Has Loretta's time come?

[Logan #34's Dad]

Just wondering what peoples opinions are about Loretta's that attended the event. Were they impressed, indifferent or disappointed?
My family in particular was not real impressed. Keep in mind this was only our 2nd venture to the "event". After an eventful trip there that took 13hrs instead of the intended 9 we woke on Tuesday morning to the Racer Production people wanting their money for the gate fee. ($145). Then we hear the swimming pool will not be open until Wednesday morning. (it was in the 90's all week). Now, keep in mind that the AMA folks were very worried about all the pitbike riding and the safety of those kids (justifiably so.) So, my wife and I went to the Loretta office to ask what the status of the pool was and they then told us that it would not be opened until Thursday at 10am when a lifeguard would be on duty. Keep in mind, there was never a lifeguard there the prior year. The ranch representative said the pool would not open due to there being an "event". Then basically passed the buck to Rita from Racer Productions. Stating that she would have to be responsible for the pool and getting a lifeguard. (Again - there is a very large sign stating that there is NO lifeguard on duty and to swiw at your own risk.) SO, we went to Rita and she said that she technically is not even suppose to be there until Thursday. Which means we are all guests of the Ranch until Thursday. Understood. So, after our questioning of the ranch people and explaining to them that these kids need multiple activities to keep them occupied AND that we came there early to make a relaxing vacation out of the trip and had planned on doing nothing and laying around the pool, somehow the pool was opened on Wednesday around noon (w/o a lifeguard too).
Then to top that off, the ranch grounds keeper came to my site looking for them there people that gave his workers a hard time. (which we did not. - God forbid if you question someone and voice your dissent.) Now, we were not there, thank goodness because I don't know what his intensions were. I would have hated to get thrown out.:devil: Enough about that.
MY OTHER ISSUE IS, If you arrive on Thursday (once the "event" is said to begin) you still have to pay $30.00 per night to stay at the ranch whether you get a full hook-up or primative camp. More Money out of our pockets. NOW, when we go to all the rest of the Nationals we NEVER have to pay to be on the property. Just one more way to take our hard earned money at Loretta's. It's bad enough that we have to pay an ADULT price for a 12yo at the gate that ain't allowed to even drive a golf cart or pit vehicle unless they are 18yo.
With everyone struggling to make ends meet with this great economy you'd think the AMA would look for ways to help us out a little.
So, back to the question, Do we REALLY need to keep making Loretta's the main event or could one of the other tracks or even a new track become the main event?

[hotquads1]

Originally posted by Logan #34's Dad
MY OTHER ISSUE IS, If you arrive on Thursday (once the "event" is said to begin) you still have to pay $30.00 per night to stay at the ranch whether you get a full hook-up or primative camp. More Money out of our pockets. NOW, when we go to all the rest of the Nationals we NEVER have to pay to be on the property.
question, Do we REALLY need to keep making Loretta's the main event or could one of the other tracks or even a new track become the main event? [/B]
.
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the extra camping money is to pay the lifeguard at the pool . LOL

I can't imagine not going to Lorreta's for the final race , but I am an old guy and we don't like change.

[edwardsp&b]

my only problem was the prices, and the fact that getting there tuesday morning and still camping WAY in the back. the kids prices were pretty high, plus your paying for your racer to attend and then pay to race. all in all we had a good time, we did run into some douchebag teenage kids a few times, i kept my mouth shut. (surprisingly) we enjoyed meeting everybody and we will be looking forward to next year!

[zach R 7x]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hotquads1
[B].
.
the extra camping money is to pay the lifeguard at the pool . LOL

now thats funny!

thats why we parked in the back forty! (':D')

what about the pit bike rules? i saw tons of kids riding pit bikes,with and with out helmets .

if you are going to make rules, then enforce them ! my son drove me crazy because he saw everybody else riding their pit bike, so he could not understand why he could not ride his.

all in all i did not see to many problems ,and had a great time .

[mxkids]

Actually Loretta Lynn's Dude ranch is the one who charges for the camping. Racer Productions has nothing to do with that.

[Logan #34's Dad]

Originally posted by mxkids
Actually Loretta Lynn's Dude ranch is the one who charges for the camping. Racer Productions has nothing to do with that.

Yes, I'm aware that the ranch charges us for camping. No other track charges people to stay there for the "event". $30.00 per night after Thursday for primitive camping OR full hook up ain't right. I have no problem with paying for the first part of the week but why do they charge once the "event" starts? No other track does.
The only issue I have with racer productions is that they charge an adult price for a 12yo to get in the gate and limit their activity to that of a child. Only in this world is a 12yo considered an adult. I'd personally like to see a family rate. Consisting of two adults and kids for a set Max rate.

[LT80]

I'm sorry but I had a big LOL on this subject.
Ahhh it was a blistering hot day in Lorretta land and ol LT and his kids roll in on Wednesday (early back then, 1997) and deside to take a swim..OH WAIT, the pool is green and has broken glass in it (or maybe it was just green and the next year it had glass), I go down and I get the "The pool is not part of your camping, it'll be going in a cpl days. It's cuz of the bike ppl".
The first year at LL I got excited..spent 2k in total for the weekend (gas and all).
Sucky track, sucky weather, sucky ppl (Sorry).
It's nice to see that nothing has changed. :eek2: :devil:

[mxkids]

Originally posted by Logan #34's Dad
Yes, I'm aware that the ranch charges us for camping. No other track charges people to stay there for the "event". $30.00 per night after Thursday for primitive camping OR full hook up ain't right. I have no problem with paying for the first part of the week but why do they charge once the "event" starts? No other track does.
The only issue I have with racer productions is that they charge an adult price for a 12yo to get in the gate and limit their activity to that of a child. Only in this world is a 12yo considered an adult. I'd personally like to see a family rate. Consisting of two adults and kids for a set Max rate.

We have always had to pay for each night. We always go down on Monday and drop our stuff off so we pay for Monday-Sat. Although we ususally do not get back down until Thursday after the kids get out of school. So we pay for time not even being there.

I agree that charging a 12yo adult prices is a little pricey. We would not let our boys take their pit bikes at ALL. Why, because IT IS A RULE. Some will follow and some will not. They will let their kids ride up and down the pit without a helmet, popping wheelies, going way to fast for little kids to be playing right in front of them. Why, I guess it is to keep them busy. I wish they would enforce the rule. We follow the rules plain and simple. My boys are 15 and 14, they would love to be riding their pit bikes around. But they will not as long as it is a rule. If the parents would help inforce the rules things could get better as well. But when you have parents who do not, I don't see it getting any better until they start taking the pit bikes up and giving it back to the parents at the end of the race. IMO

I do think there needs to be rules that are enforced and this is one of them.

Sonia

[redonkulousruntsracing]

I'm glad we didn't come. I was under the impression that Loretta's was "THE" place to go for young up and coming talent to get seen and noticed by the organization and factory reps. But now I am learning that if we ride on 2 wheels, that is the case, it is not the same for those who ride 4 wheels, so I don't really see the draw to go there. I guess we will just keep hitting the local races, and the couple of Nationals that are nearby and for get about coming to Loretta's.

[JAG Motosports]

The staff at Loretta's were very cranky with people this year. Rumor has it that the dirt bike series the week before gave them a lot of problems so by the time the quads showed up they had had enough. I agree about the charging age 12 + adult prices was ridiculous. My 14 year old was charged as an adult and then was told he couldn't drive a golf cart because he wasn't 18 years old. Give me a break, it's a golf cart!!! So to sum it all up, we had fun but it could have been better. The track conditions were not the greatest.

Oh yeah, ran into some "not so friendly" teenagers myself. Usually you don't find that in the quad racing scene. I was surprised. All I have to say is spare the rod, spoil the child! Teach your kids to show some respect people.

Rhonda Gibson

[mxkids]

Originally posted by JAG Motosports
The staff at Loretta's were very cranky with people this year. Rumor has it that the dirt bike series the week before gave them a lot of problems so by the time the quads showed up they had had enough. I agree about the charging age 12 + adult prices was ridiculous. My 14 year old was charged as an adult and then was told he couldn't drive a golf cart because he wasn't 18 years old. Give me a break, it's a golf cart!!! So to sum it all up, we had fun but it could have been better. The track conditions were not the greatest.

Oh yeah, ran into some "not so friendly" teenagers myself. Usually you don't find that in the quad racing scene. I was surprised. All I have to say is spare the rod, spoil the child! Teach your kids to show some respect people.

Rhonda Gibson

Could not agree more.

[EthansDad]

I like Loretta's, but don't like the time and money vested to get there. I think its an expectations issue. Is it a vacation, or a race? I can think of lots of better places to go that have a pool. The year before, we go there early and camped up front. was nice to be by the pool. This year, people were getting there the weekend before to get those spots. Paying a $150 for field camping and taking a week off work was not great for me.

I'd like to keep loretta's as the season closer, but next year, I think I'll save the $150 and time and just get there on Thursday like we do at all nationals. I don't mind camping without a RV hook up if its only a few days.

The other Issue I had was with folks buying up and reserving spots. When we rolled in on Tuesday, people had come in and bought 3+ spots for their friends that were not there yet. problem was, everyone that got there early had reserved a bunch of spots for their regional buddies and the whole front was gone with only a few RVs actually parked in there.

Next year, I'll hit the bank up, roll in on Friday and buy up the whole front area. Then, I'll gladly sell you a spot for $250 when you show up.:devil: Maybe that will convince loretta's to put a cap on reserved spots to make it fair for all that can't take a week off just to get a "good" camp site.

[redonkulousruntsracing]

Ok, I have been reading all of this and I still can't see what the big draw is to go here in the first place. If we mini quad racers had the same opprtunity given us as the bike racers do, then I could see going. To me it just sounds like another race. Sure I would love to hit all the races on the National circuit, but again what's the point, another trophy on the wall? If I was independantly wealthy I would do it. After seeing what the National scene is like, there really isn't any reason to chase it unless you can, and if you can, more power to ya. In my opinion a kid on a mini quad might just as well run local races, and hit a national or 2 just to see how he is progressing. Then when they hit 16, then the support starts coming around. My son want's to grow up and race quads, period. We wants to be like Dustin Wimmer, Doug Gust, Joe Byrd, Chad Weinen...... That is about all he talks about, at school (kindergarten) they asked each kid what they wanted to do when they grow up, and he said be like Dustin Wimmer, the teacher said "Who?" and my son told her " The Pro Champ Quad racer". I want to give him every opportunity to succeed and make it through to the become a Pro Rider when he grows up. Up here in Central New York, mini quads are run just for exhibition. The bike riders don't like us taking away from their track time, but you cant ignore 25-35 of us showing up to every race. After hanging out with bike racers, and hearing about the "Holy Grail" of all tracks, I was planning on going to Loretta Lynn's, now, I am learning how things really work, so this saves me a lot of heartache.

I have been working really hard to get local sponsors for my son, and now I see that factories dont even look at the kids like they do for bikes. That's ok, maybe they sould build a mini-quad that can be raced instaed of ridden around the yard. Anyways my son also has had 2 articles in the local newspaper and now the reporter does monthly updates on his progress. So for now we will keep having fun at the local events. I am going to District 3 meeting and lobbing for mini-quads to become a points class. I am also running to become the rider-rep for the mini-quads. We will hit a couple of Nationals next season, hopefully in PA and most definitly in Unadilla!! So we will C U there:)

[Coley'sdad#8]

I didn't have any camping issues because we only live 15 miles away so we went home every night but I can definately see that you guy's needed the pool for the kids and just to cool off some. However hurricane creek is one of the cleanest waters in TN and pretty good swimming, thats why we don't have a pool @ home because that same creek flows through our farm and we have some great swimming holes. The rates were a little high for the kids i agree but we would much rather go to a good race than Disney, much better people to be around IMO. The staff was probably cranky because they were all worn out from the motorcycles the week before, I know all the people that run the ranch and it gets pretty hectic there, they had to set up a command center for the sheriff's office there it got so bad at times. All in all I had a great time, met people that I had talked on the phone with many times, Mark, Gary, DC and I think I met Logansdad after the races when we were ooing over the pitster pro and I almost got kicked out for flying around on that thing:)
That was my sons first national and he loved it he would ride his bicycle down to the line and play with all your guy's, came home with new friends but you know kids no names:D , ahh just bring some bicycles for em next time. had a good time and met some good people and had full gates for competition. c-ya next time
chris wood

[ward27]

keep in mind this is biz when you only hold 3 races a year someone is going to pay if you think thats bad wait until the awards cermony in tn . there will not be any pros there ,they arnt coming this year they have there own awards shared with the dirt bike guys. how does that one taste

[Logan #34's Dad]

Hey Wardo, are you sure about this one? that would be pretty low. Do these clowns realise that all these riders look up to them? you can tell your Blue Riding friends that I think they SUCK if they don't come!
Do they realise that w/o the amateurs they don't exist? W/o our money there is no purse.
They could at least show up to present awards!

[ward27]

the pros dont decide where the awards are. i read about it on the main page of exriders it said they are sharing the banquet with pro dirt bike guys i guess.its some where in pitsburgh. and i dont know if some pros may come to our awards or not im not in that loop i just read it before i posted that thread

[mini racer #39]

Only a couple came to the awards banquet last year too. That's nothing new....the races start and stop with the pro race order. We all know what its like to wait on them for their practice and then race...Hurry up and get to staging so you don't loose your gate then wait a half hour to prep the track for the pro's then their practice. Think of it this way, we DON'T have to wait on them at the awards banquet!!!:blah:
Bobbie

[Coley'sdad#8]

It's all about the dirt bikes, alway's has been and always will be.
Hardly see a quad race on tv but thats okay because I don't think I am coordinated enough to get my son into the bike racing with all the regional qualifiers, qualifying, backup riders qualification, where to go to race and oh dont forget to work on the bike also and did I say where to go race next????:confused: brain overheat!!!!!! A guy would have to quit his job to keep track of all that then be broke:ermm: , I would be the guy showing up @ the wrong track, wrong days, with the bike that is out of fuel and 2 flat tires. Much better to go and ride like the atv's @ low rettas.
That does pretty much stink about the awards guy's not coming because these kids have hero's also, like Logansdad said without us there is no MONEYBAYBEE, let them live off that.
cw

[dazed&confused]

we were on the bubble on wether we were going or not ,but that just made my mind up!

my kid really looks up to these pros and he knows the names of everyone and points them out at every race,hell he knows most of the pro am's and the a-riders . it is a long haul for us to go to this thing and will be exspensive for us ,i figured it would be cool to mingul with the elite ,but i guess not.
we will just stay home and go to the local banquet and have just as much fun for far less money!

[mini racer #39]

Please keep in mind that if your son or daughter has made it to the top 10 that is a great honor and believe me does not come easy. Please take them so they can stand on the stage, Pro's in the audience or not' in front of everyone and except their award. They and you have worked hard to achieve this goal and they deserve the time to shine. The fun that they have seeing their friends from the races and moms and dads alike, is worth the expense and the trip. I do know that most people are staying at the Wilderness Resort. It looks like a lot of fun for the family.
PS there are no quads to work on down there!!Just well deserved family time!
The Havert's

[Coley'sdad#8]

WHAT NO QUADS TO WORK ON?????????
I would be freaking out , it has become part of my daily regiment to keep these little microwatches running correctly:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:
I would be lost like a crackhead wifout crack:macho

[Pappy]

Interesting topic....


Could go hand in hand with this one....

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=409362

[Coley'sdad#8]

Gosh Pappy I hope not!!!!!!!!!
I live close to loretta's and so we went to several days of the bike races to watch some of our TN Motocross Assoc. riders and that is just way too many people in one place. The road down next to the creek looked like Daytona Beach @ speed week.
All the turns were just full of lines about knee deep and breakerbumps knee deep also. 10 commandments and anthill just had a huge slice through them. Themm dudes were there all week and I will tell you when it was over they were ALL ready to get home. Where ours was a nice long weekend with a good amount of people.

[Pappy]

I wouldnt like it myself and I only get to cover about 1/2 the rounds:p


The only advice I can give to you parents is stay involved heavily. The sport is yours as the future comes closer and your input through these years will shape what happens to the series and how its molded.

[dazed&confused]

ok MINI RACER#39 now you talked me back into it!

Pappy ,that is scarey! it is bad enough at the local level with the bikes and what they do to the track ,i could only imagine what they would do to a national track with the #'s they bring.

it would be nice for the tv coverage, but the problems it would create just don't seem worth it jmo.
at the local level the bikes hate the quad riders, i can just imagine what it would be like if this happens.

[Coley'sdad#8]

what was that old chant they would yell @ school "fight fight a quad and a bike" or something like that.

[ward27]

hey rocky thomas will be there and some other pros they wont forget they come from. later gone huntin