WERA not doing VMD in 2026

WERA will not be putting on vintage racing at VMD in 2026 at Mid Ohio. Comments in the anouncement thread for the 2026 schedule show it. VMD vintage road racing will be handled by ASRA. It is also on the ASRA schedule and no longer on the WERA schedule.

I think this is a mistake. From my limited perspective, I think this decision was likely made by the people that are making the overall decisions for VMD.

Any comments?

 

VMD seemed to work well for the road racers of new, old and very old bikes. It appears an organization with extensive vintage experience is a good fit. I also like that WERA guided us through the sign up process and I quite liked the paddock vibe even though outside the paddock things look different.

 

with ASRA running it in 2026, it's guaranteed to be an unorganized cluster F***. be prepared to miss track time.

 

if only the AMA reps went to Daytona ROC this year to year the ASRA owners talking smack about AMA.
they have talked trash about every org that is outside their business.

 

It was kind of a cluster in 2025, though I blame the size and circumstance of the event. Next year with ASRA? Holy-o-fuck, boys! It's gonna be a nightmare.

 

We'll have our own VMD with blackjack and hookers!

Is it too soon to bring up the idea of a vintage gnf again?

 

It's nice to finally see both of you in one place. Sometimes I wonder if you're the same guy or something

 

Definitely different people but he does have a great sense of style.

 

I was hoping to find a number of wera racers that would write to the AMA and Mid Ohio about why WERA should continue at VMD instead of another organization.

Who is with me and what are the reasons?

 

Probably kills it for us at Mid O. Not really into having to join another organization and have to buy a different transponder for one event (if I'm reading their equipment regs correctly). Sad because this was our marquee weekend of the year.

 

For years AHRMA ran a true, and very successful Vintage Motorcycle Dats program at Mid-Ohio. Roadracing, motocross, trials and dirt track at Ashland. When Jeff Smith & Rob Iannucci got sideways, and involved the AMA, that was the end of AHRMA running Mid-Ohio.

WERA stepped in and ran a successful, albeit different, VMD program. The AMA handled the motocross and dirt track, and WERA handled the roadracing. Trials disappeared. Roadracing became less and less VINTAGE.

A couple o' years ago, AHRMA, Rob Iannucci, Team Obsolete and the AMA worked out their differences. AHRMA made several proposals to the AMA to return VMD to what it had been . . . AHRMA would handle everything for the AMA: roadrace, motocross, trials, dirt track. And it would be a true, bona fide VINTAGE centric event. The AMA wasn't interested. The AMA preferred baggers, and Junior Cup, and other varied components. The AMA's principal interest: $$'s to the AMA. No doubt making money is important, but can't money be made AND maintenance of the essence of a VINTAGE motorcycle racing event both be accomplished?

I don't know the details of WERA's disappearance, but I suspect the AMA thinks they can "do better", i.e., make more money with ASRA and whatever program ASRA has promised them. I don't know anything about the AMA/ASRA plans, but I suspect the VMD under ASRA will be far less VINTAGE. Most likely the only VINTAGE aspects will be motocross (run by the AMA I suspect), and the swap meet, which is more accurately associated with junk which is older (if that is your definition of vintage, fine). Dirt track? Who knows . . . I suspect the AMA will continue to do something at Ashland.

It is sad. Things evolve and change for sure. Nothing wrong with that. Folks have different likes, dislikes, preferences and interests. That's why there is chocolate and vanilla, and . . . . But, let's be clear about a couple o' things. The event is entitled VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS. While the venerable SV650 is now 20 years old, it and its progeny are not the heart and soul of VINTAGE motorcycles. Simply having a bunch of 80's and 90's dirt bikes running around in a field doesn't make the entire event VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS. The fact that the AMA fails to put on a true, quality VINTAGE motorcycle program while advertising and purporting to do so is a travesty. But, the AMA has messed up and squandered motorcycle racing opportunities in the past.

VMD could be such a wonderful opportunity and experience - a world class VINTAGE event which would be of interest worldwide and would draw quality entries and participants from around the world. I certainly wish the AMA success - we would all benefit - but I am doubtful that their chosen path bodes well for the future of vintage motorcycle racing.

Cheers,

Dave

 

funny thing is ASRA doesnt run vintage classes. so what entry classes are showing up?

 

This made me laugh. Motorcycle racers are inherently cheap. Old Vintage racers, even more so, so I presume that’s very hard for the AMA to accomplish.

 

A rulebook doesn't even exist yet per this page https://asraracing.com/rule-books#

When you click the link it doesn't go anywhere.



Full disclosure - I don't like change and I've been happy with my experience racing WERA for the past ~2 years. As bummed as I am to say it, I will be skipping VMD this year with the new changes and I will watch from the sidelines to see how it pans out. There are guys that I race with that have confirmed they'll be at this event and they have raced with ASRA prior.

At some point I'm going to have to make a tough decision because as others stated, I won't go through the hassle of changing back and forth between orgs and paying for multiple racing licenses. Seeing the WERA NE region drying up puts me in an even more challenging spot. Then there's the reputation of ASRA preceding itself and not in a favorable light (objectively speaking). I'm not pointing fingers at anyone just simply stating the facts of my current situation and likely other people living here in the midwest.

I just wanna race my bike without this nonsense being a factor. Human egos and agendas are the worst.

 

I wonder what an ASSRA run event will look like? I can't imagine that it will be very vintage friendly, given their lack of history and experience with vintage bikes and racers. I suspect it will not be a good event for the current vintage crowd. I also suspect that other than the vintage roadracers, nobody else will notice. ASRA can just have more classes for modern singles, twins and the rest of their classes. There will be plenty of good racing for the crowd, the swap meet and dirty bike stuff will go on, the AMA and ASRA will make their money and nobody will care.

That leads me to consider whether it would be possible and feasible for WERA to have their own stand alone Vintage Event that uses the rules they have used for VMD in years past? I have joked about this in the past, but what about a vintage only event at IRP? I know it is not safe in the least for modern big bikes, but could it work for vintage? It is a good location and has plenty of parking and room for a swap meet and camping. Just a thought.

 

I don't know any of the players involved but after reading this so far I get the feeling that Vintage days might turn into a shit show.

 

The first year, a new organizer tries to take over an event or do better than prior, it's a bit of a shit show initially, so I won't fault them for however it's run this year. However, just as when N2 "attempted" to run its own endurance series without WERA, I don't see how this will be an improvement for the sport. If it were AHRMA taking over, I'd be more understanding, as it's their whole thing.

I'm just hoping WERA has the ability to accommodate the VMD only classes into another event since they lost their sandbox.

 

Ahrma is at gingerman that weekend

 

When WERA took over VMD the Vintage Rules at the event were a hybrid of their rules and those of AHRMA, so that there were classes for riders of both organisations to race in.

The event never really drew the AHRMA racers to support all those classes so they had to be modified to be more in line with what WERA alone offered. A new outfit coming in with no real history of vintage racing (unlike the two previous organisations), allied to the fact that there are likely to be a fair number who won't race because of the change in the people running things, just as there was when AHRMA lost VMD in 2009 doesn't bode well for the event