Why aren’t there Americans left in Motogp

I agree with that statement and agree ma is growing it. But How do you grow the racing besides just the baggers. and im not just speaking on the motoamerica level. I also agree that trackdays have more riders on track and or at club races. But what is the racers/trackday riders time expectancy these days honest question. seems like you have more people on track at trackdays or some wera races but seems like its for a lot shorter period of time than it use to be. see alot of one and done"s or just a few seasons where i feel like even club guys use to hang around alot longer. I know contingency money had a lot to do with that but just curious what that expectancy is now days

 

He was?

 

Just smile and wave, he'll eventually tire himself out.

 

Did the fill in and was in the rumor mill for the Petronas seat to replace Rossi, no?

 

Dave I like yah but man you dont even watch... at least tune in before you mansplain what happened in the 90's

 

Well, if we're talking about rumors...

 

Watch what? Motogp? I watch it. WSBK? Can't find it and not going through an app.

The 90s? I was there and remember some of it.

 

There are other flags besides Spain represented in Motogp.
How do they keep feeding the kids in?
What does OZ do that we don't do?

 

Italy and they are on the rise.
Have a strong feeder system. Add in the VR46 juggernaut and it's italy on the rise, again.
Gives the promising riders no real opportunity other than to go abroad to make a living. Think the US series is a tough grind to make a living? check out the Aussie series.

 

So they have toughness that we don't have?

I don't follow any of this close enough to really know. Just throwing shit out for fun.

 

We ain't shit without a pace car!

 

I think a lot of what is going on has been mentioned in this thread so far. I think back to a conversation I had with Larry Shorts (anybody remember him?) at Talladega in about 1985 or 86. His perspective as an AMA Pro rider was that Pro riders were just club racers with money. I think that was true then and is still true. The difference is that the costs were much less then and could be self funded or from smaller sponsors with some help from contingency. Now the money needs to come from personal sponsors that the rider can bring to the team to pay for the season. I believe that MA is only preparing the racers for WSBK not MotoGP due to the differences in bikes. Production based bikes do not prepare most riders for MotoGP. Until there is a strong series of classes based on GP style chassis at some consistent level in the US, we won't be sending riders straight to the MotoGP paddock.

 

Sorta.
With Stoner and what they went through than yes. That boy ate a mile of shit just to get a chance to grab the brass ring (and it paid off). Others, it's a huge gamble and for some, it may pay off.

With the US you can still make an okay living if you're creative, can attract the right sponsors and catch some luck. In Australian you are better off learning a trade than trying to make a living racing.

 

Don't they have somebody in each class this year?

 

Move to Europe at a young age.

 

Again, I don't follow close enough to know. Is that what the path is for countries like Australia and South Africa?

 

Pretty much. Those guys and their families make major sacrifices. Not just financially. They move halfway around the world. They're gone before they are old enough to race superbikes. The ones who stay, you never heard of. They are still back home racing supersport and superbikes.

 

Speaking from a limited perspective but at least for the few years I raced, contingency as a novice helped me stay at least long enough to get my white plates. Not sure what it looks like today but without it back then, the struggle would have just been that much harder.