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What happened to the WORCS series
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But I've wondered the same thing quite honestly, when I won the championship we'd have 35+ people on the gate at almost every round. Numerous people were making livings riding Worcs.. And within a few short years, poof, maybe 6 pros per race, and not really anyone making a living. It's honestly too bad, It was a good time while it lasted.
As far as riding goes, I haven't ridden in just over a year now. I'm old, fatter and retired.
Just another old racer on vital.
The Shop
As for WORCS- there's some great racers, but as mentioned above, budget cutbacks really hurt the off-road pros.
That day you railed the KX250 in Goldendale was flat awesome, that was a ride for the ages.
Hope you're doing well man.
It's kinda sad how WORCS is now compared to what it was. At one point I think every manufacturer had some sort of "factory" effort involved. When they first started out, we went to some epic places...Price, UT, some places in CO etc. etc. Anybody remember East/West Shootout at Cooperland? Epic.
My opinion is, as the economy tanked it became apparent to the promoters that the bread and butter was coming from guys from the Southwest who liked more moto/fast terrain, it was also cheaper to run the series closer to home, so you ended up with the lame ass tracks you have now. Probably nobody in particulars fault, but lame none the less.
Time flies man I hope you are doing good.
The local desert series races the same basic loop the WORCS series ran every summer. Still a fun course. Dirt Works (the same people that build the supercross tracks) just redid the track down there...I haven't ridden it since the rebuild, but everyone is saying its sweet! (old school style, with no big gaps to jump, so its really safe).
Endurocross seems to be were all the guys are making a living these days...but, its a spectator sport, and works great for TV, so advertisers get millions of impressions/views and so they are far more inclined to spend their money there.
Pit Row
When I found the WORCS series I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Perfect combination of offroad and tame moto.
It's still a very popular series with the non pro set (most classes are filled up) but it's expensive to race it and travel.
Still, all in all...it's really my favorite type of racing
My issue with the WORCS races (same with GP's and Hare Scrambles for that matter) is that I hate racing the same short loop over and over and over again...by the end of the race it is so hammered that it just isn't any fun, with all the whoops and square edged bumps.
That's why I like the Hare and Hound format...ride for 100 miles, and never touch the same trail twice. Sure it's a little dusty at times, and there are some pretty gnarly whoop sections (but they are temporary rather than the entire course)...and not knowing what is around the next corner or over the next hill, while trying to push as hard as I can is just plain addicting.
If you're in Utah, you might like some of the GP's on the USRA series. RMR is hosting one this fall...the start is on the drag strip (at least it was last year) and races part of the dirt oval, their moto track and then they put in a few endurocross obstacles...It might be up your alley (even if it's not my cup of tea).
It was weird...my first desert race I was freaked out. I was like "You guys are going through fields with weeds and dust 3 feet high, you cant see the ground. You've never been on the terrain before and your wide open!" They just looked at me like I was the weird one. I grew up with motorcross. lower speeds, no dust and you knew every bump on the track so I'm trying to slowly adapt.
I was standing in line for concessions at the Salt Lake Supercross in like 2007 or 8 (I think) and the guys in front of me were talking about desert racing...I asked where they were from...they were from Utah...and invited me to come out and try a race. So I figured I'd give it a shot.
I went to the race thinking that the only people racing desert were people that were slow and couldn't do well on the track...I was pretty confident I was going to win the race (which I'm embarrassed to admit now). I lined up on the amateur line right behind Destry Abbott and Dave Kamo.
My the end of the race, I was completely toast...I totally bonked...I got smoked (I was like 27th overall amateur or something like that) and hated riding dirt bikes all together. By Monday evening, I was planning for my next race. (Funny how that works). And I've been hooked ever since. I honestly love the unknown factor of it, in how it forces you to read the terrain and base your line selection on that.
I always tell people they have to come out to three races IN A SEASON before they throw in the towel on it all together. I don't know of anyone that likes their first race...and every first time racer I've brought out have told me they'll never do it again. Those that try it again, really like it.
Now I'm a vet A (expert) rider in the desert...and with four kids all going in a million different directions (soccer games and dance recitals all conflict with the race schedule) I can't make all the races, I pick and chose my favorite 5 or 7 races (of the 15 or so on the schedule) and race those every year. And just have a blast with it. I can honestly say I like it better than I did moto.
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