BEST OF JODY’S BOX: GRANNIES IN A 1976 BUICK ELECTRA & THE AMA

By Jody Weisel

Have you ever read the AMA Professional Rule Book? I suggest it for light reading and a good laugh. After thumbing through it, I always wonder if the AMA officials are reading the same book that I am. AMA rule enforcement is neither consistent nor guaranteed. It is embarrassing to know that the men in charge of enforcing the rules fairly and equitably are rarely fair or equitable. The AMA Nationals are rife with questionable calls, equally questionable non-calls and totally ignored potential calls. Being an AMA referee is a thankless job, as is being an umpire in the Major Leagues. In baseball, the lack of thanks comes from missing a call on a ball or strike, thumbing a base runner out who is shown as being safe by a mile on the stadium’s Jumbotron 15 seconds later, or blocking a throw to third base by being in the way. Referees, and AMA officials, live or die, not by their thousands of good calls, but by a handful of mistakes. And, as with any one who is given power without guidance, bad calls are often the result of being too chummy with the wrong people—wrong for impartiality, but great for post-race parties.

I AM NOT A SERIAL RULE BREAKER OR A SCOFFLAW BY TRADE, BUT IF EVERY RIDER IN FRONT OF ME CUTS A CORNER FOR THE FIRST THREE LAPS OF A MOTO (PULLING AWAY EACH TIME), I WILL CUT IT ON THE FOURTH LAP.

I’ve known good and bad race officials, some who were loved, like the fabulous Lightbrown Lancione in the 1970s, and some who only rated a sneer as they passed through the pits. I would take a penalty from an AMA official that I respected with nary a quibble the next time we met, but it’s hard to trust an AMA official whose motives you question.

I am not a serial rule breaker or a scofflaw by trade, but if every rider in front of me cuts a corner for the first three laps of a moto (pulling away each time), I will cut it on the fourth lap. If I get popped for it, that’s no different from traveling in a line of cars doing 80 mph on the freeway, but being the only one pulled over (largely because I was the last car in line when the cop was coming down the on-ramp). I will, of course, point out to the cop the error in citing me for an infraction while ignoring the guiltier guys in front of me. But, that is no defense, thus I get a $250 traffic ticket. The punishment’s purpose is to show me the error of my ways, but, in motocross, I’m not gonna let the riders in front of me cheat and pull away. And, by the same token, if you don’t drive 80 mph down the 15 Freeway, grannies in 1976 Buick Electra will give you the one-finger salute as they fly by.

Back in 1977, Lance Moorewood and I took a road trip to race the AMA 125 Nationals. At the St. Joe, Missouri round, Steve Wise gave me his fire extinguisher and asked me to spray him down late in the 90-degree moto. I planned to shoot some photos of the race out in the wooded part of the track, so I agreed. The fire extinguisher only had enough water in it for one rider, so I saved it until late in the race for Steve. Lance Moorewood didn’t really need water; he needed two relief riders and an oxygen tent.

Once I shot enough photos, I picked up the fire extinguisher and merrily sprayed Steve every time he came by (studiously avoiding hitting his goggles). Suddenly out of the woods came an AMA official. He informed me that under AMA Rule 2.11 (j) I was giving assistance to my rider outside of the designated signal area and that I better not spray my rider again or he would be disqualified. I didn’t want Steve to get DQ’ed because of me and, luckily, at that precise moment, Bob Hannah came down the straight. I held up one finger to show him his place and then sprayed him on the chest with my fire extinguisher. Of course, the AMA official turned and walked silently away. No one was going to disqualify Bob Hannah. He knew it, and I knew it. That was when I realized that AMA rule 2.11 (j) was not applied equally to every rider in the race. I just didn’t know that it never would be.

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