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MotoAmerica changes for 2018

Discussion in 'General' started by rcarson15, Sep 9, 2017.

  1. metricdevilmoto

    metricdevilmoto Just forking around

    Large, uncompetitive grids do nothing more than generate revenue in entry fees. It doesn't make for better racing or put butts in the grandstands.
     
    Robby-Bobby likes this.
  2. metricdevilmoto

    metricdevilmoto Just forking around

    107% of a 33 is a 39 at Barber for the cutoff. You think that's unreasonable?
     
    grasshopper and Robby-Bobby like this.
  3. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    I agree Mike. But we're not the ones who wrote the licensing rules or qualifying cutoff. I'm just making an assumption based on what they've published. I'm guessing they are going to gauge participation and then adjust the cutoff accordingly.

    Overall I do think this class will bring another level of interest from the fans. When I did the 200 in 2015, I was the only Ducati to make it past the 2nd lap. I was a back marker but you would not believe how many people came up to me wanting pictures with the bike, talking about twins, etc. They clearly knew (and most importantly HEARD) the difference between the bikes and it definitely generated some level of excitement for them. That plus I had a well endowed umbrella girl. YMMV.
     
  4. regularguy

    regularguy Always Krispy

    33s are nuts but 35-37s are quite common at a WERA club race on SV650s. AP is going to have talent on 100hp FZ07s and who knows what others have planned on the other bikes. The times wont be slow....
     
    noles19 and metricdevilmoto like this.
  5. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    No I don't think it's unreasonable for a top tier event. However it would shrink the grid considerably. I have only been to Barber once, but my best time was 1:43 and I was about halfway up the field. Nate Kern did a :37 on his BMW and I believe Chris Boy won the race doing 34's. This was on Big Bore "Lightweights".

    Of course you can make the argument that I don't belong in MA, and I might have to agree with you on that. Just pointing out that it would mean smaller grids. How small? We'll have to wait and see.
     
    metricdevilmoto likes this.
  6. regularguy

    regularguy Always Krispy

    I can do a 38 and I suck...
     
  7. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    So you're saying I suck? Where's the mooning emoji or whatever it's called?
     
  8. regularguy

    regularguy Always Krispy

    lol I'm only speaking for myself!
     
    Gino230 likes this.
  9. Robby-Bobby

    Robby-Bobby Steeltoe’s Daddy


    Man don't take this the wrong way but if you're doing 43's at barber you don't need to be trying to race anything professionally.
     
    JustaNobody likes this.
  10. To be honest if the cutoff time is adjusted just to fill grids they are doing it wrong. It has to be well thought out and there are plus and minuses to both side. Having say a 112% cut off does nothing for the racing and IMO opinion makes it worse. Ya there's a full grid but in reality, even to the average fan people don't want to see people getting lapped by lap 7 or 8 because then it becomes hard to figure out who's where etc, especially when the leaders lap half the field. If you are running 43's you have some work to do before entering an MA race. Use it a positive and goal to shoot for.
     
    Gino230 and metricdevilmoto like this.
  11. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    Quiet down and help me park my RV Robby.
     
    Robby-Bobby likes this.
  12. Tristan

    Tristan Well-Known Member

    Define "racing professionally". I would call it actually making a living racing. How much of the current MA grids do that today?

    I think 110% cutoff is reasonable for these classes. 120 is nuts. I may be biased...cause I think I can easily do 110%, 107 may be tough. Then there's the small matter of funding...
     
  13. cBJr

    cBJr Well-Known Member

    On your sv?!? You're one of those annoying riders that rides as fast as those you're racing against. Kevin Calloway was the same way back when I raced v7.
     
  14. Gino230

    Gino230 Well-Known Member

    Of course I realize I have work to do. I am definitely better at some tracks than others. Barber is a fun weekend for me once a year, of course we all want to go faster, but some weekends I have to force myself to shift gears mentally rather than trying to beat Jake Zemke or Taylor Knapp or any of the other fast guys. Same with NJMP. These are more vacation races for me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't trying everything in my meager toolbox, of course, but I have to take a step back sometimes or else I forget to enjoy the experience.... because I'm so focused on the lap times and my frustration at not achieving them.

    We are mostly all racers here, so we tend to take for granted that we are getting to do something that is very special, and despite all of the focus and work that goes into going faster, we should not forget that, lest we ruin it for ourselves. Maybe 3 people I've seen post on here are actually doing this for a living. I PAY to be there so I have to make it enjoyable.

    I am capable of being much more competitive at my home tracks like Homestead or Daytona. Of course it helps that those are more HP oriented tracks and I have HP. But also I take those events more seriously and I do much better there.

    Again, you could make the argument that I don't belong in MA, and with these lap times I would be hard pressed to argue. However I will probably do what I always do- get the most HP allowed in the class and try as hard as I can to make the cutoff. I already club race my brains out. Sure I'm going to get smoked, but I would rather get smoked by the best guys out there than go get another win or podium at a CCS race. Or god forbid another championship which basically means I'm the guy that shows up a lot.
     
  15. cBJr

    cBJr Well-Known Member

    Is that the same bike he rode at the first rbom at vir? That was probably the only time I ever got to "drag race" him out of a corner. On the first lap he was riding cautiously and I was able to go up the inside of him into t7. The speed at which he passed me through the esses was impressive considering I was full throttle at the time and got on the gas relatively early coming out of the corner.
     
  16. regularguy

    regularguy Always Krispy

    same bike with a 81hp motor.
     
    metricdevilmoto likes this.
  17. grasshopper

    grasshopper Well-Known Member

    There will be plenty of capable folks to grid up on good equipment that can do 107% of 1:33-1:34 at Barber. I suck and can do consistent 37s there.

    But in the same breath MA needs entrants. So maybe they set the bar at 110 or 120 percent and see how many fools sign up. I strongly oppose allowing amateur licensed club racers into the class though.
     
  18. G 97

    G 97 Garth

    MA can't cancel this class fast enough. :D
     
    metricdevilmoto and ekraft84 like this.
  19. Robby-Bobby

    Robby-Bobby Steeltoe’s Daddy

    In his instance by his times he's clearly not "ready". I'm pretty sure the times he posted was on an 848 as well.

    Regardless, that's not even gonna win a novice lightweight race at barber. Not trying to be a dick, just being obvious. Improve your skill and times then grid up.
     
    JustaNobody likes this.
  20. metricdevilmoto

    metricdevilmoto Just forking around

    No, club racing needs entries. More club racing entries means racers can stretch their dollars further and get better at racing and have a well developed package with results to shop around so that they are prepared to enter MA events both on and off the track.

    A very good example of this would be Eddie Kraft.
     

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