I figured I would start a place for us to discuss the future of PMP. The track day riders, road racers, and drag racers need to step up if we want this awesome track to survive. I know that we can all come together to make help make suggestions for constructive improvements to the operations, safety, staffing, and protocols of the PMP facilities in order to gain the support of the Colorado Sportbike Community.
IMO Judy has too much on her plate for one person to handle effectively, efficiently, safely, and productively. She doesn't have support like Glenn does at HPR and we all know what happens when even a professional level facility looses support i.e. PPIR. I think if we can help her do some of the navigating she can do more of the piloting.
So where do we start? Prioritize. What is most important to you? What is most important to the track? What solution can we come up with that meets both interests in the middle?
Pueblo was my first track that I ever rode on. I drove from Aspen on a Friday after work and tried to do a couple of drag passes before the evening ended before a Saturday track day. I made it there with 45 min left and unpacked all of my stuff and went to tech and was denied. I returned to my truck to find my wallet and other stuff had been stolen out of my truck. I was hungry, tired, had no money, and still had not rode my first ever track prepped bike. I decided to get some sleep and laid down in the back of my Jimmy thinking it was ok to stay at the track. Well a little while later, I was awoken by Judy and got yelled at for riding in the pits without signing a waver (no one was at the gate and tech girl didn't ask for a wristband or a signature), was told I wasn't allowed on the property, was also told that she was going to call Mark Schellenger (who was running the next day's event) and tell him that I wasn't allowed to participate, and I got kicked out, had to pack up my pit and go sleep in my Jimmy on the other side of the gate. Which I did, without remark, thinking I was in the wrong and praying that I was going to be allowed to ride the next day. I did ride the next day, and I learned an extremely large amount of information and was hooked on track riding for the rest of my life, regardless of the horrible experience that I went through to get there.
I continue to ride at Pueblo every chance I can afford to make, because I love the track, even turn 10. Could my experience be better when I go to Pueblo, absolutely. Could it be worse, absolutely. Is it going to change overnight, no; but it has changed, for the better. Let's help continue the change in the right direction.
I think it would be good to start with everyone's opinions on what is good and what is bad with PMP as it currently stands. Lets get a good list of topics for discussion and then discuss them individually one by one. Hopefully we can get some input from Judy and/or other members of the PMP so we know what is in the scope of reality when it comes to improvements. Maybe this is going to work, maybe not, but at least I tried.
The Good:
Track days are priced low and offer 2for1 specials
Track surface is superior when dry
Local amenities provide for excellent accomodation for overnight trips
Best accommodation for spectators to view the entire track
The Bad:
Understaffed for a safe track day and/or race day - corner workers, crash crew, concessions
No medic on site
No mandatory riders meetings that explain track safety, procedures, and layout.
Those prickly things that stick in everything
No Shade
Limited power hookup
Security is lack
My Priorities:
1. Safety
2. Ability to operate a secure, comfortable, & powerful pit area
3. Event scheduling
4. Track logistics
5. Price of event
6. Food at the track
7. Sleeping accommodations
My ideas for improvement:
1. Always staff an ambulance for any motorsports event. Period. No questions, no excuses. I don't feel safe enough without it. I never will. This is non-negotiable with me. I will not ride without it just like I wont ride without a helmet. For me, asking someone to do that is like telling them its okay to ride without a helmet or proper gear. It is a blatantly disregard for human life and the safety of all individuals. I don't care if the fire house tells you it is only 6 mins away, what if there is a fire!? I will only accept immediate response from a certified and trained ON SITE First Responder and nothing else.
2. I've never had a riders meeting at any non-MRA event at PMP. The last time I rode there, two riders blew turn 1 and were attempting to re-enter the track counter direction as I was coming down the straight full speed in 6th gear on my 750. If I wasn't an experienced rider and that was my first time, that could have turned into an extremely serious if not deadly crash. Imagine what would have happened if that happened and no medic was on site and you have 3 seriously injured riders. All of which could have been prevented with a simple 10 min meeting explaining the proper protocol for on track riding, and if there were trained corner crew.
3. Always staff corner crew that are trained on flagging and use the flags appropriately as well as a crash cart. I remember the first time I ran off at PMP was turn 4. Not fun. Especially because there was no one there to help me pick up my bike, which wouldn't re-start due to a broken start switch. So I had to push it back to the pits from the most northern part of the property. Not fun. I remember Hollywood had the same issue where his bike died at the end of the straight two different times and had to push his bike back to the pits both times.
4. Clean up the pits. I know I can't bring my dogs to PMP because those hog's heads (the prickly things that are everywhere) get into their pads and. And I'm always getting them in my tires which then go into my hands and yeah they blow. Get a leaf blower and clean up the pits please. Then get some weed killer and kill whatever those things are. Then get some more weed killer and kill them again and again.
5. Install more power options. I know this takes more than a bottle of electricity but seriously make a plan to run some lines and install some permanent 30A and 50A fixtures. This will attract a large amount of the money spenders who can afford the big rigs that require these hookups.
6. At least have a vending machine for the days you don't staff a concession stand. But please at least be open from 11-2 with hot dogs, chips, and waters.
7. Let people stay the night inside the gate. Have them sign a wavier, put it on the website that its okay, or if not make a sign at the gate that explains the policy. This will encourage the mountain folks to come more often if they know they can at least stay there if they want to show up the night before or let them know that they need to make hotel accommodations. Some information is better than none.
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