse?  What did Mladin win for a Superbike race recently?  Less than Larry Denning usually wins at a club race.

When the AMA takes motorcycle racing seriously, maybe someone else could too.

At least Ford makes a car that they "race" that actually can be bought with a V-8.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

At least Ford makes a car that they "race" that actually can be bought with a V-8.

Well new from Dodge is the 2005 Dodge Intrepid Charger (new name for the INtrepid) is that it will be a V8 (5.7Hemi? ;D) and something the Taurus and Monte Carlo doesnt have, REAR WHEEL DRIVE!!!! ;D Now if its availible with a manual tranny it will be PERFECT. ;D

[Steviebee]

When's the last time you saw speed boat racing on speed? Or a motocross event? or mud bog racing?

NASCAR is a cancer....

saw the speed boat races sunday morning waiting for the 250GP  :)

[Super Dave]

NASCAR is not cancer...

NASCAR is MARKETABLE!  They worked very hard to get to where they are, and that's good for racing in general.  It at least makes "racing" a legitimate career rather than a daredevil thing.

Additionally, it has local events almost everywhere.  It's a nationwide industry.  I sell a whole lot more Power Mist Racing Fuel to oval track guys than I do motorcycle racers.  They stay in the sport longer, have better sponsorship because of the exposure and the marketing work that they do.  They are also pretty knowledgeable about set up and tuning.  

The motorcycle racing industry is often made up of teams that don't pay bills that are gone in a matter of a couple years and some of the supporters of the sport are only financial backers (Jardeen Exhausts on HRC bikes?) rather than actual product backers.  Some supporters only sell hyped up things to unsuspecting new racers.  Take their money, the rider goes away, and then you have a new crop to cultivate.  That kind of treatment and disrespect would not be tolerated in other racing worlds.

I am a motorcycle road racer, have been for a long time, and I know that it sucks.  I am lucky enough to have found the right people along the way that helped me know what I needed to know.  And that's not to say that along the way that I didn't waste a lot of money...I got that too.