AHRMA out at VMD

[brian kirby]

Jay is right, you guys that think AHRMA runs things poorly, just wait until AMA gets ahold of it. I've got my issues with AHRMA, but AMA is far worse.

Brian

'73 Berkshire

[Larry Perkins]

I guess I see the AMA different.  I have raced AMA MX as a Pro and an Amatuer and AMA Enduro as an Amatuer at the National level and never once did I get beat with the pencil or had them change the rules in the middle of the season.  I continually have that problem with AHRMA.  

The AMA press release may be nothing in the end which is why I am anxious to see what they have to offer.  The fact that they will at least offer #1 plates in some classes that are the equivelant to the other AMA plates and will award them at a real awards banquet with the likes of Bubba, Reed, Lafferty, and more is an awesome thought.  Also the idea of racing different disciplines in the hunt of being Grand National Champion is intriguing.  I have never done Trials, Flat Track, or Road Racing but I might try one day in the hunt of that.  In the end AMA may do no better than AHRMA but if so they would have to work at it.  

If nothing else thay would add newer bikes and youth eventually because there is money in it.  Also because they already field a slew of National Youth events on a road that leads to Loretta Lynn's.  I just hope someone does or our sport will not live much longer than we do.

[Mike Lenz]

You know, in the midwest we really dont need any of them.  I wonder if they realize that?  Midwest VMX and MOVMX are doing wonderful jobs, and now both have a USVMX national in their series.  They also have youth classes, newer bike classes, ect.  They have what we have asked for!  Hell either one of these series will run any damn class WE want.  You want a buddy class on 1966 Nortons?  Show up in force and Id bet either series would do it. You just cant ask for more than that. Thats what makes it fun. It sounds like AHRMA may have blown it a second time...and dont even get me started on the AMA and this lead law.  One of the AMA's primary reasons for being is to moniter PROPOSED laws and get involved if ANY possible problems COULD exist in the PROPOSED law, NOT PASSED LAWS! I will keep my AMA membership because we have no one else in washington. Thats easy for me because its free. But I say as far as racing goes, support the grass roots efforts...and let AMA and AHRMA spend other peoples money on lawyers! The best part of Mid Ohio is the swap meet anyway. The VMX tracks have never been great. Cool tracks and layed back people are what turn me on about vintage racing.  Everything else is just stuff you have to go through TO GET OUT ON THE TRACK! I think AHRMA and the AMA may have "lost track" of this fact.

[firstturn]

I Like Mike Fan Club.[]

Ron Carbaugh

[CharlieT]

BTW, just who is going to go to VMD anyway?

I'll be there. Will be riding my '71 steeltanker in the AMA museum's parade of vintage bike's and from what I understand, the bikes in the parade will be on display over the weekend. Got my pole-climber boots laced up, polished the old Bell 500TX helmet and joffa mouthguard, but unfortunately, my Penton Jersey seems to have shrunk several sizes over the last couple of decades.

[Dennis Jones]

I think you guys wishing the worst for AHRMA are trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Before AHRMA our beloved vintage dirt bikes were only worth what they would bring at the scrap yard.

A lot of the regional series are doing great but they all started off AHRMA's coat tails. Is AHRMA perfect? NO WAY! But the lure of a national title and riding at quality events like Mid-Ohio, Daytona, Road America, Road Atlanta, Steamboat, Ect, Ect is what made vintage what it is, or was.

As a past regional coordinator (AHRMA/Midwest Vintage Trials) I worked with both AMA and AHRMA offices and I can assure you a lot of AHRMA's problems started with regional egos. IE. if I can't do it my way or if I can't be top dog I'll start my own series.

OK off my box.


Dennis Jones

[Dwight Rudder]

quote:Originally posted by Dennis Jones

I think you guys wishing the worst for AHRMA are trying to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. Before AHRMA our beloved vintage dirt bikes were only worth what they would bring at the scrap yard.

A lot of the regional series are doing great but they all started off AHRMA's coat tails. Is AHRMA perfect? NO WAY! But the lure of a national title and riding at quality events like Mid-Ohio, Daytona, Road America, Road Atlanta, Steamboat, Ect, Ect is what made vintage what it is, or was.

As a past regional coordinator (AHRMA/Midwest Vintage Trials) I worked with both AMA and AHRMA offices and I can assure you a lot of AHRMA's problems started with regional egos. IE. if I can't do it my way or if I can't be top dog I'll start my own series.

OK off my box.


Dennis Jones

[^]

[Larry Perkins]

Dennis,

In the case of MOVMX which is probably the largest state series in the U.S. the split was not so much ego as that AHRMA did not want kids or 100's to race.  AHRMA told Curtis our way or the highway and Curtis chose the highway.  MOVMX will have 150 riders on a bad day and 300 plus on a good one.  The majority of AHRMA's National races don't do as well.  I can not speak for the other series you have in mind but with MOVMX AHRMA killed a fat hog not seeing the light and in my opinion ego had little to do with it.

Larry P

[Dennis Jones]

Larry,

Curtis is a good friend and we have stayed at each others houses and tipped many brews discussing AHRMA and vintage bikes and you are correct that there is no ego issue with MOVMX. But he is a very good business man.

The 100 class was not much of an issue since as a promoter you could have any kind of support classes you wanted at an event. In the trials we would let modern bikes ride. They would pay their entry fee and be an exibition class, no one cared. We could (unoffically of course) let new people ride one event without joining AHRMA to see how much fun it was. They would almost always be back and join. Couldn't do that with AMA, it was pay up or don't ride.

The youth class is a whole other issue. Right or wrong AHRMA said no and there is a lot of money to be made by saying yes. MOVMX was big enough to stand alone and that is the way it went and is doing very well.

It still started out as an AHRMA regional series useing their structure and help and left when it wanted to do things different than current rules. Was AHRMA hard headed? Yes, but as a coordinator you know the rules going in.

The trials series is more of an example I was thinking of, it has been hijacked and now a shell of what it used to be. If you look at the national schedule there is only one event left in the center of the country.
When all the series are independant we have killed the golden goose.









Dennis Jones

[Larry Perkins]

Good points Dennis.  I will be glad when this all settles out one way or the other.  Then I will at least know what is going to happen to a certain extent.  I just hope some good changes come from it and hope it does not turn out how it did when I thought deregulating the phone thing was a good idea.

Larry P