I know Ed Cobb was a big subject of conversation on this board last week so here is an update on his racing effort. I happened across the CCS Friday results from Daytona over at the 2WF.com, i.e. American Road & Racing, web site and noticed Ed Cobb won both the Solo GTO and Solo GTU events on his GSXR-600. That makes him two for two so far. Now I can see him winning the Solo GTU race (for those of you that don't know it is the equivalent of a WERA MW Solo 20) on a 600 easily, but to win the Solo GTO (think HW Solo 20) at Daytona, he must have ridden his ass off. A little known fact about CCS is that they do not limit Novices, or Amatuers as they call them, to 750cc bikes for the GTO race and I have seen everything from R-1's to Erion prepped CBR-900RR's in the hands of first year riders. I don't know exactly how many bikes were out there or what size they were, but I do know that most people pull out all the stops for Daytona. In some cases, this is the only event per year that some will make so they can go back home and say,"Yeah, I raced at Daytona." The bottom line is 50 miles per race at Daytona is grueling on man and machine and if he can win the big bore class on an underpowered Suzuki 600, Ed Cobb must be one hell of a talented rider and it would be worth his while to take some money from the Suzuki contingency program. Then again, everybody gets lucky once or twice.
Here is a link to the results page: http://www.2wf.com/html/roadracing/PACEFormulaUSA/DaytonaNewsandResults.shtml
Why the update? Who cares anways. I remeber back in 97 when me and Brian Stokes were traveling and racing together. Stokes just about won every race he entered unless he crashed. We went to Daytona in March that year also after the first WERA race at Talladega that year. I believe he won both of those races he entered that WERA weekend also. We get to Daytona unpack do all the usual bullshit when you get to the track. i was not racing so I was his "pit-bitch" for week. He goes out in practice and is turning some decent times. I forgot what races he entered but it was about three of them or so. First race out, Stokes had a lead of about 10-15 second on the field on the first lap. then he procedes to wad it in turn 1, which was on the front cover of the Daytona News Journals sport section. We got his bike back and put it back in riding order in time for his next race. Brian was being attended to by several nice people while we got the bike ready. He had tweaked his ankle real good in the crash. I'll never forget the look in his eyes when his Daddy told, "boy, put your boots on, your racing". Brian went on to finish in the top 3 of the rest of his races that week. If he hadn't crashed in the first race I believe he would have swept them all. His ankle was so swollen he could barely walk. Brain went on that year to win several cahmpionships that year and not once did I ever hear him called a sandbagger. Or that he should be moved to the expert class. So what is your point of the post, just to stir up shit. We don't need posts like that, I suggest the HMFIC put on lock on the thread. If anybody was interested in the results of ED "Ted" Cobb they could surely find the info for themselves.
I think what the update was for was because of all of the talk of Mr. Cobb that happened here. I think it is relevant and that the HMFIC should take it into consideration. I'm not saying that he should absolutely move him up on this race result alone, but think about when he does consider his results. Your summation about you and B. Stokes (who is an awesome rider and person) is well taken, but I don't think that both of you were sitting back or asking to stay back in the Novice class when you obviously had the talent and opportunity to move up to expert. Now, I understand that the HMFIC has decided that Mr. Cobb needed some more seasoning and that's why he is where he is, but I think in my opinion from his results this weekend that he's just right to move now, and as by his own admission he has been working out and riding with Mike Smith and doesn't want to move up because he wants to win some championships first! Now I think we all race because we want to win championships, but let's ask the guys that he was racing against this weekend if he was reckless or a little to over enthusiastic with his racing He obviously has the talent and desire to win, but hey, cherry pickin' is cherry pickin' no matter which way you look at it.
He just won three more today. Congrats Cobb. I was originaly in support of the author of "Sanbagging", but I have changed my mind after talking to friends of mine that race. Commit 100% to our sport if you want success and don't expect it your first year. I was also upset that I did not fair as well as I thought I should during my first year but heck, I only completed 10 races this year and finished 33 out of 56 in points in one weekend. I raced for fun this year as I'm sure many others do but Cobb is a commited racer and deserves to choose his status. If we all put the time in that he has, we are bound to catch up so get your head down and give it 110% if you want to be up front. I have alot of other commitments in life and don't push it 110% but i still have fun and thats what it's all about.:]
Listen Tracy, the reason I posted the information about Ed was to help get him the recognition that he deserves for being as fast as he is and doing well in both WERA and CCS. In which part did you get the misguided notion I was calling him a "sandbagger". Just because a few people bitched about him supposedly "sandbagging", whatever the hell that's supposed to mean, does that mean he shouldn't be mentioned here again? That's Bull. In my opinion, he has the speed , talent, and backing to make a formidable expert and win his fair share of Suzuki Cup contingency money, a lot more than he can win as a novice, that's for sure. As far as me stirring up shit, If that's what I wanted to do I would have said that if half the expert riders in the 400 class had half his skills they would drop those ancient sleds in a second to get a contingency paying bike and race for the money. And what's your point in dragging Stokes into the conversation. In '97 he was a true novice, having never roadraced before that year. Why would anybody suggest he was, for lack of a better word, sandbagging when, as you said, he spent as much time on the ground as he did winning. That right there proves he deserved to be a novice for a complete season. He's much more consistant now and rightly deserves to be an Expert after winning a National championship.As for the nice people that helped get Brian back on the track, I was one of them because he borrowed some parts from me. And finally, why don't we need posts like this? If this board had been up and running a few years ago the names would be Mike Ciccotto, or Jamie Hacking, or Frank Wilson, or Todd Harrington, or Colin Edwards. There is always a stand out rider that catches a lot of attention and this is just another place to discuss it. You're right about one thing though, I hope Sean does take a look at this thread and decide what is suitable to print, an update or an attack.
The reason I brought Stokes up because he had raced in 96. Three races in fact, Talledga, Memphis National and the GNFs. I guess that I mistook your post for a crack at Ed Cobb. And what does having riden with Mike Smith have to do with anything? If that is critia for being an expert then here's another tid bit for ya. In Brian's second race weekend Mike Smith went to Memphis with him and coached him. I guess he should have gone straight to the AMA by your reasoning. Has anyone even talked to Ed Cobb his goals for his racing. And what about riding a 400? Do you know why people race what they race, it's because they have a choice. I have no desire to ride in the big bore classes. Too much money to ride in those classes. And yes they are very competitive. I wished I had the talent to ride in those classes but I am realistic and know I don't. Plus my name is spelled "Tracee" not "Tracy".
To Ed Cobb - Sounds like you ride well, keep it up and congrats on the win. To The Friends of Ed Cobb - We don't hate Ed, we're just jealous we can't ride like him. To Everyone else (myself included) - Let's shut our mouths and go out and make Cobb finish second. Isn' that what it's all about anyway. Remember: Spencer, Agostini, Doohan - they were novices who once too. Looks like they beat the sandbagger infrot of them.
What I was saying is that if you have the where with all to train w/ a pro and put that kind of effort into your program, what are you doing at the novice level if you can move up to expert?! I think that Ed's results show that his hard work is paying off, and has gotten faster and more consistent as a result which is very different than just having someone go w/ you to a race and help you out on a weekend. I agree that people have a choice about which machine they choose to race on, but do they/should they have a choice to which class they race in? I'm sorry that we disagree on Mr. Cobb, and as a 2nd yr. Nov. I think that if I had enough experience to move up I would in a heart beat for, that's where you really learn to get faster, not just collect Novice championships.
The only reason I think this is an issue is that it is one person we are talking about. I think that if you had 3 or 4 other guys running the same pace as Mr. Cobb everyone would say hey the 600 Novice class is going to be close and really good this year between this handful of guys/gals. That happens quite a bit at times just not so far in the 600 Nv. You will have maybe a break away pack of 5 maybe that are faster than the other 30 riders. Problem being he's one guy right now leaving the rest of the field so he's an easy target. It's WERA's job though to decide to move him to expert or not.
Listen more closely, Sean, and you will hear the stifling of the information age. I don't want to get off on a rant here, but the first amendment clearly states....oh, nevermind. By the way, I will be the first to admit I was wrong about Cobb winning the big bore races at Daytona on a 600 after I talked with Peter Jones and he said he was definately on a 750 and it was by no means a slow one. So, as it stands, Ed Cobb is just an above average, 30year old novice, and I wish him good luck for the rest of the year because now everyone is gunning for him.
Ted ended up winning all 6 of his races. The last novice to come close to this was in 1992 - a kid named Colin Edwards won 5 races. Ted won on a stock GSXR-600 (middleweight) and a stock GSXR-750 (heavyweight). Congrats
Not to brag - it was a forth.. My first woodie... It's already hanging in my office... Thanks for the acknowledgment (fastiger)
