So here's the reality.....it's really just cyclical...
I started racing in the 1980's in CRA and never even realized there was more to the world of motocross than racing CRA. Raced CRA for many years and then started chasing AMA D-5 with a bunch of VET racers (I was in my 20's) because that was "better" than CRA. Was it better? Not really, but it certainly was a further drive and they paid contingency money so it was cool earning YZ bucks.
Then AMA District 12 resurrects with all new tracks in Ohio and promises to make things "better" in Ohio. Really they were the first ones around here that embraced the Internet, online points and results, and social media. Keep in mind PitRacer.com is older than Facebook by 5 years and we were talking about Ohio MX on here long before tracks were running to Facebook looking for "friends" or for people to "like" them. At one point in time most of the tracks in Ohio were using PR. I remember driving to D-11 races and passing out flyers for PitRacer and trying to get everyone to switch to this forum instead of that old silly guestbook they used to post on. Can't quite remember what it was called.
When you look at the "Ohio MX Timeline" it is actually very cyclical:
- CRA comes along to make things "better" than the current AMA racing and AMA D-12 falls dormant.
- AMA D-12 comes back to life around Y2K to make things "better" than CRA, but eventually go away again, after a brief try as OMG with no AMA Sanction.
- OMA comes along to make things "better" than CRA and AMA, then they end up joining AMA to make OMA "better."
- in 10 years someone else will probably create a sanction that they want to be "better" than OMA.
My point here is, I'm not sure there is really anything to fix for Ohio motocross. We have a ton of options, lots of promoters working super hard and putting on great events no matter what the sanction. Sure some events are bigger than others, but so what. Why does it always turn into a competition of which sanction is "better?" I'm just happy we have all of them here giving us places to race!