The mail continues to pour in on this—we received over 150 e-mail messages in under one hour this morning, and have something like 400 of them now. Unfortunetly we cannot run every one of them.

We're trying to get a variety of viewpoints presented here, but have yet to receive one with a positive reflection of Yates or the incident.—Editor

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What can you say about Mladin? He may not be the most entertaining guy to talk too, but the guy wins races and championships! Should we criticize him for not playing to the media? No. This is really the downside of the Speedchannel approach, i.e. we're not going to show you racing, we're going to get people to talk about racing. Sorry, I haven't watch Dull Wheel Tuesday, or WindSpray since it started. And the idea that last decades racer, is this decades expert, NOT.

As for Yates, his win or crash approach is worthy of a beginning club racer. Somehow he hasn't learned that you have to finish the race to win the race. The only real question is will the AMA stand up to a major brand (one of the last three) and give him the boot?

Ducati, my favorite brand. Ciao. What will you do when KTM gets into road racing? They seem make engines that last for what...How long is the Dakar?

John Butler

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I watched it on my tivo too. Fania changed his line, went wide, and took Yates right off the track. I'm no Yates lover but that's what happened. I'm sure Fania was trying to give up the inside to let the leaders through but his timing was off. Fania should of held his line in the turn. I'm not sure if I agree with what happened afterwards but I'd be mad too.

Kelly Tompkins

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When you consider the class acts that are in AMA Superbike racing such as the Bostrom's and Miguel Duhamel it is such a disappointment to see champions like Mat Mladin display such bile in his post victory statement. He reminds me of John Kocinski whose talent was overshadowed by insecurities and seemed to drive his need to win. Spencer, Rainey, Lawson, Schwantz, Roberts, Duhamel, even Scott Russell will be remembered fondly - not Mladin. Aaron Yates? Don't get me started - his "apology" was pathetic. It is one thing to lose your head in the heat of the moment; it is another thing to not recognize your mistakes once things have cooled down.

PS: How would the Honda team respond to such antics?

Andrew Sohn
San Francisco, CA

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With all of the Yates and Mladin trash talk and postings, it was sure nice to see the email from Rick Shaw in the Reader Email of 3/9/-4.

This action on his part is way more interesting, and productive than all of the other crap talk put together. So typical how everyone's focus is on the bad, and not the good parts of racing. Rick is a class act. I give him two thumbs-up.

Jeff Wallace

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First of all, GREAT site... as usual!

Yates: Truly a disappointment. He was clearly at fault. Even if Fania had run a little wide, Yates knows that it was his job not to hit Fania as the overtaking rider... yet he went for it anyway and paid the price. The real issue here is the fact that Yates kicked, pushed and head-butted a freshly fallen rider... someone that could have already been injured. YATES IS THE PROFESSIONAL HERE, but instead he does his baby dance lashes out. A measly $25k fine is not the way to address the issue. Take away a competitor's right to race for a couple/few races and THAT is when they pay attention and think twice about their action. What respect I had for Yates is now gone.

Mladin: He is the Foggy of the AMA... except Foggy had more fans. :) I'm not saying that to dis Mladin. He is, by far, one of the most gifted riders the AMA has ever seen and I admire his work ethic, ability and how he likes to speak his mind. Mladin has been right in some of his complaints against the AMA and things of that nature, but I think the real issue with Mladin has more to do with his attitude and diplomacy towards the public in general. In a nutshell... it's not what he says, it's how he says it. He's a smart guy and I think he realizes this but simply doesn't care much for the finer points. If not, that's fine... just don't be surprised and wonder why you have a "tainted" image. In the past, I recall something about him saying that Americans must not like Australians. If that was the case, then how come Anthony Gobert STILL has a following... even after he seems to want to sabotage his own career. Just lighten up Matt...

Jeff Grant

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Mr. Yates, After issuing a so-called "apology" - sorry that it happened, sorry to the fans - it seems you have really missed the point here. You made a mistake, as you have done time and again, and you continue to refuse to accept responsibility for your actions. Frankly, it seems to me that what you really need is some professional counselling to deal with your blame issues - it seems every time you screw up, someone else is always to blame. As for Suzuki fining you $25000, that's great for a start, but realistically, isn't it up to the AMA to take disciplinary action? I think a multi-race suspension would be in order, especially given your past track record, and the slaps on the wrist you have received previously are obviously not getting the job done. Unless properly disciplined, your ridiculous behaviour is going to continue, tainting the sport and leaving other riders in jeopardy.

Come on Aaron, have the class to apologize to Fania, and if he is still considering pressing charges (as rumor has it), he might consider dropping them. If you're looking for a good role-model, how about taking notes on Troy Bayliss - this guy IS class. On the rare occasion where he goes down in a race, even if it involves someone taking him out, his immediate reply is always "that's racing", accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders and a grin.

Crashing is part of racing, no matter how badly you want to win, and I think you need to come to grips with the fact that this crash, like many others you've been in, is YOUR FAULT! You need help Aaron, and I think the AMA would be wise to force you to seek it professionally before you are allowed to continue racing. That's my 2 cents.

Adam Climie

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To me, the crash between Yates and Fania just happened to be an unfortunate racing incident. Of course it is Yates' duty to make sure he can make a safe pass, but also Fania must hold his line. Whether Fania held his line or not, is difficult to tell from the camera angles, but Yates making a safe pass obviously did not happen. Whether an apology should be issued for the on track incident isn't the matter, but what does need to happen, is Yates needs to personally and publicly apologize to Fania for his actions after the crash. In no way were his actions warranted or justified. For him to blanket an apology and say that emotions got the best of him is just plain childish. I understand that emotions can get the best of you, but when you are a top rider on a factory team you need to control your emotions a little more. Not only is it something that can cost him money or track time (through suspension) but it could also cost him future rides, and end his career as a factory ride. Until reading some of the other emails, I had forgotten about some of Yates' other actions of the past. In no way should any of those actions be acceptable for a top level rider, let along any one else. Yates may be a good rider (better than me), but he obviously doesn't know what it takes to be a champion. Yes he has won the supersport championship, but that still doesn't make him a champion. Champions handle themselves with much more class and dignity then he does. That is my vent on Yates.

Now for Mladin. Leave the guy alone, he's just the Barry Bonds of AMA Road Racing. He is a great racer, comes to do a job and doesn't want to be bothered while he does that job. But then again, if Mladin wants all the negative press to stop, then he should think about being more humble and more gracious. Otherwise, just leave him alone.

Michael Zahorski

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I was shocked and appalled at what I saw sitting in a restaurant watching the race on live TV.

Fania's father has stated it best; Racing 101: "When your passing somebody, it's your responsibility to make it clean..."

American Suzuki has already taken their stance. The AMA is not finished with him yet, and neither is Mr. Fania.

I wish ALL racers, no matter what form of racing they choose, would take the attitude Richard Petty used have after misfortune...Smile and say : "That's racing"!

Mike Johnson

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Every time I watch Aaron Yates race, I end up shaking my head in disbelief. Usually it's because of his riding style and not because of his temper.

I can certainly understand his anger and frustration with 2 consecutive DNF's at the 200, but just like in the "real world", you can't kick someone in the back and then head butt them every time you don't get your way at work and expect to get away with it, because lord knows I would be cleaning house at my job if I could get away with it. I have heard reports that the other rider was giving hand gestures (the bird etc.) to Aaron, but that does not give Aaron the right to attack the other rider.

As much as I love watching AMA racing, and as much as I respect the top level riders, it seems like there has been a trend over the past few years with riders acting like the privateers have no business being on the same race track with them. You hear comments about how the back markers are riding crazy and that some of them shouldn't be out there at all. It seems a lot of the factory riders forget that not everyone was born with their ability to do what they take for granted. The privateers want to win just as bad as anyone else, but they may not have the experience that the factory guys have, and that sometimes turns into "stupid" mistakes.

Anthony Fania may have been riding off of the racing line, but someone needs to remind Aaron that it is not the slower riders responsibility to get out of the way, it is Aarons responsibility to overtake him.

I hope the AMA doesn't suspend Aaron from racing, because watching him slide the bike around the race track is one of the best parts of watching racing on Sunday afternoons. I would be disappointed if I go to the Barber race and #20 isn't there sliding sideways out of every corner!

The AMA didn't hesitate to take points away from Kevin Windham in Supercross for ramming Vuillemin off the track, so that may be a better answer here for a more severe and deliberate infringement.

Thanks,

Matt Fletcher

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Ah, Double A does it again. Slight, E.Bostrom, etc. have felt the wrath the of idiotic riding by this man. When will Suzuki get a clue and get rid of him? Sure he can ride, but he is dangerous and a public relations nightmare. I look forward to the day he takes out Mladin with some ridiculous move. He won't have any teeth left after that.

By the way, the Superbike field has gotten ridiculously thin. I hope the racing becomes better at the smaller tracks because this race was DULL.

Mark Crosby

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Yates should have his AMA license yanked for at least the 2004 season, if not permanently. He alone was responsible for the crash, not Fania. Let's not forget that Fania was still on the ground when Yates first kicked him. Fania could have had serious injuries caused by the horrific crash, yet Yates still assaults him, risking further injury.

I was taken out in a Superbike crash at Willow Springs several years ago, which caused a disc in my back to rupture. If, while I was laying on the ground, a rider had walked over and kicked me, I could have suffered complete paralysis. Yates was out of control.

Yates has a legacy of unprofessional behavior, and it's time to impose severe penalties in an effort to end his childishness once and fore all.

Mel Blaney

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Yates, had an opportunity to handle this on his own after he had a chance to cool down but he didn't take it. The statements, and apologies he is issuing right now feel to me like they were written by someone else. They don't seem to represent how he really felt about, because time and time again he has made statements justifying his actions. The other rider was the cause, he was mouthing off to me, I didn't really kick him I was just going through the motions. Guess what Yates your actions come with consequences, and you need to face them if there aren't any then nothing will prevent other riders from finding this behavior acceptable.

Oh yeah, and for anyone that is supporting or feeling sorry for Yates think about something for a minute. They had just gotten up from a crash, what if unknowingly Fania had a back injury that just Yates "going through the motions" caused to become serious. Would you still be able to justify it then? Well if this type of behavior is tolerated in any way shape or form, it will lead to that. Let's face it immediately after a crash a rider never really knows what the extent of their injuries are, because they are still pumped up and don't feel them until later.

Yet another expressive person of their opinion of the Yates situation. Sorry Yates compassion is earned not given.

Dave Floyd

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I have raced both as an amateur and a professional on and off since

1971. I moved to Texas in 1996 and in 1998 won the WERA Sportsman Series South Central Region Heavyweight Twins Novice division. In the 70's I raced District 36 flat track and motocross and for a single season race AMA Class C as a novice. In all of this time and in each of these classes and clubs the responsibility for a clean pass has ALWAYS been on the overtaking rider. HOWEVER, the rider getting passed is also instructed to maintain your line during the pass.

If you look at the pass that Yates attempted Fania never even tries to make the turn. He feels/sees Yates and sits up this puts Yates in the position of running off the track, running into Fania or trying to continue the pass and hope for the best unfortunately Fania hits Yates near the swingarm pivot and they both go down. Yates looks like he chose the later or at least never decided on the first two choices. I can't see that Yates is responsible for the initial contact. As for Yates' action after the crash he is totally responsible for his actions. One thing to remember though is that this was 170 miles into a 200 mile race and BOTH riders are physically and mentally drained and are likely to make decisions that they wouldn't make while sitting in their dinning room having breakfast.

As for Yates' apology I agree with many other readers this isn't one. He is sorry that this has affected his career but not for the incident itself. He was wrong and should never have attacked Fania. This will and should be handled between Fania and Yates. If that requires legal action so be it.

Bryan Whitton

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Mr Yates is a repeat offender. What gives him the right to do this? He had no more or less right to that piece of road as we all know. It is his responsibility to make a clean pass. He would argue that Fania changed line. Not if you watch the TV feed. If he did make a minor correction the collision was still caused by Mr Yates doing his usual half out of control braking with little room for error. Most rides can do this but they also know the consequences. All this is just racing. But Mr Yates's actions after this should have him banned from races and Suzuki should be dropping someone like this from their quality company.

Being a father I can understand Fania's fathers statements, and if the sanctioning body does not protect all its riders from this type of behavior it is my opinion that this should go through the courts. One more thing Mr Yates who did you direct you apology to? You need to be apologizing to Fania. Suzuki's fine was also a joke.

Mr Yates welcome to the room of mirrors you need to spend some time in here!

Leigh Kiernan

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Aaron Yates' behavior was inexcusable. One would have expected that type of reaction from the gin-swilling Nascar drivers of the '60's, not of a racer from the "modern age". Motorcycle racing is finally enjoying acceptance by the mainstream media and public at large in a way it may never have before, and nonsense like Yates' set back our cause by 15 years. I was watching the race with a non-motorcycling friend and was so embarassed that I felt like apologizing to him for what he witnessed.

Jeremy Kinzl

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I have been a proud reader / subscriber to Soup since 97' and was proudly wearing my "Print is Dead" shirt Saturday at the 200 party I attended. You have a great site, keep up the good work.

I never have been a fan of contact sports. Football will put me to sleep with breath taking speed and I have never seen more than a few minutes of a basketball game. For the last several years, things have been changing in the world of motor sports. The fan base is growing. Athletes in motor sports have to be well behaved and good sports in order to make their sponsors and team look good, which in turn make the sport look good. Athletes in contact sports have sponsorships as well, but their paychecks from their team make their endorsements almost inconsequential.

I honestly believe motor sports following is getting larger because the general public is getting sick and tired of these glorified thugs being highlighted on the news for their actions "off the clock" rather than on the playing field.

What Aaron did was downright embarrassing to the sport and Suzuki. Worst of all, it was on national TV during the most prestigious and hyped AMA race on the schedule where I know of several people with were watching a motorcycle race for the first time. Speed has shown clips on other occasions where Aaron has run privateers off the track during practice and qualifying ultimately ending their weekend, not to mention the World Superbike episodes in the past.

His apology was a joke and sounded like a weak effort to cover his ass for his actions. I'm sure we haven't heard the end of this with Suzuki obviously upset and embarrassed enough to fine Aaron and the AMA brewing a press release as we speak.

I used to pull for Aaron (I grew up in middle Georgia after all) but the last couple of years I find him being the "Track Bully". Aggressive riding is one thing, but being a belligerent redneck is another. He obviously forgets his Suzuki Cup days, and that's too bad.

Jim George

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I don't like the sanctioning bodies penalizing legitimate aggressive racing, however Yates has went to far on this one. He has had one too many incidents, and is starting to show a trend. Like a child, sometimes discipline is needed to put things in perspective.

Rod Huckabay

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Saturday night, on a local news channel, I was excited to see that they showed some actual Daytona 200 highlights. The only problem was that it was of the Yates incident. We live in a country where baseball, basketball, football, etc. get all the attention, and I for one would like to see my favorite sport, motorcycle racing, start getting the coverage it deserves. With personable and fan friendly riders like Zemke, the Bostrum bros and Duhamel, we just don't need the attitudes and the actions of a few guys to taint this sport. I've always like Aaron, but I'm guessing that if Fania attacked him, that he would be banned from AMA Racing....

Marc Fisher

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Thanks for the opportunity to say what I've felt for a long time:

Where the hell is the AMA while all of this is going on? Suzuki at least has the decency to reprimand him for his very public and un-sportsmanlike actions. The AMA fines Mladin for making "improper statements" regarding the AMA, but turns a blind eye when Aaron Yates, on NATIONAL TV, pummels and humiliates ais a very talented rider, but I'm sick of his stupidity on the track. Htey Don't the fans, other riders and, at least, Mr. Fania deserve to be represented, too?

Time and time again they show themselves to be a sorry excuse for a group that supposedly promotes motorcyclists and the sport of motorcycle racing. They should change their name to the Apathetic Motorcycle Association, because they clearly don't care about anything except how much money they can squeeze out of fans and competitors alike

Bob Lilley

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Mladin
The man is a fearless competitor, and he chooses to use the 'I make no friends at the ractrack' approach to maintaining a focus on winning races and championships. He make no apologies for it, nor should he! It seems to work for him. However it is a double edged sword! Having that attitude you arent going to be the most popular guy with either the fans or the press. I missed Wind Tunnel last night but i imagine Despain had a response to Mladins comments about him in his column. Mladin needs to understand that he cant have it both ways. Every sport has its hero's and villains. He seems to self promote the villain part quite well. Bottom line: I respect the man to no end, I dont always like listening to him, but i dont watch racing to listen to the riders talk, I watch to see them do their riding do the talking!

Yates
Kind of a Jekyll and Hyde thing with him, isn't it? Very quiet and seemingly nice guy off the track, but on the track he seems to be prone to bonehead moves. The lying on the track at Virginia a few years ago was the main example till this past weekend. Clearly the accident was his fault, which is fine..it happens sometimes, and will continue to happen with the speed difference between leaders and lappers, but his actions were inexcusable. His 'apology' yesterday was anything but! Its a shame because there are few riders in the world who are more entertaining than yates, but this will not do his image any good. Suzuki fined him appropriately, hopefully the AMA will do the same. However I hope some sort of sanction will be levied against Mr. Fania for his inappropriate gesture as well.

Ken MArion

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Yikes! I think a couple of letters put it right. Yates continually denies blame for his actions that cause bodily harm and career travesty to his fellow riders - both the privateer and factory rider. Fania earned his spot in the race and although acted like a jerk with his gestures deserved his line on the track. Yates should be disciplined where it hurts; in the points not wallet. Since this was the first race of the year and Yates has not points, at least a few race suspension should be sanctioned. Like HAGA, Yates would be a scary rider to be going around the track with.

K Moore

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