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SCCA Road Racing is in Trouble!

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#101
gerglmuff2

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And there are so many of those that they have a whopping 5 track (something) events and you qualify for the champions by running three. There will always be some deep pockets who take things to extremes, why not, but still not my point. It’s a different culture and as Tom mentioned more about hype and watching than doing. I’m not saying there is nothing to learn from other sports but the point is that they ARE different, more show and a lot less sport.

 

the hype brings in people. 

what we need is to bring people out to our events. hype will do this. 

right now we have 0% show and lots of sport and how is that working out for us?


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#102
Steve Scheifler

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OrangeCrush86, yes, agreed, sites have been a total disaster from the start. Not that I have much praise for the main site which like too many others puts their priorities over what most people actually want out of it. (That has maybe improved somewhat in the past year).
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#103
Tom Sager

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there are folks 50 thousand plus into multi-year builds, doing there own wind-tunnel work, competing in gridlife. 

your ageism is showing. the folks competing at the top of gridlife are no joke. 

 

i agree time attackers are a different breed, but to call them short attention spanned is 100% flat out wrong. 

 

Maybe we should be recruiting Gridlife "racers" to make the leap to real competition, SCCA.  At some point they get bored of lapping and always winning or always not winning and not feeling competitive.  Same with SCCA Solo, TT and TNIA. 


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#104
Steve Scheifler

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the hype brings in people.

what we need is to bring people out to our events. hype will do this.

right now we have 0% show and lots of sport and how is that working out for us?


Too much hype backfires. For an inexperienced and uninformed spectator, attending a typical SCCA event is roughly as exciting as standing alongside the freeway watching traffic. And compared to what’s at the typical cars & coffee these days the cars aren’t special to look at. Imagine people getting all excited looking at a Spec Miata. You’d better have a vivid imagination. Not putting it down, just acknowledging that times have really changed with everything about the “car scene”, performance, and where this particular flavor of motorsports fits into it.
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#105
gerglmuff2

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Maybe we should be recruiting Gridlife "racers" to make the leap to real competition, SCCA.  At some point they get bored of lapping and always winning or always not winning and not feeling competitive.  Same with SCCA Solo, TT and TNIA. 

 

yup


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#106
gerglmuff2

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For an inexperienced and uninformed spectator, attending a typical SCCA event is roughly as exciting as standing alongside the freeway watching traffic. And compared to what’s at the typical cars & coffee these days the cars aren’t special to look at. Imagine people getting all excited looking at a Spec Miata. You’d better have a vivid imagination. Not putting it down, just acknowledging that times have really changed with everything about the “car scene”, performance, and where this particular flavor of motorsports fits into it.

 

these kids are lining up, selling out venues .... to watch (for all intents and purposes) QUALIFYING. in many ways "watching" a gridlife event has less action than even trying to watch autocross. 

any divisional SCCA race has 10x the action. why does no one show up? because no one knows its happening. 


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#107
Steve Scheifler

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It’s for the cars you previously described, and the “fun”, and the bragging, and music or whatever. I’ve had countless people come out and watch SCCA events and few ever return. We don’t need spectators and almost everything would need to change to keep them.

Done. I won’t debate the same points anymore because people are already moaning and tuning out. Make a new point so I can chime in again. ;)
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#108
gerglmuff2

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It’s for the cars you previously described, and the “fun”, and the bragging, and music or whatever. I’ve had countless people come out and watch SCCA events and few ever return. We don’t need spectators and almost everything would need to change to keep them.

Done. I won’t debate the same points anymore because people are already moaning and tuning out. Make a new point so I can chime in again. ;)

what is club racing about besides the fun, the bragging, and the cars? 

no really. you tell me. 

media generates hype, hype brings spectators, spectators brings more cars. spectators breeds another generation of racers. spectators bring sponsors. gridlife was an idea a kid had while sitting in his basement. and somehow he's convinced thousands of people to pay to drive and watch qualifying. 

we'd be fools to ignore what they are doing and think we know better. 


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#109
Nathan Pring

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It’s for the cars you previously described, and the “fun”, and the bragging, and music or whatever. I’ve had countless people come out and watch SCCA events and few ever return. We don’t need spectators and almost everything would need to change to keep them.

Done. I won’t debate the same points anymore because people are already moaning and tuning out. Make a new point so I can chime in again. ;)

 

Steve, what do you think about NASA teaming up with HyperFest this weekend at VIR?  That seems like a good way to get exposure without changing the organization (on the face of it at least).


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#110
Steve Scheifler

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Ugh! No fair issuing a direct challenge.

Show me a cool car at an SCCA race and I’ll probably find current license plates on it. You think I don’t get it, I think you lack experience and perspective. You want to compare us to something really successful? Take a close look at the big vintage events. By any metric they kick ass, without emulating something else. We aren’t them either.
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#111
gerglmuff2

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Ugh! No fair issuing a direct challenge.

Show me a cool car at an SCCA race and I’ll probably find current license plates on it. You think I don’t get it, I think you lack experience and perspective. You want to compare us to something really successful? Take a close look at the big vintage events. By any metric they kick ass, without emulating something else. We aren’t them either.

 

almost every race car is categorically cooler than any other car. remember, this is the same demographic that think ziptying your bumper back on after you drift into someone is cool. hell, dont have any zip ties? don't need em. don't need the bumper either!

catering to even older, even whiter dudes (vintage racers) is not going to solve the demographic problem. 


Gordon Kuhnley: Driving miata's in all conditions, courses, and motorsports that I can. 


#112
Steve Scheifler

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Steve, what do you think about NASA teaming up with HyperFest this weekend at VIR? That seems like a good way to get exposure without changing the organization (on the face of it at least).


News to me, too far from home, but I’m interested enough to look into it. If it in any way detracts from track time for NASA then probably opposed, but assuming not then I’d probably favor it.
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#113
Tom Sager

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It’s for the cars you previously described, and the “fun”, and the bragging, and music or whatever. I’ve had countless people come out and watch SCCA events and few ever return. We don’t need spectators and almost everything would need to change to keep them.

Done. I won’t debate the same points anymore because people are already moaning and tuning out. Make a new point so I can chime in again. ;)

 

Agree we don't need spectators and the effort to attract and retain them is a giant and expensive task in itself.  Going back to what you said a couple pages back, some things can't be fixed.  If it's not possible to fix participation in some of the Prod/GT/Formula classes, it's time to look at ways to update and replace them.  If we can do so in a way that continues to include any car currently with a log book, that's a winner.  I'm going back to FE.  FE seems like the class with the most immediate upside participation-wise. It's a very good formula (pun intended).  Needs more promotion and recruitment.  The next 2 classes IMO that can be built upon are T4 and B-Spec.  T-4 offers inexpensive cars, limited prep and potentially a lot of close competition.  Tires are too expensive, but that can be fixed.  Lower tire costs, add more low cost cars to the class, make some more effort to improve manufacturer support and this should be a class that can grow.  The B-spec folks would shoot me for this but we ought to find a way to combine them into T-4.  Many of the B-Spec cars can get lighter I think (remove interiors?) and maybe a few other bolt-ons would make them competitive in T4.


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#114
OrangeCrush86

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Ran into a prime reason SCCA membership benefits are annoying and shouldn't be advertised as reason to be a member.

 

Saw this in my email and I need new trailer tires:

 

30% Off Goodyear Trailer/Commercial Tires thru SCCA Member Benefits

SCCA membership comes with additional benefits in the form of special discounts or offers from a number of companies in the automotive, travel, publishing, consumer products and services realms. If you haven't checked out all the awesome offers lately, you probably should! For instance, you can now get 30% off trailer/commercial tires from Goodyear or 15% off select Maxxis tires. Take a gander at all the Member Benefit savings right here.

 

I follow the link and see this:

 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is one of the world’s leading tire companies with operations in most regions of the world and is one of the most recognized brand names. Producing a wide range of tires for consumers all over the world, Goodyear offers all the benefits today’s drivers are looking for, from innovative technology and performance handling to all-weather reliability and affordable quality. Goodyear has a rich history in motorsports and has recorded wins at all levels of racing ranging from the SCCA National Championship Runoffs to Formula 1. Goodyear is the official tire and exclusive tire provider for NASCAR® and NHRA®. We also produce racing tires for a range of motorsports, including drag, landspeed, and sports car racing and information can be found at www.racegoodyear.com

Goodyear is increasing their support for SCCA and its members by offering 30% off their Endurance trailer tire line and select commercial truck tires, for your RVs and transporters. 

 

From this point there is no hint on how to get 30% off new trailer tires. Is there a code I can enter online? Do I have to call Goodyear Distributor?

 

This isn't the first time this has happened.

 

PS, if anyone knows how to get this deal please let me know.


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#115
tLinder

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Ran into a prime reason SCCA membership benefits are annoying and shouldn't be advertised as reason to be a member.

 

Saw this in my email and I need new trailer tires:

 

I follow the link and see this:

 

From this point there is no hint on how to get 30% off new trailer tires. Is there a code I can enter online? Do I have to call Goodyear Distributor?

 

This isn't the first time this has happened.

 

PS, if anyone knows how to get this deal please let me know.

 

https://www.scca.com...coupon/download

(There's a hyperlink within the benefits explanation)


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#116
Camaro67racer

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To those that say "we don't need spectators," I'd like to ask...Where do you think the new blood will come from? 

I don't see anyone just waking up one day, coming out of their basement saying, "I'm going to go race and it'll be with SCCA."

We do need spectators because we need to generate interest from those outside of SCCA. We need those kids that you see at the track and don't know them, but you strike up a conversation and let them sit in you race car to grow up with a desire to own and race a car of their own. We need to offer other current "racers" something they desire to take part in. Otherwise, we are just relying on those already within SCCA to carry the torch. By the mere existence of this thread, that doesn't seem to be working so well at this point.


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#117
OrangeCrush86

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When did the no spectator mentality become a thing? When I see photos from the 70s and 80s of SCCA racing there are ton of spectators (some old timers have even hinted that there was beer and shenanigans after hours).


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#118
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If each driver dragged a friend to the race track to support said drivers effort at the track for one day there may gains made. Gain A. would be said friend accepted the invite to the track. B. said friend enjoyed or not supporting effort. C. Friend may ask if he/she could support effort at home garage. That's old time and how I got hooked in 1997.

 

If anyone thinks there's no beer/drinks and shenanigans after hours, your not hanging with the wrong people.


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#119
gerglmuff2

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To those that say "we don't need spectators," I'd like to ask...Where do you think the new blood will come from? 

I don't see anyone just waking up one day, coming out of their basement saying, "I'm going to go race and it'll be with SCCA."

We do need spectators because we need to generate interest from those outside of SCCA. We need those kids that you see at the track and don't know them, but you strike up a conversation and let them sit in you race car to grow up with a desire to own and race a car of their own. We need to offer other current "racers" something they desire to take part in. Otherwise, we are just relying on those already within SCCA to carry the torch. By the mere existence of this thread, that doesn't seem to be working so well at this point.

 

mostly, even in the car world, its "whats the SCCA?"

while we do have issues with retention, class structure, event run etc .... the biggest problem is very little new blood. and that is a marketing problem. 


Gordon Kuhnley: Driving miata's in all conditions, courses, and motorsports that I can. 


#120
Alberto

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To those that say "we don't need spectators," I'd like to ask...Where do you think the new blood will come from? 

 

 

YouTube, Vimeo, FB video is the new spectating.

 

Back in the olden days, race tracks weren't so far away and having both parent's working full time and weekends full of activities with kids.  Maybe it was practical for people to drive an hour to observe a race back then.  It isn't really now that race tracks are often a few hours haul in the middle of nowhere.


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