Take the glitz of Vegas, the propped confidence of modern China, and the margin of error of the Isle of Man and place in a centrifuge. The result is the Macau Grand Prix. Three point eight miles of road course. Where the Isle of Man is expansive in its distance and speed, Macau condenses the experience down to a track that is a tenth of the size, but only seven meters wide in some spots. Make a mistake, meet the Armco. There is no runoff, there is no second chance. It is gladiatorial and glamorous. And Brandon Cretu is one pilot who takes the challenge every year. Racing as a job exists in rarefied air, needing huge sums of time, money, and talent. And then more money. Cretu, and many road racers skew this stereotype, taking on some of the most dangerous courses in the world without necessarily riding since before they could walk. And without the family war chests. Cretu, like many of us, started on the street with more horsepower than riding experience, and started road racing when he was 21 with the help from his friend Aaron Brown. Early success would lead to more racing, but a car accident and some time off would steer his sights elsewhere. From his hospital bed and rehab, YouTube would give him his first taste of the Isle of Man, and he was hooked. This would lead into Macau. Explained Cretu: “I hadn’t known about Macau until I did my first TT in 2010. I would say it was a bit like the TT for me though. I saw it and I knew I just had to do it...like it was my calling. As corny as it sounds, that’s the only way I can explain it. Macau had a different allure than the TT or other international road races because it is so unique. There are no other street circuits like it for motorbikes, and it is a massive international event that features both cars and bikes.” 
Want to know more? Here’s an inside look on the best roadracing event no one is talking about. Cycle World: Let’s start with dessert: What’s your favorite part of the track? Brandon Cretu: “My favorite part of the Guia Circuit is definitely the “mountain” area. It is super tight and twisty, kind of reminds me of your favorite country back road...except in a city! This is also the area of the track that I can gain the most time on so I always work on it every year.” CW: Least favorite part of the race? BC: “Racing at Macau is dangerous; there is no doubt about that. With that said, the start of the race is probably my least favorite. Thirty-two riders are fighting for the same real estate as we head into the first two fast kinks (fourth and fifth gear) before the first “real” turn at Lisboa. Luckily, many of the same riders go to Macau every year and I've been riding with them for a while, so there is a high degree of trust.” CW: What does it take to run fast? What kind of bike setup is ideal? BC: “Ideally, you want a bike that is very fast, very stable on the brakes, and flicks really well in the tight stuff. However, the rulebook is wide open so the caliber of bike is very high; you could even run a MotoGP bike there if you wanted. I am really excited to ride the Bimota BB3 there this year as I think it has the perfect package of power and “flickability” through the tight stuff. 
“The Bimota BB3 I will be riding at Macau this year is a great bike and very different from the big twin I rode at Macau the past two years (EBR 1190RS). The chassis is very stiff, which contributes to very good feel in the front and back. Couple that with the BMW S1000RR engine that the Bimota BB3 utilizes and you have quite the weapon. There is no question as to why Bimota did so well with the bike during their short stint in WSBK. “But getting to Macau can be half the battle. On a map, it is 8,101 miles away from Pennsylvania. Splitlath Racing, the team, is based in England. These moving pieces must play a mile-high dance to transport, arrive, prep, and race in a span of three days, traversing both international and cultural lines. “There are no trackside vendors or parts shops in Macau. There is no popping down to the dealer if you misplace key components. This becomes especially more important when riding something bespoke like the Bimota.” CW: But what about that stereotypical roadracing seriousness? Are you a bat out of hell on the bike, or a methodical thinker? Do you approach the race differently than other racers, or are all roadracers similar in a certain mindset? BC: “Everyone that races at the TT and especially Macau, are a pretty tight-knit group that gets along quite well. I definitely go into races like Macau with goals in mind and I want to do as well as I possibly can. With that said, I also treat a real road course with the respect it deserves and always ride with a bit of reserve as mistakes can be painful...as I have unfortunately learned! “Everyone thinks real roadracers are crazy adrenaline junkies, which is really pretty far from the truth. Real roadracing is a thinking man’s sport. I think most people are surprised when they speak with us and get to know us at how much that rings true.” 
CW: How do you learn a track, and really push on one where the margin of error is less? BC: “When I first started racing on the roads, I played a video game to help me learn the courses. It was on Playstation 2, a game called TT Superbikes. The course layouts were pretty spot-on but obviously not the most realistic in certain areas. After that I would watch hours of onboards while riding a trainer at home. “Your first time on a course, though, that pretty much all flies out the window as the experience overwhelms the senses, but after a few laps all the studying pays off and things start to click. “As far as pushing the limits on a real road course, I have found it is just a matter of finding your personal limits as a rider and then toning it back a little bit for the roads to keep a margin of error available. Riding on the roads has probably made me a slower rider on normal short circuits where you are pushing at 95 percent or harder all of the time as my mind is almost permanently stuck in the real road riding mentality of keeping some more in reserve.” CW: Can you give some behind the scenes info on the process of getting and retaining sponsors? BC: “Without a doubt the hardest part of racing. Racing is obviously an expensive sport and without sponsors, we wouldn't be able to get out there and do it. The key to getting sponsors is to always be networking and meeting people as you never know when the opportunity will come along to present a sponsorship proposal to an individual or company. It is a combination of luck and preparedness for sure. The important thing at the end is to always ask for sponsorship...it’s just like closing a sale, if you don’t ask for the sale then you’ll almost certainly never get it. “As far as retaining sponsors, it is important to show them that you appreciate their support. I always thank my sponsors personally and through social media, which really goes a long way. It would surprise you how many people don’t do simple things like just say thank you. I also send some of my long-term sponsors mementos as thanks for their support. HEL Performance, for example, has been with me since my TT debut. They have some of my old leathers and helmets from over the years and I even gave the owner one of my TT finishers medals.” 
CW: What would it take to replicate the Macau Grand Prix in the States? Is it possible? BC: “It could be replicated in the States. We have car races held on public streets in places like Long Beach and St. Petersburg. There have also been rumors of F1 coming to the streets of NJ/NYC. I have always held the public opinion that hosting one public street race like this in the states, in a high profile area, would undoubtedly increase the popularity and exposure for motorcycle roadracing as a whole through the US. The problem is finding a venue and an organizer who wants to get involved in taking on a such a massive undertaking.” Want to see how Brandon does? Macau starts November 19th and goes to November 22nd. 
Gadget Reviews: mamaktalk.com
Car Reviews: automoview.com
Entertainment News: 38now.com
Today's Promotions: freepromotoday.com
