Miguel Duhamel - forced retirement?

[russell_bynum]

Apparently, Miguel had a pretty violent crash yesterday at the AMA Test at Road Atlanta. His bike impacted the turn 12 wall and was completely destroyed. (Think about that next time the racers are complaining about unsafe tracks and people are calling them whiners.)

 

Duhamel was transported to the hospital with several fairly serious internal injuries including a perforated lung and lacerated liver.

 

Story (with updates as they become available) on Superbike Planet

[David]

In spite of the changes, that's a stupidly dangerous race track. Any of you who have ridden it know what I'm talking about on that turn (and a few others).

[russell_bynum]

Yep. There's very few tracks that are reasonably safe for today's superbikes.

 

Even with all the added runoff, Laguna's still got some very scary places.

 

Road America looks hideously dangerous in a few places. I haven't ridden there, but looking at it on TV gives me the willies.

 

Mid Ohio isn't safe to run in the rain...which is why Misti drove all the way down there, spent all that time/money in practice and qualifying, then they canceled the race.

 

Infineon's got some nasty spots.

 

California Speedway seemed not too bad, but I definitely wouldn't want to lose it coming out of the infield onto the banking...that could be a real bad deal.

 

Barber is pretty good, but there's still a few places where you can fall and find yourself in the wall at fairly high speed.

 

Miller looks really good, though.

 

As for Miguel, I hope he recovers and returns to racing. He's always seemed like kind of a jerk (I've never met him, so maybe that's just the impression I get from intervies and stuff), but there's few racers in AMA who I enjoy watching more than Miguel because he's such a fierce competitor. When it comes to racecraft, it would be tough to beat Miguel Duhamel.

[W. Mazelin]

I thought he might have hung up his leathers a couple of years ago when he broke his femur. I remember wathcing him walk to the starting areas with the help of a cane. He sure has grit! One heck of a racer; he even gave the VR-1000 a sporting chance of winning.

[David]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

I've never had that sense at all. He seems approachable, good for the sponsors, and humble. Mladin, now, that's another story.

[russell_bynum]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

I've never had that sense at all. He seems approachable, good for the sponsors, and humble. Mladin, now, that's another story.

 

Like I said...that's just the impression that I've got...not really based on anything solid.

[ghaverkamp]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

I've never had that sense at all. He seems approachable, good for the sponsors, and humble. Mladin, now, that's another story.

 

Yeah, my impression has been the opposite of Russell's. He's the rider I always hope they'll interview. First, he seems to have the best sense of humor of any of them. Second, he just seems to enjoy what he's doing more than most of them. Duhamel's who I'm always rooting for during the AMA races.

 

Listening to Mladin or Spies drone on and on some more about their Suzukis and how fast the other is racing is precisely the type of interview I have no interest in.

[russell_bynum]

Listening to Mladin or Spies drone on and on some more about their Suzukis and how fast the other is racing is precisely the type of interview I have no interest in.

 

For sure.

[ghaverkamp]

Like I said...that's just the impression that I've got...not really based on anything solid.

 

Just your xenophobia.

[russell_bynum]

Like I said...that's just the impression that I've got...not really based on anything solid.

 

Just your xenophobia.

 

 

Yeah. Damn Canadians!

[BFish]

duhamel is a classy guy. makes one wonder what they're planning for added safety at indy.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I only met Miguel once and he was just a kid. I was actually watching his father ice racing in the off season just for $hits and giggles, his, not mine. He has his father's drive and ambition for sure. The whole damn family just loves racing.

 

Hard to judge a guy's general character when he has his race face on. The level of focus required to ride like they do tends to make them seem aloof. It ain't so, you just need to catch them away from the track or long enough post race so yet another 3rd doesn't seem such a tragedy.

[StretchMark]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

He was nice enough to us in the pits to inspire my son James to put #17 on his dirt bike. The following year, James had a Duhamel sign at Barber and after winning the race, he stopped right in front of us a gave us a big 'ole burnout. We always root for him and the Honda boys!

 

Hope he heals fast! And yes that turn at Road Atlanta is very scary!

[russell_bynum]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

He was nice enough to us in the pits to inspire my son James to put #17 on his dirt bike. The following year, James had a Duhamel sign at Barber and after winning the race, he stopped right in front of us a gave us a big 'ole burnout. We always root for him and the Honda boys!

 

That's cool. I guess I just read him wrong.

[Tasker]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

He was nice enough to us in the pits to inspire my son James to put #17 on his dirt bike. The following year, James had a Duhamel sign at Barber and after winning the race, he stopped right in front of us a gave us a big 'ole burnout. We always root for him and the Honda boys!

 

That's cool. I guess I just read him wrong.

 

It's hard to love others when you don't love yourself.

 

[russell_bynum]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk.

 

He was nice enough to us in the pits to inspire my son James to put #17 on his dirt bike. The following year, James had a Duhamel sign at Barber and after winning the race, he stopped right in front of us a gave us a big 'ole burnout. We always root for him and the Honda boys!

 

That's cool. I guess I just read him wrong.

 

It's hard to love others when you don't love yourself.

 

 

[ncsonderman]

He's always seemed like kind of a jerk (I've never met him, so maybe that's just the impression I get from intervies and stuff), but there's few racers in AMA who I enjoy watching more than Miguel because he's such a fierce competitor. When it comes to racecraft, it would be tough to beat Miguel Duhamel.

 

I've met him a couple of times and he was great both times. I've still got an Ohio State hat that he signed for me at Pike's Peak along with Tom Kipp.

 

I remember Miguel making some very tough and ballsy passes on Road Atlanta over the years to take victory!

 

Best wishes to him!

[CoarsegoldKid]

If I could go half as fast as Duhamel I'd be happy.

Just last Saturday a buddy and I were talking about WSB and AMA superbike racing. We both cheered on Miguel, like we did his pop. Miguel is one heck of a decent fellow and excellent racer. I think he could put a step-through on the podium. Well maybe not. I maintained that Miguel was getting a bit old for this sport that he's so good in and the Hondas are not up to the factory Suzukis. Just to stay in view he and Zemke must ride'em like crazy. It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't return next year. Sorry to hear he crashed. Heal quickly amigo.

[gottago]

Gosh the thought of this just makes me sick. He and Zemke have always been our favorites. Hope he heals fast. AMA racing won't be the same without him. He seems like a great guy, just like his Dad. Used to watch him at Pocono raceway back in the 70's.

n