Here we go again... Where are Ohio riders?

Pit, lets here your theories... I am sure they will have more to do with the talent pool rather then the money issue...
Guys, this sport has ALWAYS been expensive. Of course I have data to back this up... In 1990 a new YZ80 had an MSRP of $1699, in 2012 a YZ85 MSRP was $3990 that is up 57.42%...sounds like a big jump...but... The cost of living is up 59.7% over the same time frame. And don't forget that in 1990 the interest rate on the average home was 15.4% and today its what 3%???
Its simply not money. Yes money holds a few people back, but in the grand scheme of things, its all in proportion.
The real issue is talent. Now I have heard the "this is Ohio and its cold in the winter...we cant ride all year... the training camps are in the south..." but guess what? that has not changed from 1990 either. The riders in Ohio today just lack "it" If you want to know what "it" looks like, dig out a video of Greg Rand or Broc Sellars or Josh Steel or Mike Bias (WV does count for Ohio) or Randy Bryant or Ryan and Bryan Smith and on and on and on... That is "it". Some of them went on to nice careers in racing while most, like myself, where competitive on a national level then got real jobs.
For me, anytime I was on a motorcycle I was happy, BUT, just riding around or practicing just did not do it for me. Gone was the thrill of competition and all was left was just sweat and mud. Nothing beats the feeling of the drop of the gate. WFO to the first turn with 30 to 40 other guys that want it just as bad as you. Passing that guy on the last lap to win... damn, my palms are sweating just thinking about it. And you just want to go play ride? What? are we reaping the results from the "lets not keep score so the kids don't lose" generation? or is it the "Make that jump smaller so my little Johnny can make it" whinny Moms and Dads?
I had been racing for 10 years before I even heard the first person complain about an obstacle on a track, it was so odd that I remember it still today. The complainer was Doug Singer (Mr. Fass Gass) and one of the best Ohio motocrossers ever (Check his LL vault record). He complained about a blind double at the original Action sports tack in Nelsonville. And what was the result? Drew told him to go home... and the race with on (btw, no one got hurt). Today the tracks are full of tabletops with landing like an 80 year old woman's tits. and stories of breaking bumps... they have been knocked down but they use to be there...
Wow, what a rant... I digress... Weak tracks, too many classes, whinny parents and "Johnny" are the findings from my theories. What do you think? and again, its not money... your looking are the proof, your tapping on an $800 computer attached to a $50 a month internet connection...other expenses that no one had in 1990
 
I think the "everyone wins" concept of today sucks the competitiveness out of everything, and thus, the competive nature to succeed out of our children.

Would the opening of practice tracks and the failure of the AMA districts also have something to do with it? I think so. But why in Ohio, and not other states....sorry, not real sure.
 
I refused to be a parent at my daughters soccer game standing on the field making a tunnel for the kids to run through. Someone mentioned a tunnel one time at a football game, and I about went ballistic. Its football, we don't do tunnels on our field. Those kids can go play soccer.......that's my Rant.

I personally think there are less kids in Ohio that are putting the "focus" on LL. But I believe that is due to as Chris puts it, less talent. Fewer good tracks racing, and guys not racing as much, the talent level in this area has just gone down. When was the last time you saw a local guy come out and run up front at their local nationals on TV? Does not happen much these days. But yet I remember going to Kenworthys in the 80s and 90s and guys like Josh Steel, Chuck Reed, and Mark Musselman would get good starts and run towards the front of some motos on the National level.

In this area, I think with the limited "good" tracks to race on, and the focus on "select" stick and ball sports, that MX has just declined in families. Some of that can be associated with injuries also. There are WAY more serious injuries racing motocross today than there were in the 80s. This may be keeping some families from getting involved in MX too.

If you look at some of the Football, select baseball, soccer and AAU basketball programs in the state of Ohio though, we do shine across the country in some of those programs.
 
i think that times have just simply changed, team sports in school is no joke today, no matter what the age. even compared to just 10 years ago, i feel there are more student athletes, and these kids train damn near year around. there is just less exposure to the sport from a young age. i feel most younger riders today were either born into it, or exposted to it through family, or friends. dad doesnt just wake up one day and say hey, lets go pick up a bike and moto! not at these costs, no they pick up a basketball, or a new baseball bat. these parents also have the best interest in their childrens future, motocross and team sports, though both are more then likely temporary, which one is going to possbly get you a scolarship, or learn that student comes before athlete. its hard to justify starting moto, taking it serious, and dumping your paycheks into the sport unless you have a true passion and drive to succeed in moto, there is a love for the sport that keeps us going.

10 years ago when my dad got me my first bike, we scooped it for damn near pocket change. then guess what happened, before i knew it half of the kids in my neighborhood had a bike! we we would all get together on the weekends load up and head out. our dads would take us out for the day to ride it was great. s**t just dont happen like this any more, at least not that i know of. no one wants to get hurt or put the time and effor in to being decent on the bike, football camp is way more important. plus, 10 years ago it was a loy easier on the wallet to gas up some bikes, the truck, then drive 2 hours one way just to pay to practice. now when i moto, its on my own and on my own dime. not blaming the economy, but the s**t aint cheap today. i dont live in the best location, a practice day for me isnt cheap. when i was 16 working a minimum wage job my paycheck could fund my moto for a whole two weeks. those days are long gone.

today i get to practice about as often as an eclipse or the olympics happen hahaha. to get to and from the track, the truck will easily suck down $30 in fuel, then another $12 in fuel for the bike, $25 to practice for the day, $10 for some food for the day. just for me to throw my leg over the bike it cost me over $70! s**t do that 3X a week, im looking at $210 per week, $840 per month. and thats for sure low balling it, this does not include oil changes for the bike, the truck, parts for both, we all know the list goes on. now, add this cost to transportation to and from work every day, food every day, bills, and keeping the girl happy, the s**t aint cheap! im going to have to prostitute my self out to fat women to just fund riding. this is why there seems to be more "fast rich kids" at the tracks these days. daddy pays for everything and your set, try and do it yourself, and reality hits u hard, right in the nuts.
 
Generation gap maybe....... I agree to the "everyone wins" concept as well. And yes i still think its money haha. Seems like if you dont ride 2-3 times a week u cannot compete at a race. Especially at LL where competition is feirce. And that again costs money. I also agree with tracks goin away and AMA going away too. Whatever it truley is i dont know and apparently know one does, but i think itl make a comeback someday.
 
CK is right. John250 too. Ohio is just weak in MX now. That goes for riders, tracks, and sanctions. There is no strong, local grassroots competition that breeds top LL amateur prospects. Most of the top prospects in Ohio were coming from D-11 when it was strong with tracks like Kenworthy's, etc.

All this other nonsense, economy, cost of a pickup truck, team sports, bla bla bla is certainly true, but it applies to the other states as well. You can't say Ohio doesn't represent well at LL anymore because a truck is 50k....it's not like that same truck is 20k in Michigan.

No way around it - we are just weak on talent, tracks, etc. You live in Michigan? Oh well you get a Regional basically every year, have a National track, and multiple area qualifiers every year. Ohio? Just doesn't compare anymore.
 
Pit261 said:
Maybe someone will create a "National Faircross Championship" so Ohio can be on top!
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That's funny right there........I don't care who you are. And SO true. Amazes me how many people run AMS's fair series (I don't do fair races). And also amazes me how many people get so jazzed up around here to ride on a arena in the winter. Perhaps that is why OHIO shines so much in the National Arenacross Series. Tons of top talent from ohio in that series.
 
Pit261 said:
Maybe someone will create a "National Faircross Championship" so Ohio can be on top!
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It's already been done, look at how well Ohio based riders to in the Arenacross Series....... That's the ultimate professional Faircross racing!

I think it's a trending thing too, it used to be that all the "TOP PROS" were from California at one time too. Now, that has spread out too. Remember when all the top guys were from Cali? No so today. Some of it might have to do with open riding areas, places like Hillsville used to have lots of people riding and learning the way to go fast and keep up with the fast guys. Now, it's a surprise to hear that someone can ride in Hillsville at all, let alone show up and have 50 riders out there making tracks. Places like Oklahoma have riding with Trey Canard, Robbie Reynard, Guy Cooper all contributing to other locals riding / training with them making everyone faster. Ohio doesn't have that now and people leave Ohio to get faster and join some of the MX training places which doesn't add to others only the 1 making the trip.

I don't know what the answer is, but getting a good local racing scene going is what will start to get us back on track. OMA and District X are trying, but people have to buy into it and race each other to get better.
 
Pit261 said:
Maybe someone will create a "National Faircross Championship" so Ohio can be on top!
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That way be the single best posting on this site EVER..
I am going to my local fairgrounds right now before someone else does.. NFC!!!! we will have 5.2 hours of practice then run two 2 lap moto's... I will be a millionaire...
Your dead on with the Arena racing. Ohio riders have always been strong. And what's the pull? Higher prices? lower track time? I don't get it.
If Rocket is correct, I would be more then willing to help Ohio riders with a lessons (obviously I'm not the one to take training pointers from, I'm WAY to fat for that...) If anyone sees me at a track and wants some pointers, just ask, I would love to help. Hell, I don't have anyone racing but I will drive up to the "battle" race if anyone needs me.
I am incredibly disappointed with the AMA. How can they not see what's going on when its happening right in there backyard? I guess they just don't want to.
 
You guys are right I forgot about the AX championships.
Also funny -- everyone goes right to the expense card, cheaper to practice, more fun, track time etc....but yep -- faircross is more expensive and less track time and Ohio racers flock to that.

For my money, I have more fun travelling out of state and racing an Area LLQ, then later racing the Regional than I do racing a whole season of local MX. OMA might help local Ohio MX, but they won't get any qualifiers since they are non-AMA.
 
The AMA, to their credit, did contact me and tried to persuade me to make the OMA an AMA sanctioned organization. I think they were just chasing membership sales though.
 
I think step number one to change things is spreading the word of motocross , everyone here has the ability to talk, tell people about motocross, and how much fun it is. As an Ohio moto family we are all somewhat responsible for the next generation, tell somebody about the battle races, create new riders, lets get it going.
 
BriarcliffMx said:
I think step number one to change things is spreading the word of motocross , everyone here has the ability to talk, tell people about motocross, and how much fun it is. As an Ohio moto family we are all somewhat responsible for the next generation, tell somebody about the battle races, create new riders, lets get it going.
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I will go as far as buy a bike to get a kid into racing. How about I buy the bike and OMA lets a new kid race for free at one race? We all know if you can get the kid on the line for the first time, he and his family will get bit by the bug. Im sure we can find friends and co-workers that have kids that may want to try it. Come to think of it. Can you think of ONE person that rode ONE race and quit?
 
I have a Polini 50 in the garage right now collecting dust. If anyone knows a kid that wants to try racing this weekend, I will bring it, They show up, race and I bring it back home... s**t I will do that every weekend... Wait, why am I pointing the finger? Let me think if I know any kids myself...
 
BriarcliffMx said:
The AMA, to their credit, did contact me and tried to persuade me to make the OMA an AMA sanctioned organization. I think they were just chasing membership sales though.
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That's interesting since you guys cross district lines. The AMA is in a tough spot, they get blamed for everything wrong but I'm not sure it's their responsibility to do things some people make them accountable for.
 
Chris, when we raced in Nelsonville we would have 2 practices and 2 motos. I was at their last race. My son had one 4 lap practice at 6pm. The first practice with maybe 10 riders. He was the last moto at 10:30 and had one 7 lap moto. Most classes had maybe 5 riders. We wonder whats wrong with Motox in ohio how about filling the gates with multiple classes run 2 motos and let them practice a couple times. More track time you'll have better racers. On the other hand we rode the GP's both days and it was awesome two 50 min motos each day.
 
I just think it's the perfect storm of stuff, rising costs of EVERYTHING, and back when I was young we had all kinds of places to ride in the area, we had 3 dirtbike tracks in the woods that were always filled with people, especially new ones to the sport. I used to get off school and walk beside my dirtbike while it was running to the local riding spot every day.. Now every one is gone from construction. I think this has a huge impact on new generations getting involved in the sport.
 
motox37 said:
Chris, when we raced in Nelsonville we would have 2 practices and 2 motos. I was at their last race. My son had one 4 lap practice at 6pm. The first practice with maybe 10 riders. He was the last moto at 10:30 and had one 7 lap moto. Most classes had maybe 5 riders. We wonder whats wrong with Motox in ohio how about filling the gates with multiple classes run 2 motos and let them practice a couple times. More track time you'll have better racers. On the other hand we rode the GP's both days and it was awesome two 50 min motos each day.
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I agree with this 100%. but it is going to be tough to get them to change with the number of people there!
 
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