MX Nationals going down hill?

[TWILES]

It might just be me but the attendance at the first 4 nationals looks like it sucks. Is everyone broke or is the series losing the interest of racers? The one time I raced at Lorretta's you had to qualify for every class except the 30+ and so on age classes. I said in 2002 when the bike motors started showing up in 250R frames that it would spell the decline of ATV MX racing because it was getting too expensive. I started seeing people with a $25,000 bike setting in a truck with rust holes in it....WTF? I don't want to be right BUT its looking like I am. I know the 450's boosted the sales and interest of ATVing greatly but I'm afraid that they "newbie's" are getting a taste of the money it actually takes to compete and are not getting to do so like expected by the promoters. I know the ATV people have worked hard to try and gain the respect and interest the bike world has but I'm affraid they are cutting their own throats. It sure did push me in the direction of 2 wheels and I'm stay'n.

[rollie]

the ATVA nationals are declining, but the popularity of racing is going WAY up with the WPSA series, with purses, its on TV

[TWILES]

I agree about the WPSA series.

[kawai 521]

I also agree, but twiles you are right about the price to compeat. I race in GNCC's and I also race in my local series. ive been racing for a few years now and to run up front you have to pay. first you have to buy a quad 8000 then a front end 3000 then rear end setup 1000 then wheels tires, tire balls 2500. now you gotta buy pipe nerfs bars hand guards bumpers....blah blah blah. with bikes you can go out and buy a used 250 2 stroke for 2500, and make the suspension competitve for another 500, maybee tires and handguards, and you can go race for a quarter of the cost. it all depends on how far your wallet can take you.
As for the MX attendence i agree they are like going to a local dist race. although the GNCC's are getting HUGE. they are pulling in the people

[TWILES]

There were more riders at Lorratta Lynn's 10 years ago on 250R's than there have been at any of the first 4 MX Nationals.

[Crashmore 22]

I agree 100% about the attendance. The atmosphere is a lot different than in the past. I will to Pell City, AL. There were no vendors and the PRO's acted like they were all there to simply practice. I drove 3 hours one way to watch the races, but due to the lack of excitement I left after the 3:00 pm Pro practice and canceled my hotel reservation. GNC better do something quick, because I went to my last GNC event and sure there are others that share my thoughts.

[trick250r]

as far as the attendance at the ATVA nats go, of course its gonna suck. the WPSA got a head start on the televised thing so by the time the ATVA decided to televise their events, most racers already made plans to race the WPSA series. the WPSa is the big dog in town and whatever its doing its working. personally, i think all of the riders should stick to the AMA sanction events... just because they run a pro class at the WPSA series, doesnt mean they're considered a pro athelete. the AMA now considers pro quad riders as professional atheletes which means that if the ATVA takes off like i think it will, you'll see the the money in that series, not the WPSA. the riders will go with the money and exposure. give it time, the ATVA nats will pick up and the WPSA will be gone.


ive only raced a few GNCC events and i know that suspension and everything helps but i guarantee that if you put bill ballance on a stock yammie with maybe tires and some flexx bars, he would still win.

[Rulz]

What is a joke is calling the current "production" classes production! There isn't much production with these new 450's by the time you see them on the track. I don't consider a production quad simply having it's frame and engine cases! If the industry/racing is concerned, make these classes a true production class. Such as adding only safety related items such as nerfs, kill switch and beadlocks and that's all. That would allow your cost to invest in these machines 1/2 of what it currently costs to race. Then one's true a ability is what will win races.

[Pappy]

havent they been cancelling the practice weekends for the wpsa's due to poor attendence?

gas prices are hurting every series there is...period.

[rollie]

i think some people just dont know which series to race, personally i think the ATVA nationals are trying to finally get something going. and the WPSA is more of just a TV show,i think the ATVA nationals will pick up populartyonce they get some cash purses

[TWILES]

Originally posted by Crashmore 22
I agree 100% about the attendance. The atmosphere is a lot different than in the past. I will to Pell City, AL. There were no vendors and the PRO's acted like they were all there to simply practice. I drove 3 hours one way to watch the races, but due to the lack of excitement I left after the 3:00 pm Pro practice and canceled my hotel reservation. GNC better do something quick, because I went to my last GNC event and sure there are others that share my thoughts.

We drove out to Bountville 2 years ago with some friends who were racing and It was fun. It felt like Lorretta's did the first couple of years I went. The people were nice, vendors were nice, and the food was fit to eat and not priced like its was your last meal. It was like a local but with a real Pro class. I agree totally, the atmosphere sucks. The kid in C thinks he's going Pro and doesn't care what anyone older and faster has to say. It like the "weekend warrior's" have been replaced with punk kids with parents who have never even seen a race before. Its like everyone there has this F-you atitude. People like me and you are growing in this area. I really feel like its going to bite the the AMA in the end. When you lose the working class people who are normally decent and respectfull to each other and replace them with those with different atitudes towards those to have to make a living, sh!it goes down hill with any organized event. They always end up running off the good people and it ends up being a bunch of *********s that fight and in the end, whatever the series is(basketball, football, atv racing), has nothing and I really think that without some serious PR and some kind of claiming rule to keep the money down, all atv MX racing series's are going to be hurting just like they were here 10 years ago when I started racing.

[zeus54]

I can attest to everyone's comments. I always feel like an outsider whenever I go someplace new. I make an honest effort just to talk with people on many different levels, because I'm no better than the next guy who just spent all night fixing his stuff to race the next day.Whenever i see someone having trouble with something I don't hesitate to jump in and help out, but some people get offended and I can understand that sometimes,but is it going to matter that I now know what you have done to your machine and all the secrecy along with it. Don't get me wrong I know it's competitive and winning a race is something everyone would love to achieve but in all honesty is it really that important to win a plastic trophy. The bragging rights are nice though.
What happened to us helping other people or guiding them if you will? I live to ride my atv and there's nothing better to me than seeing someone else feel the same way.

[esr250r86]

I attended the itp quadcross races and there seems to be alot of people showing up to race and lots of spectators.