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Running on Fumes

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DMG Loads Straws on AMA Camel’s Back

Thursday, July 16, 2009

When it comes to lambasting the DMG-controlled AMA Pro Road Racing series, at this point the operative cliché is: why beat a dead horse? But with the latest decision by DMG, to homologate the Buell 1125RR for American Superbike, another image comes to mind: the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Buell 1125RR costs $40K and is available only to AMA racers.

The list of DMG controversies is long: Stumbling out of the gate with confusing classes/rules, disqualification of Mat Mladin in 2008, inclusion of Buell 1125R in Daytona Sportbikes, restart confusion nearly botching the 2009 Daytona 200, televising races weeks after they are run, and the most dramatic and dangerous of all – the recent pace car disaster at Laguna Seca.

Now here’s another controversy, Buell again, with the 1125RR homologation in American Superbike.

The Buell 1125RR may not be the final straw, but at what point will the OEM’s just say to hell with it all and pack up their AMA road-racing efforts for good?

Post Tags: DMG 1125RR, DMG Buell

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Comments

I don't need no stinkin' heros -in reply to steve July 19, 2009 03:55 PM
Heros? How old are you? I watch racing ... for the racing. If the names were Jones, Smith, and Thompson instead of Rossi, Stoner, and Lorenzo it wouldn't matter one bit as long as the racing is GOOD.

skeesm -Bravo Brad July 17, 2009 07:03 PM
Homologating at $40K per copy machine!? Is DMG for real? This exclusionary priced "production" machine being squeezed through the DMG homologation process reminds me of...of...oh yes, now I remember. You remember too, right? Anybody remember a lil ol thing called stock car racing back in the day (before DMG got ahold of it)? Well that was a fast, serious, sometimes scandelous, AFFORDABLE, but always fun motorsport...that is, before the DMG got a hold of it. Today it's, well, YAWN! Then DMG came along singing the same irresistible trebble-hooked siren song drivel about level playing fields, bigger purses and, oh yes, AFFORDABILITY so the the little guy privateer has the same chance as the factory-backed guys. Garbage then, garbage now. The difference is that this time around many of us "old-timers" saw through this rubbish from the get-go. Which leads me to question what the AMA - since they're not a bunch of spring chickens over there - were thinking! And they already had a track record with RE and knew what he was all about to boot! In the pre-NASCAR days you'd actually see privateers at the track. When the NASCAR transformation dust settled only the well-heeled guys with the deepest pockets and auto manufacturer backing remained standing. That situation remains today. The only difference in NASCAR (a.k.a. DMG) thinking now versus then is that at the outset back then they sincerely believed in what they were selling. It sold well and the money flooded in. Now, the difference is that they really do not understand the motorcycle racing world, the rider's way of thinking and the abject incompatibility of circle/tri-oval track racing with tried and true motorcycle closed circuit road racing. Well as we now know, that didn't happen. In fact, privateer have been the original intent, but money has a way of changing things.

Peter Wallace -DMG AMA July 17, 2009 05:23 PM
What a disaster. Please recall what happens in MotoGP, World, British and Australian Superbikes. How come the only guys marching in step are these car racers? How come USA is the ONLY place on the planet that has rolling starts, pace cars, non homologated bikes and are a laughing stock Internationally. Thank god you have Nickey, Ben and others on the world stage to give you some credibility.
Peter Wallace.
Western Australia.

Josh -Fair enough... July 17, 2009 10:36 AM
That makes sense to me. Though watching Hacking's crash-but-not-crash was absolutely amazing.

steve -Heros? July 17, 2009 09:38 AM
No one worth watching anyways. Ben Spies is the only reason I ever watched the AMA. And I only became a true fan of Ben's because the 2007 moto gp season was really boring(thank you casey stoner). I, like alot of viewers, watch sports for heros. I watch the NBA to see Lebron. I watch PGA for Tiger. Right now....WSBK has one. That's why I don't miss a race. Moto Gp has several. I live and breath WSBK and Moto GP. AMA just doesn't have it anymore.

Josh -Okay, I'll get it started again... July 16, 2009 04:00 PM
I don't really know what the OEM's would have to be upset about... I mean, all it to win a Daytona Superbike race is for Yamaha to send a truck with their factory team and they walk away with the top spots. I can understand why people are confused with the rules and even their anger if they believe that riders are in jeopardy. still, I'd like to stick to the fact that DMG has created a system that at least mixed up the results sheets for once. The Buells are not dominant despite the claims of bench racers. They hardly have a chance in American Superbike. I got to watch a DUCATI beat Mladin, and I got to watch the closest race for first I have seen in any series during Laguna Seca's DSB (What was it 7 riders fighting in the first few laps?). Everyone said that DMG would "ruin racing" when they heard about the sale, and now they are finding reasons to beleive it. I guess I am just sceptical of people that only look at evidence when it supports their own conclusions. The system could be much better, but I have seen worse. They used to call it AMA racing...