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The big bikes got 20 min. + 2 laps while the minis got 15 min + 2
Best event I had ever been to and I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
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FYI- I own a KX450F and have not ridden a 2 stroke in a few years.I am NOT a four stroke hater .
There are many reasons that amature MX is declining, but if I had to narrow it down to the single greatest factor that has had a negative impact on the sport and caused this decline, it would haved to be four stroke bikes.
The noise has killed a HUGE number of tracks and riding areas. I cannot overstate this- it has been the single worst thing that has happened because of four strokes. There are very very few places left to ride and those places are continually under assault (due to noise)
The cost of the four stroke bikes is another factor- no further explaination needed.
The complexity and cost of repair of four strokes is another huge, if overlooked factor. Sure, it is easy enough for any of us seasoned motoheads to fix a thumper engine, but what about the 15 year old kid who is trying to maintain and repair his 250F with limited guidance the way many of us (barely) managed to do on our 125's? It is a confusing, complex and costly endeavor for those who are not already into it
all I can say is THANK GOD the other manufacturers did not follow Honda's last idiotic step taken seemingly to cement the destruction of motocross. Yes, I am talking about the demise of the CR85 and the introduction of the CRF150 piglet. What a stupid move, further proof that Honda is not to be looked at as a leader in this industry.
I honestly think the serious injury rate is a side effect of four strokes , also. Increased speeds mean bigger, badder crashes.
I wish it were possible to kill all four strokes and bring back the 125 and 250 two stroke to rule the MX and off road world happily ever after
S
I thought off road racing would be boring but entered a GNCC last year on a last minute whim. I found it to be more like a 2 hour motocross race and loved it from the getgo. give it a try.
Myself and my group of friends ride alot of practice tracks. Mainly because we can ride and be out. Same with riding GNCC races or hare scramble. I still love MX but waiting the whole day to ride for 20 minutes sucks.
Just a thought, I'd be curious to know how many of these parents want more classes because by having more specialized ones, you get more chances for your kid to get a trophy.
The problem is that you only have so many hours in day, and the more classes you have, the shorter they have to be. Trying to run both adult and kid classes in one day is a recipe for making everybody unhappy. I suppose you could split days, with Saturday for kids and Sunday for adults. But a lot of parents only get Sunday off, so that won't really work. And families where both kids and parents race are stuck for the entire weekend.
It was brutal racing, a great prep for Lorettas and a great turnout. The good thing is I actually trademarked the event, so I own it. I've let D15 run it and rotate it around the tracks while I was away, but the format was what was unique and they don't have my format anymore.
I'd like to bring it back next year and hold it somewhere like Midway as the only race held at that track all year. No home turf advantage. However, with turnouts like they are I'm not sure I'm willing to take the financial risk involved. I mean we had nice payouts and people from all over, I'm not sure they'd come...I'm glad you remember that race, it was done right and we delivered everything we promised.
As for racers that just parctice.....hell with the cost of gas going up all the time and the fact that even paying 25 to get in all the riding you can vs 80 for 2 6-8 lap moto's the 25 bucks is just a better value for a casual rider......racing, especially a few series can get expensive quick with memberships to different tracks and clubs and AMA memberships gate fees and race fes ... a lot aren't working either which has most likely caused the pull back from racing and just riding when you can
Talked at length with track owner he said if your not having a LL or Ponca Q there is no local crowds left. He said he might be better off to convert track back to stock car facility if turnouts don't improve. He is very frustruated at this point but plans to finish season of MX, hope he gets a 2011 LL Area Q again or re-think options over winter. Podium One and their owners are class acts. We need to support tracks like this that give us prime places to play.
But it got me thinking living here in KY/ TN/ IN region, once March 15 hits we have LL areas going in three regions ME/ SE and NC. That's 24 races sucking entire spring from Mar 15 to May 15, throw in regionals and month of June is a dead-stick for local racing. All I hear all spring is who going to what area, getting into three regions, etc. Local race series are dead around here until after June, by then its too hot to get anyone out to race, guys that made to LL, stop racing after regionals, to get ready for LL (avoid getting hurt).
Same tracks that have an Area Q, will have 900 one weekend and 85 riders next when they try their own race. We went to Ballance for Area, huge crowd, next race 85. Daniel Boone massive area Q, next race 61....good for victory sports, try being to food vendor....
I know both track (Ballance and Podium One) owners well, and both have said same sentence...one Area Q and 7 bad races, is still an OK year...neither track set more than 8 races for this year
Rumors on another board Boone might of canceled rest of year after turnouts of 28 and 12?? Can't be true!! Ballance is having a major concert in August and has recently has dropped all summer racing events. Four races and concert for such a great facility???
I agree with what I'm hearing here, there are NO youth riders on deck, outside of national guys and local racing is in trouble. That means more trcaks gone after this year.
Families and cash on hand is part of problem. Everyone of us knew the guys credit card racing in the mid-90's and now they are gone out of the sport. When the sport was healthy, it was in trouble if that's how you were racing. Throw in $7,000 bikes and the HSBC plans that strapped riders we all know and you can't feel sorry for the OEM's. Racers spend entire spring going to Areas and Regionals and are broke by end of June.
The sport is sick, but I expect like every year a MXSports Press Release on how healthy the sport is..."20,000 riders at 2010 Area Q's...."
Maybe the Area Q's should be reduced to 4 per region or one per state or multiple region qualifing eliminated to open room for spring local racing.
Or, have one Area Q in each state, race areas all on same weekends at whatever tracks, assign each state to region and have regionals all on same weekend (like it used to be). Open back up at least 15 weekends for local tracks...
Hoping the OEM's get bike prices back in line...no chance!!
If my three favorite tracks Boone/ Ballance and Podium One ever close, the sport is dead here in Kentuckiana....if it's not already.
for our area the only new people I see coming into the sport are firends and family members of people that do it already and they usually buy a used bike from the person that gets them into it and then leave once they get hurt or have to shell out too much money. I don't see too many people racing anymore mainly because of what you get in return for racing 3 to 4 people. ( I'm talking too much time wasted at the track sitting around) I know I don't do it. I used to race just about every weekend cause that was the only time you could get on he track. Most of the tracks were owned and operated by someone that owned or worked at a shop or owned the land already. When others started buying land and building tracks as a business they had to be open as much as they could to pay the mortgage and that seems to be the birth of practice tracks where people felt as though they could get there money and times worth of riding and leave with a smile. These people such as myself became known as pro practicers and I still do it today for the reasons above. Once I realized that I was not going to be the next John Dowd I have pretty much given the racing up in lieu of practicing because I love riding my motorcycle on a motocross track. I give props to all racers that are sticking it out sitting through all the classes on race day with the dream of making it for the future doesn't look bright when you can take 15th place finish payout at a national and wipe your ass with it as it seems that's all it's worth. The debt incurred to get there (in every way including the 50 class, injuries, travlel etc.) is out the roof...
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Pit Row
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