halffast
PR Elite
At least we all seem to agree that AHRMA isn't perfect . It is the only game in town for vintage enthusiasts unless you count the AMA's one race national championship and you can guess my view of that if you don't already know ( but that is a whole other discussion )
People get into vintage racing for various reasons . What I consider the core group ( and the ones mostly who control AHRMA ) are the " old men on old bikes " types that I mentioned to Robin . Some of these guys fought the idea of even having post-vintage classes at all ( the " new " kids on the block ) and they still don't want to allow younger racers to compete . To them it is all about restorng and racing old bikes and honoring the roots of motocross . Some are in their 80's and still riding ( you go guys ). I believe they don't want to see " rough " racing in any form as it would be especially devastating to older riders and should not be tolerated at any level . Hell , the youngest true age class is 40+ ( there is Open Age which takes in all legal age racers ) .
A lot of you on here read the exploits of Hartney and Big Mike like I did and got interested enough to try this branch of the sport . I decided to go for the vintage side of things and sold Hatrney the Ultima 450CR Honda that Pit 1st raced ( for a National win - we were proud ) so I could finance my Husky Mag . Most of the rest of you went the more modern route and ride PV Ultima machines . I was coming out of a 20+ year hiatus from mx ( and a severely broken ankle from a modern '03 125SX which has now been traded for a GP class "84 Husky CR500 ) . You guys were active racers of modern bikes . I guess what I'm trying to get at is that many ( I think most and the reason AHRMA was started ) are in it for the nostalgia while others ( and probably growing toward the majority as us old b@$t@rd$ fade away ) are in it more to branch out opportunities to compete . I have seen fantasic races and close competition at times , in all classes at all levels . The Experts always go at it and are great to watch . Mark , the bar banging you mentioned was from your early racing . If your back improves ( which I pray it does ) enough to race AHRMA again , would you want to get dumped in a turn , no matter how slow or whose fault ?
The class and skill level structures of AHRMA are a real mess as John said . I am coming at it from a different perspective though . Due to past injuries , diabetes ravaged eyesight , pins in bones , barely working joints , etc. ( yes , I know we all have our scars ) not to mention few and diminished skills , I am probably destined to remain a Novice as long as I can still crawl on a bike . Since starting in AHRMA I have raced in the Novice 40+ , 50+ , Open Age , and Sportsman 250 classes . There were some racers who always destroyed those classes and won the championships going away . Some of them did this for years and by winning most of the motos , not by building points from mid-pack finishes at lots of events . Four of those guys moved up ( Bumped up by AHRMA ? I don't know ) in the last 2 years . Two of them won multple Intermediate championships their first year in that class . Another usually finishes top 3 . One who had won multiple Novice championships for TEN YEARS in a row finished top five and I haven't seen his name in the results or entries since . I don't expect to win and do not mind competition but everyone would like to think they have at least an outside shot at a good finish . AHRMA officials are few and each has a lot on their plate but there needs to be more attention payed to skill level placement and advancement . John's class structure might be an alternaitive .
People get into vintage racing for various reasons . What I consider the core group ( and the ones mostly who control AHRMA ) are the " old men on old bikes " types that I mentioned to Robin . Some of these guys fought the idea of even having post-vintage classes at all ( the " new " kids on the block ) and they still don't want to allow younger racers to compete . To them it is all about restorng and racing old bikes and honoring the roots of motocross . Some are in their 80's and still riding ( you go guys ). I believe they don't want to see " rough " racing in any form as it would be especially devastating to older riders and should not be tolerated at any level . Hell , the youngest true age class is 40+ ( there is Open Age which takes in all legal age racers ) .
A lot of you on here read the exploits of Hartney and Big Mike like I did and got interested enough to try this branch of the sport . I decided to go for the vintage side of things and sold Hatrney the Ultima 450CR Honda that Pit 1st raced ( for a National win - we were proud ) so I could finance my Husky Mag . Most of the rest of you went the more modern route and ride PV Ultima machines . I was coming out of a 20+ year hiatus from mx ( and a severely broken ankle from a modern '03 125SX which has now been traded for a GP class "84 Husky CR500 ) . You guys were active racers of modern bikes . I guess what I'm trying to get at is that many ( I think most and the reason AHRMA was started ) are in it for the nostalgia while others ( and probably growing toward the majority as us old b@$t@rd$ fade away ) are in it more to branch out opportunities to compete . I have seen fantasic races and close competition at times , in all classes at all levels . The Experts always go at it and are great to watch . Mark , the bar banging you mentioned was from your early racing . If your back improves ( which I pray it does ) enough to race AHRMA again , would you want to get dumped in a turn , no matter how slow or whose fault ?
The class and skill level structures of AHRMA are a real mess as John said . I am coming at it from a different perspective though . Due to past injuries , diabetes ravaged eyesight , pins in bones , barely working joints , etc. ( yes , I know we all have our scars ) not to mention few and diminished skills , I am probably destined to remain a Novice as long as I can still crawl on a bike . Since starting in AHRMA I have raced in the Novice 40+ , 50+ , Open Age , and Sportsman 250 classes . There were some racers who always destroyed those classes and won the championships going away . Some of them did this for years and by winning most of the motos , not by building points from mid-pack finishes at lots of events . Four of those guys moved up ( Bumped up by AHRMA ? I don't know ) in the last 2 years . Two of them won multple Intermediate championships their first year in that class . Another usually finishes top 3 . One who had won multiple Novice championships for TEN YEARS in a row finished top five and I haven't seen his name in the results or entries since . I don't expect to win and do not mind competition but everyone would like to think they have at least an outside shot at a good finish . AHRMA officials are few and each has a lot on their plate but there needs to be more attention payed to skill level placement and advancement . John's class structure might be an alternaitive .
