New jumping off points

ck1racerx

PR Addict
So the board has been a little on the slow side for the past few weeks. Figured I would give it a little kick start.
1. Where in the world has Alex been? Have not heard from him in months.
2. Why does no one schedule races on the holidays in this area? Memorial day, 4th of July look like perfect weekends for big events. Baja has their big race on Labor day so why not the other two 3 day weekends?
3. Chilitown draws the biggest crowds in the region, Gets voted best track in the state. Has everything going for them and STILL rebuilds the entire track. If anyone wonder why they are the best track. Re-read what I just said. Damn we are lucky to have that track in this area. Still wish for more races per year. We would be there if they ran every week.
4. Still amazed on how many riders and promoters don't like or will not use this site. Everyone here has one thing in common and still people get upset because someone posts something they don't like? Yeah, I don't get it.
5. A few years ago I was going to several dirt track (car) races in the area and to this day I still get weekly emails from 3 or 4 tracks about what is new, new sponsors, new stands, new hotdogs at the concession stand, you name it. I know more about what is happening at Florence Speedway then I do about any motocross track. Has any track even tried that?
6. I am officially no longer one of the crazy 50 parents. Now I am a crazy 65 parent. Sold the boys 50 because I just did not see any real progress. Figured if he is going to ride around in the back of the pack he may as well learn to shift. So I guess I will be a crazy 65 parent pro practice. It is VERY difficult for me to teach a kid the basics. Need some pointers on how to drop lap times? I can help. Teach a kid to shift before 9 million RMP? Yeah, I'm lost on that one also. Anyone have any pointers on the 50 to 65 transition?

OK, boys... and girls... Lets add to this. I am sure everyone has the itch so lets get the action started.
 
I would say for a kid just learning how to shift and the use of a clutch for the first time on a new bike is to go out to a big field at first. That will first let them get the feeling of shifting through gears. As for the rev; set up some cones around the field to simulate corners. Have the cones far enough apart that will force him to shift up to a new gear instead of reving the bike to the moon. I'm no expert at all on how to teach the shifting stage of riding but that might help some. Oh yeah, last thing is to never let them watch videos of Barcia (revs for days).
 
Shifting.....

I have one boy that will run the whole track at 10500 rpm in second gear. I guess 3rd is too much for him right now. I'm fine with that, he will find it when he is ready.

My other son will shift at 1500 rpm and bog it through and run around at 2000 rpm. It's quite the circus around here.
 
Tell the kid to butt shift.

If we got more traffic I could start hushing people and deleting posts on threads to be liberal and fair. Pipe dreams.

Put an auto clutch in the 65. Why not.

Just shut your mouth and bring me a pot of your chili sometime this year. But don't shut your mouth.
 
So the board has been a little on the slow side for the past few weeks. Figured I would give it a little kick start.
1. Where in the world has Alex been? Have not heard from him in months.
2. Why does no one schedule races on the holidays in this area? Memorial day, 4th of July look like perfect weekends for big events. Baja has their big race on Labor day so why not the other two 3 day weekends?
3. Chilitown draws the biggest crowds in the region, Gets voted best track in the state. Has everything going for them and STILL rebuilds the entire track. If anyone wonder why they are the best track. Re-read what I just said. Damn we are lucky to have that track in this area. Still wish for more races per year. We would be there if they ran every week.
4. Still amazed on how many riders and promoters don't like or will not use this site. Everyone here has one thing in common and still people get upset because someone posts something they don't like? Yeah, I don't get it.
5. A few years ago I was going to several dirt track (car) races in the area and to this day I still get weekly emails from 3 or 4 tracks about what is new, new sponsors, new stands, new hotdogs at the concession stand, you name it. I know more about what is happening at Florence Speedway then I do about any motocross track. Has any track even tried that?
6. I am officially no longer one of the crazy 50 parents. Now I am a crazy 65 parent. Sold the boys 50 because I just did not see any real progress. Figured if he is going to ride around in the back of the pack he may as well learn to shift. So I guess I will be a crazy 65 parent pro practice. It is VERY difficult for me to teach a kid the basics. Need some pointers on how to drop lap times? I can help. Teach a kid to shift before 9 million RMP? Yeah, I'm lost on that one also. Anyone have any pointers on the 50 to 65 transition?

OK, boys... and girls... Lets add to this. I am sure everyone has the itch so lets get the action started.

1. Alex has baby/toddler, and he is restoring an mid 90s Kx (im guessing the age), he is busy busy, but he is still here. Why not send him an email via his AMA email if you would like to chat?

2. If I handed you 10k, and said you can pick any date to run a race, would you go up against Red bud on July 4th, or Baja/Canam on Labor Day?? Common sense has prevailed I'd say.

3. Chilli Town is a great place, whats the point of rehashing this fact? They do an awesome job. There really isnt much else to say right? Race OMA.

4. You made my point.

5. Email is not as effective as posting on social media. Most emails go in someones spam. Email has become what telemarketing once was/is today. If you break out of that shell and surf around a bit, you will find updates. I post what i change and have going on all the time at various media outlets. I never though I would layoff the "its not 1985", but "its not 2005".

6. Having not been through that personally, but having talked to many parents that do. Sounds like its just seat time, and riding with faster kids, just like everything else.

Now where is the KX500? You come out of retirement and race the Battle, and I will send you my last XXL BC Hoodie.
 
Chris, when we made the switch to shifting bikes from auto quads, like others said he started in a field to get the feel. Then we went to a tight course and woods where he had to shift a bunch. Mine was a Lugger on big tracks at first. Other than that, kids can adapt to anything with seat time. I did lower the gearing the first season to help him stay in the meat the first season but we are on a KX too.
 
1. Alex has baby/toddler, and he is restoring an mid 90s Kx (im guessing the age), he is busy busy, but he is still here. Why not send him an email via his AMA email if you would like to chat?

2. If I handed you 10k, and said you can pick any date to run a race, would you go up against Red bud on July 4th, or Baja/Canam on Labor Day?? Common sense has prevailed I'd say.

3. Chilli Town is a great place, whats the point of rehashing this fact? They do an awesome job. There really isnt much else to say right? Race OMA.

4. You made my point.

5. Email is not as effective as posting on social media. Most emails go in someones spam. Email has become what telemarketing once was/is today. If you break out of that shell and surf around a bit, you will find updates. I post what i change and have going on all the time at various media outlets. I never though I would layoff the "its not 1985", but "its not 2005".

6. Having not been through that personally, but having talked to many parents that do. Sounds like its just seat time, and riding with faster kids, just like everything else.

Now where is the KX500? You come out of retirement and race the Battle, and I will send you my last XXL BC Hoodie.
1. I like it when Alex posts on here so everyone gets to here from him. Makes the AMA look like they are listening.
2. Red Bud run on Monday? Did not know that. The fork is running against Baja, and we will be at the Fork... That's my point.
3. People say I only focus on the negative. So this proves I do not sir. :)
4. See above
5. The email that I get from those tracks are pretty informative. Not sure how they do it but it never gets flagged as spam. May not be 2005 but it does keep your attention.
6. Everyone is a faster kid then mine. But he will get there. Just got to get over being scared. Big open field with some cones does sound like the best option. I would like to have a radio in his helmet so I could tell him to shift. Its going to be a fun month teaching him.
 
Trust me they listen. They see, lots of people look at PR. I have gotten 25 texts about my new dozer. Far more response to me via text than responding to the actual thread, and I know they saw it here, because this is the only place it exists.......
 
AMS used to run Memorial day, 4th of July and Labor day. All against the tracks you mentioned. How many guys from Ohio actually go to those races, vs the ones that stay here in Ohio? AMS used to draw 350 to 400 riders for the weekend. And that was a crappy small track. Malvern, Chili, or BC would have NO ISSUES drawing enough riders on those weekends, even going against those other big races.

Chris, Gunner might be like Matthew. On 50s he was fair at best. 65s things started to click but was still apprehensive to jump some things. Got on 85s and things clicked much better. Started jumping some things more, got some confidence, and had a great season last year. Now at 12 because of size we are going to a 125 and starting over again. Don't get discouraged with him. I had those moments with Matthew, but I never pushed Matthew. I wanted him to do things when he was comfortable doing them. Just keep it fun and encourage him.

I like emails. I get emails and I read them. I think the OMA should definitely use email with your new marketing.

Last, if you want to get the board active again, lets start a thread about Bubba, a C class sand bagger thread, and how well we would run a track built on the old Holly Hills Golf course. All could be 10 pagers.
 
AMS used to run Memorial day, 4th of July and Labor day. All against the tracks you mentioned. How many guys from Ohio actually go to those races, vs the ones that stay here in Ohio? AMS used to draw 350 to 400 riders for the weekend. And that was a crappy small track. Malvern, Chili, or BC would have NO ISSUES drawing enough riders on those weekends, even going against those other big races.

Chris, Gunner might be like Matthew. On 50s he was fair at best. 65s things started to click but was still apprehensive to jump some things. Got on 85s and things clicked much better. Started jumping some things more, got some confidence, and had a great season last year. Now at 12 because of size we are going to a 125 and starting over again. Don't get discouraged with him. I had those moments with Matthew, but I never pushed Matthew. I wanted him to do things when he was comfortable doing them. Just keep it fun and encourage him.

I like emails. I get emails and I read them. I think the OMA should definitely use email with your new marketing.

Last, if you want to get the board active again, lets start a thread about Bubba, a C class sand bagger thread, and how well we would run a track built on the old Holly Hills Golf course. All could be 10 pagers.

I think memorial day is the only holiday weekend right now that is free to pounce on it, and Malvern has a Battle on that weekend. As a far as the other two weekends, I think its a crap shoot to hit the high numbers, oh I think 300-400 is feasible, but why the hell would I set myself up for 300-400, when I gunning for 700-800?? Now Chillitown could have 5 races like OIR once did, and probably hit 500 per race as an average. Popularity has its perks. Maybe down the road for us, but the time isn't right now. Everybody asks why don't you have more races? Simple answer the numbers on average aren't high enough to justify adding more events. We have yet to see our 3 races average over 500 for the three events. Our non battle-AQ events always falls way short, usually 350-375. Until it hits 500+ we will stick with three races. After we get that other event up higher, then we can add a 4th race......maybe. Who knows maybe the King of the Cliff Pro-Am might do it, unless it rains.
 
Got to teach my son how to use a clutch and shift gears yesterday. Went MUCH better than I anticipated. Couple months of practice and he will be racing again. Super cool to get to watch that. He was SO happy with himself. He rode back to the van and took his helmet off, came right up to my face and said. "This is the best day ever". Man that made my day.
ALSO. Pat Ross was there on his brand new 2016 Kaw 450 and I just could not pass it up. First time I have been on a bike since 2004. 275lbs., 46 years old, not rode in 12 years, YEAH I had serious arm pump in a half lap. 3 laps and I was DONE. fi bikes are stupid fast. It is a lot more fun (and safe) to talk about how fast I was then try to prove it again. Thanks Pat for letting me take a spin and remove any hair brain ideas of racing again.
Oh yeah, it was a private track in Frankfort and the property could make the BEST track this side of the Rockies. Man I wish I owned that place.
 
Oh yeah, it was a private track in Frankfort and the property could make the BEST track this side of the Rockies. Man I wish I owned that place.

Below is a photo of existing tracks at the Hoyt Farm between Frankfort and Chillicothe. Just out of picture and to the left is a huge downhill leap and an uphill jump on the way back up.

Knox is right, he has several locations on his 600+ acres and pasture of nice rolling hills that could be made into one of the best mx facilities around.

Hoyt Farm.jpg
 
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