O.I.R Update

Tim = Patience, persistence, planning, proliferating and participating.
Tim = A great Leader…..
….I like Tim….
 
Tim your words are not wasted. I hear what you are saying. You bring up a ton of great points. The memorial day race could'nt happen this year for reasons I cant discuss here, sorry. A lot is going on and we have plans I cant let out just yet either. Again you make a lot of sence and we will definately keep everything you said in mind. Running a track isnt easy, that is no excuse for quick reactions and poor decisions. I will talk with my team about all this and go back to the drawing board. We all just want to make my father proud and take the track into the future. Please understand we are trying our best. Oh and to answer Briarcliff we are about an hour from malvern, and no you cant cut the whoops section.
 
Hands had it....had400-600 riders at their races....great turn-outs....Oir non cra....first open practice had to,be300 plus....what's there to change...the cra is stupid for not letting you in....they just lost prob the biggest drawing track next to,Malvern....I don't think any track comes close to those numbers....so why change the track...it was NOT the track everyone loved it...CRA made a huge mistake. So you decide to NOT have practice until half the riding season is over? You have to promote and push your track and like Tim said put all of it out there....if you left the track and just hyped the first practice and the track was primo.....it would run itself!! Just my two cents....you don't need two tracks...You just need to be OPEN!!!! Good luck in 2012 I hope you blow everyone away with your changes...it's a big risk!!! But if it works out!
 
Thanks for the support. Hands did do an awsome job. The amount of work it takes to run a track is endless. We hope this pays off! If not the blame is all on me. As for the CRA they have there rules and ways of doing things and we respect that. I called back in January and ask for our application to be re entered. They told me it would be awhile before they got back with us. These things take time. If we dont get in for 2013 we do have a plan B. That I cant talk about yet. We will be here no matter what just give us some time. The changes will be worth the wait. Its going to take a lot of time, hard work, and UGH more money. That last part is the worst. LOL
 
With the racing scene only getting more costly I find myself doing it less and less. Twice the cost and half the riding. There is zero incentive for me. If there was I might race more. A majority of my money goes to those tracks who are open and willing to hold open practice. I think the CRA's way of doin things is outdated and could use breath of fresh air. I respect all track owners and what you guys do. Not easy to please everyone. Some of my favorite tracks are in the CRA....yet they never get a dime from me bc they are rarely open for practice. When OIR was in the CRA it was never open and same with Western Reserve. It's a shame that some of the best tracks only open on race day. And when it cost 100 plus dollars to race well it's a easy choice to go to the tracks that will hold open practice or outlaw tracks that have races.
 
I really don't get it...."More Money"....you know how to get money...you Open one Of the BEST TRACKS IN OHIO Up!!!! open practice...200-300 riders!!!! Ask the guy at smith if he would love 300 riders! Open up in April and may and June!!!, 2 practices a month........Do the math! Man I hope I pull in and it's a mini red bud! Lol Good Luck. And on a side note the hands do not have it anymore,YOU do,Let the people say,the hands did a great job....But the news guys...WOW!!!!
 
I watched a video of a 500cc National Championship season in the late 70's ( forget what it was called ) . One of the races was at OIR and it looked much the same as it did a couple of years ago . The track has history ...nostalgia . Great use of the natural terrain , no quads , awesome track prep and a smooth program run by the Hands who were respected racers from the area , made OIR one of the all time best drawing tracks in the state . As I understand it , the Hands weren't allowed to run practices or more races . The only problem I ever encountered was finding a place to park because the place was packed . Yea , change all that .

I'm gonna start my own track . About 2 - 3 miles long , in a straight line ,it will be all jumps , no turns , no elevation changes ; doubles , triples , huge quads , on/off table tops , 4rth gear pinned just jump , jump , jump . You can have your ass in the air every 10 feet and scrub, whip , etc. to your hearts content . I'll say it is motocross and come up with a catchey name . Only one class - C - for bikes , quads , side-by-sides , scooters , bmx , unicycles , jeeps , monster trucks , motorized skateboards .....let me know if I left anybody out . Oh , and there will be trophies for just signing up ! There will also be a fan voted trophy for best graphics with matching radiator hoses and gear , you know , the stuff that looks like somebody ate a large box of Crayolas and threw up on it . Races will be everyother day with practces the days between . Who's in ? I can't wait to start raking in the MX money !

Malvern is King ! Long live Malvern ! No matter how far it is from anything .
 
halffast said:
The track has history ...nostalgia .
Click to expand...

This is why I think OIR is or was such a sucess. As for the of your statement lets not take this to a bashing level because I don't think thats the objective here. Custructive criticism sure. Track owners have a tuff job I think we all know that. Luckily we have a open forum here to try and connect with those local owners to voice our opinions as customers.
 
Wasn't intended as a bashing . More of a comiic jab at riders , promoters , andwhere the sport seems to be headed IMO . I respect what the new OIR crew is trying to do and wish them well , it is brave , but I just don't happen to agree with it . I just turned 53 and am definitely old school . When I started riding it was run what ya brung on anyting loosely called a track with little or no track prep . Full gates of every brand you can imagine . If you had a 250 , you raced against 250's and the class structures were just starting to be formed . Guys wore everything from street hemets with visors , work boots , and blue jeans to leathers and faceguards that snapped on their helmets . Was at Malvern the day Jerry Laughlin brought up the subject of this new organization called the CRA . It was a simpler time and I miss some of it that is why I got into vintage racing on those same old bikes . The sport has advanced exponentially and most of it for the better . BUT , the direction it is headed now troubles me with the difficulty of the track obstacles ( look at the amount of ijuries , amature and pro ) . the cost , the noise/dust/environmental issues , class advancement problems , the splintering off of offroad groups , etc. .

Going to go riding ina couple of hours , first time this year after recovering from a hip/back injury ( not bike related ). Track is at a buddies house and there will be bikes there from 1970's Maicos to a 2011 KTM and everything in between . I'll be on my 1984 Husky CR500 . Fun will be had then beer and food will be consumed . Not too much worrying about trophies , sandbagging , bashing or anything else .
 
I think many of us can agree with your thoughts. After all it is meant to be fun! Drinking beer after is probably the best part of it all! Good ole bench racing lol.
 
It take about 100 times more to run a track than most people imagine & am sure OIR or Briarcliff can chime in on that subject.

The Hands put a lot into OIR for many years that came at a personal sacrifice & the new crew at OIR has to be doing the same
thing as they work weeks before an event keeping the grounds & track nice.
Thinking back to 2003 or 2004 I would call Carl to see if he was going riding & his standard answer was he had track work to do.
Asked Carl or Dave if they were going to Red Bud ir Hi-Point Vet races or other events for many years & would get the same reply
as the would love to go but most of the time they had a race to get ready for. Point is it takes a lot of work to run a track so don't
sell the promoters short as someone on here once said 1/3 of the riders on any day will not like something about a perfect track.
Big turnout & big money right.....ask a promoter how many $15,000 equipment repairs they had last year & that dream goes away.

The bike / quad thing should not pit riders against each other as everyone wants to ride but obviously require a slightly different
or fresh track preparation to keep all happy. Sounds like the cliff did the magic with wider than normal corner so maybe promoters
could work on this area to keep everyone happy & attendance up. For safety they should not be on the track at the same time.

Just wish right now I was riding right now & having a halffast sponsored lunch as he is my sole sponsor!
Yeah, the Swedish fanatic is the official vintage cook easily taking first place on the grill!
 
Hands ran a limited # of events and had no practice. It's not necessarily a bad thing for the new oir to be running so little this year. Unless they're doing a catastrophic track change...that could ruin some things.
 
They could close altogether.....would that make everyone happier? I guess then there would be one final thing to complain about!
 
Yeah we got to ride at Crow Canyon Qualifier this weekend and it was AWESOME!!! We'll have a lot more time for that this year and are looking sooooo forward to it!!!! Everyone should just wait and see and give them a chance!!! Dave Hand
 
PitRacer said:
They could close altogether.....would that make everyone happier? I guess then there would be one final thing to complain about!
Click to expand...

You know thats a valid point. Its not you can ride any track you want anymore. Everyone should be happy they got a place to ride. Period. So what they dont allow quads, BC does, ride your quad there, or Malvern, or at the nationals. I say this horse has been reincarnated and killed off twice by now.
 
Thanks to everyone for there input. Like I said before if it fails its all on me. Thanks Dave it really means a lot to all of us that you give us your support. You did great things and we thank you for that. The ONLY people we would ever let run O.I.R again if we stepped down would be the Hand family! Its nice to get positive feedback from other great promotors like Briarcliff too! Thanks! Pit thank you because without this site we would all be lost! Hope to see you all in July, George maybe you can help us test some of the new stuff before we open ????
 
OIR said:
Thanks to everyone for there input. Like I said before if it fails its all on me. Thanks Dave it really means a lot to all of us that you give us your support. You did great things and we thank you for that. The ONLY people we would ever let run O.I.R again if we stepped down would be the Hand family! Its nice to get positive feedback from other great promotors like Briarcliff too! Thanks! Pit thank you because without this site we would all be lost! Hope to see you all in July, George maybe you can help us test some of the new stuff before we open ????
Click to expand...

Yea for sure, I'll throw some laps and give you an honest take on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top