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FAST THOUGHTS FROM JESSICA LEE

Monday July 30th, 2007

How Popular Could MotoGP Become?

Its pretty sad how most people in the USA have no clue what MotoGP is . Yet, just as soon as you hop over the pond all you hear about is Valentino Rossi and Futbol. We all know that Valentino had to move from Italy to the UK just to be able to step out of his house without getting mobbed. He made Forbes Top 100 Celebrities list at #64 making just over $30 million last year and turned Ferrari down saying I don't like being famous - it is like a prison. And driving for Ferrari would make it far worse. So why isnt Nicky Hayden, Colin Edwards, or Kenny Roberts getting the same amount of attention here in the US?

Yep, Vale has won a total of 7 championships and hundreds of races in Europe but the American riders have done the same thing here in the US. Dont get me wrong, I love Valentino and he is the only rider I know of that has set the fastest lap on worn down tires. Wow! Its just that next year, the MotoGP series will be making 2 stops in the USA and we need to pump up our American boys. Im not saying we need to make their lives crazy with fame but I think that everyone should know who they are. After all, every single motorcycle racer out there puts their lives on the line each time they line up on the grid so why cant racers make headlines here when basketball players are making front page news stories for not even doing good deeds? It has always bothered me that the same people who spend every Monday night sitting on the sofa watching American Football wont even think about spending an hour on Sunday watching motorcycle racing. Yes, a lot of racing fans are also football fans but the majority isnt. Another thing is that our sport doesnt involve getting drunk and there arent very many alcohol sponsors like in Nascar; if you need to be drunk or high to enjoy a sport, that is sad! Im not against football, Nascar, or basketball Im just stating the obvious.

So, look at the facts and decide for yourself. MotoGP bikes run at about 220 MPH. They turn both left and right. Each rider tries to pass without bumping into each other and the race doesnt look like LA traffic. If theres a crash it could very easily be fatal! Having a tobacco or alcohol sponsor for your team will cause a stir and no one races on steroids. Also, MotoGP racers dont get paid nearly as much attention as ball sports players, yet in Europe on average around 115,000 people will attend each race. I think that here in the USA we should try to top that. If as many people that watch basketball would watch racing then we could beat Europe by a landslide.

Just do me a favor and think about it. Tell your friends who the great Kevin Schwantz is and make sure they know that Kenny Roberts boys are racing. I cannot explain the excitement and fun of watching a race, so spread the word!

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THE AUTHOR

Jessica "Motogirl" Lee is a 35 year old motocross racer and journalist. Born into a family of motorcycle enthusiasts and industry insiders, she has been riding and nurturing a passion for motorcycles from the age of four.

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