CCS Turnover and Newbees

[Super_KC124]

Ressesion?
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=668&ncid=749&e=6&u=/ap/20050225/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

Stronger doesn't mean strong. ;)

I took LCR just to ride on a track. Racing looked like fun, so here I am.

This is my 4th year of racing. Whoo hoo!  I beat the avg. ;D  

[Lowe119]

Stronger doesn't mean strong. ;)
 

If steel and gas prices would go down, our country might be able to do something

[hi-side_racing]

The race addiction takes alot of disposable cash. Chasing a championship takes a truckload of disposable cash. We get the turnover because some people decide that somehow paying the rent and eating are a better alternative... I'll never figure them out.

[Steviebee]

The third year, knowing that this would be Paul's last AM season
Dawn  :)

wish i had more than 5 weekends as an AM! :(

[Super Dave]

wish i had more than 5 weekends as an AM! :(

I think sometimes that affects whether riders stay or not too...

There are riders that seem to be around for an eternity as amateurs...or bump back from a poor expert year to win the amateur championship...???????

I don't know what to say there.

Then there are some that are required to bump to expert status...

Does leave a bad taste in the mouth of some.  And you know how that goes...an unhappy customer tells how many people....

Doesn't make anyone jump right up and say, "Hey, I'm gonna go be fast and have fun."

People want to be competitive in a reasonable fashion.  Mind you,

[russ1962]

Does leave a bad taste in the mouth of some.  And you know how that goes...an unhappy customer tells how many people....

...  from the few remaining brain cells I DIDN'T pickle in college...  A happy customer will share their good experience with (4) other people.  An unhappy customer will share their negative experience with (14) people.  


I've been racing in this sport since 1991.  AM for (2) seasons, EX for the rest.  

I'd probably have a decent retirement saved up if it weren't for this sport, but I wouldn't change one second of it.

[xseal]

I think lots of people spend lots more $ than required to have fun and be (reasonably) competitive. Time may be the better reason.

Beyond the $$, some of it is people racing as they are younger, getting older and realizing racing is a little crazy (all the more reason to stay).

I'm told another traunch of people leave after having fun/success as amateurs, then moving to expert and realize they aren't going to win anymore.  We'll see, this is my first season as an expert, and I just want to be safe, respectable, and chase the self-mastery thing. I'll know more in 10 days, after my first Daytona/races as an expert.

[pmoravek]

That's right Russ.
Why spend all the money at the end, when you're too old to enjoy it?   ;D

[Lowe119]

That's why they need a couple comp classes for us who will never be top experts, but are no longer amateurs. I know the logistics would be hard, but it's nice to dream.

Maybe give us blue plates :D

[Fat_Nate]

Wow -- like a Blue Plate Special class?  I would aspire to that, for sure.  Kind of like Formula 40, but based on racing longevity, not actual age . . .

[Lowe119]

yeah - no money awarded. Maybe only two classes - lightweight whatever and 750- with moderate modifications. Anyone who is serious and wants to highly modify would go Expert anyway.

Those of us who just want to race for fun don't need extensive motor mods or full slicks. So the blue plates could just do supersport mods and compete for FUN - without a ton of expense in mechanical work, track setup, or whatever. It would be for those who stay amateur because they aren't serious, but they aren't really amateur - they are just club racers with a limited budget.

I don't see myself racing an AMA event and I feel bad when I'm holding up the top experts who do. Do you think I feel any pride when the top two are battling and have to lap me? BUT I want to keep racing. So it's either remain amateur and skip events so I don't get too many points or I suck it up in expert. Or quit after a couple years.....

Anyways, I better grab another beer and get back to work  :P ;D

[251am]

Ressesion?
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=668&ncid=749&e=6&u=/ap/20050225/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy

    Yes, recession. I can't put stock in a Yahoo news report, sorry. About 25 years ago similar conditions were here; oil was high, good jobs were few, interest rates were high teens low 20s, gold went through the roof. As SD mentioned it's a matter of perception, and that perception is well manicured by Washington. Anyway, the jobs are leaving. Some are coming around but we're losing blue collar jobs paying in the $12-20 an hour range. Hundreds of them in our town. Lands End just decided to lay off a couple hundred people. The DOT in Madison is cutting 100s of jobs right now. The doom and gloom could go on and on, let's talk racing instead.
     I like figures that are based on facts. Can someone address this question to CCS? What is there to do if the numbers point to a time when action HAS to be taken? It seems the cure all solution will be higher fees, like never seen before, if some co-op is not considered. If spring of '01 was the start of a decline, at what point does CCS have to take more drastic action? Wait, they have already eliminated most amateur money. I guess the expert money is next. ( Just thinking out loud here, don't mind me.)