Tire Decision
Minority opinion was RA-1 only for SMT/SSM.
In reading the survey responses, many racers made references to the tire being faster and providing cross over with NASA. However, absent from their consideration are the inability to use an RA-1 as a rain tire and shave it down, the increased wear we're seeing on hubs and other consumables from stickier tires and the stratification of Group 7 racing should SSM and SMT be on different tires (where drivers of equal prep and talent were racing, now drivers on RRs are 1s/lap ahead strictly due to tires).
In my opinion, we should be on a single tire that prioritizes cost-effectiveness. My argument was that tire is the RA-1. I acknowledge it is an older, slower tire but it offers more flexibility in use and consumption and lets racers spend more of their dollars racing. [Note that this was not a selfish bias as I'm running SM with Hoosiers.] It wasn't until I looked at the survey results and built a pro/con list that I couldn't find a compelling reason to choose the RR other than "because I want to go faster".
Survey design is a tricky beast and in retrospect I think our survey questions were too narrowly presented. It was my argument we should overrule the majority survey opinion but I was not persuasive enough.
Runoffs Qualifying:
To clear up a question I received: You can only qualify for the Runoffs in a National class. SMT and SSM are not national classes and do not accrue National or Divisional points. SMT and SSM are regional classes and may run at all race weekends with the exception of the Thunderhill Majors where only SM is eligible to participate. If you run SM at the Thunderhill Majors, you will accrue both National and Divisional points. If you run SM at any NorPac Divisional race (all SFR, OR or NW weekends), you will accrue Divisional points. The Divisional threshold for Runoffs qualification is being in the top 5 in NorPac Division (guaranteed entry) OR in the top 50% of the NorPac Division points (entry subject to space availability).
So, if you want to qualify for the Runoffs, regardless of attending Majors or Divisional races (and every single SFR, OR and NW race weekend is a Divisional weekend for 2014), then you must run SM and you must use the Hoosier per the National rules.
See this link for details (I recognize it is somewhat complicated, but it is accurate - step through it and you'll have your answer).