Poll.

[Noidly1]

Being the fact that both the Midwest and the Great Plains regions race at the same tracks except Blackhawk, who would like to see both regions merged?

My thought on this is;
If the racers that race at Blackhawk in the Midwest region go to all of the tracks in the Great Plains region,
then why separate the ones that race in the GP region from Blackhawk.

If you look at the tentative schedule below;

Apr  24-25 Heartland Park **    Combined
May 22-23 Blackhawk Farms     MW
May 29-30 Heartland Park @    GP
Jun  12-13 Gateway Int.          Combined
July    3-4  Rd America**         Combined
July 10-11 Heartland Park        GP
July 24-25 Blackhawk Farms     MW
Aug 14-15 Gateway Int.          GP
Aug 21-22 Blackhawk Farms     MW
Sep 11-12 Heartland Park *     Combined
Sep 25-26 Blackhawk Farms*   MW

The dates do not conflict and would most likely provide a better turnout..

If there are any reasons Not to merge, I would like to hear them.

[racrx451]

that's a lot of events especially in these times...  to win a championship you have to go to every event and with that many events, it could put a damper on the season.  I know when I raced every event in 2007 in the Great Plains (8 events plus 2 trips to daytona), I was traveling 8 hours to some events by myself just to get points and It made for a tough season. 

[Noidly1]

True. maybe it would work if 1 HPT and 1 BHF event was dropped to make it 9.
Maybe something to think about for 2011.

Big Q; though, Why no combined events at BHF?

[roadracer162]

This doesn't affect me in anyway but I would like to comment. Thi is the direct opposite of what the North Florida WERA racers are asking for where the NF region was not scheduled until active effort asking for their stand alone region.

A shorter schedule of racing is a little more affordable than the 11 race schedule. I know there is also the argument that all racers would be in the same predicament in running all 11 races instead of the 7, and said racer would have to make a choice on which he attended and which event he would skip.

The benefits of either way is speculative and I am not sure which is better for everyone. I would think keeping it seperate gives a rider that has the funds to race all the events a chance to win two regional championships in two different regions. On the other side of things the one region would give a bigger field of riders to compete against.

Would it change the amount of praticipation?

[Andi]

I prefer the shorter schedule as the travel would really add up along with the expenses and time away from work. It would be nice to have a few different tracks in the mix like we had in 08. Both regions need to be stand alone. It gives people a championship to shoot for without needing a large fortune to get one. Not to mention with that many races it takes a lot of the fun out of it. People could only afford a portion of them and would only race that portion.

[f3racer]

if i had deep pockets it would be good for me to have them combined but i dont, so racing great plains is much more affordable.

[skiandclimb]

Shorter schedule for me, please!  I like the two seperate regions. If someone wants to run both, as it is-they already can, due to no conflicts.  Theres no way I could run all those events....wish I could, but I'd like to stay married! lol

[truckstop]

I don't think it would change much. People who live near BHF/RA (which I'm pulling out of my keister that a pretty high percentage of MW racers do) don't often go to Heartland Park or Gateway anyway. Making the season longer and adding more HPT dates to the Midwest region wouldn't change anything. The travel/time off expense to get to HPT just doesn't make it worth it. We made it to HPT twice this year, but have no plans of going back any time soon - not because we dislike the track, but it's just too far/too expensive.

I like the other idea better of cutting HPT and Gateway from the MW schedule and adding someplace like Grattan, ACC, or even Bluegrass. We have a 6 hour travel threshold. (Although I would maybe break that to go to Mid-Ohio again.)

If people don't have money to race, it makes more sense to compact the region, not spread it out more.

That said, Road America probably shouldn't be on the GP schedule, but people love that track for some reason and are willing to travel for it.

[Andi]

I don't think it would change much. People who live near BHF/RA (which I'm pulling out of my keister that a pretty high percentage of MW racers do) don't often go to Heartland Park or Gateway anyway. Making the season longer and adding more HPT dates to the Midwest region wouldn't change anything. The travel/time off expense to get to HPT just doesn't make it worth it. We made it to HPT twice this year, but have no plans of going back any time soon - not because we dislike the track, but it's just too far/too expensive.

I like the other idea better of cutting HPT and Gateway from the MW schedule and adding someplace like Grattan, ACC, or even Bluegrass. We have a 6 hour travel threshold. (Although I would maybe break that to go to Mid-Ohio again.)

If people don't have money to race, it makes more sense to compact the region, not spread it out more.

That said, Road America probably shouldn't be on the GP schedule, but people love that track for some reason and are willing to travel for it.

You get my vote...whatever that's worth

[RoyHefner]

What Truckstop said.

I like Heartland and don't really want to see it completely eliminated from the MW schedule, but the two visits this year were a stretch.  Anything more would probably not be possible for me.  Once a year would be my preference, and add one or two of the tracks that Jen  mentioned.

[backMARKr]

Ultimately the proposal only benefits the GP region ....region.....region ( hear the echo? ) in an attempt to draw the MW riders there.

And it seems that the MW riders have pretty much voiced their opinions about Gateway....and HPT is too far for most.

I think the question has been answered.

I personally don't care as I'm going south in February to race while everyone is waiting for April and I have no intention of going back to HPT anytime soon.

OH YEAH....going to BIR in July..( BARTLETT HERE I COME AND I'M BRINGIN LONNY WITH ME!)

FISH ON!

[Noidly1]

Ok, now I undrestand eveyones side, poll closed.

Less races, less traveling, Got it.