89 replies to this topic

[Brian Ghidinelli]

San Francisco Region is hosting the inaugural Sonoma Sprints July 6-8 - a Double Rational at Infineon Raceway (which, as of tomorrow, will be known as "Race Sonoma" when the Infineon naming rights expire...) with a track-hosted test day on July 5th. This event includes the Spec Miata Festival - a paddock BBQ and raffle Friday night, group photo on track and bonus Festival race.

An SCCA Rational race allows both regional and national competitors to race at the same time and earn points towards their selected championship. It is the most inclusive race format in the SCCA that we hope brings the biggest and most competitive fields to one of the most famous racetracks in the country. As a regional race, this event has had over 60 Spec Miatas entered!

Registration is here: https://www.motorspo...5DD9C86C21C60A5

Event schedule is here: http://www.sfrscca.o...tionalsched.pdf

Spec Miata competitors can double or triple enter in ITA/STL/STU (Group 5) and ITE (Group 3) at a discounted rate of just $220 for an additional 5 sessions (practice + 2 qual + 2 race).

Competitors who enter as Regional entrants (and run Toyo RA1s) will be eligible to compete in the Spec Miata Festival race on Sunday afternoon at 3:20pm. Combined finishing results from race 1 and 2 will set the grid for the festival race.

Wine Country in the summer is about as spectacular as it gets so bring your significant other or family! Nearby wine tasting, outdoor activities, food, shopping and one of the world's only regularly erupting geysers makes the area great fun whether you're a driver or friend and family.

Questions, give our office a call and they can help get you squared away: 888.995.7222

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[Brian Ghidinelli]

WOW! It's still almost two weeks until the event and we have 60 Spec Miata entries in Group 7!

https://www.motorspo...E2C61441E598017

This is it boys and girls, bring out your best!


Brian

[dp35]

I hope the national racers are allowed to race the festival race (on Toyos).

Brian - if this happens, do we know how the festival grid will be set?

[Sean Allen]

Wish I could be there too! Sounds like a great event with a lot of names from years ago.

[Ron Alan]

Interesting. I see a lot of regulars not yet signed up...is there a car limit(75ish)?? If it goes over that will the National racers be moved?
Are the entries that say "Spec Miata" the National entries...or is it not possible to know with this list?

[Sacslider]

Any chance we could get three different colored stickers to place on the from and rear windows to designate each of the classes? This is technically mixed class racing, so it would be nice to tell what is for position and what is not... I'll bring three rolls of duct tape (I can find some pink for the national guys).

What do y'all think?

Ron- Who is missing? Lots of old school fast guys coming. Will be fun!!

My renter backed out but I will still be attending.

[NV Racer]

The Motorsportsreg page says registration will close at 70 cars. Those that have not yet signed up better sign up soon. 9 spots left as on 9:30a Today

Dennis

[Ron Alan]

The Motorsportsreg page says registration will close at 70 cars. Those that have not yet signed up better sign up soon. 9 spots left as on 9:30a Today

Dennis

According to Brian, if to many National cars put us over the edge(good turn out)...they would move to another run group. Still true Brian?

3 current top 5 guys aren't up yet...Dan C, Doug M, Greg C. Was hoping to see Charlie and Dean come out. Thought Rob B was going to make the trip. Great to see you out Craig! Glad Kyle L is going to make it.

Top 10 finish is going to be a great drive!

[Bruce Wilson]

Sadly I won't be there to show the fastest way around this year. My shortcut secret is safe for now

Oregon filled podium and I expect nothing less!!!

[Rob Burgoon]

According to Brian, if to many National cars put us over the edge(good turn out)...they would move to another run group. Still true Brian?

3 current top 5 guys aren't up yet...Dan C, Doug M, Greg C. Was hoping to see Charlie and Dean come out. Thought Rob B was going to make the trip. Great to see you out Craig! Glad Kyle L is going to make it.

Top 10 finish is going to be a great drive!

I'm still considering it. I'm a little raced out at the moment and don't want to take 5 days for it. Also, a 70 car field doesn't really float my boat. Nor does nearly all of them being sort of out of class.

[Brian Ghidinelli]

According to Brian, if to many National cars put us over the edge(good turn out)...they would move to another run group. Still true Brian?

No, just a possibility, no guarantees. Right now, the group is sold out at 70 cars. Good to see Kyle L, Craig E, Bobby C, nice!

If National cars run the festival race, they will have to start at the back I presume because they will score 0 points during the two races-used-as-qualifying. Not official, just my guess.

[Ken SM94]

If National cars run the festival race, they will have to start at the back I presume because they will score 0 points during the two races-used-as-qualifying. Not official, just my guess.

That would be a recipe for disaster. I wouldn't mind starting from the back, but with 15 other guys fighting through traffic?? Should be interesting.

I assume we're not planning a split start(?)

Bobby who? :^)

[Ken SM94]

If I were King I would start all the cars together and then penalize the Hoosier guys 5 or 10 positions in each race to set them for the Festival. It would be much safer...

[Ron Alan]

That would be a recipe for disaster. I wouldn't mind starting from the back, but with 15 other guys fighting through traffic?? Should be interesting.

I assume we're not planning a split start(?)

Bobby who? :^)

I heard split start...faster qual times first...which would mean HoHo's. This means you'll catch the back of the big back in about 5 laps

Since grid order for the Festival race is based on finish position of the first 2 races, how about this...Slot the P1 finisher in the National in the 7th position(4th row), then P2-P9(I see 9 entrees)in every 4th slot after that...assuming they all have Toyos! I agree totally with Ken that 10 or so fast guys coming through the back is a recipe for disaster

I'm still considering it. I'm a little raced out at the moment and don't want to take 5 days for it. Also, a 70 car field doesn't really float my boat. Nor does nearly all of them being sort of out of class.

There will be no out of class racing...hope your on the waiting list and make it! Come up here and finish in the top 5 and your success down south this year will be cemented for sure...yes I'm poking you If not, continued success in the south!

[Rob Burgoon]

As I feared they would decide to, my work is flying me somewhere that weekend, I'm out for sure.

Ron, you're crazy if you think that 45 regional cars wont try to race the 15 national cars.

[CARacer]

As one of the guys at the back of the grid because I'm slow, I think it's not only dangerous when the super-fast guys start at the back, I find it supremely annoying. I'm trying to run my own race against guys in my own league, and the fast guys invariably show up on my bumper or my door handles at just the time to cost me the most momentum and mess up my race. It is nothing at all against those racers. They're just trying to run their own race like I am. I'm sure I've messed up plenty of their races, too, which is not really fun.

This particular case with the regional/national thing is unusual, but fast guys start at the back of every event because people miss qualifying for whatever reason. I wish we could find another solution, like (last qualifying position at this track) + 10, or (last qualifying position at a regional event) + 10. For this case, Ken's suggestion sounds excellent.

[dp35]

I believe the whole point of having a national within a regional was to get more entries. Assuming that's true, the national class should be moved to another group to make room for more regional racers to enter.

[Rob Burgoon]

I believe the whole point of having a national within a regional was to get more entries. Assuming that's true, the national class should be moved to another group to make room for more regional racers to enter.

With 3 bleedin days to work with, no kidding.

[Alberto]

Hard to do a split start with that many cars. From mid-pack back, the grid is very loose with people still a corner back and then some. Look at DP's video passing 36 cars at Laguna. 20 of them were before he crossed the green flag since the mid-pack back guys were still trying to catch up on formation.

[Brian Ghidinelli]

With 3 bleedin days to work with, no kidding.

Rob and Darin, it's a great idea and we're happy to do this. Please check the schedule here and make suggestions:

http://www.sfrscca.o...tionalsched.pdf

Here's some things you have to work with in your design process:

* SM and STL/ITA/etc can't run in the same group as they are both national classes with people who need to dual-enter (plus is part of the financials required to make our events fly)
* Putting SMs in Group 3 with GT1/SP cars generates significant complaints about speed differential and slow cars ruining their race
* Group 5 is almost at capacity, it can only take 10 more cars
* Races are 18 laps and must complete 45 miles. Add time for pace lap and cool-down lap and 10-15 minutes of clean up between sessions to tow disabled cars/etc in to paddock.

Keep in mind the number of cars who are going to buy a set of Hoosiers and run Nationals in addition to Regionals now that they are in separate groups (at least me!)

Rob, this would work in So Cal fairly easily because you only have 5 groups typically and the car counts are much lower. We unfortunately can't get away with it up here quite the same...

Since grid order for the Festival race is based on finish position of the first 2 races, how about this...Slot the P1 finisher in the National in the 7th position(4th row), then P2-P9(I see 9 entrees)in every 4th slot after that...assuming they all have Toyos! I agree totally with Ken that 10 or so fast guys coming through the back is a recipe for disaster

If I am a competitor in Regional Group 7 and I am in any finishing position 7th or further back, I am not going to be happy that I am being arbitrarily bumped by drivers who did not score any finishing positions in the two regional races.

Listen, I believe we succeeded in letting the National entrants run the Festival race. Now you're asking for preferential treatment and a start position that wasn't earned over someone who did complete both races? I'm really working with ya here but I think we're stretching it...