What i learned First and Last Regional

Sounds like a good move for you dude.

Different, but I see racecar folks all the time bouncing back and forth from credit card to credit card and racking up debt and barely having fun, but they've got their blinders on or they're just too stubborn to take a step back and look at it clearly.

It's different for everyone but if it's more manageable and more fun staying local, good on you for making the call.

They were glad to take your money as a gate filler! 

Tank u cum-a-gain 

You don't need "3 new bikes a year ,training and motor home" to be completive. You need speed and talent and desire at that level.  

Be realistic about your kid's potential and apply your resources accordingly. No amount of money can replace talent and desire (your kid's desire, not yours).

Keefer talks about it. He just can’t believe the amount of motor homes and countless bikes going from one giant amateur national to another. Don’t people have to work?? Crazy 

I love how everyone says all the time don’t people have to work and is oblivious to the fact that they do work they just make way more money than you. Build a big business and be successful enough to not have to do day to day work having management run things. It’s obviously not easy but it’s weird people pretend to not be able to understand that people can be successful, someone’s gotta be the rich guy in capitalism lol 

Exactly that above.  There is a very slim chance your son will make a pro career out of racing.  But that doesn't mean you can't have fun, teach your kid about hard work and have memories that will last a lifetime.  There is no better family sport.  Enjoy.  

I don't believe youve mentioned what classes you guys were in? What regional?

Regionals CAN be fun if you go in to it with the right attitude. I don't have a chance anymore, and I know that when I go.. but moto 2 going off the line with 40 guys is definitely fun and a rush most can only experience at a regional. 

I have 3 kids that have been to Loretta's. All 3 of them did it from their home regional. It was not an option. I told them if they wanted to go, it would be from their home region. I've heard people say that you can buy your way to Loretta's. I say its not so. Even if a rider attends two or three back up regions, it still doesn't get easier. You still have to race against a full gate or two full gates depending on which regional it is and finish around the top 5, again depending which region. 

There are other major events in the country, and a lot of people call those other races Nationals, but there not. Nowhere on the awards or the advertising will you see the word National on any other AMA Amateur event except Loretta's. Not Mini O's, not Freestone, not Spring A Ding. You will see the words "Major" or "Featured" on those events awards and advertising. Those are great races and a lot of the top racers from around the nation are there, but only one race crowns a National Champion, and thats the AMA Amateur Championship at Loretta's. 

Someone that’s been there, done that…& gets it. 

Welcome to sucker town👍

doing just local qualifiers and regional is not anywhere near as expensive as going to the ranch. 

Some faster riders will hit 2 or 3 regionals in 3 classes just to cash in on the contingency $$$ 

BTW did any of you see the insane 3 levels of pit parking going on at the Budds regional? $200 $300 and $500 just for regional pit parking! And no they do not include water electric or sewer!

Yes, all that.  It is a huge commitment in time, money, and other resources.  And, you are lucky being in GA.  Your area, region, and LL all within relative short distance.  Imagine paying for gas for some kinda hauler all the way from out here in the SW.

Anyone who says you don't need 3 bikes.  Yeah, you pretty much do.  At least 2.  Very few serious/fast kids can ride 1 bike all year for the area, region, and LL, not to mention all the other races and 100's of hours of training.  Number 1, dad will be dead trying to keep up with maintenance.  And Number 2, what happens when you spend thousands of dollars getting to LL's only to break some non-fixable part in practice and you don't have a spare bike to pull one off?  Hydro clutch, wheels, shock, etc etc.  Huge waste.  Hell, even if Dad is a stud and can whip out some awesome maintenance, you need a 2nd bike to keep the kid riding while bike #1 is down for maintenance or parts orders.

My biggest pev is multi area/regional people, and alternatives going to regionals, having the chance as the people who qualified for it.

Should be limited to your home state areas and regional. 

If you wanna have fun and get ROI for your racing dollars, off-road is the way to go IMO. Moto is fun. I did it until my early 30's, then started riding off-road. Wish I had went off-road sooner.

I made it to LL's in 84, Open B. I got spanked. Chevy S-10 Pickup, one bike and a tent. But 1984 was a long time ago, things have changed.

I think the fun comes down to your perspective. I've been involved in many many forms of motorsport. I've literally raced nearly every form of motorcycle racing- from flat track, to supermoto, to MX, to Hare and Hound. Hell, I've even qualified for and raced at LL's. The bottom line- there is no financial future in it except for maybe the top .1%. So why do it? Because it's fun, it's healthy, the family time, achieving goals, and all the other rewards that make the sport totally worth it. Once you come to terms with and focus on that. Do it at the level you can afford, try for results at the top of your commitment level, and revel in the fact that you're actually truly living. Can you got to LL's on one bike? Sure you can. Are you gonna win a B or A title and land a ride? Probably not. But if that's your only reason for going there, I've got my parts guy on the line wanting to talk to you. The vast majority of participants there are there for the experience and know they have no shot of winning. They're just looking for their best performance, and proud to have even made it. I know I was. That being said, is LL a money grab? Hell yeah it is!! But someone has to pay for the Coomb's kids college, and people are lining up and gladly willing to do it, so can you fault the Coombs family? I don't- They provide a service people want. I consider myself a bang for your buck kind of guy. Which is why I, like BigBoreFan58, have landed in the off-road world. In SoCal, you can't beet the multiple GP series' we have here, and mix in the D37 schedule, and I race 30 plus weekends a year for multiple hours for between $100-200 (all in entries and gate fees). I never go home feeling cheated(I'm generally too worn out!). I turn 50 this month, and I'm already debating trying to put another couple grand in the MX sports bank account next year. 

250 c has full gates & the 125 class is close. Race amateur day at a national better in many ways. 

What does going to Loretta’s cost? All I’ve ever heard was how expensive it is. If my 13 year old qualified in the 80 class let’s say, how much would it cost aside from gas/hotels on the way there and back?

The blue collar dream in motocross is best summed up in this analogy:

Become and be the hero long enough to watch yourself become and be the villain.

Don't even know where to start here. First multi regional riders only take one spot on the gate @ LL. Alternates get slotted in based on finish position. If the gate is not full I don't the the problem. If you have the speed your likely to advance.

The big hit to the wallet comes @ the ranch...

Sounds like it was best the OP didn't make it.

LL is making somebody Rich and it isn't anybody in this Thread. You buy your way into LL you spend and insane amount of money to race the other people who spent the same amount of insane money.  

LL's is vacation for a lot of people. If you look at it that way the expense becomes more understandable. It's still a ridiculous expenditure of money but I'm taking a 4 day cruise next weekend and the total cost is almost $4k. I could do a lot of racing with that vacation money. If you have a kid with legit speed to be on the gate at LL's (even if he's a midpack or back) it's almost criminal to rob him and you of those memories over a little thing like money. 

you dont need a motorhome or 3 bikes to make it to lorettas lol

if your kid would have made it, you wouldnt have made this post lol

Just did Freestone regional few weeks ago, was around 2k for the weekend. By the time you get transponders, practice, races, entry fees, It’s retarted. Me, my brother and my father did 7 classes all up, but man, it’s all about the fun and experience, I’ll look back and tell my kids about these times. An at the end of the day, thats what it’s all about. The amount of families these days that do nothing with there kids is sad, our family is staying in a trailer. Laughing, fishing, cooking, it’s all about the bond, it’s worth it. Wish it was cheaper tho…

I'm not rich, but we did have 2 bikes and a Toyhauler. It is expensive, but it cost me the same to take my family to Disney World. The first time we went ('04) she qualified without leaving Iowa (Area & Regional) the next 2 years she was one of the fastest girls in the country ('05 5th & '06 8th)  and I wasn't going to take that away from her. I was the AMA Official for all The Farm MX's LL qualifiers, if your rider is barely qualifying out of areas maybe save the regional money for gas & tires practicing for next year (not even the winner from each area will make it out of the regional). Someone asked what it cost, we are from Iowa and each trip was $5500+ so I doubt it got cheaper in the last 17-19 years. 

And money. And a motorhome for all these regionals, areas, etc. And bikes, because at that level you should be hammering seat time and bikes now turn to shit with high hours. And more $$ for track fees. So no. OP is accurate. Maybe in 80’s and 90’s you were correct, but times have changed. 

I know 3 people who made it out of the red bud regional that have one bike and stayed in a hotel. And 1 from the fox regional. Those are wants not needs. 

Hotels are an absurd amount of money if you do it that way. That’s why guys have motorhomes. If you are getting a hotel for LL, Areas and Regionals you are gonna pay ridiculous money. $10-15k for LL. That’s if you rent a motorhome. Hotel route idk, they are around $500 a night that week.