12-09-2016, 01:41 AM
This the finest, most truthful, accurate, and relevant article Mr. Cameron has ever written, in my view. It unabashedly dismisses the neanderthal and sensational approach to motorsports and explains -- in no uncertain terms -- how a thoughful, crafty approach to riding and racing will lead to the ultimate successes of a champion. Brute force or simplistic thinking have no place at the top of the podium. He fearlessly targets the mass of racing fans, schooling them on how things really work. And he is right.
The best excerpt:
Then how was it, in 2004, that it was Rossi leading Valencia, and neither sliding nor spinning? He had found a way to lap at winning speed without drama. As I looked down field, the farther a rider was from the front, the more he was sliding and spinning. This taught a valuable lesson: Winning races requires a rider to maintain tire condition—not to kill his rubber in useless early-laps drama. Successful riders find a way to go fast without burning the only bridge that can possibly convey them to the podium: their tires.
[url=http://www.cycleworld.com/on-being-motorcycle-racing-fan]On Being a Motorcycle Race Fan
And Nick Ienatsch wrote a perfect counterpart to Cameron's piece:
[url=http://www.cycleworld.com/learn-motorcycle-racing-techniques-ienatsch-tuesday]Championship Dreams and Tenth-Place Habits
I knew someone, back in the days I was racing and instructing, who was essentially a "tenth-place" guy. This young fellow was affable, friendly, very easy-going, and on any given day could ride the wheels off anything. He always rode sub-standard equipment and always finished top-ten. His skills were amazing, and after a couple of seasons the few of us who understood what was going on were asking why this kid could not win a championship.
It was very simple. He was content to let other cross the finish line in front of him. He was like the rider Garry McCoy, he slid the bike a lot, had a lot of fun, was pretty popular with the ladies, and no one disliked him. That was the life he wanted, the glamour, the girls, and the friends.
When you are finishing on the podium, you are getting the glamour and maybe the girls, but you are losing your friends. That's racing, and that's competition. This young chap didn't want to develop the killer instinct nor alienate the riders he'd come up the ranks with. By finishing top ten, there was plenty of high-fiving, "great job out there!", drinking of beer after the race, and good times.
But the guys on the podium were back woodshedding and figuring out how to win the championship. They weren't high-fiving.
That's what Nick and Kevin are both on about. They are both right.
The best excerpt:
Then how was it, in 2004, that it was Rossi leading Valencia, and neither sliding nor spinning? He had found a way to lap at winning speed without drama. As I looked down field, the farther a rider was from the front, the more he was sliding and spinning. This taught a valuable lesson: Winning races requires a rider to maintain tire condition—not to kill his rubber in useless early-laps drama. Successful riders find a way to go fast without burning the only bridge that can possibly convey them to the podium: their tires.
[url=http://www.cycleworld.com/on-being-motorcycle-racing-fan]On Being a Motorcycle Race Fan
And Nick Ienatsch wrote a perfect counterpart to Cameron's piece:
[url=http://www.cycleworld.com/learn-motorcycle-racing-techniques-ienatsch-tuesday]Championship Dreams and Tenth-Place Habits
I knew someone, back in the days I was racing and instructing, who was essentially a "tenth-place" guy. This young fellow was affable, friendly, very easy-going, and on any given day could ride the wheels off anything. He always rode sub-standard equipment and always finished top-ten. His skills were amazing, and after a couple of seasons the few of us who understood what was going on were asking why this kid could not win a championship.
It was very simple. He was content to let other cross the finish line in front of him. He was like the rider Garry McCoy, he slid the bike a lot, had a lot of fun, was pretty popular with the ladies, and no one disliked him. That was the life he wanted, the glamour, the girls, and the friends.
When you are finishing on the podium, you are getting the glamour and maybe the girls, but you are losing your friends. That's racing, and that's competition. This young chap didn't want to develop the killer instinct nor alienate the riders he'd come up the ranks with. By finishing top ten, there was plenty of high-fiving, "great job out there!", drinking of beer after the race, and good times.
But the guys on the podium were back woodshedding and figuring out how to win the championship. They weren't high-fiving.
That's what Nick and Kevin are both on about. They are both right.