Hayden & Gobert At Willow

This weekend Tommy Hayden & Anthony Gobert showed up at a WSMC event with their Yamaha crew, and Aaron Gobert showed up with his Graves Motorsports crew. It was interesting to me after a couple of months of reading stuff on this BBS that they did not seem to get the "cherry picking" criticism that has showed up here regarding professional riders at WERA events. It seems like the WSMC guys like racing with them (Vince Haskovec beat Hayden in one race and Chris Ulrich tagged onto Hayden in one practice session and learned a new "sled" line through turns eight and nine that led to him turning a new personal best time on a GSXR750 of 1:24.3)

One thing that I always looked for when evaluating riders is, who did they beat? So, when Ben Spies beat Lee Acree in a WERA National Challenge Formula 2 race in (I'm not sure but I think) 1998, that made me want to take a closer look at him, and now he has moved from being a WERA/CMRA guy into being a paid professional rider. Same thing when John Hopkins beat Mike Himmelsbach in his first Aprilia Cup race in 1999--that convinced me to move John up to a 600 a few weeks later and he qualified 3rd fastest for the AMA 750cc Supersport race at Loudon, ahead of Josh Hayes and Grant Lopez.

I first paid attention to Josh Hayes when he beat everybody in a WERA National Challenge race at Grattan Michigan, and I signed him the following year.

Of course, I remember when Tray Batey was my third-string guy behind Michael Martin and Kurt Hall, and when Grant Lopez was my second-string guy behind Batey, but the point is that when you beat somebody who is an established, known rider, then you've done something. If they're not in the race, you can't show what you've got against a known quantity. That is how WERA guys become professional riders.

And of course, there are races for riders who want protection against guys who are "too good," called Novice races.

In California, guys are tossed out into races with Experts after three Novice races, or, in the case of some clubs, as soon as they pass their license test. Maybe that's why there seems to be less objections to racing against guys like Hayden, Gobert, etc.

Yeah, I know nobody asked my opinion. Just an observation and opinion. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programing...

JU

 

Not everyone complains about cherry picking. I think most expert enjoy riding with higher caliper riders. I know I do thats why I go and get my ass kicked a couple times a year at AMA Nationals.

 

JU, I don't think everyone complains about cherry picking on the BBS. I think it is more advantagous for a novice to ride with experts or pros, you learn more; now, if I were a pro, I'd probably be concerned about getting tangled up with a novice, in some way that only a novice mistake can come about.

I think competition is great. If you don't challenge yourself in life, you may as well lay down for the dirt nap.

 

I remember two guys passing me entering the bowl at TGPR a few years ago, both had Ulrich on their leathers. While I was not in the same league I did learn a lot about mid-corner speed behind those 125s.

 

As a cornerworker (and mid-pack novice racer), I'm primarily concerned with screwing up a top expert's line mid corner. Tray Batey is about the best I've ever seen in carving up lapped traffic. But I've seen the unfortunate consequences of two riders trying to occupy the same piece of real estate at the same time. That and, for most of us "close" means one thing - it means something completely different to Randy Renfro and riders of that level of talent and experience. Mixed class (i.e.; Amateur/Expert combined) should be avoided whenever possible. I realize that is not possible in the case of Endurance and some other classes where the grids would be too small if they were separated. However, the racing line at Summit Point for an SV-650 turning 1:31's and a GSXR-750 turning 1:18's can be vastly different. Nobody's fault, just the laws of physics.

 

Well said John. I think that racing against people that are faster than you makes you faster. That's why I moved up to 600 Expert this past year instead of asking to be moved back down to Novice. I raced Clubman for the last 3 years, moved up to Expert and up to the 600 class all at the same time. While I am still not winning races, I learned more this past year than I ever would have in the novice class. I was able to see where I was weak and were I was strong, and hopefully I will be able to take that knowledge with me next year, beat the fast guys, and get signed by you!!!! See you at the track...

 

Yeah, I think the WERA system of having a Novice program is a better way than just throwing new guys out with the Experts.

My fondest racing memories involve me, Chris and 125s at WERA events, including several at Talladega. Having him involved in racing and being able to share something I love with him is, for me, terrific. Far better than anything my somewhat-detached father ever did with me when I was a kid. When dads take their kids racing, sometimes people get jealous of the kid, just like I used to be jealous of kids who had fathers who did anything with them at all. But in a lot of cases it's good for the dad as much as it's good for the kid. I figure, I paid my dues and did it the hard way, if I want to take my kid racing now, I should be able to do it without some website jerkoff making rude comments about "Big Daddy Ulrich" or calling the kid names (see RRW posting) or referencing nepotism.

I may be at several WERA National Challenge races this year because it looks like CU will be endurance racing on a GSX-R1000 with Mark Junge and Vesrah. So I'll be watching for the next potential Lopez, Hayes, Hopkins, Spies, Martin, Hall....

FYI, other guys who rode my bikes before being famous stars, giving me some claim of discovery, include Kevin Schwantz, Doug Toland, David Sawdowski, Thomas Stevens, Jamie James, Britt Turkington, Scott Russell and some others who will now give me grief for drawing a blank as I stare at this screen....

JU

 

Does this mean I have to clean up my leathers, or will you give me a new set when I sign the contract?

 

Leathers come with the deal. I gotta go to work. We'll have to negotiate the deal after I get to the office.

JU

 

tom valvoline is a race team, not a crash test sqad. i dont know what you would do for the team they are capable of tearing things up if they want without you.

oh! are you trying to get signed as the team cook? cool. leathers come with the deal. he has seen you cooking already

 

Cool, I was just reading his article in this month's edition of RRW. That's a pretty good drop of time from what I read in the article. Also got a good laugh when he told everyone to lay off of his rider at the track.

And anytime there is money on the line then it becomes a "professional race" IMO.

P.S. Thanks for putting out the best mag in the business.

 

Hey now, I've mended my ways and haven't had a self-induced crash since July. And I've even managed to get a little faster too.

As for the cooking part, I'm not for hire. I'll race for cash but I have to draw the line at cooking. I can't be restriced by some bossy team manager's orders.

 

Just bring the papers for me to sign at TGPR in Feb. I'm sure you'll find my rates are reasonable.

 

It doesn't qualify as hazardous materials, this cooking you do, does it?

If it does, the deal's off.

JU

 

Beating a big name rider can get you signed huh?Well..I happen to have beaten one>Ben Spies< myself a while back.Yup,Formula 2 @ the '97 GNF on my 400,Spies on a 125..I was the winning diesel btw. Hmm,I guess given the fact he was about 11yrs old then(and I'm 30lbs heavier & slower now )blows my hope all to hell! ...Love the mag though,keep it up!! Is that worth anything?...didn't think so!!

 

Dude, just because you helped me out back in 96, I'll return the favor in the form of free advice: keep Tom away from those shiny Valvoline bikes! He could crash 'em just looking at 'em!

 

I stuffed Randy Mamola at Sears Point once and left him way behind. I think he was about 11 or 12 at the time and could barely touch the ground when he was on the seat. He showed up in leathers that looked just like Kenny Roberts', with three bikes that were painted just like Kenny's (50, 125, 250), in a van painted like Kenny's. Later that year he got DQ'd from a 50cc GP race because his Yamaha was a 65cc. I think it was around 1974.

JU

 

Dude, what does that post have to do with me getting paid to crash your bikes and cook hazardous materials in your pit after the race?

Are you gonna bring the papers or not?

 

Yeah man, just don't read them too close before your sign. We got a real special bike, too, only ridden by Ben Spies one time at Willow Springs before he launched, er, parked it in turn six, the crest that falls away and allows bikes to become confused with low-flying rockets, as in, airborne at high velocity off a fooming hill. And remember, your credit is good!

JU

 

Ah-ha! That 'splains it.That Spies kid
was actually riding a 500 disguised as a
125..since we ran mid 32's(toot-toot)and
I only barely beat him. Can I have a ride now John?