Great Lakes Grand Prix - 10/10, 11 Gaylord Mich

[09oneL]

4mxonly,

Thanks for your post! :cool:

 

[E T]

That sounds awesome. let me start off by saying that i have nothing against Baja, or Patrick. I like racing at Baja, but in the past they have gotten carried away with the steepness of jumps, and stadium whoops that 5 people in the whole program could blitz, and 2 of them would crash on them. It sounds like this is going to be a great event, and im sure the baja crew will do great, im really dissapointed that portland is having the hare scramble on the same day though...

 

[Yam7M]

Sounds like fun....but I'll be supporting D14 and the HS series at Portland. :cool:

I wonder if there's a fun event going on that conflicts with a D14 Enduro that we can promote? :think:

 

[Smit-Dog]

KTM Mike - Thanks for posting this! Awesome pre-event video. I had no idea it was going on, or that it was even possible in this day and age to run an off-road motorcycle race on the grounds of a golf course and ski hill!

Two years ago there was a public golf course near my house that announced it was shutting down to make way for an 8-lane boulevard (extension of the M-5 connector). I spent a few months in discussions with the DDA (downtown development authority) trying to see if it'd be possible to host a race there, or just to ride there, prior to the bulldozers taking over. They weren't necessarily against the idea, but the response was basically "Gee... We've never done that before... put together a proposal". I didn't have the bandwidth available to sort out all the legal, ordinance, and liability issues to move the idea forward, and they are now in mid-construction. It would have been an awesome event had it been able to be pulled off... Can you imagine a hare scramble / cross-county style race in the middle of Oakland county!

I'll be driving through Gaylord this weekend, so will try and stop by to check out the track and facility... The 10th is our wedding anniversary weekend, but how often do you get the rare opportunity to ride on that kind of terrain?!?

 

[Fred T]

Sounds like fun....but I'll be supporting D14 and the HS series at Portland. :cool:

I wonder if there's a fun event going on that conflicts with a D14 Enduro that we can promote? :think:

Yes, the 8-16-2009 Log Road HS was the same weekend as the Summer Bumer D 14 enduro in Roselawn IN, so you got your wish F.C. :nener:

 

[Yam7M]

Yes, the 8-16-2009 Log Road HS was the same weekend as the Summer Bumer D 14 enduro in Roselawn IN, so you got your wish F.C. :nener:

Fish on!! :yeehaw:

 

[4mxonly]

4mxonly,

Thanks for your post! :cool:

No problem. If anyone has any questions here, I'll check back regularly and be more than happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

 

[4mxonly]

That sounds awesome. let me start off by saying that i have nothing against Baja, or Patrick. I like racing at Baja, but in the past they have gotten carried away with the steepness of jumps, and stadium whoops that 5 people in the whole program could blitz, and 2 of them would crash on them. It sounds like this is going to be a great event, and im sure the baja crew will do great, im really dissapointed that portland is having the hare scramble on the same day though...

I don't blame you ET, Pat has favored pro riders and what they'd like to see in the past, but we're working on getting a more even assessment from all riders for future track considerations. Just so you're aware, my brother and I own a small marketing and multimedia firm and have been working with Baja for close to a year now (strategic consulting, video production, web development, etc). That being said, Pat and Rosanna (Baja Acres) are trying very hard to listen to everyone and make positive changes for future races and events.

 

[4mxonly]

KTM Mike - Thanks for posting this! Awesome pre-event video. I had no idea it was going on, or that it was even possible in this day and age to run an off-road motorcycle race on the grounds of a golf course and ski hill!

Two years ago there was a public golf course near my house that announced it was shutting down to make way for an 8-lane boulevard (extension of the M-5 connector). I spent a few months in discussions with the DDA (downtown development authority) trying to see if it'd be possible to host a race there, or just to ride there, prior to the bulldozers taking over. They weren't necessarily against the idea, but the response was basically "Gee... We've never done that before... put together a proposal". I didn't have the bandwidth available to sort out all the legal, ordinance, and liability issues to move the idea forward, and they are now in mid-construction. It would have been an awesome event had it been able to be pulled off... Can you imagine a hare scramble / cross-county style race in the middle of Oakland county!

I'll be driving through Gaylord this weekend, so will try and stop by to check out the track and facility... The 10th is our wedding anniversary weekend, but how often do you get the rare opportunity to ride on that kind of terrain?!?

I would definitely encourage you to swing by the resort this weekend if you get a chance Smit-Dog. Speaking of a wedding anniversary, we had a similar situation with Oakley rep Matt Gerry at the Freeze X Fest event we did at Soaring Eagle last February. He and his wife were celebrating their wedding anniversary the same weekend of the event, which Matt was vending at. Being that the event was mostly during the day and at the biggest casino and resort in the Midwest, Matt decided to treat his wife to a luxurious spa package during the day and then dinner and other fun activities in the evening.

I can tell you that in my personal experience, the hotel rooms, restaurants, and lounges at the Otsego Club are top notch, and might not be a bad idea for a nice weekend getaway with your wife. Also, with it being Fall, and the resort looking over the tree filled landscape of the Sturgeon River Valley, it sure will be a beautiful and colorful scene whether you're racing, or just enjoying the weekend there.

 

[salgeek]

4mxonly,

Not familiar with a GP or the Otsego terain - how is the hidden rock in the tall grass scenario?

 

[Smit-Dog]

4mxonly - You're reading my mind... With your background, could you put together a pitch-book for me to use? ;)

 

[4mxonly]

4mxonly,

Not familiar with a GP or the Otsego terain - how is the hidden rock in the tall grass scenario?

No big rocks anywhere (haven't ridden the track myself, but done countless laps in a rhino while looking at layout scenarios). The soil is mostly sand and loamy dirt (no hard clay from what I've seen). Black soil in many places too, probably due to all the bio matter from surrounding deciduous trees.

The GP title comes from similarities between the terrain we have at the resort, and the old school European scrambles (or Grand Prix) - Lots of meandering through hilly terrain. A particular corner at the bottom of one of the uphills comes to mind - in that, the corner will be very wide and filled with lots of lines (I would guess 20 or more). I know it sounds hard to believe, but that is what is so great about this event... never really seen anything like it anywhere (except maybe while watching GPs on freecaster). Like I mentioned earlier, if I get a chance to go up there early next week I will be sure to take pictures of the track and post them here.

Also, like the old-school GP racing formats, we will be running one, 35-minute moto, opposed to the 2-moto format most motocrossers are used to.

 

[4mxonly]

4mxonly - You're reading my mind... With your background, could you put together a pitch-book for me to use? ;)

Haha, boy I wish... I don't know if I would be any help though (I'm a lot more knowledgeable about motocross events than I am of women!)

If I wasn't busy this weekend I would probably just head up there and give you the nickle tour. The staff there are amazing though, so if you get a chance, stop by and check the place out. And if you make it out for the event, by all means stop me and say hi. I'll either be hauling jib-booms and dollies around for my brother and another filmer or snapping pictures.

 

[Smit-Dog]

4mx - Don't know if you had a hand in producing the pre-event video (or the Baja Brawl vid for that matter), but it was outstanding work....

 

[D.LEATHERS]

Support Your District

Sounds like fun....but I'll be supporting D14 and the HS series at Portland. :cool:

I wonder if there's a fun event going on that conflicts with a D14 Enduro that we can promote? :think:

THANK-YOU Mr. Spore!!! :cool:

 

[4mxonly]

4mx - Don't know if you had a hand in producing the pre-event video (or the Baja Brawl vid for that matter), but it was outstanding work....

Yup that is my brother and I. I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you very much for the compliment!

 

[Fred T]

THANK-YOU Mr. Spore!!! :cool:

Yeah, I'll give Portland a try too. As far as one 35 min Moto at the GP I wonder of the moto guys :nener: can ride that long before they have to powerwash their bikes and shine them up? :yikes: They are used to a couple laps and then hanging out for 4 hours, thats like a whole day's riding all at once for them and if you ride HS thats about when you just get rid of arm pump and begin to push harder........ :nener: In an Enduro thats just the first section before the first re-set. :nod: When you are just getting warmed up.


And Jeez you get to pay a gate fee+ $35 entry fee + membership to ride 35 minutes, thats like more that $1.50 a minute........that track would have to be pretty damn awesome to be worth that IMHO. Do they have hot Monster energy girls on the podium?

 

[KTM Mike]

I know most of those enduro guys that pre rode the course that Whitebear mentioned. One of them is a mid pack C class enduro rider - absolutely loved the course, no complaints. He commented no big air stuff - all natural.

Jason Biber - the guy that owns Otsego Club races a few enduros as well - he has ridden the woods loop I have here at home in fact. Not that I know him well, but from what I saw - he 1) knows the value of proper promotion and marketing 2) knows the consequence of a bad rep getting out there - so will do all he can to avoid that happening and 3) I cant see him letting anything get set up "stupid" - particularly when he is actively trying to get us "woodsies" involved.

As to cost per minute - Fred do you think any of us believe you really worry about that? lets see...I could spend $100 on gas etc. to drive to a race elsewhere... (plus registration etc.)...or I can drive a short little 30 minute drive, try a new to me format for racing and maybe have a great time with other entertainment around the pits etc...sounds like a good time to me.

4mx - great job on the video!

 

[4mxonly]

Yeah, I'll give Portland a try too. As far as one 35 min Moto at the GP I wonder of the moto guys :nener: can ride that long before they have to powerwash their bikes and shine them up? :yikes: They are used to a couple laps and then hanging out for 4 hours, thats like a whole day's riding all at once for them and if you ride HS thats about when you just get rid of arm pump and begin to push harder........ :nener: In an Enduro thats just the first section before the first re-set. :nod: When you are just getting warmed up.


And Jeez you get to pay a gate fee+ $35 entry fee + membership to ride 35 minutes, thats like more that $1.50 a minute........that track would have to be pretty damn awesome to be worth that IMHO. Do they have hot Monster energy girls on the podium?

We've obviously given this whole 35 minute moto concept a lot of thought, and all things considered I think it will be a great event for both Hair Scramble and Motocross racers. I've personally raced both disciplines for years and I think the moto and hs guys will both be able to handle it just fine... we race motorcycles remember? This isn't a beauty pageant. Also, we will have a shorter track layout for smaller bikes, as well as a completely separate 50 track (a scaled down version of the big track) that can be seen 100% from the main lodge.

And while I certainly have nothing against Portland (used to be a member there) or any other club race for that matter (one of my favorite tracks in MI is Polka Dots), we're getting an opportunity to race somewhere new and totally different. I mean, when was the last time you could go to a race and have a world-class resort a stones throw from your pit area? Great restaurants, great entertainment, great families and friends... what's the downside to that? I know we won't be able to please everyone with this event, but given what we're trying to do here, and the kind of environment the resort is providing, I'd be lying if I told you there aren't a lot of people really excited about going to this race.

 

[ChrisKring]

yeah, the video was awesome. Saw it got on RacerX too.

I have been deaming of a golf course race for years. I didn't realize that it was Jason's place until a mutual friend pointed it out after the video came out. I have been hearing about it for a while.

The brawl video was top notch too.

 

[4mxonly]

Thanks Mike and Chris! Wish I had my dad's 525 and was about 15 pounds heavier so I could race the "Clydesdale Class"! Anyone on here that is coming, please track me down at the event, I'm always ready for a beer and a great conversation about racing or otherwise.

 

[TJC510]

when i seen the flyer, i was hopping for 2 35 minute motos, that would be sweet. its one thing i hate about motocross, as soon as i get warmed up, they throw the white flag and its about over. then wait 4 hours and do it again. 2 35 minute motos in a split format would be worth almost any price for me. i go out to grattan on practice days and ride all day long, my motocross friends bug out after a few hours of being there.

my original though was to bring my 500, then i seen the enduro class, my 300 is in the truck also.

 

[salgeek]

I know most of those enduro guys that pre rode the course that Whitebear mentioned. One of them is a mid pack C class enduro rider - absolutely loved the course, no complaints. He commented no big air stuff - all natural.

Thanks for sharing this info Mike. I'm going for sure now.

 

[tdunn976]

As an officer of D14, I'm obligated to support Portland Hs.
That said, I want to thank all involved for all the hard work and dedication to open another venue for off-road motorcyclist.
Hope that the event is a great success!

 

[fatherandson]

I am going to try to make it. Jason and I have had a couple of conversations about a possible Family Enduro at this location.