Denver needs a damn track

[jsears1864]

Does anyone out there know if there are any tracks being planned or built in the Denver area? Pueblo is too far, and IMI is a go-kart track and riding a street bike there is pointless.

How much does it cost to pave a road course in a field somewhere? I got $5 on it.

[neh]

http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forum...ad.php?t=14033

[txrc51fatboy]

that place will be sawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[jsears1864]

WOOOOORRRRRRDDDDDD!

[UpOn1]

if were dedicated, i'm sure we can get investors to support the track and make bank$$

there are plenty of ppl that aren't too sure what to do with their money

the mra has good ideas, but they are worthless till someone actually puts their mind to it..

pm me if someone wants to make a track out of this forum, aren't we the largest bike community in Colorado?

[Ene]

Hello everyone,

All of us at PMP hopes this new track gets done. We have donated to help out and certainly are not egotistical to think you want to drive a long distance just to use our track. We try to keep our track rental low enough so as to offset some of the gas money you incur to come to our track.

Personally, I feel there is enough motorcycle riders to support 2 tracks. No, our track is not "state of the art" but I feel we have a place in the track arena. Yep, it will definately affect our track. No doubt but the first priority is YOU, the customer and the access YOU have to pursue your riding. Believe it or not and that is why we donated.

Do we hope our income won't be affected to the point of having to raise rental rates- Of Course not- but by us being proactive to come up with good reason for folks to use us and certainly trying to give you the best service possible, we are betting on our ability to keep rates as low as possible for you.

Just my 2 cents worth,
Ene

[Bueller]

if were dedicated, i'm sure we can get investors to support the track and make bank$$

there are plenty of ppl that aren't too sure what to do with their money

the mra has good ideas, but they are worthless till someone actually puts their mind to it..

pm me if someone wants to make a track out of this forum, aren't we the largest bike community in Colorado?

You really don't have a clue as to what is going on with this.

[dirkterrell]

How much does it cost to pave a road course in a field somewhere? I got $5 on it.

Building a track is an enormous undertaking, much more than throwing some asphalt down. Personally, I'm excited about HPR and I really hope it gets done. These things take money and lots of it. As you can see in the thread that neh linked to, I am ready to do what I can to help out with the capital campaign. I had hoped that the members of the CSC would step up and contribute what they could so that we could speak with a louder voice than all of us individually can. Having a track nearby would be an enormous positive for the sportbike community, giving us a place to ride hard without the dangers of doing so on the street. I know that some are concerned about contributing financially since we aren't one of the groups driving this development but the odds of getting this track built and our being able to ride on it go up considerably with the support that we can provide at this critical stage. We can sit around an come up with all sorts of reasons why we shouldn't financially support this effort or we can step up and be a positive part of the development of a local track. What's it going to be CSC?

Dirk

[pauliep]

I wish the track just materialize.

[64BonnieLass]

Hello everyone,

All of us at PMP hopes this new track gets done. We have donated to help out and certainly are not egotistical to think you want to drive a long distance just to use our track. We try to keep our track rental low enough so as to offset some of the gas money you incur to come to our track.

Personally, I feel there is enough motorcycle riders to support 2 tracks. No, our track is not "state of the art" but I feel we have a place in the track arena. Yep, it will definately affect our track. No doubt but the first priority is YOU, the customer and the access YOU have to pursue your riding. Believe it or not and that is why we donated.

Do we hope our income won't be affected to the point of having to raise rental rates- Of Course not- but by us being proactive to come up with good reason for folks to use us and certainly trying to give you the best service possible, we are betting on our ability to keep rates as low as possible for you.

Just my 2 cents worth,
Ene

Yea Ene, your .02 is a first class act if I ever saw one. Wow! I'm not a big track girl (yet) course if Joe has his way with me I will be full on into it in no time. My first track day at Pueblo was terrific (well run and well done). Ene, your statement was phenomenal. Absolute cuddos (sp) to you.

Now it would be great to have something closer to Denver just for bikes/cars (cause I really don't wanna play with the lil carts at IMI), however Pueblo certainly seems to have it's shit together. And you guys do some great stuff for all of us on the CSC. Kinda makes it worth the trip IMO.

Dirk: I gotta say you hit the nail in my opinion. It's kinda like voting. People LOVE to bitch but they certainly don't wanna pony up monetarily or give their time to such a cause that would make it great for the masses.

Again, I'm not the big track girl yet, but I would gladly do (monetarily or otherwise) whatever I can to help the cause.

Terri

[Redflash3]

I'm new to the club but I agree with DirkTerrell, if the CSC club seriously decides to come up with some type of contribution campaign I'm definently in. Since I've been involved in several track riding experiences it has influenced me to strive for more riding on the track than off.

[Bueller]

I have confirmed with the HPR Capital Campaign that if you write in "CSC" on your contribution form that they will track these donations and keep a running total.

If the CSC as a group reaches one of the "recognition levels" that earns a brick or plaque we will recognize the "Colorado Sportbike Club" with the same brick or plaque that any other individual donor would receive.

Green Flag Contributors ($1,000-2,499) = 4" x 8" inscribed brick
Silver Patrons ($2,500-$4,999) = 8" x 8" inscribed brick
Gold Patrons ($5,000-$9,999) = 12" x 12" inscribed brick

A group total of $10,000 or more would earn the CSC a prominent bronze plaque that would be permanently displayed at the track.

Good luck and thanks for the support!

[64BonnieLass]

But, but, I no need a bronze plaque. I need space to call my own. ha ha.

[albinohickey]

A new track will be nice, seems like 1/2 the riders in the state still don't think it will get done though. I'm all for it, but I'll still make the drive to Pueblo. Really it's not that long of a drive since the track is on the North side of town. Plus I have to stop by and say hi to Ene.

the mra has good ideas, but they are worthless till someone actually puts their mind to it..

Did you miss the info on the new track? The MRA is full of great people doing the best than can for motorcycle racing in Colorado, aka not worthless.

[dirkterrell]

A new track will be nice, seems like 1/2 the riders in the state still don't think it will get done though.

Well, if people don't support it, then it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I must say I'm surprised at the lack of response from CSC members. I guess there are two fears:

1) They'll raise money, but not enough, and people will have contributed for nothing. But read Glenn's (Gecco's) posts in the aforementioned thread (neh's post above) and you'll see that nothing will happen if they don't raise the necessary funds. If they don't raise enough, contributions will be returned. No risk.

2) They will raise enough, build the track, and then tell non-racer CSCers "tough, you can't ride here." I suppose that could happen, but I think the odds of it are pretty close to zero, especially if we make a decent contribution as a group to the capital effort.


Or, maybe people have other fears. If so, let's hear them and see if we can address them.

Do we need to come up with more appealing fund raising ideas like holding a raffle for a bike? Drawings for free days at the track? Bike wash?

What would it take to get you to financially support this new track?

Dirk

[rybo]

Dirk,

I'm in. I'll be sure to mention the CSC and the MRA on my pledge form.

S

[JustSomeDude]

What would it take to get you to financially support this new track?

I'm not so concerned about the financial risk. Based on what I've read it sounds like they won't do anything unless all the cash is there in advance. No cash - no track - no risk. However, I AM concerned about track availability. I'd need to know that CSCers, and other riders, will be given access to the track without having to jump through hoops/kiss certain people's asses.

If this will not be a bike friendly track (which is not yet entirely clear), I will not be donating any of my loot. I'd like to see one of the people heading this track up start a thread here to go on the record and answer our questions directly.

[rybo]

History is often the best way to predict the future. If we look at the histroy of Colorado motorsports and the group that forms it up they have been VERY bike friendly. When they ran Second Creek there was open bike time every week on Thursday nights. The MRA is extremely involved in this project and motorcycles are a very big part of the plan for the track.

Now, that being said, I wouldn't be expecting many weekend trackdays or the like, there is going to be a lot of competition for tracktime at this venue. Also I WOULD expect to have some kind of training required to be on the course. I'm pretty sure the days of "just show up and ride" on big tracks is over in Colorado (and it has been elsewhere in the country for YEARS).

The first step to getting a new track to ride on is getting the thing built. We get to vote with our dollars (paraphrasing 64's comments). Want a bike friendly track? It's pretty hard to ignore major donations from the bike community when the time comes. Your $XX donation COULD be the one that makes the track possible.

Scott

[The GECCO]

But, but, I no need a bronze plaque. I need space to call my own. ha ha.

I'm working on it!!!

Thanks, Dirk, RYBO and Bueller for the support and trying to keep people on the right track. I don't get over here as much as I'd like to.

Building a racetrack *IS* an unimaginably complex project, it isn't just throwing down some asphalt in a field somewhere. Simply finding a suitable piece of land and getting through the zoning process is enough to kill most projects as we have seen happen time and time again. I have been working with the other four CAMA representatives for four years on this project. We have looked at more than 40 pieces of land and have had contracts on three of them.

Rest assured that our financial models for HPR are based on the revenues we saw at SCR and the SCR operation relied quite a lot on "test-n-tune" revenue. We know that a large percentage of the t-n-t participants were non-racer sportbike riders, and we will have t-n-t time available at HPR. The requirements for participating will be similar to PMI. There is no up-side to HPR telling CSC members to go pound sand, we will want and need your $$$ in order to survive!

As I have said before, I can't make any promises regarding what results will come from donations designated as coming from the CSC, but it certainly can't hurt! Remember that this track will NOT BE PRIVATELY OWNED!! It will not be suddenly sold and closed (ALA PPIR). It will not be run by a single person or a small group that only has their own interests in mind. This track will be owned and operated by the clubs that make up CAMA, and obviously their interests are the clubs interests.

These clubs are:
MRA
PCA (Porsche Club of America)
RMVR (Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing)
SCCA (Sports Car Club of America)
MCCA (Multi Car Club Alliance - an entity created by a group of smaller car clubs such as Z-car, CECA, BMW, etc.)

Representatives from each of these clubs, acting at the direction of their members and Board of Directors, will oversee the operation of the track. CSC members who want to have a more active voice in how the track operates can join the MRA (or any and all of the other clubs listed) and use their votes as members of those organizations.

Another option that would go a LONG way towards protecting your interests would be for the CSC to become a member of the MCCA. It would require some formalization of the CSC's existance (ie, registering as a corporation with the state, creating a set of bylaws, etc) and the CSC would have to come up with a financial stake, but you would have DIRECT voting rights in the operation of the facility. If you, the CSC members, want this to happen you need to appeal to the powers that be at the head of the CSC.

[The GECCO]

I'm not so concerned about the financial risk. Based on what I've read it sounds like they won't do anything unless all the cash is there in advance. No cash - no track - no risk. However, I AM concerned about track availability. I'd need to know that CSCers, and other riders, will be given access to the track without having to jump through hoops/kiss certain people's asses.

If this will not be a bike friendly track (which is not yet entirely clear), I will not be donating any of my loot. I'd like to see one of the people heading this track up start a thread here to go on the record and answer our questions directly.

Not to be rude, but there are a LOT of people who need to do some more reading. Look at post #37 on this thread http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forum...t=14033&page=2

[The GECCO]

How much does it cost to pave a road course in a field somewhere? I got $5 on it.

Two million dollars at the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. Asphalt for a 2.0 - 2.5 mile track and paddock will be about 1.5 million, plus buying enough land to put it on. Get together with another 400,000 of your closest friends and you'll be all set.

[albinohickey]

Well, if people don't support it, then it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Exactly, I'm always surprised at how many I tell about this and they say, "It's been in the works for like 5 years, it wont happen."

If you want something closer to Denver it's as easy as supporting the effort and the MRA.

[jsears1864]

Two million dollars at the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. Asphalt for a 2.0 - 2.5 mile track and paddock will be about 1.5 million, plus buying enough land to put it on. Get together with another 400,000 of your closest friends and you'll be all set.

that was more of a tongue-n-cheek comment. hopefully 400,000 people do contribute $5 bucks. it just struck me as odd at the number of bikes i have been seeing at IMI every week when i dirt bike, that no one was taking an intitiative to build a better track. hell those guys raised their price from $25-$35 a day and voilia!- new pavement.
i read on the website that the clubs wanted to "control their own destiny" finacially with this project. i'm sure there must be at least a few wealthy individuals in this area that could invest. (would it be worth it to them?)there are quite a few individuals now-a-days who a mill isn't that much. hell i've met kids at CU with more than that in their trust funds. anyways, i'm stoked to hear about this project and wish you guys luck.

[tripledigits]

I haven't received my donation request yet from the SCCA, but I'm assuming that the request is for straight-up donations, versus buying into some track time.

I would think alot more money could be raised if one were receiving something for their donation (other than the obvious benefit of having a much needed track). I would like to see something like each $50 chunk entitling a racer to one free track day per year. I personally will donate regardless, but would like to see something like this......