I just wanted to take a moment to let everyone know i have decided not to compete @ middleboro on 7/9/00. I have thought about this day and night for the last 5 days and awake every morning wondering what I should do.Most of the racing public understands i have several contracts that i am obligated to follow throughout the 2000 season.Generally speaking Am.Suzuki & F&S Suzuki mutually support 85% of my racing efforts.My contract states as follows "P.Barton will exclusively use said motorcycles as directed by Suzuki and shall enter races as team suzuki sports in all N.E.S.C. championship,regional events and local motocross racing events.The scheduling of said races for Barton is subject to final decision of suzuki.Barton's racing schedule is at the sole discretion of suzuki" I hope this clears up some of the contraversy as to why i would actually ride. Anyone who knows me as a person will agree that i promote and represent all of my sponsors in a positive manner.I feel all of my sponsors want me to race and would support me 100%.However,freindship and respect also mean a lot to me and I will stick with the majority this event only.I feel middleboro has been making a great effort to correct their track(Bill Dill has been there every day working on this)and I personally wanted to ride this weekend. I will race all the other middleboro events,a lot of family and freinds only go to this track because it is close to my house.Lets all try to come to a mutual agreement and start enjoying ourselves on Sunday again. Thanks to all my freinds and fans?? for defending me and your continued support. Don't forget motoross is my life! SEE YOU @ SOUTHWICK,LOVE PAT

-- BARTMAN (PBARTON@PEOPLEPC.COM), July 08, 2000

Answers

dude i dont race because of people like you.u have no right to race these events,you left with everyone that day .You have no right to race the rest of the year ....if you do your no better then Norman or the N.E.S.C.. Your statement is one of the most sad things I have ever read.I hope no one respects you or your career . P.s. FANS LOL:)))))))).I hope you were joking pat,if not its to bad that you care so little about the sport you just said you loved.

-- max candidus. exp811 (mxpro811@mediaone.net), July 08, 2000.

Pat.... I just e-mailed you a personal note. I didn't read that you are going to race the other Middleboro races. Please reconsider I just explained to my 12 year old that if these riders consider a track unsafe you are NOT riding there PERIOD. I explained that you love racing too and are taking a stand to elevate the sport in professionalism and safety, something that is going to benefit everyone and these GUYS are making a sacrafice for you kids. I also explained that money is NOT your issue. I explained that Norman offered you guys $2000 to race that day and the riders told him to put it into fixing the track. Joe also races with NEMA and he'll be riding somewhere else if NEMA continues to ride at Middleboro. His safety, well being and character are way more important to us than a race. As a parent, my worse fear is a serious injury; sending him out there for "points" would be a pretty sad ending if he ever got hurt there. Twice he's not raced because of unsafe track conditons and ya know what, when I have a 12 year old that can pass up a day of racing, and use his head and discern when and when not to ride I trust that you can. I was thinking of buying him two RM's but if Suzuki holds you to racing under the present circumstances that tells me they don't give a damn about YOU and you won't see YELLOW ever in our pit. If you ride, for whatever reason, I'll bring Joe over so you can explain it to him. I just put you on a damn pedestal about using good judgement, about life not being fair, when and why to take a stand, the unpleasant consequences you have to endure sometimes to right a wrong. They'll be a lot of races your friends and family will be able to go to as long as you are ABLE to race. Think some more on this will ya. Peggy Belmore

-- Peggy Belmore (pbelmore@ziplink.net), July 08, 2000.

CANDIDUS.....WHAT PART OF CONTRACT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ?????????? DID I DO THE WRONG THING AND NOT RACE??? MY TYPING SKILLS ARE VERY LIMITED SO POSSIBLY I EXPLAINED WRONG. IS THERE REALLY A NEED TO BASH.LETS WAIT TO SEE THE OUTCOME FOR FUTURE MIDDLEBOROS BEFORE YOU GO ON ASSUMING THINGS.ALSO READ OTHER POSTING ABOUT PAT BARTON AND YOU WILL SEE I HAVE PEOPLE BEHIND ME WITHOUT EVEN ASKING.......CHILL OUT TILL THIS WHOLE SUBJECT BECOMES A RIVALRY AMONG THE WRONG PEOPLE

-- BARTMAN (PBARTON@PEOPLEPC.COM), July 09, 2000.

Pat, I'm glad to hear that your not racing this weekend. But if it comes down to it and you have to race because of your contract, I'm sure your true friends will understand. Sometimes we all have to do things we don't want to. If things are resolved today, maybe Suziki will let you race New York and other races.? Your friend Tom #92

-- Thomas Miozzi (MiozziPaving@aol.com), July 09, 2000.

That should read, if things are NOT resolved today maybe Suzuki will let you race somewhere else...

Tom

-- Thomas Miozzi (MiozziPaving@aol.com), July 09, 2000.

i defenitly agree about Candidus shilling the hell out...yea you are all about suporting stuff when its about you AND WHAT YOU WANT!!! But when someone else has an issue that doesnt revolve around you and what you are doing... **WHINE WHINE WHINE**!people out there have obligations and contracts and everything else to worry about!

-- MatthewL (RaZeeMx970@aol.com), July 09, 2000.

i defenitly agree about Candidus chilling the hell out...yea you are all about suporting stuff when its about you AND WHAT YOU WANT!!! But when someone else has an issue that doesnt revolve around you and what you are doing... **WHINE WHINE WHINE**!people out there have obligations and contracts and everything else to worry about!

-- MatthewL (RaZeeMx970@aol.com), July 09, 2000.

matt, you have to look at their side... they have been racing for alot longer than any of us... and they just want to get better tracks around here... if u went to like any other state and went riding there u would be like OH MY GOD these tracks are soo hard...then u come here and say WOW these tracks really suck ! cuz they do ! motocross is suposed to be a challenge..not something that u can just go and be like " OH PEICE OF CAKE " like lets take middleboro for an example.. : i've been going there for 4 years..maybe not racing but i go there.. and it has been the same since then .. and thats only 4 years..imagine what they have been through ! same old LAME track.. so i say everyone should just stick together on this and just unite as one..not a hundred.. if we all went our seperate ways whats that going to accomplish ? absolutly nothing ! but if we all stick together and work as one. we would accomplish something.. see ya at the races sometime ?

-- jenn 520 (mxchik520@aol.com), July 09, 2000.

Pat, wow!!!! I have never heard anyone say anything bad about you ever!!! You really seem to be pissing people off and all because you want to race your motorcycle and keep the people that help you out happy. I was not at the event so I'm not going to bash Middelboro or anyone who was invloved. I have not raced at Capeway in about two years but everytime a buddy goes they always say it sucked. I used to love to go to that track years ago. It's really a shame that it has gone downhill. You need to do what is good for you and your sponsors but remember this. Everyone and I mean everyone no matter if they admit it or not look up to the experts or look to the experts for good judgement. When an expert steps out of line everyone know about it. When an expert has something to say everone listens to it and when an expert makes a decision most people follow it. I hope that if you do decide to race the upcoming events at Middleboro you are not bashed about it. I hope that everyone can get togheter and work this problem out. REMEMBER...We all started doing this because it was fun, Let's try to make it fun again......mike

-- m.corazzo (mpcorazzo@snet.net), July 10, 2000.

JUST A COUPLE THOUGHTS, GREAT IDEA TO PUT N.E.R.C. TOGETHER, SAFER RIDING CONDITIONS, BETTER PAYOUTS,MORE COMPETITION,SPECTATORS,A TRUE WIN ,WIN FOR THE SPORT OF MOTOCROSS, BRINGING THE TALENT TOGETHER WITH MANAGMENT. I ASK, WHAT IS N.E.R.C. DOING RIGHT NOW WITH THE MIDDLEBORO SITUATION ? IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE THAT IS SITTING DOWN RIGHT NOW AT A DINNER MEETING AND BANGING THIS SITUATION OUT TO A RESOLVE ? LIFTING BANS, IMPROVING UPON THE ORIGINAL PROBLEMS WITH TRACK LAYOUT AND CONDITIONS AND SIMPLY MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE A BUNCH OF RENEGADE BIKERS. HEY PRO RIDERS, YOU ARE THE GATE, THE ATTRACTION, WHAT BRINGS THE SPECTATORS IN, WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL TRACKS IN NEW ENGLAND, I TRULY BELEIVE MIDDLEBORO IS HERE TO STAY, SO N.E.R.C. WORK IT OUT,NEGOTIATE, BARGAIN WHATEVER IT TAKES. HAS THERE BEEN A HONEST 100 % ATTEMPT ? I AM SIMPLY ASKING BECAUSE I DONT KNOW. BUT I FIND IT HARD TO BELEIVE THAT BOTH SIDES ARE AT THIS EXTREME OF A STAND STILL !!

-- JIM MAHAN (JIMSHADYMA@AOL.COM), July 11, 2000.

two cents: If you go to district 34 you will see that the experts get exactly what the rest of the racers get. No special treatment.And I think some of there guys are real fast. Plus the tracks get real dangerous when they water them (like grease). I have just as much respect for a novice who gets first place as an expert. epecially if they are not STAR STRUCK groupie like. Like if told to hold a pro's bike say's something like lean it agianst a tree I'm not your #itch. Thats cool. This is sounding a lot like angry union members who make 30 $ a hr to assemble parts and are pissed about it.

-- clint (w1eyeski@yahoo.com), July 11, 2000.

CLINT,

-- JIM MAHAN (JIMSHADY@AOL.COM), July 11, 2000.

CLINT, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AN ANGRY UNION MEMBER TRYING TO GET THERE FAIR "SHAKE" IF THEY PRESENT THERE STAND IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER AND LISTEN TO THE POINTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE "FENCE". ITS THE IDIOTS LIKE YOU WHO SIMPLY THINK " LOOK AT THE STINK THE PROS ARE MAKING, I BET THEY JUST WANT A BIGGER PAYOUT " WE CAN ALL DO WITHOUT THAT KIND OF "MOUTH BREATHER" MENTALITY.

-- JIM MAHAN (JIMSHADY@AOL.COM), July 11, 2000.

000h. Ok I see your side now. Just please don't call me anymore names. It makes me feel so bad and you look smart and your point much more concrete.

-- clint (w1eyeski@yahoo.com), July 11, 2000.