Thread: Exclusive Weekend Provider at Grattan?

That SUCKS. Thought it was just the weekends STT locked down. Sadly, it seems to be every day.

Unfortunately, we may start seeing more of this, but I hope not. Pro6 is now the only game in town if you want to ride Calabogie, for example. I would hate to have a local track overtaken by any org, even if it's the one I'm riding with.

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

That SUCKS. Thought it was just the weekends STT locked down. Sadly, it seems to be every day.

Unfortunately, we may start seeing more of this, but I hope not. Pro6 is now the only game in town if you want to ride Calabogie, for example. I would hate to have a local track overtaken by any org, even if it's the one I'm riding with.

No kidding.. thats rediculous. I wonder whats in this deal for the track owners. I've never rode with STT, and already don't like them.

"I wonder whats in this deal for the track owners."

Unfortunately it boils down to guaranteed income in this tanked economy.

Each time I rode with A2A there were quite a few people. You'd think it would benefit the track owners more to let smaller track day orgs fill in for some weekdays. I mean STT can't run weekends and weekdays at all the near by tracks all the time?

well that blows ass particles...

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

That SUCKS. Thought it was just the weekends STT locked down. Sadly, it seems to be every day.

Unfortunately, we may start seeing more of this, but I hope not. Pro6 is now the only game in town if you want to ride Calabogie, for example. I would hate to have a local track overtaken by any org, even if it's the one I'm riding with.

Pro 6 as got to be the best thing that happened for bikes and Calabogie. The other org running track days there where just doing it for the profit.... Look at cbr929 track day there, 4 groups and lots of down time. I was not planning on riding Calabogie that much next summer but when I heard that pro 6 was going to run the show I changed my mind.

The track manager at Calabogie rides bikes, he took this decision for the benefit of the riders, not the track. It will benefit both in the long term

Originally Posted by Jetbdude

Pro 6 as got to be the best thing that happened for bikes and Calabogie. The other org running track days there where just doing it for the profit.... Look at cbr929 track day there, 4 groups and lots of down time. I was not planning on riding Calabogie that much next summer but when I heard that pro 6 was going to run the show I changed my mind.

The track manager at Calabogie rides bikes, he took this decision for the benefit of the riders, not the track. It will benefit both in the long term

TPM sucked up there. If I was gonna back this year it was gonna be with Pro6 anyway.

if its for the benefit of the riders and they're actually a good org to run with and don't jack up the price I'm fine with a track having only one provider.

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

TPM sucked up there. If I was gonna back this year it was gonna be with Pro6 anyway.

if its for the benefit of the riders and they're actually a good org to run with and don't jack up the price I'm fine with a track having only one provider.

Actually I don't think it is good for the riders just like any monopoly. For instance with a single provider what happens to private days? What happens to a team leasing it? Oh the org might be top notch today but what if they decline can you vote with your feet? What if they implement a dumb rule that impacts you? Nothing against STT as I ride with them here but I don't think it is good for track days to have monopoly setups (a great example is Mid Ohio and the horrific schedule)

One alternative is a track like TGP. Not sure what it would take to create now but it was built cheap for hobby and club use by design. Now Barber is a FABULOUS track but if you want to ride with your local guys or something like .org you can rent TGP at a reasonable cost and have a blast. The biggest issue I can see in the north is the frost creating a ton of pavement maintenance cost.

Certainly there is a country club tracks popping up but I wonder if there will be a rise in more modest locations to fill a gap if what TogaTim sees comes to be

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

TPM sucked up there. If I was gonna back this year it was gonna be with Pro6 anyway.

if its for the benefit of the riders and they're actually a good org to run with and don't jack up the price I'm fine with a track having only one provider.

In this case, since you guys like Pro6, it's ok. But what if TPM was given the exclusive rights, or some other club who's days you didn't like? I don't think restricting a track to one club - any club - is a good idea. Except for that one trackday org.

Originally Posted by TogaTim

At what point will Monte brow beat Sam into not allowing us good folks do the .org days? What other .orgs are out there that are in or could be in the same boat soon?

Been there, tried that. Unsuccessful so far, but in the future, now that he is the "sole provider"?

To my knowledge, NESBA is not a sole provider anywhere. NESBA is also a non-profit organization.

Maybe we could start some sort of paper (sort of like a petition) with signatures stating our concerns in this. Not really threatening, but more like we could become a threat. Maybe the paper could say something along the lines of people may start avoiding certain track day orgs because we don't like the idea. Maybe that would sway track owners, or at least have them take another look at it. I mean if there were several signatures from a few different forums... If I were a business owner and thought this might cause a problem in an already sketchy time I might conceder hearing from the riders that will be paying my bills.

A petition won't do anything as long as people keep showing up.

Originally Posted by 08silvercbr

Who is Monte?

Just giving hammer a hard time as usual. But if he gets to run his hands over my bike.... nevermind The only gear/tech question I have is my Helmet. 08 model Icon, but no "born on date" to be found? Dot/Snell ..but why is that?

i have an icon mainframe and i cant find the born on date anywhere.. its got the snell and dot stickers, but ive looked on the strap, under the liner,under the cheek pads, in all the wording in tags and stuff.. i cant find it anywhere.. i do know i bought it in 06 lol..arrrrrgh...

never mind lol... i found it on a sticker under the very top of the liner that i had to tear a lil bit to get to it to see it.. grrrrr... march 06.. good to go

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

In this case, since you guys like Pro6, it's ok. But what if TPM was given the exclusive rights, or some other club who's days you didn't like? I don't think restricting a track to one club - any club - is a good idea. Except for that one trackday org.

therein lies the problem. a good trackday provider people won't mind if they are the sole provider. a bad one and its all pissing and moaning. And you can't have it both ways really. If you try to stop a bad one from being the sole provider somewhere they would probably go and say such and such is sole provider over there and none of you bitched. all or nothing sort of thing.

Originally Posted by RedRider

I'll never live this down, will I...

its always gotta be about you doesn't it.

Unfortunately, most riders do track days when they can and usually decide at the last minute. This being the case, people will go with whatever organization has a date that fits their schedule. There are several exceptions, but those passionate about the facility, management and general running of the event make up a small percentage of the total rider pool.

As Tim and others know, Trackoholics attempted to fit into the mix here in Michigan and since they placed a maximum count on track density, were easily left in the dust when it came to the financial side. There is just no way you can compete with a company that regularly has 100+ riders at 125.00 a throw (not counting the membership fee), when you limit the number of riders to 45 at the same facility.

Good, bad or indifferent, this is the way things are going and it probably won't get better any time soon.

BTW, my relationship with the track and the Faasens goes back to long before STT (or their earlier iterations) existed. I don't think we'll be getting the heave-ho anytime soon.

I kind of get the impression that he enjoys the group you bring with you also Abtech (well most of them)

Originally Posted by abtech

Unfortunately, most riders do track days when they can and usually decide at the last minute. This being the case, people will go with whatever organization has a date that fits their schedule. There are several exceptions, but those passionate about the facility, management and general running of the event make up a small percentage of the total rider pool.

As Tim and others know, Trackoholics attempted to fit into the mix here in Michigan and since they placed a maximum count on track density, were easily left in the dust when it came to the financial side. There is just no way you can compete with a company that regularly has 100+ riders at 125.00 a throw (not counting the membership fee), when you limit the number of riders to 45 at the same facility.

Good, bad or indifferent, this is the way things are going and it probably won't get better any time soon.

BTW, my relationship with the track and the Faasens goes back to long before STT (or their earlier iterations) existed. I don't think we'll be getting the heave-ho anytime soon.

Agreed, just hate to see any track turn into a monopoly as far as an org goes, even if it's an org I like. Variety is a good thing. Glad we won't get the heave-ho from Grattan, sounds like we'll be the only ones. If I lived near Grattan, I'd be totally pissed off.

The way I understand it is that STT only has the weekends (when there aren't races or another event already booked). That leaves the weekdays for other trackday organizations which really is all that has historically been available at Grattan anyway if you aren't a racing association or big dollar club.

They still do quite a bit of automotive photography and manufacturer testing during the week along with various driving schools etc.

When I first started going to Grattan they would have open practice (split between cars and bikes) every available Wednesday or Thursday for $50.00. The trackday organizations have retired that concept and I noticed that WERA no longer has Friday practice at all of their events as these are usually booked either by a trackday org or private rental.

Originally Posted by abtech

When I first started going to Grattan they would have open practice (split between cars and bikes) every available Wednesday or Thursday for $50.00. The trackday organizations have retired that concept and I noticed that WERA no longer has Friday practice at all of their events as these are usually booked either by a trackday org or private rental.

It's all about reducing costs, you know...

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

It's all about reducing costs, you know...

Unfortunately, that is right on the money. When we were still racing, it was a 3 day weekend which usually began Wednesday afternoon with getting the finishing touches on all the hardware, getting the motorhome prepped and then loading the trailer Thursday evening for a 5:00 AM rollout to the track.

Without the Friday time to work out the kinks and get some laps in on new rubber, it just wouldn't have been the same.