Posts
950
Joined
12/25/2016
Location
Piedmont, SC
US
Sitting here deciding whether or not I want to go race the local mx race at catheys creek mx this weekend or go race gncc. Wanting to figure out how many people raced last year I decided to look up the results not remembering how many people were there the last time I raced at catheys creek mx. I was horrified. Basically every class except for 2 or 3 of the c and d classes were non existent with 2-4 riders per class. Then I proceeded to go and look at another local promoters turnouts (moto vated sports) and they were even worse. That is when it occurred to me why on earth would I go spend 120 bucks to practice Saturday, race 2-3 classes, race against single digit amounts of riders, and get less than an hour of seat time. When I could go race hundreds of people, get 2 hours of seat time, and be there no longer than 4-5 hours for $80 at the national level and $60 at the local level.
What I believe local racing needs to succeed is more riding time, more racing, and less waiting around. Where they go wrong is having a gate drop and a race for 1-2 classes, whereas in off-road there are 3 races in one day and about 30 classes race. I believe the same basic idea of everyone having a designated time in the day to race could be applied to moto.
Here is the format I have come up with. With the big bike classes being split into lites and open.
8:00-8:20 big bike open practice (basically to break in the track)
8:25-8:40 85 practice
8:45-9:00 65 practice
9:05-9:20 50 practice
9:25-9:40 85 moto 1
9:45-10:00 65 moto 1
10:05-10:20 50 moto 1
10:25-10:40 85 moto 2
10:45-11:00 65 moto 2
11:05-11:20 50 moto 2
Intermission / track prep
12:00-12:15 C practice
12:20-12:25 B practice
12:30-12:45 A practice
12:50-1:10 C moto 1
1:15-1:35 B moto 1
1:40-2:00 A moto 1
2:05-2:25 C moto 2
2:30-2:50 B moto 2
2:55-3:15 A moto 2
Now I’m not saying this is the end all be all, what I’m trying to say is that in order for local racing to survive (in the south east) there needs to be change. There is a reason why even the worst off-road events will have 200 entries and it’s not that the woods are more fun than the track. It’s the structure, seat time, time spent not sitting around and waiting, and fun racing. My goal in saying this is to get some opinions and send this over to my local promoters because something must change.
What I believe local racing needs to succeed is more riding time, more racing, and less waiting around. Where they go wrong is having a gate drop and a race for 1-2 classes, whereas in off-road there are 3 races in one day and about 30 classes race. I believe the same basic idea of everyone having a designated time in the day to race could be applied to moto.
Here is the format I have come up with. With the big bike classes being split into lites and open.
8:00-8:20 big bike open practice (basically to break in the track)
8:25-8:40 85 practice
8:45-9:00 65 practice
9:05-9:20 50 practice
9:25-9:40 85 moto 1
9:45-10:00 65 moto 1
10:05-10:20 50 moto 1
10:25-10:40 85 moto 2
10:45-11:00 65 moto 2
11:05-11:20 50 moto 2
Intermission / track prep
12:00-12:15 C practice
12:20-12:25 B practice
12:30-12:45 A practice
12:50-1:10 C moto 1
1:15-1:35 B moto 1
1:40-2:00 A moto 1
2:05-2:25 C moto 2
2:30-2:50 B moto 2
2:55-3:15 A moto 2
Now I’m not saying this is the end all be all, what I’m trying to say is that in order for local racing to survive (in the south east) there needs to be change. There is a reason why even the worst off-road events will have 200 entries and it’s not that the woods are more fun than the track. It’s the structure, seat time, time spent not sitting around and waiting, and fun racing. My goal in saying this is to get some opinions and send this over to my local promoters because something must change.
I can remember racing at Honda Hills in Ohio back in the mid 80’s and Dick Klamfoth making a C class for the 125 riders (not sure an official C class existed yet as no other tracks had one). He didn’t start a C class because rides complaining about differences in skill level, but because he had enough riders signed up in 125B to fill (2) full starting gates. Some guys even had to start behind the front row as there wasn’t room on the front line.
The Shop
I’d attend a few Mx races a year if a promoter had a big bike night wouldn’t matter. Race the little bikes in the morning, big bikes at night (if a lighted track) Not all the time but just a couple times a season. I’d put it on my calendar along with my off-road races for the season.
If you complain its back to back and move the class, you get what you want but cause a problem for someone else’s class structure. It never ends...
All day for maybe an hour riding vs half a day for several hours. Unlucky enough to get your moto near the end of the schedule or the unfortunate event of someone getting hurt, seen what's supposed to be done mid afternoon go until sunset.
What about 1 longer Moto to keep the show quicker?
When I dropped out, the classes were:
50
60
80
125
250
And that was it. I suppose there was a modified class for 50, and a EXPERT class for 250...but it was pretty simple. I remain completely confused about all the classes today. My kid aren't into moto, but if they were, I would be very intimidated...and if this moto-dad is intimidated....then I promise you that others are as well.
Also while I dont mind the down time, most of the time I dont want to travel to a race for 2 10min motos. Being able to do 4-6 motos with more down time is more worth it to me. That said most of his classes are pretty full as it is I think 50 open had 47 kids race the Battle for Ohio and 65 had over 35 kids off the top of my head for last year.
Pit Row
Don't get me wrong, I too am very concerned at the amount of turnout in the + classes since moving back to the Southeast last summer. Our vet classes were huge in the PNW, where I lived for the previous four years. I don't know if it is because of more disposable income there, or if people here get old and just say screw it, I don't want to take the risk or put in the work. Or maybe they get out of it and are intimidated to come back, thinking they will have to ride like they did when they were young (which of course is 100% not the case.)
So here are my suggestions - I think all of the smaller promoters around here need to just cut back those classes to +30, +40 and +50 instead of having age brackets every five years. That only dilutes the classes more. At some point everyone added those extra age brackets to follow the Loretta's class structure, but when you only have 100 people at an event, you just don't need all of those brackets unless you are filling gates in the basic (+30/+40/+50) classes.
Our they could keep the same number of classes, but offer A/B (cash) and C/D (trophy) classes in the +30/+40/+50 so that guys who are coming back to the sport can jump in and just have fun. I have a feeling they growth in trophy classes would offset the cost of the cash purse in the fast classes.
I will give MotoVated credit -- at least they pay a cash purse to all of their vet classes. That alone will probably pull me more into their direction this season.
I have also heard of a "no jump" vet class, but that would be hard to police.
Either way, I agree, old guy MX is hurting here in the SC and it would be great to get some energy and fresh ideas into it.
Vets draw bigger numbers because they got the money to spend.
Younger kids need the parents to be fully invested. Maybe they’re busier doing other things? Locally it hurts. But nationally the chasers are still there and very competitive.
Gncc seems like the move.
I see the downside being more work and less pay for the promoters. This could be a deal breaker since we have to have promoters to get a place to race.
With all that said, I love offroad racing for your point of how much seat time I get vs how long I am at the track. However I also love doing a couple moto events because all that down time turns into some awesome bullshit time with friends and new people I meet at the track. Best advice I can give here, is just focus on enjoying the day no matter which style event you go to and I am sure you'll have fun.
Saturday morning 8-1pm is sessioned practice for everyone. 1-2pm is track prep, 2pm-when ever, is quad and pw races start. The wider quad ruts help the pw kids get around.
Sunday morning is 1 or 2 hrs worth of race practice for bikes from 50jr to big bikes then on races for 50jr to big bikes.
Post a reply to: What keeps me up at night. (Local racing in the south east)