Some thoughts on the future of Midwest/Great Plains racing

[spyderchick]

Hey, Mikey...I like it! 

Seriously, good idea. There's a marketing model that can be built upon.

[Noidly1]

Jason, I've heard a few other people throwing around the idea of partnering with other racing organizations. You have it right, there needs to be a similarity in the rule books. I think the idea has merit, just one more option for folks.

Just as long as it's not WERA's... 

[Jason748]

Well... the CRA book is kind of a combination between the CCS rule book and Wera rule book.  Class structure is very simialr to CCS, but bike prep & requirments are similar to teh WERA book...  So SS classes are more restricted.

[twilkinson3]

That artwork and pamphlet (maybe a small poster...) bit could also be distributed fairly easily to amenable local Dealerships, someone else said the racer crowd working thru a local dealership is also win-win for the dealer...i agree

So if that were to come to pass I'd be on board with canvasing the local dealers in the Milwaukee area to get them to help support the sprot in the simplest way possible - carry information for us.

[Gino230]

Nobody has brought this up yet, so....

Back when I started racing 10 years ago, there were NO trackdays, and the ones that did exist were few and far between and expensive as hell.

Now there are track days galore, they are cheap, and have very little tech requirements. So the entry level track rider is going for track days rather than springing for a set of Sharksinz and going racing.

The real question you should be asking is not how to print the better flyer, but how to get the trackday rider into racing. We all know these track days can be downright dangerous- maybe a Showroom Stock class where they can tape the lights, zip tie the kickstand, and hit the track? Or a probationary period where full race prep is not required (i.e. belly pan) for the first 2 race weekends?

Getting trackday riders to race is where it's at.

[motovid.com]

Gino230,

Completely agree;

This simple fact, as you state: ..."Back when I started racing 10 years ago, there were NO trackdays..." is true for many racers in this community and of course, almost always identified with by the race sanctions as the businesses servicing these markets over time. But as we all know, environment variables change......so new business models must evolve to conform to the new variables, embrace change and modify the approach to get the desired return.

Your main point here seems to identify the logic behind the simple position being bantered around recently "track days are killing racing....", by suggesting they are competitors for the almighty dollar in a finite market.

Yes, this could be true, in a very simple analysis. If that's the case, motorcycle club road racing is competing with many other forms of entertainment, parts for the bike, family vacations, etc. etc.....Let us not forget a tough economy.

I firmly believe these segments, old and new, are complimentary, as opposed to adversarial, and track days should be recognized as an ideal market to harvest new racers from the race sanctions [embrace]. 

Together, the coexistence of these distinctly different segments which maintain different value propositions & requirements (racing & lapping [ track days]) in the motorsports market place CAN generate MORE business cooperatively for both segments.

With 4 CCS MW regional race events annually for the Blackhawk Farms Raceway Track Championship, Blackhawk Farms Raceway and Motovid.com certainly believe this, as demonstrated recently with quite a few of our track day riders and rider clinic students moving thru LCR in 2010 to become CCS MW racers.

Track Day rider-> Rider Clinic student -> Race Clinic student- > New Racer

Using our track day and rider clinic programs, we have developed partnerships that provides clear path, progression along with incentive in the form of guidance, instruction from local, regional racers in an attempt to harvest new racers for our partner, Learning Curves Racing Schools and therefore, CCS from our events. Working with our dealership partners, we help new riders get on track with track day seminars and open-house events.

Some of our track day riders we bring in stay track day enthusiasts. In some cases moving on to other track day organizations for their respective club atmosphere focusing on performance riding. Other times, those riders with the *chromosome or pure talent, continue on to the next step from performance riding to actual racing.

Along side our Control Riding staff, we include Rider Clinic instructors in all run groups of our track days to expose new riders to racing with local regional experts and champions to help promote the Blackhawk Farms Track Championship Rider Clinics for riders of all levels [NOT just racers], held each Fri. before each CCS Race weekend, sharing the track with Test & Tune Race practice for the CCS weekend competitors. 

Additionally, we include Race Clinic instructors from our Race License partner, Learning Curves, in both the Blackhawk Farms Raceway All Levels Motorcycle Track Days and Track Championship Rider Clinics for even more exposure, promotion and direct guidance for new racer prospects.

The whole idea : ride together, hang in the pits together and expose the up and coming track day enthusiasts to the world of motorcycle club road racing with local, regional, and national experts, champions and race license instructors.

We feel with our programs we can either:

a) develop a NEW racer, who will become a future participant in our community

-or-

b) develop a NEW race FAN, who might come to a future CCS race weekend and become a supportive part of our community

either way, it seems win-win-win for all......if we could only get around.....

"Track days are killing racing........"  nonsense.

[motovid.com]

Gino230,

Sorry for the long rant, but I dig your "Production class" concept, another way to reduce the barrier to entry.

[duckracer996]

Personally the cost of racing was a big factor that delayed my start of racing. I love track days, and racing. But add the expense of both together and my race dates become limmited. (that will probably change next year since Gateway, my home track, may be closed). My son has just started doing track days and wants to race with me, so now my expense's just doubled. Cutting costs for the races would help get more racers in, make racing cheaper than track days, and although ccs' per race income is less, overall with more racers running more races the income is more.  It's a double edged sword, but maybe something that needs to be done. Also I am sure everyone has noticed that when your friends ask what you have planned for the weekend, you tell them racing. The first thing they think of is "drag racing". There needs to be more advertising so more people know what we are doing! Get spectators, and you get future racers!

[The Hammer of Truth]

If cost is an issue could you guys maybe make a package so I can do the riders clinic get my racer license and do one race all in one week end.
I am told that it may cost me as much as 400 to 500 hundred dollars for a weekend do you think I could the hole experience for 400 or 500 for a weekend I would be up for that.

It would give me a chance to get on track learn something and get the feeling of a competitive race in one weekend it would be awesome.

[Jason748]

OK, Hammer of Truth... I gotta ask, I just have this feeling that you're an ex-racer now heavy track day rider and/or CR/instructor because of some of the insight you've posted shows that you've been around awhile and know both sides pretty damn well?  Your concepts are pretty straight forward and seam like they are easy to understand and would be pretty straight forward to implement.  Am I correct?

[riderupred]

OK, Hammer of Truth... I gotta ask, I just have this feeling that you're an ex-racer now heavy track day rider and/or CR/instructor because of some of the insight you've posted shows that you've been around awhile and know both sides pretty damn well?  Your concepts are pretty straight forward and seam like they are easy to understand and would be pretty straight forward to implement.  Am I correct?

Just a hunch....... but after many PMs ...... My thoughts are that the hammer is Casper...... "The hammer" mentioned some things that only Casper and I talked about in private....

I am so glad that Motovid.com really liked my pamphlet idea and is willing to implement it via trackdays and their mailers..... also glad that dealers are willing to come on board with the idea to make the pamphlets available in the stores....Wording may have been wrong but the concept was right on :) That is the kind of FREE support the organization needs :)  I am still willing to give $50.00 to help cover the material cost... lets not worry about the profits at the moment and just concentrate on getting more racers!! :D  The profits will come with more racers.

[The Hammer of Truth]

sorry !!! I do know who he is but  I am not him I have been around allot !  I was an ex racer gone broke trying to get back with it
done a few trackdays with other tracks and I rode a  clinic but for all the info that I have has been nothing but reading post from you and everyone else on here WSB NESBA Wera if you guys go back and read on all these sights you can find the same things I have nice try BUT THIS IS Not casper .