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Rain racing?

R

rob linders

Active member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Location
mission viejo, ca
Moto(s)
97 Kawasaki KX250,
I see all the discussions about the new class for Ninja 250's. This leads me to believe some things were voted on for the new year. So, I took my low level skills to the AFM site and couldn't find anything about rain racing.

Has this been decided for next season?

We are racing at Willow this coming weekend and it sure is nice to know, that no matter what, we can spend our money to show up and get the opportunity to race. I've already ordered the rain tires, as it looks like it might get wet.
 
I know my opinion is a bit out of place due to my lack of racing this year but I pay my dues and care about racers.

It seems crazy for the AFM to race in the rain. Besides the monetary reasons for racers and tire suppliers aren't there enough crashes without adding rain to the mix. There is such a large lack of experience at trackdays in the rain let alone racing that it seems like a powder keg waiting to explode.

Obviously my opinions are effected by past experiences but it just doesn't seem worth it!!
 
AFM don't race in the rain. Only bigger clubs with safer tracks do that. :(

Why didn't Tyler race at Miller in the rain?
 
The AFM will not be racing in the rain at any of our tracks in 2012. The process to begin racing in the rain will need a process that has yet to be defined. I anticipate we'll be doing so in the off season, but that any progress won't happen until 2013, given how that process takes place.

The good news is, there is support among some board members to race in the rain as well as the Race Director. It's just the process to get from here to there and it's not as easy as saying "let's race in the rain". I anticipate 2013 at the earliest, but that's far from guaranteed.
 
In the rain those once in a lifetime accidents are more likely to happen once a race meet. Have you guys watched the pros who are much more experienced at this and seen the drastic increase in crashing? Our tracks don't have miles of run off to save our asses for us like they do. Not to mention any possible wall contact in certain corners will become much more possible as well.

I think it's idiotic and pray that a turn one debacle doesn't seriously hurt someone at thill during the start or any other lap not to mention turn 10.
 
Well as long as the process is in process. ;)

Racin' in the rain... I would do Buttonwillow. T-Hill if there were some more dozer work done off track, but Sears....no at this point.

Would be nice if Laguna would just let us in at a reasonable cost. I would we down for Laguna in any weather. :teeth
 
RedMist said:
In the rain those once in a lifetime accidents are more likely to happen once a race meet. Have you guys watched the pros who are much more experienced at this and seen the drastic increase in crashing? Our tracks don't have miles of run off to save our asses for us like they do. Not to mention any possible wall contact in certain corners will become much more possible as well.

I think it's idiotic and pray that a turn one debacle doesn't seriously hurt someone at thill during the start or any other lap not to mention turn 10.
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Well, I'm no expert, but in the small research I did, talking to WSMC etc., they said there was less crashing in the rain. So do the research before making blanket statements.
 
Holeshot said:
The AFM will not be racing in the rain at any of our tracks in 2012. The process to begin racing in the rain will need a process that has yet to be defined. I anticipate we'll be doing so in the off season, but that any progress won't happen until 2013, given how that process takes place.

The good news is, there is support among some board members to race in the rain as well as the Race Director. It's just the process to get from here to there and it's not as easy as saying "let's race in the rain". I anticipate 2013 at the earliest, but that's far from guaranteed.
Click to expand...

I know I have no AFM experience, other than making both rain-outs without getting to race. I just really find it hard to believe the club can't make a decision any quicker than that on something like this. It appears they made the 250 decision in a few months, why would this take so long?

If there is support, why not vote for it and give a yes or no? We had planned on Tyler trying to race AFM in 2012, I know that's only one racer, but this has me seriously reconsidering. I can't afford those 8-12 hour drives and missed days from work to maybe get a race in or maybe sit around for 2 days doing nothing. There are too many other places we can go and know Tyler will get to race.
 
ZIM said:
AFM don't race in the rain. Only bigger clubs with safer tracks do that. :(

Why didn't Tyler race at Miller in the rain?
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Well he wanted to race. His Moriwaki dropped a valve and spit him off, but he still ran the endurance race with TWF team. Sunday morning, in the rain practices, the 125 backup bike ran great for a bit and started acting up. We dried everything out, changed black box, coil, plug, cap, reeds, etc. Nothing fixed it. Then I tried to quickly rent a bike, but the possible available bike had just been rebuilt with a new crank and piston. You have to break them in properly and going out to instantly race would have ruined it.

So...he had to watch from the stands, which was painful, but that's racing.
 
Rob, the decision to race in the rain for the AFM will require a process approach, involving a safety comittee, etc that has yet to even be developed. Slower is better when adding something that potentially might be more dangerous than the norm. We need to have a complete analysis and process to achieve the safest results.

That means we can't and won't just vote it in like a new race class.
 
Heed this warning, racing in the rain will be the worst choice made by the AFM, there will be more crashing!!

Watch any pro level race in the rain with top level riders and equipment and you will see double the crashing and you think a bunch of club racers not on wets are going to top those numbers, NOT!!
 
RedMist said:
Heed this warning, racing in the rain will be the worst choice made by the AFM, there will be more crashing!!

Watch any pro level race in the rain with top level riders and equipment and you will see double the crashing and you think a bunch of club racers not on wets are going to top those numbers, NOT!!
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bleh. the biggest issue will be cleaning the track if mud gets on it.
 
RedMist said:
Heed this warning, racing in the rain will be the worst choice made by the AFM, there will be more crashing!!

Watch any pro level race in the rain with top level riders and equipment and you will see double the crashing and you think a bunch of club racers not on wets are going to top those numbers, NOT!!
Click to expand...

Racing is a dangerous sport. At least wet crashes tend to be slower crashes. Riders that learn how to ride in the rain without crashing probably crash less in the dry, too.

Professional racing tends to come down to finding the right setup that permits pushing without crashing. Unpredictable weather makes it difficult to find that setup, but pros are still going to push. I don't think the same pattern applies as much to club racing.
 
I think it's all fine and dandy for some to say they want to race in the rain, but I can tell you that I won't be racing in the rain. lol.
 
Antarius said:
I think it's all fine and dandy for some to say they want to race in the rain, but I can tell you that I won't be racing in the rain. lol.
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And that could turn out to be a big problem for AFM income on a race weekend, if enough riders do not race in the rain.
 
We discussed rain racing in this month's board meeting. There are a number of reasons we don't do it, but one of the directors stated that one of the biggest issues is the reliability of communications at the track in wet weather.

If you want to help shape the AFM, attending the board meetings is one of the best ways to do so. It's a huge opportunity for learning why the club operates the way it does, and a great forum to contribute.
 
Its plain and simple-
If AFM allows rain racing and there still points paying events I will race. I know that berto, joey, siggi, dave, lenny, cam ....etc will also race.
If you don't feel comfortable racing in the rain then don't, But don't ruin it for the rest that are willing to. Yes there is a huge rage of riding ability, track time and budget with afm, But if when we have a "rain out race" the club takes the biggest hit. Also if there is rain racing, the tire vendors will have rain tires with them and thats a fact.
 
Holeshot said:
And that could turn out to be a big problem for AFM income on a race weekend, if enough riders do not race in the rain.
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How big of a problem for AFM income were the two rounds that didn't go off this past year? I tend to believe and have seen WERA events, Miller the past 3 years, that managed fine in the rain.

IMHO the bigger problem is how many people would come race AFM, but will choose not to because they can't risk the time off of work and the fuel bill to do nothing. It is 1060 miles round trip for me to Thunderhill. 106 gallons of diesel at $4.40 is approximately $465. Then I missed Thursday to drive up and Friday, thank goodness I did go up early as he got some track time. So....two burned vacation days, and we didn't get to play Saturday or Sunday.....that is the hardest thing to take.

Burning1 said:
We discussed rain racing in this month's board meeting. There are a number of reasons we don't do it, but one of the directors stated that one of the biggest issues is the reliability of communications at the track in wet weather.

If you want to help shape the AFM, attending the board meetings is one of the best ways to do so. It's a huge opportunity for learning why the club operates the way it does, and a great forum to contribute.
Click to expand...

I can't afford to attend the meetings when I live so far away. There is currently no implemented way to make that electronically possible.

wyatt50 said:
Its plain and simple-
If AFM allows rain racing and there still points paying events I will race. I know that berto, joey, siggi, dave, lenny, cam ....etc will also race.
If you don't feel comfortable racing in the rain then don't, But don't ruin it for the rest that are willing to. Yes there is a huge rage of riding ability, track time and budget with afm, But if when we have a "rain out race" the club takes the biggest hit. Also if there is rain racing, the tire vendors will have rain tires with them and thats a fact.
Click to expand...

+1 This is how the rest of the clubs accross the country do it.

I don't know the exact numbers, so I'm guessing, but the club is what 10-20% the size it was in the "good old days"? Maybe it is time to look at the decision process and right size it to the size of the current club.

Please remember we are only talking about Buttonwillow and Thunderhill rounds, so half of the decision no one seems willing to make is already made for all of us. Someone please just make a decision to try it at the first Buttonwillow round of 2012 and the first Thunderhill round if Buttonwillow works out.

:teeth Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy.:laughing
 
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