track prep preferences

[tj131]

No need for pissing matches fellas..

For the record I loved Malvern over the years. His prep in my experiences was not the extreme conditions im referring to and IMO always great.

However I don't know Meister but if that's how he feels I respect he just says it (types it). My intention for this thread was to see if I've lost touch with what I consider good prep for fun conditions and need to take up golf

My thought was this.... lighter prep/less water = less time = less fuel etc.

If the track needs attention shut it down for 45 minutes and hit some spots with a little water and a disc (or whatever is used to turn over the soil)

I would gladly wait 45 minutes rather than wait around for 2-3 hours for the track to maybe come around. Maybe I'm crazy and that's not feasible. Just a thought.

And... I've posted once on here in a long time asking about Malvern and got real heat. Then to find out what I asked about was true and it's gone. If you can't openly speak on this Ohio motocross forum and ask questions about Ohio Motocross, then what is the point of this site?

 

[Ajk2smoke]

I think different tracks attract different crowds and they owners know there demographic and who will be showing up and cater to that particular crowd.

It's simple for me, I prefer a slightly rutted track over a dry hard packed track. So I simply avoid those dry tracks without any complaining as I understand that's just how they want to prep and or operate. If you don't like it then don't go. Easy as that. I've been on a 18 year hiatus and just got back into it a little over a year ago and things have changed A LOT. I've also changed tho.and what I liked back in my race days I don't like now in my vet days.

I'm just thankful we have tracks to ride on regularly because you never know what the future will hold.

 

[MX_Implements]

Thanks everyone, I try to strike a balance with prep, sometimes we hit it, sometimes we don’t. We are not a training facility, we are an enjoyment facility. Sometimes we are at the mercy of the weather, equipment and other things. Honestly I’m more proud of our consistency than anything. It’s pretty hard to hit something similar 70-75% of the time. We try to make it fun to ride. That is all.

Cough cough ….

 

[Roachy]

I can't imagine why anyone would complain about Malvern. I am sad it is closing, one of the few tracks that I will load up and go to ride MX.

 

[mshafer62]

I would guess most tracks don't wont to hear the negativity... and I don't blame them..

To clarify, my post had nothing to do with track owners hearing negativity...

I was suggesting they post a comment about how they prepped the track before opening.
Was it chiseled to China for the Pros? Intermediate Prep? Vet Prep? No Prep?
With that information, we as end users can make a choice regarding which track to ride.
And right now we are blessed with so many choices.

 

[jfalat]

To clarify, my post had nothing to do with track owners hearing negativity...

I was suggesting they post a comment about how they prepped the track before opening.
Was it chiseled to China for the Pros? Intermediate Prep? Vet Prep? No Prep?
With that information, we as end users can make a choice regarding which track to ride.
And right now we are blessed with so many choices.

I understand what your saying but just kind of like this thread went side ways real quick... most people have a way of turning everything into a complaint.. I for one will never bash a track.. I am thankful we have so many to ride.. I am also very disappointed on the closer of Malvern.. only made it there once a year for Dave fest but man the place was super fun and last layout was a blast.... Braaaaap!!!

 

[alphado]

Mike from Dirt World was awesome at prepping the track. It was the same every time you went.

 

[Meister]

Todd, I too have known Bobby for over 20 years. Ill add a little more context regarding original post. Im not typing anything I wouldn't or havent said to him, or you, or Carlisle. You should know that about me by now. I didnt mean for my comment to be that deep of a jab. Hes always been receptive to constructive criticism though and I've always respected that about Bobby. If you own a motocross track, you better be able to handle people's opinions. If you cant youll have hurt feelings all the time. Bobby is not hurt feelings kinda guy. Bobby is a hard working SOB and had done so many great things for Malvern. Turned the place into a park. He didn't prep that way all the time either, and i know that. Mainly for "big" races. Problem was, lots of people based opinions off of those big deep races. Listen, Im as sad as anyone that Malvern is gone. My first gate drop was there in 1996. In this instance it was just the closest track to home, that is no longer (relevant), so i used it as an example. Im not poking at anyone's current business here. Just sharing my thoughts, which is what this forum is here for. Sorry if that makes me an ahole, and if it does, im ok with that.

My point was, if I'm hearing it from people talk about it unprovoked, i must not be the only one.

Carlisle, you and I both probably have a similar understanding on what it takes. Weve both had our private tracks and been into the sport for similar amounts of time. Ive put tons if time into dirt off the bike. Youre on to something tho that if I ran a track id prep it how I like to ride it. Problem today is, not many track owners even ride anymore, so they prep with what seems to be a different mentality than that. The Lorettas mentality I mentioned above.

 

[Mcaupp22]

Well if you like not so deep prep with ruts in corners but not on straights or jump faces you really need to check out COCR. Closest you’ll get to that prep your talking about. Still gets rough but not crazy ruts just in corners and chop and breaking bumps. Not overwatered not over tilled. Same with Eastfork recently deep ruts in corners with chop but no straight away ruts and still can move around. My main thing is I like ruts but when your racing and need to pass but the track is a slot car and you cannot move around that’s when the prep sucks. I get it rough track separates people but when everyone is riding one line around the whole track it blows. Lincoln trail was gnarly this year for the LLAQ was insanely soft and ruts were 10-12 in each corner you stuck in one from beggining to end of the track. Hard to pass as you could imagine. Redbud for regionals is the definition of a slot car track. However Millville was complete opposite. You could move around and make passes but had good ruts in the corners. The happy medium is out there and quite a few tracks get it right.

 

[Meister]

No need for pissing matches fellas..

For the record I loved Malvern over the years. His prep in my experiences was not the extreme conditions im referring to and IMO always great.

However I don't know Meister but if that's how he feels I respect he just says it (types it). My intention for this thread was to see if I've lost touch with what I consider good prep for fun conditions and need to take up golf

My thought was this.... lighter prep/less water = less time = less fuel etc.

If the track needs attention shut it down for 45 minutes and hit some spots with a little water and a disc (or whatever is used to turn over the soil)

I would gladly wait 45 minutes rather than wait around for 2-3 hours for the track to maybe come around. Maybe I'm crazy and that's not feasible. Just a thought.

And... I've posted once on here in a long time asking about Malvern and got real heat. Then to find out what I asked about was true and it's gone. If you can't openly speak on this Ohio motocross forum and ask questions about Ohio Motocross, then what is the point of this site?

I agree with you, but i hate golf. Lol you havent lost touch though, youve just noticed the changes that dont seem to be for the betterment of the sport.

Malvern has always been a sensitive subject because feelings get involved. So many people have something of some kind invested there... time, friendships, work, history, memories, so it can get touchy if there's anything negative mentioned. I understand it, but again, only used it as a reference because its now an after thought.

 

[mshafer62]

It's all about having fun on our dirt bikes and controlling (somewhat) the risk

I've said it before but we are so lucky to have the facilities available.
That day of having a farm tractor with a mower and disc is long gone.
They now have big bucks invested, possibly with loans and big expenses.
They want to keep us riding at their track.

So when you're at a track, politely ask the owner to post what conditions to expect that day
before opening. Not just a picture of tilled soil.
Then you, as a customer, can make an informed choice to visit the track or go elsewhere.

-Pro Prep
-Intermediate Prep
-Vet Prep
-No Prep

 

[tj131]

Maybe....
Open both days on the weekend, maybe 1 day "pro" prep and one day "vet prep"? I don't truly know what it takes to do either but I've rode both and I know which I prefer.

Just not willing to almost eat s**t every lap Going down a straight section or keeping it straight on a big jump face during an open practice anymore...

 

[Romanyak256]

Nothing to be intimidated by anymore. Only one large triple and it's safe and easy to double. Everything else is user friendly.

Facts. I hadn’t rode Moto in a couple years and jumped everything lap 1 except the triple, which i doubled. That prep a few weeks back was spectacular.

 

[Carlisle]

Best track prepper of all time for races? At least where I have raced. Gotta go with George singler! Close second is don kenworthy!!!

 

[Carlisle]

Yep good ole George!!! Practice would be brutal but by race time track was premo, and if he thought it might be getting to dry he’d water while you were racing!!!! Miss that man!!! 1 of a kind he was.

 

[SCHAFFERNOCKER]

Yep good ole George!!! Practice would be brutal but by race time track was premo, and if he thought it might be getting to dry he’d water while you were racing!!!! Miss that man!!! 1 of a kind he was.

No lie. My first ever at that track for a race A class was up, the leader is way way out front and here comes George watering the track mid moto. The leader had to check up, give him the finger, and then moto on.

 

[JMO330]

Just bring back 90's- early 00's prep.... which im not sure what it means exactly, but i know what it means to me.

 

[Ron505]

Well if you like not so deep prep with ruts in corners but not on straights or jump faces you really need to check out COCR. Closest you’ll get to that prep your talking about. Still gets rough but not crazy ruts just in corners and chop and breaking bumps. Not overwatered not over tilled. Same with Eastfork recently deep ruts in corners with chop but no straight away ruts and still can move around. My main thing is I like ruts but when your racing and need to pass but the track is a slot car and you cannot move around that’s when the prep sucks. I get it rough track separates people but when everyone is riding one line around the whole track it blows. Lincoln trail was gnarly this year for the LLAQ was insanely soft and ruts were 10-12 in each corner you stuck in one from beggining to end of the track. Hard to pass as you could imagine. Redbud for regionals is the definition of a slot car track. However Millville was complete opposite. You could move around and make passes but had good ruts in the corners. The happy medium is out there and quite a few tracks get it right.

Thanks Matthew, I was thinking the same as I was reading. COCR typically has Vet Prep down.

Me personally, I'd prefer a little dust to peg draggers, especially on jump faces.

 

[John250]

I agree on this chest thumping, make it rougher than hell BS prep. 99% of the riders do not race qualifiers, regionals or Lorettas. Look at the entry list from the East Fork qualifers. Very few of the normal 400 riders even rode that event. Matthew was one of two kids from Ohio in the 450 class. TWO Ohio riders at a race in Ohio. Prep tracks for the guys racing your races. These are not the Loretta kids.

Check out the facebook pages of these tracks. The photo below is Rt. 62. They are no different than all these tracks, they post photos of slot car tracks and say things, like "you missed it if you were not here, these condions were great". NO, that is not great. Happy I missed it. No one want ten ruts across a jump face, going up to a double or big table top.

To me, Jeremy Osborn and Jason Rogers both had the best prep around. Only time BC has been off, is rain induced, and even then, JO got the place as good as he could. Jason Rodgers, same at Malvern. The place was great and fun when Jason was running it. Scott does a good job at East Fork as well, but with 400-500 riders, the place just gets insanely rough most days. But Scott knows how to water it usually was not over watered.

To me one of the best pro nationals of the year is Millville. Watch it from the last couple years. It is not deep, not a slot car track, and produced the best racing of the whole season, because guys could go anywhere on the track.

 

[Carlisle]

To all you experts, please stop comparing track to track, owner to owner. Soil is different at every single track in the United States. I remember a lot of riders on here missing scenic highlands. Maybe I’m from a different planet but that dirt sucked. Prep was awful, always dusty when I went there and a ton of shale. One of the worst tracks as far as dirt I have ever rode. Goes along with broomtioga. But seems everyone misses scenic. So if I understand this right the local yocals want a nice smooth track with not a lot of bumps or ruts and just nice berms in the corners? See a lot of people complaining about the supercross tracks and all the ruts and breaking down of the dirt. The biggest reason you are seeing this is the fact that they do not put lime in the dirt anymore since the mess they had years ago and the fact that the internal rotation of the four stroke and power they are putting to the ground is destroying the dirt. These tracks are built in days and don’t have enough time to compact and settle, especially without the lime in the dirt. It’s only going to get worse!