Daytona Survey

[Super Dave]

Well, you've got to rent the track.  It costs money.  Grids are by regional position, but some riders can't make it, or can't afford it.  

So, you could invite certain people, but if they don't show up.  You still have a race track to pay for.

Daytona is pretty "grand".  People want to just race there, if only once.  That helps with the entries, even if riders are coming from across the country.  

Road Atlanta?  I guess I always looked at the GNF as being a race at someone's local track.  Makes it a little harder when you have to learn a new track for the championship determining race, and many of your competitors race there often.

The location should be unique, or at least rotated between some tracks.  However, you'd never get it to a location in the Midwest that time of year, so, we'd always play second fiddle.

[brian_gordon]

the formula of invitation only at a regional track works well for wera. i would imagine road atlanta isa fairly expensive track to rent and wera seems to keep going back every year so i guess getting people to come on an inviation only basis is not a problem. barber would be the best choice, worth the trip & expence, nice layout, fairly neutal as se only runs there once a year. if you put this race at a great track, it would just be extra insentive(every one likes to race on great circut)  for racers to qualify for the race of champions which would benifit the regions as well.

[Super Dave]

WERA's got a few things going for it.  Big local entries, Mel Harris likes having the Suzuki Cup there, and I think Road Atlanta probably subsidizes a little of it with a good deal.  It's still a revenue maker for Road Atlanta.

Still greatly favors the locals, period.  Really can't get over that.  I doubt that a rider like David Guy is going to be able to come from California and feel as though he's competitive against people that have more opportunities to ride there.

Barber is the same.  Sure, SE only goes there how many times, but WERA goes there, track programs, etc.  

Daytona is really neutral.  Unless you have a factory ride and a Dunlop contract, you'll only be able to go there in the spring and in the fall.  I'm not saying it's the best choice, but it certainly is neutral.  When I was starting out, many years ago, I realized that.  Whether I was driving 1500 miles one way or a guy was breaking in his bike riding behind his van from California, at least you would know that if you hadn't raced there before, we'd all be in the same boat.  Sure, there are people that are more local to the track, so they don't have the days of travel stress and expense, but at least they didn't ride there and get set up way before you.

[funksouljon]

Barber or Road Atlanta would be a much better venue for the ROC than Daytona.

Barber or Road A. would be much more reflective of the racing environments that got people to the ROC in the first place.

Here, here!

[StuartV666]

Super Dave, you make many very good points. The only one I really disagree with is what you're saying about Road Atlanta. It seems to me to be *almost* as hard to get a motorcycle on that track as Daytona. Not quite, but close. CCS doesn't go there at all and I think WERA only runs there once during the regular season. And there are little or no track days there for bikes. Just the Schwantz school and maybe CLASS or something like that.

In other words, Road Atlanta seems to be pretty darn neutral to me.

And none of your points address the issue I raised about the "character" of the racing. Daytona is a huge horsepower track. In that respect, it is unlike any of the other regional tracks. For somebody who wins a regional championship in Unlimited GP, riding a 600 SS machine, Daytona makes it *very* unlikely that they could win the ROC. I don't like that at all. I think the National Championship in each class should reflect all of the regional championships, in terms of what is rewarded with a win. If all the regional series reward skilled riding over horsepower, then I don't think it's very good that the national championship would change that and reward the competitors based on a significantly different mix of riding versus horsepower.

In a perfect world.

- Stu

[fourandsix]

stuarts on the rite track, this should be an invitation only event, a reward & opportunity for the best racers in each region to compete for a national championship. if you make it invitation only (with alternates) you could limit the grid size, change location and put it a good motorcycle circut/track that everyone could enjoy. it just doesn't make sence to call a race "the race of champions" when you allow racers with no chance of winning to clog up the grids, if you want to race daytona, fine, race it in the spring time with florida ccs.

I enjoyed the comment about racers with no chance of winning that clog up the grid , that's the same thing the top AMA riders say about privateers entering Pro races. The idea of Daytona is that it's a fun place to be, you get to ride on the banking it is like going to wrigley field it's fun. I have been to Daytona on and off in the spring and fall for a long time , i still get chills when i stand at the bottom of the track and stare up the banking!
The other challenge is doing well at Daytona and beating the track , not just the other racers.I can't tell you how many times i have been bitten at Daytona or how many races my bikes have won there , but there is no better place to have the end of the season race than the high banks!

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I would never have traveled there if not for the ROC.  Riding those crazy banks was a shining high point of my life, so I guess I can't complain about the ROC being held there.

[Super Dave]

The idea of Daytona is that it's a fun place to be, you get to ride on the banking it is like going to wrigley field it's fun.....I can't tell you how many times i have been bitten at Daytona or how many races my bikes have won there , but there is no better place to have the end of the season race than the high banks!

I think that puts it well, Jim.  

This guy wanted me to race this vintage CR750 at Daytona for him.  He had it in his mind that it would be "easy."  Put me on the bike, the bike has power, etc.  I told him, "Daytona sucks, unless you win."  Took us three tries to finally win, then we won two races in two days.  It's always hard, it seems to always be a thrash, but to finally have something that says:  First Place - Daytona International Speedway.  Hey, it IS Daytona.