'08 Schedule, Real Vintage & Obsolete

jim,

thank you for a very thoughful post. i agree 100%!

tex

 

While it is important to have a large group of bikes on the grid, it may be better from an overall participation standpoint to have several races that a rider can chose from. That way he/she may be able to reduce transportation costs by driving fewer miles or teaming-up with another rider to share the ride to the track.

Participation is an important component of Vintage Racing. WERA has to balance our contribution to the costs of the program. According to the 2007 Season Vintage Championship posting there are approximately 205 individuals who were invited to the GNF this year. (I did that computation manually so there may be some error involved.) Some, 10 out of 22 total in 350GP, only raced once. Seven of those were in the Mid-Atlantic region. I don't know any of them, but what could be done to increase their participation?

I think this is something we all need to think about. Maybe we need some rules refinement. We are having to become more creative in keeping these bikes running and perhaps relaxing some rules will make it easier for others to become involved. We have some time, but this is an important issue and deserves consideration.
Lyn Garland

 

i like this is idea, as its pretty much what the north florida region is right now (minus barber of course)
I guess it would be a logistical nightmare to try and keep from overlapping the North Florida and South East regions...

 

lyn,

most of those ten are from new york or north (uscra'ers) and only get to run wera once per year......me and some of the other wera summit regulars are doing our best to get them to try the VIR round in march, the summits (3), and maybe a nelson round as well. best to you.

tex

 

yep, tex is right with respect to that. there are a few guys from ny, nj, and occasionally maine who show. id guess totally for the season, the ny and new england crew probably managed to get 5-8 riders in. one guy crashed and did his collar bone and is still rehabbing it from june, and a few other guys run the uscra schedule and that can conflict at least with summit. one rider is moving to maine this winter, so shes probably gone. unless the rest the maine group shows. and the guys form nyc are pretty much hooked im sure. and the cb350 guys are always pushing for more cb350s on the grid. im pretty sure the summit 350gp grid will grow again next season. as for vir, youre talking about an 8-9 hour drive from nyc. i think people generally arent interested in doing that. but i can pretty much guarentee there will be guys on the 350grid from nyc next year. weve already been taking poles to see whos in for what, when, on various boards. i think if its not already, the 350/500gp grids will be the biggest vintage grids in the region.

i dont know what the southern show is like, but the midatlantic schedule is just about right. for me. now if i had more time and $$$

jc

 

Not to change the subject, but as soon as the 08 schedule comes out, we need to plan a huge 350GP Summit event! :up: Followed by copious amounts of

 

Now you guys all have great thoughts! Been a problem for older bike to find and get parts for budget racers! It sucks that i dont have a region to race in!I went vintage to race and ENJOY IT.It cost Way to much to travel for me.I have not been keeping up with the regions and points but is it still 6 races and if you travel to different regions you still get point toward the GNF?Not interested in region champ thing.Seeing how it never did anything for before!
To Eboz Dude you are the man! Win it give it back! Man id sell you so fast for the title you would be in some 3rd world country doing all kinds of dirty deads!LOL! I say let them have the motors,The best and fastest riders will always rise and its not the motor that wins or loses it! parts are very hard to find!I have to make most of mine! Hope chip going to be there next year and dale too,im looking forward to meeting the guys who dont know me! Well let me know so i can start planing the road trips and budget for next year! C-YA

Steven Isenhower
VFR #52

 

Worst case, give me the bike and I'll race it for ya!

 

Lots of good points here fella's....I'm going to try to make my opnion straightforward.

1. I DONT think winning at Road A / GNF should give someone the National Title. Heres an example......I had 5 wins and a 2nd in 500GP going into GNF. I blew a motor at Nashville, missed Barber....I made GNF, but ran like crap on a new motor installed less than a week before.....little things common to a first race on a new motor.....should this have decided my whole season? I dont think so....just my opnion.....Double points kicks things up a notch, but its still just 1 race.

2. There are alot of races on the schedule, and I think I made most of them this year......I'm thinking around 8 sounds like a good number to attend this coming year....now, having 12 to pick from dont sound too bad to me....but I wont make them all.

3. As far as 350GP, and the bikes....yes, there are alot of CB350's around, but finding people who want to invest their time and race one is something different.....there are more Cb350's than people to race them.

 

Intergalactic Finals

I am in agreement with the original posters that the way the national vintage points were run a few years back was superior to the way it is now. Not to mention much easier to follow points tallies. No offense to the regional winners but if you look at how the points were distributed it is largely a pretty hollow accomplishment.(my sponsored rider Russell won 5 regions?) Even with the old formula there are plenty of races to choose from to make your weekends count and get your points before the GNF. And sorry Charlie- Yes the GNF absolutely should be a decider in the championship points total- thats why some call it the Intergalactic Finals- lots of pressure to do well. A good compettive class always comes down to the final race and you better be prepared to lay down your best hand.

 

Everyone is entitled to their opnion....and ya know, heres a thought...

Make 1 race during the year, get invited to GNF, win the race and win the national title....that'll save some money.....theres a plan....not my plan, but a plan that could work....ya wanna talk hollow?

Its still 1 race.....are there any remaining racing series that put the national title on 1 race?...seriously, are there?

From what I saw this year, Russel is a great racer, but he won 5 regions cuz there is no one to race...??....is this accurate? and from talking to Russel, this bothers him more than anyone....I guess I'm saying using Russels situation as an example AGAINST the regional's could be made....but I thought it had alot more to do with turnout in V1.

Hey Buff, you ran good on saturday, what happened on the grid sunday sportsman 350?

 

charlie,
buff isnt saying make one race- get an invite- win the gnf -win the title, he's
saying if multiple people are in pointswise 114 or more then the guy who wins the gnf wins the title. racking up points like ama or ahrma would allow someone to out travel people for a title and have it wrapped up before the finals. this way you have to beat the fast guys from the other regions in the finals.

 

Every one has some very good points to make here.

I personally have had a great time racing this year and made every south east regional race. Unfortunately after doing this for a year I realize that I can not maintain that pace next year.

There are a couple of factors involved. First I like my family and I need to spend some more time with them. (I Did take them with me to Barber last weekend so they could watch me wrench on the bilks) Secondly the budget does have to be taken into consideration.

Consequently I have already informed my Old and Oily team mates that I will not be able to make the same sort of schedule next season as I did this season.

As we are in the south east this will force me next year to choose which races to run. Probably I will aim for one a month. If however if there where only 6-8 races for vintage I would have the choice made for me the same as everybody else.
I am sure there will be others who will also be picking and choosing there races next year.
I would rather see fewer larger grids than many smaller grids.

As for the national championship I like it the way it is now.


Thanks to all for some great racing this year.

Keith

 

keith,
was great to see the norton on the track. next year dean is threatning to bring his back out for V3, should be a blast.

 

Agreed brother Keith! I personally will only be racing enough races to secure maximum points for the national title next year as my personal schedule makes it very tough to do otherwise. As much as we all love racing and you guys and gals are my second family, I also have a first to take care of!

 

I hear ya Wera33...I guess I was saying if you leave everything else alone, but make the GNF for the national title.....the situation I laid out there (1 race, maybe not even a win, GNF Invite, Win GNF = Win Title) could happen, and I dont agree with that.

I dunno.....maybe make it harder to get an invite?...that has a downside as well.

I really dont have a problem with the way it is.

but I wont make as many races in 2008. I'm also kicking around, when I do make a race, stay on sunday and run Clubman or something on my EX.

Did someone else mention a second double points race?...

 

yea- scott was right- thats what I meant of course. I left after Saturday. I was fortunate to get to race at all under the circumstances. I hope the crowd liked my smoke grenade starts...

 

Yeah...you did run good saturday...600 was strong, but that was a good run....where did you start, near back, right?...came up thru...good show.

I didnt know you left sat....just listening to the PA on sunday, they made it sound like you broke on the grid, not that you werent entered.