2002 Series Schedule

I didn't get enough attention for my proposed Schedule so I am going to try again:

Las Vegas (New Old Track)
No Problem (instead of TWS, face it, TWS needs some TLC)
Putnam
Gingerman or Grattan
Mid-Ohio with Fasttrax
Summit Point
VIR (double header at Cycle Jam, one at night) or Barber for one round.
Talladega
Road Atlanta (GNF)

 

Since no one else is commenting, I'll play.
Instead of saying Grattan or Gingerman, how about Grattan AND Gingerman since one of the rounds will probably get cancelled?
Las Vegas - hmmm - if recent history is any indication, don't expect a large turnout from most of the regulars for this. If it absolutely HAS to be there, make it the 9th race of the season. That way, the regulars will have a good feeling about where they are in the points and will help then decide if they want to risk using this as their throw-away round. As wrong as it may be, I would suggest keeping all of the rounds east (or is it north?) of the Mississippi. How about replacing Lost Wages with CMP?
Regarding Mid-Ohio - haven't been there lately, but, haven't a lot of people complained about the track not being in the best of conditions? I suggest replacing Mid-Ohio with Shannonville or a 30 hr at Nelson.
Oh yeah, let's make Summit a 24-hour so noone can whine about the noise at night.
Randy

 

I vote "yes" for a Vegas round.

But I'm probably a little biased.

 

Is No Problem in Los Angeles???


I also hear that Panoz has done a ton of good work to Mosport.

[This message has been edited by Due North (edited 09-07-2001).]

 

Cool schedule except for Talladega. Nice surface, but the place is a dump. They need better facilities.

 

Why is everyone so scared of Mid-Ohio?? Dude, this is a great track to ride. Outside of the Fastraxx guys bitching, I don't understand why a small amount of riders think it sucks. It's definately a technical track and the concrete is all in your minds. Get over it and let's get Sean to put a Nat'l Endurance round at minimum there.

As far as the rest of the schedule - me tinks it is cool. Yah, caveman like.

 

Having never been there, why do some riders think it sucks??

 

Sorry - forgot to type 'tongue in cheek' when making certain comments. I know it's a sore spot with you and WERA, but, I was just throwing a little light on the subject of the cancellations/TBAs that have occurred this year. I can't beleive you would comment on my 'cancellation' topic, and then blow right by the '30 hr at Nelson' topic. Regarding Summit Point, again, 'tongue in cheek'. I was one of the offenders that was up late in the night making noise at the Summit national as I have been doing since before a national at Summit existed. Hey - how about a 24 hr at Summit with stock exhaust systems?
And, while we're at it, how about adding the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the schedule?
Randy

 

Random Thoughts on Sam's Schedule:

No one has addressed the length of the races. I can understand the need for a VIR round that is run during Cycle Jam to be a 4 hour, given the need for practice for the masses running sprints. One round of practice for Friday and Saturday might work, though. (This comes back later on.)

Running 2 rounds at VIR begets the question: when? Friday and Saturday?

Running combined Sportsman/WNC sprints is a last resort in my mind. I'd rather see them run on seperate days.

Alternately, run some Sportsman sprints on Friday along with Edurance A, with the others on Saturday along with Endurance B. Keep the WNC for Sunday. This invokes the 1-practice-round thing, tho.

Heat affects both the riders and the cornerworkers. I'd think long and hard about running 2 rounds on the same day at VIR
in June.

I can see the GNF round also being a 4 Hour. Time is always tight at the GNF. The last 6-hour was 1988 or '89, when we didn't have WNC and F-USA.

This one is really for Sam, the Teams that run the full series and Sean:

What about an 8-Hour or a 10-Hour? I know that Grattan was the home of an 8-Hour, given the amount of daylight available in late June and July.

Just trying to keep this one active and near the top.

------------------
George
THE Rain Director

 

24 Heures du Vegas. No noise restrictions, anyway...

Actually, Vegas wouldn't be such a great track for a 24. But it'd be cool to have one somewhere.

 

I think 8 or 10 or 12 hrs would be great, but I don't think Wera would be willing to do more than 1 of those a year. Too bad

 

If you want feedback on No Problem Raceway in Louisiana, go to the www.rpmraceclub.com message board and get the riders input. There is plenty to read about.

 

Tom, Sean,
I like NPR a lot, but for a National in the SC region I really think TWS is a better choice. Given the speed differential between the slower RPM guys and the fast National endurance teams the long one line sections at NPR could get ugly.

 

More on NPR...

Some rider's have expressed a concern about walls on the outside of some parts of the track at NPR. Has anyone who has been there thought up a way to fix that?

Also, TWS is in really rough shape. This year we raced on bumps, sealer and PUDDLES from water coming up through the racing surface. Let's replace it with something else.

Sam

 

Sam,

There's only one wall that's any kind of issue, the dragstrip wall coming on to the front straight. 2 things though:
It's well into the shutdown area of the strip, so VHT shouldn't be a problem, and you come onto the dragstrip at a very shallow angle and are already straightening the bike up.
Some airfence would help. Overall it's a pretty safe track, certainly safer than RA. It's tight though, and a bit of a bullring in an endurance race. Hallett's another option, it has new owners who are making quite a few improvements. I'll be up there Monday to see what the latest round of them looks like. TWS has it's problems, but weighing all the pluses and minuses I still think it's the best SC track for a National.

 

Richard & Everyone else:

I will be back at NPR October 13-14 to iron out any changes needed to make this track as motorcycle friendly as possible. For those who made the event this past weekend, it should be obvious that the owner is willing to listen. I am going there before the owner spends any more money on the facility. He does not want to make any changes or invest any more money until he knows from us what is needed. That says alot about a track and it's owner. Try and find that anywhere in the country.

They have already proved themselves per my request (1) by adding asphalt to the apex of turn 14 (eight feet inward) so the angle of approach to the strip would change and by (2) covering a ditch outside of turn 9 between the road course and the actual drag strip(the left hander before the drag strip return road).