PAP

[Guest]

Hey;
Been off awhile, seems to me like PAP isnt getting any of our action anymore. Raush Park? Did I miss something?

 

[gearwhine]

Rausch isn't even open to the public yet. The reason everyone is going is to help build trails and ride them for free. There has been one pre-run I think so far. I can't wait to get up there and see what it's like. Maybe it will cause paragon to lower their prices because of close-by competition.

 

[Lynn]

Rausch is attempting to be club friendly. Some of the trails will obviously be specifically rated, stock, hardcore, etc. But we're trying to make an effort to have trails that clubs can use with all their members, with go-arounds. Trying to get back to the good ol days of having a club ride and everyone could stay together as a group all day and have fun, whether you're mildly or heavily modified.

 

[Guest]

That sounds great Lynn. Like the idea of being able to stay together, but yet have a little bit for each level on the same trail. In relationship to PAP, where is Rausch located?

 

[Lynn]

paragon is at exit 143 or 141 (it's been so long I forget) :? and Rausch is at exit 107 (Route 81).

Anyone interested in doing Jeepspeed next year? Jeepspeed East is to have events at both locations.

 

[Eagle]

JeepSpeed at Paragon?

I must have missed something. I thought JeepSpeed was doing roundy-round type racing -- they do off-road stuff?

 

[Lynn]

The website shows racing on dirt roads, like the Baja 500. I think the rally course at Rausch might be dirt (not sure). The roads at paragon are obviously dirt (and rocky and filled with potholes). I am curious as to how this falls into the world of wheeling. I like watching Nascar, but if there was a chance to watch a bunch of XJ's on a dirt course, that might be cool. I think they also have rallys and adventure-type events where mental and physical skills come into it, not just how fast you can drive and cross the finish line. A few years ago I gave a tour of paragon to some SCCA rally guys, they said paragon was too bumpy and rocky for them. But it would be great for cherokees! Again, I'm not sure how this plays out. Most people prefer to drive their XJ's slow through the forest over rocks and logs and mud. This is definitely different. If anyone's interested in researching this for themselves, the Jeepspeed East info is found at wastedtrails.com. Jeepspeed.com is the home site.

 

[Guest]

[quote:1a8817cf98="Lynn"]Rausch is attempting to be club friendly. Some of the trails will obviously be specifically rated, stock, hardcore, etc. But we're trying to make an effort to have trails that clubs can use with all their members, with go-arounds. Trying to get back to the good ol days of having a club ride and everyone could stay together as a group all day and have fun, whether you're mildly or heavily modified.[/quote:1a8817cf98]

i hope this is not the main focus of the trail building. nothing gets to me more than being stopped behind 20+ vechicles. i kind of thought that was one advantage of being modified. dont get me wrong i like watching everyone run trails, but when it comes to sitting and waiting all day, id almost rather not be out there.

Hunter

 

[Lynn]

Like I said above, some trails will be specific (stock, intermediate, hardcore). Since all the trail building is being done by volunteers who belong to local clubs, [u:52b1b2f35a]some[/u:52b1b2f35a] of the trails it would be nice to have them built so clubs can have their club ride and not exclude anyone. The trail I'm working on I have hopes of being like that.

The park isn't scheduled to be open to the public until next spring. So there's plenty of time for anyone interested in this to come out, learn the property and have a hand in building trails to your own liking.

 

[Eagle]

[quote:0f668542ca]i hope this is not the main focus of the trail building. nothing gets to me more than being stopped behind 20+ vechicles. i kind of thought that was one advantage of being modified. dont get me wrong i like watching everyone run trails, but when it comes to sitting and waiting all day, id almost rather not be out there.

Hunter[/quote:0f668542ca]

As a counterpoint, nothing is more discouraging to someone with a stock or mildly modified vehicle than to head off for a day (or weekend) "with the gang" only to find that the gang insists on going on "trails" that are guaranteed to destroy a stock vehicle in 15 seconds. The idea of trails with go-arounds at major obstacles allows everyone to travel in a group even with different levels of vehicle prep.

NAC has typically been conscious of the wait factor, and we attempt to adress it by breaking down into smaller groups. Sometimes the venue lends itself to stock groups and hard-core groups, but it's fun for the people in the stock vehicles to nip through a go-around and then join the crowd watching the big dawgs compete to see who can break the most equipment the fastest.

JMHO

 

[Lynn]

Thanks Eagle.

I was doing some more checking on that jeepspeed thing, to see if my jeep would qualify for the sportsman class. It doesn't. I have disc brakes from a Cadillac on my 44 and that's illegal because XJ's apparently never came from the factory with rear disc brakes. But curiously my ARB bumper w/winch is legal. I'd also have to get new seats and a new gas tank and a bunch of other mod's. I don't think so. Would still like to spectate at the races they have next year here in Pennsylvania.

 

[MattBlackXJ]

Jeepspeed is off-road rally type racing. Looks like a blast to me, but I couldn't afford to build another rig for it . Rousch Creek has (or will have?) a course set up just for this type of racing.

 

[Eagle]

Lynn --

Did you see the thread started by Ary01 on the non-tech forum regarding a trans-Pennsylvania rallye? The info is on the same web site referenced in regard to Jeep Speed (wasted...), which leads me to wonder if the event is a JeepSpeed event.

Looks like County Chrysler/Jeep (Brian Moyer) is sponsoring (or fielding) an entry. It doesn't sound like my cup of tea, but depending on when it is and where the finish is it might be a fun weekend to get a bunch of us together and watch the carnage. If the organizers will clue us in on when they expect competitors to be where.

 

[JHKolb]

Ditto to what Eagle said! I have a pretty modified XJ, but I like doing the intermediate trails. Granted I like the hard stuff too, but sometimes it is much more enjoyable to just take a "trail" ride with a bunch of friends without the worry of breaking anything.

Like Lynn said, some of the initial trails built are capable of entertaining a mixed group on the same trail. This gives club more of a change to do a trail ride together rather than seperate into classes of rigs. This also helps the newer offroad driver to learn by watching the more experienced drivers negotiate the more difficult obsticles on the same trail.

Also, There is/will be plenty of trails for all skill/build levels. We marked/cut a new trail this past sunday that is on the higher end of extreme with more of all levels coming in the near future.

The JeepSpeed events will be held at RC's Rally Course (they have 2 I believe). It is very similiar to the World Rally events that are shown on Speedvision, Subaru's driving REAL fast on groomed dirt roads. There will be 2 classes (modified stock and unlimited I believe). This basically means that you could race your daily driven XJ with some minor safety modifications.