The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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OBRA and Oregon do plenty for world’s-bound ’crossers
Editor:
As a member of the Cross Crusade's board of directors, I can explain what Oregon's largest cyclo-cross series has done to support racers going to the world championships this year and in previous years (See Monday’s Mailbag: Is OBRA kicking in for Oregon ’crossers?").

Over the past five or so years, the Cross Crusade has given more than $5000 in cash to help Oregon ’cross racers defray some of the costs they incur by attending the world championship. We have also given more than $2000 cash to racers based outside Oregon to help them attend the race. I know that the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association has also donated money to help local racers attend.

The only reason that the Cross Crusade could afford to donate that money is because of the support we get from OBRA. OBRA provides all the equipment, officials, and membership that we need to put on our races. The Cross Crusade does not have huge corporate cash sponsors. We are run by a volunteer board, and funds come from the racers that do our races.

Just like last year, OBRA members are donating money to help our local world-championship qualifiers, since each of them will probably have to come up with something like $2000 out of their own pockets to represent the United States at the world championships.

I know we have not done enough, but we are doing as much as we can.

Jon Myers
Portland, Oregon

NASCAR-style cycling might just work
Editor:
In response to Brian Jones' letter stating that cycling could learn something from NASCAR (See Monday’s Mailbag: "Grand tours could learn something from NASCAR"), you wrote:

Funny, we always thought that NASCAR's popularity had more to do with being able to watch it in a stadium, sitting down within reach of a cooler.

You meant this as a joke, but I have been thinking for a while that for cycling to be a success here in the United States, some major format change needs to take place. I am not a NASCAR fan, but you cannot deny its amazing popularity and growth over the last several years (I myself prefer F-1, but look at what sells here).

Perhaps we need a NASCAR version of cycling with the following elements:

A short criterium course so fans can watch the entire race, instead of just watching it pass. A tour of several major cities, each a separate race with its own podium but with a points system that accrues over the course of the season (like pro golf or NASCAR). Stadium seating. Sitting and watching bicycle races is popular in Europe (think about velodrome racing). And what about the Athens nighttime criterium? It is a very popular format. I foresee races taking place in the heart of downtown areas with some limited grandstands erected and a course of not more than a mile, with a fair number of turns and, where possible, some hills. This concept is just an extension of what has worked well here already (San Francisco, Athens, Trenton, etc.).

This format could draw a crowd and sponsors. The weakness in cycling is that a lot of it takes place where no one is there to watch it, out in the middle of nowhere. Yes, the pictures of the European countryside are pretty, but this format would bring people together to an event where sponsors have an audience — and where there are sponsors, there is money to fuel the sport.

So quit making jokes and start thinking about this sport. It could become something big here on our soil.

Doug Barnes
Houston, Texas

Anyone remember the Nabisco Mayors Cup Series or the National Cycling League? We're not jokin', we're just sayin'. — Editor

NASCAR is poor model for cycling
Editor:
As a cycling fan, and an auto racing fan, I strongly disagree with Brian Jones' letter stating that cycling could learn something from NASCAR.

While NASCAR's popularity has increased substantially, this is more due to the fact that NASCAR has diluted its sport to provide more entertainment and less sport. If the ProTour were run like NASCAR, we'd see the peloton constantly stopped mid-race for "safety" reasons, we'd see tighter courses and more riders to encourage crashes, and we'd see penalties to even out racers.

I refuse to believe that sinking to the lowest common denominator is the only way to increase appeal of a sport. A better lesson could be learned from the World Rally Championship. The WRC has gone from relative obscurity worldwide to a top-rated sport as the result of TV production crews that did a very good job of educating the spectator about the intricacies of rallying, without rule changes that dilute the sport. Enough OLN TDF segments on salt harvesting in France — show some aspects of modern bicycle technology and training to understand the amazing efforts of these riders.

Ray Truant
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Meanwhile, back at the racing . . .
Editor:
No matter who won as the Tour Down Under kicked off with the TDU Classic Criterium, it was great just to read about a race, click on the photos, read the results, and anticipate tomorrow's stage! Spring is on the way. (Did McEwen say he hit 75kph? Uh oh, my man Petacchi better be training.)

Nicholas Stevens
Roseland, New Jersey

Can we get an a-men? — Editor

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The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.