It happened this past weekend at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series Season Finale at Lake Elsinore. It also happened at the second visit to Perris for the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL. The LOORS incident changed the Unlimited Lite Championship. The TORC incident created some excitement, some confusion, and ultimately the dispute was cleared up and everything was good in the world of TORC.
What I am referring to is how the individuals in charge of Tech Inspection can deem a race vehicle safe and legal throughout the year and suddenly late in the season, turnaround and determine it's not when nothing has changed on that race truck.
The latest case in point is the well discussed disqualification of Chris Brandt after he seemingly won the LOORS Unlimited Lite Championship. After going through tech inspection all year and without a problem, after the season was complete, officials then measured his truck's wheelbase and it was found to be longer than the specifications in the rulebook. This gave another competitor the Championship. Was there a protest? Were any other trucks measured? Please let the public know.
In September, after Round 14 of the Perris TORC event, officials were told to measure the tire size of a particular competitor. An aluminum tire gauge that TORC officials had created for just this purpose was used. After about an hour of discussions, the tires were deemed legal. The only problem was that the other tire manufacturers that compete in the class were never measured. Why weren't other competitor's tires checked at the same time? Was there a protest? If so, again let the public know. If not, all tire brands should have been measured. For some reason, to my recollection, this incident was never mentioned by any press outlet.
My point is that a championship should be won on the race track, and not behind the grandstands by the tech inspectors. If one truck is inspected for a particular rule, others must be impounded for that inspection as well. Whether it’s the podium finishers or the Top-5, that’s for the sanctioning body to determine, but those finishers should have their post race inspection include more than a quick stop on the scales.
Maybe just a more thorough post race inspection is needed, so everyone knows that all the competitors are playing by the rules.
The LOORS incident changed history. The TORC incident could have as well.
Then having a championship determined this way isn't ggood for the sport, not the competitors involved, the race series, or the sport in general.
Look at the black eye that desert racing has gone through down in Baja this past season with broad interpretation of course rules.
Technical inspection and rules enforcement should be done thoroughly and completely at all times.
The NHRA sanctioning body offers tech inspection of any 10.99 second or quicker race cars before the season, or you make an appointment with an approved/licensed inspector during the season. SCORE desert racers have a similar process in place.
Isn't it time for the short course off road racing world to do the same?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Television Broadcasts... Remember it's only a 60 minute broadcast.
I just finished watch the TORC race from Crandon on my DVR. Immediately I went online to see what people were saying on the two forums that I have membership with. There were quite a few compliments and just as many or more detractors of the broadcast. The only comment I have is,"Remember it is only a 60 minute broadcast."
Trying to show 3 classes in that time frame while trying to create the side stories is a herculean effort. A ninety minute slot would probably work perfect, but all that takes is more money. Either eliminate a class, and nobody wants that, or work with what you have.
Paul at one point, during one of the rain delay meetings in Texas, mentioned the were looking at other avenues to broadcast the TORC series. Attempting to do what LOORS has done. Again it takes time, money, and manpower. (and a 27 hour day) Hopefully as the 2010 season approaches "the powers in charge" have additional avenues for the teams to promote to their marketing partners.
The trackinginternational.com coverage is awesome, now it just needs to get promoted to get enough viewers watching it so racer can use it in their proposals. (Heck I was watching it online in the stands at Perris while the race was going on.)
Getting the Steve Naughton film about Crandon completed and in movie theaters is another step in the evolution of short course racing. Look what "Dust to Glory" did with desert racing.... NBC Sports keeps SCORE on the calendar as programming every year since.
Let's give the latest ESPN2 broadcast good marks. The whole feel of the show is different. The pace is quicker, the commentators are quicker with their comments, the race shots are quick, and change all the time to add to the pace and excitement of the event. It really give a much better feel to the speeds of the trucks as compared to earlier broadcasts or even the WSORR broadcasts on SPEED.
Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.
and.....
Short Course racing keeps getting partially built and their torn down to start all over, but there must be a level of patience on everyone's part.
It took Wally Parks and NHRA, and Bill France and NASCAR 50 years to get where they are today.
At one point short off-road racing had Mickey Thompson, but when he was killed our sport stepped back 10-20 years in its growth.
Maybe Ricky Johnson is the man. He was connections, the experience, and the vision.
In my opinion that is what makes the successful forms of motorsports succeed. Putting a name and face to the entity creates trust among all racers, sponsors, and fans.
This all easy for me to say, since I haven't raced a long time.
I seem to spend a ton of time watching and listening to racers, fans, promoters, parts manufacturers, sponsors, and sanctioning bodies for the small part I play in this industry.
Let's look forward not back.
- Mike Reusche, www.philsinc.com - www.mt-graphics.com
Trying to show 3 classes in that time frame while trying to create the side stories is a herculean effort. A ninety minute slot would probably work perfect, but all that takes is more money. Either eliminate a class, and nobody wants that, or work with what you have.
Paul at one point, during one of the rain delay meetings in Texas, mentioned the were looking at other avenues to broadcast the TORC series. Attempting to do what LOORS has done. Again it takes time, money, and manpower. (and a 27 hour day) Hopefully as the 2010 season approaches "the powers in charge" have additional avenues for the teams to promote to their marketing partners.
The trackinginternational.com coverage is awesome, now it just needs to get promoted to get enough viewers watching it so racer can use it in their proposals. (Heck I was watching it online in the stands at Perris while the race was going on.)
Getting the Steve Naughton film about Crandon completed and in movie theaters is another step in the evolution of short course racing. Look what "Dust to Glory" did with desert racing.... NBC Sports keeps SCORE on the calendar as programming every year since.
Let's give the latest ESPN2 broadcast good marks. The whole feel of the show is different. The pace is quicker, the commentators are quicker with their comments, the race shots are quick, and change all the time to add to the pace and excitement of the event. It really give a much better feel to the speeds of the trucks as compared to earlier broadcasts or even the WSORR broadcasts on SPEED.
Remember Rome wasn't built in a day.
and.....
Short Course racing keeps getting partially built and their torn down to start all over, but there must be a level of patience on everyone's part.
It took Wally Parks and NHRA, and Bill France and NASCAR 50 years to get where they are today.
At one point short off-road racing had Mickey Thompson, but when he was killed our sport stepped back 10-20 years in its growth.
Maybe Ricky Johnson is the man. He was connections, the experience, and the vision.
In my opinion that is what makes the successful forms of motorsports succeed. Putting a name and face to the entity creates trust among all racers, sponsors, and fans.
This all easy for me to say, since I haven't raced a long time.
I seem to spend a ton of time watching and listening to racers, fans, promoters, parts manufacturers, sponsors, and sanctioning bodies for the small part I play in this industry.
Let's look forward not back.
- Mike Reusche, www.philsinc.com - www.mt-graphics.com
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Black Flag Can Make for Better Racing.
The TORC series continues to bring out great racers giving great performances. That's a point sometimes is forgotten. Racing is a competition, but for companies to spend their marketing dollars on race teams, its based upon more that performance on the track. It must be entertaining as well.
When Casey Currie goes out and wins by 10 truck lengths, its a great performance, but the entertainment is back in the pack. That's why the camera sometimes covers that instead of the leaders.
If it's a three way battle for the lead or a crazy story line line like Chad Hord rolling over and still wins, then that gets broadcast, and that instance more trucks will be viewed for due to all the contact that went on.
My point is that there's isn't enough cameras and broadcast time to cover everything that goes on. Sometimes you wonder why a fellow competitor does what he does on the track. Maybe he sees things you don't. maybe it is due to his level of driving ability, or maybe he realizes he needs to get some TV time to keep his sponsor happy.
I'm not saying that "tv time" thing is foremost in a driver's mind, but it may cross their mind after the fact.
Sometimes those kind of things can cause problems for other drivers, that's when the black flag should be thrown. The powers that be that control TORC and the TV production have said thay don't want to bring out the flag because it deters from the TV show. I can go along with that, but it can be applied properly so there isn't massive carnage during race. The prime example was PRO-4x4 Saturday night. the last 10 laps only 3 trucks were running to the flag. Fortunately, they stayed running together to makesome kind of show out of the last half of the race.
In PRO-2WD Dan Baudoux got t-boned so hard it knocked his drysump tank and battery broke off the mountings andthe oil supply side hose to the engine was basically pinched closed. Fortunately the ignition quit before he could run the engine out of oil. The ignition box was also dislodged as well.
If TORC isn't careful, the racing grid will be getting smaller not larger, then you don't have a tv program that's remotely entertaining.
There is a definitely line between good hard racing, and overaggressive driving that creates "in-focus" coverage.
The question is when will be first time TORC/USAC use the black flag.
See you in Crandon.
When Casey Currie goes out and wins by 10 truck lengths, its a great performance, but the entertainment is back in the pack. That's why the camera sometimes covers that instead of the leaders.
If it's a three way battle for the lead or a crazy story line line like Chad Hord rolling over and still wins, then that gets broadcast, and that instance more trucks will be viewed for due to all the contact that went on.
My point is that there's isn't enough cameras and broadcast time to cover everything that goes on. Sometimes you wonder why a fellow competitor does what he does on the track. Maybe he sees things you don't. maybe it is due to his level of driving ability, or maybe he realizes he needs to get some TV time to keep his sponsor happy.
I'm not saying that "tv time" thing is foremost in a driver's mind, but it may cross their mind after the fact.
Sometimes those kind of things can cause problems for other drivers, that's when the black flag should be thrown. The powers that be that control TORC and the TV production have said thay don't want to bring out the flag because it deters from the TV show. I can go along with that, but it can be applied properly so there isn't massive carnage during race. The prime example was PRO-4x4 Saturday night. the last 10 laps only 3 trucks were running to the flag. Fortunately, they stayed running together to makesome kind of show out of the last half of the race.
In PRO-2WD Dan Baudoux got t-boned so hard it knocked his drysump tank and battery broke off the mountings andthe oil supply side hose to the engine was basically pinched closed. Fortunately the ignition quit before he could run the engine out of oil. The ignition box was also dislodged as well.
If TORC isn't careful, the racing grid will be getting smaller not larger, then you don't have a tv program that's remotely entertaining.
There is a definitely line between good hard racing, and overaggressive driving that creates "in-focus" coverage.
The question is when will be first time TORC/USAC use the black flag.
See you in Crandon.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A successful opening weekend for TORC!
I had the good fortune of attending the TORC opening weekend in Fort Worth this past weekend. As of only five people that used the press box, those that didn't missed a very comfortable way to watch a race. Comfortable seats, air conditioned and huge glass walls to view the race. Tim from Dirt News was enter live updates on coveritlive.com, while I did the same using the mtgbumpracer Twitter account. Todd from Fox Shox did his own version of Scott Rehn keeping the four press people informed.
The actual racing went off without a hitch. There wasn't a single black flag thrown, and a minimal number of caution laps. The drivers enjoyed the track, there weren't really any complaints, or if there were, it was in the minority.
Friday night saw Marty "the one man party" Hart, hold off Jeff Kincaid in PRO-Light, Ricky Johnson somehow take one from Rob MacCachern, and Jeff Huseman winning and Curt Leduc second, when Johnny Greaves went momentarily off track.
The Friday night weather was perfect, but Leading up to Saturday night's performance it was another story. When the rain finally stopped, track crews from TMS and TORC went it work. Throughout the afternoon and early evening, TORC held three different meeting with the drivers keeping them updated with the progress of the track preparation. If you would have seen the track at 3pm Saturday, you couldn't believe that an off-road race, let alone one which would look good on TV, would take place.
Even the TV producer spoke up and and told everyone, we will race tonight, and it will come off good for TV.
Seeing is believing, and they made believers out of everyone that was there. By 9:30pm the Pro-Lites hit the track and Casey Curry had the field covered. Meanwhile, Kyle Leduc charged hard from the final starting spot to end up second.
The PRO-2WD race saw Scott Taylor lead from start to finish, but it wasn't easy. Rob MacCachern and Ricky Johnson applied pressure throughout the twenty laps, but the seven-time champ lead the way.
The final race of the program was PRO-4x4. The winner was the same as the night before, Rick Huseman. The action was non-stop as both Kyle and Curt LeDuc battled for the lead. Johnny Greaves rolled over at the start finish line. Somehow Scott Douglas kept clear of the mayhem and finished second. Adrian Cenni finished all forty laps this weekend. Great job Adrian.
The crowds both night eclipsed the number of fans the came to watch CORR a year and a half ago. Friday was a slim turnout, but the area residents noted that High School sports are "king" when it comes to Friday night, no matter what time of year.
The pit area was full of fans before and after Saturday's races, and vendors seemed happy about their cash flow.
What was missing was the buggies and SXS. I believe one of the other is need to give they paying customer a little more show for the $$$. I also makes the pit area larger and it brings more "buzz" (in more ways than one) to the event.
If TORC goes back in 2010, and the weather cooperates, they could fill the 10,000 seat grandstand area.
Just one request from bumpracer, make sure the press still get their own skybox.
One other note I paid $65.00 for a case of water and I heard a case of Bud was $88.00. Some racers think the entry fees are high, just wait to you order food or drink in the suites.
- The view from the press box. See you in Perris.
-Mike
The actual racing went off without a hitch. There wasn't a single black flag thrown, and a minimal number of caution laps. The drivers enjoyed the track, there weren't really any complaints, or if there were, it was in the minority.
Friday night saw Marty "the one man party" Hart, hold off Jeff Kincaid in PRO-Light, Ricky Johnson somehow take one from Rob MacCachern, and Jeff Huseman winning and Curt Leduc second, when Johnny Greaves went momentarily off track.
The Friday night weather was perfect, but Leading up to Saturday night's performance it was another story. When the rain finally stopped, track crews from TMS and TORC went it work. Throughout the afternoon and early evening, TORC held three different meeting with the drivers keeping them updated with the progress of the track preparation. If you would have seen the track at 3pm Saturday, you couldn't believe that an off-road race, let alone one which would look good on TV, would take place.
Even the TV producer spoke up and and told everyone, we will race tonight, and it will come off good for TV.
Seeing is believing, and they made believers out of everyone that was there. By 9:30pm the Pro-Lites hit the track and Casey Curry had the field covered. Meanwhile, Kyle Leduc charged hard from the final starting spot to end up second.
The PRO-2WD race saw Scott Taylor lead from start to finish, but it wasn't easy. Rob MacCachern and Ricky Johnson applied pressure throughout the twenty laps, but the seven-time champ lead the way.
The final race of the program was PRO-4x4. The winner was the same as the night before, Rick Huseman. The action was non-stop as both Kyle and Curt LeDuc battled for the lead. Johnny Greaves rolled over at the start finish line. Somehow Scott Douglas kept clear of the mayhem and finished second. Adrian Cenni finished all forty laps this weekend. Great job Adrian.
The crowds both night eclipsed the number of fans the came to watch CORR a year and a half ago. Friday was a slim turnout, but the area residents noted that High School sports are "king" when it comes to Friday night, no matter what time of year.
The pit area was full of fans before and after Saturday's races, and vendors seemed happy about their cash flow.
What was missing was the buggies and SXS. I believe one of the other is need to give they paying customer a little more show for the $$$. I also makes the pit area larger and it brings more "buzz" (in more ways than one) to the event.
If TORC goes back in 2010, and the weather cooperates, they could fill the 10,000 seat grandstand area.
Just one request from bumpracer, make sure the press still get their own skybox.
One other note I paid $65.00 for a case of water and I heard a case of Bud was $88.00. Some racers think the entry fees are high, just wait to you order food or drink in the suites.
- The view from the press box. See you in Perris.
-Mike
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Why does the show pay to race and why need a competition yellow?
Wildtoyota (from a Ross Hoek forum post) I understand your view about being the show.
In NASCAR there's no entry fees, but every time you go thru tech inspection its $1500 per race. and if you fail tech that weekend, its another $1500 every time you come back that day.
The fees to get your team, crew, & sponsors, a NASCAR hardcard for every event is astronomical. It can be easily in the 6 figures (for your team)for the year. These teams put on the show in front a huge audience, and still pay their way in to race.
I'm not saying that its right that the show has pay it was in is right, but it is what it is.
What has to happen is the race purses must expand. Make sure the majority of the racers get something back they are running at the finish.
Back in the 70's and 80's this was happening with the formation of Championship races at the end of the race weekend at places like Lake Geneva and Crandon. These were no entry fee races, the purse was put up by a sponsor, many times it was BFG or another tire manufacturer. To qualify for the Champ race, all you had to do was start one of the races during that weekend.
First place didn't pay a huge amount, but the 25th place finisher got enough to cover his gas money or maybe his $75 class race entry fee.
Granted this was 25-30 years ago and 115 octane race fuel was only $7.00/gal and pump gas was $1, but it was something we all looked forward to when they came to Lake Geneva, and the early days of short course racing at Crandon.
Ever check the cost of local club SCCA racing? It can cost $300 to run a 15-20 minute race and the winner gets a plaque. But before you can race you need to spent the time and money to go to driving school to be approved to race.
If you have a drag car that runs 10 second passes. It must be inspected, for a fee, by an official NHRA inspector to run any national or regional event. This includes getting blind folded while strapped into your race vehicle and turning off all the power and removing yourself from the vehicle in under a certain amount of time.
Cost to run a race even if the workers are mostly volunteers, insurance, electricity, track maintainance, etc. all have a price. Motorsports is a business, and businesses need to make a profit to survive.
It may not seem fair that the show pays its way in, but it does.
Competition Yellow -
But when you can't get a limitation on HP for PRO2 and PRO4 and the tire technology isn't keeping up, and drivetrains take a beating as well, getting a field of trucks to make it to the checkered flag is a problem when they are making a television broadcast out of the race.
Unlike other from of PRO racing, the only qualification off-road racing has that determines a PRO from a Sportsman is how much money you have to spend on your race vehicle. Until TORC & LOORS can come up with way to keep the bone head drivers with tons of money out of the PROs, you will have a portion of the field that will excessively bang and crash and destroy equipment for no apparent reason, except to be a 2 second highlight during the broadcast. At the peak of PRO-2 racing on the West Coast this was very evident.
This doesn't seem to be much of a problem in the Buggy classes, just at the PRO side.
I'm not directing this post at anyone in particular, but i've been in and around this sport a good thirty years, and the remarks from the masses have been the same for many years. I think short course racing is the best thing out there. I hope it continues to grow.
The problems this industry face can't be remedied in a day or a year, it takes time, and it takes consistent leadership over a long period of time to get where all participants in short course off-road racing have a place to race, enjoy the competition, and maybe take home a few $$s along the way.
-Mike Reusche - my view from on top of the hauler.
In NASCAR there's no entry fees, but every time you go thru tech inspection its $1500 per race. and if you fail tech that weekend, its another $1500 every time you come back that day.
The fees to get your team, crew, & sponsors, a NASCAR hardcard for every event is astronomical. It can be easily in the 6 figures (for your team)for the year. These teams put on the show in front a huge audience, and still pay their way in to race.
I'm not saying that its right that the show has pay it was in is right, but it is what it is.
What has to happen is the race purses must expand. Make sure the majority of the racers get something back they are running at the finish.
Back in the 70's and 80's this was happening with the formation of Championship races at the end of the race weekend at places like Lake Geneva and Crandon. These were no entry fee races, the purse was put up by a sponsor, many times it was BFG or another tire manufacturer. To qualify for the Champ race, all you had to do was start one of the races during that weekend.
First place didn't pay a huge amount, but the 25th place finisher got enough to cover his gas money or maybe his $75 class race entry fee.
Granted this was 25-30 years ago and 115 octane race fuel was only $7.00/gal and pump gas was $1, but it was something we all looked forward to when they came to Lake Geneva, and the early days of short course racing at Crandon.
Ever check the cost of local club SCCA racing? It can cost $300 to run a 15-20 minute race and the winner gets a plaque. But before you can race you need to spent the time and money to go to driving school to be approved to race.
If you have a drag car that runs 10 second passes. It must be inspected, for a fee, by an official NHRA inspector to run any national or regional event. This includes getting blind folded while strapped into your race vehicle and turning off all the power and removing yourself from the vehicle in under a certain amount of time.
Cost to run a race even if the workers are mostly volunteers, insurance, electricity, track maintainance, etc. all have a price. Motorsports is a business, and businesses need to make a profit to survive.
It may not seem fair that the show pays its way in, but it does.
Competition Yellow -
But when you can't get a limitation on HP for PRO2 and PRO4 and the tire technology isn't keeping up, and drivetrains take a beating as well, getting a field of trucks to make it to the checkered flag is a problem when they are making a television broadcast out of the race.
Unlike other from of PRO racing, the only qualification off-road racing has that determines a PRO from a Sportsman is how much money you have to spend on your race vehicle. Until TORC & LOORS can come up with way to keep the bone head drivers with tons of money out of the PROs, you will have a portion of the field that will excessively bang and crash and destroy equipment for no apparent reason, except to be a 2 second highlight during the broadcast. At the peak of PRO-2 racing on the West Coast this was very evident.
This doesn't seem to be much of a problem in the Buggy classes, just at the PRO side.
I'm not directing this post at anyone in particular, but i've been in and around this sport a good thirty years, and the remarks from the masses have been the same for many years. I think short course racing is the best thing out there. I hope it continues to grow.
The problems this industry face can't be remedied in a day or a year, it takes time, and it takes consistent leadership over a long period of time to get where all participants in short course off-road racing have a place to race, enjoy the competition, and maybe take home a few $$s along the way.
-Mike Reusche - my view from on top of the hauler.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Off-Road Racing Lifestyles and then there's Crandon
It looks like the short course off-road season is almost upon us. The final preparations for the first event of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series in Primm, NV are well underway.Their website shows us some footage of the track, which has been idle for almost six months, in the initial stages of preparation. In the meantime, practice schedules are out for booth the LOORS and TORC series. Various sponsorships are being filled in both series. The PDG is offering a travel voucher/scholarship for select race teams to attending TORC events. Tire companies, Oil companies, Radio Control Vehicle companies, and of course, racers are positioning themselves with their preferred racing series. Things are looking very positive for both LOORS and TORC. Just imagine if all this energy and money was at one series. This could be one incredible travelling road show.
For short course off-road racing to succeed, it just can't be about the product on the track. It has to become a lifestyle event, offering the race spectator a good race, they must be entertained. It the event must become a destination for people to spend time and money. Sort of a motorsports vacation. The folks at Crandon and Bark River have the lifestyle thing down pretty good. The camping, the evening concerts, the daytime races, the evening races, the nearby casinos, the local taverns (The Duck Inn or the Pack'em Inn)and the 30-40 years of friends getting together to watch short-course off road racing. The Northwoods Off-Road Race Style is definitely different than watch we saw at the CORR events the last year and a half.
The West Coast Off-Road Off-Road Style is more about the bling. The trucks in the parking lots are Pre-Runners, the Alternative Rock Music is loud and usually coming from several different pit areas ( heck I remember the Speed Technology guys had their own band at Pomona), the attire from some of the female spectators made you look twice (or maybe three or four times), and video cameras everywhere covering everything on and off the track (almost all posted on You Tube by Monday morning).
No matter what series you follow, let's hope the lifestyle continues no matter what part of the country you get your short course off-road racing fix from.
On that note, the 40th celebration at Crandon this Labor Day Weekend should be a huge party. You will get the best of all worlds, Midwest and West Coast. Don't miss it, the week long celebration will be the WOODSTOCK of Off-Road Racing!!
The experience of walking through the campground in the evening will be worth the price of admission. Everything from million dollar motor coaches to guys sleeping in the back of their pickup trucks, with everything in between. The worlds greatest off-road fan fan club be there, the SUPERTEAM SUPER FANS, following all their favorite AMSOIL KUMHO TIRE racers.
I could go on forever about this event, you just get there and experience it for yourself. My first time was in 1973, and a lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same. And that's a good thing.
For short course off-road racing to succeed, it just can't be about the product on the track. It has to become a lifestyle event, offering the race spectator a good race, they must be entertained. It the event must become a destination for people to spend time and money. Sort of a motorsports vacation. The folks at Crandon and Bark River have the lifestyle thing down pretty good. The camping, the evening concerts, the daytime races, the evening races, the nearby casinos, the local taverns (The Duck Inn or the Pack'em Inn)and the 30-40 years of friends getting together to watch short-course off road racing. The Northwoods Off-Road Race Style is definitely different than watch we saw at the CORR events the last year and a half.
The West Coast Off-Road Off-Road Style is more about the bling. The trucks in the parking lots are Pre-Runners, the Alternative Rock Music is loud and usually coming from several different pit areas ( heck I remember the Speed Technology guys had their own band at Pomona), the attire from some of the female spectators made you look twice (or maybe three or four times), and video cameras everywhere covering everything on and off the track (almost all posted on You Tube by Monday morning).
No matter what series you follow, let's hope the lifestyle continues no matter what part of the country you get your short course off-road racing fix from.
On that note, the 40th celebration at Crandon this Labor Day Weekend should be a huge party. You will get the best of all worlds, Midwest and West Coast. Don't miss it, the week long celebration will be the WOODSTOCK of Off-Road Racing!!
The experience of walking through the campground in the evening will be worth the price of admission. Everything from million dollar motor coaches to guys sleeping in the back of their pickup trucks, with everything in between. The worlds greatest off-road fan fan club be there, the SUPERTEAM SUPER FANS, following all their favorite AMSOIL KUMHO TIRE racers.
I could go on forever about this event, you just get there and experience it for yourself. My first time was in 1973, and a lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same. And that's a good thing.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Its About Sharks, Not about Off-Road Racing
The Problem With Shark Killing in China - By Carrie Reusche
Many people in China don't care about sharks, but they do care about their fins. A delicious meal in China is Shark fin Soup. Many problems with this is that they chop off the shark's fins and drop the body down to the bottom of the ocean.
Main problems
(1) Sharks have to move to breathe so when they hit bottom they will die slowly and painfuly unless another shark decides to have a meal.
(2) They kill too many. Approximately 100 million sharks are killed each each. Mostly due to the desire for Shark Fin Soup and the fear of shark attacks. ( There are only 100 shark attacks per year, on average.)
Why we shouldn't do this
(1) If we kill too many of any kind of shark it will effect us. Hawaii has tried to kill one kind of shark, but because they had killed more than they should've it effected them. They killed tiger sharks, when too many are killed there are too many smaller sharks. When there are too many smaller sharks there are too many fish eaten. Then Hawaii doesn't get enough fish to eat, and that is one of their main meals.
(2) Sharks are graceful creatures, but the movie, Jaws ruins that thought and makes you think of some fake monster in each and every shark.
I hope you understand why you should protest on Shark fin Soup.
Be good to your friends that live in the oceans, not just dolphins.
- Carrie Reusche, 5th grader at Glen Grove School.
Be good to your friends that live in the oceans, not just dolphins.
- Carrie Reusche, 5th grader at Glen Grove School.
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