Sunday practices

What.......FEWER classes, bigger classes, and faster race day? Humm.......I think a few people have suggested that. But no one ever tries it.
 
GeorgiePorgie said:
Two schools of thought:

1.Practice doesn't hurt race turnout because some people don't want to race.

2. Practice does hurt it. Corner the market and eleiminate all practice days and force people to only get seat time by racing.

I think both schools of thought are difficult and we wouldn't see any difference in turnout either way we went.
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Most of the old guys that I rode with just practice now. So I get it. Not trying to stop anybody from practicing on Sunday. Just wanted a good debate on how we can all work together instead of on top of one another and siphon riders from one another.

Race schedules are put out at the beginning of the season. They are set. Practice schedules aren't. OIR has ran open practice on top of local races the last couple times which have hurt race turn outs. OIR will hurt any track that runs against it. Not trying to bagging on OIR, just using them as an example.

There has been a lot of talk about Apple Cabin this year. Good and bad. But if Apple Cabin went away it would surely be missed. TV Land is no Briarcliff, but if it's not there it would be missed too. I know OMA and CRA are not concerned about each other. But as a racer I am, I hate to see things split. By the way this has nothing to do with what's best for me or my family. It has to do with the racing community in general.
 
An individuals personal finances has probably more to do with it than anything. Practice riding is cheap and convenient, racing not so much of either.

Not sure that I can add any value to this conversation or not, but for us, if you go back five years ago, all that we did was practice ride. I liked the idea of racing but had no experience and knew I was short on the skills side. Not to mention the thought and visions of first turn pileups with me on the bottom due to my lack of experience and know how was kind of terrifying.

fast forward back to today: for the last couple of years, we have been practice riding very little, and racing every opportunity that we can swing it, based on available time and job work load, the condition of my bikes, how far away the races are, the type of races (vintage or modern), and last but certainly not least available blowing cash. We love racing today and do it as often as we can work it in. But we also spend more than ever before doing it. I avoid the conversation of what we spend to race with my family.

But...... We are incredibly thankfull for all that is available to the riding and racing community in the great state of Ohio.
 
What makes the track more money, the races or practice. The way I see it the racers practice and practice only riders only practice. So wouldn't that mean they are making more money per rider for practice days? Just a thought.
 
Another info tidbit for the thread, I racall quite some time ago, Jody Weisel of Motocross Action magazine wrote on this very issue of practicers, racers and the effects on the state of tracks, the sport in general, and the future. It's a nation wide issue.
 
Ryan Dungy is upset he only gets to put an hour on the hour meter on his bike each race weekend so he is skipping Unadilla to go to an open practice at a track half hour away from his house.
 
oh, its not "that" Ryan Dungey. Its Ryan Dungy. Some loser that only wants to practice and not be a real man and race.
 
ck1racerx said:
oh, its not "that" Ryan Dungey. Its Ryan Dungy. Some loser that only wants to practice and not be a real man and race.
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The guys that I raced with years ago who still ride are almost all practicers today. I just GP now and I've raced seven times since the beginning of July with no weekend paid practice. That's way more racing than normal for me but I don't feel more manly for it...
 
ck1racerx said:
oh, its not "that" Ryan Dungey. Its Ryan Dungy. Some loser that only wants to practice and not be a real man and race.
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So the guys that don't race are hurting the cause? It just seems your bashing us that have family's and work 70hrs a week and simply can't get the time. I think someone that practices and pays to is doing more to help then someone who doesn't ride at all so I think anyone that contributes at all deserves their say.
 
And when it comes down to calling out "real men" I don't think racing amature events makes a man a "real man". How bout someone like me says anyone who hasn't shed blood overseas isn't a real man. Will that go over any better with everyone reading this? What makes a man a "real man"?
 
I don't race anymore. I raced every Sundays from spring to late fall from 1972-1982. Now I just go to places where it's not too crowded to get some ride time in on tracks and depending what bike I bring, some trail riding too. Back then, we only had about 6 classes, motos were longer, and we were done racing on a Sunday by around 4:30. It wasn't as expensive to race back then. Track prep was usually a rough discing, followed by a water truck that doused a track without any precision. Practice was slip and slide until it started to tack up. Then after the first set of motos, dump some more water on and slick it up while you're sitting on the starting line wondering where the mud was going to be. I think today the sport is being spoiled by having way too many classes. There's no way I'd sit through a day of 30+ classes. Age slots for adults seem ridiculous to me. When we raced, if it was time to move up to the 250 or open class and you were 17, you raced against everyone out there, regardless of age. Nobody cared how old you were. Most tracks had only one age related class. Old timers it was called back then, and it was just an over 40 class. Every sport evolves to the point it gets ruined. I think that's where MX is now. Too many classes so everybody can go home with a trophy. Too long a day, not enough ride time, expensive bikes to maintain, etc, etc. Just my .02 from somebody that was around in the early days, the golden years.
Mike Hawkins
 
I just don't understand the thought process or a career practicer. What are you practicing for if you don't race? If your not going to race and you are on a "race track" then you are just in the way. If you walked out on the "practice" field at Ohio St. and just wanted to "have fun" playing pass with Braxton Miller, How do you think you would be accepted? If you just want to have fun, go to a state park and ride in the woods or find a buddy that has a track and ride there. Don't go to a "closed course" and demand open practice and get in the way or others.
Are practicers hurting moto? In many ways. YES.
Don't give me this crap about families and time. We all have that. I have 4 kids from college to daycare, If I don't have the money to race, then I don't have the money to practice.
And, I did not bash you. I bashed Ryan Dungy :D
So I stand by my statement, Real men race. And the top of my screen does say Pitracer.
 
I don't think many of the tracks would be able to stay open without practice, how is someone who isn't ready to race supposed to get ready and gain the confidence to without practicing? How can anyone start competing in a sport that they can't practice before competing?
 
100% agree with you Clint, that is another great point for sessions. You get the change to ride with like size bikes in a fairly structured format. Its safer, fair for all, and prepares everyone for making the step to racing.
If someone has no plans of racing, that is cool, but remember some do.
 
Back to my point......Amazes me the money people spend on Flashy gear, modified bikes with all the bling to go to the race track for open practice, and talk about how fast your are, and don't have money to race.
 
ck1racerx said:
100% agree with you Clint, that is another great point for sessions. You get the change to ride with like size bikes in a fairly structured format. Its safer, fair for all, and prepares everyone for making the step to racing.
If someone has no plans of racing, that is cool, but remember some do.
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Agreed, that's how I started. I planned after getting back onto dirt bikes after almost 10 years and have always being a woods rider wanting to get into MX there would have been no way if not for open practices. After many practice days I gained the confidence that I could compete with the flow on the track without being a hazard in a race and was finally ready to see where I stand. Then things come up and I haven't been to track since before summer, loosing what I've been working for. Sure it'll come back much faster but I need them practice days before I can think about racing again. I just don't like to jump into things and without practice days I would prob not have even bought another dirt bike. I still think those who only want to practice and have no desire to race are still doing more to help then someone that don't come to the track at all.
 
In response to "what are you practicing for"... because its fun? I dont care where Im at or what im doing, if I'm on my bike I"m much happier than any other time of the day/week. Even if its on my 110 doing wheelies in my back yard! I havent raced yet once this year. I'm getting the itch... nothing in particular has made me NOT want to race. Its not the money or quads or split sessions or any other bs. . Its just that I dont really care. If no where was open Sunday Id probably go race. But given the option of waking up at 10 am, getting to the track on my own time when I feel like it, and hanging out all day with my friends for 25 bucks, sounds more attractive than racing. I did want to do the battle series this year but round 1 got canned for me because of a wedding, and then it just killed my motivation do to the others.

I still try and put effort in when I ride, I still want to go faster, but I do it because its fun, and its rewarding... not because I care about trophies. I just got done moving and I realized I have waaaayyy too many boxes of trophies and plaques that I have no clue what to do with lol. Back in the day I refused to let them get thrown out! Now they literally take up 90% of my storage space in the house and IDK what to do with them.

Never thought I'd be a pro practicer but here i am.. and I have just as much fun as the guys lining up every weekend on the gate. It doesnt help my confidence hasnt been up much this year due to not riding as much as id like.. I dont want to race just to get my butt kicked. If I can pick it up a little bit then I will be on a gate soon! But these damn kids are fast these days and +25 isnt any better lol.
 
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