MotoGP releases

[Old808]

Dawn was right on the money.  I think that Mladin should be forced to bump up where he has more competition.  Is it fair to privateers and such being "stuck" because all the factory rides are taken by the same guys like Mladin and Duhamel for the last how many years  ???  I can think of 3 or 4 privateers that deserve a factory ride after the awesome show they've put on.  
...

As far as Mladin goes, it's funny that even with the factory ride being offered he shot it down.  He admited himself that he would get his ass handed to him.  I guess he's simply stating that he's not good enough to go to a world level compeition with the best of the best.

1) What do you mean "privateers that deserve a factory ride?"  There is no God-given right to a factory ride.  They may be fast enough to do well on a factory bike, but it doesn't mean they "deserve" anything or that somebody is taking a ride from them.  With what DuHamel has done for American Honda in the last decade, why would anyone "deserve" his motorcycle more than he does?

2) Who offered Mladin a top MotoGP ride that he turned down?  Did we read the same interview?

By the way, I know from the man himself he never got a good second chance at GPs.  I'm not just repeating something I read on a web site.

[Old808]

Yeah, but he'll be the next Duhamel sitting in AMA until he can't walk any more.   Too old my butt.    ::)  You think Rossi is going to race MotoGp for more than a couple more years?  I think the first F1 team that is competitive and makes him and offer, and Rossi will be in F1.  Too old.   Is Duhamel too old?  He could've quit a long time ago.  Instead, he likes to snipe Zemke every race weekend out of 1st or 2nd.

What the hell did you just attempt to say?  It makes absolutely no sense, from the first word to the last.  Gather your thoughts and try again.

Meanwhile, if you did not understand what I said (and obviously, you didn't), Mladin feels it is too late to start a GP career now.  Most riders his age are not too far from retiring.  If he went to GP, it would take in a year to learn the racetracks.  A year spent learning is no big deal at age 25.  At his age, it becomes a luxury a top racer can hardly afford.  And in case you haven't noticed, Miguel is an exception, not the norm.  Most people his age are not winning superbike races.

[cornercamping]

1) What do you mean "privateers that deserve a factory ride?" ÊThere is no God-given right to a factory ride. ÊThey may be fast enough to do well on a factory bike, but it doesn't mean they "deserve" anything or that somebody is taking a ride from them. ÊWith what DuHamel has done for American Honda in the last decade, why would anyone "deserve" his motorcycle more than he does?

2) Who offered Mladin a top MotoGP ride that he turned down? ÊDid we read the same interview?

By the way, I know from the man himself he never got a good second chance at GPs. ÊI'm not just repeating something I read on a web site.

1. What I mean by privateers that "deserve a factory ride" is the guys that show up with equipment that can't touch the factory equipment.  Look at Geof May.  Look at his point standings.  I strongly believe that if he would've had a better bike and more support than his girlfriend, he could've place even better than the 5th place he took on a pretty much stock bike.   The guy was a "club racer" showing up at AMA events and placing top 10.  If he can place top 5 with a non-factory supported ride, what do you think he'd do if he had full factory support?  This guy shows up to the track with nothing but the basics, and still hung on to the top 5 finish.  You don't find that amazing?  You don't think he could be top 3 on a factory ride?   Regardless, until some of the factory veterans move or retire, guys like Geof May will still be privateers.  What does Mladin have to offer anymore?  Another Suzuki commericial saying that he's now 5 time champ?  So what.  Nobody doubts his skills, and he's a hell of a rider, but he needs to move on.  Ask yourself this, could Mladin EVER compare to Rossi?  In my opinion, he could give it a shot, but yet he won't.  Why?  Money?  How much money can you have until your just sick of showing up for work?  What about the challenge?  I'd respect him alot more if he even showed up to race a GP round.   Even the backmarkers in MotoGP have talent.  The last guy to finish in a MotoGP race will gain more respect from me than the "5 time AMA superbike champion."  

I wish Nicky would come back to AMA and spank all their ass' in superbike just to prove a point.  That would be entertaining.

As far as Duhamel is concerned, he did awesome for Honda in AMA.  He could've done the same everywhere else.  But.. another one that hasn't moved up.  

Just like the do in club racing.  1st place champion novice, bumps to expert following season. Pro level racing should be no different until you hit the top.  

Allolwing guys like Mladin in the AMA as long as they like is kinda like having guys like Tray Batey and Mark Jung running in the Novice class.  

Just my point of view.  Not sure which interview you read.  I read several. I'll see if I can find the links.  

[cornercamping]

What the hell did you just attempt to say? ÊIt makes absolutely no sense, from the first word to the last. ÊGather your thoughts and try again.

Meanwhile, if you did not understand what I said (and obviously, you didn't), Mladin feels it is too late to start a GP career now. ÊMost riders his age are not too far from retiring. ÊIf he went to GP, it would take in a year to learn the racetracks. ÊA year spent learning is no big deal at age 25. ÊAt his age, it becomes a luxury a top racer can hardly afford. ÊAnd in case you haven't noticed, Miguel is an exception, not the norm. ÊMost people his age are not winning superbike races.

Your right, and wrong.  Both Mladin and Duhamel are knocking on retirements door.   Wouldn't it be justifibile to you to just try and win one race atleast in MotoGP. That for me would be a better accomplishment than being 6 time champion of AMA superbike.   He should've bumped up after 2 or 3 if he could've.

[Old808]

1. What I mean by privateers that "deserve a factory ride" is the guys that show up with equipment that can't touch the factory equipment.  Look at Geof May.  ...You don't find that amazing? ....

I wish Nicky would come back to AMA and spank all their ass' in superbike just to prove a point.  That would be entertaining.

As far as Duhamel is concerned, he did awesome for Honda in AMA.  He could've done the same everywhere else.  But.. another one that hasn't moved up.  

Just like the do in club racing.  1st place champion novice, bumps to expert following season. Pro level racing should be no different until you hit the top.  
 

1) G. May: yes, I think he did great.  It doesn't mean he deserves anything.  The people who decided who deserves what are the ones signing the checks.  That's what you don't seem to get.  What is Matt Mladin bringing to Suzuki?  If they are paying him to race, he is obviously bringing them something whether you can see it or not.  List isn't charity.

2) Nicky coming back and winning would prove absolutely nothing because he was already number one when he left.

3) Are you aware of an offer from Honda to ride the factory NSR500 or RCV211 that DuHamel turned down?  Or do you expect him to build a couple in his garage in his spare time? Jeez...

4) you may not realize it, but the AMA championship is not linked to MotoGP.  There is no "bumping up."  You can't make a rule that says the AMA champion automatically moves up to MotoGP.

You know, you seem to consider the AMA championship as some kind of club racing championship.  Do you know what people like Anthony Gobert, DuHamel, Mladin or Bostrom have been paid to race in that "little league?"  Maybe you should write the manufacturers (as they obviously don't know any better) and tell them they have been wasting their money on meaningless racing.

[Old808]

...if he could've.

finally, you are beginning to get it.

[cornercamping]

Your right, they aren't linked, but they should be.  Regardless of the factories spending the money, considering most factory teams do run MotoGP they should have their own tier system that bumps people up automatically.  But, unfortunately, it's all about bike sales.  Oh well.  If I was Mladin or even Duhamel, i'd be pissed.   i wouldn't want to keep racing AMA and winning year after year.  You've already proved your the best after the second championship.   Time to move on to bigger and better things, even if it means getting beat down.  It's still more of an accomplishment.  I'd rather have half of something than all of nothing, and at this point, another chamiponship for Mladin is nothing. The only thing he has is the overall record of how many championships you can win in a row.   He'd be better off regardless of age to persue MotoGP, and if I remember correctly, it has been offered.  I have to find it though.

If I sound retarted it's a combination of both alcohol, and partial retardness  :P

The only reason I think Nicky should come back is to take everything away from everyone else.   Why not, that's what Mladin is doing.  Look at poor Zemke  :P

[cornercamping]

I'll be back shortly. Gotta make a beer run  ;D

[Old808]

I'll be back shortly. Gotta make a beer run  ;D

I am done for today, but I will leave you with one question.  Following your reasoning, Kurtis Roberts has accomplished more in his career than Matt Mladin.  Could you say that in public with a straight face?

[EX#996]

I am done for today, but I will leave you with one question.  Following your reasoning, Kurtis Roberts has accomplished more in his career than Matt Mladin.  Could you say that in public with a straight face?

Ummm...... No!    ;D

LOL!

Dawn  ;)

[Super Dave]

What exactly do you do?

'

Well, I've raced motorcycles since I was 19...and now I'm 36....

Schools, marketing, etc...

Looks like I sell cars for a Ford dealership now.  Start on Monday...and head to Barber to race on Wednesday evening...LOL!

[Super Dave]

The reality is this.

First, the American market is very big for motorcycles.  Ones that the Japanese sell...not scooters.  I believe that the US market is number two in teh world for "proper motorcycles."

So, with that, it IS important to have racing in the US.  To continually deplete the talent pool here is not good.  

Ducati and Michelin brought guys from Europe to race here at VIR.

Bussei?  How about Gobert?  Polen was brought back here after a lot of stuff in Japan and in WSB.  Mladin was brought here from Europe in GP.  

Really, racers have been allowed to make a living racing in the US.  It wasn't like that before.  If you're a "B" level rider for a "backed" team, you might have a contract that pays you $80k.  In the late 80's, it wasn't like that.  Flip side is that Robert Jensen made $120k racing for Yamaha bucks last year...more races, but no AMA BS like stupid tear downs where the factories try to steal your $hit, promo events, etc.

Europe is driven by European Sponsors.  

Sete had the "Telephonica" money....Was at Suzuki, then took it to Honda.  Yeah, Colin was on the same team, but the money was more than likely going to fund Sete's gig not Colin's.

Mladin is not a small guy.  I think he's bigger than me.  So, that kind of genetics is not going to help in the world of GP.  Rainey was down to 135# by 1993.  I think Mladin out weighs me at 165.

As for Mladin taking anything away from anyone else....

Robert Jensen and I were both at a track day at Mid-America Motorplex in July.  Everyone was gone but us.  

I've been teaching since 1993...racing schools etc.  My big time AMA days collapsed in 1994 for various reasons relating to support and money.  I guess I was pretty ok then.  

Anyway, Robbie and I were talking about stuff.  And we got to talking about how he struggles telling guys how to do thngs...I'm pretty good at that.  He doesn't have the patience for it.

So, I start talking about racing for a moment, and tell him how bleak the money is in teaching.  Really, I might have a better investment in spending money and trying to go and beat him.

Initially, he took it the wrong way...He looked at me like he wanted to go out on the track right now and kick my as$.

I stopped him and said, "Right.  But really, that's all I have to do:  go out and beat Robert Jensen at the top of his game.  Nothing wrong with it.  If I can do it, it's fair and square.  Certainly doesn't mean that it's easy."

He understood.  Really, it was a compliment that I was giving him.  He goes out and wins races all over, often at tracks he doesn't spend time at regularly.  Spanks the locals and gets his checks.  In July, he hadn't been at home in North Dakota since April.  He was heading home.  Fun, yeah.  All the time?  No.

Anyway, Zemke knows what he needs to do to beat Mladin.  It's easy.  Out ride him, out fox him, whatever.  When I was on row two of the AMA 750 Supersport grid at Heartland Park Topeka in 1990...I had Chandler, James, Russell, and Duhammel ahead of me on factory bikes.  I really didn't care that I had a stock shock, or whatever.  I wanted to beat them, win, etc.

There is no affirmitive action in racing.  

It's been a long time since a guy the size of Rob McElnea has been on a GP bike...anyone remember besides me?