Northeast Racing
10-25-15, 12:29 PM
#2401
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10-25-15, 04:57 PM
#2402
Senior Member
Nice to see you grolby and Mikey. You both raced well. If you didn't stick around to watch the pro race, it went down like this. We were all wondering why Curtis White wasn't on the front row at the start. He spotted the field two minutes, blew through it, and beat Adam Myerson, who sprinted for second, by almost two minutes.
. Curtis was quite something. Everyone seemed pretty jazzed to get destroyed by him, which was cool.
10-25-15, 04:59 PM
#2403
Senior Member
10-28-15, 10:06 AM
#2405
Rides too much bike
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10-28-15, 11:33 AM
#2407
Senior Member
HAHAHAHA. Oh man. NACS. Uuhh where to start? Mostly I think their timing is crap, with DBH taking over as USAC CEO, and locally speaking, JD taking over at NEBRA (NACS is based in Vermont). These guys need a chance to get things turned around. Also, their claim out of the gate that they intend to supplement rather than compete with USAC is BS and makes no sense. It doesn't bother me that they're competing, but talking BS about it does.
As a bike racer, I don't see yet how they are going to make my experience better. Another license to buy isn't going to make bike racing better for me. If they do pick up a meaningful number of road or cross races that were formally USAC, that stands to make life more difficult for a lot of people, who will have their upgrade path complicated by competing orgs that don't recognize each other's category systems. For promoters, I understand that there is some appeal at least to folks already on the USAC train because the insurance options they provide are a lot cheaper.
In short I am skeptical that a new NGB is better for anyone who isn't the owners of the NGB, but it's possible that the competition will push USAC to offer better services and better value to racers and promoters. And that would be cool. I'm not holding my breath, though.
Also, North American Cycle Sport is a bad name, and their logo is even worse.
As a bike racer, I don't see yet how they are going to make my experience better. Another license to buy isn't going to make bike racing better for me. If they do pick up a meaningful number of road or cross races that were formally USAC, that stands to make life more difficult for a lot of people, who will have their upgrade path complicated by competing orgs that don't recognize each other's category systems. For promoters, I understand that there is some appeal at least to folks already on the USAC train because the insurance options they provide are a lot cheaper.
In short I am skeptical that a new NGB is better for anyone who isn't the owners of the NGB, but it's possible that the competition will push USAC to offer better services and better value to racers and promoters. And that would be cool. I'm not holding my breath, though.
Also, North American Cycle Sport is a bad name, and their logo is even worse.
10-28-15, 11:57 AM
#2408
Rides too much bike
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I actually talked with some of the people putting on NACS, one thing that was interesting was that they intend to recognize USAC categories when applying for a license so a Cat 3 in USAC would be a Cat 3 in NACS.
While as racers we would essentially see nothing change it is an interesting partial answer to the argument of "How do we make things better for promoters". NACS takes the approach of reducing the costs for the promoter, that is certainly non-trivial.
The timing of the announcement is definitely pretty bad though. But perhaps it's appearance along with a major change up at all levels of the sport is a good thing. A new president is tested by a competitor, and a new regional rep is offered a choice.
While as racers we would essentially see nothing change it is an interesting partial answer to the argument of "How do we make things better for promoters". NACS takes the approach of reducing the costs for the promoter, that is certainly non-trivial.
The timing of the announcement is definitely pretty bad though. But perhaps it's appearance along with a major change up at all levels of the sport is a good thing. A new president is tested by a competitor, and a new regional rep is offered a choice.
10-28-15, 05:14 PM
#2411
Senior Member
I actually talked with some of the people putting on NACS, one thing that was interesting was that they intend to recognize USAC categories when applying for a license so a Cat 3 in USAC would be a Cat 3 in NACS.
While as racers we would essentially see nothing change it is an interesting partial answer to the argument of "How do we make things better for promoters". NACS takes the approach of reducing the costs for the promoter, that is certainly non-trivial.
The timing of the announcement is definitely pretty bad though. But perhaps it's appearance along with a major change up at all levels of the sport is a good thing. A new president is tested by a competitor, and a new regional rep is offered a choice.
While as racers we would essentially see nothing change it is an interesting partial answer to the argument of "How do we make things better for promoters". NACS takes the approach of reducing the costs for the promoter, that is certainly non-trivial.
The timing of the announcement is definitely pretty bad though. But perhaps it's appearance along with a major change up at all levels of the sport is a good thing. A new president is tested by a competitor, and a new regional rep is offered a choice.
10-28-15, 05:19 PM
#2412
Senior Member
at the end of the day, at least in the northeast there are enough open days/weekends throughout the road season that the NACS would be shooting themselves in the foot to directly compete with a usac event. in other words, were all just going to race our bikes regardless of whether or not it's USAC, NACS, or neither (look at quabbin. mike norton has done everything possible to alienate the racing community but people still show up to quabbin).
10-28-15, 05:34 PM
#2413
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I'm close to the NACS principals and want them to succeed. I agree about the timing.
10-28-15, 05:36 PM
#2414
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at the end of the day, at least in the northeast there are enough open days/weekends throughout the road season that the NACS would be shooting themselves in the foot to directly compete with a usac event. in other words, were all just going to race our bikes regardless of whether or not it's USAC, NACS, or neither (look at quabbin. mike norton has done everything possible to alienate the racing community but people still show up to quabbin).
10-28-15, 05:54 PM
#2415
Senior Member
that's my point. while we all love to debate stuff on twitter when it comes down to it the core group of NEBRA races are going to race regardless of sanctioning body. How the individual events are promoted is immensely more important than the sanctioning body when it comes to the consumer.
10-28-15, 06:23 PM
#2416
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that's my point. while we all love to debate stuff on twitter when it comes down to it the core group of NEBRA races are going to race regardless of sanctioning body. How the individual events are promoted is immensely more important than the sanctioning body when it comes to the consumer.
I am interested to see if it gets off the ground, the only thing that makes me sad is that it would impact my chances of every going to Nats if NEBRA switched.....time to double down on those Cat 1 upgrade efforts!
10-28-15, 06:41 PM
#2417
Senior Member
Many racers could care less about points and upgrades. An awful lot of Cat5's don't even know they exist. They just want good races and they don't want to pay through the nose for them. You don't have to buy a NACS license, you can buy a five pack for five races per year.
I'm close to the NACS principals and want them to succeed. I agree about the timing.
I'm close to the NACS principals and want them to succeed. I agree about the timing.
Anyway the optimistic view is that this hurts nobody and makes life better for promoters and racers by causing both orgs to up their game. Despite my misgivings, that's the outcome I'm rooting for. I'm just a cranky skeptic at heart is all.
10-28-15, 06:44 PM
#2418
Senior Member
Let's also not forget that if NACS really takes off here that USAC has the option to not play hardball as they have in the recent past and agree to reciprocity on category upgrades, as they did for many years with OBRA and ABRA. With the change in leadership, that is a possibility. On the other hand, I'm not aware that they've backed down on OBRA since DBH started as CEO. But then, these things take time. Basically there are a bunch of possible outcomes, and USAC right now is less predictable than they've been for a while. In a good way.
10-31-15, 06:31 PM
#2419
Senior Member
I was 99% decided on not doing a Series for next year. Now I'm 99% decided to do one. Will need to talk to some people re: venues, people availability, etc, but at this point I'm optimistic.
Although I posted the NACS announcement on FB it was meant to be neutral, not one way or another. At this point, with no details etc, I can't even think about using them. I'm basing stuff on USAC. Plus, as far as motos and such go (a big point with NACS), I don't use that stuff so I wouldn't benefit per se.
Although I posted the NACS announcement on FB it was meant to be neutral, not one way or another. At this point, with no details etc, I can't even think about using them. I'm basing stuff on USAC. Plus, as far as motos and such go (a big point with NACS), I don't use that stuff so I wouldn't benefit per se.
__________________
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
11-01-15, 01:30 PM
#2420
Nonsense
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Thank you soooooo much for reconsidering. It's great to be able to look forward to another spring series.
11-01-15, 02:49 PM
#2424
out walking the earth
No. It's on our way to the market, and one of my best buds was racing 40+. He got second.
11-01-15, 10:33 PM
#2425
Senior Member
Thanks. Trying to coordinate schedule so as not to overlap too much with other races, but the goal will be one in March (20th?), 4 in April, 2 in May. 3 venues. I have to confirm venue availability.
__________________
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson