futuregrace

I have a question and I'm not sure where to post it. Cyclocross is where this thought comes from though so I thought here might be a good place.

I love cyclocross racing, but I hate that it is in winter and since I don't care for road racing or mountain bike racing I hate that it is not in the summer.

That being said would anyone be interested in a summer version of cyclocross racing that resembled NASCAR. Some variation on below.

The point of this is some sort of simple to pull off, anyone can set one up, not much room is needed, spectator friendly type of race. I love the idea of racing, but I won't dedicate huge amounts of time and money to do so.

1. Set a limit on how many start the race. 43 or 50 or 25 or something. This allows for reverse points system. 25 for first, 24 for second and so on if only 25 race.

2. Most of the track is viewable at any given time. This makes it fun for spectators, they can watch their favorite riders the whole time.

3. No jumping off your bike like in cyclocross, the whole course is rideable.

4. Most be a geared bike, mountain bike, cross bike, road bike, etc.

5. Multiple types of tracks. But must allow for passing at almost every point (thus not a mountain bike trail). Can be flat circle or complex winding thing.
A. A field, perhaps partly on paved track, partly grass, etc.
B. Streets in a neighborhood or city marked off for the race
C. Parking lot of closed down big box store or likewise.

6. Make it laps, not time. Shorter laps and more of them preferred.

7. Assign numbers for the year and use three digits if needed. This makes it easier to keep up with people than a new number every race. Maybe find wat to put large numbers inside the frame triangle.

8. Make them where no more than two primary colors to make people easier to spot from a distance. It would be easier to spot the orange and green guy than multiple less obvious colors.

9. Make people earn their way into the top flight races. Get so many points in a division 3 race and you move to a division 2 and so on.

10. Perhaps have races where three guys make a team and they can change as often as they like giving it a pit type aspect.

Make circuits in closer geographical regions. Forget big money prizes, forget huge sponsorship, forget the need for tons of space to accommodate masses. This is NASBIKE, bike racing for the average joe who likes riding his bike so much he wants to race for fun.

If something like this existed in your city, no or low low cost, 10 races over 10 weeks would you be interested in it?

StephenH

It sounds a lot like a normal crit except for the surfaces involved.

Provisions dealing with visibility are moot as races like this generally don't have a big audience.

On scoring and all, simpler is better, and sounds like you're complicating it.

knobster

Sounds kinda boring to me. If I could design a course for cross I'd make it much, much harder and more fun. Like I've seen in Europe. Instead of streams, make it rivers. Jumps with muddy tracks on the other side. etc..

Machka 

You mean ... like a criterium?

MichaelW

In the UK we have grasstrack racing.