Traction Control has been the buzzword in AMA Superbike for a couple of seasons, but the TC debate has gone to full boil in 2006. Anyone with ears and eyes can see certain factory Superbikes smoking the tire out of a corner, then emitting an audible "rat-a-tat-tat" in the next corner. And it's been witness in more than Superbike, too. It's often rumored in the paddock these days that one factory-supported "Superstock" team was told to leave their electronics gadgets at home after a race earlier this season. Repeat: a factory-supported Superstock team.

Whether you are for it or against it, the traction control issue in the AMA needs to be resolved. The current situation has resulted in a certain amount of chaos in the paddock.

SuperbikePlanet.com spoke with AMA Technical Manager Kevin Crowther at Infineon. We asked Crowther where things were with the Traction Control situation right now.

"As you know, there are several different philosophies as to what Traction Control is. We don't allow front-wheel speed sensors," said Crowther of the AMA's ban on independent Traction Control systems. "There are some different philosophies about engine management systems and what goes on there on the engine side of the house when things spin up."

It is the "black boxes"--the engine management systems--where all the dandy work is going on. And, since AMA rules only ban dedicated Traction Control systems and front-wheel speed sensors, that is the exact gray area that the factory teams seem to be trying to exploit. "Unfortunately, we have the same problem that World Superbike and everyone else has, and that is, there's no real way to police what goes on inside the boxes," said Crowther. "Our rules allow them to change things (in certain classes). You hear different things with motorcycles...is that Traction Control? Is that engine management? Is that acceleration management? Everyone can debate that all day long."

Controlling Traction Control

From everything we've heard at 'Soup, Traction Control doesn't make riding a Superbike any easier--just faster. It's hardly as if these guys are riding around with the throttles pegged the whole lap. TC is a tunable item, meaning the rider and team must possess the knowledge to make it actually work, much like those unobtainium forks that the factory Superbikes have. The elite can go quicker, but many riders post faster lap-times on Supersport bikes than on full-on Superbikes. It also goes against a rider's natural feeling to feather the throttle. At least one MotoGP rider has publicly stated the hard part is that your brain is making your right hand open the throttle while the seat of your pants is telling you, "No!"

The electronics of motorcycles and motorcycle racing have become much more refined over the past few years, and MotoGP lap-time breakthroughs have often been the result of electronics. There are several companies like Motec and Magneti-Marelli who are aligned with the MotoGP teams, and they offer third-party engine management systems with what could be termed "Traction Control capabilities" for sale. And aftermarket data-logging instruments (one of the key ingredients of Traction Control) are allowed in both Superbike and Formula Xtreme.

The bottom line is that advanced electronics are not much of a black art anymore.

Crowther continues: "Technology is moving forward so quickly. The rental cars everyone is driving this weekend have Traction Control. We're probably not that far off from an OEM bike coming with some type of (advanced) Traction Control engine management. The R6 has fly-by-wire, and that type of stuff. But again, it's the AMA's highest priority. My feelings when I took this job...we need to come up with an answer. Whether we allow it or not allow it, we can't stick our heads in the sand. Hopefully, within a couple of races, we'll have a policy and move forward."

At Infineon, there was a meeting held in which Traction Control was discussed among AMA personnel and the teams. 'Soup has spoken with several in attendance, and a wide variety of opinions were offered by those in attendance. Some want a strict ban, and others want it wide-open for all classes. Some want a middle ground where advanced electronics are allowed in some classes (like Superbike and FX), but not others (Supersport and Superstock).

Crowther said the problem is deciding on a rule that can actually be enforced. "I wish there was an easy answer. That's the only problem. I wish there was a definitive way for us to say 'we won't allow it and here's how we'll troubleshoot it.' In Formula One years ago, they hired a crew of 10 guys and put them in a semi, with the sole purpose of finding the driver enhancements. They spent a year and couldn't find anything."

What of the Superbike Commission meeting to be held in Italy in early June? Will that affect things? "I don't know if it will shape what we decide to do with Traction Control," said Crowther. "I understand that the meeting is to come to a united front, with Japan and World Superbike and the others, to come up with an overall package so the manufacturers won't have to make 15 different race kits for each series, they can make one. As far as Traction Control, I don't know if we will adapt to what they say. I don't know. We'll have to wait and see what happens," he said.

Crowther confirmed that a rumored rulebook update is, indeed, in the works. "It's not so much of revamping the classes. I don't want anyone to think that is what we are talking about with that. (The changes) would be more of a common-sense thing and get rid of the gray areas. We've already issued some bulletins this year on a few things. Overall, I think everyone can agree we need an organization of the rulebook."