Grears GP Recap
Zanesville, Ohio
August 28th
Words: Bierbower
Video: Bierbower
With the Grears GP in the rear view mirror I want to take a minute and think about how far this project has come. A year ago this was notes on a dinner napkin and now we are three races deep into our first season of race promoting. To say we are learning each race would be an understatement - there isn’t a number we can put on the things we are learning being on the opposite side of motorcycle racing.
It used to be we’d unload our bikes from the van - race, have fun, go home. Now things are very different, and even with the massive efforts we put into these races the feeling of pride we have giving our hearts to motorcycle racing makes that effort worth it. It really does.
As for race day - Mother Nature is back to owing us a favor. Not a cloud in the sky and 90+ degrees made for a dry and dusty racetrack. The turn track ended up looking like something from Star Wars - in hind sight, maybe we should have skipped it. Notes in our growing binder of things to remember when we are designing our courses. Racing a clay track in Ohio is hard - especially in August - especially in 90+ degrees. We have things we can do better, stick with us, we’re working on it.
This was our first trip out of Tuscarawas county and the folks at Grears Motorsports Park were excellent hosts. Dave Grear believes in motorcycle racing and it shows when you look around his facility. Working with Dave and his crew was a pleasure - the fact they opened the gates to their amazing property to a new/ up and coming series like ourselves tells me that they believed in us too - that is met with honor and appreciation. Again, thank you Dave/Robin and the whole crew at Grears Motorsports Park.
For the racers - you came back - you brought friends, again. I sound like a broken record but - we had another record turnout. We broke the 300 entry barrier today. This thing is gaining steam with each race we do - without you guys - this isn’t possible. It sounds like you like the format, it sounds like you like the courses (except mud and dust), and more importantly of all - it sounds like you’re having fun racing your motorcycles. The last is our main goal above all. Thank you for the continued and growing support. We’re going to keep working hard to give you an outstanding racing product.
We have some tweaking to do to the program - in fact I don’t think we’ll ever stop tweaking the program. Thank you for your support - The Whole MERP Crew appreciates YOU.
-Bierbower