100th Loudon Classic

[Stoneman]

Whatever happened to the sidecar racing? That was fun to watch.

Weren't those running the previous weekend during the vintage happenings?

[Kurlon]

Weren't those running the previous weekend during the vintage happenings?

In the past they'd stick around for the classic after the USCRA weekend to do a couple demo races but it seems to have stopped a couple years ago. I still have my gloves I ruined supermanning out the back of one of those rigs out of T10.

[tsorfas]

Coming out of last corner on the strait.

He did post the fastest time of the race. Pretty cool

Where did Tyler go down at the classic?

[Stoneman]

In the past they'd stick around for the classic after the USCRA weekend to do a couple demo races but it seems to have stopped a couple years ago. I still have my gloves I ruined supermanning out the back of one of those rigs out of T10.

Years ago a couple of us tried getting rides as monkeys on a couple rigs. I can't remember if I was with Degsy (Derek) or junkyard (Jon Sutton).

[Johnny B]

Who profits from bike week? Is that a state run event? I feel like they would be the most likely to invest in the classic.

Laconia Bike Week is run by Charlie St. Clair. He co-ordinates everything. He is a separate entity from the track. I'm not sure of the other "Bike Weeks", but the gentleman who owns the Tower Street Tavern might have a hand in that. Charlie had us (USCRA) start the hill climb 5 years ago and after the first year the tavern owner started throwing money our way.
The vendors area down at NHMS is sponsored by us. For a while there was a tug of war between the track and Charlie over the demo rides, but it made more sense that we had them because of the traffic up there.

[Stoneman]

Laconia Bike Week is run by Charley St. Clair. He co-ordinates everything. He is a separate entity from the track. I'm not sure of the other "Bike Weeks", but the gentleman who owns the Tower Street Tavern might have a hand in that. Charley had us (USCRA) start the hill climb 5 years ago and after the first year the tavern owner started throwing money our way.
The vendors area down at NHMS is sponsored by us. For a while there was a tug of war between the track and Charley over the demo rides, but it made more sense that we had them because of the traffic up there.

I was hoping you'd chime in here. Great information!

[feralchimp]

My lad and I stuck around through 5-6 red flags before sloshing our way to the parking lot, but this was his first time ever visiting the track and he was totally into it. I kept trying to convince him to post up near the chicane, but he wanted to be at Turn 1 where everyone is going the fastest.
The only downside is that now that he understands people can go down without getting seriously injured, he thinks it'd be cool for me to start racing, and I *might* be able to convince him we should get dirtbikes.

Congrats to y'all who made the grid and survived through all the restarts; sounds like folks turned in some sick times in the rain. Is there video of the race anywhere?

[xrocket21]

My lad and I stuck around through 5-6 red flags before sloshing our way to the parking lot, but this was his first time ever visiting the track and he was totally into it. I kept trying to convince him to post up near the chicane, but he wanted to be at Turn 1 where everyone is going the fastest.
The only downside is that now that he understands people can go down without getting seriously injured, he thinks it'd be cool for me to start racing, and I *might* be able to convince him we should get dirtbikes.

Congrats to y'all who made the grid and survived through all the restarts; sounds like folks turned in some sick times in the rain. Is there video of the race anywhere?

Jdays are pretty family/kid friendly!!!!!

[Johnny B]

I was hoping you'd chime in here. Great information!

Funny thing was that Charlie was down in Daytona promoting Laconia this year. I walked out my front door at the Sea Dunes and there he was, stopped at the traffic light. I said "What's up, Charlie?"
He was startled to see me, and asked if that was my house I stepped out of. The light turned green and I said "I'll explain it to you in June!"
When I say he's in control, the first time I saw him, he was tearing down banners along the hill climb route. I asked what that was about and it was explained that you didn't just put your banners up, you had to go through Charlie.

[Jim]

will this year go down as the worst or least memorable classic

[OreoGaborio]

Jim, it's been YEARS since you and NHMS broke up. And you've gone on to see SO many other tracks. Can't you stop being NHMS's nagging ex girlfriend that never stops complaining to people about their relationship long after it's over and just race happy?

Insert obligatory to show that I'm just fukin with you but also being kinda serious.

[Jim]

i've watched every Classic, even when i stopped riding there. like everyone spectating it, that race was a total flop this year.

i wish (insert factory team name) wasnt pulling their weight and let the race get moved to sunday like everyone else wanted. so much talent would have been awesome to see its potential

i raced there when CCS went. think that was the 2021 classic. i'll probably be doing a lot of friday practice days there next year and taking a year off from the long road trips

[Stoneman]

will this year go down as the worst or least memorable classic

On the contrary. This year's Classic is one of the most memorable for me!

[Stoneman]

i wish (insert factory team name) wasnt pulling their weight and let the race get moved to sunday like everyone else wanted. so much talent would have been awesome to see its potential

This ^. I realize a team or two would have had to pull out if it got moved to Sunday. But I think it would have been more than worth while to move it in order to etch the race in everyone's minds and put the Classic back on the map.

i'll probably be doing a lot of friday practice days there next year and taking a year off from the long road trips

You'll have to let me know if it happens. We'll do a couple shots, then I'll put you to bed.

[Jim]

This ^. I realize a team or two would have had to pull out if it got moved to Sunday. But I think it would have been more than worth while to move it in order to etch the race in everyone's minds and put the Classic back on the map.

there was too much money on the line to run a 2+ hour race with 7-8 laps.
everyone suffered for having it run on saturday: vendors, spectator attendance, riders....

[Kurlon]

It would have been a BUNCH of the top teams having to pull out, they had to have the trucks on the road by Sunday morning to make the next Moto America round, most of the riders had flights Saturday, many of whom were already having to try and reschedule them 'cause of how long the Classic went.

[Stoneman]

It would have been a BUNCH of the top teams having to pull out, they had to have the trucks on the road by Sunday morning to make the next Moto America round, most of the riders had flights Saturday, many of whom were already having to try and reschedule them 'cause of how long the Classic went.

[Jim]

only one team from what i heard was practically demanding it happen on saturday.

if what josh is saying is true, then it easily could have been moved to friday.

[OreoGaborio]

Move it to Friday? Before they even had suitable practice and qualifying?

There were people that were WAY more invested and knowledgeable than you or I, trying harder than you or I could imagine, trying to make this work. They did the best they could with what they had to work with.

I'm having trouble figuring out what your motive for all this Monday morning quarterbacking is anyway. Were you a stakeholder? A sponsor? A participant? It was over a MONTH ago... You don't have to keep picking at the scab.


It's okay, Jim..........

[Jim]

Move it to Friday? Before they even had suitable practice and qualifying?

practice and qualifying in the morning, race at the end of the day. same format that the pro's use.
move NEMRR races that were on friday to saturday.

the purse had potential to bring in more riders and new talent, but created "i'm never going back again" feedback.

i want the series to succeed. i wish John would take over NJMP and Summit from CCS too. i miss a lot about being at NHMS.

[backinthesaddle]

No skin in the game, don't know the major players short of having John as a classroom instructor at a Penguin track day one morning. I watched on youtube the interview that he did a few days after the race. It sounded like he is done after this season and I can't believe the amount of money he has spent out of his own pocket to keep things going. Also the treatment of some of his staff. A rider's mother poking a staff member in the chest? Wow, no different than the rest of society I fear.

It also sounds like some people around region implied he was doing it for the money. Makes me think of a guy I worked with years ago who put on a big karate tournament. He'd be on the phone telling people if he was all about the money he'd spend his time working at Burger King rather than trying to make the tournament a success, and he'd actually make money.