If you’re here, you probably are fan of endurance racing, maybe even a participant. We know it’s exciting, and usually there is a great storyline or three (anyone at Road Atlanta last year had more than their fair share of drama). However, describing it to someone that doesn’t know much about it, it may not sound like the most exciting event. Teams are going around in circles, trying to make more laps than anyone else, and occasionally there is a pit stop. Sounds like something I want to watch for four hours. What races are the exciting ones? Races with a number in them! Think of the Daytona 200, and the Indy 500. The team is striving to go a certain distance quicker than anyone else. We don’t need to change endurance racing; we just need to call it by a better name. It sounds like PIR will be a six hour event (an actual endurance race!), I looked at the feasibility of covering 500 miles. Based on the track length of 2.78 miles, 500 miles is just a bit less than 180 laps. Using last years best race time, a big bike can cover 500 miles in about 5 hours and 9 minutes. Of course, you can’t run at record pace for the complete race, there will be pit stops, and there could be a red flag, so it could be close. Can a lightweight bike do it? To go 500 miles in six hours the average lap time needed is around a two flat. Definitively doable. My proposal for Pittsburgh: 1. Name the race “The Pittsburgh 500”. It will run as a normal six hour endurance, the name is for promoting the event. 2. Make a big deal about going 500 miles. 3. As my part of the proposal, I am offering $100 to the bike in each class that wins the Pittsburgh 500. This is not the race winner; it’s the bike leading their class at 180 laps. “The Pittsburgh 500” is my copyrighted name but I will give it to anyone who wants it to promote this race… for a buck. You heard it here first, see you The Pittsburgh 500! TLDR: Call the PIR 6 hour a 500 mile race. $ put up.
Yep, like he said, shoot for 500 but it's still a 6 hour. Seriously I'll talk to the boss and think about it, off the top of my head it's viable.
Red flags, you just never know. Last year was clean but with two more hours it's not likely (we can always hope though). Hugh crowds? I would say no again, but I think back of when I started racing and going to Pocono for Cycle Jam where there were actual spectators. You just need to publicize a stupid cheap entry ( 5 bucks, kids free, something like that) and maybe a few folks would show up, being the 500 and all that.
I thought about this but there needs to be a way to see if a smaller bike can go the distance. Maybe go until the last class goes 500 miles (or 6 hours whichever comes first).
"N2/WERA Endurance by Dunlop 6 Hour" -or how about "The N2/WERA Pittsburgh 500 by Dunlop"? (Still really a 6 hour) Rolls right off the tongue!
Well, no one took me up on my idea of renaming the Pittsburgh race, but my "bounty" offer still stands. $100 bucks each to the heavy, middle and lightweight class bike leading the race in their class at lap 180, which is 500 miles. If there is no winner in the class, the money goes to the sixth-place bike in class (first bike out of the money). Good luck to all, and keep the rubber side down!
