Improving LRRS

[Rambunctous]

I think that's the bigger issue over our fees... like dan said, if $30 kills you, you picked the wrong sport.

8 x 30 = 240 It happens to be a deal killer for some.

[Degsy]

not hard to get a hold of the right people if you want answers.

Yeah, I have the phone number of my local branch of bank of america but i shouldn't have to call them to get my balance.

I'm trying to save THEM time. The easy questions should be on the website.

["Dangerous" Dan K]

I agree. Wanda does Rock. She's awesome. I don't think she needs to answer the same 20 questions all day long from racers though when the info could be on the website or email newswire.

So, want to share your question or is it personal?

I hear you she shouldn't have to answer the same Q all day when it could be on the site. I don't think what I asked falls into that category. As for sharing, I'll wait until she replies and see what her feelings are. I wouldn't feel right speaking on it until I know the deal and get the word from her. If she tells me I can spread the word once I get an answer I will. If not, my mouth stays closed.

[lrrs313]

not hard to get a hold of the right people if you want answers.

But it's also a horrible waste of their time if 50+ people are calling/emailing with the same question, the answer to which effects a lot more people, looking for information that could be very easily posted on a web site, freeing them up to do their actual jobs.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I think we should Beat this topic to Death.

oh wait?

[lrrs313]

I think we should Beat this topic to Death.

oh wait?

[Doc]

Yeah, I have the phone number of my local branch of bank of america but i shouldn't have to call them to get my balance.

I'm trying to save THEM time. The easy questions should be on the website.

[daviid]

not like it really concerns me, but you have

lrrsracing.com
raceloudon.com <-seriously 2 official websites? both of them that look like they came from 1995. and both of them have stuff thats so outdated your not sure if its current
the NEAR list
gospeedway.com

as said previously, if they would setup ONE domain to put everything on, get rid of the obsolete ones. do a dynamic feed, they would be set. until they start neglecting it again

[palanon]

OK, just a little bit of info and a small bit of reason.

Bette French has retired. A lot of changes are going on. Wanda is now officially the go to Goddess of LRRS. This is a huge plus. She absolutely loves LRRS and everyone in it. There couldn't be a better advocate for the series than Wanda. You can be assured she'll alway's give it her all to look after each and every one of you. Wanda has also expressed that she really likes the new Opps. Mgr. coming on board. That he'll be, let's say more motorcycle friendly, than what's happened in the past.

Johnny B and I sorta made an arrangement a while back. We'd fact check things through Wanda, rider reps, Don and physical observations by actually being there to help clear up rumors. Johnny B is kinda busy with banquet, Homestead, Daytona etc., etc. Although I bet he's already working on/with these issues. My life has sucked the ass of hell since Oct. My wife has been more on this stuff than I have. It's really only the S.B. that clued me into this thread.

Remember, the track is geared more towards NASCAR. Of coarse they want LRRS to succeed and grow. However, motorcycle racing is a different animal to them. There are some very positive changes in management towards motorcycles going on now. There are some really good questions and suggestions being posted here. Run it towards the goal. If you don't bring it to their attention, how do you expect them to know? This is different than car racing and their not clairvoyant. NHMS has given you the tools to make your oppinions and suggestions known. You have Wanda to help get things done. She needs the help to document it and show to the powers that be.

Quit bitching here and do something about it. Bitching solves nothing, suggestions and ideas do.

[Degsy]

Quit bitching here and do something about it. Bitching solves nothing, suggestions and ideas do.

This completely throws me off every time.

[scottieducati]

No, the cash that was stolen from us didn't turn up.... long, long gone. Someone got some nice bits for their bike out of that.

"LRRS" is a family, but it's not NHMS, Penguin, or anyone else that makes it that way, it's the racers and the CUSTOMERS. Time and time again the fact that the racers are the customers is ignored and batted down, they're handed crumbs and expected to say thank you for it. I just don't get it. I have *nothing* against Penguin, LRRS, or NHMS mind you, quite to the contrary.... it's the two banquets in a row where the call to rally the troops as "we're all in this together" have been called out. Excuse me?

It's not our responsibility to make it attractive to existing, and future racers, it's theirs. And all of the things that have been mentioned here come into play. Get a proper website, get online registration, use both to actually DO some marketing. Posters hanging in dealers don't get results. Sure, word of mouth does, but I guarantee you every friend I have that rides knows damn well where the track is and what goes on up there... most of them have done track days.

This whole mentality of them helping us out because they're all generous and charitable is bollocks. They're a business, if the business can't evolve, then they will eventually be shown the door. Another organization / business will put together all the services and conveniences a 21st century operation should have and take over... sure there might be a down time in between, but times like this always weed out the lazy, unmotivated or out dated business models. Sadly, all that is, is just the facts. If this is the case the "business" in question of LRRS will simply be cut from the events schedule and the track closed for all but 2 weekends a year... of course nobody wants to see this happen, but unless solutions are posed to benefit all, then what's the point? I think there have been plenty of suggestions here that make an awful lot of sense, some useless, some useful, and some simply impossible.

I know Wanda's trying hard, and rumor has it Online Reg is in the works, I'm just worried it won't be done the right way (if the current websites are any indication) and it'll be more hassle than it's worth... I hope not!

I'm more than happy to lend my knowledge to help out... online registration, a dynamic and relevant website are NOT big issues. The reason they're being complained about is because there's simply no excuse for it not to already have been done.

I remember this... I think it was the weekend of chasing electrical gremlins in Nate's bike... that's very scarey, as I have left cameras, laptops, wallets out and about (not to mention tools/parts).

I would lose a lot of faith in the LRRS community up there if that happened to me (and your reminder scares me a little). You can thank whoever that was for adding to the pains of owning a 1st year company. I assumed it turned up amongst the 4 of you guys, as I don't remember any announcements at the riders meeting or anything.

Sad part is, (admittedly) I would automatically think it was from a certain "questionable" group that seems to disregard any consideration for others, while it could be somebody well known, or a quiet little EX500 guy.

[palanon]

Just to clarify something for those that don't know.

LRRS is owned by SMI (NHMS). They sorta fell into this when they bought NHIS. Wanda works for NHMS (SMI). To bitch/ask questions/make suggestions, the best place to do that is through NHMS.com. It's really the official site and is monitored by the people that make the real decisions, SMI (NHMS). The other sites are the unofficial sites managed by some great peeps.

Believe me, they pay attention to emails and posts in the LRRS section of the web site. It's just that people aren't utilizing this tool. emails and posts on the website=documentation. Hundreds of phone calls = here-say.

[Kitt]

Just to clarify something for those that don't know.

LRRS is owned by SMI (NHMS). They sorta fell into this when they bought NHIS. Wanda works for NHMS (SMI). To bitch/ask questions/make suggestions, the best place to do that is through NHMS.com. It's really the official site and is monitored by the people that make the real decisions, SMI (NHMS). The other sites are the unofficial sites managed by some great peeps.

Believe me, they pay attention to emails and posts in the LRRS section of the web site. It's just that people aren't utilizing this tool. emails and posts on the website=documentation. Hundreds of phone calls = here-say.

...Jim moderates the nhms forums, and gets $0.10/click, and $1.00 for each new registered user...

[scottieducati]

I ran into Wanda randomly over the winter grabbin coffee up in Concord and we talked a bit. I told her I'd be more than happy to share some web ideas for online reg and such but I'm sure it went out of her head by now... My guess is LRRS will be exactly the same as always only the fees are shuffled around a bit. Not gonna affect my plans one bit (and I hope to race a full year for the first time since 2003!).

I'd just rather hear about the hard problems facing the series and some ideas for solutions than the same speech from 2008 re-canned about how we gotta help get people up to the track... word of mouth isn't the problem, not even close to being the problem. For the most part, ALL the racers in LRRS are ambassadors to the sport and tell everyone they know. Most of em are probably known in many non-moto groups as "that guy/girl who races motorcycles."

It's just frustrating as now is *exactly* when the hard problems SHOULD be addressed and solutions implemented. It's a LOT easier to roll out a new website, online registrations, or fee structures that are fair and reward the "good" guys now, when attendance is down, than it would be once things rebound. The beautiful part about all of this is that if the people who make decisions are thinking even a little bit, they of all people should realize how much room there is for improvement for everyone. Increase efficiency, cover basic costs, and provide incentives for NEW blood to the series... and that includes the ASRA / Loudon Classic weekend. I wonder if we'll see more than TWO outsiders show up for it. I bet you won't, unless the have some decent purse money and the word gets out... that's not going to happen via nhms.com, lrrsracing.com or here.

[PPS26]

when i went to barber motorsports park (awesome race track btw) i think the gate fee was like 35 or 40 bucks and there was a camping charge of 35 per camper/motor home...so i think to have a free gate fee for racers and a camping fee of 15$ is more than fair

[scottieducati]

Also bear in mind the level of maintenance and facilities available. Barber is in an entire other class compared to Loudon. That said, the fees they're proposing ARE fair and I'm definitely ALL for free wristbands with 3 pre-registrations. I'd be happier to see that brought down to two or even one. Many folks don't even own bikes legal or competitive in more than one or two classes.

when i went to barber motorsports park (awesome race track btw) i think the gate fee was like 35 or 40 bucks and there was a camping charge of 35 per camper/motor home...so i think to have a free gate fee for racers and a camping fee of 15$ is more than fair

[OreoGaborio]

FWIW, I think the people in the NHMS back office do a great job at running the show & making the races happen...

But I think we need another new face in there whose sole full-time purpose is to come up with, propose and FOLLOW THROUGH with new and inovative changes that will help the series grow. Someone that will actually make things like online-registration, increased communication, outside promotion and spectator ticket sales happen.

As a community, sure, we can make all the suggestions in the world... yeah, they're being read, but who's actually sitting there, crunching the numbers and plotting how those changes would affect the track's bottom line? It sounds almost as if the powers that be are getting some of these and just doing a quick "gut check" to see if they like them or not.

Right now it seems like that stuff is getting dumped on people like Wanda, who already have a lot on their schedule.

[scottieducati]

FWIW, I think the people in the NHMS back office do a great job at running the show & making the races happen...

But I think we need another new face in there whose sole full-time purpose is to come up with, propose and FOLLOW THROUGH with new and inovative changes that will help the series grow. Someone that will actually make things like online-registration, increased communication, outside promotion and spectator ticket sales happen. As a community, we can make all the suggestions in the world... yeah, they're being read, but who's actually sitting there, crunching the numbers and plotting how those changes would affect the track's bottom line? It sounds almost as if the powers that be are getting some of these and just doing a quick "gut check" to see if they like them or not.

Right now it seems like that stuff is getting dumped on people like Wanda, who already have a lot on their schedule.

[Pittenger5]

But I think we need another new face in there whose sole full-time purpose is to come up with, propose and FOLLOW THROUGH with new and inovative changes that will help the series grow.

Because the bigwigs that cut the checks dont care about us. (Im willing to bet). Sure people like Wanda and the rest that know us personally, and deal with us on a regular basis, like us and want to help us, but they dont make the decisions. They just follow orders from their higher-ups like most of us in our jobs.

[Rambunctous]

Basically the deal is " We gonna go up in cost. We are gonna give it to a few "

I do not give a crap about PA systems that are useless or online registrations or a updated web site or a track in five years. I care about affording racing and I am getting cut out.

[Chippertheripper]

if you want it badly enough, you will do whatever it takes to make it happen.

[scottieducati]

From LRRSracing.com:

Racer Feedback - If you have any thoughts, concerns or constructive criticism on how the LRRS is run or could be improved please "Click Here" to create an email while it is fresh in your mind.

The "Click Here" goes to various email addresses.

[Kurlon]

So, if I pre-reg, which I started doing religiously last year... I save money on my entries. I will now also save myself a gate fee if I register for 4 or more races, cool. I was doing that already. So I've saved a bit more.

On the flip side I'm going to pay for camping/elec/water, where before I was just grabbing some spare turf for my tent and roughing it without amenities. Sounds like they are going to open up the gravel RV area to us this year if they are talking water also. So my camping/elec/water fee also gets me a dedicated plot to stake out? That's not a bad deal in my book if thats the case.

That puts my costs about where they were last year, but I'm getting a bit more in the infield out of it. How is this bad?

(This is ignoring the fact that I likely can't run this year as my KTM NEEDS a total rebuild or else that motor is going to scatter itself across start/finish in a spectacular way when it lets go.)

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Hopefully they can Waive the fees for corner workers, I like them they pick me up

["Dangerous" Dan K]

Hopefully they can Waive the fees for corner workers, I like them they pick me up