An open and candid discussion about GP Racing

ck1racerx said:
I bet you can do a 45 min moto... If you made it in a GP then why not?
I am not against GP's, they have there place and yes they are a ton of fun. One of the main reasons its fun is once you go in the woods, no one can see you slow down because your tired. Now take that to a long mx track and Betty Lou can see your tired and slow. That may help some of the guys around here get better in moto. Fun? yes. But really, its not a "race"... just fun.
Riding a moped and a fat chic are also fun, as long as no one sees you.
Just stay away form fat chics on mopeds... not a good combo
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Yep your right, it's not a real race like "Motor-cross":)
 
I actually wanted to try a gp this year and that comes from someone who hasn't lined up for anything since the late 90s... Had I had more seat time and not a nagging neck problem I would have... I would have chose that over a whole day mx race cuz it sounded like a good time..... Plus hershey didn't offer to pick me up... Lol
 
Pit261 said:
The first GP I ever ran was several years back at Switchback Gobbler GP. They ran the start from the MX gate just with several staggers. On my gate, I sort of just came out casually but the dude next to me went full WFO squirrel-bag and looped out into me, twisting me and my bike up. So then I had to race for 45 minutes all twisted up.

Point is -- all you guys trying to change this into motocross -- just go race motocross. This is SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT. If anybody's reason for not showing up is because there is a dead engine start, C'mon man. That's just weak. Go get a KTM then.

Also, I love Saturday races.
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Since I'm a nincompoop and misjudged the rain thing on Saturday, I may not deserve an opinion on this... but, I totally agree with the Pit261 fella.
 
Oh, I realize it won't be an OMA event, but if anyone's looking for another opportunity to check out a GP before the season ends....Drew's having another GP on 10/21 at Action Sports.

JO, I'm just about done kicking myself for the downpour at my place and the silly online radar thing leading me to believe BC got hit with rain on GP day. I'm still traumatized from going to those muddy vintage races this season :)

Thanks for trying something different and I'm truly bummed I missed it...hope you're up to giving it another try next year!
 
Mooch, I think Drews at action sports gp race is 10/19 and it is part of the OMA series on Sat. Drew also has a ama one scheduled for 10/20....please someone correct me if I am wrong??
 
Jim598 said:
Mooch, I think Drews at action sports gp race is 10/19 and it is part of the OMA series on Sat. Drew also has a ama one scheduled for 10/20....please someone correct me if I am wrong??
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I believe that is correct, at least the part about the 19th for sure.

This Saturday at crow will be epic, broc has been watching all of this talk. We have some good reasons for people to give Crow a go this weekend. I will start the Crow thread in the morning. Good things to come, the crow round should be must race.
 
mooch said:
Oh, I realize it won't be an OMA event, but if anyone's looking for another opportunity to check out a GP before the season ends....Drew's having another GP on 10/21 at Action Sports.

JO, I'm just about done kicking myself for the downpour at my place and the silly online radar thing leading me to believe BC got hit with rain on GP day. I'm still traumatized from going to those muddy vintage races this season :)

Thanks for trying something different and I'm truly bummed I missed it...hope you're up to giving it another try next year!
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Please don't show on Monday mooch...
 
loneranger171 said:
I actually wanted to try a gp this year and that comes from someone who hasn't lined up for anything since the late 90s... Had I had more seat time and not a nagging neck problem I would have... I would have chose that over a whole day mx race cuz it sounded like a good time..... Plus hershey didn't offer to pick me up... Lol
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maybe your nagging neck problems are from getting picked up too much? Im not into that kind of thing....try Crute. He has a girl name ....?
 
Jim598 said:
Mooch, I think Drews at action sports gp race is 10/19 and it is part of the OMA series on Sat. Drew also has a ama one scheduled for 10/20....please someone correct me if I am wrong??
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Ooops...you're right, 10/19 and 10/20 with one day being an OMA round, which must be a make up day for the rained out event from a few weeks ago.
 
BriarcliffMx said:
I believe that is correct, at least the part about the 19th for sure.

This Saturday at crow will be epic, broc has been watching all of this talk. We have some good reasons for people to give Crow a go this weekend. I will start the Crow thread in the morning. Good things to come, the crow round should be must race.
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I apologize in advance, because I don't mean to single you out, but it really won't matter how epic it is. I guarantee you will have 3 to 4 times the pull at your track than what shows up at Crow, even if it's a farther drive for them. And that reason is simply because you are open and people have the option. Don't get me wrong I understand you need to make money too, but the issue for next season should be brought up. No OMA tracks should be open the day of another track's race period. The following or prior day fine, but not the day of. Let's face it, when people are presented with a choice of open riding or racing, most choose open riding nowadays. This hurts the other tracks trying to put on a good program. In the long run if the other tracks don't do well, guess what they pull out or close. Then you don't have a organization you just have 2 or 3 tracks that do great and the rest limp on or die. Choice isn't always a good thing, because people become complacent and don't try new things. Again I apologize, because I don't mean to single you out. I've never been to your facility, but I've heard good things. But I've also been involved with and witnessed other places suffer this year as well.
 
Elliott4179 said:
I apologize in advance, because I don't mean to single you out, but it really won't matter how epic it is. I guarantee you will have 3 to 4 times the pull at your track than what shows up at Crow, even if it's a farther drive for them. And that reason is simply because you are open and people have the option. Don't get me wrong I understand you need to make money too, but the issue for next season should be brought up. No OMA tracks should be open the day of another track's race period. The following or prior day fine, but not the day of. Let's face it, when people are presented with a choice of open riding or racing, most choose open riding nowadays. This hurts the other tracks trying to put on a good program. In the long run if the other tracks don't do well, guess what they pull out or close. Then you don't have a organization you just have 2 or 3 tracks that do great and the rest limp on or die. Choice isn't always a good thing, because people become complacent and don't try new things. Again I apologize, because I don't mean to single you out. I've never been to your facility, but I've heard good things. But I've also been involved with and witnessed other places suffer this year as well.
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Stop listening to old guys. Here is what will happen if I close. They will go to their next favorite practice track. You will not automatically force them to run the GP. They have to want to run it. If they want to run it, then they will. You can only ride at Crow 2-3 times per year (general public). You can ride at BC 36 times per year. I would think that these people would go to Crow. The old ways of thinking gotta go, you cannot force people to tracks anymore. I know tons of people that would just stay home and watch TV. Rider dynamics and choice of track is far more complex than it was in 1985. There is way more going on to compete with MX. You would have to shut down every single track in Ohio, take away the smart phones, soccer games, football games, Tv, yard tools, power washers, close down lowes and home depot, and then MAYBE then you could loosely corner people into riding a certain track, it being the only one open. Until then, I dont see it happening. If I knew for a fact that me being closed would guarantee Crow a good turnout, I would do it in a heart beat. All I see is me throwing away money in a feeble attempt to look like the good guy. If everone else in Ohio shuts down Saturday, i will too.
 
Limiting riding to races only won't solve anything. People who race still race. People who practice will stay home.
 
Elliott4179 said:
I apologize in advance, because I don't mean to single you out, but it really won't matter how epic it is. I guarantee you will have 3 to 4 times the pull at your track than what shows up at Crow, even if it's a farther drive for them. And that reason is simply because you are open and people have the option. Don't get me wrong I understand you need to make money too, but the issue for next season should be brought up. No OMA tracks should be open the day of another track's race period. The following or prior day fine, but not the day of. Let's face it, when people are presented with a choice of open riding or racing, most choose open riding nowadays. This hurts the other tracks trying to put on a good program. In the long run if the other tracks don't do well, guess what they pull out or close. Then you don't have a organization you just have 2 or 3 tracks that do great and the rest limp on or die. Choice isn't always a good thing, because people become complacent and don't try new things. Again I apologize, because I don't mean to single you out. I've never been to your facility, but I've heard good things. But I've also been involved with and witnessed other places suffer this year as well.
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as it's been said.. this train of thought is 94% false. if somebody doesn't want to race, they aren't going to race. you can close all the other OMA tracks on any given race day and the people that would of gone and spent their money at those open practice tracks will ride somewhere else that has open practice or not ride at all. you can't force your customers to do something they have no interest in doing
 
Bill480 said:
as it's been said.. this train of thought is 94% false. if somebody doesn't want to race, they aren't going to race. you can close all the other OMA tracks on any given race day and the people that would of gone and spent their money at those open practice tracks will ride somewhere else that has open practice or not ride at all. you can't force your customers to do something they have no interest in doing
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X2 on this one more than Georgie's. Very precise on the 94%.
 
D12 proved that fallacy. Turnouts were no better when tracks were restricted. And you still have the CRA running races too. Riders have plenty of choices.
 
Pro practicers are a vital source of income for the local tracks. Simply put, the profit margin on practice days are higher then that of race days. With that being said we as racers and track owners need to tap into that resource to "convert" them to racers. For the most part, the guys that go to practice tracks when there are races close by are not looking to become racers. BUT, some may. The riding life span for the average "practice guy" is relatively short lived. They buy our used bikes then go to the track 3 to 5 times a year for a couple years then move on to the next "thing". Racers, on the other hand, tend to spend many more years in our sport and some (like myself) never really get out.
What can we do as a community to convince someone to give it a try? If we can convert just 10% of the participants into racing it would help build the future. GP's maybe a nice seg-way into the moto world. Perhaps a "GP" only membership may be an effective way to entice more people into trying. Possibly offer this limited membership at a deeply discounted rate (or waive it altogether) for 2 to 3 events. This could remove one of the potential road blocks that are keeping people from trying. Much in the same way companies offer free samples in the mail. Thy it and you like it, then you go buy at regular price.
Possibly sell the GP product as a stepping stone into moto or hs in the same way Arenacross is not being promoted as a course to Supercross.
We are all suckers for good marketing. Perhaps the GP's are not being "sold" in the correct manner and not targeted to the correct demographic???
Just an idea.
 
ck1racerx said:
Pro practicers are a vital source of income for the local tracks. Simply put, the profit margin on practice days are higher then that of race days. With that being said we as racers and track owners need to tap into that resource to "convert" them to racers. For the most part, the guys that go to practice tracks when there are races close by are not looking to become racers. BUT, some may. The riding life span for the average "practice guy" is relatively short lived. They buy our used bikes then go to the track 3 to 5 times a year for a couple years then move on to the next "thing". Racers, on the other hand, tend to spend many more years in our sport and some (like myself) never really get out.
What can we do as a community to convince someone to give it a try? If we can convert just 10% of the participants into racing it would help build the future. GP's maybe a nice seg-way into the moto world. Perhaps a "GP" only membership may be an effective way to entice more people into trying. Possibly offer this limited membership at a deeply discounted rate (or waive it altogether) for 2 to 3 events. This could remove one of the potential road blocks that are keeping people from trying. Much in the same way companies offer free samples in the mail. Thy it and you like it, then you go buy at regular price.
Possibly sell the GP product as a stepping stone into moto or hs in the same way Arenacross is not being promoted as a course to Supercross.
We are all suckers for good marketing. Perhaps the GP's are not being "sold" in the correct manner and not targeted to the correct demographic???
Just an idea.
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All they have to do is look at the results, notice where that number 105 finishes, and then they will become racers.
 
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