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You know there is a Vet World Championship at Glen Helen every year. You can race your age group with whatever letter of the alphabet you want.
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I do not personally make the rules for the supplemental classes at Loretta Lynn's, it's a group of folks including MX Sports officials, AMA officials, regional event promoters and input from the participants. The vet classes are always an issue because there has to be a balance between lifetime fast guys (some of whom were once pros) and amateur vet racers who want to also participate in the national. It's not as easy as just adding a class. The event is already at full capacity and we don't want to add days or shorten motos, or get into the whole qualifying thing at the national.
Hopefully we can find the right balance here, as this has not been as well-received as anyone might have hoped.
DC
Racer X
So why not make vet classes age specific just like all youth classes historically have been. No open age no B/C no sportsman. Once you hit 18 or 25 you race in your age class. Riders in 10 year age range will look alike probably ride alike act alike generally weigh alike scrub or not scrub alike. Just like if you showed up to run in a 10K or play in a senior tennis tournament or sign up for a senior golf scramble etc
Make age splits like this
College boy 18-24 (or 17-19)
Vet 1 25-29 (or 20-29)
Vet 2 30-39
Vet3 40-49
Vet4 50+
We’ll then it’ll be I only got one class blah blah. At the local level a vet can then ride the 250 or 450 A B or C class if they need two classes for there weekend fix.
But at LL fix all the problems by making the vet racing the national a one class gig like the pee wee kids. Then with these age splits 85% of vets will probably get in or chances highly increased and we’ll have like aged guys racing like aged guys regardless of A B C status. These 4 vet class splits could be expanded to to A/B and C only but not at LL. 4 vet classes are the standard at LL and would continue to be with these age range splits.
Thx
Steve Hunter
MX retired
Ken-f’ing-tucky USA
Know the majority of us dont want to go out there banging bars with kids half our age that are trying to get a factory ride or pro card, we want to compete amongst each other but still keep it fun. Also, if time constraints are an issue the Vet Class motos could be cut down to 15 minutes instead of 20, I get it that some guys would be upset about that but I think overall it would be better in order to be able to add a couple Vet classes
With that said, I have gotten to the point where I couldn't care less anymore about the way the vet classes are structured. For a long time it has been somewhat tailored to former pros and the industry "bros". Just take a look at the past champions and it's pretty evident this is true. Working class guys who work five days a week minimum don't really stand a chance under the long standing format. I know some say that it would be awesome to line up against Emig, Brown, Carstens, K. Johnson and the list continues on and on. Would it really? Don't we all compete to do the best we can and finish as far up in the order as possible? Now, for 2022 the classes have changed a lot and it's far more fair for the Monday-Friday guys. The way I understand it is the former pros can only race 25+ and 50+, KUDOS!
Keep in mind this is billed as an "Amateur National". If that is indeed the true spirit of the event then these guys (former pros) have no business being there. How enjoyable is it for the names I mentioned to race a bunch of working class guys? Why don't they attempt to qualify in the Pro Sport class if they're truly there for the competition?
I don't have the answers but for me, my attention and money has shifted to the true amateur vet races that are beginning to gain traction throughout the country. It has been a dream of mine, like most of us here, to line up at the Ranch but under the previous years class structure it just isn't plausible.
Can someone answer why the fuck does the USA need a b grade and c grade national champion ? Every other place in the world just puts the fastest 40 people in the line and let’s them race , and qualifies them if needed ,
Pit Row
There's just as many happy about this as there are pissed off guys. The ones happy for it just aren't standing up n yelling.
I don't see 35+, 45+, 55+ at any local races, and that's never bothered me. Why does LL need those classes?
Why not:
30+ A, B, C (or A, B/C)
40+ A, B, C (or A, B/C)
50+ A, B, C (or A, B/C)
125 2T A, B, C (or A, B/C)
250 2T A, B, C (or A, B/C)
Ex-pros simply race the A classes.
Also, only some ex-pros are going to retain top level speed as they age, and some amateurs like myself are going to get faster as we age. Steve Mathes stated recently that when he races, he's now more at the intermediate speed for his age class. I believe that for an ex-pro to run an intermediate class, they'd have to register early, then prove they're no longer at the A class level by referencing race results from the previous 2 years.
I'm 59 now. I'll be 60 before the next LL.
Under this system I'd attempt to qualify for 50+ C (or B/C) and 125 C (or B/C).
If I can gain enough speed in the coming years, I'll go for the ProAm class and then do my freaking best to earn my pro-card!
I'd love to race Emig, Brown, etc... on 125s, but if I do, I'll be going for the win!
I'm not quite there yet. Ok, I'm not even close to there yet, but I'm working on it
Granted, I don't know a ton about LL, but if we want to make it fair and fun, this is one way to do it.
2 of the 3 additional classes can take the timeslots of the 35+ and 45+ classes.
I'm seeing more value in breaking up 30, 40, and 50, than in having the 35 and 45 classes.
Post a reply to: Paging DC