I don't think there's any question this whole registered letter and one year suspension bull that "Muddleboro" is trying to pull is excessive and uncalled for, but can we take a sec to set the record straight for anyone (myself included) that seems to have lost sight of exactly what it is we are trying to accomplish. The boycott a week ago at Middleboro was a good first step towards showing ALL the promoters that the riders- as a collective- are tired of arriving to laughable track conditions week in and week out- and will no longer stand for it. The money we spend and the time we invest to practice each week and race every Sunday justly deserves in return some basic improvements be made, and these requests are not, in fact, too much to ask or as unreasonable as they might lead you to believe. I would hate to see all that we've accomplished thus far go to waste with a poorly planned second move. I say this is because some of what I've been hearing as of late leads me to believe that our original focus may now be blurry to some; to the end that they would rather spite a single track owner regardless of the fact that such a move could directly, negatively impact every NESC rider- regardless of what their stance on the issue was. We deserve much better, and we should continue to make waves until measurable positive progress is made. Whatever course of action we as a group (NERC) choose to make, make sure we all take a step back first and really look at what will come as a result. Do you really think that starting from square one all over again with a virgin track is going to magically and instantaneously solve all of the problems we currently face here in New England? I think not. Sure, we might be able to alleviate some of them, but whats to say that other equally as problematic and pressing issues won't arise elsewhere? Don't get me wrong- I'm not trying to praise Middleboro, but I don't think they are as bad as some people make them out to be. You can't honestly tell me that on a 95 degree day in the middle of July, you would rather go into one of the outhouses at Central, Maine, or Southwick than into the new air conditioned building at Middleboro. If all they were really concerned about was taking as much money as absolutely possible from you, do you think they would have put that up? I think the big problem we're facing is not a lack of care on there part, but the fact that the people who build the track (them), and the people that ride it (us) are not one in the same and don't have open lines of communication. On that note, does anyone else remember the track from about 4 years back that Joe Ferini(?) designed and built? If i remember correctly, there was a "triple" in place of where the first spectator jump currently is (directly after you cross the start), a double jump in the infield (with a landing no less), and a real six-pack rhythm section near where we used to exit the track. I was a novice rider at the time, and therefore had the common sense to know that I wasn't capable of doing every obstacle on the track, but that didn't mean I couldn't safely try certain sections as I felt myself improving week after week (ie the double plateau landings on the current finish line and spectator jumps). Whats to stop something like this from making a comeback? I know I'd rather spend my energy to make some realistic improvements like these to a track we already have access to. If we ALL (again, myself included) spent as much time thinking about constructive criticisms as we did bitching and trying to re-invent the wheel, I think in the end we'd all be happier and a little bit better off. Am I way off-base here? What do you think...

(((ride fast)))

-- Garrett Kaye #20 (motoxer@wpi.edu), July 04, 2000

Answers

you have a good point, we all have to be very smart about what happens now because the results of our actions now could be devistating if we do the wrong thing. Something definetely has to be done in NESC to improve things because right now it just isn't working, and getting mail that says not to go to midleboro again or i'll be arrested and prosecuted is just not the way to go about solving these issues. Norman made a huge mistake by banning the entire expert class from going back there this year, and he's going to have to face the consequences himself, but NESC and the riders have to start communicating and working together to make this whole situation better.

-- #222 (chevylwrde@aol.com), July 04, 2000.

as for your question what's stopping this from making a comeback "CAPEWAY ROVERS" that's who a few years ago it was all set up for paul letendre to redo the track upon arrival paul keith and dana johnson were asked to leave they would not be needed somewhere along the line middleboro changed thier mind i spoke to them about it later and the reason was they felt they couldnt maintain the track week in and out with the front end loader so instead of buying or renting {like every other track in the country does} a bulldozer to maintain the track they opted to keep it at its current state from the letter i recieved im guessing they dont want to hear that the track is less than perfect so im thinking its going to be hard to get them to realize that some changes need to be made and not just on the track unless we stick togother that means everyone {novices amatuers experts youths vets minis everyone} the letter basically tells me that i am not welcome at middleboro for the rest of the year this is because i stood up with my fellow riders to say we are not happy with the track i personally tried to talk to norman and calm him down and not have a take or leave it attitude but those that were there got just that the riders chose not to ride now we are banned for the year i have been racing for 18+ years 16 of them in NESC i have never been disqualified or suspended before but for not agreeing with the track now i am along with 43 others who chose not to ride thats fine but i hope all the other riders know it can happen to anyone. this my first time using a computer so please excuse the lack of punctuation marks thanks mike treadwell #9 expert

-- mike treadwell (JudeStansbury@worldnet.att.net), July 04, 2000.

I agree 100% that something needs to be done about NESC but if all the riders are going to be expected to support each other shouldn't all the riders be a part of the decision? The experts decided to boycott Middleboro and the rest of the riders didn't find out about it until they paid their gate fees and entry fees and showed up to ride, then everyone gets mad because they rode. Some of these riders are just out of school and working full time and spending what little money they have to particpate in a sport they love (not to mention some of the vet riders that are spending money they can't rally afford so they can bring their kids and race while their kidds are just starting out.) Not everyone has a mom or dad that can't afford to support their racing after they turn 18 like some people and not everyone is an expert that has enough sponsors to help out that boycotting an event at the last minute doesn't effect their pocketbook. Keep in mind we all know the amatuers need a whole lot more track time to be able to contend with the experts when they become expert but if they can't ride every week they don't have a chance at ever earning their points unless they go ride "somewhere else as an expert and come back and say I'm expert to NESC" like some riders have and then they are a danger to everyone on the track because they can't handle what they have gotten themselves into just to become expert. My daughter is now riding this year and unfortuanely ther is no female class that runs by itself at NESC so she has to ride with the 40+ class which is not a class a beginner belongs in, so we go to some NESC races now and we ride NEMA to but that is our choice and that is what it is all about or should be. She wants to ride this weekend because she doesn't want to miss a weekend because she needs track time but now my family is torn because we have an expert, amatuer, and novice (female) so how do you tell the one just beginning that has been there for the other 2 for 6 years sorry but we can't go because everyone says you shouldn't ride. If you ask me Middleboro is jumping the gun on the suspensions without thinking it thru 1ST and the boycott wasn't well planned either because bull run is an NESC officials track and people rode there with out getting threatened and called names so I'm done maybe we will see you at the races and maybe it just isn;t fun anymore

-- sue (emersonlandclearing@mediaone.net), July 04, 2000.

Anyone like to nominate Garrett for president of the NERC? Great letter Garrett, very well said and I think you echo the sentiments of a lot of racers. As to what the "second move" will be I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure the NESC is holding an emergency meeting wednesday to deal with this very subject (the letters banning the Middleboro 44) I hope everything gets resolved and everyone can ride Sunday

-- Paul Buckley (buckley@ici.net), July 04, 2000.

NICE job Garrett.. Ya Paul, I wont be at Middleboro this weekend, but I nominate Garrett for AM NERC rep. He obviously is mature, well spoken and level headed. He's exactly what is needed..

Ron Sabin #270

-- Ron Sabin #270.. (Thefoursabins@aol.com), July 05, 2000.

By the way, WELCOME TREADWELL... Nice to see another top expert beside Pat on this thing.. ps. I'll ignore the punctuation if you stop lapping me, ha, ha...

-- Ron Sabin (ThefourSabins@aol.com), July 05, 2000.

RON R U SAYING IM IMATURE, ILLITERATE AND HOT HEADED ! ILL SEE U ON THE TRACK. LOL

-- JACK CAMELIO (jack camelio@aol.com), July 06, 2000.

Jack, uh, No!!! Just kidding.. I was just talking about nominating him for the AM rep.. You can still be the VET rep!!! See ya on the track, ooops, not Middleboro:)....

Ron..

-- Ron Sabin #270 (Thefoursabins@aol.com), July 06, 2000.