Jump to content

Random Track Talk


TimTheAzn
 Share

Recommended Posts

6 hours ago, TimTheAzn said:

Maybe if they repave people would go ride there again.

And stop requiring excessive tech? And stop raising their prices? And stop cancelling events? And have events on weekends? Is whoever owns it ready to sell yet?

RIP Mid Ohio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, RymerC said:

And stop requiring excessive tech? And stop raising their prices? And stop cancelling events? And have events on weekends? Is whoever owns it ready to sell yet?

RIP Mid Ohio.

Curious, what do you consider excessive tech?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/13/2021 at 9:49 PM, OSUYZFR1 said:

Curious, what do you consider excessive tech?

When they started requiring intermediate to safety wire they crossed the line into "really guys?"

Loads of videos at other tracks of people with mirrors that aren't even taped up!, no safety wired anything, stock coolant,  and somehow the world doesn't end.

I'm sure they wouldn't have upped the requirements if they didn't have a problem at some point, but if other tracks are doing it why can't they?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, RymerC said:

When they started requiring intermediate to safety wire they crossed the line into "really guys?"

Loads of videos at other tracks of people with mirrors that aren't even taped up!, no safety wired anything, stock coolant,  and somehow the world doesn't end.

I'm sure they wouldn't have upped the requirements if they didn't have a problem at some point, but if other tracks are doing it why can't they?

Really? Basic safety wiring isnt hard. Are you blaming something like requiring some basic safety wire the cause of Mid Ohio becoming no longer relevant as a motorcycling track? Thats absurd. It's the pavement there that's caused motorcycles to fall out there.

It really sounds like someone hasnt had to scrub a track to clean of oil or coolant in the middle of a track day in the summer heat still wearing their 1pc leathers while loosing track time in the process.... and it shows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/14/2021 at 10:16 PM, RymerC said:

When they started requiring intermediate to safety wire they crossed the line into "really guys?"

Loads of videos at other tracks of people with mirrors that aren't even taped up!, no safety wired anything, stock coolant,  and somehow the world doesn't end.

I'm sure they wouldn't have upped the requirements if they didn't have a problem at some point, but if other tracks are doing it why can't they?

Don’t you only have to safety wire the oil drain, filter, and radiator cap?  I think you may be a little off on this one, this feels like the right amount for intermediate. Their tech inspections seem on par with most other organizations. 
 

I honestly love mid-o and the staff but I wish their track was in better shape and they would stop canceling days. I can only really go on tuesdays and had purchased several certs last year only to have them cancel all Tuesdays. Now I am stuck finding babysitters and taking vacation days trying to fit them in before they expire. Also, if you have a cert that is good until next year and you sign up for a day only for it to get cancelled, they allow you to sign up for another track day but only until the end of the year. This takes away a full year of time to use your cert and leaves you little incentive to sign up early. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/15/2021 at 8:43 AM, TimTheAzn said:

It really sounds like someone hasnt had to scrub a track to clean of oil or coolant in the middle of a track day in the summer heat still wearing their 1pc leathers while loosing track time in the process.... and it shows.

LOL no I've never had to do that.

 

Telling someone "hey man come to the track and spend a couple hundred bucks to see if you like it" is an easy sell. I always bring extra tape to help clueless newbs, get at least one/year. Telling someone "oh yeah, you have to drill holes in some stuff, get safety wire and pliers, remove mirrors, etc" is a major turn-off. LEANTD or whatever only requires that stuff in advanced. Mid ohio has plenty of problems with infrastructure and management, the increasing tech requirements and price can't be helping. And no weekend days is LOL.

 

Also, sorry to inform but the 4/19 mid ohio day has just been cancelled :(

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to make sure I wasn't crazy, Eagles Canyon still has SUPER lax tech.

https://eaglescanyon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ECR_MotoSafetyInspection.pdf

 

LEANTD requires the mid ohio stuff in advanced, but novice and intermediate skate by in mostly streetbike-trim.

https://leantd.com/trackday-regulations

 

Surely the way to get new riders into this isn't MORE stringent requirements and LESS accessible events.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Tonik said:

Not sure I understand the debate here. Mid Ohio is loose on Novice. Just tape mirrors and signals.

 

https://midohio.com/information/official-requirements#ptr

They are in novice. Last few times there, Novice has been follow-the-leader parade laps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/14/2021 at 10:16 PM, RymerC said:

When they started requiring intermediate to safety wire they crossed the line into "really guys?"

Loads of videos at other tracks of people with mirrors that aren't even taped up!, no safety wired anything, stock coolant,  and somehow the world doesn't end.

I'm sure they wouldn't have upped the requirements if they didn't have a problem at some point, but if other tracks are doing it why can't they?

Uh that’s not new. I’ve been riding midohio since 2009 and coaching there since 2015. Wiring the drain plug, filler cap and filter has always been in place and for good reason. Honestly the requirements are right in line with all of the other big players in the track day industry. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, OSUYZFR1 said:

Uh that’s not new. I’ve been riding midohio since 2009 and coaching there since 2015. Wiring the drain plug, filler cap and filter has always been in place and for good reason. Honestly the requirements are right in line with all of the other big players in the track day industry. 

Was it the mid ohio school or whatever in 2009? Or was it still one of the other parties like STT or something doing the rentals. Last few years I've been there it's only been with mid ohio school, maybe they have more requirements than whatever old org I used to track with there.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow Thunderhill has SUPER lenient reqs- unplug or tape lights, tape or fold mirrors, disable lights https://www.funtrackdayz.com/faq/

Chuckwalla gets a little more stringent and adds "drain plug wired or siliconed" and mirrors removed https://chuckwalla.com/motorcycle-events

EvolveGT looks about the same as LEANTD, requiring coolant and some safety wiring for advanced and race groups and recommended but not required for intermediate and novice.

No idea if that has impacted their attendance.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, RymerC said:

Was it the mid ohio school or whatever in 2009? Or was it still one of the other parties like STT or something doing the rentals. Last few years I've been there it's only been with mid ohio school, maybe they have more requirements than whatever old org I used to track with there.

 

It’s been the MidOhio school since like 2010. STT has the same requirements. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where do you draw the line though? Intermediate riders are in the thunder dome. Riding with people fresh out of novice and people on the cusp of advanced group. It's arguably the riskiest group to ride in. Some simple additional requirements is a no-brainer. 

Literally all of the options are easy, drill yourself, buy a pre-drilled bolt, or silicone. How long does it honestly take someone to put a glob of silicone on a bolt?

If someone isn't willing to do some simple things, what's that say about their other maintenance habits? I don't want those kind of lazy people riding on track tbh.

  • Beer 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

before covid, we could put up an autox announcement at CRP and have 70 cars there if the weather wasn't terrible. If we told em "gotta swap coolant, drill this and that, etc" I'd expect maybe 5 cars to show up, if that.

People are lazy. They might be getting lazier? I've already seen 2 tracks and a pile of parking lots get shut down, we're kinda running out of venues here...

Are any of the indoor karting places in columbus doing mini-moto? I've seen that one in cincy does events

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, RymerC said:

before covid, we could put up an autox announcement at CRP and have 70 cars there if the weather wasn't terrible. If we told em "gotta swap coolant, drill this and that, etc" I'd expect maybe 5 cars to show up, if that.

People are lazy. They might be getting lazier? I've already seen 2 tracks and a pile of parking lots get shut down, we're kinda running out of venues here...

Are any of the indoor karting places in columbus doing mini-moto? I've seen that one in cincy does events

Now you're mixing cars with bikes. Just stop there -this is about bikes. 

Working on bikes is 1000x easier in my experience than working on cars.

I havent heard of any of the indoor carting places anywhere near the state of ohio allowing minis to ride on the track. The liability of that is high and the insurance would be outrageous I'd imagine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, for CRP, it was $15 to go down there really any day Steve was available. Hell, if he liked you, you could just show up and leave the money on the table in the shop without him even being there. None of that matters now as CRP is shut down but it's a totally different thing. We have fairly lax tech for mini racing, drain plug, catch can and make sure your brakes/throttle work properly. I have not heard one person complain about these requirements because everyone knows that crashing sucks and these precautions are directly linked to everyone's safety.

At big bike tracks I want more stringent bike tech for anything above novice, not less. Two years ago (I think?) Mark made it mandatory that anyone new to Mid Ohio HAS to start in novice, and you can run pretty much anything in novice... so the barrier for entry is still very low. If they decide track is fun and want to continue there should be enough motivation to do basic safety-wiring. It takes a drill and 10 minutes. I don't want to be out on a track going 170 mph with people who are too lazy to do basic preventative maintenance or make sure safety related tasks are not done.

The issue with Mid-O is that the track surface is dangerous in anything but 100% perfect conditions, and they pretty much only do weekdays so you have to take time off of work on a gamble that the weather will cooperate for the day you schedule your PTO. Other tracks I've ridden, grip is fine on warm damp days, and dry temps down to 50 degrees - if you went out on a sunny 50 degree day at Mid-O you'd best have good insurance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, bowdog said:

Wait CRP is shut down?!?!? where is everyone mini racing this year??

Yeah the owner died and the kids are fighting over who gets all the assets, including CRP. 

We are racing at G&J, Fremont, Adkins and Pittrace this season - mostly split between G&J and Fremont. Cant wait to try the new grom build out at Pitt on the long straight, hoping for 70 mph vs the 50mph XR100's lol. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...