It's hard to know where to start when TV coverage and the AMA's thoroughly FUBAR'd rules for this year enter into a discussion. I agree that the Superstock class ought to get full coverage--wasn't that the class that had five riders go across the finish line less than a tenth of a second apart at Daytona? And SPEED, in all of their wisdom will give full coverage to Formula Xtreme--wasn't that the class that has hopped up 600cc bikes on slicks going slower than the 600 Supersport class? Jeeeez.....
The real blame for this insane scenario is how the AMA has so miserably screwed up the classes and rules this year. You'd think after 50 years of racing, they'd get it right. Fat chance. Last year's Formula Xtreme worked pretty well. This year we have 600cc superbike spec bikes that are going slower than the Supersport class. Honda put their factory riders in it because they couldn't compete in the legitimate 600 Supersport class.
In the Superbike class, we have Suzuki, Honda, and Ducati factory efforts, while Kawasaki & Yamaha put their factory riders in the Superstock class. The net result is the racing public gets cheated out of the best factories going head-to-head to determine a championship. This really sucks. While Mat may whine about it, the fact of the matter is that the Superstock bikes perform within a knat's derriere of a Superbike costing tens of thousands more. The future seems to be with the Superstock class in this regard. The 600 Supersport class still offers some of the best racing in the world, no change here except being allowed to run slicks as the Superstock guys do.
As for other classes, maybe bring back the 250cc class (gotta be better than the totally lame Formula Xtreme class). I'd also like to see a 1000cc & 600cc Superstock/Supersport class, on DOT tires, without factory riders to highlight the up and coming young guns. That was the original concept of the 600 & 750cc Supersport classes until the factories jumped in. To me, that sounds like a pretty good line-up. If another class was needed, perhaps a Formula Extreme (somewhat like the original Formula USA class) where it is truly a "run-what-ya-brung" unlimited class, as long as the model is available for sale in this country, that any Pro licensed rider could compete in.
Not that the AMA will listen to us, what do you folks think the class structure for AMA Roadracing should be? Cheers, Jack