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Bring Back Loudon

  1. #1
    Member cbrf41999's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    This was all lifted off the lrrs website http://www.lrrsracing.com/2005/ama_letter.htm

    Subject: It is time for us to ATTACK!

    I sent a letter to Cycle News about the situation with the Loudon national. It is in the issue that just came out. I will post a copy here for those of you who do not get the paper.
    I have been told by close friends in the AMA that if we really want to get the race back, the best shot is a public outcry using the statistics in the letter.

    What we need to do is write A LOT of letters. They should be polite and to the point. Sign with your AMA number if you have one. If you don't have one, tell them that you will consider signing up if they come back to New England. Not many people really write letters, so when they get some, they pay attention.

    Here are the names and addresses:

    Robert Razor, President
    AMA
    13515 Yarmouth Dr.
    Pickerington, OH 43147

    Rick Grey, Chairman
    53 N. Duke St. Suite 420
    Lancaster, PA 17602

    John Ulrich, AMA Pro Board
    Roadracingworld
    PO Box 1428
    Lake Elsinore, CA 92531

    Rick Grey is chairman of the Board of Trustees and your NE district representative. If any of you are prolific writers, I can supply more names and addresses.

    Don't forget to point out that according to the statistics, the AMA TRACK recommendations worked out. Here we have a promoter who pays one of the biggest purses and has been willing to spend money on safety and they walk away without even asking for more.

    We need those letters from lots of folks, please don't sit back and let the other guy do it.

    Jerry
    This is the letter he sent to Cycle News
    Cycle News

    I have been reading your AMA roundtable discussions with interest. I think that the suggestion of including the tracks in your talks was a good one. However, I am not comfortable with the impression that was left with respect to Loudon.

    The day when Thomas Wilson and Miguel Duhamel got hurt was a bad one. It changed roadracing in this country and seemed to really start the riders’ safety movement of today. The events surrounding that day were extraordinary with the combination of new pavement, Wilson’s catastrophic brake failure and the sudden rain during qualifying. After that event, the NHIS track owners wanted to do the right thing and met with the AMA rider representatives and AMA officials about improving track safety.

    The track spent then spent a large sum of money changing the track (turns 1, 8 and 10) and purchased soft barrier systems for many new portions of the track. These changes proved to work. For the following three years Loudon enjoyed some of the safest racing (lowest injury rate) of the entire AMA series. Loudon has some of the most intense use of motorcycles in the country with about 300,000 laps being turned every year. In over the fifteen years that we have had this track, motorcycles have run 4,500,000 laps with only one fatality.

    If you compare those numbers with tracks like Daytona where there are only two race weeks per year and four fatalities in the same period, Loudon looks a lot better by comparison. In fact, if you look at the safety record at Loudon in general I believe that it would compare favorably with a majority of the tracks in this nation, particularly since the track made the updates 6 years ago. I have had almost four decades of racing experience and over three decades as a race official, board member, and race school owner. Admittedly, I am just a “club racer” now as one of the pro’s put it, but I have two son’s that race as professionals and feel comfortable racing at Loudon.

    We run our LRRS club series and the Formula USA series races rain or shine without any drama. The pros will argue that club racing proves nothing because they don’t run pro Superbike equipment. That is true, but our top club guys race about 1-2 seconds under pro Superbike lap times on Supersport equipment. We have had FUSA national races in the pouring rain with top national riders like Mike Barnes running up front without any problems.

    The bottom line here is the AMA walked away from Loudon for what reason? The safety record was good after the modifications. The actions of the owners at the last AMA race were understandable when you consider that the fans were screaming for a race after hours of messing around in indecision. The track owners felt a responsibility to those fans. They also put up one of the largest purses on the AMA tour and were willing to invest even more into track safety. So why walk away?

    The track owners, the New England fans and AMA members want their race back!I don't know exactly what it would take to make it happen, but I have to believe that there is a way. Is there anyone at the AMA who can say what it would take? We are listening.......

    Jerry Wood
    Loudon, New Hampshire

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  2. #2
    Everybody to the limit!
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Where is it going?

    I have trackdays booked, fuckers

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  3. #3
    Don't bother me! R7's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by Honclfibr
    Where is it going?

    I have trackdays booked, fuckers
    They want the AMA Nationals back there, the track isn't going anywhere

    There was talk of this at every riders meeting throughout the race season this past year.
    I don't see it happening but anything is plausible

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    Yamaha

  4. #4
    Lifer SEVENSGT's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    no bike week next year????











    kinda makes me glad i SOLD MY BIKE @ isold my bike.com

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  5. #5
    Everybody to the limit!
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by R7
    They want the AMA Nationals back there, the track isn't going anywhere

    There was talk of this at every riders meeting throughout the race season this past year.
    I don't see it happening but anything is plausible
    Oops tl;dr

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  6. #6
    Don't bother me! R7's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by SEVENSGT
    no bike week next year???

    kinda makes me glad i SOLD MY BIKE @ isold my bike.com


    huh?
    The AMA nations haven't been at Loudon going on 4 years now? It has nothing to do with bikeweek

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    Yamaha

  7. #7
    Lifer SEVENSGT's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by R7


    huh?
    The AMA nations haven't been at Loudon going on 4 years now? It has nothing to do with bikeweek




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  8. #8
    Lifer odduc's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    The AMA could use another friendly track to run a Superbike weekend. VIR has been cancelled for 2005, Loudon would be a good track to fill that date. Too bad there are many AMA riders who hate our track and they have alot of clout when it comes to deciding where races are held. The problem with NHIS is that the AMA "stars" think that the track is not safe. LRRS regulars know that NHIS has one of the best safety records in the country. Sure would be nice to have the AMA circus come back around here.

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    LRRS#167

  9. #9
    Lifer Karaya One's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Have our LRRS stars go three seconds a lap faster and we'll see how safe that glorified go-kart track is.

    My kart customers even recognize that the place is dangerous.

    The AMA guys, who make their living racing, recognize how dangerous this place is at the speeds and times they turn.

    And then through in some rain to make it interesting.

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  10. #10
    Lifer bentbryan's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by lrrs167
    The AMA could use another friendly track to run a Superbike weekend. VIR has been cancelled for 2005, Loudon would be a good track to fill that date. Too bad there are many AMA riders who hate our track and they have alot of clout when it comes to deciding where races are held. The problem with NHIS is that the AMA "stars" think that the track is not safe. LRRS regulars know that NHIS has one of the best safety records in the country. Sure would be nice to have the AMA circus come back around here.
    I don't see how anyone could see T2 as anything but a death-trap. Anyone except Jerry Wood of course....

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  11. #11
    Lifer
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Isn't Mladin's track record <5% faster than the Woods run?

    How much faster does a pro go through Turn 2 for example? What is it 85mph vs. 75mph? Is it even that fast?

    Just saying I agree with him, there is no way someone is going to bin at 190mph like at Daytona and yet Loudon == bad and Daytona is still in the mix.

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  12. #12
    Littering and........
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Bike tracks need runoff that doesn't include concrete walls. NHIS is severely lacking in that department, and because of the way it is constructed, there isn't much that can be done.

    That track was built for NASCAR, with the road course mostly seeming to take the back seat. They make most of their money from filling the stands at the NASCAR Nextel and Busch North races; they park RVs on the road course during these races. I dont think they care much about SCCA or LRRS, as the amount of money they make from it is peanuts in comparison.

    It'd be nice to have AMA back, but I dont think its going to happen.

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  13. #13
    Lifer
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    Bring Back Loudon

    That is true in theory but don't most US tracks have NASCAR walls, and higher speeds than Loudon?

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  14. #14
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by benVFR
    That is true in theory but don't most US tracks have NASCAR walls, and higher speeds than Loudon?
    I think all of them have concrete walls somewhere as a safety measure for spectators; the difference is where they are - i.e., 4 feet of the track in the entry/exit of corners.

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  15. #15
    Lifer Rye's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by bentbryan
    I don't see how anyone could see T2 as anything but a death-trap. Anyone except Jerry Wood of course....
    I agree with that on the exit. Very hard on the gas and still at a steep lean. T3 is my big issue (some think differently...I'll admit). A fast back straight with way to much concrete, a shitty transition, shitty pavement, no runoff area. That turn just bugs me. I also don't like the T10 transition from the downhill. I still don't like a flock of trees staring at you in T7. Love the 11/12 transition though.

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  16. #16
    Lifer Rye's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    But in Loudon's defense, they do provide for some very nice facilities. It is a very comfortable infield with pretty reasonable amenities.....outside of a shitty speaker system.

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  17. #17
    Lifer Karaya One's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Is Turn 3 the ONLY corner in the country that has you driving towards and then braking into a wall?

    And Daytona may have a 190mph straight, but you also have room to slide. Just ask the Dunlop riders when their tires exploded.

    The old Hockenheim had just as high speeds, as does the current front straight at Catalunya and even Malayasia with the last straight / start-finish runs.

    Loudon has many issues, and as much as I loved my yearly trip to the National, there is no way the current top-level machines and riders can safely run that track.

    Do you want them to race, or to be careful?

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  18. #18
    Lifer
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Actually what is the deal with the wall in turn 3?

    They take that wall down for the NASCAR races don't they, as it goes directly across the oval?

    Why can't they get rid of the wall and put some tires and/or an airfence in there?

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  19. #19
    Littering and........
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by Rye
    But in Loudon's defense, they do provide for some very nice facilities. It is a very comfortable infield with pretty reasonable amenities.....outside of a shitty speaker system.
    For a race track in snowy New England, we are indeed fortunate to have it, and the facilities are very good. I just think a little off season development of the road course would make a world of difference, and would attract more motocycle/automobile road racers.

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  20. #20
    Lifer Ken C's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Last year, someone went straight entering turn 6, flew over the retaining wall where the cornerworkers stand and rolled down the hill landing against the fence near the tunnel entry. My brother was there when it happened. The lady at the entrance to the tunnel was hysterical. The racer was okay.

    My point is that Loudon has many issues. But so do almost all of the tracks. There was discussion about how the track can be fixed. If the owners wanted to bad enough, it could be done.

    Personally, 98% of club racers shouldn't consiider Loudon any more dangerous than other tracks, because speeds aren't all that high. If you lowside in turn 3 you slow enough before the tire wall to minimize injury. Same with turn 6. Turn 2 is the biggest issue for me. Too much goes on there to have a wall at the exit.

    BTW, they keep the walls between t3 and t10 to prevent riders from crashing in t3 and landing in the racing line in turn 10.

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  21. #21
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    There is NO wall in T3 for AMA events. They remove it and riders can run straight through to T10. I watched nearly every rider do this in practice while finding their brake markers.

    Even at our events, this run through is present, although not quite as straight a shot as the pros got. There's a lot of misinformation out there about Loudon's safety issues. There's a bandwagon effect happening and few people are aware of the real issues.

    It has problem areas, but I don't think they are any worse than Brainerd, Daytona, Pikes, and a few others.

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  22. #22
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    "He was still in the grass and had not yet touched the brakes and was headed for the wall so he bailed off at about 80 or 90 miles an hour. He went in head and legs first, sort of contorted."

    Hmmm... Sounds like Daytona might have runoff problems afterall. There are walls at all these tracks people.

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    Paul_E_D


  23. #23
    ^ It's my bike and my car tls25rs's Avatar
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    Another country heard from.......

    Just my 0.02

    With all the land the owners of NHIS, the Bahre family, have around the speedway, why don't they put in a true road course? With the natural elevation changes and topographical features of the surrounding area they could make a high quality racetrack with runoff at every corner and still have a ton of room out there. They could still use these areas for parking for NASCAR as they do now and create a draw for the motorcycle crowd as well as roadracing of automobiles.

    Just an idea I thought of a while back, which if someone wants to get it to the powers that be feel free to do so.

    To answer my own question and play devil's advocate a little bit:
    Because the money isn't there. Motorcycle racing and sportscar racing don't draw the crowds that NASCAR does, which means they don't bring the money either, and therefore don't warrant the investment of funds that NASCAR does.

    l8r

    Joel

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  24. #24
    Member cbrf41999's Avatar
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Also the problem wouldnt be the cash to build the track out there in the surronding land. It would be the other infrastructure that would need to be built as well. Just my assumption of course. bathrooms, seating, pits, and tons of stuff I am sure I have no clue about.

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  25. #25
    Littering and........
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    Bring Back Loudon

    Originally posted by Paul_E_D
    "He was still in the grass and had not yet touched the brakes and was headed for the wall so he bailed off at about 80 or 90 miles an hour. He went in head and legs first, sort of contorted."

    Hmmm... Sounds like Daytona might have runoff problems afterall. There are walls at all these tracks people.
    I'm not sure where you got this quote from

    In any event, I would defy you to find any track with as serious a runoff problem as T2 and T3 at Loudon; you can just tell that this track was designed with the road course as an afterthought. Sure, all tracks do have to have concrete walls to protect spectators, but they dont have to constitute the runoff of a high speed corner.

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