The Great Plains region has eliminated three classes from their schedule.
Heavyweight Superbike
125 GP
Thunderbike
I'm pretty certain that these events would be held at the combined MW/GP region events at HPT and RA.
But I don't know if they would be held at the combined MW/GP events at MAM and GIR because those are put on by Trackaddix.
What is CCS's take on this?
I thought that Buell offered contingency in Thunderbike too.
Oooo, good questions.
Funny, I talked to Dean this morning about this.
The MAM and Gateway rounds will be the TrackAddix GP format, which means trackday on Saturday, all races sunday with no 125GP, Thunderbike or Heavyweight Superbike.
Hooooooooooooooooooooooold the presses! No HWSB at SOME combined events?!
Gotta be a typo!
HWSB was on the HPT round schedule... :err:
Road America and HPT will be run by CCS. So they will run the standard twin sprint format, (with HWSB, Thunderbike and 125GP).
MAM and Gateway will be run by Trackaddix, so they will run the one day format, with those three classes omitted.
I hope that makes sense...
Say JB, how does one agree to run a series and them omit parts of the series?
Just curious how that works...
I dunno, I have nothing to do with Trackaddix or CCS. I called Dean for clarification since I race the HW classes.
I understand their point. Great Plains has been a weak region as long as I've been racing. Dean is trying to fix it.
You can't run a business without customers, and right now the GP rounds don't bring enough racers to pay the bills. So Dean decided to race on Sunday only, and have track days on Saturday to offset costs.
There's just not enough time on Sunday to race every class, something had to give.
Look at it this way, if Trackaddix hadn't stepped in, there might be no Great Plains region at all. Better to lose a few classes than an entire series.
Quote from: JBraun on January 26, 2007, 01:00:09 PM
Better to lose a few classes than an entire series.
Gotchya, I agree.
Quote from: JBraun on January 26, 2007, 01:00:09 PM
Look at it this way, if Trackaddix hadn't stepped in, there might be no Great Plains region at all. Better to lose a few classes than an entire series.
+1000!
Quote from: JBraun on January 26, 2007, 01:00:09 PMI dunno, I have nothing to do with Trackaddix or CCS. I called Dean for clarification since I race the HW classes.
I understand their point. Great Plains has been a weak region as long as I've been racing. Dean is trying to fix it.
You can't run a business without customers, and right now the GP rounds don't bring enough racers to pay the bills. So Dean decided to race on Sunday only, and have track days on Saturday to offset costs.
There's just not enough time on Sunday to race every class, something had to give.
Look at it this way, if Trackaddix hadn't stepped in, there might be no Great Plains region at all. Better to lose a few classes than an entire series.
True on both counts.
You can't run a business without customers...
and
Better to lose a few classes than an entire season...
However, the decision to eliminate Thunderbike, with grid sizes comparable to, or better than, any other LW class, and the $2225 available in Buell contingency at every event will lose customers.
I, for one, will not be going to any GP races this season, outside of the MW combined events. And I know several other Buell racers who are making the same decision.
Paul, yeah, I think that really sucks for the Buell guys. Additionally, the loss of tire money for racers.
I'm sure Dean had a hard time with this decision. When trying to decide which classes to omit I'm also sure he chose the classes that had the smallest grids. I don't like seeing the loss of the heavyweight class myself but I do understand that if something had to give, then the classes with the lightest entry history had to go. I'm sure if more riders that want to see those classes continue would have shown up and registered for those classes then we would have seen them continue.
Something that I have seen, especially here in the Great Plains is the lack of commitment of riders to the race series or track day opportunities that have been available. Everyone is upset about the loss of an opportunity but if they would have supported the series better then it could have continued. As consumers WE actually determine what is available to us by our demand and support for what we want. I'm as guilty as anyone. The Great Plains series is by far the closest race series to me but I didn't support it well because I felt the grids were to small for me to earn the contingency payouts I wanted. So instead of helping to solve the problem by showing up and entering races and filling grids I went to the Midwest where there was sure to be full grids. I blame myself and my fellow riders for the lack of grids and opportunities. Dean and I have had our differences but when I did attend the Track Addix race events they did run well and their operations staff was excellent.
Well put, Rob.
Yep, having just a few more guys on the expert 600 grids would have been awesome. Seems like the amature stuff generally had good turnout. I know a lot of people were bumped after last year so we will see a little shift in grid size.
Like Rob said, Dean runs one hell of a smooth race weekend. We just need to get a few more people following the season and I'm sure we can get the classes that were cut put back in the lineup. Its only a matter of time before it booms. The region has a ton of different tracks and the driving is very reasonable considering what kind of miles we put on prior to last year.
Quote from: Spooner on March 27, 2007, 02:00:16 PM
Yep, having just a few more guys on the expert 600 grids would have been awesome. Seems like the amature stuff generally had good turnout. I know a lot of people were bumped after last year so we will see a little shift in grid size.
Like Rob said, Dean runs one hell of a smooth race weekend. We just need to get a few more people following the season and I'm sure we can get the classes that were cut put back in the lineup. Its only a matter of time before it booms. The region has a ton of different tracks and the driving is very reasonable considering what kind of miles we put on prior to last year.
+1
I bumped up to beat Spooner.
Dean is trying hard with the GP TrackAddix series. Rider support is important, and cutting classes isn't easy.
With a growing Ducati presence in the GP region, cutting Thunderbike hasn't really hurt since Kevin doesn't seem
to hear the 749 riders asking for the chance to race that class. With it gone the Buell guys suffer and I feel
for Paul, Walt & Michael and all the GP region Buell riders.
I'm sure things may be adjusted for 2008 if some other class is very weak and another shows some potential.
Personally with Ducati bringing out the 848 I'd like to see it allowed in F40 and the 749 allowed in Thunderbike.
GP Track Addix is going to get better and I support it. Number 23 tOm :ahhh:
Quote from: SnacktimeKC on March 28, 2007, 11:53:38 AM
I bumped up to beat Spooner.
How's that working for ya lol!
Quote from: Ducati23 on May 07, 2007, 04:49:26 PM
Personally with Ducati bringing out the 848 I'd like to see it allowed in F40 and the 749 allowed in Thunderbike.
GP Track Addix is going to get better and I support it. Number 23 tOm :ahhh:
The 999 is allowed in F40. I'd think an 848 production bike would be allowed.
As for a 749 in Thunderbike... I think Thunderbike is basically a lightweight based class. 749 is not a lightweight bike. You mileage may vary. Terms and conditions apply, Tom...
do you guys run races on sat. Here Fla we practice all sat and race all sun .one round practice in am. and we run all classes. you think you could combine thunderbike and 125. heavyweight superbike down here is full of big twins maybe combine with f40 a lot of people don't like Henry Degow but he was a racer and he always finds a spot for us oddballs to race .we even have vintage Marc