Augusta, MI

[BP125V]

Thanks to MHRA and especially Mark Miskerik for working so hard to get this new site. It is a VERY nice place to race. Perfect size body of water, good pits, plenty of spectators, nice dinner on Saturday, nice camp ground, you name it. Hope to see it on the schedule for next year.

Bill

[hmiskerik]

A wife's point of view...

Thank you to everyone who made it to Augusta this past weekend! As Bill stated, Ft. Custer is very nice site! At times it reminded me of our stay in Hinton, WV at Pipestem State Park. I can tell you that this is definitely one of our better locations as far as children (and family) are concerned... there is a lot of room to play, a nice big sandy beach area where the kids can swim and a wonderful concession booth that is completely stocked with goodies... Nik made a few trips to spend his "loot"... unfortunately most of the time it was spent on candy!

I can personally attest to all the hardwork and dedication Mark put into this race to make it as nice as possible for everyone involved. It definitely kept him very busy and up late at night for the past several weeks to pull the loose ends together. Many nights he passed out on the couch (lights and TV left on) and didn't make it to bed until I woke him up at 5am to head upstairs... that part of it made me "not so happy". Hopefully now he'll come to bed early and we can save on the electric bill?

A huge thank you also to everyone else who put their hands in there to help when possible (especially with setting up and tearing down), I know Tom Lowe did a lot of running for this as well!

Hope to see a bigger turn out next year... you won't be disappointed!

Heather Miskerik

[racer121M]

Thanks to all the MHRA folks and Mark for putting on a great race at Augusta this past weekend. For those of you who didn't make it, you missed a great race. I know I will be back here next year if this site goes. I would also like to add a note of personal thanks to all those who helped after my accident in getting my boat to shore and getting things organised for me. I have tried to thank you personally but I know that I have probably missed many. Also, the rescue crew did a very professional job checking me out and getting me ready for transport.

Bob Hartman

PS if anyone got any pics of my blowover I'd love to see them. I think I got the unofficial altitude record.

[Brett L. Pruett]

Another great race site

Thanks M.H.R.A
For all the work, it's soo good to have another great race site.
And thanks to H&H rescue, its great that you had another member on board to help out.
A great big thanks to Tracy, for recognizing a potential problem, putting her foot down, and insisting that things be checked out.
Good Job Girl *****(stars for your forehead), its great to have you there.
I hear from one of their customers, that the Ambulance crew was spectacular. Thank You.

........ Just some of the +'s.......
a beach that is groomed & cleaned EVERY day
side walk that leads deep into the water
sand, off of the shore line (not muck & weeds)
No 2 foot drop off into the water
Permanent concession stand w/ modern facilities & changing stalls
Lots of close paved parking
Room Room Room, Every one can have a beach front view
A great bunch of racers
Camping, 5 minutes from the pits
Back to back marathons, wish that I could have stayed in my boat and seen it from that view.

[Matt Dagostino]

Hum................

Thanks M.H.R.A
For all the work, it's soo good to have another great race site.
And thanks to H&H rescue, its great that you had another member on board to help out.
A great big thanks to Tracy, for recognizing a potential problem, putting her foot down, and insisting that things be checked out.
Good Job Girl *****(stars for your forehead), its great to have you there.
I hear from one of their customers, that the Ambulance crew was spectacular. Thank You.

........ Just some of the +'s.......
a beach that is groomed & cleaned EVERY day
side walk that leads deep into the water
sand, off of the shore line (not muck & weeds)
No 2 foot drop off into the water
Permanent concession stand w/ modern facilities & changing stalls
Lots of close paved parking
Room Room Room, Every one can have a beach front view
A great bunch of racers
Camping, 5 minutes from the pits
Back to back marathons, wish that I could have stayed in my boat and seen it from that view.

Sounds and looks like a great Nationals site!!

Matt & Val

[csh12M]

Augusta Feedback

As many have stated and read all the feedback concerning the site was great! I do not think the logistics of the park will allow a Nationals. However, early indications are that the park WILL invite us back! Good job to all racers for obeying all the rules and making a great first impression. This is a great addition to the MHRA schedule and I think that was the best $10 food I have ever had!

Thanks to Mark for all his hard work, but equal thanks to Tom and Adam Low. They "stepped up" and did a lot of the behind the scence leg work to make the race happen! They will be a big part of future Augusta races.
"Thank you" Tom and Adam.

On a different note, we only had 88 entries including the marathon. We will lose some money on this great race site. We have to build this number up to 100 to break even financially! I can think of 5-8 trailers in Michigan that did not attend this fantastic events that was in their own back yard! We also did not have DSR or 25SSH for the second weekend in a row. I hate to beat the same old drum, but if MI racers want more MI races they have to support them! We can not count on cross over entries from other regions to make the numbers.

Marathon racers, please tell me if we can do more the get you to come? I really would like to see a repeat of Big Rapids with 30 marathon entries. That was an awsome race to watch. Is the extra 1.5 hours travel the reason? We need to know. I really pushed to enhance and encourage the marathons in our club, but if we can not get turn out then we will have to consider running our larget short course classes three in two instead. Please do not read into that as a "threat", but we have to get to 100 entries one way or the other. We ran the marathon first on Suday. We bought awards (glasses) for all marathon classes for Sat. Is there more we can do to get you to come race with us? Please give me your honest feedback regarding the marathon, can we get you to come have fun with us at Augusta?

On a more positive note we have added three new memebrs this year with a fourth and fifth right around the corner. Our "never ever" racer program is evolving and the addition of a racer school/training program is also in the works. MHRA members, keep looking for new racers. If we add 3-5 a year for the next 5 years, entries will take care of themselves.

Please give me any feedback/suggestions on the race and/or improvements to our new racer programs.

Dean Sutherland
Commodore MHRA

[brian]

There was a great sand castle made in your honor. Maybe we will see it on HR.

Glad you are ok.

[Dave M]

Simple Soultion

Add the Mods on, you have another 30 or 40 entries right close by. I would have liked to have attended being this race is less than 15 minutes from my front door. The core Mod group of the midwest is within easy driving distance of this race site. Most of the IOA lives fairly close by or within easy driving distance. You woul dhave had something equal to a Nationals type of big dogs in the larger Mod classes.

I do believe we raced there in Eagle Lake many many years ago and the place remains realitiivley unchanged as it is a State Park.

Hopefully this can work out to help you guys out on entries. You never know, it might open some doors to sponsors as well.

[pearson95m]

I can help with some of the feedback. From what I heard, some of the northern Michigan guys went to Bay City to run SLT’s. I know booking a race course can be difficult to coordinate. I think some of those guys would have come if it didn’t land on the same weekend. As for me, the past couple seasons have been tough with many transitions taking place in my personal life (job, school, wedding, etc…) The good news is that I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sounds like it was a great weekend… I look forward to attending next year, along with other Michigan races…

[17W]

Great Site....

MHRA- Job Well Done! I will defintely be back!

[csh12M]

Keep the feedback coming

Thanks for the feedback Dave,

Mods can not be considered at Augusta, the park was very concerned on the noise level as they were almost completely booked (over 200 campsites) while the event was going on. We shared the park with swimmers, fishing and canoe/kayak and were able to accomodate everyone. Additionally, as a club we are trying to resist adding to many Mods to any schedule. We do not want to dilute the excellent Mod races that IOA is trying to host every year. If we start adding Mod. classes we may help ourselves, but hurt the Mod. races in this region and surronding races that are dependent on large Mod. turnout.

Josh,

We knew that the date presented a potential conflict and unfortunatily this year we were locked in. In the future we will have some flexability to avoid the conflict. However, your observation raises a great question. Is a successful marathon dependent on also running SLT? I would love to hear some feedback from Fairburn, Phillips, Laur, Morical, Ladd, Greenacre, Blomberg, ect... Can we do anything more than what we are to attract you to our races? Do you think you will attend Grass Lake and run the marathon? Will the addition of the SLT to Grass Lake make a large difference in the marathon turnout?

Thanks,
Dean

[Andrew 4CE]

I know a few of our racers wanted badly to go to Augusta and check it out... and I know our Waterford race lost at least a couple trailers because of it. We hope it can be shifted a little... sounds like it would help you with marathoners too who chose Bay City instead.

Sounds like a great spot!

[Tomtall]

Augusta Pic's

There was a great sand castle made in your honor. Maybe we will see it on HR.

Hats off to Brian for for putting the sand castle contest in motion for the kids at this race. The kids loved it the parents thought it was cool.