Racing suspension at the start of life

Racing suspension at the end of life.

R450: Changing the subject, when you first got started in racing was it a combined TT and MX like what the ATVA just changed from?
Mark: Yes, there were both a TT and MX champion but there was also an overall or Grand National Champion.

R450: So would you say the changes have been great in this sport since then? How about the tracks?
Mark: Oh yeah, that’s such a hard question to answer man; the tracks haven’t changed a whole lot. There maybe a little more technical. The facilities are definitely better as well. The promoters have stepped it up a little. I think they still have a little more promoting to do as far as getting the people there. As Wayne would say, where we were two years ago is where motorcycles were in the late 70’s. It’s all going up hill. The birth of something good to come, you know.

R450: The ATVA to me is kind of the blind leading the blind, how do you feel?
Mark: It is to me, a little disorganized. It’s all funds driven and there’s just not enough money from ATVs yet. You know, for the AMA to have a better race program. There’s going to be some growing pains along the way.

R450: Good answer. But look at the rules, why don’t some of the bike rules just carry over? They have things down in the bike world. Doesn’t make since to me.
Mark: I wish that they did that, but when you don’t have a pro crew to put on the race like the bikes it’s hard for the promoters to hold it together sometimes. I’ve told the ATVA they need to have a rule book that is ATV specific you can hold in your hands that isn’t wishy-washy. Something that’s all spelled out.

R450: We read all the rule books “AMA Motocross, Supercross, Supermoto and etc.” just to have a better knowledge of how things are done and just seems like the ATV rule book is, well just kind of child’s play.
Mark: Go home, just for your own information and call up say, the ATVA of snowmobile racing, whatever it is and you will have a rule book in your hand and entry forms to multiple national races in probably less than one week. You call the ATVA and they say, well…we don’t have that.