Ask Ping

Ping,

As someone who resides in AZ, and a former frequent rider at Pinal Air Park (before it destroyed me and my ability to walk), we have a monolith of a step-up which is referred to as “Ping’s Step-Up.” My sources tell me that there’s an old Thor, SMP, or Moto XXX vid floating around which is rumored to have you hitting said hit. Is this valid information? Did you in fact lay claim to that step-up back in the day when you were riding and residing in Phoenix? Just curious if I could validate the moniker of this widowmaker jump.
    Also, did your parts ever make it through customs? Curious if we might be able to see the return of Team Tornado on the national circuit this summer. DV12 was looking for a ride!
Flo

Dear Flo,
I was indeed a regular at Pinal while I was an Arizona resident. I just like to say Pinal, by the way. We shot a segment for Moto XXX down there and that step-up is, in fact, mine. I don’t remember it being that big, but I know that it did take a lot of shoveling to make it happen. There are a few other jumps that we made that are much crazier than that one, but I don’t know if they're there anymore. The sun is so mercilessly hot, it probably melted the dirt. I had to get out of AZ before I became one big melanoma.
    As for the Tornado, I still haven’t seen those parts. Maybe Vuillemin could have understood what they were saying on the phone.
PING

What would your pick be: Celine Dion, Neil Diamond, or Barry Manilow? Which concert would be the hottest?

Dear ?,
Okay, I figured I’d get an earful about taking my wife to a Celine Dion concert while I was in Vegas. But I’m going to tell you what I’ve told every other jerk that gave me a hard time: That bitch can sing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not a member of her fan club (at least not the official one), nor do I own one of her CDs (I’m an iPod kind of guy). I am simply saying that for a crazy French Canadian broad, she’s got some pipes. See, I’ve becomesomething of a vocal coach after watching the entire season of American Idol, and if I had to sum up Celine’s performance using one of Randy Jackson’s catch phrases, I would say, “Dog pound, we got a hot one right here!” I’d give her vocals a nine out of ten, but her dance moves score about a -15. She looked like Elaine from Seinfeld. I’m not a fan-ilow of Barry Manilow, but I would go see a Neil Diamond concert faster than you could say “Hello, Again.”
PING

Do you think you have more fans based on your career as a racer or a writer?
Jeff Stitzel. Hudson, OH

I have fans?
PING