Brian B
Red Rotax - UTVUnderground Approved
Looks like the MDR tragedy is being used as an excuse. (Never let a tragedy go to waste, right?) I am seriously saddened by this news, and wish Whiplash luck in the future. They're going to need it. 
SNOWFLAKE A 40 YEAR OLD TRADITION DIES TODAY WITH THE FINAL WORD FROM
THE US FOREST SERVICE SUPERVISORS OFFICE IN SPRINGERVILLE, ARIZONA
This is a story without a happy ending, and it affects all of us. PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE ARTICLE BEFORE YOU CALL THE OFFICE OR APPROACH THE STAFF. We have and are still trying to rectify the situation but would rather not repeat the whole story 1000 times. We will however listen closely to any positive solutions or idea's, just try to remember this is the corner stone of our business and loosing it has made us a little "red and irritable"
Whiplash Motorsports has been hosting off road races in the same area for 26+ years and our predecessors held races in that area for approximately 18 years prior. These events were completely authorized and permitted by the US FOREST SERVICE. These events were heavily scrutinized with pre-race meetings, post-race meetings, and regulated at the event by Forest Service Personnel. . It is important for you to know that this decision was made solely by the Forest Service and has nothing to do with anything That Whiplash has or has not done.
"THE RACE"
The Snowflake "BUGGY BASH" was the title of a LABOR DAY weekend Off Road race held on Forest Service administrated Public Land, located East of Aripine Road between highways 260 and 277 in the Sitgreaves National Forest. In recent years the name of the event has been changed to "THE RACE" because it is currently the biggest, Family Oriented , Off Road Race held in Arizona, the Parker Race is, sometimes, the larger, but that is a "PRO" based race. Whiplash offers a "FAMILY FRIENDLY" place to race for Beginner to Expert enthusiasts from 4 years of age to 70 or so. Competitors on Motorcycles, ATV's, UTV's, Off Road Cars and Trucks have enjoyed a weekend of friendly competition at "THE RACE" for Decades.
Competitors from across the Nation and as far away as Australia and Japan have attended "THE RACE". Before this depression, hundreds of racers and spectators attended this event annually. The economy has caused those numbers to drop substantially but they are still well above average making "THE RACE" the "ANCHOR" event in the WHIPLASH OFF ROAD SERIES.
THE PROBLEM In mid 2010 a new management group took control of the Black Mountain Ranger Station, And the Supervisors office in Springerville, the Government's Forest Service division that Permit THE RACE" each year.
Shortly after the regime change, they issued a "RECREATIONAL USE PERMIT" for the 2010 addition of "THE RACE" using essentially the same terms and conditions as in previous years. "THE RACE" went off as planned with no major problems.
As is customary, a "POST RACE" meeting was held in October or early November 2010. As usual, Whiplash received kudos for its management of the event from the new Forest Service management team, just as we have for decades. The Forest Service has always proclaimed that what we do is a great use for this designated area.
However, a problem was brought forward by the Forest Service; the issue was the LABOR DAY DATE for the annual event. The Forest Service sited a Lack of available "MAN POWER" to the Forest Service on that weekend. They sited an inability to hire and keep an adequate number of Law Enforcement Officers to control or patrol the many "PUBLIC" recreation opportunities in their area. They suggested, and later mandated moving "THE RACE" ahead one weekend, The Labor Day Race would no longer be on Labor Day, but the weekend before.
IN EXCHANGEfor Whiplash's willingness to change the date, and based on Whiplash's past performance, the condition of the roads and trails used for the past 40+ years, the Forest Service agreed to allow a SECOND Desert Race on the "SNOWFLAKE" course. That event was to take place on April 30th & May 1st and a second annual desert race in late August.
While Whiplash had reservations concerning the date change, we agreed and created our 2011 "HIGH DESERT" series based on the "TWO SNOWFLAKE" races to Anchor and enhance the offering.
Based on several verbal affirmations by the, District Ranger, and his recreation staff members, and the Law Enforcement Officer, Whiplash and the Forest Service, settled on dates. Whiplash began promoting the events, and series.
The Forest service has a HAND BOOK that outlines in part, the process for issuing a "Special Use Permit" like the ones that Whiplash and its predecessors has received for each event held over the past 40 years. One section in the hand book explains the Government's need for a 60 day period from the application date to notify various agencies of the pending permit.
The 60 days passed quietly with no problems except for one reason or another the Government Land Managers were unclear as to where the actual course was. So one sunny day in January I drove them around the course (in the snow) so they could GPS it and shortly there after they sent me what were led to believe an "APPROVED COURSE MAP" (the same course we have used for years). Every thing is good to go for the April Race.
A DAGGER On Friday February 24th at approximately 3 pm, The Black Mesa Forest Ranger called and said casually that "Because of a Race related accident that happened several months before in California, at an event Permitted by the BLM and offered by another Promoter ,that he IS CANCELING OUR USE PERMITS for ALL OFF ROAD EVENTS on the SNOWFLAKE COURSE PERMANENTLY!
This telephone conversation was followed with a letter, declining our permit. Again the HAND BOOK clearly gives the Forest Service 60 days to change their minds, the letter of DENIAL was received around 120 days from the application date, a clear violation of the rules. It also defines acceptable reason for a denial. BY THE WAY, throughout this whole process, not one acceptable reason for the denial has been brought forward.
KNEE JERK He sited the Governments exposure to Law Suits resulting from the accident. I asked him "If he had read the BLM's accident report on the incident", he said that He HAD NOT READ THE REPORT, and in fact, was not aware of its existence". I informed him that his Recreation Planner, had sent me a copy of the report so I could address various issues that the BLM would have concerning FUTURE PERMITS, (that are still being issued) I could reasonably expect the Forest Service to make some of their concerns part of further permits.
I read the document and addressed those issues that had not been part of our previous operating plans. I.e. fire extinguishers are required in all pits, and a mandatory driver attendance at a drivers meeting. Everything else in the multi page report has been standard operating procedure at Whiplash for decades. The Documents created by the BLM clearly puts a LARGE PORTION of the blame for the accident on their own MISMANAGEMENT. A lack of Law Enforcement people on duty and those who were, were not properly informed of the event, the lack of proper supervision and coordination of the event by BLM Recreation personnel, an ineffective check list of requirements governing the event and so on.
ARBITRARY and CAPRICES The Black Mesa Forest Service office is supervised by the Springerville Forest Service office. In that office, is the Deputy Forest Supervisor, who, when he became aware of the application, decided that there would never again be a RACE IN HIS FOREST and instructed his underlings to find whatever reasons they could to deny the permit, and, apparently at any cost.
The Forest Service decision to RETRACT PERMISSION for the REASONABLE and ESTABLISHED use of PUBLIC LANDS is WRONG, and will do IRREPARABLE DAMAGE to WHIPLASH. The Decision will have a NEGATIVE EFFECT on TOURISM in the surrounding communities as well as the OFF ROAD COMMUNITY as a whole, and, add yet another reason for the public to hold the Government in contempt!
ADDITIONALLY, Whiplash argued, because thousands of people have been enjoying the Snowflake Race area for decades, it was declared an OPEN OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) AREA a few years back by the Forest Service (unofficially). Whiplash thinks it is reasonable to assume that those enthusiasts will return to the area whether WHIPLASH IS THERE OR NOT! However, when, hundreds of riders upset because of the "GOVERNMENTS" decision to forbid the reasonable use of Public Lands for a purpose the PUBLIC has ENJOYED for DECADES by not permitting their race, along with thousands of their friends, a three day weekend, alcohol, horsepower, and NO SUPERVISION come together in one spot, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.
EVIDENCE Whiplash, working with the Forest Service, was instrumental in the installation of Cattle guards around the race course and other key places, so that casual riders would not have to open gates or forget to close them while the cattle graze was going on, there-by solving a constant irritation between OHV'RS and the local cattle men. The installation of these Cattle Guards was to implement the Forest Service's intention to make the area OHV FRIENDLY.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, Whiplash has used and maintained the same EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS that were used by their predecessors since the early 1970's. Each race, Whiplash not only pays the normal "Use Fee", we are assessed "Mitigation Fee" which is used by the Forest service to maintain ALL the ROADS in the area, not just the race track. Those roads are used regularly by wood cutters, hunters, cattle men and campers as well as one or two weekends a year for an off road race.
During the "Mapping" tour of the course, the new recreation planers were able to see the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT over 30 years of racing has had on the road system. They were amazed at the condition of the road system, declaring it to be "As GOOD as or BETTER than other roads in their Forest".
NEWS FLASH On Monday the 29th of February, Deputy Supervisor introduced a NEW ARCHEOLOGIST in the Forest Service Regime to bring forward the POSSIBILITY that there MIGHT BE ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS------- UNDERNEATH------- the EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS on the race track. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! They claim they have been aware of these sensitive areas at least since 2005, but continued to issue permits. Nothing has changed, but the new regime and no logic or explanation offered.
Using that logic, The, LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS might be under Yuma! Perhaps we should close down the town and dig around.
Another reason for denying the Permit, in the above mentioned conversation, is that the Forest Service's "ROAD ENGINEER", who has never been around the Snowflake Course, determined that the "EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS were not ENGINEERED for travel at RACE SPEEDS".
The whole OBJECT of OFF ROAD RACING is not to engineer the roads for high speed travel by any vehicle; it is instead, to engineer the VEHICLES for HIGH SPEED TRAVEL on any road!
IN SPITE of these groundless accusations, Whiplash relentlessly pursued the permit approval, eventually gaining a face to face meeting with the Forest Service "LEADERSHIP" in an attempt to change their minds or negotiate a compromise of some kind. During that meeting the Forest Service admitted their negligence in NOT GIVING TIMELY NOTIFICATION. They also admitted their failure to perform now the now needed resources, and archeological studies in a timely fashion. NONE of those FAILURES could be attributed to Whiplash.
Some of the compromises offered to Whiplash included possible (No Gurantees); letting us run the April Race as planned and WE WOULD PAY for the environmental impact and arch studies they say they needed, before the August race. The Forest Service always claims to be under-manned and anticipated the study to take them 12 to 18 months to complete at a cost of around $30,000 to $50,000.00. Members of our racing community are licensed and regularly used by the Forest service for such things and have estimated the time required to be in the 2 to 3 week range and cost substantially less than the Forest Service's number. (no wonder the Government is BROKE) The offer was rejected; The Deputy Supervisor is not going to allow a race in his forest.
A few days later another letter was received from the Black Mesa Ranger District resending the first letter of denial which stated the decision to deny, was not appealable. However, the HAND BOOK clearly spells out the appeal process. The New Letter of Denial that says we can appeal this letter of denial but they probably would not be able to consider the appeal until 2012.
A "LAST CHANCE" conversation took place Tuesday March 29th, wherein the Springerville Forest Supervisor stated that an agreement on the April event COULD NOT BE REACHED and they would NOT EVEN CONSIDER the August Race. This is due to that the forest service wants to remove not only the top and bottom portions of the track, but both the jetting loops. We stated that for the safety of our racers we could not agree to that.
We have been in contact with the offices of Congressman Gosar, and State Senator Allen along with the Heber Chamber of Commerce, and while they were supportive, in the end, could do little more than encourage us to fight on.
WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, IT IS OBVIOUSLY UNFAIR. As soon as possible will try to update our website with letters, correspondence and complete names, titles, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers so you can express your concerns directly to the decision makers. Once we have all the data we will also try to e-mail blast all our members.
We will come up with PLAN "B" but it won't be the traditional Snowflake Course.
SNOWFLAKE A 40 YEAR OLD TRADITION DIES TODAY WITH THE FINAL WORD FROM
THE US FOREST SERVICE SUPERVISORS OFFICE IN SPRINGERVILLE, ARIZONA
This is a story without a happy ending, and it affects all of us. PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE ARTICLE BEFORE YOU CALL THE OFFICE OR APPROACH THE STAFF. We have and are still trying to rectify the situation but would rather not repeat the whole story 1000 times. We will however listen closely to any positive solutions or idea's, just try to remember this is the corner stone of our business and loosing it has made us a little "red and irritable"
Whiplash Motorsports has been hosting off road races in the same area for 26+ years and our predecessors held races in that area for approximately 18 years prior. These events were completely authorized and permitted by the US FOREST SERVICE. These events were heavily scrutinized with pre-race meetings, post-race meetings, and regulated at the event by Forest Service Personnel. . It is important for you to know that this decision was made solely by the Forest Service and has nothing to do with anything That Whiplash has or has not done.
"THE RACE"
The Snowflake "BUGGY BASH" was the title of a LABOR DAY weekend Off Road race held on Forest Service administrated Public Land, located East of Aripine Road between highways 260 and 277 in the Sitgreaves National Forest. In recent years the name of the event has been changed to "THE RACE" because it is currently the biggest, Family Oriented , Off Road Race held in Arizona, the Parker Race is, sometimes, the larger, but that is a "PRO" based race. Whiplash offers a "FAMILY FRIENDLY" place to race for Beginner to Expert enthusiasts from 4 years of age to 70 or so. Competitors on Motorcycles, ATV's, UTV's, Off Road Cars and Trucks have enjoyed a weekend of friendly competition at "THE RACE" for Decades.
Competitors from across the Nation and as far away as Australia and Japan have attended "THE RACE". Before this depression, hundreds of racers and spectators attended this event annually. The economy has caused those numbers to drop substantially but they are still well above average making "THE RACE" the "ANCHOR" event in the WHIPLASH OFF ROAD SERIES.
THE PROBLEM In mid 2010 a new management group took control of the Black Mountain Ranger Station, And the Supervisors office in Springerville, the Government's Forest Service division that Permit THE RACE" each year.
Shortly after the regime change, they issued a "RECREATIONAL USE PERMIT" for the 2010 addition of "THE RACE" using essentially the same terms and conditions as in previous years. "THE RACE" went off as planned with no major problems.
As is customary, a "POST RACE" meeting was held in October or early November 2010. As usual, Whiplash received kudos for its management of the event from the new Forest Service management team, just as we have for decades. The Forest Service has always proclaimed that what we do is a great use for this designated area.
However, a problem was brought forward by the Forest Service; the issue was the LABOR DAY DATE for the annual event. The Forest Service sited a Lack of available "MAN POWER" to the Forest Service on that weekend. They sited an inability to hire and keep an adequate number of Law Enforcement Officers to control or patrol the many "PUBLIC" recreation opportunities in their area. They suggested, and later mandated moving "THE RACE" ahead one weekend, The Labor Day Race would no longer be on Labor Day, but the weekend before.
IN EXCHANGEfor Whiplash's willingness to change the date, and based on Whiplash's past performance, the condition of the roads and trails used for the past 40+ years, the Forest Service agreed to allow a SECOND Desert Race on the "SNOWFLAKE" course. That event was to take place on April 30th & May 1st and a second annual desert race in late August.
While Whiplash had reservations concerning the date change, we agreed and created our 2011 "HIGH DESERT" series based on the "TWO SNOWFLAKE" races to Anchor and enhance the offering.
Based on several verbal affirmations by the, District Ranger, and his recreation staff members, and the Law Enforcement Officer, Whiplash and the Forest Service, settled on dates. Whiplash began promoting the events, and series.
The Forest service has a HAND BOOK that outlines in part, the process for issuing a "Special Use Permit" like the ones that Whiplash and its predecessors has received for each event held over the past 40 years. One section in the hand book explains the Government's need for a 60 day period from the application date to notify various agencies of the pending permit.
The 60 days passed quietly with no problems except for one reason or another the Government Land Managers were unclear as to where the actual course was. So one sunny day in January I drove them around the course (in the snow) so they could GPS it and shortly there after they sent me what were led to believe an "APPROVED COURSE MAP" (the same course we have used for years). Every thing is good to go for the April Race.
A DAGGER On Friday February 24th at approximately 3 pm, The Black Mesa Forest Ranger called and said casually that "Because of a Race related accident that happened several months before in California, at an event Permitted by the BLM and offered by another Promoter ,that he IS CANCELING OUR USE PERMITS for ALL OFF ROAD EVENTS on the SNOWFLAKE COURSE PERMANENTLY!
This telephone conversation was followed with a letter, declining our permit. Again the HAND BOOK clearly gives the Forest Service 60 days to change their minds, the letter of DENIAL was received around 120 days from the application date, a clear violation of the rules. It also defines acceptable reason for a denial. BY THE WAY, throughout this whole process, not one acceptable reason for the denial has been brought forward.
KNEE JERK He sited the Governments exposure to Law Suits resulting from the accident. I asked him "If he had read the BLM's accident report on the incident", he said that He HAD NOT READ THE REPORT, and in fact, was not aware of its existence". I informed him that his Recreation Planner, had sent me a copy of the report so I could address various issues that the BLM would have concerning FUTURE PERMITS, (that are still being issued) I could reasonably expect the Forest Service to make some of their concerns part of further permits.
I read the document and addressed those issues that had not been part of our previous operating plans. I.e. fire extinguishers are required in all pits, and a mandatory driver attendance at a drivers meeting. Everything else in the multi page report has been standard operating procedure at Whiplash for decades. The Documents created by the BLM clearly puts a LARGE PORTION of the blame for the accident on their own MISMANAGEMENT. A lack of Law Enforcement people on duty and those who were, were not properly informed of the event, the lack of proper supervision and coordination of the event by BLM Recreation personnel, an ineffective check list of requirements governing the event and so on.
ARBITRARY and CAPRICES The Black Mesa Forest Service office is supervised by the Springerville Forest Service office. In that office, is the Deputy Forest Supervisor, who, when he became aware of the application, decided that there would never again be a RACE IN HIS FOREST and instructed his underlings to find whatever reasons they could to deny the permit, and, apparently at any cost.
The Forest Service decision to RETRACT PERMISSION for the REASONABLE and ESTABLISHED use of PUBLIC LANDS is WRONG, and will do IRREPARABLE DAMAGE to WHIPLASH. The Decision will have a NEGATIVE EFFECT on TOURISM in the surrounding communities as well as the OFF ROAD COMMUNITY as a whole, and, add yet another reason for the public to hold the Government in contempt!
ADDITIONALLY, Whiplash argued, because thousands of people have been enjoying the Snowflake Race area for decades, it was declared an OPEN OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) AREA a few years back by the Forest Service (unofficially). Whiplash thinks it is reasonable to assume that those enthusiasts will return to the area whether WHIPLASH IS THERE OR NOT! However, when, hundreds of riders upset because of the "GOVERNMENTS" decision to forbid the reasonable use of Public Lands for a purpose the PUBLIC has ENJOYED for DECADES by not permitting their race, along with thousands of their friends, a three day weekend, alcohol, horsepower, and NO SUPERVISION come together in one spot, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.
EVIDENCE Whiplash, working with the Forest Service, was instrumental in the installation of Cattle guards around the race course and other key places, so that casual riders would not have to open gates or forget to close them while the cattle graze was going on, there-by solving a constant irritation between OHV'RS and the local cattle men. The installation of these Cattle Guards was to implement the Forest Service's intention to make the area OHV FRIENDLY.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, Whiplash has used and maintained the same EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS that were used by their predecessors since the early 1970's. Each race, Whiplash not only pays the normal "Use Fee", we are assessed "Mitigation Fee" which is used by the Forest service to maintain ALL the ROADS in the area, not just the race track. Those roads are used regularly by wood cutters, hunters, cattle men and campers as well as one or two weekends a year for an off road race.
During the "Mapping" tour of the course, the new recreation planers were able to see the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT over 30 years of racing has had on the road system. They were amazed at the condition of the road system, declaring it to be "As GOOD as or BETTER than other roads in their Forest".
NEWS FLASH On Monday the 29th of February, Deputy Supervisor introduced a NEW ARCHEOLOGIST in the Forest Service Regime to bring forward the POSSIBILITY that there MIGHT BE ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS------- UNDERNEATH------- the EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS on the race track. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! They claim they have been aware of these sensitive areas at least since 2005, but continued to issue permits. Nothing has changed, but the new regime and no logic or explanation offered.
Using that logic, The, LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS might be under Yuma! Perhaps we should close down the town and dig around.
Another reason for denying the Permit, in the above mentioned conversation, is that the Forest Service's "ROAD ENGINEER", who has never been around the Snowflake Course, determined that the "EXISTING ROADS and TRAILS were not ENGINEERED for travel at RACE SPEEDS".
The whole OBJECT of OFF ROAD RACING is not to engineer the roads for high speed travel by any vehicle; it is instead, to engineer the VEHICLES for HIGH SPEED TRAVEL on any road!
IN SPITE of these groundless accusations, Whiplash relentlessly pursued the permit approval, eventually gaining a face to face meeting with the Forest Service "LEADERSHIP" in an attempt to change their minds or negotiate a compromise of some kind. During that meeting the Forest Service admitted their negligence in NOT GIVING TIMELY NOTIFICATION. They also admitted their failure to perform now the now needed resources, and archeological studies in a timely fashion. NONE of those FAILURES could be attributed to Whiplash.
Some of the compromises offered to Whiplash included possible (No Gurantees); letting us run the April Race as planned and WE WOULD PAY for the environmental impact and arch studies they say they needed, before the August race. The Forest Service always claims to be under-manned and anticipated the study to take them 12 to 18 months to complete at a cost of around $30,000 to $50,000.00. Members of our racing community are licensed and regularly used by the Forest service for such things and have estimated the time required to be in the 2 to 3 week range and cost substantially less than the Forest Service's number. (no wonder the Government is BROKE) The offer was rejected; The Deputy Supervisor is not going to allow a race in his forest.
A few days later another letter was received from the Black Mesa Ranger District resending the first letter of denial which stated the decision to deny, was not appealable. However, the HAND BOOK clearly spells out the appeal process. The New Letter of Denial that says we can appeal this letter of denial but they probably would not be able to consider the appeal until 2012.
A "LAST CHANCE" conversation took place Tuesday March 29th, wherein the Springerville Forest Supervisor stated that an agreement on the April event COULD NOT BE REACHED and they would NOT EVEN CONSIDER the August Race. This is due to that the forest service wants to remove not only the top and bottom portions of the track, but both the jetting loops. We stated that for the safety of our racers we could not agree to that.
We have been in contact with the offices of Congressman Gosar, and State Senator Allen along with the Heber Chamber of Commerce, and while they were supportive, in the end, could do little more than encourage us to fight on.
WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, IT IS OBVIOUSLY UNFAIR. As soon as possible will try to update our website with letters, correspondence and complete names, titles, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers so you can express your concerns directly to the decision makers. Once we have all the data we will also try to e-mail blast all our members.
We will come up with PLAN "B" but it won't be the traditional Snowflake Course.
