Trustee to vote for.......

[wardy]

Hey folks I don't often do this but I am asking anyone in the South east region of the country to be looking to vote in the next ama election. The vote will be for trustee in that region.
A highly recognized road racer name is running against an incumbent that I have worked with for over 5 years at ama and think he should remain on the board of trustees.

Carl Reynolds it the guy I would like you to vote for.

I am sure anyone in the south east region most likely knows of Carl and his contribution to motorcycling. I have seen this guy work at AMA during congress and seen how he has conducted himself.
He is a class act no question.

I personally live in the north central and can not vote in this election, but you will recieve a ballot in your American Motorcyclist magizine in the next month or so...........please vote for Carl if you would.\

one last point, many times these trustees on the ama board are voted there with LESS THEN 1000 votes!!! so your vote will be very very very! important. fill out the ballot and vote!

thanks
wardy

ps not sure if this is the correct forum hmc but if it isn't let me know.

 

[AJ Waggoner]

Wardy-
could you post the link showing the views of the "well known road racer"
that shows his interest in being an AMA trustee and why he may not be a good choice?

I agree Carl Reynolds certainly is the guy for the job!
He has done a fantastic job for years with the AMA.

I hope you all in the south east region will shuffle thru your AMA magazines for the ballot and vote.This is ONE election where one vote and yes YOUR vote will indeed decide who "runs" the AMA.
These trustee elections are by ballot from the magazine only from AMA members..they are noermally decided by a handful of votes ...less than 20 at times..
please read up on the candidates, choose ,and vote!

You cant imagine how much it counts and you have a real influence in future AMA policies by who you vote in.

 

[wardy]

bump

.

 

[FLBob]

Wardy - Your recommendation is good enough for me. I'll do it.

 

[wardy]

bump sorry but want to keep

this in the light a while longer!

thank you

 

[cedarchopper]

500GP Champion the true top level of our sport, along with a fine motocrosser and woods rider. He along with a current National Champion Jeff Nash and a magazine publisher and racer, John Ulrich are trying to make a change in the direction of the AMA! The split with Clear Communications, the huge loss of money in the Edmonson suit, increased fees from our membership to the costs of running events are a direct link to the current leadership! If you are satisfied with the direction the AMA is heading, you better get a Harley and hit the road cause the off road side is in serious question as fees to host events have nearly tripled in the last year! You think for yourself but, read the facts before we see the end of what we love! Maybe it is time for a change, at least it can't be any worse than it already is!

 

[wardy]

well looks like you have read all the prop....

I happen to be the part of that ama that is so "terrible". I work with them as a congress delegate. Have worked on many committee's and Know Carl personally. I currently am on a committee with Carl and others pertaining to National advancement system and new sign up procedures.
I think he has done a great job and in the many years that i have seen what he has done, I haven't seen the things that has been said buy the others being done by him.
I do think of course AMA needs to update and change like any business.

But if you think the split with cce/pace and ama is a total bad thing you need to research it a little. SInce that announcement CCE has made big headlines and big promises to increase purse and more for the riders..........do you think for a minute that would have happened with out the split announcement?

Clearly Ulrich and his boys have a BIG soapbox to yell from (his own magazine), I am telling you its very easy to stand there and yell how bad everything is and the terrible gloom and doom of the AMA. What is so dam frustrating is that there are a ton of people that bust there butts to do a great job with that AMA for the tracks, riders, etc. Little is heard about that or them. Ulrich has chastised everyone on the board and senior staff, his two followers basically are clones of his press releases. Just what AMA needs at this time is 3 guys coming in with their own agenda.
I said it above and I will say it again, Carl is a stand up guy who in my mind has done alot of work for the AMA. SO far all i have seen from these guys wanting to be trustees' is alot of mud slinging.

wardy

 

[cedarchopper]

I do not remember using the word "terrible" at all in my post. What I was stating is that make a decision on facts and the truth. The truth is that a Federal Court found that the AMA was wrong in their actions and behavior in dealing with Edmondson.That is FACT!

I have seen first hand an AMA Congressman both slander and libel the efforts of these individuals seeking election on other sites. That is Fact!

While I never questioned or attacked the efforts of Mr. Reynolds, you instead have attacked because without fact you must lash out to illustrate a point that cannot be supported with logic or evidence.

Facts are clear, membership fees increased, insurance for events increased, sanction fees increased! Those are reality. Not the spin you wish to place but the truth!

 

[cedarchopper]

As for the promises of ClearCommunications/Pace, I remember seeing alot of promises by the AMA that the lawsuit of Edmondson was being handled and it was nothing to concern the membership. Now how much did it cost the membership of the Association? Wonder how much dirt that could have secured!

 

[cedarchopper]

Sorry double posted!

 

[wardy]

i won't get into this

on a word to word basis. Your post strongly implied that ama wasn't headed or working well for its memebership. hence "terrible" was inserted.

here are some truths for ya,
bottom line maybe that lawsuit wasn't handled properly, and yes ama dues were increased at the same time. but you know ama fees were at the 29.00 price a long time. Sanction fees increased, you bet after.......... ten years.

insurance increase's???????........ you can't honestly tell me that you think that was AMA 's fault???? The insurance for amatuer MX events hadn't change in TEN YEARS! but yet all of a sudden its the AMA's fault? You talk of facts, better look at that one again. Its pretty simple, the economy as a whole dropped. hmmm did your car insurance stay at 1992 prices?

Lash out? I have read the agenda of the 3 "white knights" who are going to come in and save the day? Like i said before its easy to sit back and critize all the things they have. But there is alot more to AMA then what they seem to feel in thier own statments are important to talk about.

All i am saying is I know Carl, I also know how he works. I think he is the guy to stay in that job.

In my humble opinion the whole pro deptment, cce, jam, pace, sx, npg and the rest can go play there big money, power games elswhere. They never have worked with the amatuer deptment worth a darn and all you have to do is look at the Pro-AM -sport stuff to see that. There isn't enough memory on this site for me to type how i feel about that issue! 95% of all the screwups in management of AMA in my mind isn't coming from the amatuer side. I get very tired of defending AMA as a whole when it truely is the pro side that seems to fight continually.

I have seen this type of stuff in AMA for a long time and any organization has it, but from a person who does a job and trys to be a positive influence in the fight to make things better, I will get real defensive towards people who in my opinion don't share what i feel is important to our sport.

I don't have time to read any other boards, as it were this board is the one I choose to help and be a part of..kinda like the ama...... but if other congressman are doing what you say they are they shouldn't. period. it don't help the situation.

I guess it comes down to this in a way, i know that there are things in committees, and progress is being made on all kinds of issues (amatuer side), and I really after 3-4 years of work hate to see that lost due to this election.
the people in place to help with a whole process that has started, are valuable and hopefully that don't change.

one thing for sure hopefully the membership in these regions will or are paying attention so they can make an informed vote.

I think this kinda applys here, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, for that matter people wishing to move into that house shouldn't be throwing stones either. it usually ends with the same result.

:think
wardy

 

[cedarchopper]

Waedy, here is my private email, cedarchopper16@aol.com. Provide me a means to contact Mr. Reynolds and then if what you say is true maybe he can help. If so, then he is the man we need!

I do not want him to just agree, but, hear the facts, the truth and make his own mind up! That is something we cannot get at the AMA!

I beg you to prove me wrong! I honestly want you to, show me that our impressions are not true!

I am concerned over riders having their rights and actual investment taken from them and placed into the pockets of a few who have soured many here in Texas on the AMA. So if you can, get Mr. Reynolds to stand up!

 

[cedarchopper]

Wardy, I just wanted to remain a man of my word! Mr. Reynolds contacted me and I will contact him tomorrow . I just hate that he is running against fellow transplanted Texan Kevin Schwantz. It is a shame because the sport could use both men for the future. But thank God I do not have to select between the two. Both are very special men who care!

I would also like to thank you for have passion. A passion that is equal to mine. If we were closer than we would have many heated but fun talks I'm sure!

Just thanks and that if I can ever help, please contact me! You are very honest and have my respect! Also a very worthy sparring partner! At least I know others do care! Keep up the fight and Thanks!

 

[VintageDirt]

Time for a Change?

I too was thinking that getting some young blood (no pun intended) into the AMA would be a good thing.

Wardy has very perceptively pointed out that the “Professional” and “Amateur” sides of the AMA are, indeed, completely separated from each other. And, the big problems within the AMA are mostly due to greed, power, and money on the Professional side. I do however agree that the AMA has truly botched several important endeavors. In a few very important instances they have not proven that they are on the side of the professional racer, air fence being the most prominent.

It would be very easy for me to vote for Kevin Schwantz. I want to believe that he could make some good changes. Fact is I was fully prepared to cast my vote for change. Then when I read the candidate’s statements, I was no longer impressed.

If Kevin Schwantz, Jeff Nash, and John Ulrich are so gung ho for change why is it that they couldn’t take the time to write individual statements? All three used the identical words, and therefore, lost my vote.

Or at least John Ulrich lost my vote since he is in the Southwest region. Couldn't have voted for Kevin Schwantz, but you know what I meant. Right?

 

[wardy]

I hoped i wasn't the only one to see that......

when i read their stuff. My opinion is that its very cool that they or sombody picked up the ball on the air fence when Ama either didn't or decided to wait and see. I think ama has made mistakes in fact that law suit was a real big one. But I also have seen that AMA has bent over backwards to work with promotors only to get back doored hard also. it some times isn't pretty out there in the real world! But ya know my main concern was with the trustee that I know, and have worked with. and hope to finish what we are started on at this point! Not to mention I guess its clear that i trust and believe this guy is true.

The air fence is a great thing for the motorcycle racer, but ya know there is a lot more to it then that. Some people get impatiant with the process that AMA uses, but I have seen rules and things be placed on the books only to be a BIG problem 3 months down the road because it was rushed.
So there are all sides to it, I just hope to be part of the solution.


wardy

just to put it to rest also we are working on a national advancement system, magnetic striped cards for faster and better sign process's. Also electronic signatures and data storage to eliminate all the paper. There is a task force working on this now since congress. Our hope is to have this in place by 03-04? We are going to utilize some of that system here in D-17 this season to run it through the ringer so to speak.
Once I get permission from the insurance company I plan to utilize a electronic signature process at my riding park to see if that will hold up to long and multiple uses.
Oh and no I am not getting a dime out of this just trying to make my job easier and mainly my wifes paperwork alot less time consuming! Cause if the wife is happy, then i get to ride more!@ LOL.

 

[Hogwylde]

What's this Edmonson lawsuit that keeps getting referred to??? anyone have any links to some info on what it's about??

 

[VintageDirt]

here are a few...
http://www.dixierider.com/pastissues/september2001/ama lawsuit.htm
http://www.ama-cycle.org/releases/a01008.html
http://venus.13x.com/roadracingworld/scripts/NewsInsert.asp?insert=1593
http://www.amasuperbike.com/990129c.htm
http://www.partsmag.com/offroad_vol8_issue3/news_events_8_3/news_events_8_3.html
http://www.roadracingworld.com/issues/feb99/roger.htm

 

[AJ Waggoner]

Something that often comes up and the vast majority of AMA members and particularly non-members dont realize:

an AMA membership card-
is to the American Motorcyclist Association-
a national non profit organization dedicated to the overall sport of motorcycling and its membership.All it districts are run by volunteers.
all the congreesman that guide the direction are volunteers.Most of the trustees are former congressman or District officers, and are elected by the general AMA membership for each region.Keep in mind none of these individuals are paid for thier time, they do this for a love of the sport and to try and "give something back " to the sport they enjoy.

AMA pro racing - a for profit promoting group that has had several names, Paradama etc..It is run by a paid staff.
and while attached at the hip to the AMA -
its goal is to promote national professional race series - for profit.
This requires it to be a seperate entity , even by tax laws.
Unfortunantly ..its "mistakes" with a 12 or 16 race Professional series,
since it is in the extreem limelight of the press , can give the whole organization a black eye and jade many people to the fact that thousands of events are run well each season on the amateur side.And those are the events the vast majority of the membership participates in and the AMA is dedicated to.
Also most dont realize that the guiding forces as well as politics of the media and other promoting groups behind AMAPro Racings motives for the direction they operate ,
has little to do with the much larger amateur side of the AMA that you are likely a member of.

 

[AJ Waggoner]

quote by cedarchopper- If you are satisfied with the direction the AMA is heading, you better get a Harley and hit the road cause the off road side is in serious question as fees to host events have nearly tripled in the last year! You think for yourself but, read the facts before we see the end of what we love! Maybe it is time for a change, at least it can't be any worse than it already is!

I'd just like to address the "fact" that off road event fees have nearly tripled in the last year?

Last year mx event $440 for insurance and approx $60 AMA santion fee.
This year mx event $730 for insurance and approx $75 AMA sanction fee

Different diciplines of the sport were hit with varying increases in insurance premiums but
I think its clear where the big increases are,insurance
As wardy stated those rates had not changed in ten years and the MAIN company that did the mx insurance , George Knight , simply merged with an insurance company that does not want to insure off road events period.
So *poof* that less expensive avenue to insure is gone.

For the record its over $700 to insure an event , with the same liability coverage,wether you are AMA ,outlaw, NMA , NESC or whoever.
There are only a handful of insurance companies willing to insure an event in 02.

My point is simply to clear up "facts" on increases..

While Kevin, and the others, may indeed be a good candidates for trustee...
There is no single person that could have made any difference in the insurance rate increase -
and i think its extreemly unfair to the incumbent trustees to insinuate the rising costs of putting on off road events was the fault of thier "poor" guidence.They have instituted event policies and proper paperwork procedure that helped keep the insurance rates very low for many many years.

The FACT is..as long as we live in a "liabilty society" and the laws dont change to make people take personal responsibility for thier own actions-

You may not be able to ride off road events ,
or even your Harley,that much longer.:think

Get informed on the candidates and issues and vote in this AMA trustee election--
but more importantly for motorcycling -
VOTE in your local , state and national elections for some sanity
in our leaders of goverment and legislature.

AJ Waggoner
AMA D17 President
AMA Congressman

 

[wardy]

bump :think

 

[VintageDirt]

RacerX has reported that Nash, Schwantz, and Ulrich have been elected.

 

[wardy]

yep it looks that way

course i was shown this today.........it was posted by ulrich on a flat track board....


Man, I sure wish they'd notify the candidates before it shows up on a website! And I sure hope you're right! So far all I've gotten when I've asked repeatedly about the results is a bunch of stalling, which I see as typical.

If this is true, if I have won, the first thing I'm gonna do is get a john.ulrich@ama-cycle.org e-mail address and invite all members to personally contact me with:

A. Details of any problems they've had with the AMA, included names of AMA staffers involved (if known);

B. What problems they have that the AMA could and should help them with;

C. What is the first thing they would do if they had just been elected a Trustee.

In other words, how can I help them and in the process make AMA better and more responsive to member needs and problems.

As Don Potter always puts on his posts, God Bless America!

And I hope I did win!

John Ulrich



now i don't know about anyone here, but one thing i do know. Lets start a new position asking for "dirt" on anyone in the organizaiton and then lets ride in on our white horse and save the day.......going to be interesting to see how this goes.

wardy

 

[VintageDirt]

It would seem to me, that if you open up a complaint/dirt department, then complaints and dirt are pretty much all you're gonna get.

I sure hope these three new guys (or one new guy with three votes:think) don't rush in with a totally antagonistic attitude and tear down the AMA. I'll become a life memeber in a few years.:)

 

[MikeT]

Election Results
South Central region 4 (AMA Districts 18, 19, 20, 21, 41, & 42)
Jeff Nash 619 votes
Ron Widman (incumbent) 232 votes

Southeast region 2 (AMA Districts 8, 9, 10, 13, 29, 32, 43, & 44)
Carl Reynolds (incumbent) 331 votes
Kevin Schwantz 1,190 votes

Southwest region 6 (AMA Districts 25, 26, 31, 35, 37, 38, 39, & 45)
Ellis Robertson (incumbent) 197 votes
John Ulrich 894 votes

© 2002, American Motorcyclist Association


Something must have been going on.... All the incumbents lost...

 

[wardy]

thats and easy thing to see

what was going on was a very popular magazine and web site which has blasted AMA for better part of a year, and all or most all of its people. Against 3 incumbent trustees ( trustee's are volunteers) without those types of avenues to run an election by, sure something is going to happen. Then as you see above, the first order of business is to come in on our white horse and save the day.......well lets see what happens.

I do know one thing when your the loudest in the room and get all the attention, it is time to perform.
There are going to be alot of people interested now on the new way, and how much better it will be..............


its going to be interesting.

wardy

ps look at the election results above, did people get voted in because they have proven themselves to work in that type of atmosphere, or simple name recognition. Numbers above plainly show that.
hey! vintagedirt, they probably will do just that, BUT they will find out i will suspect real fast that things are not as bad as it seems. Furthermore if they do disrupt things a bunch, and cause alot of problems then they will be doing Exactly what they have complained about. guess it easy to sit in the room and complain, now they are at the head table, now they have to perform, lets watch and see.......