Grrr...CCS screwed up my season plans

Started by Zac, February 08, 2005, 05:13:38 PM

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Zac

I am actually going to make all the SW rounds this season, so I had some grandious plans for my season.  I race a TZ250 and a CR500 motard, which are only really competitive in one class each, so I decided I would work towards a championship in each of those classes: LWGP and ULWSB respectively.

Well I just got the Firebird East schedule in the mail today, and low and behold LWGP and ULWSB are COMBINED!  >:(  It's bad enough that Thunderbike and LWSS are combined and some riders want to do both, but now I have to question what good it does me to even have two bikes?  I have to make a decision which championship I want to chase, and tell all my sponsers that I can't attemp to win two championships this year anymore.

I haven't complained that I only have one competitive class for each of my bikes (as we know many liter bike owners have complained about having only two classes so they added ULSB this year), but now one of those classes is effectively taken away.  I now have the choice of running:

  The CR in ULWSB with the TZ in GTU or MWGP against 600s, or

  The TZ in LWGP and the CR in LWSB or GTL

-z.

K3 Chris Onwiler

That sucks, dude.  I know that last year, guys were upset about the same thing with ULSB and LWSupersport.  Some guys were running both classes on the FZR400, and were running into the same problem you have now.  I'll bet CCS changed it so that those guys could have 2 classes to run their bike in, but now you're stuck because you have 2 bikes.  
Every time a rule changes, someone isn't happy.  I got hurt worse than you.  I took my rider's school in the fall, then spent the winter reading the rulebook and building up my bike.  I wanted a championship, but I had an EX500.  The thing was only competitive in Lightweight Sportsman.  I put a small bunch of $$$ into it (HUGE money for me at the time.), then went to the first race of the year and won.  Only I didn't win.  Seems that due to low enties the previous year, CCS had decided to combine expert and amateur in points and results to save on trophies! >:(  I'd been the first amateur across the line, but well back from the experts.  I did this a few more times, then sold the bike in frustration.  I couldn't begin to keep up with the experts, and being "first amateur" in the class wasn't even getting me any wood!  I lost money on the bike, but I wanted something competitive to ride in a class where I wouldn't have to race against experts as an amateur.
It gets worse.  At the END OF THE YEAR in the Daytona mailer, CCS decides to change their minds, declare regional amateur champions in the class, and have a class for the amateurs at the ROC!  The guy I sold the bike to suddenly gets awarded the regional amateur championship, then goes to Daytona and gets a fourth!  He didn't have a clue.  I had to go tell him that he was a champion, and that he ought to go to Daytona!  
Before I'd sold the bike, I'd been "winning" as an amateur with it.  Yes, CCS had changed the rules AFTER I built the bike, then changed them AGAIN after I had sold it!  And all in the same year!
Sorry for your plight, and sorry for my rant.  At least you know you're not the only one it's happened to.  If it means anything to you, I managed to earn a bunch of championships in later years.  Perhaps your best bet would be to pursue the class that either bike would be legal for, and then carry both bikes so you'll have a spare.  That may make the difference in your being able to get at least one championship.
The frame was snapped, the #3 rod was dangling from a hole in the cases, and what was left had been consumed by fire.  I said, "Hey, we've got all night!"
Read HIGHSIDE! @ http://www.chrisonwiler.com

Bad_Matt

Ha...  welcome to my world.  I had the same problem last year.   At least when they ran ULWSB and LWSS I could run the same bike I would have run for either class.   ULSB and Super Twins on the other hand-  WTF.  That one ended up being a safety issue-  I ran both classes all year long.  I only brought out the big bike when I needed the points.  The closing speeds of an open classes liter twin vs a ULWSB?  OMG scary...  

CCS

Zac,

The best way to fix a scheduling problem it to e-mail me, not post on this forum.

As always, I am open to suggestions.

Talk to you soon, I hope.
Kevin Elliott
Director of Operations-CCS/ASRA
Fort Worth, TX
817-246-1127

Zac

Yes Kevin, I know and I plan to email you.  This open forum is really only to vent a little and gain a little sympathy (and maybe some good ideas) before I settle down and try to do something useful about it.

My only real issue is that if I can get the schedule changed to meet my needs, it will most likely put someone else in the same situation that I am in now.   I have looked at the schedule and tried to think of a better way to arrange it that would work for all the lightwieght riders, but it is impossible.  That is without the elimination of some of the redundant classes (what is MWGP, a class for old TZ350s?  Let the 250s bump into MWSB like in FUSA and get rid of MWGP).

The real driver for this change is for this year was the addition of ULSB, which got combined with SuperTwins.  As Matt noted, last year ULWSB was combined with SuperTwins (and half the fun of that race was not getting lapped by Brian Long on the SV1000 while I was on my CR).  I guess the best idea I have is to combine ULSB with MWGP, and move ULWSB back to being combined with SuperTwins.

-z.

MZGirl

QuoteZac,

The best way to fix a scheduling problem it to e-mail me, not post on this forum.

As always, I am open to suggestions.

Talk to you soon, I hope.

That's what his wife suggested.   ::)

I'm hoping we can get the scheduling fixed so that we can have a husband & wife battle in ULWSB this year.   ;)  Right now he'll race LWGP on the TZ over ULWSB on the CR.

Roger@ASMA

Scheduling is hard to do. I know...... ;D   When we sit down and try to work out what order to put stuff in and if we can combine classes it always turns into "we can't combine those two classes because Elaine runs both" or "we can't make Mike, Ivan and the boys run back to back". I think we did a pretty good job putting the scheudule together this year, but I'm sure there's going to be a few people who end up with back to back stuff, it's unavoidable.

BTW Chris, we run our LW, F-40, F-Femme, SW Thunder and LWGP classes combined, otherwise there's not enough entries.

MZGirl

I'll gladly take back-to-back sprints over having to choose between 2 combined classes.  The combined stuff is tough because you've got to choose between 2 classes that you could do really well in, and are the classes your bikes are the most competitive in.

If the schedule stays the same, Zac will have to run LWGP, since he'll be finishing behind me in ULWSB.   ;D   ;)

Old808

QuoteF-Femme
Is that what I think it is?  Formula Wimmins?  What was the rationale for setting that up?  Was there a strong demand for it?

MZGirl

QuoteIs that what I think it is?  Formula Wimmins?  What was the rationale for setting that up?  Was there a strong demand for it?

Yes, ASMA has a Formula Femme race class open to all women racers.  Rationale?  Myself and other women asked Roger if he'd consider it.  He said yes, so the class was created (and I got to name it  ;D).

In 2003 I was the only woman racer following the ASMA series (we had a few others pop up here & there that year, but they only raced 1 event or so).  All-women track days are quite popular, such as the Femmoto event which grows every year.  So the idea was to see if that would translate to racing if we opened up a women's race class.  It's just like Formula 40, except with women instead of people over 40.  The goal of the class was to offer a class where women could try racing if they're beginners, have fun, and duke it out with other women racers.  Last year was it's first year and we had 3 women follow the series, which tripled the number of ASMA women racers.  

Throughout the season several track day ladies saw the races, and said they planned to race the class in 2005.  One of our gal racers was a raw beginner and only raced that class for about half the season.  Then she finally got the confidence up to race ASMA's Beginner class as well, so for her Femme worked well for her to get her feet wet.  As for me, I'm the carrot for the faster ladies.  One gal's goal is to beat me, even if it's just once.  So that's pushing her to go faster, while it's pushing me to stay in front.  And the guys love to watch this battle throughout the season.

Femme is combined with Formula 40 due to its current small grid size, so it's not taking up any additional schedule time right now.  Hopefully the class will continue to grow in 2005, and I have a pretty good feeling that it will.  We're lucky at ASMA in that Roger is willing to try new and different things, even if they aren't going to be "money makers" right away.  That's probably the reason why a lot of other clubs don't have this type of class.

Old808

Thanks MZGirl.  I used to think women who do women-only track days prefer not to share the track with men (for various reasons).  If you're mixing it up with F-40, I guess I was wrong.

But then again, F40 folks are probably safer to race with than the average male racer.  Maybe I wasn't totally wrong.

MZGirl

It's not a big mix of Femme and 40.  Both are classes are gridded in their own waves and it's a 2 wave start, with F40 up front.  Though the faster gals do catch the slower 40 guys.  ;)

The two classes work well as a combined grid.  They're the "fun" classes.  Gridding Femme with a money class wouldn't work as well.

Old808

Yeah, it sounds like a cool plan.  Hopefully you'll get more women this year.

BTW, where do you grid a 40 y/o woman?  Does she get scored in the class she ranks best? ;D

K3 Chris Onwiler

Formula Femme.  They run that class in roadracing, heaven, right? ;)
Super cool!
The frame was snapped, the #3 rod was dangling from a hole in the cases, and what was left had been consumed by fire.  I said, "Hey, we've got all night!"
Read HIGHSIDE! @ http://www.chrisonwiler.com

Super Dave

Screwed up plans?


LOL!  That's part of the motorcycle racing industry...

Anyone want to tell my stories for me....
Super Dave

spyderchick

QuoteScrewed up plans?


LOL!  That's part of the motorcycle racing industry...

Anyone want to tell my stories for me....


There once was a man from Nantucket... ;D
Alexa Krueger
Spyder Leatherworks
414.327.0967
www.spyderleatherworks.com
www.redflagfund.org
Do or do not, there is no "try".

MZGirl

QuoteFormula Femme.  They run that class in roadracing, heaven, right? ;)
Super cool!

Yes, and the Femme racers have PJ parties and pillow fights afterwards.   ;)

But on a serious note, we are looking for a Formula Femme class sponsor (in case anyone reading this is interested).

Super Dave

QuoteYes, and the Femme racers have PJ parties and pillow fights afterwards.   ;)

But on a serious note, we are looking for a Formula Femme class sponsor (in case anyone reading this is interested).

On the serious note...

I though the PJ parties and all was a pretty good idea...

Didn't someone say we should have spectators.  That would work...
Super Dave

K3 Chris Onwiler

QuoteYes, and the Femme racers have PJ parties and pillow fights afterwards.   ;)
Sigh....  I suspect I'll be having lovely dreams tonight!
Racing....  Women....  Women who race....  It's like the Garden of Eden!  All you left out is beer!  (Maybe that's the forbidden fruit!)
The frame was snapped, the #3 rod was dangling from a hole in the cases, and what was left had been consumed by fire.  I said, "Hey, we've got all night!"
Read HIGHSIDE! @ http://www.chrisonwiler.com

Roger@ASMA

QuoteSigh....  I suspect I'll be having lovely dreams tonight!
Racing....  Women....  Women who race....  It's like the Garden of Eden!  All you left out is beer!  (Maybe that's the forbidden fruit!)

Um....nope....we've got our Saturday night Trackside BBQ......of course it's BYOB :) (or steal someone elses when they pass out!!)

By the way, I bet we could get the guys to pitch in for a PJ pillow fight........just don't let Hunter pick the PJ's!

cstem

Elaine the only good reason not to run Femme with a money race is that you might make some of the guys lose money!  

Matt and Chris- Honda Hawks are no longer considered race bikes and EX500's aren't even bought by new riders anymore!  And to the guy that rides the FZR 4- moth ball it!
There are plenty of SV's on teh insurance market that make more power running on one cylinder than most of these. Plus tway more fun.  I am glad that Chris and Matt both moved on (Matt to Apriller 1K!)

It's great to see folks on the board again- I really missed you during the offseason.  Besides, there are no good Mountian Bike racing forums for me to get peolple riled up in!
The voice of the Southwest.

spyderchick

QuoteElaine the only good reason not to run Femme with a money race is that you might make some of the guys lose money!  

Matt and Chris- Honda Hawks are no longer considered race bikes and EX500's aren't even bought by new riders anymore!  And to the guy that rides the FZR 4- moth ball it!
There are plenty of SV's on teh insurance market that make more power running on one cylinder than most of these. Plus tway more fun.  I am glad that Chris and Matt both moved on (Matt to Apriller 1K!)

It's great to see folks on the board again- I really missed you during the offseason.  Besides, there are no good Mountian Bike racing forums for me to get peolple riled up in!


But the FZR400s have such a beautiful scream!! ;D ;D ;D

Got to agree with you though, most of those bikes are over a decade old. Ah...such is life...
Alexa Krueger
Spyder Leatherworks
414.327.0967
www.spyderleatherworks.com
www.redflagfund.org
Do or do not, there is no "try".

Zac

QuoteMatt and Chris- Honda Hawks are no longer considered race bikes and EX500's aren't even bought by new riders anymore!  And to the guy that rides the FZR 4- moth ball it!

Corey, are you just fishing to get Roger started on the value of a Hawk in racing?  Hopefully Devon Ward will show up at a Firebird race with his Hawk just to beat a few SVs.

-z.

MZGirl

QuoteIt's great to see folks on the board again- I really missed you during the offseason.  Besides, there are no good Mountian Bike racing forums for me to get peolple riled up in!

Yeah, I saw some of your "riling up" on the DCB Adventures forum.  I was poking around there since they host the first AZ Xterra triathlon of the year.  Clicked on a few of the mountain bike racing discussions that went on for several pages and lo and behold cstem was right there in the middle of it.  I was like "Hey, I know that guy!"   ;)

See ya in a few weeks!

Super Dave

QuoteBut the FZR400s have such a beautiful scream!! ;D ;D ;D

Oh, wait for the H1...

Notice that it wasn't in the bad list....LOL!
Super Dave

spyderchick

QuoteOh, wait for the H1...

Notice that it wasn't in the bad list....LOL!

 ;D  Bikes that scream rock.
Alexa Krueger
Spyder Leatherworks
414.327.0967
www.spyderleatherworks.com
www.redflagfund.org
Do or do not, there is no "try".

MZGirl

Hmm...my MZ doesn't scream.  Don't know how to describe what it does.  It makes racers behind it deaf and they get thumped in the chest with puffs of air from the exhaust.  Maybe that's why it's a "thumper."

I'm keeping the MZ forever, no matter how old it gets.  That bike is just too dang fun to ride.   :)

spyderchick

Yeah, Thumpers are cool too. :D I had said I would never sell my beloved FZR, but I did exactly that last fall. Now the new owner gets to have lots of fun on her.  
Alexa Krueger
Spyder Leatherworks
414.327.0967
www.spyderleatherworks.com
www.redflagfund.org
Do or do not, there is no "try".

Super Dave

I enjoyed my MZ when I was racing other MZ's.
Super Dave

cstem

Dave the H1 is old enough to be cool again.  And scream is not what I think of when I hear the H1, Scream is what the rider of the H1 is doing when they twist the throttle!  
Elaine the DBC stuff was fun, even when Scoob threatened to kick my ass!  Needless to say, he has not really talked to me since, nor kicked my ass ;D

EX's, FZR's and Hawks will be cool when they are not found in apratment complex parking lots gathering dust because the "Vanilla Ice or Top Gun" wannbe blew it up because all the oil leaked out.  When they are hard to come by, then they shall be cool once more.  So it is written...
The voice of the Southwest.