Charlie is turning pro this year and I was just wondering if you were doing what you did with the pro class last year. Just trying to budget everything accordingly.

Sorry but we can't afford the promotion again this year. I will try and get a few added $ from sponsors for bonus cash. The 2 day weekends in Pasco, Redmond and Lewiston will have the bigger purses.

Is turnout an issue? Are numbers down?

hey Lee when do think the new arenacross schedule will be out???

hey lee, are you going to let 250 2strokes in the 250f class?

We will have the website schedule up soon. We are selling sponsorship packages right now and when we have them all in we will procede to making the poster. The first race is going to be in Pasco on 11/21. The season has always started in the last week of October but over the last few years it has never made a profit becuase of all the other tracks ending there season around the same time. The first few Monroes where up last year with attendance and Pro turnout but then it dropped in both Pro entries and attendance. I wish I could afford another simalar promotion but at this time we have to go back to the 200% and a few garanteed purses. Yes we will let the 250 2 strokes ride in the lights class.

I don't want to come across as attacking your track building techniques, so don't mis-understand me.

I would race them if they were a little less technical. I am trying to pose this in a way that is constructive, not confrontational.

I was at every Monroe last year, and didn't ride any of them. My son rode practice, and we intend on doing that again this year. (he is on a 50)

Anyway, I have run into quite a few people who have told me the same thing. "those tracks are way to hard for me to ride, etc etc....)

Respectfully, it seems that it might be an option to consider trying to hit the masses as a target as opposed to Crater and Abrigo and Smail. I know it would affect my decison to ride as opposed to just being a pit dad. As far as the pros, well those guys will race a good race on any track.

Just my $.02.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Aaron,

I will have to agree. I am not a Crater fast pro but I am a Pro that can hang with the majority. I would consider racing more arenacross IF the tracks were more USER friendly. For most of the riders in this area, racing is for the Adrenaline fun factor and not the factory ride. That is just my $.025. I do commend Lee for working hard to bring arenacross to the Northwest!!

quote:

Originally posted by Lee:
We will have the website schedule up soon. We are selling sponsorship packages right now and when we have them all in we will procede to making the poster. The first race is going to be in Pasco on 11/21. The season has always started in the last week of October but over the last few years it has never made a profit becuase of all the other tracks ending there season around the same time. The first few Monroes where up last year with attendance and Pro turnout but then it dropped in both Pro entries and attendance. I wish I could afford another simalar promotion but at this time we have to go back to the 200% and a few garanteed purses. Yes we will let the 250 2 strokes ride in the lights class.

isnt that pretty normal thought when it gets close to x mas having it drop off a bit

Do you guys remember 2 years ago when I started the "Sponsor a Pro" topic?
This might be a good time for those pros to step up and work on some race entry sponsors.
Lee bent over backward to pay 200% payback based on the $35 FREE entry.

I'd been riding the AC series since it's beginning at Monroe back in 87?? (can't remember exact years its been so long but I was there for the first). I continued racing the series even though egos became more important than proper promotion of the sport and double points for the AC was a norm at the first round because it overlapped with the last race of the WSCS EVERY year. Going in 50 points behind sucked but the seat time was great during the Winter.

Eventually catering to the upper rung of rider ability became the norm at the AC and it was no longer worth spending my cash/time. It was because of the AC series I got the nickname Scary Barry. I enjoyed being shot 20' into the air and 30' out. Then the same throttle twist started shooting you 20' up and 10' out with the distance between the jumps remaining the same; that got a bit ridiculous.

Look back at the roots of the local AC series ALL the tracks were challenging for ALL and GREAT shows were ALWAYS put on. It catered to ALL riding ability not just those that were at the top. There is no need for the faces of the jumps to be at a 70 degree angle. When you build tracks that cater to only the top rung ;of course rider attendance is going to dwindle. It only becomes fun for those that came to watch the pro's (VERY few, for what 4 motos?) not the real people who are the backbone of the sport; the riders with normal ability and their families. Someone needs to make up their mind: become "The Big Show' in a little town and be the "big time promoter" and forget about the masses that give you the majority of the cash in your back pocket (which appears to be the path taken) or go back to the roots where it started and get the riders back. Just my wasted 2-finger typing opinion.

We are limited on what we do with the amount of dirt in the arena. If you guys have a track design, post it and we will build it. Where always up for something different. I have always tried to make a track that had something for everyone. That is the reason for making tables infront of singles so that there is forsure a jump everyone can do instead of triples.

I completly understand the situation on fees Lee. You and your crew have always treated everyone fairly and I will make sure I have the funds set aside to make most if not all of the venues. Times are tough right now and everyone has to do what they need to do to survive. Actually holding off till November just gives me more time to get money set aside for Arenacross. Thanks for the updates Lee. Look forward to seeing all the old faces and hopefully some new ones at the races.

boy you got that right..not sure if we can make all the races also..The place I work at is screwing me around so money is tight

I used to complain about the track design as well but I have realized over the years that you cant make everyone happy. Personally I thought the tracks that were built last year were great. I rode a couple of them and had alot of fun. Arenacross is not motocross so it is going to be more technical. Make it too mellow and then its just boring to watch. Just MHO.

Again, I am not requesting a track be built to my specs.

A little history about me. I rode the heck out of RMC, Motoplex indoor, 321 (indoor trail riding LOL) Hindsight, Jokewood, and Puyallup Arenacross back in the day. All were different designs, of varying difficulty. All were very fun, and always, they were aimed at the bulk of the target audience.

The bulk of the bills paying riders are of average ability. Build tracks to get all those suckers in the door. That was my only point.

Believe me, I want winter riding options. I am not here tearing Lee down. It sucks since we have lost all of our options to ride, and in spite of the fact that I love Steves place, I would like a local track or two to ride in the winter.

And to Lee, I was impressed last winter when someone (it might have been me, I can't remember) asked if you could change the table to single to a single to table. Sure enough, I turned out that next weekend, and it was a single to table (much lower risk).

For that reason alone, I felt like I wanted to communicate to you what I have heard many folks say about the technical nature of your tracks. If I was building, and I wanted the numbers through the gate, I would want to know.

What I hate is folks that talk shit but then say nothing in constructive input.

Thanks,

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Aaron,

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron:
Again, I am not requesting a track be built to my specs.

A little history about me. I rode the heck out of RMC, Motoplex indoor, 321 (indoor trail riding LOL) Hindsight, Jokewood, and Puyallup Arenacross back in the day. All were different designs, of varying difficulty. All were very fun, and always, they were aimed at the bulk of the target audience.

The bulk of the bills paying riders are of average ability. Build tracks to get all those suckers in the door. That was my only point.

Believe me, I want winter riding options. I am not here tearing Lee down. It sucks since we have lost all of our options to ride, and in spite of the fact that I love Steves place, I would like a local track or two to ride in the winter.

And to Lee, I was impressed last winter when someone (it might have been me, I can't remember) asked if you could change the table to single to a single to table. Sure enough, I turned out that next weekend, and it was a single to table (much lower risk).

For that reason alone, I felt like I wanted to communicate to you what I have heard many folks say about the technical nature of your tracks. If I was building, and I wanted the numbers through the gate, I would want to know.

What I hate is folks that talk shit but then say nothing in constructive input.

Thanks,

Totally agree Aaron. You make a good point with the Motoplex and other mentioned tracks too. I loved riding at Motoplex because I could safely double through sections while pro's could triple through the same section.

I think having good options for all definitly brings more riders to the races. It sounds like Lee accomidated you last year and I know he is always open to suggestions. I have been able to see both sides of the spectrum as many others have too.

My son started doing this series when he was just learning on 65's and I hated how there where hardly any table tops and mostly doubles and triples. Now that my son is turning pro I like to see more challenging tracks. Thats where Lee is in a pickle at times. Average ability riders are definitly the meat of the profit I'm sure and I know Lee will do his best to keep everyone happy.

Last year I felt like the tracks were pretty creative and fun to ride but I did notice after the first day of practice if there were complaints about a section of the track Lee's crew seemed quick to find a fix. Hope you didnt think I was trying to bash on You Aaron. That was not my intent.

what happened to triples that guys could double and making them close enough to the turn to keep beginers from trying them. I feel like more technical than they are now might be better for everyone and safer too. some guys dont need the added ease of the jumps. they are tempted to jump bigger things than they're skill level allows because it has a table landing. I think the scare factor might save some ambulance rides.

216's dad, I didn't take your post as a bash. Good conversation.

And Greg, the point here is not keeping beginners safe by keeping them from doing the standard 4 stroke 65 foot triple, its about getting paying customers through the door, giving us all places to ride, and keeping Lee's pockets with enough money that he can keep the doors open.

Remember RMC, we used to ride the same practices there all the time together, and while the bulk of us would do the relativley difficult sections, you guys would always link creative sections together that we couldn't. That place (and others) is a perfect example of having a track like 216's dad is talking about, where it affords options, but keeps the fun factor up.

Dudes are not going to pay the greenbacks to come in and ride a track with 18 singles that they cannot link together. I know you are a pro and all, but try to remember when you couldn't do all the obstacles, it's no fun to not be able to do any of the obstacles. OK, I gotta go to bed, its after midnight out here in Maryland!

Talk to you guys tomorrow.

I can't remember when Greg couldn't do any of the obstacles?? Same goes for RV back when he use to be on a 60 racing Monroe. I got myself into a LOT of trouble thinking "Damn that dude did that on his 60 I should be able to do it on my 250" well I did but it was not as smooth