4 minute read
AMA INSIDER
THE STRAIGHT STORY
By Pete terHorst
When I was growing up my dad, a newspaper reporter, always stressed how important it was to get the full story before reporting the news. Or forming an opinion. “There’re always two sides to every story,” he’d say, “before you can get the straight story. And often more.”
I didn’t grow up to be a reporter, but that message is always running in the back of my head. (Full disclosure: Our company, SymPoint, has been handling media relations for the AMA since 2008.)
In the early 1990s, while I was running the Honda Rider Education Center in Alpharetta, Ga., I recall getting an AMA feedback postcard in the mail. I was also an MSF instructor at the time and knew full well the value of wearing helmets, so in a reflexive moment I bluntly scrawled, “Why the h_ll doesn’t the AMA get behind helmet laws? Your position makes no sense!” I mailed it, but did not expect an answer.
Imagine my surprise when I got a call from Eric Lundquist from the AMA’s legislative affairs office. Eric listened to my rationale — basically, “How bad can helmet laws be?” — and then calmly explained the AMA’s position on voluntary helmet use.
The essence of it went like this. Imagine 100 percent of riders wore DOT-approved helmets due to a national law. But riders were still getting killed. Then imagine that safety officials, having discovered their fix was not the silver bullet they’d hoped for, would then require more…things like airbags or crash cages. Or make it unlawful to ride during high-risk times. Or in high-risk areas. Or on so-called “highrisk” motorcycles.
Eric said the AMA not only urged riders to wear helmets, but also sought measures to lower the chance of crashes occurring in the first place, like state-supported rider training and awareness campaigns. I had to admit his logic made sense. And I heard my dad’s voice, chiding me for forming a half-baked opinion.
I’m reminded of this because of an article I read in the July 13 issue of Cycle News by former Honda staffer (and a guy I respect) Keith Dowdle, titled Moriwaki MD250H: Triumphs and Tragedies. It was a heartfelt story about the tragic death of young Peter Lenz. But in the middle of the story, Dowdle wrote this:
“But in 2008 the AMA inexplicably sold the rights to pro road racing to the Daytona Motorsports Group without any input from, or consideration for, the manufacturers. It was a move that left American road racing in shambles for many years to come.”
Come on Keith, you should know better! Same for his Editor, Kit Palmer, because Cycle News and other voices in racing — with the notable exception of John Ulrich — have been repeating this false and uninformed narrative for over a decade.
Nowadays, anyone with an internet connection can Google “Why did the AMA sell pro racing to DMG” and read the explanation for themselves. There’s AMA CEO Rob Dingman’s 2008 press conference at Daytona announcing the sale. There’s a 2010 interview with Rob in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with more insights. Heck, AMA members could read all about it in an interview with Rob and then-AMA Board Chair Stan Simpson in the October 2009 issue of this magazine.
Bottom line, AMA exists to represent the best interests of its members, folks like you and me. People forget that. The AMA did not start AMA Pro Racing so that the manufacturers could sell sport bikes and make money at the expense of the AMA. But that’s exactly what was happening in 2008 when pro racing was hemorrhaging money. The AMA was even asked to budget for losses. What kind of sense does that make?
History shows that DMG made a mess of pro road racing. And the AMA could have washed its hands of the whole affair. But instead, the AMA played a pivotal role getting DMG to sell its road racing assets to the KRAVE group, who launched the very successful MotoAmerica series.
But don’t take my word for it. In KRAVE’s 2014 announcement, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend Wayne Rainey, a principal there, wrote, “The AMA was instrumental in this deal coming together, serving as negotiator and mediator at all points of discussion. We appreciate the efforts of Rob Dingman throughout the process.”
We are living in a time when it’s too easy to let off steam and fire off criticisms, posting them for thousands to read moments later. It’s hard to resist the urge, and none of us are perfect, I can attest. But when that urge arises, remember… there’re always two sides to every story. And often more.
Pete terHorst is a Media and Public Relations Consultant for the AMA
