Michael Barnes Heads a List of 3 Other Riders Entered in the Macau GP...

Michael Barnes, who rode for the Richie Morris Racing team this year teamed

with Daytona Superbike Inaugural Champ Danny Eslick on the Buell 1125 bikes,

heads a list of 4 total riders that will compete in the upcoming Macau GP street race

next month. This will be the 43rd edition of the motorcycle part of the GP w/e, and

the 56th edition of the car-related part of the festivities.

Run through the streets of Macau, which is located in southeast China--and just west of

the country of Taiwan, the race is considered to be the epitome of all street races and

circuits. Unlike the Isle of Man event in June of every year that runs strictly bikes,

Macau runs several car classes in addition to the motorcycle race itself. It is also

considered to be one of the most historic of all street races from what I was able to

find on the subject. Of course, as with all street circuits, questions of safety in the areas

of lack of run off, painted stripes in the middle of the track, and solid armco-style barriers

lining the track are only a few of the things that come into play when racing on anything that

is less then a safety-coordinated or homologated track. At least in the minds of anyone that

is comfortable running in excess of 150mph on a 2 wheeled rocket.....

You can read the press release as posted by the great people at http://www.roadracingworld.com/ in

addition to the official website info as well as a link I pulled off of Wikipedia.org that explains

the overall history, gives info on the winners of each respective class over the years, and

talks about the prominence that the race event holds in the Euro-Asian markets, as well.

Americans have historically run this event over the course of the years, but only one man

from the U.S.A. has ever won the bike portion of the event--Kevin Schwantz, the '93 500cc

Grand Prix Champion. He managed to bag the win in 1988.

The shots I have included on this little story are of one Mr. Michael Barnes on the #34

M4 Emgo-sponsored Suzuki GSXR600 while running practice at Road America for the old

FX class during June 2008's event. Michael has been around the racing scene for longer

then I can remember--at least the late '80s. He is a class act on and off the track and has

ridden darn near all types of bikes in a variety of classes over the years. In the shots above

he is on the TeamRoadRacingWorld.com owned/run team of John Ulrich and was teamed

last year with Martin Cardenas. We wish Michael and the others a very big thumbs up

and hope they can go over across the pond and bring home the goods--albeit in one piece,

please! Go get 'em and be safe......

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=38415

http://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/app/home/gp56/en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macau_Grand_Prix

Danny Eslick, Buell, and Richie Morris Racing Follow Up

While over the w/e Danny Eslick romped the field in

both of the Fontana AMA Daytona Sportbike races, the

talk around the internet--and I am sure at the races as

well--has been the 'extra displacement' that the Buell

has been allowed compared to the 600cc inline-fours. As

a result of all this consternation, one--or two--things have been

overlooked.

One of those is the talents of Danny Eslick. While all the

nay-sayers seem to focus on the 1125cc +/- that the Buell

is allowed, the fact still remains even a sled has to have a great

rider. Not taking away anything from any of the other great

riders that have been running the class this year.

And the second, for sure, is the motorcycle. And I am here to present you

with some shots of the Bruce Rossmeyer/Richie Morris Racing-Geico sponsored

Buell. Now of course as these shots were taken in September 2008 at the

Indy MotoGP race, the make-up of the bike is most certainly different per the

difference in class rules from last to this year. And the paint job is definitely

a lot brighter and more eye-appealing overall. Just my opinion mind you.

But nonetheless, you get the idea of what the machine is like and looks like

that is setting the world-or at least the AMA Pro Racing Daytona

Sportbike-class world, on fire. And those like myself, and many of you,

who still follow it in spite of the way that the DMG group

has managed to put it on it's head.

There is also a link that I wanted to add to these shots as well, that the good people

over at http://www.roadracerx.com/ ran a story on the team today. And it is a VERY good

article with the outlook of the genius behind the bike on what his and their perceptions

are to all of the bruhaha---did I spell that right??---that has transformed this wonderful

world of U.S. or AMA Road Racing into a very intense discussion no matter the side you

chose to stand on. Mr. Morris also talks about their other rider, Michael Barnes, who has

been racing motorcycles on at least this continent for at least as long as I can remember it.

The guy has an intense enthusiasm about racing and can also ride just about darned anything,

and has, on two wheels. I posted the shot of Mr. Barnes on #34 M4 Suzuki GSXR-600 that

I took of him last year at Road America. This was during the rain practice on Friday that

w/e and back in turn 10. Also the same corner I shot the pic of Danny Eslick from the w/e

post. Here is the link to that story:

http://www.roadracerx.com/features/between-the-races/between-the-races-richie-morris/

....and another.....

http://www.roadracerx.com/features/tuesday-conversation/tuesday-conversation-michael-barnes/

So no matter which side you choose on the size of the displacement versus the amount of

cylinders you are allowed or the make of the motorcycle that you will be allowed to run in

any given class as designed, you at least have to take the time to enjoy and respect those

that can and will find the way to win. Be it the immense talents of Mr.'s Eslick, Barnes, and

Morris at this moment in time, or be it the lines between the rule book, the fact still remains

it all has to fit together perfectly before it becomes a true and complete puzzle.