To get to Lorettas

[The Honda Pilot]

Every year we have the area qualfier then if you make that you get to go to the regional qulifier. How do you know if you made a position to make it to the regionals ? Do you get a letter sent to you ? Naturally you know what position you made but then some guy in 40th place could go race the regionals to rite ? Also some guys around here James Stewart being one of them raced about 3-4 qualifiers and about 3 reginionals and he won at each of them in all his classes. Why would he need to race all of those qualifiers if he allready won his class ? is there a benefit to racing a winning in many of them. I know that many guys who dont qualify will move on to the next qualifer in the next city to make it. Sounds tricky to me. But if I make the top 7 each race I think I might have a chance. Top 3 would be better.

 

[nikki]

Honda Pilot-

First of all - you can check out 2002's tentative qualifying/regional schedule at www.mxsports.com

But this is how it all works (been through it MANY times): :confused:

-There are 7 different regions (Northeast, Southeast, Mideast, North Central, South Central, Southwest, Northwest)

-At the area qualifiers - the top 8 qualifiers (10 in Southwest and 20 in Northwest) are guaranteed a spot at the regional. But usually if you get a top 12 qualifying spot (qualifying spot = you paid the $10 extra to try to qualify at the area... you may race against riders not even trying to qualify and they don't count if they finish in front of you) - you can send your money and make it to the regional. They will send you a postcard letting you know that you made it to the regional.

-At the regional championship (the TOUGH part) - these are the numbers of riders guaranteed a spot at the Lortta Lynn Amatuer National (gate of 42).
NE, SE, ME - 7
NC, SC - 6
SW - 5
NW - 4

-NOW, if riders like Bubba Stewart win (or just qualify) in 2-3 regionals - they take him out of his "home" regional. Florida area = SE. So this moves the riders up in the other regionals that finished behind Bubba.

-Same goes for classes - you can race 4 classes at areas and regionals (some other rules apply per day and for youth) BUT you can only run 2 classes at the national. So if a rider qualifies in 4 classes at a regional (125A, 125A Pro, 250A, 250A Pro - for example) they can only run 2 at Loretta's. This also moves riders into qualifying positions.

-So at the regional they tell you to send top 10-12 finishes and they will contact you as they see how things work out. Another possibility is that a rider who qualifies at a regional in like California may not even send their money for the national. So all you can do is wait and see, really. :think

HOPE THIS HELPS!

 

[The Honda Pilot]

Thats a bit confusing. Soo... if you qulify at the area qualifer I have to send my money in ahead of time to the lorettas comitte or something and then they send me a card saying I can race the regionals ? Then once I race the regional if I get a certain position lets say 2nd place then that dosent even mean that im to lorettas rite ? is that why people will race more than one regional so that they have more than one chance of getting into lorettas even if they get 2nd or 3rd place each time ? Do some top finishing riders get " overlooked" even if they finish in top spaces ?

 

[mxneagle]

If you finish the regional in a qualifying position your are guaranteed a spot on the gate at LL's. After that it all depends on how many of the qualifying riders in front of you are actually entered for LL's in your class and which region you are in. That is really dependant on the class you run. Vet B in the North East region a top 12 finish will probably get you there. But 8th may not get you there in 250B (a much more lucrative class)

My beef is that at my regional they have to run qualifiers at the regional to pare down the field. Now my math says that 8 area qualifiers X 8 riders per qualifier = 64 riders, but there were classes that had over 100 entries? Hows that possible... BECAUSE its all about the MONEY. If they turned away those 36 riders thats $1080 lost!

 

[The Honda Pilot]

Now Lorettas is what a 4 day event . And each class races 3 motos instead of 2 ? It must cost alot to race for 4 days in just one or two classes ? Going to my local race gate fee entre fee and all would cost me $55.00 for racing all day in one class. And two race 2 classes its an extra $25.00 per class. So thats not a bad price I bet it must cost thousands to race at Lorettas due to the amount of people there. Nikki since you have been there I know alot of people show up is it just mass confusion the complete time your there ?

 

[mxneagle]

It is expensive for the week down there, Like $250 w/camping or so, but... thats per vehicle, so the entire family / crew is covered. I think its like $90 for an extra vehicle pass. When you look at what you get its not a bad deal.
Go stay a state park for a week and tell me how much it costs.

As for organization, its the best organized event I've ever been to. The motos go off on schedule, so if the program says you race at 4:15 thats when the gate drops. The track is maintained superbly and always watered and groomed (although its a bit wet in the 1st few motos to make it thru the 90 - 95 degree day) You get 1 practice session (30 min) on the first day of riding and then only a hot lap before your motos. I'd say it's the closest thing to riding a pro national as you could get.

Basically every one there is there to race. It's not a party atmosphere at all. Plenty of other entertainment going on all week. This race is a must for the amateur racer.

One more note, The first time you get there, you pull in and see a flat field with a innocous looking track cover in green grass. You think, this is it? A walk around it and your saying, no problem, I'll do every thing here on the first lap of practice. WRONG, it's way harder than it looks and after practice is done you realize that 1, the jumps have no lift. 2, if you dont get the 1st obsticle right you're hosed for the entire section. 3, you didn't do half the things out there. (But you had a blast anyway)

 

[The Honda Pilot]

Sounds like a blast maybe I can practice really hard and try to qualify for it. I will be racing 125-c stock & mod if and when I make it. only problem is I have to save up for another bike . Motocross is a passion of mine and hope to make it to lorettas next August .

 

[nikki]

Honda Pilot -

It really doesn't cost all that much to make it... when you consider the experience you get from it.

At the area qualifier - you pay an extra $10 per class that you try to qualify for.

For the regional - you send $30 per class per regional to MX Sports and then the track usually has an entry fee of $30. The regional is over 2 days and you run 3 longer motos (usually like 15 mins. plus 2 laps).

And for the national - you send $70 per class and like around $250 for camping all week (can cram the whole family in one motor home, etc...). Extra car passes are $70 for the week. Practice is on Monday and the races are Tues-Sat. You run 3 motos (20 mins. plus 2 laps).

mxneagle couldn't have explained it better...

It is VERY organized!! And when you first see the track... you're like "what... this is IT?!?" but it is way tougher than it looks! The actual experience of just racing there though is amazing. I got to race the first moto of the day one year (7:30 am) and it was so awesome. They read off the riders names, hometown, number. Then we went out for our hot lap (you get one before every moto) and then filed back into the 42-rider gate. Next all engines were quiet for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Then time to have your heart pound outta your chest when the 30 second board goes up then sideways. It's just absolutely amazing!

 

[The Honda Pilot]

Nikki So if I race 125-c stock and mod does that mean I have to stay the complete week for racing ? Or would mine or any other classes usually be grouped togather between 2 days ? or is it first moto one day second moto the next day and third moto the following day ? Thats alot of time for me to have to take off of work. I was hoping it would be no more than 4-5 days gone.

 

[nikki]

The area qualifiers (1st step) run 125 C - stock on Saturday and 125 C - mod on Sunday (qualifiers are only 2 motos and on the same day).

The regionals (2nd step) are a little different. It is basically up to the tracks on how they run. I have been to regionals where you run all 3 of your motos on one day (either all on Saturday or all on Sunday - you won't know until you get there) but usually they run you 2 motos one day and 1 moto the other day. So plan on being there at least Saturday and Sunday. And most regionals hold practice on Friday before the races.

And for nationals (final step) you will be there at least Sunday to Friday (about half the classes run their last moto on Saturday).

 

[oldguy]

One thing to be sure of if you are running 125 stock READ the rules close and be sure your bike is stock. Many riders buy a new bike for the week just to be safe