Anyone Else Feel The Same

[MotoPunk947]

Glen Helen: 13 Sins of the AMA

“The AMA is manned by caring, thoughtful and pleasant people, but they seem to be the unwitting perpetrators of a system that is rife with flaws. You aren’t going to read any criticism of the AMA anywhere else. But MXA thinks that you need to know what is going wrong in professional motocross. And for that reason, we are presenting the 13 sins of the AMA (as perpetrated at the Glen Helen National). Read ‘em and weep.

1: To the untrained eye, the AMA appears to dislike motocross racers. Although they are willing ro sell local riders expensive AMA licenses, they don’t want them at their races. All season long, the AMA rejected the entry of any riders who didn’t meet their criteria (which boils down to the fact that to enter a National, you have to have raced a National before). They accept up to 80 riders for each class, but at the Glen Helen National they only had 62 riders who up for the 450 class and 52 for the 250 class.
Come on, AMA , fill the fields accept post entries, have an alternate rider list beyond 80 and stop selling AMA Pro Licenses under false pretenses. In fact, let everyone who holds an AMA license try to qualify at every race. Quit being elitist.
You didn’t reject their checks.

2: Because they had so few riders show up at Glen Helen, the 250 Consolation race (held on Saturday afternoon to pick tw3o alternates for Sunday’s race) only had nine riders in it. Nine! You read that right. The most powerful sanctioning body in the world held an embarrassing spectacle with less than ten riders on the track. The Sunday 450 Consi race only had 22 riders in it. Come on, AMA, spectators paid to come to the track on Saturday (and there is only one actual race on Saturday’s schedule for them to watch). The fans deserve more than to see nine guys circulate around a massive race track. There are 40 spots on the gate. Let’s fill them. If you want to have a two day program you have to make an effort to make it entertaining. That starts by not embarrassing yourself in front of the paying customers.

3: The AMA’s new timed practice program has killed attendance on Saturday. What’s wrong with Saturday’s program? Everything. Nothing happens. It’s a bore-fest. It doesn’t start until 1 p.m., and when it does start it consists of four timed practice sessions. No racing, just the smell of enamel drying. No excitement, and no reason for the fans to show up (and they have been staying away in droves this year). At the end of the day (very late in the day), there is a 20-minute 250 Consolation race for the newbies who didn’t have one of the 40 fastest timed laps (all nine of them).
Come on, AMA, move the schedule forward on Saturday. Not every Saturday spectator stays at the track or in a local hotel; many drive back and forth from their homes. Why keep them there until six at night to watch nine guys they never heard of ride?

4: The AMA is going to kill someone (and they will be totally at fault). How so? On both Saturday and Sunday, the AMA refuses to allow the riders to practice. Instead they send the riders out for their timed sessions without letting them see the track. At Glen Helen, the average rider was able to get in five timed laps per session., which meant that they didn’t want to dilly-dally around. So , they went fast right out of the box. They didn’t know where the track went or what was over the next hill, but they had to go fast or risk not making the “Fast 40” field for Sunday.
Come on, AMA, give each class 15 minutes of “free practice” on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. It’s almost criminal not to. This is a safety issue for the riders and a liability issue for the AMA. Heck, short-track riders get practice…and they only turn left.

5: After Saturday’s timed practice sessions and 250 Consi race, Glen Helen changed one small jump combination. The track crew not only told the AMA what they were doing, but Steve Whitelock actually watched the Glen Helen crew make the change.. Unfortunately, the AMA officials did not tell the racers at Sunday’s riders’ meeting about the track change. Isn’t that what riders’ meetings are for? The first riders out for Sunday’s 250 timed practice session came up short on the small double. In all, ten riders crashed over the jump combo (luckily non were hurt, because they crashed into soft dirt).
Come on, AMA, this never would have happened if you had told the riders pertinent info at the riders’ meeting or given them a practice session before starting timed practice. Safety starts at the AMA semi.
6: To qualify to make the 40-man field for Sunday’s races, the riders have to set one of the 40 fastest times (except for the top-ten 450 riders, who are seeded into Sunday’s timed practice sessions). The riders who aren’t in the “Fast 40” get to race a consolation race from which two riders will be selected as alternates to replace any rider who doesn’t make it to the starting line on Sunday. The 250 Consolation race is non Saturday at 5:30 p.m. (the 450 Consolation race is on Sunday, after timed practice). Amazingly, the two riders who are the 250 alternates are not allowed to ride the track at all on Sunday. The first time they get to ride is when they roll up to the gate for moto one. Think about that for a second. Every other rider on the gate has ridden 40 minutes of timed practice, knows where the danger zones are and what ruts to avoid, but the alternates haven’t seen the track until they are asked to replace a missing man. These alternates are nto only a danger to themselves, but to the other 39 riders on the track (riders who know where the kickers are).
Come on, AMA, the alternates aren’t sacrificial lambs sent to the slaughter. At virtually every National this year an alternate(or every alternate) made it into a National moto. Give them a chance to stay alive by letting them practice. Anything else is asinine.

7: The 80 riders who are supposed to be in the timed practice sessions are theoretically divided into two equal-sized groups (actually four groups when you subdivide them by displacement). The groups are the “unseeded” and “Top 40” (in points). But the timed practice sessions have never been equal. At Hangtown there were over 70 riders in one unseeded practice and only 18 in the “Top 40” practice. The breakdown only got marginally better throughout the year. The typical breakdown was closer to 55 in unseeded practice and 26 in “Top 40” practice. The AMA refused or was unable to come up with a method (based on AMA National numbers, points, attendance or hair color) that made the groups equal at 40 riders each. What’s the big deal about the unequal numbers? When there are 70 riders in your practice session, the odds of getting a clean lap, without being blocked by crashers or non-jumpers, is almost impossible. Meanwhile, the “Top 40” practice, with as few as 20 riders in it, never has any blocking issues. They always get a clear track. It’s easy to go fast if no one is in your way.
Come on, AMA, give the unseeded riders a chance by equally dividing the riders into both timed groups. Not just the haves and the have-nots.

8: Even though the AMA consistently refused to find a method to make the unseeded and “Top 40” practices equal in size, claiming that the only way into the “Top 40” session was to make it via AMA pints, they allowed Austin Stroupe, Trey Canard and Nico Izzi to be in the “Top 40” practice at Millville. Those riders had absolutely no points (and had just gotten their AMA licenses). Team Suzuki’s Roger Decoster pulled Izzi out of the “Top 40” and put him back into the unseeded practice, claiming that it was the right thing to do. Why was it so easy for the AMA to put these neo-pros into “Top 40:” practice when they had adamantly refused to allow any full-time AMA National riders to be in that timed practice session? The AMA’s answer was that these riders were allowed into the “Top 40” timed practice because they rode for factory teams.
Come on, AMA, how unfair can this system be? If you pay your bills, work your way up through the ranks and show up to race as a privateer, you get one set of rules. But if you are the favored so n of a factory team, you don’t have to abide by the same rules. What does it matter who you ride for? Aren’t AMA rules written to make things fair for everyone? Of course, every privateer knows that AMA rule enforcement is for sale to the highest bidder.

[MotoPunk947]

9: You would think that dividing the AMA Pro riders into two groups and sending them out to ride two timed sessions on Saturday and Sunday would be impartial. Guess What? It’s not. The AMA has rigged the timed practice schedule to favor the “Top 40” sessions. It should be noted that “Top 40” is a code word for factory riders (because the “Top 40” is only made up of about 26 riders that go to each and every round). When the track is at its worst, the AMA sends out the unseeded privateers, and when it is at its best they send out the factory riders. How does this work? The first practice session of the day- when it is muddy, there are no lines and nobody has ridden on the track yet-is the unseeded 250 practice. These poor saps break the track in for the riders who follow them on the schedule The second practice session is for the “Top 40” 250 riders. They get the benefit of the privateers’ hard work. Now, you might think that the next timed practice session would be the unseeded 450s (after all, the logical progression would be unseeded, “Top 40”, unseeded, “Top 40”). Not so. The next session is “Top 40” 450 riders. They get to ride on the track immediately after the “Top 40” 250 guys. Then, the last timed session, when the track is at its roughest and the lap times are the slowest, is for the 450 privateers. The same order is repeated for the second go-around.
Come on, AMA, anybody with a brain can see that the timed practice schedule is set up to favor the factory riders at the expense of the privateers. The AMA should rotate the schedule weekly or make the order random, but stop sticking it to the privateers. You aren’t fooling anyone.

10: The AMA hands out “Track Access” passes to the factory-backed teams. This AMA pass allows team personnel to go anywhere on the track (normally to work as spotters who radio information back to the team manager). In a perfect world, every rider who makes Sunday’s field would be given on “Track Access” pass for his spotter. This is what NASCAR does. Not the AMA . Privateer riders do not get “Track Access” passes from the AMA, but some factory teams have ten or more track passes. In fact, there are fathers of riders with “Track Access” passes (what is their official duty)? This is a favoritism perk that has gotten out of hand. The inside of the race track is littered with factory mechanics talking on headsets. At Glen Helen, the factory spotters actually locked the medical access road, delaying the arrival of the doctor at one point in the race.
Come on, AMA, NO mechanic or team manager should have free access to the racetrack during the event. And, if “Track Access” passes are necessary, then every rider should get one, but under no circumstances should the factory teams be given carte blanche to send a posse out on the racetrack. Additionally, official AMA credentials should not be given to riders’ relatives. What’s next? Granny and Aunt Sue?

11: Believe it or not, the AMA is so much in the back pocket of the factory teams that they have the race promoter provide, at the promoter’s expense, a scissor lift (plus a lift operator and security guard) so that hand-picked team managers can watch the race from high atop the crowd. Again, no privateers are given an AMA V-pass to get on the lift. It is a special perk for the factory teams.

12: Glen Helen’s pit was over a football field wide and a quarter mile long (ten acres). Up by the starting line were the factory rigs. About a thousand feet down the pit lane were the privateers. Wouldn’t it make more sense to spread the factory teams equally throughout the pit so that the spectators could stroll along and see a mix of privateers and factory riders. The entertainment value of the pits would go up, and the sponsors of the privateers would get some much needed publicity with the crowd (who under the current it alignment never venture to the privateer part of the pits).
Come on, AMA, you have turned the pits into a ritzy part of town (factory teams) and a ghetto (privateers). Some privateers are so far from the track that they can’t hear the loudspeakers. That is discrimination. It is segregation. It is wrong.

13: The AMA National race program is broken, but it can be fixed. The problem is that no one in the motorcycle industry believes that, given the 35-year track record the AMA ’s stewardship of motocross, it will be fixed. How bad is it? Here’s a list of disturbing issues. (A) The AMA rule book was written 20 years ago and is so porous that cheating isn’t even considered cheating any more. (B) The AMA brain trust has ordered its AMA motocross officials not to talk to the media (which results in unreturned phone calls and pitiful excuses for answers). (C) The stupid “Motocross” and Motocross Lites” class names ended up with daily newspapers around the country sporting headlines that said “Grant Langston Wins First Motocross Championship.” Of course it wasn’t true. Grant has won both World and AMA Championships in the past, but naming a class after the sport (instead of calling it the 450 class), leads to confusion in the mass media. The AMA needs to fix the name-gate now! (D) The first thing the AMA Race Director said when he walked into the Glen Helen pits was, “I hate this place” (even though ”this place” will draw 25,000 spectators and pay his salary). To even the casual bystander it is obvious that the AMA personnel are not unbiased in their approach to their customers. (E) The AMA MX/SX Director is infamous for using the foulest language possible when talking to teams, promoters and track workers. He is not professional. (F) The AMA has tw3o sets of rules: one for privateers and one for factory teams.
Come on , AMA, you want to be “big time”, but the AMA lacks the one ingredient that a sanctioning body needs to make that grade--integrity. “



Motocross December 2007
Written by Jody Weiser, John Ker & John Basherrocrac

[osulli170]

sorry to long for me to read..!! im still on med..

[Fastener]

Originally Posted by MotoPunk947

9: You would think that dividing the AMA Pro riders into two groups and sending them out to ride two timed sessions on Saturday and Sunday would be impartial. Guess What? It’s not. When the track is at its worst, the AMA sends out the unseeded privateers, and when it is at its best they send out the factory riders. How does this work? The first practice session of the day- when it is muddy, there are no lines and nobody has ridden on the track yet-is the unseeded 250 practice. These poor saps break the track in for the riders who follow them on the schedule The second practice session is for the “Top 40” 250 riders. They get the benefit of the privateers’ hard work.

This is so true. If you want proof, look at this......

As mentioned earlier the AMA allowed Canard and Izzy to "skip" the unseeded practice and go straight to the seeded practice for their first national at Millville. DeCoster said no and made Izzy qualify with the non seeded riders (like he should have). Izzy and Canard have raced for years together and they are very equal speed wise. On Saturdays "non seeded" qualifier Izzy's best time was a 2:58 while Canard riding in the "seeded practice" posted a 2:44. Are you kidding me! 14 seconds faster????? I don't think so. The proof was on Sunday when they both took to the same track, at the same time to qualify for gate pick. Both Izzy and Canard posted identical lap times of 2:27.
I definitely think the timed qualifying needs a little work. And I also agree that everyone should have a 15 minute practice before the clock is put on them. This will give everyone time to learn the track and let the tracks lines get set up. I'm not sure what the answer is, but there is room for improvement.

[Claud]

so true but you actually think they are going to read this? Let alone if they do what makes you think they will do a damn thing? Until the day the FACTORY RIDERS say something, nothing will ever happen, and they most likely won't......I mean hell afterall they are getting paid

[mxer146]

Originally Posted by MotoPunk947

Glen Helen: 13 Sins of the AMA



5: After Saturday’s timed practice sessions and 250 Consi race, Glen Helen changed one small jump combination. The track crew not only told the AMA what they were doing, but Steve Whitelock actually watched the Glen Helen crew make the change.. Unfortunately, the AMA officials did not tell the racers at Sunday’s riders’ meeting about the track change. Isn’t that what riders’ meetings are for? The first riders out for Sunday’s 250 timed practice session came up short on the small double. In all, ten riders crashed over the jump combo (luckily non were hurt, because they crashed into soft dirt).
Come on, AMA, this never would have happened if you had told the riders pertinent info at the riders’ meeting or given them a practice session before starting timed practice. Safety starts at the AMA semi.

This little double actually claimed Brad Kelly on Sunday practice. Both Brad and Tony told me they did say nothing aobut it at the riders meeting. Good thing he didn't get hurt.

Originally Posted by MotoPunk947

8: Even though the AMA consistently refused to find a method to make the unseeded and “Top 40” practices equal in size, claiming that the only way into the “Top 40” session was to make it via AMA pints, they allowed Austin Stroupe, Trey Canard and Nico Izzi to be in the “Top 40” practice at Millville. Those riders had absolutely no points (and had just gotten their AMA licenses). Team Suzuki’s Roger Decoster pulled Izzi out of the “Top 40” and put him back into the unseeded practice, claiming that it was the right thing to do. Why was it so easy for the AMA to put these neo-pros into “Top 40:” practice when they had adamantly refused to allow any full-time AMA National riders to be in that timed practice session? The AMA’s answer was that these riders were allowed into the “Top 40” timed practice because they rode for factory teams.
Come on, AMA, how unfair can this system be? If you pay your bills, work your way up through the ranks and show up to race as a privateer, you get one set of rules. But if you are the favored so n of a factory team, you don’t have to abide by the same rules. What does it matter who you ride for? Aren’t AMA rules written to make things fair for everyone? Of course, every privateer knows that AMA rule enforcement is for sale to the highest bidder.

I was actually at Millville this year and saw this happen. Both Canard and Izzi were in Seeded practice(Stroupe didn't race till Steel City). Nothing against them, they are very fast, but they should go throught the other practice like everyone else. The only reason Izzi got moved was because Decoster thought first practice would be better because of the rain(it wasn't). This ended up backfiring in his face, but had it been clear and dry out, Izzi would have been in the seeded practice.

[Larry63r]

This is why I hate the AMA! THEY SUCK!!
When was the last time they did anything except degrade racing?
The fixes are easy and simple.
1) Get ride of timed practice. Practice should be for practicing. Seat the riders by their qualifier finishes.
2) Bring back real classes. 125 - 250 - OPEN
Have 125, 250 and Open classes for the Pros. If 4-strokes are better than 2-strokes let them prove it with equal displacement.
3) Get rid of favoritism. The rules should be the same for everyone!

[sean 252]

Originally Posted by Larry63r

This is why I hate the AMA! THEY SUCK!!
When was the last time they did anything except degrade racing?
The fixes are easy and simple.
1) Get ride of timed practice. Practice should be for practicing. Seat the riders by their qualifier finishes.
2) Bring back real classes. 125 - 250 - OPEN
Have 125, 250 and Open classes for the Pros. If 4-strokes are better than 2-strokes let them prove it with equal displacement.
3) Get rid of favoritism. The rules should be the same for everyone!

I agreee!!!!! Thanks for a short recap!!

[redrider617]

If the riders want equal treatment, top to bottom. They need to get together and form a riders union. That way, they might be able to stand up to the AMA when things arent equal or fair. A bunch of guys complaining wont change anything. But, if you have a riders Union prepared to pull its riders from an event, then things might change. You have to hit big business in the only place that effects them, their wallet!!

[mxer146]

Originally Posted by redrider617

If the riders want equal treatment, top to bottom. They need to get together and form a riders union. That way, they might be able to stand up to the AMA when things arent equal or fair. A bunch of guys complaining wont change anything. But, if you have a riders Union prepared to pull its riders from an event, then things might change. You have to hit big business in the only place that effects them, their wallet!!

This is a good idea, but there is no chance of it happening. The factory riders are not affected by any of this so they have no reason to complain. They are not going to fight the AMA when the AMA will do anything to make them feel better. The privateers are constantly getting screwed over and unfortunatley it's never going to change. They aren't making the AMA any money so it doesn't matter. The amount of fans that show up to watch the Ricky Carmichaels and James Stewarts compared to the Tony Shermans and Brad Kellys is a huge difference. They need to do something but i highly doubt anything will be done.