honda62 - I too have raced across the states and after being everywhere else, I think D-17 is doing a DAMN GOOD job. In fact, I talk to many racers in non-sanctioned AMA areas (TN, AL, FL, etc...) that WISH they had something like D-17 regulating the show as far as a points system, year end awards, advancement, scheduling, contingency, etc.
That is funny that you think MI tracks and riders are so superior... did you know at the April 13th Dutch Super Series Race (Dutch, Red Bud, Log Road), that Brad Modjewski aced 250A (14 riders) and took 4th in 125A (15 riders)? Did you know Modjewski spends many weekends battling on IL tracks such as Mendota and Byron with guys like Martin, Hopkins, Horton, Garro, Hofmaster, Oettel, Bartz, Thyberg... and Brad has to fight to place top 3. Did you know Brad also cruised to his heat race win at Red Bud at the National weekend and finished a strong 27/17 in Sunday's motos picking up a few points and beating out guys like Ryan Mills, Steve Boniface, David Pingree, Michael Blose, Michael Brandes, Mattieu Lalloz, Barry Carsten... etc...? And that Brad finished higher than any 125 MI rider other than Kelly Smith and Josh Woods?
Did you know that D-17 faithful Andy Thyberg finished 27/26 at the Red Bud National in front of Justin Brayton, Damion Plotts, Brian Mason, etc...? I thought D-17 riders can't ride the rough tracks?
Did you know that guys like Kyle Garro, Brian White, Roy Horton, Brad Ripple, Charlie Dagner... made many 2003 SX night shows? Yep... they all race at Byron. Did you know Casey regulars like Jason Brewington, Derek Leist, Dustin Pulley, etc. have competed in quite a few 2003 MX and SX's too? Did you know Shawn Clark often races at southern D-17 tracks like Casey and Mason? Did you know Shawn Clark has finished top 5 at the Loretta Lynn National MANY times? Have you seen guys like Keith Bowen and Robert Motsinger turn laps around Byron or Casey? Have you seen Tommy Hofmaster fly around Walnut... even if it's pouring down rain? Or lead the way at Mt. Carrol? Or Brandon Bartz, Junior Jackson, Austin Raubs, Dave Oettel, Ryan Poulter, Randy Poulter, and Ross Martin do battle at Coal Valley or Galesburg? Have you seen Brian Mason and Charlie Dagner at The Edge or Salem? Or James Polvolny or Kelly Smith or Nick Wey at the Casey Fall Classic? Or Kenny Bartram and Tommy Hofmaster battle at Ottawa?
Have you ever raced a Loretta Lynn Regional in Kentucky where the track owner loses his tractor key while the tractor is stuck in the mud in the middle of the start? Have you ever raced in the dark at Steel City because they were running late? Have you ever experienced how ungroomed and unsafe tracks like Hardrock or Gatorback in Florida can become causing several injuries? Or how challenging tracks like the Lake County SX in Grayslake can be also leading to meatwagon trips? Or the holes that will swallow up your bike in the Minnesota sand? Or raced at an unsanctioned Alabama track to see 30 riders in 125D (clearing every jump on the track), 30 riders in 125C, 5 riders in 125B, and 2 riders in 125A. Or guys like Jonathan Camp in Florida stay in C class much longer than their stay.
I wouldn't waste my time comparing D-17's whole deal to MI. Seems okay to me to have Byron, Mason, and Galesburg all racing on the same day when no track is 2-3 hours from each other. Plus when you add a Nuke race or Bonus Race or Fall Classic or whatever... then you get all your talent together. Log Road, Red Bud, and Dutch have their own thing going in SW Michigan. Yeah there are some fast riders at those tracks but they ride there EVERY open ride, every race, etc... because they don't have the options and track variety like D-17. Thats like saying Derek Rose and Penrod are going to show up at a Nuke race and put a hurting on Modjewski, Martin, and Hopkins. I wouldn't lay my money on the table. Imagine if Walnut, Byron, Mendota, and relocate Casey up by Ottawa and put together a series. Then top it off by making Walnut a National track and unloading a bunch more A class payout and contingency to all 4 tracks. And add a Loretta Lynn Qualifier to Byron and Regional to Casey... and there you have it.
And you think D-17 is out to make money? At least when you race Mendota's night track... you get two races in 125B no matter what. Go to Red Bud's night track and have fun in your 4 lap heat race. LCQ... forget about it. If you have a bad start in your heat, then you're done for the night - there is no LCQ. Run on a clear track... you can forget that too. Red Bud will squeeze 80 riders onto that night track... better hold your line! Then they give trophies to the top like 1/3 minus one. 10 in your class... oh boy 2 trophies. How nice. Especially when Red Bud has the luxury of racking in hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) on the National weekend to "reinvest" into the facility.
Anyways... I need to go to sleep. :silly: