8 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

Just like to share an email I received this am. I am encouraged by the growth and participation we are seeing. I would to thank the leadership of the clubs, all the volunteers and especially all the drivers/members who make all this possible. The SCCA is the place for amateur Road racers and the future is looking better and better!
Jim



I would like to take a moment to share and enjoy two wonderful milestones.

First, the Runoffs entry is at 607 as of this morning with all but 3 classes over 10 entries (the 3 under are still within striking distance of 10).
SM-67 (past 10 year high was 71)
SFR-47 (past 10 year high was 48)
FV-45 (past 10 year high was 46)
With a week to go before the end of early registration, we stand a good chance of breaking some records. Other classes are in similar situations as well – these just have the highest entries to-date.

And now for the biggee. With last weekend’s National entries, Club Racing is over 10,000 National entries for the first time since 2007 (10,011)! And we still have 3 races the end of this month to count. The 2007 number is going to be surpassed.

While complacency is not recommended by these numbers, I think it is important to take the time to celebrate success. Thanks to everyone for your contributions and the leadership needed to support this growth. Please pass that on to your regions as well. Without the events they conducted, this would not have happened.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I agree and feel that SCCA is on a major upswing, every major I attended, there were stewards, and officials that were hungry to hear from racers and volunters  and were ready to make changes to make the racing experience better for racers and volunteers alike.

 

They have made some significant changes after both possitive and negative feedback in regards to all sorts of things...  Personal thanks to Costa in the North division for having a passion to make things bettr and better.

 

I have had more fun racing this year than any of the prior 3 years combined and have done all majors except one event that was a regional.  Majors has been a tremendous sucess on all fronts, and there were plenty that doubted it would do anything possitive.  Where there are those brave enough to make change for the good and then have to fortitude to see it through, YOU WILL SEE possitive lasting changes.

[MPR22]

I am glad the economy is doing better and people are spending more money on frivolous hobbies like auto racing.  I am glad the SCCA is starting to listen to its members.  I am not happy Texas had one Major, while inter-conference rival Colorado was awarded two Majors, one of which had 69 total entries.  TWS is a Majors track that would attract large numbers of people from around the conference and country, 163 in mid depression of 2011.  2012 had less but it was also a 100% guaranteed rain event which kept many from travelling. 

[Dayle Frame]

Jim,
Thanks for the summation of the entry and Runoffs numbers. I'm an HP guy and we're at 28 (610 total). I can't remember the last time we had that many entries for the big race. It'll be a lot of fun.

Dayle Frame (HP #80 Wounded Turlte Racing Fiat X1/9)

[Brian Ghidinelli]

There's some caution in those numbers: regional participation is down.  If you normalize the one-time effect of COTA, the numbers are not quite as glossy as they first appear.  I think it's clear that reducing the number of National races has clustered competition which is a definite positive.  The increased exposure and hoopla at the Majors are good too.  But it bears analyzing that we aren't rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic from the "Regional" section to the "Majors" section.  

 

Next year there will be ~24 Majors weekends instead of ~45 National weekends.  There will still be over a hundred Regional weekends.  If people spend their money traveling to distant Majors races and forego a couple of regional races they would have otherwise run, those opportunities will go away.  It doesn't take a significant drop in entries to go from sustainable to unsustainable.

 

There is a general improvement in attitude and positioning for the club and that is excellent - anyone at the National convention could definitely feel it and dare I say the club is walking with a pep in its stride.  However, I urge regional and National leadership to keep their nose in the numbers to understand what effect these changes are having before declaring victory.  The regional numbers in SFR are off this year as one possible canary in the coal mine.  Being up X% in 24 Majors races doesn't help if you're down X% in 100 Regional races.  You can't make it up in volume.

[Qik Nip]

My take/consern has to do with the (IMHO) out of balance focus on the majors and in particular the Runoffs by SCCA leadership. If we end up favoring the Majors and undermining the Regional racing program, the unintended consequence might well be a shrinkage in regional racing numbers and with it the weakening of the seed bed for developing national / majors racing participants.

That said, there are many among the regional crowd who have absolutely zero interest in competing at the Runoffs. I'm told that in 2014, my Division will dispense with the Regional tire rule and will require regional events to run the national tire. While that will not matter to me, it might be the reason why some Great Lakes regional racers will stay home in 2014 if the choice is running that old eight cycle set of Toyo's, versus plunking down $800 for new, approved rubber to run one or two events.    

Getting off soap box now....

Rick

[Caveman-kwebb99]

My take/consern has to do with the (IMHO) out of balance focus on the majors and in particular the Runoffs by SCCA leadership. If we end up favoring the Majors and undermining the Regional racing program, the unintended consequence might well be a shrinkage in regional racing numbers and with it the weakening of the seed bed for developing national / majors racing participants.

That said, there are many among the regional crowd who have absolutely zero interest in competing at the Runoffs. I'm told that in 2014, my Division will dispense with the Regional tire rule and will require regional events to run the national tire. While that will not matter to me, it might be the reason why some Great Lakes regional racers will stay home in 2014 if the choice is running that old eight cycle set of Toyo's, versus plunking down $800 for new, approved rubber to run one or two events.    

Getting off soap box now....

Rick

 

 

Rick, I am just going off my understanding of the proposed tire rule for 2014 as I understand it and I am a CAVEMAN...

 

If you want to receive points both regional and national you must be on the National tire whatever that may be at the moment Hoosier SM6

 

Next year tire SM6 or will it be SM7??? I dont know yet...

 

The region can run a combined class in SM, those wanting to run for points national or regional will have to use national tires, all others could run SM2 and not factor into the points, they will still get the same racing on any tire they would like... If the region so chooses to run an SM2 class! 

 

I personally think the open tire rule needs to change, as Denny has pointed now that the Mid ohio track record recent fell on a BFG, I have personally driven 142.8 at Mid ohio on Hoosier SM6 with half the experience I have now, and yes durring a race a couple years ago, it was not a race that counted for points thus I guess thats why I did not get awarded a track record... I didnt really care as I am not racing for track records I am racing for a worthless $2 trophy!!!! and the braging rights that go along with the $2 mostly!

 

The problem we now have is that someone says bfg is worth 1 second, to me that is total BS.  the only way to know that is do a tire test, come in a swap tires go right back out same car different tire... because someone racing a bfg going 1 second faster then someone not on bfg doesnt make it any faster at all period.  But now everyone racing regional SCCA in GL feels they need to anti-up and go buy some BFG tires.  Last fall I ran toyo RA1 baldies and had everyone on BFG more then covered, unfortunalty Frank spun me and then some SRF guy ended my weekend and almost my racing forever.  

 

I hear a lot of complaining about how much money SM racing costs well do we all need another tire to run??? that is more cost in itself, I have never raced in GL on bfg not ever once, I run whatever tire I am racing on for the season be it toyo or hoosier.  

 

I believe we in GL should run a SM2 class so that anyone crossing over can run their Toyo and have a great time and get to understand why SCCA is so much fun. then they can make an informed decision as to where they would rather race and what tire they want to run keeping in mind their individual goals!!!!!  I am in favor of doing away with open tire period!!!!! To me SM2 should be limited to any SM legal tire either SCCA or NASA, there should not need to be persaonl tire testing done by each regional racer each year to see what tire is the fastest under what conditions.  Regional racing is meant to be fun, and it is.

 

 But I find it comical that many have no aspirations to run a national event because of how serious it is and how much cost yet they will burn money to have a trailer full of different tires etc for a regional race. Not because the tire lasts longer but because they think its faster and gives them a better chance for a win...  How is that any different then the national racing mentality??? I have sen these same type of guys buy another engine mid season, because they are not winning and feel its power etc. I am not picking on anyone here but this is why I am not running much regional racing this year as I feel I am part of the problem not part of the solution whenever I show up with my top prepped national car.  This is why at the only regional race I have done this year I drove my backup car, I was there for fun and seat time, I was not there to win, I was there to learn and run with some great guys, Ihad plenty of fun that weekend finishing in p4 and p5 with no chance at a win, had I remembered we set the timing to stock rather then advanced I probably would have been even closer to the front, bu thats beside the point.

 

What I have poersonally seen in the last 12-15 months of SCCA is the club and most (not all) of the officials are really starting to open their ears and listen and make some great changes that are forming the club for the future... I believe it is happening even at the regional level, giving SM with 23 cars its own group last weekend, seperating us from SRF this year, I could go on but the club is much improved from when i started with scca in 2010.

 

Used to NASA dominated the numbers of SM in the GL region, I wouldnt say thats true anymore.  I know of several who have come from NASA to find a new Home in SCCA

 

I think as long as those that are in charge in SCCA keep their minds and ears open, that continued growth of the sport as well as our class will continue into the future. 

[FTodaro]

My take/consern has to do with the (IMHO) out of balance focus on the majors and in particular the Runoffs by SCCA leadership. If we end up favoring the Majors and undermining the Regional racing program, the unintended consequence might well be a shrinkage in regional racing numbers and with it the weakening of the seed bed for developing national / majors racing participants.

That said, there are many among the regional crowd who have absolutely zero interest in competing at the Runoffs. I'm told that in 2014, my Division will dispense with the Regional tire rule and will require regional events to run the national tire. While that will not matter to me, it might be the reason why some Great Lakes regional racers will stay home in 2014 if the choice is running that old eight cycle set of Toyo's, versus plunking down $800 for new, approved rubber to run one or two events.    

Getting off soap box now....

Rick

We may be straying a bit off the thread, but my specific issue with changing the GLD from open tire to spec tire, was, if there is to be a change from going to a spec tire, after years and years of Open tire, would be the transition period, and allowing drivers to use up the old cash. Even NASA could take that into account, I know guys who have a few stacks of RA-1's that they are trying to use up at our Regional.

 

I also feel that the Open tire rule does complement what Kyle is talking about, that we get crossover because the RR guys do not have to buy a new tire to come run with us.

 

Boy would it be nice if we could get the two clubs on the same tire. I have tried running both SCCA and NASA for the last two years, and i am running out of steam trying. Its not about the money as much as it is about the effort of fine tuning to two different tires.

[Tom Sager]

We'll have to see what SCCA schedules look like next year.  Sounds like there may be a fewer number of overall races which I don't think is a bad thing if true.  Better IMO to have higher car counts at each event which eases financial concerns by the regions that host them and increases competition.  To me the number of cars per event is more important and telling than the overall number of entries. I'm continually amazed at the dedication shown by volunteer workers at events and just like our costs are rising to race and compete, so are theirs for travel and lodging.  I think many of the workers would look forward to slighty fewer events that are better attended by drivers and their peer volunteers.