***Spoiler AMA Fontana Superbike***

[Yamadog]

So what do you think, is Spies in Mladin's head now? Race one I loved the retaliatory pass; race 2 unbelievable come from behind win! Mladin wouldn't talk to the Speed goon after race 2 claiming he was tired. I say pissed more like it! Go Ben!

As a side note, SURELY this will be Miguel's last year. He looks old and slow, and I suspect the reason for Honda's glacier-like development pace of the RR. At least Hodgson is showing some pace and fight now. JM2CYMMV

[keystonejenks]

As a side note, SURELY this will be Miguel's last year. He looks old and slow, and I suspect the reason for Honda's glacier-like development pace of the RR. At least Hodgson is showing some pace and fight now. JM2CYMMV

I know there is a certain factory Honda rider that would love to take his place.

[Playinthestreet]

Good to see The Worm on the box in Form Extreme (or whatever it is)

[Scoop]

I give up on AMA.  Frickin Mladdin and Spies show.  Being 26 seconds ahead is not racing, it's humiliation and it's boring.  NASCRAP can have it.

[Gsam]

yeh what scoop said! only world superbike and motogp for me.

[keystonejenks]

I give up on AMA.  Frickin Mladdin and Spies show.  Being 26 seconds ahead is not racing, it's humiliation and it's boring.  NASCRAP can have it.

I agree, Superbike is booooooooooring but Formula Xtreme has some good racing. The GSX-R1000 is just too dominant.

[heinee]

I agree, Superbike is booooooooooring but Formula Xtreme has some good racing. The GSX-R1000 is just too dominant.

..or the other riders and manufacturers need to step it up  

[DogBoy]

..or the other riders and manufacturers need to step it up  

+1. Yosh doesn't have any magic, they just work harder.

[phoenix]

Mladin is an A-hole, that's what I think. Spies pass in race 1 was a little better than Mladin's pass earlier in the race, but Mladin wouldn't concede the position as Ben had earlier in the race. Looked like Ben had the set up in race 1 with such a huge victory margin at the end.

But yeah, it didn't even look like a race when 3rd place and further back were at least 20 seconds out? I mean, congratulations to Suzuki for putting together such a dominant bike, what the hell is wrong with everyone else? Or does it go back to that comment that each manufacturer focuses primarily on one series and so Honda has Formula Xtreme, Kawasaki aims for Supersport, or whatever??

[keystonejenks]

But yeah, it didn't even look like a race when 3rd place and further back were at least 20 seconds out? I mean, congratulations to Suzuki for putting together such a dominant bike, what the hell is wrong with everyone else? Or does it go back to that comment that each manufacturer focuses primarily on one series and so Honda has Formula Xtreme, Kawasaki aims for Supersport, or whatever??

I don't know. All I do is look at Tommy Hayden. With Yosh he's consistantly on the podium but years prior that wasn't the case when he was with Kawasaki.    Also, look at Yates - he's not on the podium as much now as he was when he was with Yosh. I dunno.

[scott-sts]

Yeah, AMA superbike can be boring but Spies last lap in race 2 was amazing.  Lots of blue smoke pouring off of the rear tire.  He wanted it bad and took it.  Mladin did not look happy post-race.

[ZuluHour]

yup, superbike is kinda boring b/c of the Mladin and Spies show.  But it is exciting with Spies moving up to MotoGP this year and next.  Right now I'm more interested in all of the other AMA series racing.  As far as I'm concerned that Daytona group can only make Superbike better - hopefully  

[Orson]

I've lost touch with the US racing scene...isn't Fontana a big parking lot?

or have they built a real racetrack there?

[DogBoy]

Roval. Huge speedway with a semi-interesting road course in the middle. The layout has a decent mix of corners rather than the stop/start of most infield courses and the Cal Speedway track does seem to promote some close racing judging from last weekends results.

[Jeff N]

Fortuna is only a semi-interesting roval because of the large amount of real estate available and the track constructors weren't worried about a golf course or a lake or infield parking and camping. The awful rovals were those that were using much shorter tracks such as Pikes Peak, Phoenix, and the dreaded Loudon.

As for the Superbike series, the big problem is the points system. As was pointed at http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=826 Mladin only needs to win 5 or 6 races for the rest of season and no matter what Spies does, due to his crash at Barber, the championship is Matt's. And the points system is only one of the current system's problems.

[squeezer]

[Setting discussions on the state of the series aside...]

I finally watched the races last night.  Spies was spectacular in both races.  Even gave Mladin a little chance to catch up in race 1 after that pass, then blew him away.  And that comeback in race 2 was very cool.

Hacking didn't get much screen time, but if you've got it on tape, go back and look at those segments.  My God, how does he stay on that bike?  That thing was jumping all over the place.  He was having to wrestle with it in the straights.  It gave me a new appreciation of his guts and new understanding of why Roger Lee crashes a lot.

And back to the state of the series...  I actually think the racing right now is pretty interesting, it's just that it's an interesting race for 3rd place instead of 1st.  I don't know why Spies and Mladin are in such a different class, but several riders on several marques have a shot at the last step on the podium and its fun to watch what's going on there.  

When the DMG rules kick in, I'm wondering if Mladin will finally take another shot at one of the World Championships as he heads towards retirement?  He may not want to race on 600s

[squeezer]

As a side note, SURELY this will be Miguel's last year. He looks old and slow, and I suspect the reason for Honda's glacier-like development pace of the RR. At least Hodgson is showing some pace and fight now. JM2CYMMV

I don't think he's fully recovered from his off-season injuries.  There's been too big a drop-off from last year to this one.  I guess we'll see as the season goes on.

[Jeff N]

I don't think he's fully recovered from his off-season injuries.  There's been too big a drop-off from last year to this one.  I guess we'll see as the season goes on.

Off season injuries? Those were mid-season injuries he suffered, and nothing to be overlooked so lightly. Lacerated livers are nothing to scoff. It may be Miggy's last season as an American Honda Factory Team rider, but he's not going away.

[scott-sts]

Off season injuries? Those were mid-season injuries he suffered, and nothing to be overlooked so lightly. Lacerated livers are nothing to scoff. It may be Miggy's last season as an American Honda Factory Team rider, but he's not going away.

He was injured at Road Atlanta.  "Late season".  

[scott-sts]

I've lost touch with the US racing scene...isn't Fontana a big parking lot?

or have they built a real racetrack there?

Pamona was the big parking lot.

[Mr Sunshine]

As for the Superbike series, the big problem is the points system. As was pointed at http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=826 Mladin only needs to win 5 or 6 races for the rest of season and no matter what Spies does, due to his crash at Barber, the championship is Matt's. And the points system is only one of the current system's problems.

Um yeah.  Right.....with the WSB point system Ben wouldn't have a chance either.

[Mr Sunshine]

Hacking didn't get much screen time, but if you've got it on tape, go back and look at those segments.  My God, how does he stay on that bike?  That thing was jumping all over the place.  He was having to wrestle with it in the straights.  It gave me a new appreciation of his guts and new understanding of why Roger Lee crashes a lot.

Hacking had an electrical issue so he had to turn off the traction control.  Thus he was riding it raw.  Wouldnt be so bad if you had started riding it that way but when you are used to the TC and then in the race have to turn it off...its harder.