It’s been a couple of days since my last Blog, but I had some things to do after I got home from Mid-Ohio.  Some of the AMA teams tested at Road Atlanta Tuesday and Wednesday.  Mat Mladin was the fastest of the Superbike riders at the test.  I spoke with Ben Spies via mobile phone and he told me he was very happy with the test.  Last year they had a bit of a problem with his set-up (on the Suzuki GSX-R 1000) but halfway through the first day they got it sorted.  His team was so happy they bailed outta there about 3 hours early on the second day.  It was hot as hell at the test, but the rain stayed away and most teams got a lot accomplished.  Ben is in North Carolina for the next couple weeks staying with Factory Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking and wife Rachel.  Ben and Jamie are training on their road bikes and perhaps a little bit of fun in the sun on the boat (Hacking lives on a lake in NC.)

I also spoke with Erion Honda’s Josh Hayes, who coincidentally was at Chick Filet (not the way to spell it, but who cares!) having lunch in Mississippi at the exact same time that Spies and Hacking were having lunch at Chick Filet in North Carolina!!  FREAKY I tell ya… freaky.  Anyway, Josh’s story is the same as Ben’s, he was not the fastest, but he was very satisfied with the test.   On the first day of the test the Honda guys were testing… uhmm… new electronics.  The second day, it was all about suspension set-up and tires.  The feeling for most of the teams was to not beat up the equipment because in a few days they’ll be at my home track Virginia International Raceway (from this point out known as VIR.)  Yamaha sponsored Michael Beck (19 years old from Simi Valley, CA) is hanging with Josh in Mississippi for the next couple of weeks.   Those guys are motocrossing and riding road bikes.  Josh is happy to have someone to play with.  He is just a big kid that Hayes guy.

        Josh Hayes from his first stint on the Erion Honda's... Old Picture.

I have a call into Jason Pridmore to get his update… the 2 time AMA and 1 time World Champion is still hurting from a hellacious highside during the Superbike race on Saturday.  Check this out, after that crash, he sits out the Superstock race on Sunday, then races to a 6^th place finish in Superbike just one day after the crash!  What a stud.  The dude has like a high pain threshold. 

Roger Hayden just called and gave me the 411.  Rog said he had a good test.  The main focus was the Superbike.  They tested some new things, nothing revolutionary or anything, but they got good time on the bike.  Keep in mind that this is the first year of development for the Kawasaki ZX-10R in Superbike trim, and Roger has been out with injury since Barber this year.  That has left all the development up to Tommy.  Roger’s input is greatly valued and needed in order to move the program forward.  Roger has been going to Road Atlanta since he was 11 years old.  He loves the place, but feels, like most riders, that Road Atlanta is now the most dangerous circuit on the calendar.  But from what I understand Road A is listening to what the riders have to say and they might make some changes before the race in 3 weekends.   Roger and family will be renting a small commuter plane for the VIR round next week.  It will cost a bit of money out of their pockets, but Rog points out that the airport is like 5 minutes from his house and can get home Sunday night at about 7 PM as apposed to late Monday afternoon.

        Roger on Chaparral Suzuki… sorry Kawi, but the boy does have history in the sport!

Tomorrow morning I will be on an airplane headed to Toronto, Canada.  A buddy of mine is shooting a movie up there and has a couple days off.  I am bringing my bicycle so we can do some riding outside the city.  I am not sure how much Blogging I will get done, but I will try and get some stuff up for ya.

As for the myspace blog thing… it is simple… I was doing myspace for fun and to fill a void left with no real inside info from the motorcycle roadrace paddock.  When some people sent messages telling me negative stuff, I just felt it would be best to get off that thing for a while.  So I have decided to keep blogging, but on my website and leave my myspace account open for anyone to ask me questions or whatever.  Thank you for the emails telling me to forget the haters, but trust me, after 9 years on the air I get my share of those morons.  It’s hard to deal with it when I am just trying to have some fun. :-)

Thanks for reading.

L8R - Greg