How cool is endurance racing????

[TRK]

Too cool!

[jmaher]

A little more track time and maybe some conditioning and I am ready to do that again.

[trackpimp]

its so awesome, I ran us out of gas at one point! :lol:

[Jim 'smooth' Brewer]

What a blast! Mohammer and I were blabing about it and he brought up the point that it's truly a team event. Rather than have your pit crew sit and do nothing while you're racing, they are prepping for pit stops, signaling the rider, helping swap bikes, all sorts of fun.

I think the endurance race is much better than any type of practice - mostly because it's a real race! Personally, I don't put much if any effort into passing someone in practice (except for Davey G!) but during the endurance I had a completely different mindset. Did anyone else feel the same?

[nwatkins176]

It felt great to be at full tilt boogie right out of pit lane, also the amount of track time at speed was priceless. Thinking about heading down to TX at the end of the season for a team 6 hour event at Texas World. Endurance was very addicting.

[oldtimer]

I thought this event rocked the house! I hope everyone agrees we should repeat in 2011!!

[peteyt328]

fo shizzle! Just not sure if I will try to do it solo again.. I still can't walk normal.

[rforsythe]

Doing it solo rocked, I would totally do that again.

[TRK]

I am down for a TRUE endurance series, from the beginning of the season until the end. It would be easy to model the series after WERA.

[froth]

If we could just get people to share one bike, that would be something else! Real endurance racing, even with multiple bikes is the best!

[random hero]

I am down for a TRUE endurance series, from the beginning of the season until the end. It would be easy to model the series after WERA.

I SECOND THIS!! I'd be for scrapping the 3 sperate endurance races on Saturdays and doing a full season.... I for one love endurance racing!!!

[cromer611]

should make la mans starts for endurance races : P

[Jim 'smooth' Brewer]

I am down for a TRUE endurance series, from the beginning of the season until the end. It would be easy to model the series after WERA.

Absolutely!

Seems like forever that the MRA has been struggling with how to make racing cheaper for the racer. Here's a thought ..

* Instead of team vs. solo classes, have single bike vs. pony express
* Single bike can be solo or multi-rider - they're scored together, but separate from pony express.
* The "cheaper racing" is that multi-rider/single bike teams can share the cost of tires, bike maintenance, fuel, etc.
* Have the events vary between 2-4 hours (depending on available daylight)

[dave.gallant]

What a blast! Mohammer and I were blabing about it and he brought up the point that it's truly a team event. Rather than have your pit crew sit and do nothing while you're racing, they are prepping for pit stops, signaling the rider, helping swap bikes, all sorts of fun.

I think the endurance race is much better than any type of practice - mostly because it's a real race! Personally, I don't put much if any effort into passing someone in practice (except for Davey G!) but during the endurance I had a completely different mindset. Did anyone else feel the same?

Don't even drag me into this.

True endurance racing is some of the most fun I have ever had racing. Rain, snow, CBR600s that fall apart (remmeber that Mikey?), SV650s that win Wera National LW Races in OK of all places, helping big guys race little bikes on Pirellis down to the cords (and keep going)...I can go on forever.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much fun. There are a bunch of us here that have done it over the years and I bet we can all safely say nothing really compares to the drama that lasts for like 6 hours. (or 4, or 8, or however long the damn race is).

[froth]

Ditto for Dave and Jim :P

[jplracing]

I am in for a true endurance series!

[rforsythe]

Any thoughts on combining the current endurance races into a single hour or hour and a half kind of thing? I think we showed at this event that 55 bikes of literally every displacement possible in the MRA can share the grid and track for quite a while safely, even with the closing speeds that do come from putting ZX10's up against 125's and SV's. The USBA has some success with their series, running shorter 1.5-hr races most weekends but throwing in some 4-hr races here and there. It seems like we could do something similar without really affecting the schedule too much, reducing people's track time, or negatively affecting revenue. 1.5hr would be just long enough to keep people in the "endurance" mindset as well, which is where this got fun for me.

[random hero]

I for one would rather see a 2-4 hour race, with emphasis on team's, pit stops, etc... Instead of having 55 people out there riding around for 90 minutes.

[rforsythe]

I for one would rather see a 2-4 hour race, with emphasis on team's, pit stops, etc... Instead of having 55 people out there riding around for 90 minutes.

Yes, and I think a few times a year it'd be a hit, but every weekend I don't. The shorter ones are useful too, and less expensive.

[KeithLincoln]

If you're looking for a good example on how to run a club endurance series, check out the CMRA. They've run series for the minis and big bikes for many years now, and do a great job of it.

www.cmraracing.com

They're racing in Hallett, OK this weekend, and have 3 more races after that.

Along with the mini classes, I think their endurance series is a big reason why they consistently develop young riders that go on to do well in the AMA and beyond (Spies, Danny Eslick, Dane Westby, Cory West, Hayden Gillim, Dustin Dominguez, etc).

In their endurance races, teams must have at least 2 riders, and use a single bike, so no pony-express or solo teams. Big bike endurance is broken into 4 classes, based on the bike. There's no novice or expert classes.

Endurance racing is a great way for several riders to get together and split the costs. It also gets friends and family involved with preparation and pit stops.

I think it would be great addition to the race weekend.

Keith

[oldtimer]

As a reminder, rule change proposals are due by October 1st. So if you guys want to propose new endurance rules you have about 2 months to put it together. Plenty of time! :)

[nwatkins176]

If you're looking for a good example on how to run a club endurance series, check out the CMRA. They've run series for the minis and big bikes for many years now, and do a great job of it.

www.cmraracing.com

They're racing in Hallett, OK this weekend, and have 3 more races after that.

Along with the mini classes, I think their endurance series is a big reason why they consistently develop young riders that go on to do well in the AMA and beyond (Spies, Danny Eslick, Dane Westby, Cory West, Hayden Gillim, Dustin Dominguez, etc).

In their endurance races, teams must have at least 2 riders, and use a single bike, so no pony-express or solo teams. Big bike endurance is broken into 4 classes, based on the bike. There's no novice or expert classes.

Endurance racing is a great way for several riders to get together and split the costs. It also gets friends and family involved with preparation and pit stops.

I think it would be great addition to the race weekend.

Keith


A few of us are looking at Halloween Weekend at TWS.

I too would love a true endurance series. I would be down for that next season.

[hcr25]

I for one would rather see a 2-4 hour race, with emphasis on team's, pit stops, etc... Instead of having 55 people out there riding around for 90 minutes.

This statement has me curious. You are saying a rider who is out there solo for 90 minutes is not racing just riding around because the length of the race? In a 90 minute race, a solo rider would have to do one if not two stops for fuel depending on the bike. How is this less of a race because it is not a multiple rider team? Did you race the endurance class? If so how did you do?

Mike

[TRK]

I am down for 3 to 4 hours every weekend. Teams or solo. GTO GTU and a GTL class. No pony express, and only one bike if you are a team or solo entrant.

[dave.gallant]

Just to point out the obvious since others are expressing interest:

If there is a seat on a bike available for cost splitting, I would be there.

(All Moham, Applehans, and myself would need is neon orange leathers and it would be like the "old days"!)

[trackpimp]

The TrackDaz boys and I are already talking about loading up our trailer and coming out for this event next season.

I'm all for the 1-bike, at least 2-rider rules... for endurance.. Sorta like the old CCS "Team Challenge" rules.

Solo is OKay too.. But lets get rid of Pony Express, and do 1 bike, and real endurance.. If enough entries, have it be broken down by classes.

Open, 600, 650-Twin, etc..

Anyway you guys make it, we're doing it! MRA freakin ROCKS!

[TRK]

I really believe if we had a true Endurance series that was 4 plus hours every weekend with a structured payout (like ROR) and decent contingency, we would attract a lot of out of state riders. I think we would bring riders into the sport because they could share racing expenses as well.

[random hero]

I for one would rather see a 2-4 hour race, with emphasis on team's, pit stops, etc... Instead of having 55 people out there riding around for 90 minutes.

This statement has me curious. You are saying a rider who is out there solo for 90 minutes is not racing just riding around because the length of the race? In a 90 minute race, a solo rider would have to do one if not two stops for fuel depending on the bike. How is this less of a race because it is not a multiple rider team? Did you race the endurance class? If so how did you do?

Mike

I didn't say anything about a solo endurance being any "less" of a race... I meant I'd rather see an endurance race w/a minimum 2 person teams, having more on an emphasis on a team, pit stops, strategy. I personally love the 30 minute endurance race, but imo we have few people who could keep a "race pace" riding solo for 90 minutes... I know I'm gassed after the 30 minute's :lol:

I don't have a problem w/the way things are now, but like others stated, I think real long distance endurance races would draw people from all over.

[TRK]

Just to point out the obvious since others are expressing interest:

If there is a seat on a bike available for cost splitting, I would be there.

(All Moham, Applehans, and myself would need is neon orange leathers and it would be like the "old days"!)


DUDE! Neon is making a comeback

[TRK]

I have had a few emails and phone calls asking when the next four hour is. I can't believe how many people are excited about this. Too bad I had to say...........I don't know

[dave.gallant]

Just to point out the obvious since others are expressing interest:

If there is a seat on a bike available for cost splitting, I would be there.

(All Moham, Applehans, and myself would need is neon orange leathers and it would be like the "old days"!)


DUDE! Neon is making a comeback

Comeback?

I think it never left!!

If your leathers can't leave bright orange streaks down the pavement and people don't say "duuuude -- turn those things off. you are blinding me!", then, well, your leathers SUCK.

:D

( I think Shane would be proud of us, that krusty old bastard. :) )

[TRK]

Shane...........I hear he has new hair LOL