If anyone has lost sight if the issues let me refresh your memory one more time. Riders, upon arriving at Middleboro on 6-25, found the track, once again, substandard to good racing conditions to the point of being dangerous. During expert practice the dust was so severe it became very dangerous. Going by the NESC RULE BOOK, that we are so often told to read, the riders in a courteous manner, informed the track management of these unsafe conditions. Instead of saying they could have done a better job if preparing the track and asking the riders to work with them, which the riders would have done, the experts were told if they raced that Middleboro would up the purse. It seems they lost sight that the issue was safety and not money. When the riders tried to talk to Norman and calm him down, and reason with him they were threatened by him telling them they would be sorry because they would pay for this. The first lie that came from Middleboro was the riders threatened Norman. The second lie, and the one they went with, was the riders that chose not to ride an unsafe track, threatened the riders that did. IT SEEMS THEY SHOULD HAVE TO PROVE THIS BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION BUT APPARENTLY THEY DON'T...AT LEAST IN THE NESC COURT OF LAW. If any riders were threatening then why wasn't it dealt with right there by taking names instead of waiting a week? BECAUSE IT NEVER HAPPENED.....PLEASE....DO YOU REALLY THINK all 44 riders stood there and threatened all the other riders? Of course this includes a little girl 60 rider and an 80 rider. According to Ruth Papoon they also got letters and if they read the same as all the rest these children will be arrested if they try to enter Middleboro property. Children arrested and cuffed because they want to race on safe tracks isn't that a pretty sight. The only riders who didn't recieve letters were Pat Barton and Wally Silva because they didn't forward their entries. What that has to do with threatening I couldn't tell you, but I can bet that little girl and boy were real scarry because they were sure dealt with. So once again total disrespect for the riders. The riders that chose not to ride that day had every right to do what they did without any punishment from the Capeway Rovers. They went by the NESC RULE BOOK. Where is the NESC lawyer paid for by the riders dues to represent them against these unproven charges? If the NESC board does not back these rilders 100% and take Middleboro to task for their unjustified actions there should be an unanimous call for the resignation of all board members who go against the riders. Middleboro has held the board and the riders hostage for long enough. If the board does not deal with this situation swiftly and firmly they should step down and let the riders take over the board and do the job. If all this is allowed to take place only because the riders exercised their rights by THE NESC RULE BOOK. you can only imagine what my fate will be for writing this... Joleen Treadwell

-- Joleen Treadwell (jhtread@megalink.net), July 05, 2000

Answers

Well I have to say that I wasn't there that day, but I've heard just about everything about it. Joleen, I couldn't agree with you more. The fact that it's okay for these guys to sit around and drink beer at 6:00 am and not maintain the track is a sin. I also beleive that we ARE THE CUSTOMERS!!! We should be able to give our feedback (hopefully in a professional manner) and have our concerns addressed. I find it ironic that we (the PAYING customer) have to tip toe around when we feel something is wrong, yet they (NESC, track promoters)can yell at us, tell us to read the rulebook and treat us like second rate citizens. In a customer service focused business, you welcome the feedback and embrace change for the better of your company and your customers. That plain and simply doesn't happen.

To quote an NESC rep, "Why do they think that the Middleboro incident will change anything? The 20+ experts that boycotted are only about 8% of the total riders and in any business 10-15% of unsatisfied customers is exceptable" end quote.. I damn near fell off my chair.

The first problem with that is that they missed the point. The truth is that more like 75% of their customer base is unhappy, it's just the Experts did something about it. The second thing is, that's exactly the mentality we are talking about.

I think the NESC should send out surveys to all their members and ask for feedback. How can we make the tracks better? Would you like to see more tracks added to the circuit? Etc.. If you are a customer focused business and CARE, you ask the question!

The irony to all of this is that I discussed this with my buddy this weekend on the way up the Bull Run. We stopped at a little road side seafood restaurant (you know the kind, walk up to the window and order) and I almost fell over in laughter. These people actually handed you a comment card AND a pencil to fill it out. THEY wanted to know what their customers thought. What a concept! I almost took the thing and brought it to Yvonne, but decided not to, you know why? I didn't want to get yelled at or kicked out of the track, I already pre-eneterd. That's sad, when a paying customer has to feel that way!

Things need to change!

Ron Sabin

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

Joleen, You have hit the nail right on the head. Everyone seems to be losing sight of the real issue here. What has happened to the NESC that I begin racing with in the 70's. The tracks we had were awesome, Does anyone remember Lanesboro, or Ludlow, Peperell, Waterboro,and a even Charleamont was pretty cool. The people where always helpful, the tracks were well prepped. Middleboro in the 80's was my favorite track,and I'm sure a lot of people would agree with me. Their jumps were cool, and Less Beach (the water truck operator) would make mud for practice with his water truck , but the track always ended up awesome right after practice. Now what do we have...We have Middleboro, they should just drop a bomb on that Shi..hole. I practice on much better tracks. Southwick, that track has not changed in my 25 years of racing,( except for their infield double) Its much worse now than ever, because they don't even water it for race day at all like they did in the years past, now its like riding on hampton beach, 1 line and beach sand everywhere else. Bull Run, where do you start with this one. I almost pee myself every time the announcer up says that the track is a national caliber facility, He has never been out of New England I take it. What a dump! National Caliber My ASS!!! Yvon is one of the biggest losers I have ever met. He is, with the help of his henchmen, running Nesc down the toilet. We can kiss all the contingecy goodbye if he is in charge for much longer. I could waste the whole page on him, But everyone knows he is a piece of shi..!!..Last but not least Central Village, I, like many people, have had issues with the track design for a couple years now, but when you try to talk to Steve Lapoint about it he takes it as a personal attack on him. And I like Steve, but his tracks are built for about 10 or 15 riders and everyone else has to suffer. Anyone who knows me knows I can do all of the jumps he builds but...raceday with many people in my class are not able to do these obsticles. During raceday I'm just not comfortable jumping everything when there are many of the other guys singling the jumps in front of me. But the experts have to or be passed. That being said, our track is the best run , because its run by us riders. Not enough can be said about all the work that goes into keeping central the way it is. I have raced the last 2 weeks at Jolly Rogers in New Hampshire and Diamondback in New York. Jolly Rogers which in my opinion is the finest track in New England. Both of these tracks are so much better than anything we race in new england including central village. On another note the new york tracks in district 34 are all better than the nesc shi..holes and I get paid cash!!!! in all the vet classes. So lets do some math here, all you need is an ama card, no 70 dollar licence, (which is a discrace), pay your 20 bucks entry and ride some of the finest tracks around. Which is the better deal?

-- Mike DeGaetano Vet Expert #29 (mx29@charter.net), July 05, 2000.

I've been trying to stay abreast of this situation, as a NEMA parent, who very much enjoys racing NESC on the off weeks. What I don't understand, is why NESC riders would put up with this baloney for so long. Last weekend NEMA had a two day race at Jolly. The entire weekend was so enjoyable, watering done constantly, grooming just as frequently, a fabulous Sat. night family buffet, put on by NEMA, but catered by Jolly restaurant, BMX bike contests for the kids on Sat. night with trophys and cash prizes, supplied by Marco. And all with a smile from Marco, not a drunken bad attitude. Now, if NEMA can do all that for their kids, don't you think NESC can treat their experts, who by the way bring in the spectators and money, with a little more respect and pride. We all agreed this weekend, that an NESC race at Jolly would be as exciting as watching the national at Southwick. Please keep forging on in your fight, for the sake of future NESC experts!!! Deb516Nemamom

-- Deb Torrance (madd516@aol.com), July 07, 2000.

Does Deb's comment say it all or what? Imagine what NESC COULD be. Attitude is everything.

-- Laurie R. (Laurie1213@aol.com), July 07, 2000.