Times have changed. About a decade ago I was flagging races in West Yellowstone where even in the Women's class there were a dozen or so racers on the track providing an exciting show for the 2,000-3,000 race fans in the snow bleachers.
This year in the Pro class there were four racers stretched out around the track with about two dozen fans in the snow bleachers watching . about as exciting as watching a group of tourists ride rental sleds down the Two Top trail.
I don't want to disparage the quality or racers . it's just that with quantity there is quality. And we ain't got the quantity.
Almost everyone in the industry may have an opinion as to what's happened to snocross racing. But the bottom line is that across the board it stinks-here, in the East, in the Midwest. When the most competitive classes are with 120ccs, you know we have a problem. And when there aren't competitive intermediate classes for the young racers to progress to the upper classes, it's unlikely we can sustain the enthusiasm shown by those 6-year-olds (or rather their parents) as they progress in future years.
And if the lack or race sleds don't discourage them, the cost of the sport will.
Now I don't have the answers. But I am concerned that our industry is becoming so specialized (especially in mountain sleds) that we are losing a segment of our sport where people like to get out and go fast on an inexpensive, reliable sled.
SJ