We shall show no quarter, we will take no prisoners

Espana

This past weekend saw the second round of the 2010 MotoGP racing season.  What was originally billed to be the second round was Motegi; the Gran Prix of Japan.  But unfortunately Iceland’s volcano grounded all the air traffic over Europe which meant none of the machines, teams, staff or riders where able to get to Japan.  So to adjust the schedule, that race was given a new date and everyone put there sights on Spain.

This race is always a significant one.  And there are three huge factors that play into that.  First, this is usually the first race of the series that takes place on the European continent.  With MotoGP being a European series, this event always has a ‘welcome home’ type air to it; a sort of ‘early’ homecoming so to speak.  The second thing at work here is similar and equally effective as the first.  Just as this is the first race in Europe; this is also the first race on Spanish soil.  MotoGP is a Spanish-run series so you can see the correlation of concepts.  But what tops those two elements, the last piece of this puzzle, really speaks for itself; or should I say ‘themselves’.  The Spanish fans are arguably the most enthusiastic and dedicated to the sport.  On raceday 122,000 fans were on hand to watch, laugh, yell, drink, curse, praise, discuss and altogether be apart of the sport they love.  I wish I could have been in that environment.  For some it may be difficult to understand that atmosphere through pictures.  On television it’s even harder to take in.  Although, this was one a race weekend where on TV you could clearly hear the reactions of the crowd over both the commentators and the sounds of the machines.  The Spanish fans were that loud and had very good reason to be.  With all the buildup and anticipation for this event, the racing action in each of the categories was phenomenal.

The 125cc bikes showcase themselves as the future of GP.  These young riders come from all over the world put there skills to the test as they compete to further their individual dreams of racing.  These kids in their category are working with top level teams, that are preparing top level machines and competing on the same weekend as the top level riders in this form of motorsport.  The perfect way to cultivate talent I’d say.  It’s only obvious that they’ll be giving it there all each time they ride.  And they do.  This weekend spoke truth to that sentiment and the racing was intense from the start through to the end.  I was sad for Marc Marquez who fell early in the race.  He was victim to a freak occurrence in which his exhaust pipe’s tail section came undone and tangled with his bike at probably the most inopportune time; full lean angle.  He didn’t take too much damage and is looking forward to the next race, but he’s been showing really good form as of late.  It’s only a matter of time before he gets his first win.  But with him gone, the race went on and the Spanish contingent went on to dominate.  By the time the of the cool down lap, three Spanish riders took each of the top finishing positions.  Led by the 18yr. old Pol Espagaro, the young Spaniards set the tone for rest of the weekend.  A distinct tone, simply stating that this was their home race and that they would not be denied.

Toni gettin' after it

The same sentiment was felt during the Moto2 event.  Along with the factors listed above, add the fact that this was the first EVER racing event for this category in Europe.  You see, this class came into it’s current shape during this recent off-season.  All new teams, with all new machines and desperately eager riders looking to make their mark in history.  That’s a lot of meaning to pack into a race.  But that’s what a top level racing series provides its athletes with isn’t it?

Like the 125cc race a Spaniard took the victory here.  Toni Elias finished out ahead of all those who challenged for the win, but that didn’t come easily.  From the very beginning this race was to be a battle.  The grid is full with well over 30 fairly similar bikes in contention.  The riders of this class are gathered from racing organizations all over the world and all of them are trying to get the best result possible.  That’s a recipe for epic racing; what we saw on Sunday was just that.  After a scary moment that saw about 10 bikes/riders go down at the same time, the race was restarted and turned into a fierce, fierce tussle for position.  Lead changes, mistakes, out-breaking, corner speeds, sliding tires, banging fairings, everything that has made racing popular in the past two decades presented themselves in the 17 laps that made up the 2010 Moto2 event at Jerez.  And yes, it was a Spaniard taking victory in front of his adoring fans.  An epic race ending with an important win for a fan favorite.  This is an example of why racing means so much to so many.

The theme continued into the last race of the day.  The big boy class; MotoGP.  Yes this race was good, but this race played itself out a bit differently.  Dani Pedrosa (a Spaniard) was on pole position and if you follow the GP’s then you know what that means.  If you don’t follow GP’s, that means he’s going to take off and win without much of a challenge from anyone.  That’s how it looked to be playing out as the healing legend of Valentino Rossi struggled to effectively challenge Pedrosa.  But instead, at the mid way point of the race we saw something happening in the middle of the field.

Lorenzo 99, a cool customer that knows he's good. But he races to show the world just how good he believes himself to be.

Jorge Lorzeno (of Spain) started turning faster and faster lap times which brought him to and past the bikes ahead of him.  As the laps counted down Lorenzo found himself behing his teammate and living legend, Valentino Rossi.   It took some study, but he would work his way ahead and put himself second with just a few laps remaining.  Only one man was ahead of him, his rival and fellow Spaniard - Dani Pedrosa.  What ensued was a fight that pretty much embodies racing.  Two athletes, not the best of friends, two machines from opposing manufacturers, the clock wound down, the fans screaming at the top of their collective lungs, the checkered flag and glory awaiting the first one through. You hold your breath when scenes of competition like this take place.   Lorenzo went on to win the race, Pedrosa crossed the line first on every lap except the very last time across the stripe.  Both are Spanish, both are loved by the fans.  And the battle to declare the winner finished a perfect racing weekend for Spain.  Just look at the picture of Lorenzo up there.  That was taken just after he won the race, he was incredibly happy as well he should be.  He put his all into to that.  In the post race press conference he stated that this was probably the best race he had ever ridden.  But the most impressive thing he said was this, ‘...when I overtake Vale (his teammate), I said… I don’t care if I crash, …I, I just want to win…‘

You know, I think these emotions are felt by each of the riders as they travel to their home countries and battle when they do.  That would actually be true of any series or any athlete or sport for that matter.  But this weekend was about Spain.  About the Spanish, their racers, the fans that supported them.  And as the title of this piece suggests, they weren’t playing games this weekend; they weren’t taking any prisoners.

MotoGP is on

The fastest riders on the fastest bikes

It’s official now and after this past weekend’s season opener in Qatar, this year promises to be one to remember. MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycling road racing. An international competition of top level athletes, racing against each other on prototype machinery, from the world leaders in motorcycle technology, at the most unbelievable racing facilities on this planet. That’s a mouthful; but that’s what your seeing when you’re watching MotoGP. It seems that going into each new racing season, the excitement and anticipation is always very high. And it always is so for a great number of different reasons. 2010′s no different. With the introduction of the rookies, the introduction of the new machines, the new teams, the memories of last years epic battles….yea. We’ve got a lot to look forward to. Here in the US, there may be a little bit more to that. It seems we’ve got a revitalized interest in the sport. We’ve got some runners this year and they are all starting in very strong positions. Ben Spies, the reigning World Superbike Champion and multiple AMA Superbike Chamipon has finally arrived in the MotoGP paddock. Ben is a real talent in this sport. A focused and intense competitor, he’s dedicated to being the best that he can be. If you don’t believe me when I say that, let me say it again. He’s the ‘reigning’ World Superbike Champion. Not only that; he dominated that series in his rookie year. On top of that, he’s a multiple AMA Superbike Champion. Ben is on a real tear, the last four or five years is what all motorcycle racers wish for. With all that in play, watching him progress here in the top flight is going to be awesome; this weekend’s top 5 finish is a testament to that. Awesome job Ben.

But that’s not where the American interest stops. During the preseason testing, we saw a performance at Sepang that raised quite a few eyebrows. NH69 got up to speed in a real way at this test and I don’t think anybody really thought they’d see Nicky Hayden’s name that far up on the time sheets. Nicky looked better than he has in a long time. But don’t get it twisted, he has never ever been a slouch. He is also a multiple champion in the AMA ranks. To take that up a notch, he’s also the 2006 MotoGP World Champion. What did you do in 2006? But since that title, Nicky’s had a really tough go things. The change of machinery, teammate rivalries, consistently increasing competition and injury has held Nick back a little. Yet none of that has played games with his heart. He races because he knows he can win and he knows it takes real work to get to those victories. I love that. Preseason testing showed a glimpse of what we all know Nicky to be capable of. So now the question is can he be that competitive in the race. The answer is YES. His race was awesome this weekend, the passes he put on Andrea Davisioso were manly. In the end he finished .011 off of the podium. But that’s no reason to be too upset. For all his fans, this race was epic and a real showcase of the type of rider he is known to be. But for Nicky, personally, he wanted more and you can bet your bottom dollar he’s going to work, keep the pace to stay at the front and continue to move forward. That’s why we love him. Get it Nicky!

The final US rider in the class is Colin Edwards. A real veteran of the series, Colin is still riding really strong and looks to be a contender this year. But he didn’t have the race he wanted. Don’t worry Colin, it’s just he beginning of the year and from this moment, you’ve only got seven days until the next time you can get on that bike. So when you do, show the boys what . Colin’s a two time World Superbike Champion that also came up an won races in the AMA . He is legend in motorcycle road racing and one of the coolest guys you’d ever think to meet. I’m really hoping this year plays out to be his best.

After this first race, there is still a lot to be excited about. Stoner’s recovery is certain, the emergence of DePuniet, the 250 rookies and their continued adaptation to the big bikes, the boys talked about here, Rossi and his abilities, the list goes on. It makes it hard to wait for the next event, luckily enough this is the thick or the global racing calendar. So with MotoGP gone from Qatar and headed to Japan for next weekends race at Motegi, this weekend we get to see the return to action of both AMA Superbike meeting again in Atlanta, GA. and more importantly Formula 1 in Shanghai.

Pretty cool how that works out ain’t it? If you’re a fan of racing, you’re stoked right now. We’re at the point where there’s something significant happening at racetracks all over the planet. Keep it rolling boys, you do that and we’ll keep cheering you on.

Up to pace

F1 has had an very interesting start to it’s season.  The third race will begin in a couple of hours and after watching qualifying last night, it looks as though the start of this race is going to be something to see.  Webber’s got pole, followed by Rosberg and Vettel.  That’s a great line up at the front for sure, but the heavy weather today (common for Malaysia) sent the remainder of the top drivers far down the order.

Button 17th

Alonso 19th

Hamilton 20th

Massa 21st

Four of the top pilots are deep down the starting order and if it rains like it did for qualifying, things are going to get hairy.  It’s amazing how the racing has panned out so far this year.  The season opener in Bahrain saw an overwhelmingly boring race.  The hype surrounding the seasons start

As if driving a race car wasn't hard enough, try doing it in the torrential rain of Malayasia

turned to irritation.  As the race literally seemed like a parade.  Ferrari took the victory and the runner up spot, but it was an overwhelmingly unexciting event.   That was sad to see, but it may be a very short lived reality.  The second race was a completely different story.  Australia’s race was amazing and it was actually a reminder of the races of old.  It seemed like every one of the drivers were battling the other and that theme began as soon as the race started.  Hamilton was driving amazingly fast, Kubica’s start was unbelievable, Vettel disappeared from pole…only to reappear on the side of the road after his car broke down.  Button went on to win following a golden tire choice and the excitement of all of that made for an action filled event.  In the end this was a very different story from the season opener.

The question now is, what will this weeks race day be like?  Will the top 3 run away?  Will the fast cars at the back of the starting grid burn through the field to get back up front?  Will Schumacher come to life and produce the brilliant drive that we all know him to have inside?  Will it rain?  And if so….when?

The Australian GP was an awesome event

Ladies and gentleman, I have always said if you ever wanted to watch REAL reality television; watch top level motor sports.  Race day has way more drama than any of the ‘Reality’ shows on TV nowadays.  Do a little research and try to prove that state wrong.  Well, ‘The Office’ has some pretty awesome drama but that’s a different type of awesome.

a weekend at the races

2010…

Hardly the New Year at this point, but for some the sentiment of a ‘New Year’ is still ringing in loud and clear.  That’s the case in the AMA Pro Racing paddock right now.

2009 was a harsh year for pro level motorcycle road racing here in the states.  We saw a regime change that was needed, but after the takeover was said and done, we abruptly and almost blindly steered into the opposite direction of where we needed to go.  The transition was brutal at times, there were mistakes made and a lot of unanswered questions.  Proper communication was lost and without that, no relationship – on any scale – will survive.  This is what we all witnessed and we had no choice but to sit back and watch.  To top it all off, the timing couldn’t have been worst.  The downturn of the global economy made the entire situation extremely fragile.  This combination of events might be the worst case scenario for a racing series.  So in the end, the result was going to be an obvious one.  A loss of fans, a loss of support and a loss of enthusiasm; from everyone.  That’s where we were at the end of 2009.

Fast forward to today and it’s now 2010; a new and sure to be challenging year.   At this point we’re at the start of a new season of racing and like all new years, the sense is that it’s a time to start over again.  Resolutions are made as the ‘fresh start’ means it’s time to improve on this thing or that; right?  Right, but the trick there is that the effort put into those resolutions is what makes the difference.  So after attending the first two events of this new year, that effort showing itself and it seems as though this ‘fresh start’ is just what we needed.

It's time to go racing.

This weekend’s race was at the Auto Club Raceway in Fontana, California.  Round 2 of the series and the follow-up to the considerably successful and well run weekend Daytona.  Again, so far the effort to get the series back on track is evident, and the overall atmosphere at that track is a good one. But yes, we did lose a ton of good people and that’s a sore note for sure, but honestly we are not at the point to make that our focus.  One spectator said, ‘Wow, not a lot of people out here this year.’  True, but that was obvious before we even got here.  We all knew that the attendance would be down at the start of this year.  Riders, teams, sponsors and fans suffered from last year and lost a lot of trust in the series.  But again that was last year and this would be a result of that.  So let’s focus on this year.  Let’s focus on what’s happening right now.

Who would've picked JZ to win both races at Daytona? Apparently JZ did.

But even that’s hard to do right?  I mean you see it on the internet, there are some people that are protesting at the top of there lungs that they won’t support the series and they continually complain about the things that have happened. Yea, those things sucked (past tense) but those people aren’t really looking at what’s happening.  This year is THE rebuilding year, and with that being the theme this year has started off correctly in many peoples opinions.  Not perfect, but leaps and bounds better than what we’ve seen recently.  A true fan of the sport will see this, but you have to look past what isn’t there to see what really is.  It may seem that this entry was written out of frustration, but let’s be serious for a second.  Some of the stuff on the internet is just wrong… and to top it off some of that stuff is written by people who weren’t even at the events they talked against?  How does that pass for valid argument?  It doesn’t.

From what was seen in Daytona and again this weekend in Fontana the fans are happy to be there.  They should be too, the racing in all classes has been amazing to this point. Example, Jake Zemke doing the double at Daytona?  What!?  Yea, that happened and he won those races impressively too. Or what about the average margin of victory of this years races, I haven’t done the math but it’s got to be somewhere around .6 0r .7 of a second…!

The teams were slimmed down for sure, but they’re happy to be racing.  Everybody’s getting involved at the front.  There was a five way battle for the lead in the Superbike race this past saturday and at one point or another, I think each one of those five riders lead the race.  So I’d say the racers present were happy to be back on their bikes and that’s evident from the action on the track.

So far this year the racing has been amazing.  In each of the three classes the battles have been intense and unpredictable.  The interaction with the racers and the public has increased and so too has the positive interaction between the racers/teams and the officials.  The series organizers are more apart of it all rather than the unapproachable ruler’s of it all.  That in itself makes a huge difference.  The best thing here seems to be that there is a positive momentum building.  One that will take everyones involvement to nurture and steer into the right direction.  And that’s what it’ll take to rebuild and polish the face of road racing here in America.  I challenge the naysayers to come out and participate in the coming rounds of the series and see for themselves what’s at work.  With what we’ve seen so far I’m sure the series will continue to modify and improve it’s presentation, representation and overall package.  It has to really and they’re working with the teams very closely to make sure that they do.

Tommy smiled down on the crowd from the top step of the podium

So far 2010 has been a decent year for pro level motorcycle road racing here in the states.  We’re witnessing the new regime humbled and focused.  And now we seem to be steering back towards the direction that we needed to go in the first place.  This new transition will take time, mistakes are being corrected and questions are being answered.  It seems as though communication has become the theme in the paddock and that’s a good thing.  This is what we’ve all seen and have experienced since Daytona and that makes for a positive work environment .  And the timing might prove to be properly placed as well.  The slow but steady recovery of the global economy, matched with the new approach by the AMA may serve to steadily strengthen the series and all those that participate in it.  This combination of events might be the best case scenario for a racing series. One where the result would be inevitable.  A new interest from fans, regained support from sponsors and new approaches to reach the interest of anyone interested.  More over this can only encourage a new enthusiasm to take this opportunity and correctly build what could be the proud new face of racing here in the America. That’s where we are at in 2010.

That’s what can be so long as we take the opportunity of this new year, not just to do things for the sake of doing them.  But to do them together and to do it the right way.  And on that note, I’m ready for Round 3.

about a kid we know

The motor sport world is an interesting world to be a part of.   From the outside looking in, a good number of people only see ‘the show’.  Or what some people call the ‘circus’-reporters and camera’s all over the place, beautiful women everywhere you look, sponsors promoting furiously, music, track food and fans for miles.  The machines-fast cars or bikes, cutting edge technology from every angle, raw ingenuity, unbelievable performance, objects of desire. The crews-dedicated specialists working tirelessly and undistracted to best prepare their pilots for the coming competition.  Then there’s the racer-stylish, fit, focused somehow even when immersed in this environment.  They are the center of attention.  The glamour of this sport is intense and possibly in it’s most potent form come race day.  So it makes sense that the majority of spectators only see this aspect.  But for those that know, all of this is a singular aspect in the world of motor sport.  Many don’t know where these racers or teams come from or why they do it.  They don’t see the hours of work, the dollars spent, the intensity of travel schedules, the time away from family and friends or the mental fatigue.

The sacrifices are equally immense and can ultimately be tragic.  I say that because with all the glamour and praise that goes into being a racer, there’s also a very real human risk that each of these athletes are taking every time they get onto their bikes or into their cars.  Unlike the glamour that surrounds the elite, this risk is one that’s present from the very beginning.  Personal injury and death are a small but sad reality in this world.  To be fair, injury does happen often, but that’s the same for any sport.  It’s the other risk involved that sets this apart from everything else.

This past Saturday, we lost a young racer by the name of Jesse Masterpool.  Jesse crashed his dirt bike at this years Amateur National held at Lake Whitney in Texas.  The injuries he took on were too great for him to overcome, he was only 14 years old.  But even at this age he was well on his way.  Jesse was considered a premiere rider in his rankings; heavily favored to move into the professional rankings as he aged…  This story is an eerie reminder of when we lost Toriano in 2008.  My condolences and sincerest prayers go out to the Masterpool family in this difficult time.

It’s always sad when we hear news like this; especially when the person whose lost their life is just a child.  Immediately the familiar argument starts about whether or not people should be racing.  More specifically, whether or not kids need to be racing.  And yes, from the outside looking in,  it’s hard to see the relevance.  But it’s there.   You’ll hear it time in and time out, sports are an ‘escape’ for a lot of people and offer them a means to leave behind some of the traps that can consume us from early on.   That point aside, there is a also the fact that these athletes have found something that they can build their personal strengths in.  They can grow in the sport and begin to show skills that could potentially push them into the professional ranks and further elevate the sport in general.  These are tremendous positives and are felt across the board.  From the very top of a racing organization, down to the very last fan.  It just seems at times, that those positives can come at such a high cost.  In actuality the chances for these types of accidents are considerably small when put next to the longevity of the average rider/driver.  But the danger is still there and must never be neglected.

Here’s a story for you and I think it sums up the whole idea of why people do what they do.  David Jefferies was a pretty well known road racer in England but he died due to injuries sustained in a racing accident.  When it happened, like most bad motorcycle accidents, the situation raised a lot of questions from the news agencies, radio, public groups, from just about everywhere you could imagine.  These questions were focused on whether or not bike racing (as we’ve been discussing) was worth the risk.  Questioning the riders as to how smart they actually are.  Some people were saying things to illustrate the racers as being careless or reckless.  That these were ‘pointless deaths’ and things along those lines.  People were popping up from everywhere and everyone had to something to say about it.  As you’d expect, most of it was negative.

But in the midst of all this a statement came to light that Jeffreies had himself uttered in the past about a similar incident.  What he said was this;

“…Those who risk nothing, do nothing, achieve nothing, become nothing…”

A truly profound statement that silenced a lot of those critiques, it’s true on so many different levels.  After his death the  statement was put on his tombstone and is a testament to the legend that he has become for the people that knew him or follow his racing.  That same sentiment applies when we talk about little Jesse and Toriano.  Or anyone that we see as having applied themselves to reach a goal that they believe in.

moto and the elite automobile

AMA Supercross

The Toronto Supercross is over now and I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it was a little bit of a weird night at the races.  The track was really technical and that fact was proved by the amount of riders that went down or ran it off the course at some point in the night.  But that’s only the beginning.  Everyone seemed to be struggling to find something tonight.  Rhythm or focus, traction, injury, or speed when they needed it; maybe they couldn’t find the will to push a little harder.  It seemed the nights eventual winners were the only two that left the stadium happy.  Everyone else seemed to be walking away from the track with their heads hanging low and faces filled with disgust.  One of the guys was really upset to have lost the positions that he did in tonight’s race, but I stressed to him that there are lessons even in a bad night at the races.  Like anything else in life, there are ups and there are downs.  You have to have to those two in life, because well …you have to.  There simply can not be an up if there is no down, think about it.   No one and nothing is perfect in this world and maybe this being exhibited on the race track is taking it to the very basics of the concept, but it holds true nonetheless and should prove to be a solid motivator.  We’ll see.

Formula 1

The 2010 Formula 1 racing season has begun – Don’t forget to tune in and see it this weekend –

Qualifying is complete and there’s now about five and a half hours before the racing begins.  I’m pretty excited to see where this season is going to go.  Actually it’s kind of annoying right now because the television coverage of Formula 1 varies so much from place to place.  The hotel, I’m in at the moment doesn’t have the channels that broadcast F1 which means I’ll miss the first round.  When I’m home Speed Channel does a decent job and I’ll know to set the DVR.  But even that coverage is nothing like what I’ve seen in other countries.  So for this year’s first race, we’re left playing the internet game.  Basically, looking up results and trying to read through comprehensive write-ups about each session.  That’s cool…if that’s all you’ve got.  I did find this cool picture from this weekend’s event on the net just now, take a look at the boys….

bahrain and f1 – just to kick things off

this weekend marks the beginning of what may be one of the most anticipated formula 1 racing seasons to date. bahrain plays host to the season opening round and as extravagant as this racing series is, bahrain is sure to host an amazing event.  check out www.formula1.com for more information on this event and information surround the teams, drivers and races.

of course there’s the obvious interest surrounding the ‘driver shuffle’ that takes place each offseason.  but this year the shuffle has brought about the reemergence of a racing legend.  one michael schumacher.  he’s returned to do battle at the top level with the current mix of elite auto racing pilots and if you know anything of any sport; the return to action by a past champion is always something worth witnessing.  but aside from that, this year also sees a new breed of racing machine.  amazing machines that look amazing and will undoubtedly perform.   here’s to an awesome season!