Thread: Exclusive Weekend Provider at Grattan?

Ugh. Have to admit, however, that whatever advantage NESBA had over STT as far as organization, responsible leadership and safety was nowhere to be seen at Barber last fall. That was a clusterfuck of epic proportion.

I'll hope that Apex2Apex will get enough table scraps on Fridays.

I wonder what the economy will do to trackday attendance overall. Maybe if STT is committed to a certain number of weekends, they won't be able to pack it in as thoroughly as they have in the past.

I thought Sam was trying to avoid this?

NESBA's Barber event wasn't well-run? Sorry to hear that. Let's hope it was an anomaly.

I thought Sam was trying to avoid this?

Sam floated this idea a couple of years ago - Remember this thread?
He wanted to do it himself, and it never went anywhere.

NESBA's Barber event wasn't well-run? Sorry to hear that. Let's hope it was an anomaly.

I think they beat the 1 crash-per-hour benchmark. We lost at least 3 (maybe 4?) hours of track time that weekend due to oil plugs falling out, injury accidents, extra mandatory riders meetings with recriminations and finger pointing...

I had to re-up my membership for the Oct 08-Oct 09 period, and I have no idea where I can go to use it next year. Maybe Putnam or Beaver Run..

I can see why this would be interesting for the provider and the track, but it does suck for the rider.....

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

U

I wonder what the economy will do to trackday attendance overall.

I can speak to how I'm feeling. While financially I have no real reason not to race this year, emotionally I'm questioning how prudent it would be. The next year to two years feels very uncertain w/ at least some "rainy days" much more likely.

So basically I'm and and

STT= Starbucks Track-monopoly Time

Originally Posted by Heavy-Dee

I can speak to how I'm feeling. While financially I have no real reason not to race this year, emotionally I'm questioning how prudent it would be. The next year to two years feels very uncertain w/ at least some "rainy days" much more likely.

So basically I'm and and

Man, exact same thing for me...... I'm realllllly questioning racing next season..... Track day sure.... racing Especially since I will be bump out of novice, and if I want to be anywhere close to the mid-pack I would have to put some money on the bike, at least suspensions.

Sam is doing a bad thing... I think letting other small business doing track days is a good thing... Not everyone wants to spend yearly membership fee to do a track day....

I sure won't

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

I thought Sam was trying to avoid this?

Money talks.

I've heard that STT like to eventually run the track for free for Sam... Hmmmm

"senic tours of the historic Grattan Bar and Grill"

Only affects me if it interferes with McAdx days

As to NESBA vs STT I say it is a wash. Yes the days you were there were a circus (and not the fun kind) CBRVFR but I went to the next one and it went pretty well. Barber attracts a lot of out of state people and can get out of hand fast if the org is not careful. I have seen this with STT and well and NESBA there.

Last year I rode more with NESBA at Barber though that was more a product of schedule timing than choice. I still prefer STT's intermediate rules so I can pass inside going into #5

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I think they beat the 1 crash-per-hour benchmark. We lost at least 3 (maybe 4?) hours of track time that weekend due to oil plugs falling out, injury accidents, extra mandatory riders meetings with recriminations and finger pointing...

I had to re-up my membership for the Oct 08-Oct 09 period, and I have no idea where I can go to use it next year. Maybe Putnam or Beaver Run..

That sucks, not trying to defend them or anyone else, but sometimes how the day goes depends on the mix of riders that show up. Around here for example, no matter which org is running the day, events at Pocono FUSA course are always a clusterfuck. I've also seen it happen at NJMP, with 2 different orgs. It sucks, but as more and more folks get into trackdays, you're gonna have some folks that just don't take personal responsibility. Oil plugs falling out is an example, a personal annoyance of mine. How to prevent it? If they took the time to inspect every single one, tech would take forever. None of the orgs want to require safety wiring in anything but advanced, because they think it would deter people, and they want to get them off the streets.

I love BeaveRun, so I'll let you know when I'll be there. I try and do at least two weekends there.

Time to go back to the streets now that the squids are migrating to the track en masse.

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

...
I had to re-up my membership for the Oct 08-Oct 09 period, and I have no idea where I can go to use it next year. Maybe Putnam or Beaver Run..

Barber in the spring before snow clears up there.... you know you will need it

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

That sucks, not trying to defend them or anyone else, but sometimes how the day goes depends on the mix of riders that show up. Around here for example, no matter which org is running the day, events at Pocono FUSA course are always a clusterfuck. I've also seen it happen at NJMP, with 2 different orgs. It sucks, but as more and more folks get into trackdays, you're gonna have some folks that just don't take personal responsibility. Oil plugs falling out is an example, a personal annoyance of mine. How to prevent it? If they took the time to inspect every single one, tech would take forever. None of the orgs want to require safety wiring in anything but advanced, because they think it would deter people, and they want to get them off the streets.

I love BeaveRun, so I'll let you know when I'll be there. I try and do at least two weekends there.

One thing they could try is periodically or randomly pick a bike and REALLY go over it. If they choose to do this they should also plan on helping the "victim" fix it. Further with the class structure of STT they should add some time for bike prep. It is good to help new people learn to ride better but it is just as important to help them learn to prepare and about the critical contributions THEY make to safety. For me this was one of the best things I got from starting with .Org days and Abtech. Everyone was helpful on riding but safety and attitude toward others were items #1-3

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Time to go back to the streets now that the squids are migrating to the track en masse.

Hooray for street racing!

Originally Posted by SheepOfBlue

One thing they could try is periodically or randomly pick a bike and REALLY go over it. If they choose to do this they should also plan on helping the "victim" fix it. Further with the class structure of STT they should add some time for bike prep. It is good to help new people learn to ride better but it is just as important to help them learn to prepare and about the critical contributions THEY make to safety.

I think that is an excellent idea. While it won't completely fix the problem, I'd wager it would weed out a lot of the oversight by riders and get them to be a bit more competent in prepping there own bike.

well I hope A2A does a few days-weekdays although difficult for most is OK with me. If that doesnt work well then I'll just have to do what I did a few years ago-right CBRVFR?

If the full Monte 'allows' it...

That sounds like basically the set-up that is going on at Mid-America with Trackaddix. They are the exclusive weekend AND weekday provider though. No other options for riding the track here. They have separate pricing for members and non-members of the "club." It kinda bugs me but they do have well run events and I really like the whole Trackaddix crew.

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Time to go back to the streets now that the squids are migrating to the track en masse.

This is a good thing... more popularity for the sport means more support and investment, more tracks, more racing, more people using sportbikes the way they were designed to be used, more demand for sportbikes, et cetera...

Originally Posted by phobe

This is a good thing... more popularity for the sport means more support and investment, more tracks, more racing, more people using sportbikes the way they were designed to be used, more demand for sportbikes, et cetera...

Agreed, however it sucks from the standpoint of having a safe(r) environment to ride in.

only temporarily

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Agreed, however it sucks from the standpoint of having a safe(r) environment to ride in.

With the good, comes some bad.

Really, the onus will be on the trackday org to better educate their control riders and impress upon the attendees of safety and preparation. Otherwise, it will be litigation city.

Originally Posted by phobe

only temporarily

For those that can afford high dollar memberships at places like High Rock Raceway and Bluegrass Motorsports Club.

NESBA encourages all riders to safety wire, and they do help them. At some events, the CRs were holding a safety wire seminar. Hell, at Beave last year, one of the CRs came over, told me I was moving fast enough and I should be wired. I'd already done the oil plug, filler, and filter (all that's required for their advanced group, which I'm not in), but he proceeded to find a drill and do my brake calipers, axle bolt, and pinch bolt. This was at the end of the day after a full day of control riding for him.

Originally Posted by RedRider

Is it what I think it is?

if it comes down to it-yes