domarena33
Track Day Superstar
Just reviewing the WERA schedule to find out that no region will be racing this year at SP. Everyone remember how we couldn't get track days there until just recently? Anyone have the deets on SP?
No Summit Point for WERA this year...
- Thread starter domarena33
- Start date
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You're a bit late to the party. Short version is WERA can't afford it anymore.
Long version is that a military contractor (Xator) bought the property (2018) from the long-time family owners (the Scotts) and were slowly improving things while keeping a commitment to maintaining the public motorsports side of the business. That contractor was then in turn bought out (2022) entirely by another, bigger contractor (Parsons,) thus passing the ownership of the track on to a company that is more driven by profits. A bean counter somewhere (presumably) took a look around and decided that Summit should cost as much as Pitt, so that's where they set the prices this year. The massive increase forced WERA out and, as of this writing, we lost the one Shenny day as well.
That's at least the publicly available story, anyway. I think Sean has stated that it was roughly a 170% increase in price.
I'm crowdfunding 20mil to buy the public side of the house, if you wanna throw down.
Long version is that a military contractor (Xator) bought the property (2018) from the long-time family owners (the Scotts) and were slowly improving things while keeping a commitment to maintaining the public motorsports side of the business. That contractor was then in turn bought out (2022) entirely by another, bigger contractor (Parsons,) thus passing the ownership of the track on to a company that is more driven by profits. A bean counter somewhere (presumably) took a look around and decided that Summit should cost as much as Pitt, so that's where they set the prices this year. The massive increase forced WERA out and, as of this writing, we lost the one Shenny day as well.
That's at least the publicly available story, anyway. I think Sean has stated that it was roughly a 170% increase in price.
I'm crowdfunding 20mil to buy the public side of the house, if you wanna throw down.
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domarena33
Track Day Superstar
Damn, that sucks... thanks for the explanation
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So no 20 mil then? 
domarena33
Track Day Superstar
Unfortunately, no. I suppose it would be safe to assume the 2025 WERA schedule will look similar then. I have a bunch of track days scheduled for SP this year, in order to learn the track for WERA novice, next year. Seems if that won't be needed. If you think this is the case, I may cancel them and get some track days elsewhere.
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I am not in a position to guess as to the '25 schedule or the future of WERA's participation there, so I certainly wouldn't plan your season based on my input. FWIW, the general buzz around ALL tracks is that prices have been increasing and it is getting harder and harder to get dates. Obv a potential scenario is everybody stops going and they realize the folly of their ways, but sadly that is counterintuitive to motorsports participation as a whole and, looking at their schedule, I don't see a lot of gaps. Alternatively, maybe they'll give us pitt-like amenities at summit to justify the cost and it will be great. Hard to tell.
I will say that Summit is fun if you've not been, and is at least worth visiting. Time on a track is never a bad thing, even if you don't end up racing there. If nothing else, you will learn how fast you can get up to race pace at a new track, and laptimes from Main are readily available for comparison.
There are other WERA tracks on the N2 schedule to check out, I would try to hit as many as you want to hit. Sounds like we'll be crossing paths a fair bit this season...I have a similar plan.
I will say that Summit is fun if you've not been, and is at least worth visiting. Time on a track is never a bad thing, even if you don't end up racing there. If nothing else, you will learn how fast you can get up to race pace at a new track, and laptimes from Main are readily available for comparison.
There are other WERA tracks on the N2 schedule to check out, I would try to hit as many as you want to hit. Sounds like we'll be crossing paths a fair bit this season...I have a similar plan.
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domarena33
Track Day Superstar
I'll be at Road Atlanta with PRE 3/29 - 3/30 and NCBike with N2 4/13- 4/14. White and Red CBR and/or Blue SV650. Come say hi if you see me.
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I'll be right up front at NC, can't ever miss us. Normally we're only 1 or 2 tents away from the driveway cut. Blue and white clapped out gixxer with a mismatched red tank.
Dang. PARSONS really owns it now?!?!!
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Xator is still the owner on the tax paperwork, but Parsons bought Xator, so yes. As to who is making the decisions regarding the track, I can only theorize, but the changes in policy and attitude seem to align with the Parsons purchase. I should add that I have no privileged insight, I just started down this path as a real estate investor curious to see what the future might be.
The info about the pricing jump and WERAs stance is all publicly available via the WERA fb group or 13x direct from Sean.
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
IIRC I think I'm at summit that Monday as well, and then ChampRace.
Goodman
Photo-Rider
Yeah, think I saw you booked that day.
jsin38
Member
Well, so far they are. They have rescheduled/reshuffled quite a bit this season with the increased costs to run at NJMP a major factor in moving the September Endurance/TC round to Blackhawk Farms.
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Now there's a stink about them abandoning MARRC in favor of their own volunteers.
Backmarker
Control Rider
Dang you can do better than this....^^^
MARRC is a great group. I am a long standing member. I have worked close and hard for them.
They are also a business. And just as everyone else has had to do they will need to dig deep within.
I truley hope they survive the cruelty being dealt to this sport. We need them.
I'm not defending, only stating that without the current ASRA administration stepping up and saving what was CCS... that entire series would probably be gone. As well, you can clearly see that WERA and the N2 Endurance Series is in a bit of a pickle with tracks throwing curve balls everytime the sun comes up because they to are struggling. We are all stuggling.
I wish I had the answers,
For now the only one I can come up with is to continue to support the sport. Cheers.
jsin38
Member
Yep, I hear it and see it as well. I joined AHRMA this year because I'm getting to a certain age and so are my bikes. I like it. But they too are going through the challenges of the rising costs of motorsports. I just hope we don't all end up with fewer racing/TD orgs and even fewer tracks.
The B Team
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I didn't feel it was my place. I'm on the outside looking in, and didn't want to drag out the conversation with speculation, especially given that it's not strictly related to N2. I appreciate your insight and point of view, I just had nothing unique to contribute.
Backmarker
Control Rider
Speculation is what your comment seemed to imply.
There were/are multiple bids in place for corner working Summit Point events.
I too wish MARRC would have succeeded.
However business is business. Unfortunately.
Cheers.