Well here we go again Sunday the 19th. Buetifull day for racing,as clear as clear can be blue skies and a cold front moved in. Cold fronts are cool this time of year, 60's in the morning and high 70's the rest of the day.
We picked a race that was having a regional qualifier, so we knew not only good compatition would be there but alot of them. Man we were rite, gates opened at 6:30 am and there was already about 200 poeple there. By 7 there was more than 300 there. As the morning went on more and more came.
We went out to walk the track, man this thing was awsome. Looked like it was just done, wow we where all siked up, we wanted to run and run against the best to see how good we were actualy getting. Bike and quad had been tuned to the fullest, we were ready.
I go up and fill out the entry forms for what classes we were entering and then the guy hands me back my quad open form and says hold on to this. I said what, why? Then he tells me that I am the only quad that has arrived. I said you are kidding me, 300+ bikes and 1 quad, come on, jeeeze. Needless to say I ended up hanging around watching the bike guys and my son have probably the best race day all year while I watched.

I talked with the track owner and said, whats up with this? He tells me he doesn't know the quad guys are kinda wierd when it comes to racing, they either have 20 or none. Then he tells me it's realy a hasle when they do show up because they do nothing but complain from the time they get here untill the time they leave. He said first complaint always is they run the last moto. Secound one is how the track set up is, he says, and believe me I tried so many ways, but they still complain. Third complaint is Not enough classes.

So I ask the guy, who I have known threw racing for many years, What is it we can do about these issues, this is bull. So he tells me the best thing, have them show up consistently and every thing can be done. The problem is that I tried to listen to them and see what we could do, problem being they aren't very consistent in our area. We tried to make classes but then only 1 quad for each class shows up. Then we did some track changes and no one shows up for races and practice for weeks then they show up on race day complaining. Then I asked what about starting the last moto, his answer. Look we could try changing that but be real, it's nothing against the quad guys just look, the open money class is always going to start first and then he read off the list of moto's. Then he says go any where, we have, this is about how all racing orders go, but once again if I moved the quads to the beginning of the order today what would you do, run by yourself today.

He also said, look I have 300+ bike racers here and 1 quad racer, if 10 more quad racers show up you all can race the 10th of 21 moto's, but I personaly garrentee you probably no others will show up. I said why, he says thats how it is. They all went to a track more quiet some were today and they aren't coming here, thats just how they are, and where ever they are, they want special treatment you can garrentee that.

Now if this isn't a royal bummer, whats up with all this. I wanted to not believe this guy but then I sat back and thought about these forums and you know the guy was rite. Take this forum, the Z400 are out, but every ones trying to bash them. The yamaha guys are bickering over curtis sparks spanking them at the dunes months ago and have taken up the art of bashing each other. The honda guys, well they realy make you hate the color red.

So I am honestly thinking that my 8 months on a quad are a complete waiste and it's time to jump back on the bike and start having some fun again. Just so tired of all these cry babies it's time to have fun again. It sure is alot more fun joining those 300+ bikes than being the only quad just watching.

My son has been having a steller season this year and the main reason is, He has no problems finding a race.

 

hmmm.... Try racing Harescrambles. In Ohio, we always have plenty of racers at quad harescrambles. I don't know about quad mx.

 

That's a bummer Gaff, and I know how you feel. It's the same way in Mississippi. There were lots of quads that ran here at all the local tracks, but kept getting the same bull as you are getting now.

Now, everyone goes to Alabama to race. They have the besty motocross tracks in the South, second only to Tennessee.

I haven't ran much motocross this year, since I have gone full swing into hare scrambles, but when I do, very few quads show up and most of the time we end up in the same class.

I only look forward to the arenacross when they come to town. The next is in November. I'll probally just run the woods until then.

By the way, I made it to Somerville,TN yesterday. We had an enormous turnout. 98Lakota didn't make it due to a mechanical, but I ran the Cannondale in the "C" class and got a 2nd place finish. they haven't gotten the overall's posted yet so I don't know how I faired there. I have to run the "B" class from here on out becuse I have podiumed twice in a row in the "C" class.

The next race is June 9 at Batesville,MS[they changed the schedule last minute]. You should try and come up.

Again, sorry to hear about your weekend.

Patrick

 

Yeah I'm sure it's a lot of fun trying to fight for a place on the track, when the tracks built for 20 bikes at one time and 300 bikes show up to ride and your either being trapped behind the pee-wee bikes because there in a pack and you can't get by then when you do, you get pushed off the track by the pro's who are jumping over your head or just trying to roost you or make you ride above your level to keep up. I know because I use to ride at both of our local tracks one of which is a Supercross track, not to mention the fact that I'm an intermediate rider. What really pissed me off was the fact that it cost me between $15.00-$20.00 for the track fee and for what? 2-4 hrs of riding max. Why when you can ride at the coast on an ATV for $5.00 for as many hrs as you want and there is a lot more room to run and race others as well as not having to always look over your shoulder for other riders ridding your ***. Give me a break, keep the Quad man. From someone who knows..

 

Hare scrambles are my passion, but unfortunately the local harescramble series doesn't include quads or youths so thats out of the question.

I planned on running some races with 98lakota and knowsalot, but because of some family problems I need to stay some what close to home for atleast the first half of the season. I'm hoping to be able to make some races up north when the second half of the season starts in late august, but we will see.

It's just so agrevating to get every thing ready and running so good just to not be able to race.

One of our biggest problems down here in louisiana, we have NO atva representation or any other type leadership for quad riders or racers. So this leaves no events for quads or any type of sanctioned bodies that organize any thing for quads.

I've tried many times to see if we could set something up with the atva and will keep trying. But untill some one or group stands up and starts talking with track owners nothing will ever happen here.

 

Man that sucks. Everywhere we race here pretty much only has a amature and pro class and some have Blaster Classes (no higher than 200cc 2-stroke 350cc 4-stroke). As we (me and lonestar) have told you many times, the TQRA has a lot of good classes and very good turn out of quads. The TQRA series is pretty evenly spaced through out the entire season and in my area, there is a lot of tracks to choose from. It sucks that most of the tracks don't have beginner classes because it they don't know what they're doing and they'll cut you off at the worst time imaginable. There's nothing wrong w/ a little blocking in a race, but if someone roles a jump and you decide to pass him in the air, it really sucks when you have to slam on your brakes because you see him changing lines right infront of you when you are mid air. Some of those guys need to get landed on so that they'll get point, but I don't want to be the one landing on them. I think the tracks should have a beginner class as an option and if there isn't enough entries, THAN move them into the Amt. class. The sad thing is, I"m complaining about people that ride to slow and don't have any MX common sence, and I myself am not very fast. BUT I do know that it would hurt to get landed on, and that the really fast riders will run your *** off the track if you don't get out of the way, so if they're gonna pass me, I'll go ahead and move.

Sorry, maybe I got a little off topic but I just had to vent.

 

I know yodaddy. I want to get over to the TQRA, but I have to stay close to home for a while. I'll get there don't worry, just not sure when.