Are we racing at Gateway or not?

[Dawn]

I know people are disappointed that we're not racing Gateway, but this didn't come as any surprise.  When we were there in 2003, CCS and the track management were butting heads then about the track rental fee and the garage space.

Dawn   :-/

[Super_KC124]

I love Gateway!!! ;D

I've raced there 9 times. I only remember 2 people getting helo rides. I don't think other tracks are much different.

[r1owner]

I love Gateway!!! ;D

I've raced there 9 times. I only remember 2 people getting helo rides. I don't think other tracks are much different.

No kidding, I don't think its nearly as dangerous as people make it out to be.  Seriously...

I like Gateway too!  Not only for its proximty either.

[r1owner]

Yes my heart is broken also, Driving 18hrs one way to race at such a nice track. ::) Not a fan of hay bails covering the walls, and what's up with that little goat trail along the side of the track we race on? That actually made up my decision to race the full series again, Ok I'm done whining.


Stumpy

What the?  I don't hear you complaining about the free beverages you consumed at my place of employment!!!! ;)  ;D

[PJ]

I'll miss Gateway too. Maybe it's because I won my frist race there. But I've always liked the layout of the infield.

Of course walls suck, but most every racetrack has some ugly corners and places you definately don't want to crash.

[Burt Munro]

The part that really sucks is that we will probably lose some good people that help with the races now.  Closest track for MCRA members to work a race (other than Blackhawk that the Midwest Safety Crew staffs so well) will be Topeka (5 hrs) or MAM (7hrs).  Remains to be seen how Autobahn will be staffed - Midwest Safety Crew would be the closest.

Oh well.... guess I'll just have to get travel tips from Stumpy, Heather and Johnson. :-/

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

I've got some great momories of Gateway.  (First win, first transport to the hospital, watching the sun rise over the mountain of garbage, meeting KC and a bunch of other cool folks for the first time,  the St. Louis club scene ;) ect.)  This summer, my car broke down right in front of the track as I headed to Hallett for an endurance race!  Little did I know that it might be the last time I'd see the place.  I'll miss going there.
Rick, I agree about the workers at Gateway.  I've landed in their laps more than once, and also stood out there and waved flags with them when I couldn't afford to race.  They're a good bunch.  I guess this sucks for them more than anyone.

[StumpysWife]

You know, that's the thing about Gateway.  It was a totally fun trip...we had such a blast.  Stumpy did well racing there.  We were a little nervous in practice, but he got up to speed on race day right away.  But, I have never seen him dreading to go out and race except for Gateway.  

The weekend overall was great.  Having that drag race thing going on at the same time was fun--that's where we adopted the "act like you own the place" mentality when dealing with restricted areas and xr50s  ;) --which came in well at AMA at Road America a few weeks later.  

Will we go back if there's a race there?  Doubtful.  Heartland and MAM are worth the 14 hour drive.  Gateway, no.  

One last thing I just remembered.  That was the only track I remember the track staff being a consistant crab@ss.  He was just rude and only because he thought he could be.

Finally, we don't count on CCS to schedule races near us.  We go to them.  It would be nice if tracks were on little floating islands and came and picked you up on race day, but unfortately this is not the case.  Traveling to a race is not traveling to the hospital and isn't anything I use the word "convienence" in relation to.  We choose to live near nothing of importance to racing--and it's up to us to take on the responsibilty of transportation.  (Maybe this whole paragraph belongs in the other thread but it works here, too.)

If you want more races in the GP "area", make sure you show up to Heartland Park in June.  
 
Maybe it's not fair but you gotta pay to play.  And that's life.  

My number one travel tip--remember you are having fun and not driving to the dentist!  14 hours goes pretty quick on the way to the race track and on the way home with a pile of wood and good times to remember!

Heather
(I'm on a roll this morning!)

[Jeff]

Finally, we don't count on CCS to schedule races near us.  We go to them.  It would be nice if tracks were on little floating islands and came and picked you up on race day, but unfortately this is not the case.  Traveling to a race is not traveling to the hospital and isn't anything I use the word "convienence" in relation to.  We choose to live near nothing of importance to racing--and it's up to us to take on the responsibilty of transportation.  (Maybe this whole paragraph belongs in the other thread but it works here, too.)
(I'm on a roll this morning!)

No, this should be ETCHED IN STONE somewhere.  Heather, this is one of the greatest quotes I've seen pertaining to tracks & scheduling...

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Ah Gateway. My first and only trip there was the last race there of 03.

Get there on a thurdsay night, find out they dont let people in until the day of the event. Had to sleep in the truck at the truckstop. Not easy to sleep in a dakota std cab.

the friday "practice" was a trackday for street riders and was way $$$$.

the tech guy there was a prick. wouldnt pass my bike because the throttle didnt snap back as fast as he liked. Never mind the fact the CCS rules state that a self closing throttle is required. Nothing on how fast.

Funny how a multi-million dollar NAPCAR facility doesnt have showers.

No tents allowed.

Never seen a bike hung up in a fence until I raced there.

Never could figure out that dang carousel.

[Chuck]

 :'(

I really liked GW.  Had my most succesfull weekend there...plus it's one of 3 tracks that are with in 4 hours of my house...I think it's to bad that CCS is not taking advantage of the facility.

[tstruyk]

I guess the big draw for me was that it was the first track that I "went fast" on.  I had been to LCRS there and to a single day event at MAM and never really found my groove.  The last TD of the year at Gateway (I believe it was Augustish) it was POURING rain all afternoon.  I had taken off work and loaded the trailer with 3 friends the whole time telling ourselves... "I dont think the heavy stuff is gonna come down for quite some time".  So we wait out the constant pooring and finally I say "screw it, I've already paid.  I'm goin out".  I run through tech and it turns out that Rick Weaver has been a friend of my family since back in the day.  We chat a bit and he gives me a pat on the back and says "be safe"... aparently gateway in the rain on dry DOT's is no fun ;)  1st session is useless, as soon as I hit the track, the light drizzle turns to torential downpour. Shortly after I pull in the garage (gateway was kind enough to allow everyone to use the garage...free of charge) the rain stops completely.  As the 2nd session starts a dry line begins to form and paces increase, by the 3rd session it is still a lil damp but dry enough get up to pace, by the 4th session I am railing (ok not so much super fast guy, but the fastest I have ever ridden).  About 3 laps in knee to the pavement on the service road...er T8,  I have an epiphany... "I am going to race next year"  I have no idea how fast I am really going...but surely NOONE can be THIS fast  ::)  I wind down that session and pull in the pits... 1:15's, not bad for a 3rd TD, in a light rain dodging puddles in the S and backing WAY off for T1.  Someone asked me how the session was... all I could say was "expensive"  that particular session set in motion this years season.  I would think that just about everyone has had something similiar that got them to take the plunge.

Just wanted to share that, seemed relevant as this is kind of a goodbye to gateway, we never did that that race did we?  Sure we went to other tracks that where nicer, but Gateway will always be kinda "special".  We'll still have our TD's, but it sure was gonna be fun having lots of friends and family at the track watchin.  Well, all things happen for a reason, maybe it was my turn to test the tires/wall/hay... Time to move on, I hear Elkhart Lake is wonderful in april  ;)