willierides
|
Tracks?Well, we're over halfway through February. Are Miles and Mapleshade going to remain the only two tracks in D4? Not complaining, just asking.
|
greywolf
|
At this point that is how it stands, but it may change. I can not speak for them but I bet you will see Cohocton for a race or two plus we may see some new blood enter the picture. But for now what we have is two confirmed tracks.
After my experience with Miles Mountain I understand how hard it is to have a motocross track. Someone once said "if you want to make a million dollars in motocross, start with two million".
AMA race insurance, liability insurance, ambulances, workers, taxes, equipmemt, fuel and everything else takes all your profits.
At Miles we are blessed with many things: volunteers, many ambulance companies, etc. Some other tracks aren't so lucky. Some tracks struggle just getting flaggers and this year with the new rule of the flaggers having to be at least 16 it will be even harder.
Right now I am working on our (Miles) flagger roster. We have to set our training schedule, hold the AMA training course, document training and show proof of age for all our flaggers. Each year it gets harder.
Just keep all this in mind the next time you drive up to a track. Really in the end it's the love of the sport not the profit that keeps these tracks going!
Just my opinion.
Tim Swan
|
willierides
|
Thanks, Tim. No doubt that everything you said is true. I'm sure it's more love for the sport than profit that keeps a track owner motivated. There is an enormous amount of work that makes the facility run. I only hope that they make enough money that they don't give up!
Guess what I'm trying to say is "THANK YOU" to the track owners AND all the volunteers...starters, flaggers, signer-uppers, medical personnel, track workers, concession stand folks. (EDIT: And point keepers and website administrators and promoters and sponsors and anyone else I forgot!) I am truly thankful to all the work that all of you do so that people like us can enjoy this great sport.
With that said, we consider Miles our "home track" anyway. We will try to make it out to Mapleshade this year, but it will be hard for Cody to get that kind of time off work that often. It's a bit of a haul and that's why I was wondering.
Spring is almost here! I've been working on the house we moved into almost a month ago. Time to put down the hammer and paint brush and get the bikes ready!!! 
|
admin
|
Yes it is tough to run a track - that's for sure. We'd like to add a few races whether that's at Cohocton or somewhere else but we will have to see how it all works out. For those that just ride one track, I say thanks and have fun. But, if you want to try to race at other tracks try our new East-West Shootout. It's fewer races than the old PenNY used to be and far less than the D4 Championship. If you want to do something new, try the EWS and race at the other track a few times - I think you'll like it. We will have lots of prizes and things for award winners in 2008 to make it worth your time (especially for the kids). If we do add a few races, it will not change the schedule we already have - just add a few dates where we have off weekends. The rumors of a new track are going around, but I don't have anything yet on that. I can't discuss who or where unless I get a confirmation from the promoter. We haven't given up hope that it still may work out for 08. But for now, go ahead and make your plans based on our current schedule as those will not change no matter what.
On another note - my team will again be running the night of racing at the Chautauqua County Fair in Dunkirk as we did last year. We had a great time and over 100 riders showed up for our first race. This year we anticipate an even bigger turnout with more classes and prizes. The date is Friday July 25th - the same weekend that Mapleshade has our D4 race on Sunday. You could race Friday night at the Fair, camp that night for free and leave the next morning for Mapleshade. You may also camp at Mapleshade Saturday night for free and be there for the race on Sunday. Could make for a very fun weekend for all - bikes and quads.
Looking forward to 2008, 
Todd Langworthy
D4 President
|
willierides
|
I would really like to get out to Mapleshade in '08. The track looks and sounds like fun and it sounds like there are lots of "old guys" for me to go out and run around the track with. I'd like to get there and practice Saturday, then race Sunday at least once. Then, once I've run there, I could probably get by with just the one day. It will be tough to get too many whole weekends off because Cody will be working most weekends getting ready for college in the fall. I plan on trying to get out there at least a couple times.
|
BKehoe05
|
Hey Todd how far is the Fair Grounds from Elkland?
|
ToddL
|
Hard to say, but it is in Dunkirk, NY.
About 30 Min. from Jamestown down route 60.
Figure your time to Jamestown and add 30 min.
Hope you can come - we had a nice turnout of quad guys
last year. Some beginners and fast guys - Jack Black and
Donnie Stoll put on a great show. Those guys are GOOD !
|
ToddL
|
Hard to say, but it is in Dunkirk, NY.
About 30 Min. from Jamestown down route 60.
Figure your time to Jamestown and add 30 min.
Hope you can come - we had a nice turnout of quad guys
last year. Some beginners and fast guys - Jack Black and
Donnie Stoll put on a great show. Those guys are GOOD !
|
BKehoe05
|
Well that would certainlly be interesting. Any chance I can run against those guys since its not an AMA sanctioned race? I sure wouldn't mind battling with a couple of "A" riders on a neutral track and if I am going to drive that distance I'd like to make some money at it.
|
ToddL
|
Probably could. Last year we split up the quads so that guys that raced regularly were all in the "expert" class and the guys that do not race were in the "amateur" class. We seemed to have quite a few guys that do not race that wanted to ride so we put those guys together and it worked out well. The "Expert" class had guys that normally ride A,B and even C all together and they were all fine with that. We more or less said that if you have an AMA card you would ride the "Expert" class. All the guys felt alot better riding with guys that know how to race than being out there with guys that are inexperienced. The "Amateur" class was more or less like a Beginner D class would be at our tracks. A couple of those guys did ride well though, so it was pretty fun to watch.
|
ToddL
|
Probably could. Last year we split up the quads so that guys that raced regularly were all in the "expert" class and the guys that do not race were in the "amateur" class. We seemed to have quite a few guys that do not race that wanted to ride so we put those guys together and it worked out well. The "Expert" class had guys that normally ride A,B and even C all together and they were all fine with that. We more or less said that if you have an AMA card you would ride the "Expert" class. All the guys felt alot better riding with guys that know how to race than being out there with guys that are inexperienced. The "Amateur" class was more or less like a Beginner D class would be at our tracks. A couple of those guys did ride well though, so it was pretty fun to watch.
|
BKehoe05
|
Excellent!.. So what weekend is this race again? If it doesn't conflict with any of the other series races I may just make the trek.
|
|
|
