Hey, I was just wondering. Since we have to go to.... aakkk! Nelson Ledges why not a round at Mid-Ohio? woo hoo! I remember GLLRA going there once before. So why not us?
Wes, who are you kidding, Nelson rules. We should have the gnf there. Bob Stanley has done a ton for that place in the last few yrs. I have been doing Fasttrax races between wera events and the racing and the people have been great. Even have showers now, yipee! I hope "Shadow" bites you on the leg next time you are there for talking bad about the place.
Hey, I think that Mid-Ohio would be a great idea. The only other track of that caliber that we NC guys get to run is Road Atlanta, and that is a haul for us weekend warriors. But hey, everyone knows the far away races are the ones to get the most points. So here's another idea: How about an attempt at a late date Mid-Ohio (as I pray to the almighty Gods of WERA) or making RA a double points to up the anty??? Mr. CLark you have the Floor...
And I'd like to refer the my esteemed coolleague from the North Central Region to my post of January 20th. Oh, wait a minute, wrong floor... Anyway, they won't give us a date. We try every year and every year get shot down - kind of like Road America, Pocono, Daytona... Ain't the politics of racing fun?!?
Hey now! Dont get me wrong. I had a blast there the only time I have been. But lets look at the bigger picture here. You have to admit it rattles you like a fifty dollar milkshake (but aint it fun) and being in the NC region spoils you having Putnam as your home track. Sorry to hurt your feelings but the masses have swore off the track. If you look at your schedule they most of the time combine two regions so they have enough riders. I could be wrong you know. I just have to drag my teammate kicking and screaming everytime we go. As for my opinion, I like the abuse Nelson gives you! Besides, Nelson was the one, and only round where I didn't run off the track all weekend!
I can't be one to complain, I've never had the privelage of running at NL, but at the same time, I've heard the horror stories. SO I guess that I will have to take the advice of my fellow riders. Although he last guy claimed that he placed first on knobbies and was black flagged for passing on burms
I've been on NL and helped out friends during a FASTTRAX endurance race. The track itself isn't as bad as some stories I've heard and I had a lot of fun there. It's a very fast track and you don't need to use your brakes all that much. I've also been to Mid-Ohio and like that track too, but with the recent security situations and the general hassle of it all, I don't plan on going back any time soon. Not to mention the fact that you need an AMA membership to race with the clubs that hold events there. Have you been to CMP yet? It's 50 miles south of Charlotte and in my opinion is right up there with Mid-Ohio as far as track layout. It doesn't have as many elevation changes but is still a blast to ride on. It's also much safer.
Are you talking about Carolina Motorsports Park? I was planning on going on vacation last year and racing a round there but unfortunately I crashed the week before @ Putnam and broke a few bones. I will probably race there this summer if it works into my schedule. Im an RN and have to pull some weekends so if I miss a round in my division I will travel somewhere else just for track time. So that is a good track to run?
What about the stops on the way. Places like Summit Point and places close like that. Are they worth the trouble for the track time?
Yes, Carolina Motorsports Park, and it is a great track. And not just because it's only 50 miles from my house. The same guy that designed Gingerman also did CMP. It's got a great mix of fast sweepers and tight technical turns. All around it's an awesome track and rewards a good line and corner speed. I have never been to Summit, but plan on attending an open track day there in July and doing the endurance race in August. I've talked to a couple people who love the place, but I'm reserving personal judgement until I turn a wheel there.
Having raced at all these places, I guess I should chime in: Summit Point (Home Sweet Home): The best cornerworkers ANYWHERE. Period. MARRC runs the saftey program at the track, and it is second to none. There are usually 40 - 50 corner workers at each event, and they are the best of the best. They will also be at VIR this year, so many more people will get to see what having good cornerworkers is like. The track: No More Slippery Point! Our track was often referred to as such, and not without reason. If you didn't stay on the concrete patches and other specific parts of the pavement, you were in for a wild ride (slide). As of Sept of last year, the circuit was completely repaved, and is beautiful. Summit is a 2 mile track with elevation change and a combination of fast and slow turns. I'm a little biased because it's home, but I love it. Carolina Motorsports Park: A dream come true. You want runoff? How about, "Hey - there's not a damn thing to hit anywhere near the track!". Great layout, great facility (Still under construction), and VERY technical. This is not a HP track - there are 5 2nd gear turns and with 15/43 gearing on an FZR you won't get out of 5th. Plain and simple this is the best track we have in the Mid_Atl schedule (VIR may prove to be better, but is still an unknown). Only thing that really needs to be done is paving the paddock. It's really sandy and will get into everything. Nelson Ledges (Long) ::cringe:: Trip 1: Blew out my fork seals (No, not crashing... riding on it) Trip 2: A particular nice touch was the orange cone sitting in the pothole which resided in the middle of the 120mph right-hand kink on the backstretch. The racing "line" was a 3 feet wide strip that ran between the pothole and the inside edge of the turn (Which has a huge ass water-filled canyon created by cars on the other side of the alligator stripes) Trip 3: From a local -> "Walk the track? Hell no, that's psychologically damaging - I stopped that last year. You want an edge on a new guy? Tell him to go walk the track" My teammate went down in the cratered landscape that makes up turns one and two. Since there were no corner workers until turn 4, noone noticed. Luckily he was not injured and once other riders informed the track he was picked up after the race. I got to see the numbers on the front of my bike after the rear wheel jumped sideways hitting a pothole on the entrace of turn 4. I have no idea how I stayed on the bike and the track since after seeing the aforementioned numbers my eyes immediatly slammed shut. Unfortunatly, I race WERA Mid-Atlantic (Formerly NE) and you have to go there if you want the points. If they'd just pave turns 1,2, and 4 (three was paved) and fix the giant pothole in the kink, it'd be an awesome track (If you ignore the fact there are no flush toilets). They did install shower stalls last year... of course, they're inside the bathrooms... did I mention that no-flush toilet thing? - Brian Roach
Well here is my two-cents... I still have yet to find a track that bothers me as much as IRP. However, The Nelson Ledges piece now makes me want to bring a KX-250 to race instead of a Gixxer. Being a NC guy this is how I would rate the tracks of my experience: Putnam - 1 Gateway - 2 (it's be a 1 if not for the 5 foot chicane transition to the straight) IRP - Gingerman - 4 Since anyone those are the tracks of my experience, that's my input. Anyone else is free shoot me down or praise
Sure the Ledges used to be the fastest paved motocross course in the country, but now the course is pretty damned good. Alot faster. Smooth. Bumps are no longer an issue. Sure the crappers still reek, and the ticks are always waitin to strike, but it's all gettin' better. It as bad as everyone thinks anymore: year before last, Tom Kipp was out there helping to run in a Ferracci customer 955 superbike. I say run in: he was runnin a few tenths off the track record at the time. Nothings as bad as IRP's parking lot.
The parking lot at IRP doesn't bother so much - it's the "speed bumps" in turns 1 - 4 that gets my vote as the worst stretch of track pavement that WERA runs on. Indy would be a fun track if something could be done about the "whoops" section in those 4 corners. I cracked a rear-set and a swingarm on my Duc there last summer at the Nationals... Glad I'm in the southeast and don't have to run there regularly..... Charlie McCullough
Luckily enough, we don't either. Usually it's just a cycle jam thing because the rest of the season is taken up by NHRA, Sprints, and Winston Cup. I defenitely agree with the speed bump, however, I agree more with the term whoop section But hey all in all, it gives us another track to run on. However, I'm curious as to why there is no Grattan in the NC schedule. Do they just not like us anymore, or are we too fast for em up there. They must be used to that OTHER roadracing organization
With GLRRA having 4 dates at G'man and 5 at Grattan we felt the region was too full since the tracks are all of 90 minutes apart. That combined with the cost of running Grattan helped us to decide not to take a date at Grattan this year. If either the number of races changes or their prices change we'll go back. It's too bad considering the historry WERA has with Grattan but we can't agree to terms that will have us lose a lot of money.
Okay, so Grattan is dropped form the course schedule. Does this mean that we could possible see another venue come into play such as Summit Point or CMP possibly in the schedules to come?
For the North Central region? Wouldn't those be a bit far? At least Road Atlanta is straight down I-75 and the GNF is there. I figured we'd have a lot of people majorly pissed if we did any other far races in the NC region...
