8 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

I sent a note in this morning.. I pasted below.. 

 

 

I was looking over the schedule this morning and wanted to make sure that you are aware of the total time of a caution free Runoffs race. The schedule has the races at 14 laps or 40 minutes. I realize that 14 laps puts us at our normal race distance of 50 miles. However, when you consider the average speed and lap times at Daytona you will find the end result will be some very short sprint races. In many cases a caution free race will be run in less time than some of our Saturday Sprint races at the Majors.

 

Many classes (10 plus at a quick glance) will run at or under 2 minute laps.. A caution free race will be well under 30 minutes. SRF will be about 30-1 minutes, SM will be 32-33 minutes. 

 

The runoffs is our premiere event and the crown jewel of amateur road racing. We are running the race this year at one of the most iconic tracks in the country.  We are running our first championship race under the lights. There is so much positive with this event, you have done a great job with it. There is more buzz around this Runoffs than any other that I have been involved in.  We need to take this positive buzz and build on it. Running such short races doesn't do that and is not a positive for our club in any way. The schedule allocates 40 minutes per race, I implore you to take another look at the schedule and adjust the maximum lap count to use all of the allotted time. If a particular race is full of cautions, they only have themselves to blame.  All of the members that are competing are taking 10+ days to attend the event, spending countless time, money effort and vacation days to be there. A major complaint of the runoffs has always been the time commitment and the lack of track time. A 14  lap race will not go over well when people realize how quickly 14 laps will be completed. When we ran nationals at Daytona, they were 13 laps. One more lap for a National championship doesn't seem appropriate. It is your responsibility to give the membership the best event we can provide within the time allowed, I don't think we are doing that with the current scheduling. I encourage you to take a closer look at this and make the appropriate changes.  

 

In a side note, I posted a clip of my SM race from Daytona this weekend on FB.  It was shared 19 times already. There is a real buzz about this Runoffs.. Sm is the only race that night and our showcase event, why would we cut what will likely be the most watched race short?  We need to use the positive from this event to promote the club and the Runoffs. This should is our Championship,  A National Championship race should not be run in 30 minutes or less IMO.  

 

Thanks

Jim

[chris haldeman]

The addition of 2 laps too every class seems reasonable. I like the hard lap count rather than time because it allows you too know when the last laps are. Timed out events become confusing as in the case of Cota's Saturday race. I understand having a time max for cautions and agree if a class times out due too cautions it is there own fault. 16 laps would put sm atleast at 36-37 minutes ish

[Ron Alan]

It should be a 39-41 minute race in all classes...regardless of laps! A timer in your car should eliminate any confusion,,,as well as the one to go signal

 

Yellows may ruin for some classes regardless...but shit happens. Pace cars can also control and maximize race time...by slowing way down or hustling around(maybe not if there are rules controlling this?) Nothing more frustrating then watching an incident get cleared 1 corner to late and another lap and 5 minutes of yellow goes by

[Jim Drago]

One thing I was informed of.. some of the cars in other classes will run out of fuel as daytona is a thirsty track. IMO, they can and should address those classes independently of all. 

 

SM race is the showcase race.. 20 laps or 55 minutes!  We have no time constraints as we are only race on Friday Night.  Fuel is no issue.

 

That would be cool!

 

Jim

[Bench Racer]

Wonder what  the Vegas odds would be on changing the 2015 Runoffs race length/time.        

[Jim Drago]

Wonder what  the Vegas odds would be on changing the 2015 Runoffs race length/time.        

 

with some letters to the BOD.. 50/50. It makes sense and hurts no one

[Bench Racer]

with some letters to the BOD.. 50/50. It makes sense and hurts no one

I'll take the Vegas odds.

[Tom Sager]

with some letters to the BOD.. 50/50. It makes sense and hurts no one

 It hurts the guy who's leading at the finish line of lap 14!  

[guest driver]

From a historical perspective there is precedent for what Jim is requesting.

The first SCCA National Championships were held at `Daytona in the mid to late 1960's alternating each year with Riverside on the left coast. Those first Natl Champs were 24-36 lap races, the last year at Daytona in 1969 they became 15 laps for small formulas to 20 lap races for the big bore classes, with a 45 min max time. There were never FCC's back in the day.

 

Nowadays, keep in mind just one car into the tires at the bus stop and you are looking at a minimum 18- 20  min FCC for the extraction and cleanup, that's half your present race time.

jus sayin.