It has recently come to my attention that some people in the AMA road race paddock don't think to kindly of me. I am not sure why they think this way, because they don't know me (there are a couple guys who know me that think I am a putz, but I think the same of them, so its all good.) I know there are plenty of privateer racers who don't like me because they think I dont give them exposure. They think that they are working very hard and they get no love being back in 20th place.
Well there are some things you guys and gals need to understand. First off, I was a privateer. I road raced for seven years, from 1995 until 2001 as a full privateer. Not a guy who had his daddy pay my way, or a guy who even had any direct weekend to weekend help! I was a privateer who turned his own wrenches, shagged his own tires, cleaned his own helmet, raced, did TV and webcasting at the races as well. I worked my ass off during my time as a privateer and I worked to try and get my sponsors exposure all the time. I paid my dues in the AMA Superbike paddock and was lucky enough to get a couple top 10 finishes along the way. There was only one weekend I had a mechanic, and it was the best time of my life!! By the way, I would ask for and pay for people to take my bike, extra set of wheels, one tote of spares and a tacklebox of tools to the races each weekend. That is how broke I was! Please don't read this as me being a dick and not as me asking for sympathy, I just wanted to give you an understanding of where I came from. I need you to understand that I know what you are going through. I had the time of my life for those years, by the way!
At this point in my television career I understand a couple things about AMA road racing. This is NOT a club level sport. This is a business with millions of dollars invested in it. That money comes from companies like Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha. Those companies pay for racing to be on the air with their advertising dollars. In turn, those same companies pay for elaborate race teams and riders to carry their names each race weekend in hopes of selling you a motorcycle.
Our television time is very limited and precious for the races of the AMA Superbike series. I feel one very important role in my job is to help build heros of the sport. Another important aspect of my job is to give insight into the sport and educate people as to why and how things happen. Without question there are people at the track each weekend filling the grid with great stories of triumph and heartbreak. But I feel that the factory riders need to come first! They work for the people who give us a show each week, they are the people who get paid hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of dollars to race for us and they are the main story. These are the riders the sport has invested in to make it a much better show. These are the riders that fans will root for and keep tuning in (or coming to the races for) each weekend. So these riders must be at the forefront in order to keep out sport alive. Factory support teams, and beyond are very important to the sport and they all need exposure, but time is limited. If I have time left to talk about some other riders I do just that.
However, and here comes the part about how a Privateer can help themselves, I cannot know everything that goes on in the paddock. I do not have the time to learn about the sport of roadracing, which I do everyday, and be able to talk to every participant is every AMA class. So what I need you to do is come to me and tell me your story. If I don't know your story or who you are then I cannot talk about you at all. But, if you come talk to me, then you have a much better chance of becoming a story for the broadcast and getting your sponsors some exposure.
Please keep in mind that talking to me is not a guarantee of exposure, but it sure helps. Also keep in mind that in a race like Supersport, racing is only 23 minutes long and we just don't have time to talk about every rider. But if you end up on our screens and I know who you are and what your story is, you just might get some well needed airtime.
I am a very approachable person, even though some think my face is a little stoic, I can assure you it is only because I am at work and take my job very seriously. If you see me without my headset on, and its not 30 minutes before a race, stop me and tell me what is going on!!
So PRIVATEERS, please do yourself a favor, don't wait for me to come to you, you need to work to get yourself exposure, just like I did when I was racing... come talk to me and let me learn about you.
Thanks and ride safe!! Greg
