Florida region change?

[actiontek]

I was at Roebling this last week end and met some great people from Florida. I am a little concerned to find out that the one thing that ALL of them (the ones I spoke with) had to say about the Florida CCS region is that they won't race there anymore because of the way the events are run. ALL of them said that they did not agree with one day of racing 18 or 19 classes/races. I must say I have had some concerns about this as well. I am starting this thread not to get a flame fest going but to find out what can be done to change or not change the way the Florida region is managed. Henry I know you'll probably take offense at this but all the folks I talked to did not care for you. I have had some discussions with you and voiced my concernes to you and you have replied with intelligent replies. But I live and want to race in Florida. I like most of the tracks there and the people are great but this decention of a large group of good and seasoned riders seems to me to be a problem. This is only my second year racing and I certainly don't know all or even a large part of the history of how things have come to the point where they are now but I am not one to be involved in an organization where there are problems and those problems/concerns not be discussed in an open forum. So I am asking my fellow CCS Florida riders to come forward and let us all know what is your opinion. I am truely trying to do this to bring a more favorable attitude and respect for one another to the general group. Thanks in advance for your input. #223

[roadracer68]

my question to you is why are you complaining if you have not run this program?

the main reason it is run this way is only because the florida riders who run the florida region and attend the riders meetings voted to run the program this way .

6-7 sesions 20 min long on sat. makes for a full day of practice and give's you ample trime to dial your bike in. alot of riders work on sat. and did not feel they shouyld miss there chance to win cash money$$$$ in gto /gtu races.

sunday races go well, it has only been this way for a few years, we did run the other for most of the 11-or 12 years I have been racing.

6laps sprints are easier on your tires, so I do not use a set in the gto/gtu races then another for a few sprints.

I love racing florida, southeast , wera all of them have there on quirks. but that's racing . if ytou want to complain about something get them to have more multi region rounds so there is more competition at the races.

patrick weekley #68

[Henry DeGouw]

Dear Allen

Allen

Well I must say that I'm a little concerned about you. Especially when you spoke of all the Florida riders at Roebling this past weekend that were so upset with the way I run the races in Fl. I want you to just think about the following. First of all WERA was racing at NFMP and had a total of 149 entries! CCS SE and "all the Fl. riders" were at Roebling with a "whopping" 200 entries! While we ran Moroso and had 459 entries! That's more than both of the other events combined! That tells me that you and the other "concerned Fl. riders" are exactly where you belong, in a minority. I have said it before and say it again. I will never make all the riders happy, all the time but I will do my best to make the majority happy. And the numbers prove it over and over again. It's good to know that you and your "great group of Fl. riders" with all your "vast experience" are concerned with the way I manage the CCS Fl. region. They "don't like me" and "won't race with us" because of the way we run them. To that I say, great! The decention among the large group that you speek of is BS. I suggest that other regions run the same program as we do and maybe they might have the success that we do. You and your great friends have no idea what it takes to run events at places like Homestead, Moroso or anywhere else. I will not waste my time to try to educate you and your "large group of good and seasoned riders " about organizing and running a race series. Especially with your knowledge of Roebling. So in closing, my attitude towards this "great group of people from Florida" is they can "stick it". Stay where you are, neither I or the majority of the Fl. riders want them at our events. Those are the facts!

Henry  

[slclark65]

Hey Henry.  Just wanted to say HI!!!!!!!!!  Hope all is well.  Keep up the good work down there.

Stacey

[THE_D.O.C.]

if that is good business sense, then you have no business sense. all day i get flack from customers, and they always come back the next day. henry, i don't know you from adam's housecat, but i'd say you are either an idiot, or a jerk. you might say, i'm sorry you aren't pleased, but give it a try. we try to please the majority etc. etc. not "screw you we don't want you and those guys anyway!" frankly i get sick of the org. who forget that racers are customers and think they are here doing a favor. you are making money and your tone is insulting.

[EX#996]

Is it just me or is the heat getting to everyone?   :-[

What I sense with Henry's response is frustration and sometimes you just have to let it out.  We do not race in the Florida region but in the Midwest region.  Our races are over Saturday and Sunday, and even with this schedule someone is not happy with it (the races should be in a different order, why are these races on this day and not on the other... etc).  

What surprised me in actiontek's post is that "ALL" did not care for the schedule and "ALL" did not care for Henry.  My thought is if that was the case, wouldn't it have changed by now?

Dawn

[actiontek]

I gues you guys just didn't read my post. I told you that I am not flaming anyone or anything. I have run this program and I have run the SE program. All I said is that I spoke with a lot of Florida guys that have concerns and I would like to know more. So you guys take it anyway you want to. I am just asking. I also said that I haven't been into this long but there must be something up to get you so upset. Instead of having an intelligent discussion why so many are upset you just want to kill the messanger. What's up with that? When there is such decention why not find out what the problem is rather than ignoring it. I'm just talking out loud what so many are saying privately. If you think this is complaining you need to check your own ego. Henry if you read my post I said all the riders I spoke with, there are alot I didn't speak with. Read the post. Also it is not for you to decide where I belong unless you have that option and I'm not aware of it. I'm just trying to find out what's the deal. Lastly when I said ALL I also said of the folks I spoke to. I'm trying to get some discussion going but I see that's not an option here.

[EX#996]

Actiontek:

If there are many riders feeling this way, perhaps it should have been brought up at a riders meeting.  It was said that you did not want to start a flame fest, but when the word "ALL" (in capital letter's no less) is used over and over again, that is exactly what happens.

Perhaps a better way of starting the thread would have been:  Florida Riders - What do you think of the current racing format?

Dawn

[actiontek]

When I used the word all and capitolized it, it was because I was astonished that all (ALL) the people I spoke with had the same comments. If that is misconstrude as an inflamatory remark, it was not meant to be on my part. AGAIN I AM JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. I did not go looking for these guys starting this discussion. I asked why they were there rather than Moroso. I was at Roebling because I really like the track and the people I've met there as well as the camping. My family likes the place as well. I'll say it one more time "I am not saying that the way things are being ran in Floirida are wrong; I would just like to find out why the poeple I spoke with think so and if there is any credence/basis to their opinions." I have not and will not condem things I know little about. But I am concerned and curious.

[EX#996]

Fair enough..... ;)

[MightyDuc Racing]

As someone who will be racing next season for the first time, I like the idea of having practice all day Saturday, and there will be some Saturday's that I can't get off work.  However, I just hope all of the anger and harsh words passed around on these boards stays here and doesn't make it's way to the track.  The racers ARE the customers, and without new racers, the sport will die.  By the way, I can't wait to get out there and have some FUN.  That is what this is all about, right???

[ceesthadees]

Normally I do not get involved in these sorts of discussions, but...

I have been racing Florida CCS for three years. I have been to several other CCS regional events (Southeast, even California) when I could make the trip. All of the events, at least as experienced by me, were run just fine. The Florida race schedule is set like it is because that is what the Florida racers want, not because it is better, or worse, than any of the other schedules chosen by the other regions.

So, I guess my first point is do not lump me in with ALL of the Florida racers you met at a weekend in which MOST of the Florida racers were, well, in Florida, not Georgia. I love the massive amount of practice I can get (if I so choose). I love the fact I am not pressured to drop the extra cash it takes for a two day event (if I so choose). I love the fact I can make a race weekend on one set of tires (if I so choose). Get my point?

Secondly, I know Henry from the 20 or so race weekends I have participated. Henry promotes these races because he loves motorcycle racing and motorcycle racers. I have never spoken to anyone in Florida that dislikes Henry or the way the events are run. If most of the Florida racers wanted a different schedule, Henry would change it. The event has to be managed for two days anyway! I guess the proof is in the pudding, so to speak, with the entry numbers Henry posted.

Thirdly, I cannot read Henry's mind, but I can guess his response is from the frustration of this, and other printed tirades against Florida CCS, by INDIVIDUAL authors purporting to speak for the majority of Florida racers, when they aren't.

From my personal experience:
 - a call from Henry to see how I was doing after a helicopter ride out of Homestead
 - a rain-out rescheduling of a race that cost the racers nothing extra
 - a few concerned stops by my pit when I was making the race weekend alone

I can't see racing in any other region.