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Meister im friends with Rocket/Champ and avoid your threads but he said you are an awesome guy and i appreciate your passion!!
This thread is spot on except maybe 25+ and 40+ pro?? Im sure more old pros would come enter if that was the case. If you want to race Brown and Emig you can try to ride these classes but they cant ride ours. 30+ 40+ and 50+ amateur/sportsman would be awesome
Just like Kevin Kelly gets on your nerves until he post here and the you tell him not to change? 😂
I only tune in to watch those classes because of keefer, emig and brown....i don't give a shit about some electrician i've never heard of that blows 10k to go to lorettas....
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I can say the only reason I watched was to see how Keefer does and then once I saw Emig bear Keefer in +40 wanted to see how close he could stay to Brown in +50 when there were less people to pass. All in all, it doesn’t really matter to anyone except the people that signed up how anyone does at this week long race. Is anyone remembering who won what 3 months from now?
As the sport has aged, so have the ex pros participating. In the 80s there weren't as many guys over 50 who wanted to race and Loretta' wasn't as big of a deal. Fast forward 4 years and you have guys who grew up at Loretta's wanting to keep racing it. I love that guys like Fro and Brownie and all the other ex pros who have shown up over the last few years choose to race. I am almost 51 and I love having the opportunity to line up next to them. The open and sportsman classes have worked well. I believe the issue is the number of guys now over 50 that still want to race. Everyone knows that the Vet racers are the ones spending the most $$ in the sport. From a business standpoint, one would think that DC would want to tap into that as much as possible. I think there will be more aging into the 50+ class that want to race than there was before. I propose they approach it a bit like Mammoth does and have the vet races before the "other" races.
A large number of the guys who want to race vet classes at Loretta's are also tending to their kids bikes and the amount of time needed to do that is impacted if they were also trying to prep and race themselves. Ask Keefer, I bet he would love to be able to focus on Aiden's races a bit more without having to give his races up. Keeps the family atmosphere and still makes it easier to accomodate all. Have 2-3 days of vet class racing before the "normal" LLMX amateur national. Then you could have 50+ Open and 50+ sportsman. The demographics seem to support that it wont be long and you could fill 55+ and 60+ classes as well. Use the same qualification process that is currently happening, with only the national being different.
Just a thought
Yes but thats not 50 plus.
Nice! You live down by him I assume? Guy is an animal!
I am old in my early 60’s and I tried to qualify in the more difficult years when there were only 20 50+ in a split gate with 30 45+ before they got a full gate. Over the years there were amateur never been pro 50+ racers that won and dominated.
Funny I do not remember anyone complaining about Gary Bailey racing the 50+ class years ago.
Its just another year of old 50+ racers out there loving what they are doing and burning laps around the track.
Me … I’m waiting for the New 60+ class before I try again.
The guys that race these guys don't complain they actually love it....it's the guys that don't race them or can't qualify that complain...
That assumption is inaccurate. Sure, a few fellow fast guys say that stuff, but the majority know they aren't even in the same universe. Lol.
Don, what's your last name?
Please tell me where I'm inaccurate? define fellow fast guys...and the majority that know that they aren't in the same universe, are they complaining? or do they enjoy the fact that they get to line up with their heroes?
And lastly what does my last name have to do with anything?
It's a tough pill to swallow but I turned 50 this year. My son wasn't ready this year in the 85 classes but he's on pace to be able to qualify next year in the 10-12 classes. He wouldn't be a contender but if he could make it through the west coast regionals I would take him for sure!
That leaves me. I haven't raced in almost 15yrs, not counting an off the couch ride at a 2 stroke exhibition in 2015, and I was never in the same universe as Emig or Brown.
I was hoping DC could make a class to make it fair. 50-52yr ex-pro, scored points at an outdoor national but never finished in the top 15, never earned a 2-digit number more than once, and a maximum rider height of 5' 7".
Man would I have a good shot at bringing home my first Loretta's title!!!
😂😂
Was genuine curious as I think I know but didn't wanna ASSume. I may very well be wrong tho.
Are you racing at qualifiers? Are you around the every day vet scene? Or just reading what you see on the Internet regarding the matter?
Having pros from 20+ years ago racing at the same event as the top young talent is good for the sport. There are vet classes for ex-pros and vet classes for guys who never raced pro, what's the problem?
Hopefully, next year I will make my first Loretta's. I don't belive at 49 I will have to race with those guys. If I do, I don't really care. Would it be more fun to race against guys only in my skill level? Yes. But again, I'll be stoked if I even qualify. You know what it is going in, so you can choose not to race if you don't like the rules. I just want the experience and shit talking on the line. This shit is supposed to be fun.
You've got the wrong guy...but because you asked I have been around racing for many years I owned a dealership that helped many riders that I have become friends with regardless of their skill level. Many of those are now racing in the age classes and a few have multi LL championships. They didn't race this year due to injury but I expect them to be back next year and expect them to be top 5-10 and one will be close to 60 and the other 57. Through the years they have raced against Brown, Keefer and Emig and many others because of that have become friends and and have great comrade and mutual respect when they are around each other. So no you should never ASSume...
Pit Row
18+ B/C Does that make you guys happy?
Was bad enough fro included college boy into a vet convo.... Lol
Bro that's swap.
Swap dreams about being DonM
Honestly, for all I know, it still could be.. lol
Was so cool seeing the goat back at the ranch, hope he does race again!!
I know a lot of former nba players who do, and o think soccee
players are known for it as well
Look I don't want to dox the guy but I'm pretty sure his last name is Garlits
Sort of irrelevant. Just two people with different opinions. It's what keeps the world moving.
What I will say is the tired ass statement “I get to line up with my hero” is befuddling to me as an adult. You are 50+ and want to lick Browns and Emigs boots? Do you get their autograph too? WTF? or is it more that you want to stand by the work coffee pot on Monday morning to tell everyone who will listen that you “raced” Brown and Emig but conveniently leave off the fact the your race with them was over the second the gate dropped?
Personally if I were them I would be embarrassed and spend more time trying to collect my respective Vet National Championship. Hell, hold one Vet National at Loretta’s for those that are attached to the place.
Funny how months before Loretta’s we have threads about sandbagging and everyone is against it country wide but come Loretta’s if you are a “Hero” you get a pass.
Flame and down vote away!
I was pitted next to him last year at Day in the Dirt and I'm pretty sure I heard his girlfriend call him her "Big Daddy"
I hope you make it! The only flaw I see in your comment is "would it be fun to race against guys only in my skill level". The highest level amateur national championships are the best 40 riders in the country for each class.... so if that's you it IS your skill level. If not, that's ok and keep having a blast riding/racing.
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