A C-level rider's take on the mud and the efforts of the promoter(s):
There's always bantering about the mud. To those of you A and upper B level riders my hats are off to you. The rest of us are probably not gonna have fun in the mudfests. Mud is one thing, these last 2 races though have been outrageous. 3 of my B level riding buddies went to Madison and failed to do a lap. I went to the Paragon race but left the bike on the trailer..I'm sure I wouldn't have made a lap. I will continue to try to race this series but won't pay $35 to get stuck for an hour and not make a lap-this is not the promoters fault and I'm not putting blame on anyone. I know the promoters are trying to put on a good event and make the best of a situation. I think they worked hard..pulling trucks out of the mud and I saw Andy more than once helping riders, pushing broken quads, and covered in mud and sweat. I know I'm not up to the skill yet to make a race like that enjoyable so I'll wait for better weather..give me crap I don't care. I'll develop my mud skills when I can ride 8 hrs and truly improve my skills instead of enter a race where I'll spend 40 of the 90 minutes getting out of one mud hole.
I have 2 items of advise...an update over the PA would have been a great way to keep riders in the know of delayed start times, etc, and the quads shouldn't be allowed to sign in until the bike race starts...just like the website says. It would also be nice if there could be some straight answers when guys post before the race asking about the mud conditions. All the replies (I think none were from promoters) seem to be "it's not that bad". I think there's a huge fear that if someone posts and says "it looks bad" that no one will show. I think the majority would still show. I think misleading the fair weather riders ticks them off and they won't ever come back. I think it's costing the series money in the long run to not just come out and say "it's gonna be a mess this weekend". Then the fair weather racers can stay home but then show up during better weather happy to hand over $35 for a race instead of feeling "once bit twice shy". I'm not blaming anyone for my showing at Paragon, I watched the radar and knew I probalby wouldn't race once I got there and I DON'T regret making the drive. I just think many others will look at it differently and give up one the series.
I think you new what you were in for on the rain. If you didnt when you pulled up an saw tractors pulling people in. Then that was your sign to head out if you cant take it. I didnt enjoy the mud an will never do it again. However I cant wait for the next race. DEFINITELY SHOULD BE BIKE SIGN UP ONLY UNTIL ITS DONE. Then the 4-wheelers sign up. That was the only complaint I had.
---------- i started doing harescrambles to get away from dangerous blind jumps like the motocross tracks have now. i`ve been told that harescrambles is just what is natural.what`s up with the dozers? not just this series,but others in indiana.
im the guy helping run rider registration. and i can assure you that no quad rider signed up before the bike start. however some did wait in line and then get mad when they got up to the trailer and i had to send them off and tell them to come back once all bikes have started. our registration computer program will not let us sign up quads during the bike registration time. before we start registration, christy has to choose between YOUTH, BIKE, QUAD, and UTV classes. therefore that is the only one that can sign up at that time. and for the warning for the weather and people sayin "it's not that bad" .... i got the track around 4p.m. on saturday. and the track really wasnt "THAT BAD" at all. what made it bad was all the rain we got while everyone was sleeping. as far as we knew all that rain was supposed to blow over. the weather channel later changed the forcast.
thanks, ethan ---------- website coming soon, until then email me at gibson133@live.com - quadzone username gibson133 and pm me there - 765-721-3311 - low pricing and high quality work
I agree the mud races suck how ever its XC Racing & when its muddy its the same for everyone !! It is what it is the weather people never can get the forecast right so most of the time we are driving at least 2 Hrs minimum to each race some more than that but if you watch the weather at all you will see that you are taking a chance when they are calling for rain & I myself would much rather race in the mud than have it so dusty you cant see what is right in front of you !!!Good tires are the key & I see guys showeing up to the races with tires that would be good for flat tracking lol but will not get you thru the mud & so many guys want to ease into the mud holes & thats not how you should approach them you have to hit them with some speed to get thru !!!! Mud racing sucks & I dont enjoy racing in the mud but some of my best finishes have been in the mud races !! The national series is no different than the local series & I know a bunch of riders that went to the Loretta Lynn race & it was a mud fest & lets not forget about Ironman, I have only been to 2 of them & both times worse conditions I have ever rode & or camped in so yea it does SUCK but is a part of XC Racing !!!! Ride on & lets get DIRTY !!!!!! ---------- ED'S CYCLE REPAIR - Owner Ed Harrell MUD MOTORSPORTS Owner's Jim & Josh Jet Motorsports Owner Nick Adams Ed Harrell & his wife Bobbie !!! YAMAHA YFZ450 HARRELL BROTHERS RACING Thanks to Bob & Missy Kelsey Thank God Thanks to my daughter Jamie & son Mikey for your support & coming to the Races !! Miss you Mom & Dad (RIP)
I appreciate the replies. Yeap, as I and some of you said, I knew what I was in for. No complaints there and no complaints at the promoters-just constructive advise. I totally agree that with XC racing you get what you get. As for people saying "it's not that bad" I understand that 2 days previous it probably wasn't that bad...good point. As for quad guys signing up early, I understand now, thanks for the clarification and for sticking to your rules. Maybe a PA announcement that quads can't sign up until bike race starts would have saved the quad guys some frustration. Maybe I missed such an announcement. I think there was a PA system, it seems I heard one early in the morning. I appreciate all the mature responses. I hope this topic will in some way help the series be as successful as possible.
Everyone should know when to sign up. It is the same in every series.
---------- Ed's Cycle Repair 765-537-2182 / Parks Motorsports 317-996-4040 Rocket Ron Racing Shocks 317-319-4381 / Mud Motorsports 765-349-8938 HARRELL BROTHERS RACING TEAM Thanks to my wife Bobbie and all my family for their support.
I agree with the PA feedback. People need to be informed of when it is going to start if the start has been changed.
Another change trying to be made is a riders meeting when they are pulling the last race out.
Constructive solutions are a great thing in any situation or business. I know people want to race as much as possible. One way to help all series is to not just complain but to give a solution or possible solutions. This is the best way I have figured out to help solve issues. The people who run series are just normal people like the rest of us.
I think there is some good info here. Maybe some signs at the trailer posting which signup is going on at that time. ---------- MWXC Site Admin I do not ride with a driver that text messages while driving, say NO also and put this in your signature.
#134 07Outlaw525LE/08Outlaw525XCR Sponsor-R. Falcone Powersports THANKS www.slyfoxmx.com!!!! Visit www.polarisriders.com The Best Polaris forum!
the one race I did...oh and 1 lap...I knew it was gonna be muddy and I like the mud...but for allt he guys to go 1/4 mile around the pits then to the hill kinda sucked...seems like maybe a little fore thought into hey its may and its gonna rain should go into it... I agree that maybe they should be easier so even the less skilled riders can do some laps and enjoy themselves... I thought the pits were good, the start was good, markings were good, even signup (i didnt wait)...only complaint was "the hill"...but all is good and when schedule permits(korhs) i will be back...
On that race Racemx904 my understanding was they had to start the race in a flat area and that was it and the only way to get into the woods was across the creek (river at time! lol) and up the hill. I know they look for every alternative into the woods. That morning all they could do was hope we could make that hill.
I was impressed with the event and had a good time. Andy, I asked you on the phone early that morning to be honest about the conditions and you were. You even texted me an update when you had more info and my hat is off to you for that. It will be invaluable in the future to know that you will give fair updates and not just "it's xc racing, come on down". Probably a couple entry fees were lost by being honest but the series as a whole will prosper b/c of it. I have shared my views with several riding buddies and a couple plan to attend your next event. If your customers trust you then you'll have a succesful business so keep it up!
As for the event itself I thought the course held up great to the rain. The one steep climb that rutted out was nearly shot by lap 2. Several people were redirected or figured out on their own to take a different route to the left about 150 feet prior to the climb. Some may call it cheating but it was a longer way to go and given the circumstances I think it was logical to go that route. I chose not to b/c I was worried about it being cheating. I'm sure the marshal wished I took the alternate! An official re-route midrace I think would have been a good idea. The two marshals that spent a lot of time there were very busy. I'm not criticizing. It's impossible to build a perfect course.
The creeks were great, smaller frequent logs made for a good variety and the grass section with all the elevation changes was actually pretty entertaining. Running start seemed OK, either way is fine.
I heard more PA annnouncements this time...very helpful!
It would have been nice to have someone at the rutted hill the last couple of laps. I continued to go up the hill and made it every time except the last two laps. My lap times showed it. As I was stuck on the hill or fighting to get up it, I could see other bikes shooting across the top from the alternate route that was not marked as part of the track.
I think that hill should have had an alternate....I went up it 2 times with no problem...once stuck with a dude on a DRZ....and around twice....if oyu have to make the alternate WAY WAY longer then thats more than fair....
the IndyMoto track crew was out keeping an eye on everything, as soon as they told me that hill was bad i sent someone to reroute around it, thanks for all the input and suggestions, we do listen to them ---------- anyone can buy a trophy, earn one!
Gary, I DON'T doubt that you did exactly what you say you did, but fyi, as of my last lap there appeared to be no official re-route around that hill. I think my last lap was finished really early (I was at my pit at 1:05pm, which should have been 1hr 35 min after the start) so maybe others running later on the course found that area officially re-routed? This isn't criticism, just feedback. You never know how the course is going to hold up and there's not much time to make changes. I was very pleased that the course held up as well as it did. Thanks for everyone's efforts!!!
