The Huth family likes to keep management as close to the family as it can, and Jay is Stephanies ex-husband, they are close, and they view him as part of their extended family. As for the tracks concern over Cochrans public comments, Hewitt says, I really dont think Larry realizes the gravity of the statements he has made. Liability issues are always a sensitive area for any organization that involves racing motorcycles at triple-digit speeds. Maybe only the word terrible could be added. Im not a subscriber I have to buy EVERY issue off the shelf. McCauley, on the other hand, left the track in high-speed Turn Eight and, according to track officials, apparently made no attempt to get off the motorcycle before hitting a drainage ditch. And it is clear that speaking candidly without thinking about our legal environment can cause problems that can affect an entire race organization. Use this form Track information and event schedules are available here. Or was he ignored and pushed to do so out of desperation? Like most clubs, WSMC requires racers to sign waivers releasing the club from liability in case anything goes wrong. [2] It is located 7.5 miles (12 km) west of Rosamond, [3] at an elevation of 2,523 feet (769 m). And obviously, personalities get involved in any debate over something as emotional as the death of a fellow racer. But this dispute raises serious questions about how much discussion race organizations can have in public about racer safety. ChampCar Endurance Series hosts a double-8+7-hour endurance race on Big Willow.[18]. A great challenge for me and part of the blame on S.Victor for encouraging me to do this conversion (the truth is that he helps me a lot). Most hotels are fully refundable. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); Should race club officials, well-meaning or not, take actions that put their organizations at even greater legal risk? I reference the following portion of the story. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Useless rule, for fictitious reasons in a fragile sport with fragile participants. Turn 5: A quick left-handed turn that sets up for the fastest sections of the track. The official fastest race lap records at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park are listed as: Option hosted an early exhibition drift event in 1996. To help eliminate danger, the top speed limit on all access roads in 20 mph and is strictly enforced. The conversation went something like, Dont do it. He replied no, thats how many times Ive gone off in the grass. His bike was a 2005 CBR600RR. After all Ive picked up thousands of Budweiser cans in that area! If conveying the gravity of Turn One was the point then it worked. The cost is NOTincluded in your POC registration. Take the Rosamond Boulevard exit and go west (left) approximately 6 miles on Rosamond Boulevard to the main track entrance. Are motorcycles more dangerous than they were in the past? Just yesterday at one of our Sportbike Track Time events at Road America I was teching a bike when I noticed nine little John Deere stickers on the windscreen side. Please enjoy my recreation of Willow Springs! When a post is labeled with the words press release, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. The largest and most well known track is Willow Springs International Raceway (commonly referred to as Big Willow). American Flat Track Racer + Coach Did Chris McCauley have all the information made available to him? Racing, Risk and Liability: WSMC Fires Its Race Director In the wake of a racer fatality at Willow Springs International Raceway this past April, officials there replaced Willow Springs Motorcycle Club Race Director Larry Cochran. In the film's plot, Willow Springs was transformed into "Jackrabbit Springs" Riverside and Laguna Seca also feature in the film, albeit as themselves! WebClose product quick view Title Daves mission is to ensure that every motorcyclist anywhere in the world gets the fundamental information needed to understand the basics of their own motorcycles suspension. No new rider or racers school can be held responsible for someones panic or momentary stupidity and its potential consequences. [1] Construction began in 1952, with the inaugural race held on November 23, 1953. You can crash at under 25 mph and be dead as recently happened in a paddock accident at another track. Cochran says he felt bound to speak out; but the program and the track that comments like his potentially endangered do not belong to him. There are common sense actions like staying out of an impact zone that I do not need to be told. Please complete tech inspection prior to the eventin order avoid finding car problems at the track. Speeding, off-road activity, spinning tires and other acts of this nature will be cause for anyone to be asked to leave the premises without a refund. The elevation changes and high average speeds make it a favorite of many road racing drivers. The price is $78 per night from Mar 15 to Mar 16, The price is $118 per night from Mar 8 to Mar 9, The price is $60 per night from Mar 3 to Mar 4, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Lancaster Palmdale, Holiday Inn Express Lancaster, an IHG Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Lancaster Palmdale. Furthermore, Hewitt says, Larry had the authority to manage the club and did not do so. Cochran is a longtime club manager and a longtime racer, a class Champion whose thundering Honda Ascot Single is a fixture on the track. Thanks to the persistence of racing fans, the former fact was recognised in [1] "Willow Springs / Streets of Willow Medium Course". Because flexibility matters. Respect the right of other race fans. Upon arrival, guests will first check-in with Willow Springs main entry, then proceed to check-in with XX. No one can say with any certainty. And there obviously are unanswered questions. If you observe anything to the contrary, please report it to a race official or to the Administration Office at the main entrance.We also try to maintain a wholesome atmosphere just like any other amusement park you might visit. Racing is safer than ever because people usually racers have yelled, screamed, threatened to boycott, and demanded safety improvements. This is all well and good until said riders find themselves in a situation that requires a split second decision such as when they have exited the racing surface at a high rate of speed and they are headed towards a hard object. The track was featured in the Japanese Best Motoring International "American Touge" video special. The next event at Willow Springs is a two-day event, and will be held on October 6th & 7th. This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 13:52. The what would I do if I went off here question is one that should be asked of oneself at every braking zone and corner. Orange Cup Racers will have 1 practice session,qualifying (split), and 1cup race. Take the Rosamond Blvd. Because of the busy nature of the Pits, a degree of caution must be used to ensure that everyone in the Pit Area is as safe as possible: Please use common sense and courtesy. Besides the music overlay in the video being annoying. Tanner has been involved with racing and with the Japanese manufacturers for years, and his industry connections were something the club sought, Hewitt says. The answer? Unfortunately, when they became public, those comments may have increased the clubs potential legal liability for McCauleys death, says an attorney who specializes in property and premises liability law. Then another from a Chinese consortium for $13 million. The article raises interesting points. WSIR charges a $15.00 entrance fee (per person) at the gate. Andretti completed a lap of the 2.500mi (4.023km) main track in 1 minute 6.050 seconds, for an average speed of 136 miles per hour (219km/h).[13]. Amezcua died after a collision with another motorcycle knocked him down and then he was struck by a following motorcycle. WebWillow Springs Stadium at Willow Springs International Raceway. In addition, there will be a 45 minute enduroon Saturday afternoon with combined Red and Orange groups (more details to be provided). While there are no grandstands, there are plenty of banks to watch the racing from and from most views you can almost the whole of the course. Gates open at 6:00 AM. Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is located in Willow Springs near Rosamond and Lancaster, California, and is about an hour north of Los Angeles. If I need to cancel the hotel reservation for my stay near Willow Springs International Raceway, will I receive a refund? Drivers Meeting content isprovided in a set of notes (February 2022 Willow Drivers Meeting notes). For all anyone knows, new race riders schools, no matter how thorough, may have made statistics worse. Vehicle tech inspection should, if possible,be performed at an official POC Tech Inspection Station before you get to the track to avoid check-in delays and last minute repairs. Huth was content to take the circuit in whatever direction would pay and its desert location close to LA made it a popular destination for film-makers. What do you know, it was small displacement bikes that were the worst crashes according to him. Originally the circuit featured an oiled dirt surface, but by 1954 this had been paved over to create the permanent surface we know today. All rights reserved. Food will be available at the track. From the outset, this was a brutally fast course with one of the highest average speeds of any course in the United States, earning it the moniker "The Fastest Road in the West." |. Specifically, Cochran says, track officials said his public questioning of the adequacy of the New Racer school after the death of Novice racer Chris McCauley in April and the actions of Cochrans wife, Myra, a nurse who worked on McCauley at the track opened the track to potential legal liability. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors. Contact the track office for details at (661) 256-6666 or [emailprotected] On Saturday, Red Cup Racers will have 1 practice session, qualifying (split), and 1 cup race. Dont think about it. You are using an out of date browser. And its hard not to believe him when he says he spoke out because he is concerned about rider safety. As for my choice to spectate from, it would be from the outside of Turn 8, The Sweeper where the fast action is. Were there more severe accidents then than there are now? This is America, 2007, and comments like the ones Cochran put into writing carry a different type of risk than racing represents. Willow Springs (USA) - Skins, Cams, Track Lighting + More - track-lights, cams, images, RainFX (ddm_gts_willow_springs) View attachment 476745. My corner-by-corner guide to Willow Springs Raceway - YouTube Blurring the line between real and virtual motorsports. A verified traveler stayed at Oxford Suites Lancaster, "I enjoyed the continental breakfast and the gym as well. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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