Vet Classes

[wardd]

This will be my 3rd year racing and like many I started late(I'm 36 now), although I had a brief stint at riding when I was 21. I started out racing 250C and Vet B my first year, and raced 250B and Vet B last year. I am by no means an A rider, and have just come to the conclusion given my age, etc.. that I would never be competetive in A class. However, I am a mid/top 250B and top VetB rider. The gap between vet B and Vet A in my area seems to be getting wider and wider. More and more ex-250A riders are now racing vet A. While vet b is where all of the over 30 1st time riders seem to begin. Our vet b classes almost always have two full gates. I really feel that the vet b class has become much more dangerous than when I started. If you get a bad start, you have to carefully weed through all the 'squirrel' activity. Lots of deliberate changing of lines over big jumps to prevent faster riders from clearing. A moto medic friend of mine said they are on 'high alert' when both 250C and vet B motos run.

I'll most likely move to vet A shortly, but I would really like to see a vet C added as well. It would seem to benefit both the slower and faster vet b riders. And everyone would win. Maybe some would believe they could not get an even distribution among the classes. I'd appreciate hearing any other negative views on this.

How many other districts out there have an A, B, and C vet breakdown? Any suggestions on how to pursue future inclusion of a vet C class? I'm guessing this would need to be modified at the District level, so I'll probably start by inquiring at that level, and maybe start a petition going among vet B riders in the area. Maybe I should have posted this in the 'District' forum, but it seems to be more of general content to me.

Wardd.

 

[High Lord Gomer]

We do here in district 29 (NC/SC).

 

[mx547]

most tracks here are not ama affiliated. generally, the classes are 30+ and 40+, no skill designations. it works fine here.

 

[tx246]

tracks around here will make a class if you can get 5 to sign up for it. i think the safest racing happens when you can get the guys with the same ability together. age is a definite cut and dry class. you cant cheat or sandbag. sometimes the ability in an age class can cover a wide range. there are some tracks that will do a age/ability class ie 30+novice 30+intermediate 30+expert. these can be fun if you can avoid sandbaggers.

 

[Jaybird]

+40 around here has a wide window of skill as well. But you can run just about any class you want with the +40 class. No problemo. Old guys seem to be good at holding lines, fast or slow. :)

It's all good!

 

[ScottYZ250]

D-36 has Vet A/B/C, I've even heard in some states (not California) that D even exists

 

[Offroadr]

we have seen further division in the +40 classes here because of the spread. It made sense to have a SR A and Sr B classes. I am speaking from an off-road perspective. Wardy has more insight on the MX side

 

[c&b745XX]

Thats great and all , but there is allready so many classes that you are lucky to get 10-12 minutes of racing in . Maybe some day , separate races scheduled for vet's and others to break it up a bit . We invest alot of money to race 10 min motos !..

 

[CRPilot]

Wardd - I too race at Azzy in the Vet B class and have noticed some of the same things. There is a need to break up the Vet B class (typically 70-80 bikes per event), but to the point made above Azzy had anough trouble getting the motos in during daylight already. Whatever happens, I don't think more classes should be added. I would support splitting A&B into A, B, and C as long as there would be no need to run two gates of B any longer. I think the top 8-10 riders in B could easily run the A class plus the lower 10-15 drippoing to a C class.

 

[WaltCMoto]

If the class has 70-80 riders, then making 2 classes out of it wouldnt add time to the event, unless 50 went for 1 class and 20 went for the other. 10 minute motos are why I like doing Hare scrambles, 1 1/2 -2 hours. When done riding, your tired and ready to relax.

 

[Hman]

District 5 and 6 both. Big gates everywhere.

H

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

I started racing +40 at my local track when I began. After a couple of races I tried the beginner (D class). It was a lot of fun but I was always in the top part of the class so I felt pretty safe. As I began venturing onto other tracks I noticed the +40 riders were very fast, even told that a lot of them were "retired pro's." I ran beginner 125 & +25 at the other tracks for the remainder of my 1st year racing and the +40 locally. When I decided to "move up" locally I chose to skip the C class and go straight to the B class, even though I'm more of a C rider. I think I made a good choice because the B riders can hold a line whereas the C class are more dangerous than the D class. It is definitely more fun to ride with people of your own skill level. The + classes cut down on sandbaggers but you have to keep in mind, in my case, can be out powered and probably out skilled by most everyone there since I ride a 125 and been racing for only a little over 1 1/2 years. I knew I should have started racing at an earlier age. :o

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by Jeff Gilbert
I knew I should have started racing at an earlier age. :o

i always say that too and i started at 27 (43 now).

 

[Jaybird]

Man, Jay...you and Jeff are OLD FARTS!

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Originally posted by Jaybird
Man, Jay...you and Jeff are OLD FARTS!

ya, but we are both real good looking old farts. :thumb:

 

[tx246]

yeah ole okie jay creaks when he walks but when he throws a leg over a bike he becomes the zen roost master. senior jeff is the prettyboy on the cover of MX Medic Today. see the july issue. :aj: