10 May '06 -01:23
Shamrocks Race
I spent the last weekend helping out at the Shamrocks Gp an AMA District 37 race. I was doing sound testing all weekend and my ears just stopped ringing Monday night. The new modern 4 strokes are just way too loud. With the exception of most Ktm’s everyone had a modified exhaust. All they gain is noise few if any can actually use whatever small power gains they get. Everyone who races these events regularly knows the sound requirements are 96db. The classic example of this was a guy in the pro race he blew a 102 while idling and was very proud that was the only person with this trick pipe. Guess what, he did not win his race. Noise does not equal horsepower just ask any KTM rider.
Any and I mean any vintage event is less offending noise wise than this modern race the younger crowd are working on the demise of the sport and places to ride, they don’t get it. Oh and don’t get me started on the pit racers kids everywhere blasting around and the idiot parents just seem ok with this shit even though they know there is NO pit riding allowed. If there was ever any doubts about AHRMA not allowing kids and modern 4 strokes at vintage races this would/should have convinced them.
I will no longer race these Gp’s on a sidecar I was interested to see how things went at this event. Nothing could change my mind after watching the combined quad/sidecar race. Not only are they the last race after most everyone has left but they get the worst track conditions. Left over comes to mind and in my view it minimizes the sport. Mixed in with the large groups of quads were 5 sidecars spread out after the first 2 laps to the point you would be hard pressed to view it as a sidecar race. More like a long sidecar ride, no one was close to anyone by the end, sad in my view.
