I respect all opinions here, but there is an issue here that should be considered.
As a very slow MX racer, I gave racing at a modern track away due to both lack of ability and the danger of being lapped. It's one thing to be lapped on a nice natural terrain grasstrack, another to be lapped on a modern MX track. Given we now have Pre 85 and Pre 90 classes and ex Aussie champs (or even current champs) racing, the speed and talent differential is high. Add in table tops and larger jumps and the recipe is there for a higher than usual level of risk.
I wouldn't like to suggest grading or preventing people riding, but what is the answer? Maybe emphasis at rider's brief on the need for slower riders to maintain their lines, and perhaps to stick to the side of larger or table top style jumps? Maybe for track marshalls to spot very slow riders or riders about to be passed and give them a blue flag like in the Yank races?
Graeme you raise some good points and whilst I first want to acknowledge this forum is not the place for this to be resolved, it is a good place to discuss some ideas and experiences. I was fortunate enough to be involved in a conversation around the camp site on Saturday night with a few of the organisers so I hope I am not speaking out of turn but I believe I can add to the discussion. Here is my perspective:
In the pre 90 250 (same race as Nathan Senior) I was also lapped around the last lap by the 1st and 2nd riders (Burty and Deaks I think). I think I was running just in front of Nathan at the time as I kept seeing his headlight when I glanced around
. Like Nathan, this has never happend to me before either and I think I know why (aside from the fact I'm older and slower than ever
).
The track was fantastic, hell the event was fantastic, but we did have that discussion I mentioned between a few people on Saturday night that the track was a bit too challenging in a range of spots for all but the top 10% of the riders. What that means is that it was a very challenging track and whilst I'm not complaining because I was able to challenge myself (just about every bloody jump
), it really allowed the fast guys to go fast and really slowed up the rest of us. I'm probably making a meal out of explaining this correctly but what I am trying to say is that the track was probably too hard for the majority of the riders and the effect of that was a large variance in the lap times.
Subsequently the fast guys were lapping a large % of the field within 6 laps
I know that my poor little 77 YZ250D, still with only 9 inches of travel and fresh from the Classic Champs last year, now has a bent frame under the motor where I consistently cased out trying to get that bloody uphill double jump. I could do it on my 89 CR250 but just could not get the YZ over the 2nd jump and man did it hit hard. I know another good rider with a YZ125 that bent his LH footpeg on Saturday casing out only to then bend the spare one I lent him on Sunday. I mean we (and I'm using the royal "we" here referring to the mid-pack runners) were trying but the track was just a bit too hard in a number of spots for the majority of us. And the fact you couldn't make those doubles meant you were a lot slower than if you could. I wasn't comfortable with rolling jumps because that wasn't challenging for me AND I didn't want anyone faster landing on me either so I gave it a red hot go every time .. only to come up short
Anyway, it is a discussion we should have (not only here) and it's important to me that people understand my comments above are
not a criticism of the track or the event. But I think a good way to ensure this isn't an issue in the future would be to have a track that allowed say 60 - 70% of us to clear the jumps. Someone quite knowledgeable said on Saturday night that maybe there could be a capable rider given the job of determining if the jumps are okay for the majority of skill levels?? Just a thought?
Oh and just before I finish .. I didn't notice any blue flags being waved by the marshalls. When I was lapped by Deaks the first time it was quite a shock to me as was another time Burty blasted up the inside of me on a corner. If nothing else, a blue flag would have been very handy I think.
I hope these comments are taken in the positive manner to which they were given
