Well, Start any old where you'd like.... after all, it's YOUR dime!!

SLAP! SLAP! Slap slap slap! HeHe!!! http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by DamageIncRacing:
SLAP! SLAP! Slap slap slap! HeHe!!! http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif</font>

I Know, Start with BIG Pete!

As a matter of fact I'm sure you'll get
eight or nine cents change back from that dime.

Either that or a very flat, dinner plate sized dime (if he steps on it!)...

Ok guys it is kinda slow over here. John what happened to the results on the web page? Weeks 1 and 2 are there but no more. How many guys are running the 18th scale class?

NitroRod....

The updates are a little behind. Jeff Brown does them and since he went to the Indoor Champs, he more than likely won't get to them until late today or tomorrow. 1/18th scale cars are avraging abot five to seven at the moment. But.... we'll be setting up the permanant track dedicated to only the 1/18th scale cars with 3 1/2 to 4' lanes this week. So I'm going to assume that the attendence will go up once the track has been completed. Plus, we just ordered another 12 more kits that are already spoken for!

Okay, I just checked, and the results page is now up to date including this past weekend. Thanks Mr. Brown, I know you must be tired http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/smile.gif

http://www.12thscale.com/GLR/index.htm

Hey john, where can i get the results from this years indoor champs? ive been looking, i think my name should be dead last in stock....dns. I might not be coming sunday, but i will try. Cant wait to drive the 12th scale

So what was up with not having practice? Will we be racing this weekend?

[This message has been edited by nitrorod (edited 11-30-2001).]

Does any one have a rear pod top brace for an associated L3O I can borrow or buy until mine gets here. I would like to race on Saturday.
Thx,
Mike

Important update from John Warner! ATTENTION!John has instructed me to inform all of the racers at Great Lakes R/C that the track WILL BE CLOSED this weekend. The saturday or sunday Grand Rapids Press will have an entire article as to what is going on. John called me at 8:15 p.m. friday and was in the process of notifying as many people as he could. If you know someone that does not have access to a computer- PLEASE CALL THEM AND LET THEM KNOW!

Now that the official part is done I can add MY two cents worth. Basically how I understand it is that the wonderful city of Bland Crapids has changed their mind about allowing US to have a safe family oriented environment but are still allowing the 'other' track to continue with its operation. From what John told me the Grand Rapids Press is doing a full article on the subject and will be putting it in saturday or sundays press. Needless to say I will be sending off yet another e-mail to the public pulse that appears in the press everyday on the subject of how the city is 'playing favorites' in this matter. I strongly urge others to do the same- the address is pulse@gr-press.com. The city cannot be allowed to walk all over us in this matter!

Here's a copy of the letter that I sent out this evening.....

Hello,

As much as I detest sending this letter, the city of Grand Rapids leaves me with no other choice. We have been instructed by city official Edward Lumus to cease running at the club this weekend or a daily fine AND jail time would be accessed. After I informed him that he would be more than welcome to do so, he issued another letter stating that our landlord would be arrested!
It seems that after we complied with his letter dated November 6th, he then added another paragraph to the original letter and dated it November 21st. He added that even after we installed the proper exit lighting with battery back-up and installed new approved fire extinguishers at each and every exit, we ALSO needed to install smoke alarms throughout the entire ceiling. The smoke alarms paragraph was added 21 days AFTER the first letter was issued!!
So..... when we were contacted by the GRAND RAPIDS PRESS we agreed to an interview complete with a photography session at the club that took place today and will be in either this Saturdays or Sundays edition. WOOD TV (channel 8) has also called and may do a telecast about the situation this week.

Anyway, there will NOT BE ANY RACING THIS WEEKEND.... sorry http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/frown.gif

John
PS..... if any of you feel compelled to contact Mr. Lumus email me and I'll provide you with his phone number.

ALSO....... The BRP cars and parts are here, I'll be at the track all this weekend if any of you would like to pick them up!

Thanks again!!!

GOOD GOD! I THOUGHT WE HAD THIS CLEARED UP!!!

What is the problem with us running in a safe building? as far as im concerned, our building is safer than being in your own house. There is no stove to catch fire, their are no stairs to fall down, all there is is a big open space! not even poles that you could walk into if your eyesight was that bad!. If there were to be fire, i think 30 people could get out of two doors before they became crispy critters, but 8 freaking doors? what does the city see unfit with our building? Realy?

This whole deal is rediculous. Maybe if the suits at the city could let go all of the problems that occured in the PAST with woodlands PAST owners, and see that all we are trying to do is have good, safe fun,we could all be alot happier. Some of what i have said may seem a bit juvenial but its how i feel and its my right to express that.

[This message has been edited by hankster (edited 12-03-2001).]

Don't forget, Steven.. Ask yourself why we're having so much trouble. Seems like someone within the city doesn't want the "ElGigante SuperMall" in the former Woodland complex to open, and since WE are on the same property...well.... you know the rest!

Sounds like the city is doing to us like they are trying to do to a certain motorcycle club...

[This message has been edited by John Warner (edited 12-02-2001).]

I have sent this in to the Grand Rapids press. How many agree?

As a member of a club, I feel compelled to write in on a few things that are going on within our fair city of Grand Rapids. First, last year we had a boy in the city who wished to make some extra money, so he decides to repair bikes in his garage and sell them in his driveway. This boy is doing no harm and is actually doing something good, and lo and behold the city comes in and tells him to stop at once! How dare he do something constructive with his time and stay out of trouble! I mean- there are plenty of video games he could be playing or drugs he could be doing- or worse. And then there's that motorcycle club here recently. Law abiding citizens. Next door to a church. No complaints from anybody. But wait! They are not properly zoned to be in the building they have been renting for years! They should be in the middle of an alley somewhere with all the other porn watching, trouble making, beer swilling hooligans! Who cares that they have never caused trouble. They are bikers and should therefor be treated like the scum that the city has stereotyped them to be! And lets not forget that vile Radio Controlled Car Club that operates out of the old Woodland Skating Rink. How dare they provide someplace for children and adults with a hobby to go where they can actually have fun in a safe environment? You know those R/C racers are nothing but trouble. Who cares that some are doctors? Some are accountants. And oh my God- we even have lawyers in our midst! We have factory workers, architects, engineers, tradesmen. If I ever come across one of those evil R/C racers, I may just have to run away in abject terror. That is, if I wasnt one of 'em.

Eric Kelly
Member- Great Lakes R/C

This should get many of you asking questions..... have you ever read this on a flyer anywhere?... "Everyone is welcomed".... guess what, we found out it's NOT TRUE, especially if your a female !!!!


Imagine that http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/smile.gif~

O.K.- Lemme ask... What the?...

I have also noticed that WE are not allowed to post on the other tracks message boards. I guess we are not allowed to answer any questions for the new guys. But I HAVE noticed that there seems to be nothing but "good" postings on there. Must be a little insecure over there. http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif

OOH-OOH!! I got it! Did Carrie DeWierd try to go race at the other place?! They don't like equallity over there?

hey john, were we in the paper? if so which one?
could u update us as to what u are doing to fight this?

Hey Steven- it's in mondays paper, page D-3. Give Johnny Boy a holler for more info... http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif

Steven, and anyone else who's interested.....

Spent most all of today (Monday) down at the City Hall meeting with city officials. Tomorrow or Wednesday another meeting will occur with some of the "Boss's" of the official's we've already been dealing with. Anyway, we should be reopened very soon, either Tuesday or by Thursday but it should definitely by this coming weekend!

Hopefully I'll also have some other imporant news to discuss after tomorrow as well!!

John

That was the most somber picture that I have ever seen.

Somber.... Yep, my wife just finished pulling one of my mustache hairs out to get that look on MY face http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/smile.gif

Are ya sure it was a moustache hair Johnny Boy? Maybe it was a nose hair! Or maybe even a booger! HAHAHA!!! http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif :P

John - Any update regarding your meeting with GR officials?

Hey Ron!!

Glad to see ya made it over here http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/smile.gif So, I guess you must be planning on doing some racing this weekend. That is if we're allowed to open, right? Well, all I can say after today is..... Bring It!!!!!!

Also, the club will be having a trophy race for each and every class sometime before Christmas, this will include....Oval, Stadium, On-Road AND the Micro's. They are ALL sponsored by you're local Rider's Hobby Shop! I don't have the exact dates yet, but I'll post them within the next couple of days.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by ron3285:
John - Any update regarding your meeting with GR officials?</font>

So I take it we're all legal and up to code again? The city isn't going to say we're good now and then throw something else at us again in a couple weeks are they? http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif

Well, I hope not! But even tonight we were checking the extinguishers out and noticed some of the tags were "out of date" so..... We all owe a VERY SPECIAL THANKS to NitroRod for leaving the track at 9:30pm and going to his office to pick up eight replacment units so we'd be good to go for the 10:00am inspection with the fire dept.

If you don't know who NitroRod is, ask me and I'll either tell you or point him out!!

Thank you!!!!
John

what in gods name is going on in GR
I just heard that the track was closed again?

john, i think we should take the time and do somthing fo all those that have helped. I know we could have the track we have without urself, Andy Curran, Fred Napp, and countless others that have spent their time to help us. Its just really sad that the city is singling us out, but hopefuly we will sort this thing out.
I might see u tonight John, hopefully
Cya

In my opinion, it seems to me that the city is getting a little "sumthin-sumthin" to keep giving us a hassle. Notice how WE keep getting shut down for supposedly not being up to code but nothing is being done elsewhere. Now a building thats not even connected with us needs to have a sprinkler system before we can open. What will the city be paid to come up with next? http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/mad.gif

So john how did it go with the city today? Is there anything we can do to help? Is there going to be practice this week?

KawadaKid:

hi,

I have your shirt and motors in my truck. you can pick them up any Sunday.

Thought I'd keep everybody up to date with what's happening with the track as of today. (Tuesday evening, 12-11) Yesterday, the city's inspector decided to do something even stranger than what we've already experienced. They approved the electrical plans months ago, but after the work had been completed they came out to inspect and not only turned it down, they choose to force Consumers to disconnect the power entirely! The company that's doing the electrical work has been in business over 50 years and has never before seen or heard of anything like this happening. Anyway.... The power has now been restored after a phone call to one of the top officials threatening a lawsuit for "willful and malice intent to do harm." They reconnected it within 30 minutes of that call!
In case your wondering, YES we have retained one of Grand Rapids most prestigious and prominent corporate attorneys to once and for all settle the problems we've been encountering. At $200.00 per hour, I fully anticipate that he WILL get results and hopefully we'll be open by Thursday evening!

John
PS.... Thanks to all those of you who have stood by the club, been patient with us and helped out. It shows that strength really is in numbers!!

Hey John,

Good luck withthe track. Planning on heading out there sometime next month so hope there will be a track! :-)

Just so you don't feel too singled out, Jim Rousseau had a lot of problems with the fire marshall when he had his track in Ypsilanti 3 years ago. Lots and lots of problems.

-Rich

Hey john, u said i couldnt buy those aluminum crc servo mounts, well, u can get them from crc's online store for 15 bucks. I ordered a pair fer myself, thought i would let u know if u wanted anymore.

Rich,
Will u be running 12th scale, or sedan or both?

Steven - you mean when I come out to G.R.? Sedan for sure. 1/18th probably. 1/12th -- I'm not sure. Depends on how many entries there are. If there aren't a lot, then I will just run sedan and goof off with 1/18th.

Well, as I'm sure you've guessed by now we won't be racing this weekend. However, we WILL be running next weekend without a doubt! We now have two choices as of this evening. (1).. Hopefully receive the use permit from the City of Grand Rapids either Monday or Tuesday or (2) .. move to another location! I just got off the phone with a gentleman that has a building that was at one time a proffesional building, NOT an old warehouse. It's 120' X 240' with a 40' ceiling, there's a completely licensed kitchen with pizza ovens, deep fryers, popcorn machine and such. The floors are as flat and smooth as the building we're presently in and we would be able to long-term lease it for several years if we wanted. It also has an air-exchanger that will replace all the air every 12 minutes! (they used to race motorcycles indoors there) So, indoor NITRO would be very, very possible! The price is about the same, maybe even a little better. Of course, this would entail moving everything once again. So, let me know your thoughts ASAP. I haven't seen it as of yet, but am going to tomorrow AM(Saturday)

Thanks again,
John
I once heard that everything happens for a reason, could be true!

If the Bland Crapids city un-officials can't get their heads out of their collective hind ends, I say we pack up and get to Cascade. Sounds to me like this building is already legal with everything already there. Its also in CASCADE- so Bland Crapids can't say nothin!!! No more jerking around with we're legal one minute and as soon as you walk out the door they change thier minds and dont bother telling you.

John, i say that we take the other building ur talking about. I really think we should get rid of the problems associated with the woodland building and it sounds like the new place will open up indoor nitro and have a better kitchen for your lovely wife to feed us her wonderful food from. Thats what i think.

Well, to drive a bit farther is ok as long as we have a building to race in. I'd say go for it. I know of 3 possibly 4 of us that would be interested in the a nitro truck class. The Woodland place is nice and realy well located but is it worth it if you have to work so hard just to keep it open.

John, you put in so much to give us racers a place to race. Thank you! http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/biggrin.gif

My preferance would be to get out of the city limits. GR has always been strick on use permits and probably always will be. Is the proposed building in Cascade?

Well the new building sounds great and the thought of nitro indoor sounds great. How ever I think that we should check in to everything with the city of cascade before we go jumping in with both feet. John if you want some help with dealing with the new city officals I would be more than happy to help in any whay that I can.

I agree with nitrorod whole heartedly. myself and another racer where in this new building last night which is also a night club on one half, and all i can say is 1/8th scale off-road baby. this place can have an air change every 12 minutes in a 30,000s.f. building. We would only get roughly half of the bulding but oh-my. And the best part is in between races I could pop into the bar and see Julie who works there and have a Tarantula.

I will also check out what's up with the new city officials also and talk to people around the office and see if they have dealt with them and make sure they aren't a bunch of 4 letter word's which describes what Mr. Loumus is.

Lol, John, how could we deprive Andy of a Bar Next door to the track? I say we go for it, but it is a very good idea to check out the city officials first, so please do.

A track next to a bar it must be a sign from the Rc gods. I say we go for it. Sounds like the 6 pack class may happen after all. John shoot me the address and I will call around on monday to find out if there will be any hang-ups if you want me to. So do I here dirt nitro indoor?