Appreciate what we have!

After going to the Fastraxx (CCS) race weekend at Grattan this past weekend, it really made me open my eyes. I think that sometimes we all take for granted racing with an orginization like WERA.
It was an absolute joke. I have seen more professional trackdays, must less "so called organized racing". After being told by the owner/race director (Bob Stanley) "I am God and if you don't like it pack your stuff and leave, and if you keep talking I will kick you out of here"......well that is exactly what I did, packed my trailer and left.
Another great quote by Mr. Stanley while mentioning his own race forum "you know it is kinda like the WERA Bullshit Board, just better" Nothing like trying to promote your own business by bad mouthing someone else......

 

Ugh, that's really bad.

Kinda reminds me of the guy who gave the speech at the Road Atlanta track day 2 years ago the day before the WERA event. Thank goodness they have WERA run the practice days now.

 

many small people with a little power think such grand thoughts of themselves......it will never be so

i'd bet he doesn't levitate into his pants

 

Re: Re: Appreciate what we have!

And some LARGE ones, too...

 

I agree Tom. When did you leave?

A poorly run event in my opinion. The "tree" drill was a bad idea and the 3-bike crash between turns 1 and 2 (with one guy pushing his bike backwards ON TRACK) was an example of that.

The "starts" drill was a good theory, but I'm surprised that didn't have some sort of crash too. The guy wheeling between T1 and T2 after it was really a sign of stupidity.

Bob is a nice guy, but I just don't understand some of the things he does. I feel bad for the regulars because I don't think they have anything else to compare it to.

 

Ended up leaving after dinner at the Grattan Bar!

It was an absolute mess. I am just glad that I didn't get taken out by one of the orange shirts during the race. The closing speeds were intense and having people run 40 seconds a lap slower than the leaders is normally a receipt for disaster.

 

what's the tree drill?

 

I could be wrong (I didn't use their practice on Saturday, just raced with them) but I believe it is where they have a couple guys ride slowly with green shirts (that say tree on the back of them) about 15 feet apart and have the new racers practice passing between them.

 

Doesn't sound like such a bad idea. At least in theory. Execution may be very very different.

 

Execution was the problem. 4 "trees" on the straight away at half throttle, 4-wide wasn't ideal.

When I came back into the pits, a buddy of mine goes, "man, I got caught in the trees - literally".

I'm not sure what caused the crash in the session, but with 3 bikes laying in the track (one a vintage), I'm guessing the big difference in speed may have been the problem.

 

I seen that.... there was like a forest of trees sorrounding this one orange shirt.. and he couldn't get out....

OMG that was funny...

 

The tree drill was run during a normal racer practice, not just in the new racer only practice?

 

Bob Stanley? Wasn't he in "What About Bob?"

"Ahhoooy, I'm sailing"

 

That isn't any different than this board

 

Re: Re: Appreciate what we have!

Jerry,
The difference is that this board is free.....I spent $300 with Fasttrax Saturday morning. That makes me a paying Customer that deserves a slightly better level of service. At no time did I raise my voice to him and at no time did I treat him in a disrespectful manner.

 

Re: Re: Re: Appreciate what we have!

So the 'quit talking' was directed at you? Either way it's wrong. my point was the 'god like' status some people seem to think they have.

This board is 'free' but I seem to have thousands of dollars of receipts from WERA as well as many other people here. I better shut up or I will be banned next, uh?

 

I thought all of the experts where more than a little surprised by the format of the weekend. Once all of the first time FastTrax riders realized there was no purse and no contingency because of the less than 10 bike expert grid the only thing left is fun with friends, so….

Since when is wheeling stupid? I can not believe that an expert rider would not approve of a proper one tire cool down lap; you have to save wear on the front tire at Grattan you know.

Besides, ten to one it was me you’re complaining about. When the coast is clear I like to entertain myself and the corner workers. I think it is possible to do apparently dangerous things safely, like Roadracing and wheelies.

 

Was yours the orange bike? If so, that was it. Just my opinion that it was stupid given the circumstances. Wheelies are cool normally.

 

I began corner working in 1991. I corner worked for WERA, CCS (when they were AMA-CCS), and AMA. Corner working you hear/know things not generally known to the public. At Road Atlanta, CCS once ran a practice even knowing that a rain storm had put dirt on the track between turns 4 and 5. They did not use the track's sweeper, because it would hurt their precious time schedule. I decided then that WERA was the only group that I would ride with.

 

I'm glad that I saved my money . I was going to try and make it, I could use the practice. The thing is, most of Bob's racers haven't raced with any other organizations, so they might not know the difference.

I thought that CCS had joined with fastrax and started offering contingency$$. Not so?

Where you racing next Tom? I'm not sure I'll make Nelson, but MId-O for sure.