ATV Florida Forum

I have been watching these forums and who knows what the future holds.

For those that do not know me, my name is Brett Jones.  I started Sunshine State Quad Series Association in 2006 just doing MX quad only series.  This year we are expanding and offering other disciplines such as HS for just quads.

Before I get lynched for posting on this section, I want ya-ll to know that I too was a FTR member.  I have been unable to run any of their series due to the time that running a series takes.  FTR is a good organization.  They have done a lot for our sport and I will not take that away from them.

The only reason that I came in this section was to let ya-ll know that no matter what happens with the Quad Scrambles in FTR, there will be a place for ya-ll to race!  SSQSA WILL have a HS discipline this year.  Class structure will be a little different than what you may be use to.  The little kids will be running against kids their own age and quad size.  It is a growing point for our organization.  I hope that you will come try some of our races.  This will give ya-ll some other racing to take place in.

This is a opportunity for all of us to come together.  Not a we verses them type of thing.  This is a chance for you to get more ride time.

Thanks

Brett

Where can we find more details, like classes and a schedule?

I have not released dates yet.  I have tentative dates that are going to be posted in the next couple of days along with classes.  Locations are still in the works.

Our website is www.ssqsa.com

hell ya!!! im excited!! the more practice and the more i success i have to show, the quicker i can chase down Bill balance.  O0

And of course thank you!! you have my support. Your closing says it all.

Brett's the man, he's really making A.T.V. racing something in Florida. I've be racing quads in Florida since 1987 and never seen anyone put forward a program like Brett has. I wish we had something like this back then.
I highly reccomend the SSQSA series to all of you cross country guys, what he's already done in motocross is remarkable. Give it a chance. ;)

Thanks. 

I am working on the youth classes with the 2 storke and 4 stroke issue to figure out what size 4 stroke can run with the 2 strokes.

For everyone else go to www.ssqsa.com  and take a look.  After looking go to the forum section and leave your thoughts.

sound like a good thing ,I'm going to check out the web sight.The we & them is getting old.Just want a group that wants to go out and race & have family fun.
                            Thanks for going the extra yard for the xc racers

Are the XC races going to be held on the same track each time? Or is it a format like FTR with races at different locations? And I must have missed it on your site, where are you located?

Yes, each race will be at different locations. 

I am located in Leesburg.  I do not have a track.  With our MX, FT, TT and XC races we will be doing the Florida Tour. 

One thing that I am trying to bring back is the old style GNC thing.  You will have a champ in each division and then you will have a high point for each class that is eligible.  Should be great.

Hey Brett,I have a couple of questions.What do you expect as far as rider turn out? What are you looking at as far as track length? Would the minis' ride the same length course as the big quads? As far as race locations, are they spread all over or centraly located?  Thanks Jon

Race locations are going to centrally located.  1 or 2 down south and 1 or 2 up in north FL.  I want to keep it as simple as possible.

Track length all depends on property.  Most tracks will be 5 - 6 miles.  If we can incorporate a mx track even better.  Gives spectators more of a chance to see their rider.  That was one thing I didn't like about XC when I was doing them.  You drive 3 -4 hrs and you make 4 laps and your friends get to see you for 1 min of a 2 hr race.  I want the spectators to be able to go out on the coarse and watch also.

With rider turn out it is a shot in the dark.  I think to break even we are going to need to have core of 100 riders.  Would like to see 150 - 175 entries each event and I think this is possible with the cross over riders.

The shorter tracks will make it easier for the ones that are working the coarse and with spectators in the field they can help also.  Everyone should help in some way or another.

For the little guys, it depends on the property also.  With having them going first in the mornings the big track will not be that beat up and the shorter track will allow them to ride the same track.

But like I said these are all thoughts and with yalls help and ideas we can make this work.

it would be awesome if you could add an endurocross section for spectators ....i raced out at the chipley HS this year and the endurocross section fun and adds another aspect to the race

I agree with Big Country up there, that incorporating a quadcross like section with logs, tires, jumps, etc.. would definitely improve your spectator attendance. This is just what the GNCC has done to improve that and its been a success. As far as racing 5-6 mile loops, is alittle small. It gives the racer a feeling of a never ending race, lap after lap with trail conditions getting worse by the second. Most XC racers prefer alittle longer course 8-12 mile. The trail stays in better condition and gives the racer the feeling of not getting tried as fast. You talk to some XC racers a most will tell you that those shorter courses they couldn't wait for that checkered flag, simply b/c there tried of going around the same beat up course. But it is understandable if land size is the issue.

I would definitely support your XC series. My family and I would make ever race as possible. I will also continue to support FTR QS. But by the looks of it there will be no QS only HS and it is a know fact that most of the HS racers do not want quads at there races. It just might be a good thing that a new organization from a new prospective is available. And personly I would like to say thanks. 
 

That is bull crap! It is comments like that that fuel the fire. If what you say is true, which is so far from the truth, we would not have anything. Period. That kind of talk sounds just like the minority community here in the USA. You and I know the community has been given every opportunity to succeed but continues to live the lie that the man is holding him down.
The truth is you are holding yourself and every other quadder down with that kind of talk. You say you will support the SSQSA and FTR? In what capacity? Just to show race and leave. That is not being very supportive and if ANY organization stands a remote chance of making it, they will need a much different kind of support.
Brett is a great guy. We talk all the time. He is 1 man. I know I just spent the last three months of weekends, minus the weekends we had races(2), going out to the property and getting the course built and set up for camping and all the stuff that goes with it. How 1 person is going to make a XC series is beyond me?
I would love it, but getting the existing clubs to find land, make a course, and work the event for SSQSA is not computing in my pea brain.

FTR and it's clubs have went out of their way to make a quad only series. It was all set up. All we(quads) had to do was either make our own clubs, like SAQRA and CFQR, and run our own events or, like I did, join an already existing club. Some of you did just that and for that, the clubs are recognizing us as reall players in this hobby. My hat is off to Paul L #8 who is all alone in a club that 2 years ago would just as soon pile all ATVs up and set them on fire. He has changed their thinking and has the repect of his club mates to go out and help us.
I would recommend doing that. JOIN AN ALREADY EXISTING CLUB. Take your kids and be a part!
 
My club hosted the last race of the season and we had only 137 entries. We needed around 180 just to break even. I think all but two clubs suffered the same financial let down. And let me tell you I have spent MY OWN MONEY THAT I WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN. So did my club mates. If any of you think this is cheap, think again. I know some of you have it soooo worked out where it is cheap. I say good luck. Try it.

Saturday night the clubs and the HS committee decided to return the points to the quads. As you know, there is only the current 3:30 time slot. There will be no more Youths or Pee-wee's. Everything just goes back to the way it was 4 years ago.
If you are unhappy with this, I wondered where you were Saturday night when we needed those parents and kids to speak. There were none. You reap what you sew.
On a positive note, there was NO TALK OF ELIMINATING QUADS. The feeling was that we can and will work this out. There are not that many that want quads eliminated from the series and the ones that do carry no weight. Just a bunch of hot air. The clubs all had ideas and they all included quads.

The problem the HS committee had with the total merge was there was not enough time to analyze
the EC's proposed merge of the QS into the HS weekends. Also the time factor was not working with the rules of FTR. We needed more time to do it legally. If we do not adhere to the rules, we should just throw the rule book out and it becomes an unorganized free-for-all.
Teamsuzuki133-please don't take this post personally, you just said what many are saying and I wanted to clear the air. :)
To everyone else, whichever you decide to support, make sure you support it with the time and effort needed to make it work. This means you will have to work some and race a little less. You have to give back or there is nothing. Remember this WHOLE thing is made up of volunteers. So volunteer for a change and be a part of a solution.
I am proud to have been a part of it all. Myself and others will continue to try and find a way so your kids can race. You try too!

Maybe I'll just keep my mouth shut. And let the one's who really support "either" organization give opinions. After all I just show up and race.

C'mon man, don't take it personally. You said what many said and thats ok. It just needed to be told that it was not true.

I agree with Brian's thought on this...the one thing I'll say that is true..I just got and email from our club's VP and he wants us (my family of quaders) being our racing is over to come help cut trails in for the up coming ENDOURO...we have cut trails for the WW from Aug to Oct. then it was rained out...cut trails on our (RCDR)lease property so every club member can ride...drove 3 weekends to Pinetta (141 mile 1 way) to cut in trails for our hare scramble then we could not race it cause we spent TO MUCH MONEY FOR GAS cutting in trails... went 2 weekends cutting in trails for WW AMP EXTREME Quad scramble (110 miles 1 way) ...

Now the morale to this story is..we have over 80 members and it's ALWAYS the same SMALL group the does the work...I'm sure it's like that at most clubs..I have been part of a pirates club and Parrothead Club...same set of issues...those that do the work...those that show up and DON'T work yet wants to be the 1st to take ALL the glorified at-a-boys...then you have the very small group that does MOST OF THE WORK just so THEIR family can participate...

So next season...before next season JOIN A CLUB AND HELP OUT!!!

I believe this is true with all volunteer groups. 20% of the members do 80% of the work.

If any organization is going to host a Quad XC series the success of that series will depend on volunteers and attendance. 

As stated above join a club and become part of the solution.

I have worked several race events this year in FTR  both QS and HS as well as many weekends helping cut trails and mark the tracks for our club and other clubs nearby.

I can say that this is going to be a growing and learning experience for everyone.  No matter what you do just get involved.

So, just how are you going to do it? Do you have a travelling crew like GNCC?
Where is the first event going to be?
Will you have paramedics with ALS on site?
Is every race going to be at a MX track?
How will the starts be done? I mean what style starting procedure? Do you have any rules? What's this about cash payout I heard about?

You may want to ask some of the Pee-Wee parents for help with the class structure. I am sure there will be many more questions as Oct gets closer.

Well very good questions that will need to be answered.

So, just how are you going to do it? Trial and era.

Do you have a travelling crew like GNCC? I hope that will not be needed but if it is that is a offer that is on the table.

Where is the first event going to be?  Still working on thefirst event.

Will you have paramedics with ALS on site? Yes medical will be at all the races.

Is every race going to be at a MX track? No, every race will not incorporate a MX track.

How will the starts be done?   The starts will be just like the FTR starts.  But I do like the Lamans style starts.  For safety it works a little better.  Splits everyone up a little more.

I mean what style starting procedure? See above answer.

Do you have any rules? Rules are being worked on.  Class structure will be a little different but will work good.

What's this about cash payout I heard about?  The entry fee for the money race will be more than the normal entry fee and you will race for that money - 20% in the pro-Am class.  The Pro Class will be 100% pay back.

You may want to ask some of the Pee-Wee parents for help with the class structure. I am sure there will be many more questions as Oct gets closer.  The one thing about the class structure is we are trying to run it so you can go from one discipline to the other and run the same class against the same people.

There has been a lot of thought that has gone into this and I will be the first to tell you it isn't going to be easy.  Many people thought that SSQSA would not make it when we started the MX series.  And we have.  Not only have we made it this past years banquet we gave out 10K in product and certificates.  Not to bad for a organization not even 2 years old.

We hope to do the same thing with the HS, FT, and TT.