The Petrucci Files

The only relevance in adding BSB to this conversation is that, it is a national series that runs at more than one true FIM quality tracks. Where MotoGP and WSB currently run. But, BSB also run at some tracks that even some American riders, with flat track backgrounds, go "WOW! That's a bit sketch.".

 

Yeah, two.
But there's also lots of other countries with domestic superbike series that have nothing to do with Petrucci. Not sure why this one matters.

 

I found the CIV website, the primary calendar is as follows:

Round 1 Dal 2 Aprile 2022 Al 3 Aprile 2022 Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” Misano
Round 2 Dal 7 Maggio 2022 Al 8 Maggio 2022 Autodromo Vallelunga “Piero Taruffi” Vallelunga
Round 3 Dal 18 Giugno 2022 Al 19 Giugno 2022 Mugello Circuit Mugello
Round 4 Racing night Dal 30 Luglio 2022 Al 31 Luglio 2022 Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” Misano
Round 5 Dal 17 Settembre 2022 Al 18 Settembre 2022 Mugello Circuit Mugello
Round 6 Dal 8 Ottobre 2022 Al 9 Ottobre 2022 Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari Imola Imola

 

One more than MotoAmerica, currently. Jus' sayin'.

 

Ease up on the poor fellow, he is just getting all the bitching out so that when he comes to Barber he has room for BBQ

 

MA is a national series. Petrucci is saying, essentially, that MA should race at world level tracks exclusively. That's not reality in any national series (hence the discussion of others). Petrucci is delusional about his expectations. It doesn't matter anyways because he's not truly upset about the tracks, he simply thinks he's above racing MA in general.

 

The actual *translated* quote about MA should be considering a look at CIV tracks safety standards.

From GPone

 

So, giving Petrucci’s comments some consideration, what tracks could MA choose from? US tracks generally considered to be safe? An ill defined requirement, I realize, but for the sake of discussion… Of the current MA schedule, I’ve only been to COTA and NJMP. Really no idea about the others, or tracks not on the schedule. What else is out there?

COTA
Laguna Seca
Barber
Pitt
NJMP
?

Which would definitely be removed?

Which could be made “safe” with some reasonable budget?

 

Indy and Laguna have held races. But no more. So if they could not support MotoGP/WSB lets go MA! Of course I do not know all the reasons why neither is still running cost/schedule/safety/other. Oh and toss in Miller or whatever the current name is for WSB.

 

Man, he keeps getting in deeper. I'm sure before he signed the contract he had "The Talk". Everyone knows many of our tracks aren't "European Level". MA is still a young organization and has evolved yearly.

 

You're being obtuse (again). Safety amongst the different national series' will always be relevant in the discussion of any one series. The expectations of any of the national orgs are different than that of motoGP/WSBK and that isn't going to change.

 

Understand. Setting FIM standard/certification aside, which US tracks would safety not really be a prominent issue? That’s all I’m getting at. (I know there is no universal agreement on safety, and an FIM cert level has much more to it than safety.). I do think he os being whiney, but wondering if there is some element of his concerns that could be valid to some degree.

edit: any tracks on current MA schedule that might be considered sketchy and removed or modified?

https://www.racingcircuits.info/find-a-circuit/circuit-grading.html

https://www.fim-moto.com/fileadmin/library/FIM_Standards_for_CIrcuits_2021.pdf

 

so the actual list would be what:

COTA
Laguna
Miller (or whatever it is called now)
Indy

Those are the last four tracks have hosted an FIM world championship event in recent years. If we use the CIV as an example, they have two Grade A and two Grade B. On that list of four US tracks, there are two that are/were A and two that are/were B. That does nothing to deal with the desirability or feasibility to race a national series at only those four tracks, but as an outsider looking at Italy as a reference (way smaller, loves m/c way more) you could make an argument that DP9 has an (uneducated) point.

 

Remove NJ unless they repave it and put in some
Cool FIM curbs with green track limits and gravel traps. Add Indy and Utah/Miller. Pitt is a great track and I love it, but you can’t have a plastic chicane curb on a world class track. Fix that and it’s in. And let’s race at COTA, Indy and Barber twice. Done…. World class national series.
*the above is said with a snicker because I think we need to race at tracks around the country to help build and maintain the fan base.

 

A real interesting look is to compare the FIA/FIM lists. A fair number of our MA tracks are actually FIA 2 certified. FIA 2 includes Termas, Brno, Most, Saschenring, Misano, Donington, Brands, Navarra, Kyalami.