Yes, more shedule complaining, sorry!

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Guys....I don't know where you got these numbers at...

Heck I only spent about $3,500 a year when I club raced and did the entire AMA season last year on about $7K!

I think for next year my budget may finally break the 10K mark. ::)

Come on...this racing stuff is really affordable. 8) :-* ;D

I smell sarcasm....

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Being out this way, we really need to work together to get places.

 Hopefully we can grow our number of racers out this way still if we all helped each other out a bit and then when the CCS does hold events out this way we can have a turnout that would allow CCS to consider more dates in this area.  
I think part of the responsibility is on us to show the CCS that we can fill race entries and spectator stands before they are going to make a large scale effort to hold more events here. .

Nice post, Rob!  Well said!

[Dawn]

I smell sarcasm....

I smelled something else....    :o

... time to get out the plunger!   ;D

[spyderchick]

I smelled something else....    :o

... time to get out the plunger!   ;D

That was K3 last time he was at your house...I can smell it all the way down here! :o ;)

[Super Dave]

What a huge double edged sword.

Years ago, it was locations.  Just weren't so many.  Lately, there have been lots of road courses built.  

Years ago, when looking in the National Speedway Directory, there were like 33 to 37 road courses in the US.  Most of them were built in the 60's.  HPT was one of the first new places to be built and that was in 1989.  Lots have followed.  I'd bet that there are at least 50% more.

The track day programs...

Used to just be the CCS schools and the California Superbike Schools.  Now, there's a host of schools, track day programs, etc.  The volume is incredible.

Invariably, a track day and school program doesn't need the staffing and the insurance for competition.  Their costs are lower, they can absorb a bit more cost than the sensitive racers and their organizations.  Only so many dates, and if it costs more and a track day program will pay more...well, what date would you like?  Something less desireable?  Maybe even unuseable.

I'm sick of everyone wanting to "promote" the sport through schools and track days.

What does that get you?  More competition for the dollars for race day.

Promote your own racing program, promote what you do, that will get people to come see you race...

So, we need more racers, or we need more people to come to the track to see racers...

Track day programs don't necessarily help race day.

The percentage of riders that have came to my non-racer programs that actually go on to race is very, very low.  

[9flyer]

Thanks a lot for your replies guys.  Also thanks for not flaming me for having my whine time.  It shows that you folks here in the ccs and on this forum are a good and forgiving bunch.

Super Dave; your last reply hits the nail on the head.  I've been reading on some other forums about similiar view points in other regions of the country.

Plus, recently read a post from an individual who recently attended a trackday in CA.  He said that there wasn't one session that did not end in a Red Flag.  His view was that so many riders were riding way above their skills and over their heads!

Leading to another recent topic that I read.  Some regular trackday riders are finding that an increasing number of riders are using "trackday events" as their own Race Day with their buddies.  Leading to ever increasing "pushing it" circumstances and incidents.

Riders are finding that trackdays can provide an avenue to a little "looser" format to get it on with their buds without any "class" restrictions or rider/bike prepration.  (BTW G97, I'm definately not implying this happens at your NESBA events for sure.)  Just backing up Dave's observation and that there is probably some truth to it.

[9flyer]

Mr. LMsports;  I know Steve and Dewayne well.  I also know that they have a pretty full rig when they head out of town as it is now.

Plus, my job has me travelling a lot as well.  I will be hopefully doing said race travel with the family in tow.  Otherwise if I head out on my own I will hear this upon entering my house; "Mommy, some man is letting himself into our house"!

For sure, sharing travel expenses is definately a great way to go.  Unfortunately, I'm somewhat limited in this possibility unless they really like a whining 2 year old.  Which is my own problem I know. ;D

[9flyer]

In nutshell guys;  I think the Great Plains Region, that I was placed in when I raced a year ago, needs to be a little less geographic coverage.

Why two events at Gingerman?  That adds just under 300 miles of round trip traveling (according to my calculations from Omaha on Rand McNalley) versus going to Blackhawk.  Which adds up $$$ in TWO trips there.  Plus, I did a hotel search in the local area of Gingerman for those dates on two different travel websites and the search did not show one hotel under $90 dollars with most over $100.  I'm not saying cheaper is not there, but it sure wasn't EASY to find.  btw, the last time I went to Blackhawk I put up the whole family at a nice hotel in Rockford for $59 dollars a night.

If two events at Gingerman are wanted why not just make them for the Midwest Region schedule or only put ONE in the Great Plains schedule?  Replacing it with one of the Blackhawk events....

Why is Great Plains going to Barber and not the Midwest Region (according to schedule that I saw)?  They certainly don't need more riders at that event.  Last year they didn't even have enough transponders.  I'd love to go there, but not a 2000 mile round trip in the same year that I'm trying to compete in a full race season!

I could do the Midwest Region's 11 races for just a tad over 500 miles more of driving.  Unfortunately, with my work schedule and driving days required the 8 or 9 event Great Plains schedule makes more sense.  And for a larger geographic region an 8 or 9 race schedule should be better!!!

[9flyer]

The other night I showed this schedule to my coworker/friend (who owns JenningsGP in FL).  He was showing me how he could race this year in the WERA North Florida region that has THREE races at Jennings, THREE races at Roabling Road, with one event each at VIR and Road Atlanta.  He gasped when I showed him the Great Plains schedule and said that he'd be unlikely able to do that either with our work life and schedule!  AND he owns a flippin' track!  

It's just not my mind that is trying to grasp this thing.  Before you roll your eyes guys, I know a schedule like WERA North Florida is not going to happen with MAM.  I'd just like a little something like it though.

Just last night I had a conversation with a fellow that used to race with Super Dave (yes Dave, Greg).  He even was shaking his head.  In those days they even had more than "one" Topeka event.

Our thoughts were the hope of an "eventual future" that would see the Great Plains schedule include two races at MAM and two races at Topeka (after it's repaving  ;D) with additional races at Blackhawk and Gateway to make an 8 race schedule.  I also understand GPs region going to Road America to get the riders needed to pay the bill.  That would make for a 9 race season that hopefully would pull the "future number" of riders needed to make the event meet the bills ($$$).  With in mind that CCS would have to include the Midwest region in part of that picture to do so.

I know Super Dave and I have discussed the overall world of sportbikes in this region.  But, we are successfully having a weekly club and other trackdays in this neck of the woods.  The mere fact there IS a track here now is improving this sportbike market.  I have to believe there are some more racers around here that haven't been discovered yet.

I just don't see or think that the current Great Plains Region schedule is going to "promote" participating racers from the western market.  Kansas City is a large metro area that faces even futher driving than my distance from Omaha.  I just can not believe that more racers can not be developed from the Kansas City area as well.  They are a huge participating group that we see at track day events at MAM I know for sure.

OK guys, I know, blah, blah and blah.  I just hope that some fellow riders that may find similiar feelings to mine pass on their opinions to CCS as well.  And have more racing and racers in the western end of the Midwest.

[9flyer]

Oh Super Dave, by the above I mean riders in this area and Kansas City that have the desire for the true competition.  Not trackday "look, I know I'm faster than him" conversations where there is NO GREEN FLAG and there is NO CHECKER FLAG.

Come race day you find out if you truly have made yourself a better rider!  ;D ;D ;D

[Eric Kelcher]

Hate to break it to you but CCS does not make a schedule so that it is hard for a racer to attend the events. Things within CCS control can cause scheduling issues, need for equipment/personel at other tracks or things outside the control of CCS dates that make back to back race weekends (which is done on occasion due to draw of the venues but is avoided whenever possible), unavailablity of dates period, rental fees, other races occuring at same track shortly before or after, or the change of mangement/employees at a track resulting in track schedule being tossed and all new requests for dates.

[Super Dave]

Eric, I think the point is this:

What part of Gingerman in Michigan is "Great Plains"?

At least in 1993, the region was defined as "South Central".  It included races at Topeka (four or five), and two races at Talladega Grand Prix Course.

The epicenter for the current Great Plains region isn't even in any remote area that is in the Great Plains.  If it could at least be in the Iowa area, that would be great.  But with the huge amount of races "near" Chicago and west...

And Barber?

I finally got to go there.  Neat facility, but it didn't turn me on that much.  Given the volume of entries, I'm not sure I want to go there.  Sounds like a mess.

Basically, the current Great Plains races are all in the Mid-West region events...now that Gateway is gone?  Add Barber...   ????  Take away two BFR's and on ACC.