Why do people dislike MSR-H so much?

[Al Fernandez]

Is it:
its too far south?
you dont like the facility's owners?
you dont like the facility? (paddock, bathrooms, etc.)
you dont like the lack of cheating bastard Friday?
you dont like the track itself because its boring?
you dont like the track itself because its too rough?
you dont like the track itself because the runoff areas arent good?
what?

Just trying to understand why some of you guys would skip a weekend of racing due to location.

[GlennCMC70]

its too far south? Yes. Even more so when its more than once a year.
you dont like the facility's owners? Very much so. Remember the wall issue? Completely unwilling to move the wall back to where it was even if NASA did it/paid for it to be moved and moved back. Moved it w/out warning and no heads up to the drivers in the morning meeting. It got moved back a few months later when the owner/manager hit that very wall.
you dont like the facility? (paddock, bathrooms, etc.) You mean something other than the mud off of every non-paved surface? The locked bathrooms on Friday of race weekend? you dont like the lack of cheating bastard Friday? I love paying $250 for a day of practice. Even more so when its the first weekend of the season. Stick it to the new guys on the day before day one.
you dont like the track itself because its boring? I accually find the track pretty cool, except for T1 and how that whole deal got F'ed up. I also love the bumps in the track that dictate the "line" more so than the layout ofthe course itself.
you dont like the track itself because its too rough? See above.
you dont like the track itself because the runoff areas arent good? Chainlink fence's are great as a catch fence. I also like getting charged double what it take to fix one when you hit it. And yes, you will get a bill. Ask Chris Lyons.
what? Its really the overall additude they have. Its been bad from the get go w/ them.

[David Love AI27]

Ditto...


did I just agree with Glenn??????????????

are those pigs flying over??????

[GlennCMC70]

Ditto...


did I just agree with Glenn??????????????

are those pigs flying over??????

Thanks. You think you feel bad...... they are not flying out your ass! :roll:

[AllZWay]

Glenn has pretty much hit the nail on the head.

The overall attitude of the track owner and staff stinks. They don't want us there and it is always pretty obvious. We are bunch of mullet mobiles on their mercedes track.

And for sure don't dare touch something off the track...it costs big time. I know first hand.

The distance is terrible for me.

The track itself is kind of fun and the facilities are fine.

[michaelmosty]

I actually love the track. The lack of elevation sucks but the high speed corners are amazing fun.
It will be interesting to see how T1 is for our first event of the year. At the LeMons race in September (we ran it backwards) they had removed the curbing on the outside at the entrance to T1. It looks to now be a much wider entrance into T1 but the portion next to the wall is crazy bumpy.

On the downside by Sunday afternoon the bathrooms are like a shit-sauna.

[kbrewmr2]

I'm with Michael on the bathrooms. I've done all sorts of hardcore camping/hiking/etc and been in some pretty damn gnarly bathrooms / outhouses / holes in the ground and never in my life has it been so bad that its made me nearly barf.... until LeMons at MSR-H this past time :?

I like the track going backwards better - but I know you guys don't :lol: :oops: Its really a toss up except I hate the exit of the last turn going the "NASA" direction with the wall right on the track surface. Surprised there isn't more carnage there... DE, TT, Racing - all of 'em. I also love how a 5' mound of dirt that the track goes over suffices as elevation change :lol:

Never noticed any kind of attitude one way or the other - but I've been at tracks with truly mean management before. You'll know it when they really don't like you ;)

- KB, just some guy without a Camaro or Mustang...

[Casey_SS]

Didn't the track ownership or management change in the last year or two? I remember talking to the guy running the "store" across from registration last year and asking why they didn't host more club racing...he kinda grumbled about previous management having an attitude but there were new folks involved and there was a lot of talk of change, etc., etc. Dunno...

I like the track though....except for that damn wall. I also like that you can see nearly all the action from the observation deck. Houston & Cresson I think are the only ones you can see more than half the track.

What does it cost to hit something here vs. another track? Haven't given this much thought before....it makes sense but ouch. Talk about getting kicked while you're down...

[GlennCMC70]

The observation deck is another good point. First year or two (first year we ran there like 3 times) only MSR-H members could use the observation deck - even during NASA Tx race weekends.

[GlennCMC70]

Also - I verified w/ NASA Tx today that the 2011 schedule is still not final.

[mitchntx]

Is it:
what?


It's in Houston.
/thread

Seriously ... I'm getting fed up with tracks and sanctioning bodies bleeding me dry for every last dime they think they can.

They market "fun" and then, like a state fair, jack the prices.

If smarter people were running the show, they would look at what the SCCA did to their "fun". It's what spawned NASA in the first place.

I find it curious that TDE sells out 13 events a year with 120+ cars at each event and NASA struggles with 6 events and enough cars to block the tumble weeds. Each group visits the same tracks.

I don't understand why that simple fact doesn't send up red flags?

I signed on as an instructor with TDE. Next weekend I begin a series of 6 event weekends of instruction and evaluation before being turned loose with a student. 6 weekends ... not sure I will ever complete the course, but I'm certainly interested in seeing how they do things.

[way2neary]

My experience at MSR Houston was similar to James. Being my first NASA event, I didn't know where to park. I had my car down by the edge of the Miata guys. This had to be 100 feet from this guys building but he comes out and barks at me that I'm on his driveway. Not knowing this is a private track with "personal" drives I try to ask the guy what he meant (bad move). He just tells me to get my car off the end of his driveway and walks away. Not really a great first impression for a NASA sponsored event.

By the way, being bald, I didn't exactly feel like a mullet.

Dave N

[cjlmlml]

Is it:
its too far south?
you dont like the facility's owners?
you dont like the facility? (paddock, bathrooms, etc.)
you dont like the lack of cheating bastard Friday?
you dont like the track itself because its boring?
you dont like the track itself because its too rough?
you dont like the track itself because the runoff areas arent good?
what?

Just trying to understand why some of you guys would skip a weekend of racing due to location.






Are you serious?

[mitchntx]

It might sound like it, but ... No agenda here ... just curious how the series and sanctioning body are inter-twined.

NASA-Tx sanctions 6 weekends a year. Is it mandatory that Texas CMC's season has to be all six of those weekends?

As a group or series, if we decide we want to only compete in 5 of those 6 weekends, for whatever reason, is our season officially 6 weekends or 5?

[GlennCMC70]

It might sound like it, but ... No agenda here ... just curious how the series and sanctioning body are inter-twined.

NASA-Tx sanctions 6 weekends a year. Is it mandatory that Texas CMC's season has to be all six of those weekends?

As a group or series, if we decide we want to only compete in 5 of those 6 weekends, for whatever reason, is our season officially 6 weekends or 5?

Very nice question. I'm liking this. Start a new thread.

[Fbody383]

its too far south? Is Hallett too far north?
you dont like the facility's owners?Don't know the owners. Had a chance to see James Rogerson in action running the SCCA autocross sutff and like him well enough
you dont like the facility? (paddock, bathrooms, etc.) It's a racetrack; lack of clear markings for parking and driveways could use improvement
you dont like the lack of cheating bastard Friday? I always like the option of CBP.
you dont like the track itself because its boring? I like the track. Could it be better, probably. Could be worse.
you dont like the track itself because its too rough? Compared to?
you dont like the track itself because the runoff areas arent good?Hey, there's a wall on the right at the last corner ~ don't hit it.
what? I would rather only have 1 event at a track in a year and would prefer ECR or X instead of two at MSRH. This one's in my backyard so I'll always take a race where I can sleep at home.

[Al Fernandez]

Yes I am serious Chris. :lol:

Sounds like a lot of the reasons are things NASA Tx cant really control, which is unfortunate for us.

Mitch your comments about cost and fun should apply to all NASA Tx events, no? I mean, that isnt track specific.

As far as our schedule, it is our schedule. NASA Tx runs events. We as Tx AI/CMC can choose to run as many or as few of those as we want. If we wanted to include a rocky mountain event in our schedule as a points paying race we could do that too, for example.

Back in the day in California we had A california CMC schedule. We'd pick and choose our seven favorite events from the Norcal and Socal region schedules (over 20 dates to choose from!). Even today where they run a Norcal and Socal CMC schedule, they still pick from their respective region's schedules because both Norcal and Socal host 10-12 events a year.

[nasa-rm]

If we wanted to include a rocky mountain event in our schedule as a points paying race we could do that too, for example.

Bring 'em on boys. :P

[GlennCMC70]

If we wanted to include a rocky mountain event in our schedule as a points paying race we could do that too, for example.

Bring 'em on boys. :P

All your track records are belong to us!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fvTxv46ano

[kbrewmr2]

MSR-H is too far but a RM event is closer? :?

[gt40]

MSR-H is too far but a RM event is closer? :?It all depends on effort and reward. It looks like not many folks want to travel all the way to Houston for an track they don't; particularly like. Whereas they love to go to Hallett (which is a longer tow for everyone,) because the track and the owners are so much fun.

I'm all for adding more variety to the schedule though.

[GlennCMC70]

MSR-H is too far but a RM event is closer? :?

Distance is a small part.
We ran No Problem Raceway one year. The track really suck, but the people were great. The haul is killer for DFW. I had a great time when we went the one time.

[BlueFirePony]

I personally have had nothing but good experiences with the MSR-H folks but I know there are more people who have had just the opposite so the feeling toward the track is understandable.
I like the track OK but it's literally at the bottom of my list of all the tracks we visit (except maybe TWS in August...still have not made that one yet).

MSR-C 3.1 (I know, we don't run that config, but it's my favorite by far!)

ECR
Hallet (despite my *run in* with The Bitch)
TWS CCW
MSR-C 1.7
TWS CW
MSR-H

[Alien]

All your track records are belong to us!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fvTxv46ano

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/all_your_base.png
from http://xkcd.com/286/