its bad enough that this race is the same time as the ama race at road america and that its a crappy track but now i look at the gateway schedule and its all on sunday, what the hell is this crap
trackaddix use to be all in one day at gateway also..we do have a trackday on saturday
yeah I hate those weekends!!
Yes track addix did that also. How well did that work out for them? Too much running around with your head cut off if you do any amount of racing. Any problem and your whole race weekend is ruined. I personally will enter less races than I would at a normal CCS weekend due to the schedule.
its actually all the same because its not a twin sprint weekend
Quote from: gonecrazy on May 04, 2009, 10:51:19 PM
its actually all the same because its not a twin sprint weekend
Actually its not, take a look at a standard 2 day weekend and one of the gateway races. They arent the same. Its a pain in the ass, no matter how you play it, but for the most part I hope poeple are able to understand the motivation behind it. Kevin, along with MCRA are putting themselves out there in an attempt to expand and strengthen the region. Sadly our club is too small to take on the full liability of a potentially poor turnout and buck up for a 2 day raceday. For our club, we know our trackday turn out will be good enough to ensure even a poor turn out doesnt put us in a hole.
I hope people give gateway a shot, and not just listen to their buddy who heard form his buddy 8 years ago that the track is unrideable. Could the place be better? Sure, but we have worked hard ot make it safer for the racers with lots of bales and as many as 10 sections of air fence if im not mistaken. For guys like Brian, it does suck, he could be looking at back to back to backs in some cases if he wants to run both of his bikes, but if the region can continue to grow it wont be long before even gateway and mcra will be looking at 3 day events.
Not sure what a twin sprint weekend has to do with the topic but I'll try to explain what two of the midwest's top riders are complaining about. Let's just say the average fast 600 guy races five times. If you look at the upcoming Blackhawk schedule you'll see they have GTU and Unlimited GP($$$) on Saturday nicely spaced out on the schedule. Then on Sunday you have Middleweight superbike before lunch and Middleweight Supersport and Middleweight GP after lunch. This gives more time for tech, tire changes, and REST which makes for safer racing. Five races in the same day at the expert level is gonna poop everyone out and cause mistakes. Mistakes mean crashes. Crashes cost money or worse which causes racers to not race which causes CCS to go broke. Speaking of CCS going broke, if races are crammed into a one day schedule some people are gonna enter less races. There's already a potential for low turn out because it's Gateway. Most people feel it's one of the most dangerous tracks we visit. So there are a few reasons why the schedule sucks. I understand Gateway may be your favorite track or home race or whatev but that's no reason to support a crap schedule that could easily be changed. JMHO
You had me until here...
Quote from: Boober on May 05, 2009, 12:59:26 AM
... schedule that could easily be changed. JMHO
Ben tatooed it, it is the way it is for a reason... yeah it sucks that its the same weekend as AMA at RA. Also sucks that its a one day event (actually REALLY works out well for me as I cant make saturday :biggrin:)
see everyone there! Should be a good weekend of racing!
Quote from: tstruyk on May 05, 2009, 03:38:57 AM
You had me until here...
Ben tatooed it, it is the way it is for a reason... yeah it sucks that its the same weekend as AMA at RA. Also sucks that its a one day event (actually REALLY works out well for me as I cant make saturday :biggrin:)
see everyone there! Should be a good weekend of racing!
I think the schedule sucks and being in small business myself I'd love to know the difference in cost a Saturday raceday poses versus a Saturday limited schedule or practice day.
I also think alot of morons are gonna chime in here because they feel the need to defend their home track or organization when in fact that's not necessary. Brian's problem is clearly with the schedule. Nothing else.
Points taken...The cost of gateway for the track is high. Its not my favorite track, but it my home track..Our club(MCRA) can not afford to run 2 day race weekends at this point in our venture..If we did have a 2 day race weekend like ben said and had a low turn out could sink the club. If you want to know what gateway cost call them and ask how much to rent the track for 1 day. then add you insurance and staff o that..you will be shocked. If this year goes as we hope, you will more than likely see 2 day weekends next season. Its like they say"you have to learn to swim before jumping in the deep end of the pool"
And on a side note we have several section of air fence and have been able to add more this year. we strive to make it as safe as possible.
1 more thing, If anyone has any suddgestions to make the one day schedule better please pm me with your suddgestions and maybe we can make some changes before the event.
Turn the lights on and start racing at 4 AM?
Is MCRA having their series of races during the trackday? If not, how about running the GT races at the end of the trackday on Saturday? That will shave quite a bit of time off the schedule for Sunday's sprints.
BTW, welcome back to racing Brian, it was good to see your name there on the results for RA.
Ok, let me chime in here a bit. Yes I know for the purist racer having a 1 day event with a trackday before really doesn't fit exactly what they want. We as a club took quite a big gamble deciding to host races this year and run them with the help of ccs. We looked at multiple scenarios, ran lots of numbers, and as a club we decided that to make our run with ccs work for the first year, we couldn't do two day race weekends. We have too many racers who have heard from a friend's, friend's, friend that Gateway is dangerous, its a crappy track, blah blah blah blah. Myself personally, I love running at gateway. Its a fun technical track that really makes you work. Is it my favorite, no, but its not a bad track. All together there are just too many variables and too much risk to put the sustainability of the club at risk to try to run a two day race weekend...for now. If you want a two day weekend at Gateway, show us that we can build a base of riders that will show up on a consistant basis to race. I challenge you guys to come out and run with us at both of our events this year and show us that you will come for a two day weekend.
Dan Jasa
2009 MCRA President
R1 owner replied during me typing my reply. Yes we are running our challenge series, different format from last year but yes we are running it. We are committed to build a base of local racers with our challege series pushing them to sign up for CCS Races and run the entire GP region series.(and lets not start another thread with..."when I started racing I took the shcool and signed up for my first race")
Quote from: wolf44 on May 05, 2009, 11:42:03 AMR1 owner replied during me typing my reply. Yes we are running our challenge series, different format from last year but yes we are running it. We are committed to build a base of local racers with our challege series pushing them to sign up for CCS Races and run the entire GP region series.(and lets not start another thread with..."when I started racing I took the shcool and signed up for my first race")
Not sure if you're saying I was thinking that. I was just offering up a suggestion on how to maybe alleviate the schedule.
Quote from: wolf44 on May 05, 2009, 11:42:03 AM
Ok, let me chime in here a bit...
...and lets not start another thread with..."when I started racing I took the shcool and signed up for my first race")
Dan Jasa
2009 MCRA President
jeez....are you a dick to everybody? :biggrin:
Quote from: r1owner on May 05, 2009, 11:47:53 AM
Not sure if you're saying I was thinking that. I was just offering up a suggestion on how to maybe alleviate the schedule.
sorry, guess that came off wrong. I didn't mean YOU were saying that but I could see how this could turn into another NESBAish thread with our club trying to promote grass roots racing in St. Louis
And no Mark.....just to you and Noid :)
Quote from: racerhall on May 04, 2009, 03:47:38 PM
its bad enough that this race is the same time as the ama race at road america and that its a crappy track but now i look at the gateway schedule and its all on sunday, what the hell is this crap
Oh, and I didn't really like how the schedule turned out but those were the only dates made available to us. Between Gateway's schedule, ccs's schedule, ama's schedule etc etc this was actually the best possible solution.
I might actually be able to make a top 10 if all the experts that were going to do this race are at the AMA at R.A! ;)
dont you have to actually "race" to finish in the top 10??? :wtf:
Quote from: tstruyk on May 05, 2009, 02:45:19 PM
dont you have to actually "race" to finish in the top 10??? :wtf:
I still have my bike! If you pull it over there, I'll race it.
I'm looking forward to GIR. I love the short course stuff, and Gateway is a good technical track. Dan's right on the $$$, BTW. MCRA has done a ton to increase safety on the track, and has worked hard at keeping road racing in the St. Louis area.
I'll see you all there!
Good to hear about the airfence. I wasn't aware anything had been done. Still haven't entered though. I just have not been able to get myself to do it.
Quote from: TommyG on May 05, 2009, 07:19:54 PM
Good to hear about the airfence. I wasn't aware anything had been done. Still haven't entered though. I just have not been able to get myself to do it.
Chicken...
Quote from: r1owner on May 05, 2009, 02:47:17 PM
I still have my bike! If you pull it over there, I'll race it.
Pull it over with what???
Quote from: r1owner on May 05, 2009, 11:27:55 AM
Is MCRA having their series of races during the trackday? If not, how about running the GT races at the end of the trackday on Saturday? That will shave quite a bit of time off the schedule for Sunday's sprints.
I kinda like the idea of combining both MCRA and CCS GT's on Saturday.
Prices are the same if you count them as a second CCS race and it doesn't really hurt either org because the track fee is the same and it doesn't matter who runs it.
MCRA handles practice and GT's Saturday, CCS handles the sprints Sunday.
I think this setup will draw more racers and not hinder TD riders much if any.
BTW, HRRS could do the same too.
me too