Iowa track unsafe?

[Super Dave]

Do car orgs. rent the track more than motorcycle orgs?  I imagine the fee must be the same for both orgs.

No, cars generally cost more.  Why?  The load that cars will put into a track will tear it up faster than a bike, for one.  And a car will tear up barriers.  More cost in the end.

[Super Dave]

CCS doesn't need to be affiliated with an organization like that!!!

Honestly, CCS, AHRMA, and most organizations have the ability to shut people up.  Potentially, it's in each rule book.  An organization can have you removed, license suspended.  A track can even have one forceably removed from the track and told never to return.

Experiements happen.

The AMA raced in the Streets of Miami in 1990 and 1991 or so.  AHRMA and the MRA raced the Streets of Steamboat.  I raced there three times.  I raced with AHRMA in the streets of Park City, Utah. 

The AMA raced at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  CCS raced at the Milwaukee Mile. 

I imagine there may be some that have no idea who this Roger Edmonson is with MotoST, but that's another story.  I can say that there are concerns from them.  It's with great interest that I watch what happens in MotoST. 

MotoST, in my eyes, is taking the opportunity to fund CCS with a little cash in buying some time within its schedule at some events.  With the increased costs of putting on motorcycle racing events, this helps keep our entry fees down.  They will eventually go up again and again and again, but this will help.

[Noidly1]

I got it...

For those of you, you know who you are,  That want to be able to FLY around a track Without a care in the world and if you just Happen to go off coarse;;

Here you go.

Get your selves to gether, pool some money, and build a track with a 1000 foot run off  piled 6 feet high with Cotton Candy to catch you and when you come to a Fluffy stop, you can eat your way back out.

Now quit whining, If you DON'T like the track, request the officials to make changes, and if they don't, DON'T go there...

BTW, I don't think anyone ever complained about ISLE of MANN!
You know the Risks. Either you accept them or you don't.

[Super Dave]

Well, yeah, it used to be on the World Championship calender, then it came off in the 70's.  There were quite a few changes in the 70's in regards to road racing because the riders became vocal about stuff.  A lot of tracks were street courses, or street based courses.  Spa is one that was on the schedule through the 90's.  Wayne Rainey's dad has a real interesting account of watching his son qualifying there in the rain in Wayne's book.

Reality is that Wayne got paralyzed because of something else.  Generally, that is the way it is.

Iowa Speedway is generating the debate. 

Higbee apparently had contact with another rider causing the crash.  Ultimately, Shawn would be the one to give the best answers.  Why he races, why he decided to race there, why he went as fast as he did? 

Did Brian actually hit anything other than debris and the ground?  I can't say, but that is the way it sounds.

[Sklossmonster]

Hey Noidly,

Pull your fucking head out, Dude.  No one is saying there shouldn't be any risks associated with racing motorcycles, they're just saying there shouldn't be ridiculously unnecessary risks ... ie. walls perilously close to high speed corners, with no air fence, not even haybales or tire walls.

By your logic, no one should ever complain about any safety considerations whatsoever.  So tell riddle me this, Einstein, what are all those pussies in MotoGP doing with all their cotton candy runoff?  Why aren't they all racing the Isle of Man every weekend accepting the risks you so casually dismiss?

It's a simple question of economics, and until the money stops coming in there usually aren't safety improvements - in any game, motorycle or otherwise, and in truth, it's people like you who prolong the improvements by continueing to act as if unreasonably usafe tracks are just part of the deal.

If every track had ample runoff, there would still be serious injuries and deaths associated with motorsports, they just wouldn't be nearly as common or unnecessary. 

So please tell me what the harm is in funnelling some porition of the money these sports generate into airfence and runoff? 

NOTE:To anyone who agrees with this sentiment, now is a great time to donate to the Blackhawk Roadracing World Airfence Fund, to those who don't, now is a great time to quit wearing your seatbelt and/or helmet, because "you either accept the risks or you don't"

[PJ721]

You can donate directly to him through us as follows:

Check/Money Order to:
Red Flag Fund
W250 N7787 Hillside Ln
Sussex, WI 53089

PayPal to:
paypal@redflagfund.org

Credit Cards (MC/VIS/DISC/AMEX):
call us 262-246-8589 eves, or 262-993-5416 (Jeff's cell)

If you state that you wish your donation to go directly to any person, 100% of those funds (less CC processing fees or paypal fees) will go directly to that person until their needs are met.

Please be aware that any NAMED DONATION (i.e., "this donation is for Shawn Higbee") may not be tax deductable per new IRS guidelines.  Check with your tax professional to be sure.

We are able to and prepared to help these guys.  Our recent auction has given us a pretty solid base which we can use to help, so we will be helping them from the general fund.  Of course, the more we get the more we can do.

Call or email me with any questions.

-Jeff

Thanks Jeff...going to copy this over to the MOTO-ST board...

[G 97]

No, cars generally cost more.  Why?  The load that cars will put into a track will tear it up faster than a bike, for one.  And a car will tear up barriers.  More cost in the end.

Blackhawk Farms does not charge more for cars than for motorcycles.    I can't think of one single track that  differentiates prices based on vehicle type.

[Mongo]

as long as the organizations keep renting the tracks, the track owners have no reason to make changes. the only way the track will change anything fast is if the organizations as a hole come to the agreement that they aren't going to use that track until the owners make changes.
personally i think it's bullshit that the track organizations have to buy the air fences. it's like walmart making a guy in a wheelchair paint the handicap parking spaces before he goes in to shop.

Now that's the best joke I've heard all day :D

Quite simply there is maybe one single track in the US that depends on bike racing.  The rest could lose all of us and do just fine.

[Mongo]

No, cars generally cost more.  Why?  The load that cars will put into a track will tear it up faster than a bike, for one.  And a car will tear up barriers.  More cost in the end.

You're insane.  They charge us as much as they charge the car groups.  Most tracks will have a weekend price and a weekday price, that is the only difference I know of. 

[Court Jester]

Now that's the best joke I've heard all day :D

Quite simply there is maybe one single track in the US that depends on bike racing.  The rest could lose all of us and do just fine.

Maybe so, but when the fiscal year rolls to a close, they will see much lower profits and they will start to rethink things. it's not so much a matter of needing the money as it is wanting the money. I'm sure Gateway makes more than enough off the NASCAR and ARCA stuff to support itself for the year. but that doesn't mean they wouldn't care about losing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. someone always has to answer for lost profits.

[Noidly1]

Hey Noidly,

Pull your fucking head out, Dude.  No one is saying there shouldn't be any risks associated with racing motorcycles, they're just saying there shouldn't be ridiculously unnecessary risks ... ie. walls perilously close to high speed corners, with no air fence, not even haybales or tire walls.
By your logic, no one should ever complain about any safety considerations whatsoever.

Dear Mr. Sklossmonster;

I agree there shouldn't be any Unneccisary risks. I don't like those walls either. As I stated before, If there is a problem with the track, Ask the officials to make the changes and if they don't, Don't go to that track. There's your Economic impact.

So tell riddle me this, Einstein, what are all those pussies in MotoGP doing with all their cotton candy runoff?  Why aren't they all racing the Isle of Man every weekend accepting the risks you so casually dismiss?

Better tracks, more exposure, better economics for them and their Sponsors...

I don't Ever Dismiss risks. I only accept the ones I can handle.

It's a simple question of economics, and until the money stops coming in there usually aren't safety improvements - in any game, motorycle or otherwise, and in truth, it's people like you who prolong the improvements by continueing to act as if unreasonably usafe tracks are just part of the deal.

I never said that was just Part of The Deal. Read from the begining.

If every track had ample runoff, there would still be serious injuries and deaths associated with motorsports, they just wouldn't be nearly as common or unnecessary.

True. Agreed.

So please tell me what the harm is in funnelling some porition of the money these sports generate into airfence and runoff?

Never said a word about it. Don't put words in my mouth. OR ANYTHING ELSE...

Please don't take what i say the wrong way.  If the facility doesn't change, then you have either stop going to that place or quit racing.

[Sig]

Quite simply there is maybe one single track in the US that depends on bike racing.  The rest could lose all of us and do just fine.

JenningsGP!!!

What do I win?!?

:)