July 8 Ocala Thunderbowl Speedway Flattrack

[HillKiller]

   Sorry about the late post. I thought Tim the track manager would be posting the schedule today but since he hasn't yet here is some info:

Quad racing is still on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Next race is July 8, 7pm. Last night racing finished up about 10pm, things were moving right along. I heard alot of you gripe about the dry conditions that still exist in the heats but once dark falls and the track is watered, the track holds moisture good. Tim told me they have new equipment now and will be working on the surface alot more.
 
Superstar took a hard spill. Anyone heard from him? I heard it was his collarbone and then I heard shoulder...
 
At the drivers meeting two weeks ago everyone heard "no more knobbies". Actually knobbies are still ok but only in the Beginner class and Peewee class. Flattrack tires are mandatory in the Junior and Pro classes.

Safety Gear: Ray (the flagman) expects to see gloves, helmet, eyewear, boots, long pants, and a chest protector.

Rough Driving: ...will get you DQ'd for the whole night. The flagman is serious about this. Since we are open wheel racing he made it clear in the drivers meeting there is no bumping. If you are going into the corner too fast and you hit the guy in front of you then you are doing something wrong. If you are fast enough to run down someone entering the corner then pass them on the outside, don't knock someone out of the way. Ray has the memory of an elephant and he doesn't miss much. Also, as a general rule, the line is not yours until you clear the guy you are passing. Clean passes earn respect and handshakes, riding over your head so-to-speak isn't cool. Anyway, enough about this, please no one reply to this with comments about specific incidents, lets wash dirty laundry privately.

For those of you who race two classes. I am working with Tim about getting a reduced entry fee for your second entry (same rider). More to follow...
 
 Gentlemen, the floor is yours....

[HillKiller]

   Congrats to Doug on a huge win in the Pro Main..you have been more than patient for a well deserved win. 
Good job! 

 Here's the finishing order of the Pro class Main event:

1st Doug Honda 450R
2nd David B 450 R
3rd Gary Suz 450R
4th Dave Banshee
5th Brian Honda 450R
6th Raymond Banshee
7th Tim Yam 450

The Junior Main results (help me out here somebody)

1st Gary Suz 450R
2nd Chris 250R
3rd someone fill in the rest...

[Pro52R]

how much is it to race?

Is this TT style or just oval?Is a sway bar recommended? How long is the track?

Are cannondales aloud?lol

[HillKiller]

$25 to race (includes gate entry) 2  10 lap heats and a 12 lap main

$7 for spectators 7 and up

  Swaybars are recommended, it is an oval.
  Track is approx 1/4 mile (probably a little less)
  Yes, Cannondales are welcome.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I thought the track really started to come in for the main. Coming out of every corner my clutch was slipping until about half way down the straight, especialy turn 2.

Im pretty sure I wont be there the 8th were packing up and moving to the new house and I have a lot of packing, moving, building fences, ETC. to do on the weekends. If things go faster than expected then ill be there.. but doubtful..

[Quad32x]

Heres  a  question.  How  can  you  run  the  so  called  PRO  class  and  ALSO  the  now  called  Junior  class  on  the  same  bike ?  Dont  seen  to  be  very  fair  to  the  guys  in  the  Junior  class  that  are  new  to  the  sport  to  me.  I  would  think  that  once  you  make  the  jump  to  the  Pro  class  then  you  should  have  to  stay  there. 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Your not the first to say that, ALOT of people were bringing that up sat night.

[Quad32x]

I  would  say  if  you  want  or  need  more  seat  time  then  pay  for  it.  As  in  an  Open  Money  class.  Evrybody  put  $20.  bucks  in  the  pot  and  pay  back  as  voted  on  by  the  riders  involved.

[derek330]

Heres  a  question.  How  can  you  run  the  so  called  PRO  class  and  ALSO  the  now  called  Junior  class  on  the  same  bike ?  Dont  seen  to  be  very  fair  to  the  guys  in  the  Junior  class  that  are  new  to  the  sport  to  me.  I  would  think  that  once  you  make  the  jump  to  the  Pro  class  then  you  should  have  to  stay  there. 

i agree....  if you are fast enoguh to run the (pro) class then its not fair to go into the junior class and whoop up on people.. thats just wrong. the only reason people do that is because they are not fast enough to win pro but are fast enough to win junior. so in that case they should just keep racing pro until they can win... i say if anyone ever gets into the junior class and whoops everyone by a long ways then they need to be advanced to the pro class!! !!
congrats to gary and doug for their wins!! keep it up......
give the junior riders a chance to win racing with guys that are on there level of racing.
not a guy from the pro class that is just picking on people!!    like fairygary.... quit picking on those junior guys man!!  lol
congrasts to gary and doug on their wins!! keep it up.......

good point that dave made, lets keep the racing clean people!! !! !!
its all for fun... it wont be fun anymore when people are getting hurt all the time becasue other people are riding over their heads....... 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Humm... well what about this, lets say I run the 250r in the Intermediate class and then I run my banshee in the open class. would that be OK?  Also, Why do the names keep changing? very confusing....

[Quad32x]

Humm... well what about this, lets say I run the 250r in the Intermediate class and then I run my banshee in the open class. would that be OK?  Also, Why do the names keep changing? very confusing....

I  dont  think  anybody  would  have  a  problem  with  that  Chris.  I  was  talking  with  some  of  the  other  racers  and  they  brought  up  the  question  I  had  before.  Two  different  bikes  fine.  But  same  guy  and  same  bike  in  both  classes  makes  no  sense.

[HillKiller]

Ok everyone, about the two classes and same rider issue...I purposely didn't mention in my earlier post anything about if someone is riding two bikes or one. Tim and Ray haven't given me a specific rule on this but I am sure it will be decided before the next race and announced in the driver's meeting. I know there was some discussion about it because Gary and David B (Torri Racing) were riding in the Junior and Pro class on the same bike, which is a no-no in other motorsports (Nascar for example). I realize there needs to be a rule for this but also keep in mind two things:

1. Gary normally rides in the Junior class and he went up to run Pro at the last race for the first time in months. Will he move up and stay there, only Gary knows. He didn't win the Pro class but he did the Junior class.
2. David B. has enough motor to run the Pro class but alot of people voiced concern about either his rough driving or lack of experience on flattrack (whichever you want to call it). It has always been a general rule that if someone wants to run the Pro class then they need to know how to race like a Pro, not just fast, but in control. In the past if someone showed up to race their first time and wanted to run in the Pro class, they were discouraged but if they run Junior or Beginner then other riders say they are in the wrong class. It goes back to what some of us talked about before...run a lower class at first, then when you win 3 times you move up and stay there. On the other hand I think it is fine if you have two bikes and want to run two classes...ie same rider, two bikes in two classes.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Well what if this "person" keeps getting black flagged in every Junior race he has been in? 
They actually came in 1st, but since they were black flagged they didnt get scored...

[superstar]

Damage report  (#2),

       This is getting old. lol  Killer you were informed correctly. I managed to break my collar bone, and give myself a concussion. I honestly have no recollection of what happened. Infact, the last thing i remember about saturday was just before leaving the house. I woke up yesterday morning in a recliner in my parents florida room, w/ my riding pants on and a funky back pack type x brace on. ?. I was told that someone made the comment that i was way too aggressive, and wreckless. I apologize to any and everyone who may have taken my style of competition offensive. Like i said i dont remember what happened, and if i involved anyone in my accident it was 100% unintentional. I was told that it looked like someone came down on me in the corner and i lost control. I have no idea. If so, then i guess racin is racin, but if thats what it takes for some folks to find there way up front, ill be the first to let off and give em the go ahead. I ve got a job to go to on monday morning just like everybody else, and i dont line up on saturday night w/ the intentions of takin someone out just to move up a spot or 2. I was raised to believe that cheatin aint competein. Either way, i guess it comes w/ the territory. Right now were starrin at around 6 weeks of short term disability. Whether well be back or not, only time will tell,Until then good luck to all of you. John

     

[Hoosier Daddy]

WOW john! well hurry and and get better! better your colar bone than your sholder.

[1fastltr450]

Humm... well what about this, lets say I run the 250r in the Intermediate class and then I run my banshee in the open class. would that be OK?  Also, Why do the names keep changing? very confusing....

I  dont  think  anybody  would  have  a  problem  with  that  Chris.  I  was  talking  with  some  of  the  other  racers  and  they  brought  up  the  question  I  had  before.  Two  different  bikes  fine.  But  same  guy  and  same  bike  in  both  classes  makes  no  sense.

 I hate these people that do this I dont think it makes much sense either. I wish they would quite doing this

[Scott270r]

LOL Gary,

I told you you were about to get booted up a class today. You have no business in the Boom Boom class anyway.

P.S. It was cool hanging out with you at lunch today. Hit me up whenever your in the area again.

[1fastltr450]

I forgot to tell everyone that I was on a different bikethey are both ltr450s

[Hoosier Daddy]

Humm... well what about this, lets say I run the 250r in the Intermediate class and then I run my banshee in the open class. would that be OK?  Also, Why do the names keep changing? very confusing....

I  dont  think  anybody  would  have  a  problem  with  that  Chris.  I  was  talking  with  some  of  the  other  racers  and  they  brought  up  the  question  I  had  before.  Two  different  bikes  fine.  But  same  guy  and  same  bike  in  both  classes  makes  no  sense.

 I hate these people that do this I dont think it makes much sense either. I wish they would quite doing this

doing what? im confused...

[1fastltr450]

riding same bike in 2 classes I dont like it

[Hoosier Daddy]

gotcha!

[HillKiller]

Damage report  (#2),

       This is getting old. lol  Killer you were informed correctly. I managed to break my collar bone, and give myself a concussion. I honestly have no recollection of what happened. Infact, the last thing i remember about saturday was just before leaving the house. I woke up yesterday morning in a recliner in my parents florida room, w/ my riding pants on and a funky back pack type x brace on. ?. I was told that someone made the comment that i was way too aggressive, and wreckless. I apologize to any and everyone who may have taken my style of competition offensive. Like i said i dont remember what happened, and if i involved anyone in my accident it was 100% unintentional. I was told that it looked like someone came down on me in the corner and i lost control. I have no idea. If so, then i guess racin is racin, but if thats what it takes for some folks to find there way up front, ill be the first to let off and give em the go ahead. I ve got a job to go to on monday morning just like everybody else, and i dont line up on saturday night w/ the intentions of takin someone out just to move up a spot or 2. I was raised to believe that cheatin aint competein. Either way, i guess it comes w/ the territory. Right now were starrin at around 6 weeks of short term disability. Whether well be back or not, only time will tell,Until then good luck to all of you. John    

    John, from what I saw, you were bumped, then you spun around backwards and then sideways then flipped. The comments about aggressive driving I am pretty sure were referring to another rider after you left the track. Hope you get better soon!

[HillKiller]

Well what if this "person" keeps getting black flagged in every Junior race he has been in? 
They actually came in 1st, but since they were black flagged they didnt get scored...

   Its up to Ray and Tim how they want to handle it.

[VForce700]

I have a question about the classes. What are the different classes and what are the standards to be in each class. Usually at most tracks there is a "A", "B", and "C" or it is broken down into age groups. How are things here?

What are the titles of the classes. Does this pertain to the bike and motor or the rider's abilities? The one main class in question is the "open class" what is considered to be open? 

[superstar]

WOW john! well hurry and and get better! better your colar bone than your sholder.

Thank you sir.