vp fuel at barber oct 3-4

[benprobst]

http://www.michelinuschampionship.com/usmcsked.html

well we have a schedule, but no fri practice

Yeah, its been pretty much understood that their is no friday practice. Hopefully someone steps up or collaborates. I just dont think anyone is comfortable stepping up to take that kind of financial loss for an event that isnt "theirs"

[R1Racer99]

Why would anyone go to this without a Friday practice? I planned on it all year but I guess I'm out. Bullshit.

[racepro171]

so I am confussed. this is for Michelin club level racers, right?   then how in the hell are...Jason Disalvo,Danny Eslick, Bobby Fong, Melissa Peris,   able to qualify. do they not compete at every national event? which is not michelin. , And probably more but these ones stand out>

[benprobst]

Why would anyone go to this without a Friday practice? I planned on it all year but I guess I'm out. Bullshit.

Because its a chance to win a shit load of money and attend one of the coolest events put on in a while? LOL. they are already offering almost 90 thousand dollars to show up and ride your motorcycle at Barber. Now someone has to lose another 5-15 to put on a trackday? It sucks that there isnt a practice, but if youre really taking it seriously there have been about 20 trackdays and races at Barber you could have gone too. Hell their is a WERA national there next weekend where you can get 4 hours of tracktime for 200 bucks, and the weekend before there is another two day trackday that still has a few spots left if im not mistaken. If youre not taking it seriously then who cares if you dont get up to speed until the second day. I mean racers raced on morning practice only for the past 70 years, now all of the sudden its impossible to learn a track or go quickly without at least 6 hours tracktime the day before!!!!

[benprobst]

so I am confussed. this is for Michelin club level racers, right?   then how in the hell are...Jason Disalvo,Danny Eslick, Bobby Fong, Melissa Peris,   able to qualify. do they not compete at every national event? which is not michelin. , And probably more but these ones stand out>

The expert class if for club racers. The pro class if for, ummm pros. They do compete at every AMA national, but they also dont have tire contracts this year in the AMA. So as long as they attended club races and scored michelin money (which they all did) and/or signed a Michelin contract early in the year they qualify like everyone else.

[R1Racer99]

Because its a chance to win a shit load of money and attend one of the coolest events put on in a while? LOL. they are already offering almost 90 thousand dollars to show up and ride your motorcycle at Barber. Now someone has to lose another 5-15 to put on a trackday? It sucks that there isnt a practice, but if youre really taking it seriously there have been about 20 trackdays and races at Barber you could have gone too. Hell their is a WERA national there next weekend where you can get 4 hours of tracktime for 200 bucks, and the weekend before there is another two day trackday that still has a few spots left if im not mistaken. If youre not taking it seriously then who cares if you dont get up to speed until the second day. I mean racers raced on morning practice only for the past 70 years, now all of the sudden its impossible to learn a track or go quickly without at least 6 hours tracktime the day before!!!!

Please show me when there has been a big-time racing event where you only get a session or two of practice, I've never heard of it.

This is supposedly for club racers, which to me means people who have a budget of some kind. I don't know about anyone else but my budget does not include a few thousand dollars and a week spent to drive 1,500 miles to Alabama for a trackday. And it also doesn't include spending thousands of dollars and a week of my time to go to Alabama and get a couple practice sessions and 24 laps of racing.

I guarantee I'm not going to be the only one staying home because of it.

[benprobst]

Please show me when there has been a big-time racing event where you only get a session or two of practice, I've never heard of it.

This is supposedly for club racers, which to me means people who have a budget of some kind. I don't know about anyone else but my budget does not include a few thousand dollars and a week spent to drive 1,500 miles to Alabama for a trackday. And it also doesn't include spending thousands of dollars and a week of my time to go to Alabama and get a couple practice sessions and 24 laps of racing.

I guarantee I'm not going to be the only one staying home because of it.

Most all Nationals and Grand Nationals are exactly like that actually. Two 15-20 minute sessions on the day before and one 15 minute session the morning of. So you have lost 15 minutes of tracktime. I dont see how its anyones fault you dont have enough money to race at a certain level? If you want to win national champioships it takes more than showing up the day before. Im sorry to hear you are staying home, just out of curiosity how much of a difference do you think it would make if you had another 15-25 minutes of practice to your overall results? All of the fast guys national championship caliber guys (amatuer or expert) I know are within a half second of their fastest time pretty quickly. The weekend sounds pretty reasonable to me. 1 hour 20 minutes of practice and 24 laps for two entries. Thats equivelant to about 2 race weekends of practice (normally getting 4 10-14 minute sessions) and the race time equivelant of 5 sprint races in a weeekend. Except in this case you have a legitimate chance of winning 10,000 dollars. Seems pretty fair to me.

[R1Racer99]

If there was an hour for each class before the racing started I would be fine with it, a couple morning sessions is not enough. I'm not a pro racer, just an amateur who was looking forward to this weekend all year. Maybe I'll go to Daytona instead, it would cost more but at least I would get to practice.

[racepro171]

let alone guys like myself and fellow racers who are going to drive 24hrs to race at a track we do not know.. All I can say is.... giver'
p.s  youtube and playstation help

[benprobst]

If there was an hour for each class before the racing started I would be fine with it, a couple morning sessions is not enough. I'm not a pro racer, just an amateur who was looking forward to this weekend all year. Maybe I'll go to Daytona instead, it would cost more but at least I would get to practice.

You get 40 minutes in the morning, each morning, not too far off an hour. And if you think youre going to get tracktime at Daytona youre crazy. Thats what Daytona is all about, and always has been. Tons of money for very little track time. I guess I just dont get it, on one hand Barber is too much money and too little track time, then on the other Daytona makes sense to you? Its more tracktime, for much less money, and you have the oppurtinity to win a lot more money. I mean you are looking at maybe 1-2 10 minute sessions at Daytona and what, 3-4 lap races. Even if you take the hammer day, its still going to be just an additional 2 practice sessions. Either way man, obviously, its up to you. I just think this Michelin race has the potential to be really awesome. Its a win win for us racers. We get the chance to win bunches of money on our overall performance, and the chance to shine in front of all of the biggest Michelin people in the motorcycle industry. If you dont think they will be looking at the talent to see who to put on national contracts next year, I think you really are crazy!!!  

[benprobst]

let alone guys like myself and fellow racers who are going to drive 24hrs to race at a track we do not know.. All I can say is.... giver'
p.s  youtube and playstation help

For sure, one really nice thing about barber is it is very smooth and very wide. Meaning there are tons of variants on ways to get around fast There are no secret lines like at BHF, or Summit, or GIR, or any other similar. The elevation changes can mess with you, and take some balls to commit to on some, but the track has tons of reference points.

[ahastings]

Why would anyone go to this without a Friday practice? I planned on it all year but I guess I'm out. Bullshit.

it does suck not to have a friday practice especially for a big event like this. big advantage for the southeast guys. Ive never raced there and have 2 practice sessions to try to get up to speed and figure out the proper gearing. benprobst, you have obviously been there , how about some gearing advice for an SV