Normally, I avoid getting sucked into controversial conversations, but this one is worth it to me. Yes, I have a 8 year old that has been to Lorettas and is currently trying to get back in his final year on a 50. Yes, he has qualified this year for several regionals and all of those qualifiers the kids ran the full tracks. A track like MillCreek MX in Alabama was almost a 4 minute lap. Someone tell me how the C track prepares Mitchy for the ruts, bumps, jumps, speed etc. in the below video? It doesn't and when we go outside this small pond we are living in, in Ohio, we face this and it is down right dangerous.
[video=youtube_share;uQZVhUZEWoY]http://youtu.be/uQZVhUZEWoY[/video]
To beat a dead horse, so to say, running the C track does Mitchell no good and honestly makes it dangerous to even go to the larger events as riding those tracks without getting some experience can be really dangerous. I would like to think our home town tracks, OMA, would be supportive of growing the kids in the sport, yet giving the learning, less advanced and learning, little guys an option on the C or smaller tracks.
The 7-8 year old, 4-6 year old 50cc, and the normal 65cc class should be on the A/B track.
The PW50, and beginner 65's could be run the C class or smaller tracks.
Mitchell will get bored very fast and lose interest and would be very disappointed and let down after you let him race the A/B track last year at the Battle of Ohio. They have to learn to run the ruts, bumps at larger tracks and just throwing them into it when then get to 85's seems silly.
To push all the little riders to the C track does our children no justice and will not help to get the kids, that want to, from our region, up to speed so to speak. The MI and PA areas run their kids on the big tracks....AREA51 ran these classes last year on the big track for both the LL stuff, but also the CanAm event.
Rocket, as mentioned, son, does not get out as much...he would fit well in the 65cc beginner class on the C track.
Hayes, who came to the Battle last year from PA and was clearing the finish line table on a 65, would be really disappointed and would not come back if he was left to the C track. Towers also made the trip from PA and ended 2nd in the 50 class with a 1 -2 moto score. I know his father well and he told me they loved the track. Not to speak for them, but just from a spectator perspective, Trevor Maley, Ryan Talboo, Hayden Hunt, Austin Johnson, G. Baker, and there are others are in a similar boat. These kids are fast, really fast. To limit them to the C track, makes as much sense as putting the beginner 65's or PW50's on your A/B track.
I heard the last 2 OMA events had 25 plus riders in the 65 class...my guess...you put them on or your C track, your turnout will fall...these kids are fast and need the A/B track. Speaking for myself, if given a choice between a facility that will allow Mitchell on a big track and one making him run another smaller track, I will go to the big track, even if I have to leave Ohio. I am pleased at the startup of the OMA and exicted we have these options locally this year, but only becuase I read the posts last year on the vision of this organization and the fact the little riders would get big track time.
We ride Apple Cabin on Thursdays. Frank has recongnized the faster little bike riders need to run on the big track and lets them run a session every hour. Still gives the big bikes 75% of the time on the big track. This has been a huge difference in our riding and was hoping this is something you would implement in your practice as well. All being the same, the less advanced riders stay on the smaller track (C) until their skills are there and they want to ride the big track. This is of course subject to turnout. If there are only a couple of 50 riders, I get it, they ride the little track.
Jeremy, you did this last year on the C track for the little bikes. Similarly, it would be nice to get the little guys out on the A/B track 2 or so times during the course of a practice day.
We left Chili Town last Saturday after practice for another obligation, but I was really disappointed at them cutting the track for the 50cc bikes. So much so, I may have left anyway. There was nothing in that top section the kids making it around the rest of the track could not have handled. The 50's should have been able to run that portion. The PW's and beginners could have been separated into their own class running a shorter lap, but again, 4-6 and 7-8 50's should have run the whole track. If ur letting them all, including the PW50's, run over this jump (below), then why not the back. There was nothing this large back there.
I apoolgize for being so out spoken, but I also noticed, on other posts, adult riders that I am friends with, suggesting the little kids get less big track time at OIR on practice days with a bigger turn out. We are paying just as the adult riders. This is not foreign to me as I have been racing since the late 80's at many levels, the latest last year in the Vet B/C at Lorettas, to taking this year off all together (yeah, I am old). These kids needs the quality track time, just as I do, to grow in the sport.
This is my plea to OMA track organizers to continue to allow those on 50's and 65's that have the skill and want to run on the A/B, large tracks, to do so, but give the beginner and less advanced, learning riders the C or smaller tracks.
Thanks to all of you for your efforts though and at least you are asking for thoughts....your efforts do not go unnoticed....thanks
