Ping,
I've been reading "Ask Ping" and "Electronic Ping" for a few years, they are always an enjoyable read. I have a question for you, it's a long shot but I figured what the hell. I've been trying to get my hands on a Red Bull hat for the last few months with zero luck (I know Red Bull doesn't sell merchandise, hence the problem). You were team Mgr. for TLD Honda a few years ago, which is a Red Bull sponsored team. Is there any chance you have a Red Bull hat that you'd be willing to sell for a fair price? I can do a PayPal transfer including shipping cost if you're interested in letting one go. Either way, thanks for your time and keep up the good work. Take care.
Tim Hall
Tim,
So you are asking me to take product given to me by former employers and sell it to you? That seems completely inappropriate. The reason Red Bull doesn’t sell hats or other products with their logo on it is because they are very careful about what or who their logo is on. I wish I could help but this one is a no-go. If you are interested in other energy drink products I’m sure you’ll find a limitless supply of merchandise online, in stores and at your nearest black-market clothes vendor.
PING
Ping,
Now that the amateur championship at Loretta’s is over what do you think about the two-stroke sensation Jerry Robbin? As a two-stroke fan I wish we had more kids like this at the tracks these days.
Scotty B.
Scotty,
The Jerry Robin phenomenon confirms that there are still 2-stroke fans out there who love to see the old bikes on the track still. It’s a shame his relic went bang in practice but he still managed to pull through and do pretty well on a borrowed machine. I don’t know much about Jerry but any kid that is willing to work hard and ride whatever bike he can to be at the races is alright with me. If he decides to stick with a two-stroke next year I’ll be even more impressed. What do you say, Jerry? Bump it up to an ’86 CR250 for next season?
PING
Ping,
I know you’ve competed in the X Games before and reported on it and all that crap. What is the deal with these guys? I went down with my family to watch and while some of the stuff was cool it definitely wasn’t worth the cash I spent to go. They had long breaks and the track was totally small. I don’t know, kinda lame. And when did Hansen become a freestyle guy?
Petey, from HB
Petey,
The ESPN folks are totally focused on the television program, not the athletes or the fans attending the event. Everything revolves around the show. That means that as long as it makes good television they don’t care what you think. They don’t care if their athletes don’t like the way it is … they know they’ll come back because the money and exposure is so good. You’ve seen it in person so maybe next year just plop down on the couch, or at your favorite bar, and watch from a distance. That’s the best seat in the house anyway.
As far as Hanny goes, I’m not sure when he made the switch. He seemed poised to win a title and become a legit champion just a couple years ago. When he lost that title he seemed to spin out a little and now he is throwing whips and doing step-up for a living. The good news for Hanny is that his whips are 100 percent, completely insane. He deserved that gold medal for sure … fan votes or otherwise. Let’s just hope he puts some of these winnings in the bank.
PING
Have a question for Ping? Email him at ping@racerxonline.com.
