Dude, I love ya, but you must be really butt hurt over something that happened at Mid-O. The paddock can sustain much better numbers of racers and equipment than Pitt. We went to Pitt and that small and narrow line isn't bettter than Mid-O. The garages at Mid-O are more central and have sufficient accommodations. Yes, old, but work. The pavement like it was for the VMD weekend is better than when wet. Yes, they need to sort the pavement issues and I know car orgs are pushing on them. I've heard there may be a repave coming due to some top level car series stating they are not thrilled over the current pavement. I don't defend it. But when it is dry, it is fine. In fact, it is better than most the tracks. Nelson is repaved and if they do move on to the run off and the ruts and roughness of the grassy areas, it will be Pitt quality. In fact, I believe that Pitt (As I stated earlier) is the best track we have in our region. I would say that Mid-O is better than Nelson because of the run off. The walls thing baffles me as they are not a key issue. I do not see where it is a safety concern. Nothing worse than that straight at Pitt where Moto America will not share the chicane for the sake of safety. As we raced it at WERA, it is dangerous should things go wrong. Every track has a spot or a small issue. But I will say that if Mid-O sits and waits for Pitt, Nelson and even Putnam, they will fall behind fast. But, it is still a destination track, has some of the best viewing and accomodations for fans and will be regarded as a top choice for people to watch and race or track day at. MA will not return most likely due to proximatey of Pitt and the fact that the customer or fan base would have to potentially choose where they spend their money. I cannot imagine that these tracks would ever be on the schedule at the same time. I might be wrong. But should Mid-O repave with a proper material? I would suggest it would be lifted to the top yet again. The track layout is a challenge, the fan accommodations are some of the best, they can accommodate a large race paddock of trucks and transport vehicles and is central to a large demographic. I would even suggest that it would exceed what Pitt currently has to offer almost immediately. But again, I don't think it is happening any time soon. Pitt is awesome. I love it there. I like the layout and I like that they are constantly upgrading and adding. It's obvious they want to be a serious contender for larger race series. Once they get to that level, they will be a factor. Nelson could very well be an issue also. They treat that run off and it'll be a serious contender for one of the fastest tracks in the country. Mid-O has some work to do and they best be watching what the others are doing. But to say the surface is dangerous or that we defend it, understand that we are raciing at limited tracks. We do not get Putnam anymore, we do not get Road America, we do not get Gingerman, we do not get NCM, we only get Pitt and Mid-O once a year and Grattan multiple times because it is so cheap. But it is such an old track and isn't going to get updated any time soon. We need these tracks and we need them to update. I'd love to see Road America once a year, Pitt twice and for two days vs only one, Mid-O twice a year, Grattan a couple of times and Nelson a couple of times. Putnam would be excellent also but I think that relationship is done for. So, the others would round us to be a NC series that sees 5 tracks for a 8-10 round series. How cool would that be vs the situation where we drive clear to VIR for NC, hit the two best tracks we got once a year with one day only at Pitt and more days at the most worn down track we got. ramble over.
TL/DR I made it to ...”something must of happened to you at MidOhio”... the last time I was there I scored an AMA Championship so it’s not an issue with success. I just nvr felt like I could go as fast as I wanted because the grip wasn’t there. I’ve repeatedly Told you my issue with the place it’s the pavement it SUCKS. The facilities are 30 years old (or seem to be). As MetalHead would say “The End” lol Ride safe, AAron
MA doesn't go there because of the surface in the wet being so inconsistent. The surface in the dry is great. We had little to no issues first round every day so the surface was not somehow horrific in the morning. People are so used to complaining about Mid-Ohio in the wet it seems to be carrying over to the dry with no real facts backing it up. Less grip compared to other tracks does not make the surface inherently bad, not every track is the same, that's kind of the fun of all this...
Depends on the deal. Most of the time MA is renting the track so no more income than other events - less really since they rent once a year.
Honestly the surface now is nothing like it was a few years ago. Its gotten way better in the morning. If you haven’t ridden it in a few years that’s probably hard to believe because it was so sketchy before. Only section I could complain about is keyhole exit. For anyone that’s been following racing since the 80s/90s the track will always be a go to place. I’d be willing to bet they pick Mido over Pitt if a repave is done. The spectator viewing area at Pitt is a joke. The actual track is awesome but it still feels like a regional level track and not like barber, mido, etc
1) That’s because much fewer people go out in the first session 2) Those who did go out know that the track is awful in the morning session and take it beyond easy. 3) I was pitted with a couple locals who said it was the worst morning sessions they had ever seen. It was my first time there, but I went out for the practice sessions full knowing it was going to be slick, and boy were they right.. just little slips and slides everywhere. Everyone made it out to be significantly worse than I had expected, but guess it was better to be over-prepared for that kind of track condition.
I’m glad you guys are making money out there. I always like seeing WERA succeed. I know from working with the N2 side of things renting that place would be a nightmare worrying about rain. See the thing is no one was trying to defend the surface at Nelson that is the difference. We can say different track surfaces keep things interesting etc. that’s true but there is nothing more frustrating that having a track surface hold back riding. It completely starts to negate why we take bikes on the track in the first place. And crashing sucks and is expensive physically and financially lol. Ride safe, AAron
Really? I don't have any figures, but I've been to a few AMA and MA motorcycle events and compare that to Long Beach Indy Car event, I don't see anyone getting rich holding motorcycle races, unfortunately. I think I read somewhere, probably RRW that in the old AMA days, the track paid AMA a good amount for the event. I thought I heard with the new MA, that wasn't happening, or if so was a fraction of the old days? Mainly MA rents the track and MA isn't getting the huge fees AMA enjoyed in the "old days". I could be in left field, but it seems this is a labor of love in MA with Wayne Rainey and the KRAVE Group, trying to help us have something to enjoy. Hopefully, it pays off for them, before they lose interest. Since FIM is involved, hopefully they are kicking in as well, to keep this thing rolling.
First road race track I ever went around. Flew out to Illinois, and drove over with my dad to take a California Superbike School in the late 80's. It was F..King AWESOME!!!!!! I remember telling my dad it was better than sex. He didn't agree, but said if he was as fast as I was he might change his mind. I ended up being the fastest guy, back then in the second session they sent you out in reverse order based on speed and I went out last. I was passing people left and right. Came out of the heyhole one time, went wide over the exit curb and into the grass but stayed on the gas, bucking all over and then back onto the track but kept going. Afterwards, Steve Brukaker, yea the Dunlop guy now, but he was an instructor then, asked me if I was a motorcross racer? I said no, why? He said you never let off, I thought you might go down, but you just left it pinned. I know this is like the canyon guy thinking he will kick everyone's butt out at the track, only to find out he won't. But that helped me decide I should probably give this roadracing thing a try. I remember a WERA event out a Fontana where a local fast guy had his XX birthday party at the track with his huge ass RV and a large curtained up area. My son, Jason Aguilar, Michael Gilbert, Andre Ochs, Anthony Alonso, Daytona Anderson, Aaron Villesenoir, Kenny Anderson, Ben Truslow, and some other kids were poking their heads in over there. Evidently they had a stripper pole setup and paid for some evening entertainment. LOLOLOL
That ain’t nothing...back in the day, when Nicky was just a teen (racing for hyper cycle I do believe) two women performed a very specific sex act in the pits on his bike at Mid-Ohio
After reading through all this here's one thing to say. Lap times were good. Very very few crashes. Very little complaint from anyone about Traction in the races. Excellent weekend!
Motorcycle road racing in this country is a tough business as you all know. Road racing organizations are not getting rich for sure. So when they offer you a good track to go to to Really race and enjoy appreciate it. Mid Ohio from what I've heard from everybody in the pits was Sketchy in the mornings, but really good in the races. Again Brian had zero complaints about traction, and was definitely at the front. I for one really appreciated the vmd weekend not that it's perfect but with all the challenges we face here it was great. everybody talks about pit but everybody I hope realizes that that track has money that is non racing-related. don't complain the next time your fees go up for racing because that's what's coming if you want to race. or if you have to travel to get to a good track and really race instead of worried about traction the next corner. As far as the freaking restrooms that's not why we are there. My 02
Werd. By all accounts, dudes were ripping and just happy to be out twisting a throttle. People here log on only to whinge like my last girlfriend when I put it in her butt.
