Race license applications are due before the end of February if you are wanting to retain your race number. You can download the application from the website, and either mail, or email them to me at pblack696@gmail.com Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Thanks, Pam
Registration forms can be found on FB:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2352067305/files/ or the website http://www.wmrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016-WMRC-Registration.pdf I would recommend filling them out and scanning them back to WMRConline@gmail.com. When you send it back please let us know how you would like to pay. The easiest thing for us to do would be to generate a paypal invoice.
Probably a stupid question, but what is this gate pass exactly? Does it give all access pass to Mission Raceway on non-track days? Why is there an additional gate pass selection on the form? Do I need to pay that as well?
$10 gate admission at the track, paying for a gate pass allows you to bypass the payment at the gate on raceday. I believe that the gate pass for 2016 is $40, so if you attend every race you would save some money too.
Hi Edward, The gate pass just means that you can show your licence at the gate to get in on our race days, rather than paying the $10 fee each time. It should be $40 this year, not $50, and is completely optional. If you buy the gate pass with your licence it gives you one free gate entry basically. Please let me know if you have any other licence questions. Thanks, Pam
my feelings have been for people camping at the track the night before and helping with setup,gate pass should be waived.
Does anyone know the history of our licence and gate fees? I believe a gate pass used to be included with our race licence but became an extra charge over recent seasons. WMRC Race licence $150 Gate pass $10 or $40 prepaid for season 5 rounds WMRRA Race licence & gate pass $175 US 6 rounds EMRA Race licence $40 Gate pass? 7 rounds SCCBC Race licence $60 Gate pass? 6 rounds Assuming the above is correct the WMRC fees are inline with the WMRRA. Understanding the club needs as much revenue as possible I would suggest including a gate pass with the licence fee so it isn't perceived as an extra "tax" on racers - charge more for a licence if necessary. Racers help with track setup and tear down and put on the show, yet pay a gate fee like spectators. We don't want the silent majority "voting with their feet" because they feel they are getting nickel-and-dimed.
Gotcha, thanks! As to gate pass, last year I was generouslly rewarded with a $25 voucher from Kawasaki and free banquet tickets for helping setting up track on a couple of occasions so there is that.
EMRA You pay a gate fee I believe it's $10. There is no gate pass. I do wish they did do that. I liked that about WMRC.
The history since 2001 has been that there has always been a gate fee regardless of license. The gate fee was the part of the funds that paid for the staff to run the race day. It paid for the announcers, the ref, the director, and the lunches for all the volunteers. After that, the rest was used to fund bales, bale disposal, air fence, etc. It's always been that way. That said, I'm not opposed to raising license fees to $200 and including the gate pass. There is always a way to hide additional costs. Seems silly in the way of transparency. The license fees are typically going toward insurance costs as well as fees for the registration system, printers, etc.
Thad, do you know if the track owner or EMRA collects the gate fee? If the track owner, EMRA probably doesn't have the option to offer a gate pass. Do track day riders pay a gate fee? Looking at the EMRA website, there are 33 novices, 53 intermediates, 35 experts and the results indicate many of them are active racers. Your race licence cost is significantly less than ours but how much are your race fees and is there a race day fee cap?
Thanks for the info Dean. In my quest to find ways to reduce the cost for racers it's obviously an economy of scale thing. Our track day fees are reasonably priced with no gate fee, all the track day staff are paid and we still make a profit. All things being equal, weather etc. it should be possible to reduce the cost to racers if we had more of them. Hybrid riders are a way to try and make up then difference in the interim. Looking at the EMRA and WMRRA membership you have to wonder why there's such a lack of interest in racing in the lower mainland. Is it the club, track, affordability, local competition or a combination of all the above?
2015 Fees. The annual membership fee remains at $40, to race you will also be required to purchase an annual race license for $60. Practice will cost $150. The first race fee has increased to $110, every race after that will cost $30. The two Novice races will cost $120.
The other piece about the racers paying a gate fee is that it is too difficult to separate the racers from the spectators. SCCBC still charges spectators to attend. WMRC just charges everyone that comes in the gate.
Racers have always shown their licences at the gate, so it's not difficult. Those with a gate pass have a maple leaf on the back of their licence. Anyhow, I don't want to make a "mountain out of a molehill" because gate fees are minor in the scheme of things. I get the exec being very conservative based on the circumstances and not wanting to risk losing money. However, I believe it's important to analyse the data to make informed decisions rather than just staying with the status quo. There would be a greater sense of transparency and understanding if the exec shared a detailed business/contingency plan and budget with the members. The budget could be updated with actuals through the season so everyone knows the benefits of club initiatives or any shortcomings.
That is a VERY tough question to answer, but I can speculate based on racing with the EMRA for a while as well as racing with the WMRC. I've never raced with WMRRA, but do know many people that do. Mission raceway has its fair share of nay-sayers. These people that continually put down the track, have a preconceived notion that it is dangerous. They will go out of their way to state how shitty and dangerous the track is, without even trying to learn that we've made it as safe as possible. Those people scare many potential racers away. Then you have the current track rental costs, costs for insurance, etc. I'm not sure of 2015/2016 costs, but back in my time, it was close to $9000 per day to run an event. That's just what it was. You get 30 racers, so that's $300 per day if everyone was equal (let's do it to keep things simple). SO you *NEED* at least 30 racers just to keep it afloat. Mission is a short, very technical track. To me, that makes it a very fun track that taxes all my skills to go fast. We frequently show others, that if you can go fast at Mission, you can go fast anywhere. To some, it's a LOT of work and "not as fun". I don't personally believe that, but that's a stigma that is out there. Our bikes have to be built especially quiet compared to other tracks. This is what I truly believe prevents other racers from coming to our track easily. It's the noise restrictions. If I race at Edmonton, or Seattle, or Portland, or the Ridge, I can have a MUCH noisier bike. It costs me extra money and resources to get my bike Mission ready as opposed to just staying at my other tracks. Edmonton has a MUCH shorter riding season than we do. Winter people tend to maximize their pleasure on 2 wheels, and thus they have a much healthier membership. They also benefitted from the old track at Stratotech, which was VERY cheap for them. They had track fees that were a mere fraction of ours. They had no expense in equipment, since it was all track owned (airfence, bales, track setup/tear down). They amassed massive bank accounts to keep them going and they passed those savings onto the club. Things are changing for the EMRA though. They have track rental and insurance costs that are similar to ours now. So to sum up: Other bikes from other clubs have to do some work to make our sound levels, which is a detriment to getting those riders out to our track. It costs money and in some cases, performance (think remapping for new exhausts,etc). I don't think it's the fees that keep them away. In WMRRA and OMMRA the average bike is far more built than anything we have here. People South of the border spend oodles on engine work, etc. Track fees don't keep those people away. Finally, proximity to tracks is also a problem for Mission. We are a tight track with limited dates to run. We are within 5 hours of 3 other tracks (SIR, PIR, and Ridge). Edmonton has Castrol. Next closest track is 11 hours away in Utah, or 12 to us. Captive audience if you want to race. OMRRA and WMRRA have many of the same members because they can travel to 3 tracks that are all close, WITHOUT a border crossing hassle. Quite a few island folks find the anacortes ferry just as easy as the ferry to the LML. I'm hoping the shitty dollar brings them here instead.
Dean, thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I believe your synopsis is accurate from what I have learned. Based on your experience as a past club president you have a good understanding of the local situation. Like many of us, you enjoy racing and riding at Mission but also have trouble coming up with ideas on how to increase racer participation. I talked to lots of sport bike riders at the Squamish Starbucks and heard much of what you mentioned. The Starbuck's riders who came to our school and track days had a great time and had nothing negative to say about the club or track. We got a very positive response from the race school students and track day riders. The feedback on our school curriculum, race manual and instructors was very good. Admittedly we had the weather on our side that helped with the school and track days, but not with the racers. This year will determine how successful last season was in drawing new and repeat people to our race school and track days. We got a number of racers from the school last season and many more expressed interest for this season. This is all very positive given there weren't sufficient open class novices last season to have a class for them. The novice open class riders were successfully integrated with other appropriate classes. Mission Pros: - Much safer than it's reputation - Super fun point and shoot technical track - Great starter track for new racers and track riders - Local with no border crossing - First class race school and instructors - Inexpensive track and hybrid days - even better with the current exchange rate - Excellent light weight class track - Improving sense of community - Great vendor support - thank you Marbod and Blair - Cost effective for those who don't want to spend "oodles" on engine work to be competitive Mission Cons: - Track rental cost - track is in demand - Not a new big fast flowing track - Lower sound limits - Lack of summer dates - could supplement with other tracks - Lack of racers for better competition and to cover costs - Lack of motorcycle industry support - thank you local dealers who support and sponsor the club and individual racers The competition: - Bigger, better and faster tracks - Bigger clubs with more competition - Higher sound limits - Good sense of community - People will pay extra for the above Area 27 and the Island track will be coming online soon, but will they be an asset or competition? These tracks could fill out our schedule if members are willing to travel. This is from the Area 27 website: Area 27 FAQ Can car clubs rent the track for a day? Subject to member approval, please contact bdrossos@area27.ca for more information. I don't have any "magic bullet" ideas either except for staying the course and trying to reduce the cost to racers as much as possible for the reasons previously stated. I believe the WMRC is now catering to a different market and has to adapt accordingly. This may not sit well with those who want things to stay the same but the old model isn't working. I would encourage the club executive to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the WMRC is a great club facilitating racing and track days for the local motorcycle community. Hello Provincial Government, we are providing a valuable service training riders and helping make the roads safer!
