Go Racin' - Or Go Practice ?

Rupert X
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Rupert X
Edited Date/Time 4/25/2013 10:38am
So last Sunday we ended up going to CHILITOWN, now an OMA track, South of Columbus, OHIO

About 350 riders. Fun track, well organized, nicely run, but too many classes....

Hadn't raced in a while, forgot how damn FUN it is to RACE, whether you're fighting for 4th or 17th.

Arrived track about 815 a.m, left track at 615 p.m. Too many hours waiting, for me.

How about YOU - more PRACTICER or RACER ?















































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EastFlorida
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EastFlorida 4/24/2013 12:37pm
4/24/2013 12:37pm
I love moto, but switched to Hare Scrambes because of the point you made - little track time.

In HS, I get 1 practice lap - approx 20 mins, then 2 hours of race time.

I wish there were less classes in moto so track time could be longer.....
slipdog
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slipdog 4/24/2013 12:43pm
4/24/2013 12:43pm
I havent raced since 2009, I'm a full time practice princess...
Kryan5
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Kryan5 4/24/2013 12:47pm
4/24/2013 12:47pm
Love to race, but when I start getting down or frustrated with my results I go practice to give myself a reminder of why I love being on my dirt scoot. Its easy to get burnt out when you just race and find yourself in a struggling rut. Need to go free yourself and your mind. Yup.
Carlton_Fartman 4/24/2013 12:53pm
4/24/2013 12:53pm Edited Date/Time 4/24/2013 12:54pm
This season I was thinking do more practicing than racing. Until the first race, which reminded how awesome racing is!

The Shop

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velocitygear
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velocitygear 4/24/2013 1:26pm
4/24/2013 1:26pm Edited Date/Time 4/24/2013 1:26pm
Practice, hands down..... I get 4-6 hours of ride time during practice days. The last time I raced, maybe an hour total!!!
mototrader
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mototrader 4/24/2013 2:08pm
4/24/2013 2:08pm
practice.....the only way to get any seat time racing is to enter every class you're eligible for..too expensive!!
downard254
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downard254 4/24/2013 2:26pm
4/24/2013 2:26pm Edited Date/Time 4/24/2013 2:27pm
Saw that trend of increasing classes back in the late 80's. Everyone started bitching that there wasn't a class taylor suited to their age, ability, height, weight, vision, language, etc. Now look at the class list, probably 30 classes at any given MX. Here's how it should be......AGAIN,
pee wee
65cc
mini junior
mini senior
lightweight B
lightweight A
heavyweight B
heavyweight A
25+
35+

run 15 minute motos, then go home.
68
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68 4/24/2013 2:46pm
4/24/2013 2:46pm
havent raced since 2010 purely for the fact you spend all this money to ride a 3 lap practice and 3 races. so much sitting around its not very fun.

I wish they would do juniors on saturdays as there are 5479 junior classes now
Titan1
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Titan1 4/24/2013 2:53pm
4/24/2013 2:53pm
There is NOTHING like racing...nothing at all. But like Rup, I got fed up with the lack of track time racing moto (a 10 minute practice, and then two 4 lap motos...and then sitting around all day)...so I've quit racing moto and started racing hare and hound/hare scrambles. They satisfy the competitive drive...and I get 3 hours of seat time and then go home, NO waiting around at all. It's GREAT!
mgifracing
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mgifracing 4/24/2013 3:51pm
4/24/2013 3:51pm
I do miss racing(for the most part) but when my state series axed the 30 pro it got really hard to wait around all day for 5 laps twice. Not to mention it always seems like the vet classes are moto 22 or worse.
yak651
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yak651 4/24/2013 4:42pm
4/24/2013 4:42pm
Agree with all above, I'm mostly practice days and maybe a race or two to see if I still recognize the people in each class. I know the promotoers have a hard enough time finding volunteers to work the race days, but I think it would be ideal if they could have age classes on one day and then "skill" classes a second day. Or eliminate some classes so the day can be shorter.
Barrett57
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Barrett57 4/24/2013 5:10pm
4/24/2013 5:10pm
Racing, only because my local club only runs 7 - 9 classes. You get a decent bit of riding time and you finish pretty early as well.
Switch
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Switch 4/24/2013 5:10pm
4/24/2013 5:10pm
I ride when I can, race when I feel like it an 0% is moto, all off-road now. I do spend almost every weekend at the track supporting a young guy chasing the dream though, the same one I had 20 years ago.

Now, work and family are more important than trying to race at that level. Not surprisingly, riding is fun again and I find myself looking forward to it... Which makes me want to race. Its a never ending cycle.
Huckster
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Huckster 4/24/2013 5:12pm
4/24/2013 5:12pm
tough choice Rup. So hard to justify spending 12+ hrs to race 24 laps(3 classes) and 4 laps of practice. Thats a $100+ day with maybe 1 hr of actual seat time. The Op option gives you as much riding as you can physically handle for $25-30. Really hard to justify racing although there really is nothing like it.

How is the Harescramble option? Is it as brutal on your bike and body as it seems?
Rupert X
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Rupert X 4/24/2013 5:59pm
4/24/2013 5:59pm
JUST Seems like there could be a happy medium - where a track holds an open practice day and then, between, say,

1300-1430 - holds four, 20 minute motos - 80-125-250-OPEN. And back to open practice.

Then, perhaps the next weekend - 65-Women- Quads-2 Strokes

bents
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bents 4/24/2013 6:22pm
4/24/2013 6:22pm Edited Date/Time 4/24/2013 6:22pm
I hear all of you. For me to race I need to feel like. Got my monies worth. I can tell you I don't feel like I get my monies worth at the amateur day at the Millville national. Talk about getting it up the ass. Fewer classes more racing for sure. Too many classes.

Pit Row

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bigborefan
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bigborefan 4/24/2013 6:33pm
4/24/2013 6:33pm
EastFlorida wrote:
I love moto, but switched to Hare Scrambes because of the point you made - little track time. In HS, I get 1 practice lap -...
I love moto, but switched to Hare Scrambes because of the point you made - little track time.

In HS, I get 1 practice lap - approx 20 mins, then 2 hours of race time.

I wish there were less classes in moto so track time could be longer.....
+100

Once I started riding HS I was done with sitting at the MX track all day long.
Overdrive
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Overdrive 4/24/2013 6:41pm
4/24/2013 6:41pm
You don't have enough trophies, keep racing. Smile
Zesiger 112
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Zesiger 112 4/24/2013 7:21pm
4/24/2013 7:21pm
I like racing my buddies at practice, u can start whenever u want, stop whenever u feel like it, set up super slow block passes in the corners and not have to worry about loosing time in the race. plus u can ride all day, usually for half the price of a race entry fee.
DanDunes818
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DanDunes818 4/24/2013 7:46pm
4/24/2013 7:46pm
Rupert, I bought a YZ125 (after a 5-6 year hiatus) and told myself I was just going to do practices and play ride. I went out to Riverdale and practiced, and I was bored senseless. Last Thursday, I went to PIR and raced and was all smiles. It helped that I went 1-1, but either way, racing is where it's at. I forgot how much I loved it until I was second on the white flag and the leader was right in front of me. Man, I'm 41, but I felt 16 again for a minute. The pits, sign-up, practice, lining up for your moto, gate drop, praying for a white flag because you can't breathe--I love it all.

Oh and yes, I felt 16 for a minute but quickly remembered I was 41 when I woke up the next day with a knee swollen up to the size of my head. Well, swelling's down and bike is prepped for tomorrow night at PIR.
pummel
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pummel 4/24/2013 8:03pm
4/24/2013 8:03pm
DanDunes818 wrote:
Rupert, I bought a YZ125 (after a 5-6 year hiatus) and told myself I was just going to do practices and play ride. I went out...
Rupert, I bought a YZ125 (after a 5-6 year hiatus) and told myself I was just going to do practices and play ride. I went out to Riverdale and practiced, and I was bored senseless. Last Thursday, I went to PIR and raced and was all smiles. It helped that I went 1-1, but either way, racing is where it's at. I forgot how much I loved it until I was second on the white flag and the leader was right in front of me. Man, I'm 41, but I felt 16 again for a minute. The pits, sign-up, practice, lining up for your moto, gate drop, praying for a white flag because you can't breathe--I love it all.

Oh and yes, I felt 16 for a minute but quickly remembered I was 41 when I woke up the next day with a knee swollen up to the size of my head. Well, swelling's down and bike is prepped for tomorrow night at PIR.
Hard to beat PIR. Gotta be one of the best tracks anywhere. Nice thing is you can race there thursday and have your weekends free to practice or race somewhere else.
mx-4-2
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mx-4-2 4/24/2013 8:14pm
4/24/2013 8:14pm
We race nearly every weekend. NCMP last Sunday. Birch Creek this weekend. 6 already this year.
mototrader
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mototrader 4/24/2013 8:21pm
4/24/2013 8:21pm
racing would be better if they ran it half race day/half practice..sucks driving 34959 hours to ride for 5 laps then sit around all day. boo
captmoto
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captmoto 4/24/2013 9:57pm
4/24/2013 9:57pm
Double up on classes like vet and open type classes. By a cheap 125.
aFACEdismembered 4/24/2013 9:59pm
4/24/2013 9:59pm Edited Date/Time 4/24/2013 10:01pm
Haven't raced in 9 years. Won't be lining up on a gate again until the classes are condensed (run age groups together if you can) and its either 15min +1, 20min +1 or say 8 laps instead of the normal 5 laps. I'm not paying $40 in entry fee, $10 in gate fee and spending 12 hours away from home to get 4 laps of practice and two 5 lap moto's. I'll pay $25 to go practice and simulate 15 or 20 minute moto's with friends all day though. I get about 25-30 laps instead of 14 for $15 less.
JB 19
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JB 19 4/24/2013 10:32pm
4/24/2013 10:32pm
Full time practice for me.......although I was planning a run at Lorettas in the 30+B until I found out that they changed a rule this year that states that if you EVER at anytime rode the A class you are viewed in the same catagory as Ricky Carmichael and Robbie Reynard. ....... I guess my handfull of A class races in the late 90's at Chicken Licks DQ's me.

And I was doing the whole 5 miles 3 days a week on the treadmill during the winter too........the bad news took the wind out of my sails and I'll likely spend another year calling my own shots of showing up and leaving the track when I feel like it.

I guess now I can tell people I rode "pro." Huh

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