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So What's it Gonna Be (US Roadracing)?

Discussion in 'General' started by ryoung57, Aug 10, 2014.

  1. Cam Morehead

    Cam Morehead Husband, Dad, Racer

    I took offense to this post. I won't debate with you. I can say that I have seen families move in with other people to sell their house to keep racing. I have seen a dad drive an old car pulling a 5x8 open trailer with just a bike. I have seen parents give up their vehicle to get to more races. Please do not tell me what sacrifice is. Please do not tell me what passion is. You only know what YOU have done. You do not know what others have done before they throw in the towel. When a mother will sleep on the floor of a trailer in the freezing cold at a truck stop, don't tell me I have not seen sacrifice and passion. Maybe I took your post wrong but it appears that you think these families should be digging in dumpsters to find food as long as they get to the track..... I disagree and I love this sport as much as anyone...
     
  2. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Don't know man, Hayes looks like he "learn you" if you needed learnin'. :D

    But damn, Mladin could break the competition just by showing up. Imagine being in a team with that guy. You either learn or you'd come apart like a hong kong rolex.


    I think there are more than a few of the young American kids that could make an impact on the world stage. All it'd take is cash and someone to help them.
     
  3. TrackStar

    TrackStar www.trackstar1.com

    You shouldnt have, those are the people that will keep the dream alive! Those are the people willing to risk! You took offense when I was giving those people praise!
     
  4. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    You've got a smart kid. That same conversation comes up with Earl Hayden when we see him every year at Indy and has for the last 5+.
     
  5. Cam Morehead

    Cam Morehead Husband, Dad, Racer

    Good. I love these kids like my own and I felt like you were talking about my kids.... No worries. I also wish I could do a "reunion" weekend like at Russell's dirt track. It would be awesome to see 11 years of kids show up at a track and throw some dirt on each other.... or a mini track on 100's.... Sorry, back to the subject.... Someone help us fix roadracing in America....
     
  6. nigel smith

    nigel smith Well-Known Member

    When these same people sacrifice until they can sacrifice no more, will you be saddened and disappointed? Some of them have already been where you are now. I will judge no one who throws in the towel and moves on with life. That is where over 99% of us in racing are headed.
     
  7. TrackStar

    TrackStar www.trackstar1.com

    No Cam, I have nothing but respect and admiration for anyone who helps these kids and sacrifices for them... we may have different programs and paths but the end goal is the same.
     
  8. zrx12man

    zrx12man Captain Amazing

    Thank you, Sean. I don't know if you remember, but 10 years ago on this very forum you answered a post I made asking where my 5 year old kid could roadrace. You steered me toward a group of like-minded folks in Mississippi, and started a hell of a journey for us. No regrets, just chagrin. Most times, I've found that when I set out to learn something, what I end up learning isn't what I was expecting. We were asking the wrong question all along.
    You never know, the kid just turned 16 and has whupped up on some pretty serious guys on 600's so far. Maybe he'll decide to do something with bikes, maybe not.
     
  9. Cam Morehead

    Cam Morehead Husband, Dad, Racer

    :up:
     
  10. TrackStar

    TrackStar www.trackstar1.com

    I will be. Bums me out every time I see it happen.

    Now if your asking me if I will blame the parents for it not working out? No I wont. If the effort and resources were put in and it didnt happen, well then you gave it hell and that is all you can do.

    Again, was racing chosen as a career path or a dream? Anyone who chooses it (in the last 5 years) as a career path and believes it will work out is delusional. Anyone who chases it as a dream is only slightly less crazy but I can get behind that.
     
  11. LukeLucky

    LukeLucky Well-Known Member

    Ok, so everyone agrees we need a stronger/cheaper little-league of motorcycle racing.

    Looks like the pro series is set for next year and there's more $ invested and new people, so that's a big improvement. Dorna involvement, TV, and actual future planning is a new idea finally being implemented.

    If I were planning a team or just looking to race in whatever the pro series will be here next year, I'd plan on a 10-12 round series with a decent TV package where all the usual factory teams (and a couple more getting involved again) will participate in superbike, supersport, and small displacement (IE junior-cup-style) classes that align with next year's wsbk rules packages and the series being FIM sanctioned. There's a chance for some moto3/moto2 bikes also and might race alongside the production bikes similar to the MotoGP/Open bikes racing on track at the same time.

    ...but that's just me.
     
  12. If it were me, i would save costs by eliminating the 1000cc and 600cc classes and putting everybody on Groms. :D
     
  13. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Um, huh?

    Where did you get all of that? Nothing but rumors. Little league racing will never be cheaper and it already exists and is working great. It's the AAA through majors having issues.

    FIM sanction can't happen without buying AMA Pro from DMG.
     
  14. ryoung57

    ryoung57 Off his meds

    :up:

    Gromtastic!
     
  15. noles19

    noles19 Well-Known Member

    That little bikes is all you can think about isn't it?:crackup:
     
  16. Yep. :crackup:

    I couldnt even sleep last night because i kept thinking about differnet situations on the Grom and laughing.
     
  17. STT-Rider

    STT-Rider Well-Known Member

    Is this a hint? Must be Dorna since its metric
     
  18. LukeLucky

    LukeLucky Well-Known Member

    Go it all myself and I'm not portraying it as fact. Just saying this is what I would do if I were working on a team or racing in what will be the premiere national pro series next year.

    Everything can use improvement. Is it free now? Then it can be cheaper. IMO, it is not working great when most kids don't know what motorcycle racing is unless their dad or friends are already into it. I'd like to see it more of a little league alternative and closer to their communities than driving a few hours out of town. Of course some areas it IS in town, but definitely not all.

    Glad we both agree it is possible.
     
  19. r6boater

    r6boater Logged out

    Several points... as great of a time as we have at the track, we won't put ourselves in a position to lose our house or the such to go racing. We don't have "nice things" or live in a fancy house and our newest vehicle is Draik’s racebike. I'm fine with driving an over decade old car pulling a 4x6 trailer and sleeping in a tent at the track. How many will say they are willing to do that or even fewer yet, actually do it? I'm not on a soap box against big money spending on what you love, I'm just more for being good stewards with what we have. And what we have is worked for, not swiped/borrowed for. That's not sacrifice, at least in the present, it may force sacrifices later when it all falls out.

    If "outsiders" perceive that to "go racing" you have to get a a second mortgage and max your credit out to do so, that is one of the problems that road racing is facing. Grassroots, mini racing is "cheap" but most people don't know about it. E-Superstock racing is cheap, but it won't get any airtime. The elitist viewpoint of "if it ain't a GP, it ain't a racebike" is hurting the sport too. Yeah, it's great to watch on TV but the practicality and availability of them just isn't there.

    For crying out loud, if swamp buggy racing can get airtime, why shouldn't ESS get some? Its probably a lot more affordable than most any other motorsport and can be just as, if not more, exciting. And I gaurantee there are a lot more Ninja 250s in the USA than swamp buggies.

    But hey, what do I know...?
     
  20. TrackStar

    TrackStar www.trackstar1.com

    :crackup: more than you let on to.

    Same deal here. Nothing on credit, 12 year old truck, $1200 RV that I fixed up to make it liveable. Sold my bike, quit racing and volunteer for the local Club to get race credits.

    It can be done, and done well without going bankrupt if you get creative and do the work.
     

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