AHRMA Cross Country Series
Goals, Solutions and the Schedule for 2009
by: Teddy Landers, Cross Country Racing Director
Goals:
Create a series that will attract new riders including modern enduro and hare scramble riders to AHRMA.
Reduce the number of races to 8 maximum, and therefore the expense to the rider, that are counted for a championship title. Reduce the number of Friday races.
Create a six day ISDT series within the cross country schedule.
Create a schedule that allows east and west coast riders an equal opportunity to win championships. Cross Country has primarily been a mid-west series in the past.
Increase the number of novice riders.
Solutions:
Make the schedule consist primarily of two-day weekend Cross Country only events and try to schedule them to not conflict with the modern enduro and hare scramble events in the area. Add a 100cc class, this will bring in new members.
Limit the series to 15 races maximum. Schedule the east coast and west coast two-day events on the same weekend so that even though there are actually 19 races total, any rider can only physically go to 15 races making 8 the number of races needed for the championship following the half plus one AHRMA rule for a championship. There are only three Friday races in the schedule below.
We have added a second ISDT Qualifier Warm-up weekend in West Point, Tennessee, similar to the one we run in Combs, AR. This gives us 6 days of ISDT type races for the year on three weekends. We will be offering large team trophies to each rider on the top six three-rider teams if they go to all three weekends and race on the same bike. The ISDT Gold, Silver and Bronze metals will also be awarded to those who earn them and attend all three weekends and race AHRMA’s new Six Day Event(s). I think you can tell I am really excited about this!!! The three weekends will count as 5 cross country races.
Schedule two east coast and two west coast two-day weekends and reduce the number of mid-west two-day events from the current four to two. This does not include the ISDT Reunion Ride, which is a one race event that takes two days and moves around the country from year to year. This will allow any rider to enter the four races in their region (two weekends), and pick up two of any other two-day events for a four weekend total to win a championship. Or, go to the four races on the two weekends in the rider’s region and go to the four big national AHRMA motocross weekends at Gatorback, Diamond Don’s, MidOhio, and Barber for a total of 6 weekends. Or, go to the three ISDT weekends plus the two weekends in your region for 9 races in 5 weekends. Why the combinations are endless!!! The important thing is, you can do the series in 4 to 6 weekends easily.
The novice only race has been very popular with the novices and many of the faster riders when we ran them this year. The only down side has been the PV riders have had to wait too long from the sign-up/tech/riders meeting/siting lap until they race. We will try to schedule the race days similar to the way Barber was scheduled last year with a separate PV registration/tech/riders meeting/siting lap starting later in the day, allowing the PV riders to arrive later on in the morning. This will help to attract riders who can’t skip work on Friday.
The schedule to attempt to meet the goals above:
Feb 27, 2009 – Bike Week, Gainesville, FL, Friday, Cross Country Banquet
March 14-15,2009 – To be announced in South Carolina
March 14-15,2009 – Honolulu Hills Raceway, Taft, CA
April 3, 2009 – Diamond Don’s, Jefferson, TX, Friday
May 2-3, 2009 – ISDT Qualifier Warm-ups #1, Combs, AR
June 6-7, 2009 - Broome Tioga, Binghamton, NY
June 6-7, 2009 - Race Town MC Park, Adelanto, CA
June 20-21, 2009 – Little Egypt Off Road Recreation, Marion, IL
July 24, 2009 – Mid Ohio, Lexington, OH
September 19-20, 2009 – ISDT Qualifier Warm-ups #2, NATRA Property, West Point, TN
October 3,4 2009 – ISDT Reunion Ride, Enduro Riders Assn, McArthur, OH
October 10, 2009 – Barber Vintage Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL