|
|
x2 Brock well said !!!!
Two and a half million dollars ago... I should have had the brains to pull the plug before I had to cease operations at AMA DRAGBIKE! -DRAGBIKE! USA.,..but my enthusiasm for the sport and the "perfect storm" of 84%</font> rainouts hiding the fact that the economy had taken the attendance and participation market away... I kept flying crews and spending $5,000- a pop to advertise rainouts and rain-ons but not outs....that , if they had really run...would only at best been half the size of what they had been two years prior.(1988-9) when Reaganomics was still blasting full steam through Bush 1.
Thus, one day, I looked up to find I was six feet under already.
These guys made a choice...and a smart, courageous one at that...and only future history will show just how smart.
I hope it didn't cost these folks as dearly as it did us...but I know it did in their hearts.
Tom Loughlin Jr.
PS...Let's make sure that this website...whether it's called DRAGBIKE Magazine or DRAGBIKE! Magazine keeps going.
PPS...IF you look to my example, things will improve.</font> When we invented drag racing at the sturgis rally, we were bucks down in the early 80's i the late 80's we were the hottest act in motorcycling....When I went to Sturgis/Rapid City the second year, I had to take a Greyhound bus from Utica to Rapid City...and had to sleep on combined crib mattresses on the floor in the nursery of the Rapid City YMCA. (Roy..I am sure you have stories, too.) We managed to make the show ok..and had accommodations for the race just fine...but...the fact that just three years later, our accommodations for the West Palm Beach race was the PGA National Resort (shoulder season rates) shows what effect the economy has on our sport.
Be of good cheer...this too will pass and only panic and stupid no-think reaction can totally ruin this sport.
There is too much racer-iron investment to have it die.
There is too much aftermarket mfr tooling/inventory/real estate investment in it to let it die.
There is too much "sexy" in it for OEM to use to influence their product lines to let it die...
and...
There is too much wise love in it from the old timers like myself, Strawn, Frankie Spittle, Milsted, for us to go away without lending some pretty sage advice and BLOODILY EXPENSIVELY BOUGHT </font>knowledge from outside the ring as we have already and continue to do. I speak only for those guys because those guys have already spoken on this before I put this in writing (except Milsted.
folks..if I can go from sleeping on baby mattresses in the Y at Rapid City to a suite at the Biltmore in LA (weekend special, of course, $24.95 per night with continental breakfast not available at the Y except in a thing that said EVENFLO on it...)
THIS, TOO, WILL PASS !!!
Tom Loughlin Jr.
(my back is starting to hurt thinking about those crib mattresses)</font>
</font></font></font>
</font>
hmm as we all stated this truely does suck.
<DIV>but in the way we always do, wemove on and myquestion is why not sell it. or is it forsale. does ama take back its sanctioning rights. justa few thoughts tony</DIV>
I cannot say what the deal was with the extant group, but in general, AMA sells sanctions to approved promoters and clubs in return for insurance access and the AMA imprimatur assuring that there will be certain standards and rules adhered to and procedures racers can count on.
Same thing with NHRA except that it is the facility which comes under scrutiny, not the operators.
The insurance companies are involved in approving facilities as insurable or not insurable in both cases.
Tom
</font>
Edited by: DRAGBIKE!
Nice sentiments.
Tom</font>
More than enough.
It was't just one iceberg...our outfits have had to negotiate a whole field of em...
Tom Loughlin Jr.
</font>
Anyway, my reply came after I read that it should/could be ran by Star Racing. If anything, it should be ran by V&H. They are out there at each and every race. Maybe they couldn't afford it either, due to the fact that they field 2 bikes, each and every year. I'm not a V&H fan, so please don't take it that way. Their prices are way up there, too. I'm a Craig Treble, and Karen Stoffer fan.
<DIV>
I am a Craig fan and a Karen fan too...they do not run in Drag Bike...they run NHRA...this is not about NHRA....this is ALL of Drag BIKE racing...that is what we need...if you dont know what you are talking about...call me at Star 229 924 0031 or toll free 800 841 7827...I will give you enough true real facts so you can speak in behalf and in support of our trouble...our problem...MOTORCYCLE DRAG RACING....not PRO ONLY NHRA PRO STOCK...in case you did not know the company that closed yesterday had NO PRO STOCK>>>OKAY?</DIV>
Not good at all, but real. I can't think of any time when reality checks feel good...but ..without them..the next reality check would be worse. How nice it would be to have the luxury of scheduling our reality checks before reality checks schedule us.
Maybe these folks were smarter than I was and flipped the switch before it sent them to the poorhouse (like me). Hope so.
Tom
</font>
Goal is keeping the sport as vibrant and appealing as possible on as many levels as possible in the current circumstance. Resonances from this setback will shake confidence in other areas, and we need to keep panic from entering the equation.Originally Posted by BlueDevil
I agree, I hope everything works out.
<div>But What I'd like to see is some one with the capital to keep AMA DRAGEBIKE going.</div>
<div></div>
<div>This is a huge blow to the DRAG BIKE commumity. This is a organization for Drag Bike enthusiasts by enthusiasts. This is a sport that helps the motor cycle industry going.</div>
<div>And besides it has the most excitement.</div>
<div>I know this anouncment must be devistating to Scott and Brandi.</div>
<div>I hope this all works out.</div>
<div>What a Bummer..........Mike</div>
Problem is that folks with money get it by investing in things with a track record of making money or having potential without proving otherwise.....or 2 investing in support businesses in their line of extant endeavor to assure a continued supply of customers...vertical integration.. A third source of investment , which has powered many an American enterprise...for a while...purveyors of substances and activities which fall under Al Capone's "give the people what they want" motto.
1 is unlikely to happen. Banks and investment houses are scalded by GOOD bets...so five major failures in two decades would not present a welcoming scenario to those folks;.
2. Possible. but with distinct and expensive consequences for the little guy it not reined in with an iron fist. This is what MR. Strawn resisted at AMDRA according to a recent post.
3. All too possible. Guard against this at every turn. Too easy a fix and after that..it is all over.
4.. Those are not the only ways... just the obvious. We have a ton of very smart people out there....let's have some suggestions. ..we have had a lot already, mainly about paring back to squeeze remaining interest and disposable income into one, or two saving events. Keep em coming!!!
Tom
</font>L
</font>
The lesson , and it does not necessarily apply to the intelligent decision these folks made..is "schedule your reality checks before they schedule you."
Their decision is smart, brave, and will in the long run create a stronger central organization benefitting from this hard look at the economy and its' effect on us. Bless em.
Tom Loughlin Jr.
</font></font>
| « Previous Thread | Next Thread » |
| Bookmarks |
Bookmarks |
