AHRMA Rule Change

[tlanders]

I have sent the following to AHRMA hoping they will add this rule. Please email Dave Lamberth "[email protected]" with your comments.

Dave,

As you know, last fall we were cancelled out at Casey for the Cross Country race. Many of us were there ready to race but the course had been wiped out by the floods. As it turned out, if I had been awarded points for showing up, we wouldn't have gotten into the point problem with Chad Danick and me over the confusion of the rules at the ISDTR.

Also, this spring both Lamoni and Hallett were cancelled. I spent many hours preparing for the race the week before and drove all day Saturday and took a day off from work on Monday to race Hallett. I was there as were you and many others to race Hallett. I am not questioning the wisdom in the cancellation, I am expressing the frustration that we all felt in that we spent a lot of money and time to go and then not get to race. Some guys spent over $1000 to go to that race. If we could have just returned with something in the form of some series points, then the whole weekend would not be a complete loss. AHRMA lost money too.

I have talked to a lot of guys about this since then and have taken their comments and advice to come up with the following concept. If an event is cancelled on the day of a race for any reason, any pre-registered rider who is there or anyone who has come on time to register that morning, if he/she has an approved bike, one that has gone or will go through tech inspection, then he/she should be awarded the points for the last place position in his/her class. E.G. If 3 riders show up for a particular class, they all would get 3rd place position points or 26 series points ( 2 x 13) for the day. If 6 riders show up, they all would get 18 points. If 15 or more show up, they all would get 2 points, the same as 14th place. I ran this idea by James Smith (at Ridgedale), who might have the burden of inspecting bikes after the event is cancelled and inspecting them in the rain, and he said that he thought that awarding the points was a good enough idea to make it worth it. Corky, Claude and Sy were there during this discussion and they thought it made sense also.

Many I talked to thought it was a good rule change because:

1. The riders would rather race, but if they are not allowed to, at least they get something for the time and money invested. It will encourage riders to come to events and not stay home because they are afraid it might be cancelled.
2. AHRMA keeps the riders entry fees and makes the money that is expected and is in the budget as revenue for the year. If a hundred riders are there, that's $3500 that will come in and will not have to be made up somewhere else to keep the budget on track.
3. It will help with tie breakers, providing points to the riders who have made the effort to support AHRMA and attend the races.

Here is my specific recommended rule change for events cancelled on the day of the event:

Rule 11:5:g

In the event that an event is rained out or cancelled by the track owner or anyone else for any reason on the day of the event and before any motos have run, registered riders for the event, who have passed tech inspection, will receive the points they would have received if both motos had run and they had come in the last place position in their class. In this event and in the case where there are 15 or more riders in a class, each rider would receive 2 series points.

I hope this rule passes and helps make AHRMA a more enjoyable experience for our members and also a more profitable organization.

Teddy Landers, 62D



 

[Mike Lenz]

Sounds good to me!

 

[lobo6y]

Teddy,
Emotionally I support your rule change ( I went 1400mi one way to Hallett), but logically, I cannot.
Race points should be earned only on the track, and then given on starts, laps completed and finish place at the checkered.  Anything else becomes way too complicated and unfair.  
I don't know of any motorsport where this is done (unless the race has started and is cancelled after that).
It's really a tough call, but "That's Racing!"
JMHO
Dave
PS.  Let's be happy we're not dirttrackers, they have many weather cancellations!

 

[OUCWBOY]

This is really a tough one. On one hand I agree that someone that travels so far to attend an event only to have it canceled at the last minute, should get something. It's not like these guys are getting rich on their vintage winnings! I really don't understand how events get canceled in the first place. Many years ago, you would just race. Rain, shine, sleet or snow. Floods or no floods. Sure it sometimes took a little more effort on the host group or owner, but I rememer doing a MX event where it had rained for a week before the event and about 1/4 of the track was through a creek bed. Well, with all the rain the creek was running full. Good think I was on my 69 Penton cause water was up to the bottom of the tank. I won that event, I was the only 125 bike to finish both motos (And the only Penton). If a race or event is published and scheduled there should never be a reason to cancel it.
That's just my two cents worth.
Donny

[lobo6y]

Hi Donny,
You are right, it's a tough one.  Much of this discussion was precipitated by the cancellation of the AHRMA Hallett, OK VIntage National MX this year. ( I have no knowledge of the Cross Country).
As all of us who raced in the old days, I too ran in extreme conditions, including the 1973 Capital City Enduro in Tallahassee,  Fla  (year before it was National). I won the overall (on a 125 DKW!) only because I was on minute 2 and the course was almost completely underwater - almost nobody behind me could make it!
Hallett was cancelled by the AHRMA Executive Director, Dave Lamberth, because of safety concerns (one of the few valid reasons, in my humble opinion - and the opinion of the liability attorneys).  The entire state/region was under severe tornado and thunderstorm watch. Dave Lamberth and Dave Boydstun (Off Road Director) had been glued to the weather channel since 430AM that morning.  Similar weather dangers last year led to cancellation of some Div 1 college football games and golf tournaments (yeah- I know, they're wimps!).
Point is, in RARE circumstances it may in fact be appropriate to cancel rather than risk the worst case - a dead competitor riding a lightning rod in a thunderstorm.  For those who stayed around Hallet tearing down the course and digging motorhomes out of the grass pits, we began to see lightning about 9AM.  I didn't stay much past that as most were well on their way.
regards, dave

 

[OUCWBOY]

Dave,
That is one time when I think it might be a good time to cancel.

[lobo6y]

Donny,
Where in the west are you located?  Are you going to be at Chehalis next weekend?
I'd look forward to meeting you and other POGers, if so.
I'll be easy to find, I'm, the AHRMA West MX Tech lead (large EZ up labeled for AHRMA Tech), and I'll be in late Friday afternoon, work permitting.
For any who haven't been there, Chehalis is a great event.  About6 an hour south of Seattle,  it is a once a year grass track  with lots of character on the farmland (with creek running through) of an AHRMA member he harvest it the week before the race.  Jim Pomeroy stated a couple years ago that it was very much "De-ja Vu" for some of the best Euro GP tracks of "the day".
regards. dave
AHRMA MX #6y

 

[OUCWBOY]

Dave,
I'm in the San Diego area and would really love to attend Chehalis. Sorry, I won't be able to attend this year. Still looking forward to meeting lots of you guys too.
Have fun!
Donny

[rob w]

Teddy, I will email Dave also in support of your new rule proposal, sounds like you've already paid your dues with enough cancellations, I can relate, and if Corky Root gives it a nod, I must agree. The ahrma michigan mx series also visits a nice grass track at Red Bud/Buchanan on Oct. 19 Thanks Teddy, Seeya, Bob.

 

[lobo6y]

Donny,
 I get down to SD for work occasionally and I also race at Carlsbad from time to time (I prefer the old GP track -I'm such a darn traditionalist!).
Are you a CVRG member?  They are based out of Carlsbad and have monthy races and practices (2 weekends/month of vintage MX).  Typically have a BBQ running, as well.
dave

 

[OUCWBOY]

Dave,
I have not joined the CALVMX group yet, but have visisted their web site and have been added to their list for upcoming events. I intend to join soon. I have spoken to Mark Biro about the events. I purchased a bike from him about a year ago. Nice group of folks.
I have been to Carlsbad once since I got back into bikes. I visited there many times in the 70's.
Donny