ActionSports
PR Addict
Huh?
AMA Vintage Race at ACTION sports cancelled.
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
Huh?
Drew
Every year I park and camp right behind the starting gate at Mid Ohio ,With your help I would be glad to fly banners and flags promoting your race. My Friends and I always enjoy racing your track and we are very much looking forward to riding there again. I will round up all the guys from northern Ohio to come on down for some great racing.
I'm hoping some other owners jump on in and start a little series without all the politics like AMA and AHRMA.
Every year I park and camp right behind the starting gate at Mid Ohio ,With your help I would be glad to fly banners and flags promoting your race. My Friends and I always enjoy racing your track and we are very much looking forward to riding there again. I will round up all the guys from northern Ohio to come on down for some great racing.
I'm hoping some other owners jump on in and start a little series without all the politics like AMA and AHRMA.
misstheflip
PR Member
Drew, Ryan, and Kyle,
Thanks for your support of Vin/PV MX and HS racing. I've been in a labor of love this spring prepping my new to me PV bike in anticipation for your event and others. Last year was my first year doing this and it was possibly the most fun I'd had as an adult rider. The HS tracks, competitors, promotors, bikes and overall nostalgia make these events a blast.
I traveled to Louisiana for my first AHRMA XC last month and the turn out was comparable to Action Sports 2014 (FWIW). I respect your decision to let us know this early that you are rescheduling. Looking forward to coming down for a GP or two and I plan to be on the line for the flashback Weekend
Side Note...If we get enough riders, would it be possible to separate the PV and Modern Vin HS? I'd love to race both the '81 250 and the '93 125. Thanks again!
Thanks for your support of Vin/PV MX and HS racing. I've been in a labor of love this spring prepping my new to me PV bike in anticipation for your event and others. Last year was my first year doing this and it was possibly the most fun I'd had as an adult rider. The HS tracks, competitors, promotors, bikes and overall nostalgia make these events a blast.
I traveled to Louisiana for my first AHRMA XC last month and the turn out was comparable to Action Sports 2014 (FWIW). I respect your decision to let us know this early that you are rescheduling. Looking forward to coming down for a GP or two and I plan to be on the line for the flashback Weekend
Side Note...If we get enough riders, would it be possible to separate the PV and Modern Vin HS? I'd love to race both the '81 250 and the '93 125. Thanks again!
Very interesting. The next phase in race promotion? Has this been tried before? No one out financially if not enough interest is an appealing concept. This might just work...
Could even have time to get old Tricky going.
If Ironbuttocks helps a bit...
mooch
PR Elite
Drew, your vintage event on your fine track is always the highlight of the year for me and I'm looking forward to your October event. Sorry to hear that you've had to deal with so much BS from AHRMA and AMA.
Since the AMA changed the Mid-Ohio event into a 2 day deal for a person riding one class, I'm considering not racing there this year. I feel it's going in the wrong direction to tie riders down to the mx track for 2 days out of 3 at vintage days. I've always enjoyed attending all 3 days and just checking everything out at the swap meet and such for 2 days, then having a good time racing evo on Sunday. Racing one class of moto is drawn out over the day too much already, don't need it stretched out into waiting around for 2 days.
Since the AMA changed the Mid-Ohio event into a 2 day deal for a person riding one class, I'm considering not racing there this year. I feel it's going in the wrong direction to tie riders down to the mx track for 2 days out of 3 at vintage days. I've always enjoyed attending all 3 days and just checking everything out at the swap meet and such for 2 days, then having a good time racing evo on Sunday. Racing one class of moto is drawn out over the day too much already, don't need it stretched out into waiting around for 2 days.
BILL88L
PR Addict
I think Drew's point about why this decision was made is completely understandable. I race AMA and AHRMA because I don't care about what happened and I just appreciate ANY event. Why would you not ride a race next to your house because of something that had nothing whatsoever to do with you? Drew pretty much said we needed to fix this issue at the riders meeting last year. I am looking forward to seeing how it goes for October and especially curious if AHRMA hard core will come. I never get the impression that the AMA guys aren't willing to race AHRMA, in the last 2 years some committed to the AMA because of the series but that was more "I can only do so many". There are however many AHRMA riders that seem to be very anti AMA. I got blasted checking in at Clear Fork last year because I live in Pickerington!
I think we can agree that the AMA, especially Alex, has worked hard on trying to make this successful. I just don't know what can be done to capture that portion of AHRMA riders. I think the additional NC classes are definitely a great direction because that would continue to add new blood and please lets keep it going.
If you are on the side of AHRMA or AMA I can assure you Action Sports means what they say. When they were told in 2013 that they wouldn't have an AHRMA event because they were nice enough to bring, assemble, and disassemble their starting gate at vintage days the whole family still went to Unadilla and raced. Think about that if you are trying to decide if you should support this event.
Works great for me by the way - I couldn't race in May and I turn 50 on October 1st. What did you do for your 50th? I might get to spend the weekend racing my dirt bike at Action Sports!
I think we can agree that the AMA, especially Alex, has worked hard on trying to make this successful. I just don't know what can be done to capture that portion of AHRMA riders. I think the additional NC classes are definitely a great direction because that would continue to add new blood and please lets keep it going.
If you are on the side of AHRMA or AMA I can assure you Action Sports means what they say. When they were told in 2013 that they wouldn't have an AHRMA event because they were nice enough to bring, assemble, and disassemble their starting gate at vintage days the whole family still went to Unadilla and raced. Think about that if you are trying to decide if you should support this event.
Works great for me by the way - I couldn't race in May and I turn 50 on October 1st. What did you do for your 50th? I might get to spend the weekend racing my dirt bike at Action Sports!
beenridin
PR Elite
Down in Florida I attended the Reddik AHRMA race. It was a blast. Track was great. I reconnected with many old friends from 2009 when I ran the AHRMA series.
I was hopeful to ride my post - vintage bike in a support class or a practice after the saturday Vintage event. ( there was plenty of light left in the day)
I don't know whose rules are in place. We were shocked to hear that they did not want my 25$ for practice or an extra class Moto on Saturday!
It's almost like there can not be any bike on the track except a vintage bike on there particular race day. I suppose you could ride an older vintage bike on post vintage day for the fact that it is within the rules of the bike cc and year .
No kids classes! No PV bike on vintage days. No modern support on vintage days. Crazy. It's money for the track owner!
I believe this exclusive mindset is part of why there is this struggle! Maybe the AHRMA vintage guys want some kind of purity thing only for them. I don't see that in the AMA.
The Post Vintage riders in AHRMA don't ever attend AMA events probably because they still have decent gates and a series.
How to fix it??? Maybe start our own group like OMA did ?? Invite everyone. Challenge AMA riders against AHRMA riders in a race series with no sanction. Action sports , Log road, Casey and tomahawk !!! All of these have had both sanctions. Get the groups together for a series and see if it takes. Maybe both bodies will not be able to pass up the financial end of it due to high turnouts! Maybe the racing can bond the groups together.
I was hopeful to ride my post - vintage bike in a support class or a practice after the saturday Vintage event. ( there was plenty of light left in the day)
I don't know whose rules are in place. We were shocked to hear that they did not want my 25$ for practice or an extra class Moto on Saturday!
It's almost like there can not be any bike on the track except a vintage bike on there particular race day. I suppose you could ride an older vintage bike on post vintage day for the fact that it is within the rules of the bike cc and year .
No kids classes! No PV bike on vintage days. No modern support on vintage days. Crazy. It's money for the track owner!
I believe this exclusive mindset is part of why there is this struggle! Maybe the AHRMA vintage guys want some kind of purity thing only for them. I don't see that in the AMA.
The Post Vintage riders in AHRMA don't ever attend AMA events probably because they still have decent gates and a series.
How to fix it??? Maybe start our own group like OMA did ?? Invite everyone. Challenge AMA riders against AHRMA riders in a race series with no sanction. Action sports , Log road, Casey and tomahawk !!! All of these have had both sanctions. Get the groups together for a series and see if it takes. Maybe both bodies will not be able to pass up the financial end of it due to high turnouts! Maybe the racing can bond the groups together.
ActionSports
PR Addict
Some of their ideas makes sense in theory. The long travel bikes tear up the track and make it too rough for the short travel vintage bikes if the turnout is large. But I think it would be ok to offer a class or 2 without too much track damage. We could run 1 PV moto during vintage intermission and the other after, or we could run PV, NC and modern motos after all vintage motos have finished. I just think we need to offer classes for PV and modern bikes on vintage day and vice versa on PV day if someone wants to ride them. I need the entries to make the event profitable, so if we have the time why not offer them.
I tried to get both sanctioning bodies together with the other so there wouldn't be the divide like there is now but both told me it just won't work. My only reason to not sanction with the AMA this year was a financial one. It doesn't make sense to continue holding an event that gets smaller every year. My boys and I love this event and we want to make it a big one.
I know the AMA is mad at me and there is no way they will let me or anyone pass out fliers for my event at Mid-Ohio. I won't sneak around and try to do it. I'll still take my gate to Mid-Ohio if they want it. It just makes the event better. I haven't heard anything good about the 3 moto 2 day format either, or that you ride from the finish line after your 3rd moto to the podium for you championship award.
We have a clean sheet of paper to start with right now and I'd like to make it so it all makes sense to all the riders. We can work through all of that during the coming months. But the only way I am willing to hold the event, is if I get enough pre-entries to make it happen. As long as the riders have no risk in loosing their entry money they have no reason not to pre enter. I hope it works!!
ActionSports
PR Addict
If we get enough pre-entries for a modern HS class we might be able to make that happen. Remember I have to pay my $125 per hour ambulance crew and my staff for their extra time. We would have to start the modern HS 1 hour earlier than the PV so we aren't starting the MX too late.
Also, we have cancelled all our GP this summer. We are only running the "Vintage Flashback" and our Team Harescramble Championshp of the World". Go to www.ActionSportsRacing.com for all the information.
NQ1965
PR Elite
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... Say it isn't so!!!!
This is a Major Disappointment.
We fully understand and realize that many times in life, good things have to come to an end. We are grateful that we raced most everything you've ran over the last couple years, with a box full of memories, photo's, stories, and plaques.
We can only hope that the Flashback Race has a good showing and continues to grow, and Thank you guys for keeping this race as a tentative plan.
We love the Action Sports Racing facility.
ActionSports
PR Addict
Thank you. We are going to try hard to make it happen. Please spread the word.
I've probably attended as many Action Sports events in Drew's backyard over the last five years as anyone and I'm certainly disappointed that the Action Sports GP season has been cancelled.
The Action Sports modern and vintage races have been great for me. They have provided this old guy with an enjoyable, safe and comfortable racing environment. I think I only fell over a couple of times in all those events and I felt pretty dumb picking up my bike when I did. I'm sorry more didn't come out to play in recent years but I feel that I did what I could to get the word out and help promote the events. Thanks Action Sports for all the great times over the years.
For vintage racing is to occur in October, I believe that it will take more than racers getting the word out. It's going to require an organized and agressive promotion campaign. I don't know what kind of numbers Drew is looking for but I doubt that a local grass roots sign up effort will do the job. Even if all goes well, it could take years to build the event. Beginnings may actually need to be fairly humble.
And then there's the weather. The weather in recent years has not been particularly kind to a great many Action Sports races. A bad weekend weather wise could seriously hamper or even cancel the event. And the calender requires consideration as this October event also is the time if the year when the old racing bikes usually need some TLC, involving extra planning and effort to be ready to race.
I guess my greatest concern is that the present tentative nature of this Flashback Weekend may hinder it's promotion. Basically Action Sports is now alienated from AHRMA and the AMA. And hence demonstrating Action Sport's commitment to the event to those organization's members may prove to be more difficult.
I'd love to see this event happen but depending on the promoter's expectations, at this point I'll reserve some doubt.
The Action Sports modern and vintage races have been great for me. They have provided this old guy with an enjoyable, safe and comfortable racing environment. I think I only fell over a couple of times in all those events and I felt pretty dumb picking up my bike when I did. I'm sorry more didn't come out to play in recent years but I feel that I did what I could to get the word out and help promote the events. Thanks Action Sports for all the great times over the years.
For vintage racing is to occur in October, I believe that it will take more than racers getting the word out. It's going to require an organized and agressive promotion campaign. I don't know what kind of numbers Drew is looking for but I doubt that a local grass roots sign up effort will do the job. Even if all goes well, it could take years to build the event. Beginnings may actually need to be fairly humble.
And then there's the weather. The weather in recent years has not been particularly kind to a great many Action Sports races. A bad weekend weather wise could seriously hamper or even cancel the event. And the calender requires consideration as this October event also is the time if the year when the old racing bikes usually need some TLC, involving extra planning and effort to be ready to race.
I guess my greatest concern is that the present tentative nature of this Flashback Weekend may hinder it's promotion. Basically Action Sports is now alienated from AHRMA and the AMA. And hence demonstrating Action Sport's commitment to the event to those organization's members may prove to be more difficult.
I'd love to see this event happen but depending on the promoter's expectations, at this point I'll reserve some doubt.
NQ1965
PR Elite
I regret having to admit it but I share in KO's concerns.
A vintage/PV race is always viewed or considered in comparison to other "known" events. Therefore to develope and grow, would need build up and planned with it's own uniqueness. Especially as a weekend event. And I'm not sure October isn't a little late in the season for it to be a "Major" in families/racers schedule or calander.
We all want to see this succeed and happen for Action Sports, (Action Sports Flashback to become a MAJOR event) but coming up with a recipe for success could be the biggest challenge in itself.
Of course, we all know what AMA's Vintage Motorcycle Days is all about, but having never attended Diamond Don's or Unidilla Rewind MX, there is more that happens at these events than just straight up racing isn't there?...... Isn't that part of the attraction?
A vintage/PV race is always viewed or considered in comparison to other "known" events. Therefore to develope and grow, would need build up and planned with it's own uniqueness. Especially as a weekend event. And I'm not sure October isn't a little late in the season for it to be a "Major" in families/racers schedule or calander.
We all want to see this succeed and happen for Action Sports, (Action Sports Flashback to become a MAJOR event) but coming up with a recipe for success could be the biggest challenge in itself.
Of course, we all know what AMA's Vintage Motorcycle Days is all about, but having never attended Diamond Don's or Unidilla Rewind MX, there is more that happens at these events than just straight up racing isn't there?...... Isn't that part of the attraction?
ActionSports
PR Addict
I'm concerned about all your concerns as well. I welcome anyone that can come up with a better event date, I'll certainly look at any date. I don't want to conflict with another vintage event.
I need 200 pre entries for the entire weekend to make this event happen. That includes all vintage, post vintage and support motocross classes and all vintage, post vintage, and support hare scrambles classes. That should not be that hard. I talked with XTRM.com yesterday. They are an online pre-entry company, the same one the AMA used last year. If I don't have 200 pre-entries 3 weeks prior to the event I will cancel the event. If I have to cancel I will contact each pre-entered rider by email through XTRM and inform them that the event is cancelled and they should go to XTRM for a refund to be applied to their credit card. The rider will be charged $5 for the refund. If the event is rained out I will do the same thing. I will not have the entry money sent to me until Monday after the event if there is any doubt that the event will happen due to weather or other circumstances. As long as the riders trust me enough to pre enter they are only taking a $5 risk when pre-entering.
As far as the promotion goes, I am going to mail a flier to every rider that had ridden one of my AHRMA and AMA vintage events over the past 4 years. Then I'm going to contact every vintage website I can find and try to get it on there as well. I doubt any AMA or AHRMA event will give me permission to pass out my fliers at any of their events, but I'll try. I won't sneak around and do it. I'm sure I'm the "bad guy" with the AMA and probably will be with AHRMA if I promote this event, but at this point it doesn't matter. I have tried to make it work with both AHRMA and the AMA. I'm not out anything but my time if it doesn't come together but it's worth it for me and my son's to make this event happen if it can.
The October date is before the time change so there will be time Saturday night for at least a cookout and maybe a band or something. I'd like to tell you that I can offer more but until I know if the event is going to happen or not I just can't schedule anything. I will tell you that I'm going to try my best and if it happens I'll make it better and bigger every year.
If anyone is willing to help, can let me know of vintage websites and social media contacts, is willing to forward my flier to their social media contacts or is willing to pass out fliers please let me know. We are dedicated to the future of this event.
Thank you,
Drew Wolfe
I need 200 pre entries for the entire weekend to make this event happen. That includes all vintage, post vintage and support motocross classes and all vintage, post vintage, and support hare scrambles classes. That should not be that hard. I talked with XTRM.com yesterday. They are an online pre-entry company, the same one the AMA used last year. If I don't have 200 pre-entries 3 weeks prior to the event I will cancel the event. If I have to cancel I will contact each pre-entered rider by email through XTRM and inform them that the event is cancelled and they should go to XTRM for a refund to be applied to their credit card. The rider will be charged $5 for the refund. If the event is rained out I will do the same thing. I will not have the entry money sent to me until Monday after the event if there is any doubt that the event will happen due to weather or other circumstances. As long as the riders trust me enough to pre enter they are only taking a $5 risk when pre-entering.
As far as the promotion goes, I am going to mail a flier to every rider that had ridden one of my AHRMA and AMA vintage events over the past 4 years. Then I'm going to contact every vintage website I can find and try to get it on there as well. I doubt any AMA or AHRMA event will give me permission to pass out my fliers at any of their events, but I'll try. I won't sneak around and do it. I'm sure I'm the "bad guy" with the AMA and probably will be with AHRMA if I promote this event, but at this point it doesn't matter. I have tried to make it work with both AHRMA and the AMA. I'm not out anything but my time if it doesn't come together but it's worth it for me and my son's to make this event happen if it can.
The October date is before the time change so there will be time Saturday night for at least a cookout and maybe a band or something. I'd like to tell you that I can offer more but until I know if the event is going to happen or not I just can't schedule anything. I will tell you that I'm going to try my best and if it happens I'll make it better and bigger every year.
If anyone is willing to help, can let me know of vintage websites and social media contacts, is willing to forward my flier to their social media contacts or is willing to pass out fliers please let me know. We are dedicated to the future of this event.
Thank you,
Drew Wolfe
kenny.coen
Noob
I really thought this was going to be my vintage racing year. Finally got everything working pretty well got the bikes working bought a trailer big enough to haul all of them. Was planning on flashback weekend (still am) and doing some gps and riding both hare scrambles on Friday at vintage days mx on Saturday and trials on Sunday but now the A M of A has changed the mx to a two day deal taking up a whole day for a 15 min moto. So I guess I have to choose to either ride mx or trials. And if I want to ride Saturday it has to be mx. How can they take something so simple and screw it up so bad. No wonder your so frustrated Drew. Any way I hope things work out for Flashback weekend I'd love to see it get huge and spark a series especially since I have 4 old bikes now and no where to run them lol.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
NQ1965
PR Elite
Your dedication and commitment to this is very appreciated Drew.
Kind of silly, but this whole ordeal has upset my household and immediate family. Nancy is beside herself over the cancellations and is in rapid tailspin. " NOW WHAT DO WE DO FOR FUN? " she says.
There isn't any reason that the great Vintage and Post Vintage riders out there should have to suffer due to past issues and we all together can rebuild this into a really good annual event that serves all.
This is not about AHRMA, this is not about AMA, this is not about any individual promoters, this is about our great sport that we all need and love!
We will help in any way and every way necessary.