I would love to have seen the reaction when the powers-that-be in Daytona noticed, as I did, how the individual events which make up the Geico Motorcycle Superbike Shootout series are named. For example, the first one (this weekend at Fontucky) is called the Yamaha SoCal Nationals. The Sonoma and Miller events are likewise dubbed Nationals.
Since, well, forever, 'Nationals' has been a word used to describe AMA Pro championship events. No longer, it seems. Does that choice of words suggest -- as I foreshadowed -- the possibility of expanding the Shootout and creating a rival national championship for professional road racing?
Hmm... John Ulrich, who created the series, is also a stakeholder in AMA Pro Racing's superbike series. So, presumably he doesn't want to alienate AMA Pro completely. On the other hand (besides four fingers and a thumb) is the fact that Ulrich is not one to shy away from an argument.
So, maybe calling those events Nationals is a shot across AMA Pro's bow, or maybe it's just Ulrich being who he is. Either way, I bet there was some shouting in AMA Pro Racing's headquarters, and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some kind of payback for an action that I'm sure AMA Pro regards as an encroachment on its turf.
By the way, I'm starting a pool on the topic of how completely Superbike Planet will ignore the events, out of spite against Roadracing World.
Love it. Hope this takes off and really goes somewhere. I missed being able to watch so I am waiting for someone to YouTube it or other.
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