58 replies to this topic

[Tom Sager]

SMM, Spec Miata Masters class. 

Given the youth we have in this class we might have to use the motocross age for seniors or masters.  Last I recall that was over 30 years old. 

[Jim Stevens]

I found myself repeatedly thinking that I should switch to a more "age appropriate" class

[TylerQuance]

I found myself repeatedly thinking that I should switch to a more "age appropriate" class

Experienced, smart drivers who I can generally trust not to drive into my door are part of what makes SM so great. These young guys are good because they're talented and obsessed with being the best, not because they are young.

[Rick H]

I'll start some chatter - the runoffs should be a lot harder to enter. I know the club loves the money but really only about the top 15 drivers have a real shot. It should be the best of the best, and I like NASA's qually-race format better, it rewards performance. Oh yeah, another thing, I heard that garages at Indy were renting for $3,000. The club should negotiate with potential venues to prevent that kind of gouging. Disgraceful.

 

PS: P$ is a professional

The Facts. 

Garages: - Trackside Garages adjacent to pit lane: $1,500 - Gasoline Alley Garages: $700

[LarryKing]

 

The Facts. 

Garages: - Trackside Garages adjacent to pit lane: $1,500 - Gasoline Alley Garages: $700

 

I received second hand info, I wasn't there, so thanks for the facts.

 

$700 - $1,500 is still a gouge and the club should not let that occur. I've rented garages at Daytona and Charlotte regional SCCA events for $100 or less. 

[FTodaro]

I received second hand info, I wasn't there, so thanks for the facts.

 

$700 - $1,500 is still a gouge and the club should not let that occur. I've rented garages at Daytona and Charlotte regional SCCA events for $100 or less. 

I do not know the details of this contract but generally when you rent the track you get the garages in the rental agreement and the money you charge for the garages goes to your bottom line profit so it was SCCA charging those fees based upon my experience of renting Indy which our region (PCA) has done about 5 times or so.

[Jim Stevens]

Experienced, smart drivers who I can generally trust not to drive into my door are part of what makes SM so great. These young guys are good because they're talented and obsessed with being the best, not because they are young.

Agreed. I wasn't speaking to the talent of the young drivers. I was simply stating that there are other classes where most of the drivers are closer to the end of their racing careers rather than the beginning. I'm one of those that are aging out. 

 

You'll find out someday....

[Steve Scheifler]

I do not know the details of this contract but generally when you rent the track you get the garages in the rental agreement and the money you charge for the garages goes to your bottom line profit so it was SCCA charging those fees based upon my experience of renting Indy which our region (PCA) has done about 5 times or so.

That sounds about right. Expecting around 900 entrants it would be easy to calculate that there would be plenty of deep-pockets to snap them up at those rates without a second thought.

[Jamz14]

Talk of a masters class is nonsense. One of the cool things about road racing is it doesnt matter if you are 13 or 90, black or white, girl or boy, we all race together. I'd rather be beaten by a 13 year old girl than win against a worn out old guy. I thought old people like me detested the thought of the millenial concept of participation trophies.

[Steve Scheifler]

.

[TylerQuance]

Talk of a masters class is nonsense. One of the cool things about road racing is it doesnt matter if you are 13 or 90, black or white, girl or boy, we all race together. I'd rather be beaten by a 13 year old girl than win against a worn out old guy. I thought old people like me detested the thought of the millenial concept of participation trophies.

Agree. It is hilarious how many people think spec miata needs "fixing".

Some Runoffs quick stats for you hilarious people :
-70/71 starters finished
-68/71 took a checker
-All 68 checker-takers were on the lead lap
-ZERO multi-car FCC incidents
-3% fast lap pace difference fastest to slowest
-Podium cars all cleared tech and I'd have a hard time believing there were any non-compliant cars in the whole field.
-Trap speed difference, winner to slowest checker-taker: 3.3mph.

All this with an age spread teens to 70s.

[Steve Scheifler]

Agree. It is hilarious how many people think spec miata needs "fixing".

Some Runoffs quick stats for you hilarious people :
-70/71 starters finished
-68/71 took a checker
-All 68 checker-takers were on the lead lap
-ZERO multi-car FCC incidents
-3% fast lap pace difference fastest to slowest
-Podium cars all cleared tech and I'd have a hard time believing there were any non-compliant cars in the whole field.
-Trap speed difference, winner to slowest checker-taker: 3.3mph.

All this with an age spread teens to 70s.

I could quibble with the accuracy of some of that, such as the 3.3 mph which is at best very misleading since even at a brief glance I see many with a slower trap than that relative to highest, and any FCY bunches the field making lapped cars less likely. But more importantly the Runoffs is not by itself a fair barometer of how well the class is working for the majority of members (including those potentially not attending or racing at all for class related reasons). All that said, it is still one of the two healthiest classes in our kind of racing. But we should never take that for granted or stop being concerned about the larger numbers of participants who don’t go to HST events or the Runoffs.

[Tom Sager]

Talk of a masters class is nonsense. One of the cool things about road racing is it doesnt matter if you are 13 or 90, black or white, girl or boy, we all race together. I'd rather be beaten by a 13 year old girl than win against a worn out old guy. I thought old people like me detested the thought of the millenial concept of participation trophies.

Neither Ralph's comment nor mine about actually having a masters class were serious  

[chris haldeman]

Trap speed data is super close. Laptime data is 100%
We had 1? Quick full course on lap 2-3??


I could quibble with the accuracy of some of that, such as the 3.3 mph which is at best very misleading since even at a brief glance I see many with a slower trap than that, and any FCY bunches the field making lapped cars less likely. But more importantly the Runoffs is not by itself a fair barometer of how well the class is working for the majority of members (including those potentially not attending or racing at all for class related reasons). All that said, it is still one of the two healthiest classes in our kind of racing. But we should never take that for granted or stop being concerned about the larger numbers of participants who don’t go to HST events or the Runoffs.

[Steve Scheifler]

Trap speed data is super close. Laptime data is 100%
We had 1? Quick full course on lap 2-3??

Notice I specifically started with “I could quibble…” The stated max trap speed difference really isn’t close, top was 119.757 while there were quite a few in the 114s & 115s and at least one 113, all significantly more than 3.3 difference to highest (Preston was only 117.1x). And that’s not actually a great or accurate measure of anything anyway. You are correct, the FCY was lap 3 out of 19 and even with a 2 minute lap it’s impressive that they didn’t catch the rear. The best indicator really is fast lap top to bottom with a very large number within 2%.

But like I said, quibbling because I have this thing about facts. My main point remains that for most competitors that are paying the entries all season the Runoffs will never be the most relevant measure of class health from their seat.

Edit: I shouldn’t have bothered, but the “Critics and whiners are stupid, here’s proof” tone rubbed me the wrong way. If you are going to be insulting and dismissive be ready for some pushback.

[chris haldeman]

I get it

[Mike Tesch]

Some Runoffs quick stats for you hilarious people :

-Podium cars all cleared tech and I'd have a hard time believing there were any non-compliant cars in the whole field.

I'm sorry, but I spit out my Cheerios when I read that one.

[Steve Scheifler]

I'm sorry, but I spit out my Cheerios when I read that one.

He did say hilarious.

[TylerQuance]

Since no one is getting flamed for bringing non-compliant cars to the Runoffs, I see it as my duty to find other ways to ruffle all your feathers

[chris haldeman]

I am growing extremely tired of the spec Miata hate. Sm race at runoffs was likely the cleanest and most well competed race all week. I would also agree every car in the field could have passed tech. If the old guard 2007 racers who were the reason sm got all the bad rep don’t have anything good to say maybe they should just quietly go away??