"Daddy's money vs talent...." rant opinion

This is very true. Hailwood's dad made sure that he had the very best equipment right from the start but Mike had to pay his father back for the bikes from any money he won.

 

They actually have on several occassions, but IMO it was the only way to handle it as both riders were deserving.

 

For me, it's as simple as "haters gonna hate"

 

Anyone willing to fork out 500k to ride in AMA Superbike is crazy. i'd rather go to WSS or WSBK.

The way I look at it is it would make me even hungrier to beat Clark or anyone for that matter who's spending crazy money to "buy" a ride.

 

For the naysayers, I suggest they look at Jake Lewis's setup this year. He and Garrett are fantastic kids and I sincerely hope they both get the opportunity to follow Spies's path.

 

Longer than that. MUCH longer.

 

Yup. I'd rather see these guys on the grid then not, however they choose to get there.

Those two represent some serious game for the future of Americans in roadracing.

 

3 times the Horizon Award has been given to 2 riders...once in MX and twice in DT (and one of them went on to be a roadracer as well).

 

No I do get it, however I feel its a very bad sign that arguabley the top team in the country is unable to pay all of its riders (who are after all the most important part of the team if they are after good results). My objection to it has more to do with the sport becoming more of a expensive hobby for those well off than a legitimate proffesion for highly tallented riders. How many previous times has the top teams in roadracing had bought seats in the past?

 

Maybe that's how it should be.

 

Yosh had paid seats in the early 1980s and again in the late 1980s and it is a recurring trend in all sorts of racing whenever economic conditions deteriorate. A rider or driver who can't fund it himself or herself finds money, keeps some of it and brings the rest to a team, it's called business.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-change-of-approach-for-meira/

 

Hell no.

 

I too didn't read all of the link or this thread even because it seems like the same 'ol.

Times are tough and people aren't just giving away rides... adapt or stay home. Everyone has options. I'm certainly not the 2012 DSB Champion & I don't have the money to buy a ride let alone a B bike, semi, crew, and all the those pesky tires. But, I can work hard and try to find new ways to get on the grid. Maybe I have to cut some corners... run some take-offs in practice.. be at a disadvantage.. but I'll be there.

Sure the current guy people comment on is Chris Clark, but many other riders have bought rides, and went on to bigger and better things. If any of you had the money and skill to finish in the top ten in AMA Superbike.... and had millions of dollars, you wouldn't?

From everything I've seen and brief chats, Chris seems like an incredibly nice guy that loves racing and is thankful that his family has the money to help him do it. You can't blame these guys for buying rides. If no one bought rides right now, the teams couldn't float other riders and the grids would shrink terribly.

And one last thing... if I get a personal sponsor that will give me $100,000 to rep their brand all year, is it considered "buying my ride" if I start my own team with money and go race? What if I give the money to another team and join their program? Since there's only a small group of guys actually getting paid to race, are all those privateers "buying their ride?" You bet. And I will be next season too.

 

Why not? What would the reason is there for someone to make a living riding a bike around the race track when people sliding rocks on ice need to get a real job? (I'm assuming there is no professional curling )

I'm not saying the racers shouldn't take advantage of it when the money's there, but when the well dries up, I have hard time seeing how this is some kind of major social injustice.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_4448545_become-professional-curling-athlete.html

Read step 6.



Not bad for sliding rocks on ice.

 

Damn. Just damn.