A potential club wide solution where needed...
I sent this to the DC region BOD and others. Just a suggestion, please don't attack me if you don't like the idea. It's just food for thought. (This politically correct SHTuff drives me nuts)
This deletion of these open wheel classes from MARRS events is outrageous to say the least. The rules do NOT permit you to do this. You cannot RESTRICT nationally recognized classes, nor should you, in favor of support for NON-recognized classes such as SSM.
I think the overcrowding situation calls for restricted regionals too. HALF of the regionals should be restricted to "production base race cars", and the other HALF of the regionals will be restricted to "purpose built race cars". Split the Glen to one group, and VIR to the other, and then alternate years. Draw out of the hat for the remaining dates IN PUBLIC at the November meeting? This will free up track time and paddock space, and the race group MIX would actually provide for BETTER QUALITY TRACK TIME FOR ALL. You MAY even be able to pull off DOUBLE RACES on these revised weekends. This would potentially attract MORE COMPETITORS because the IMPROVED RACE GROUPS. One tow/hotel bill for 5 doubles? =10 MARRS races...OR EVEN 10 LAP QUALIFYING SPRINT RACES ON SATURDAYS, and/or longer races on sunday, the possibilities are endless, this seems SO easy to do. The doorslammers could even do sprints on saturday, and enduros on sunday. Just TRY IT for 1 season for pete sake. After ALL, we do not race with the rally cars, the national cars and solo cars ALL at the same time, at the same track. AT WHAT POINT DO WE SPLIT IT UP? I think NOW is as good a time as any to give this a try. If you HAVE TO race at the GLEN, and it's not on the MARRS schedule for your class this year, pick a date and go with another regional race there. EZ... The proliferation of new classes each year is causing this problem to get worse. FS, F1000, FSSCA, T2,T3, SSM, SM and on and on.... door slammers one weekend, and purpose built race cars the next.
I respectfully suggest we HAVE A REFERENDUM BY THE LICENSED RACERS... not private discussions with cronies about what each of you want or prefer...
I am sure the quality of racing will improve with this idea. The fields will most likely increase in size. WHY? By cutting in half the number of potential weekends one can race at MARRS, the number of potential racers will not be spread so thin. It could be a winner... but you have to TRY IT to see. A ONE SEASON PILOT SERIES, OR just a 4 event PILOT SERIES?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result.
Formula Car Only Restricted Regional?
Restricted regionals could be an effective market based solution to the proliferation of classes. A formula car only restricted regional is also the logical next step in the growth of "EWC" type regional series.
Survival of the fittest.
Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com
possible solution to the problem...
Somehow this message was deleted. Conspiracy? hmmm... Just kidding. But it sure seems to have disappeared after it was posted. But why would somebody EDIT fresh ideas? Anyway, back to back weekends is an un-workable idea. Here's a better an idea I have come up with over the past couple of years. I have just sent it to the DC BOD.
This deletion of these open wheel classes from MARRS events is outrageous to say the least. The rules do NOT permit you to do this. You cannot RESTRICT nationally recognized classes, nor should you, in favor of support for NON-recognized classes such as SSM.
I think the overcrowding situation calls for restricted regionals too. HALF of the regionals should be restricted to "production base race cars", and the other HALF of the regionals will be restricted to "purpose built race cars". Split the Glen to one group, and VIR to the other, and then alternate years. Draw out of the hat for the remaining dates IN PUBLIC at the November meeting? This will free up track time and paddock space, and the race group MIX would actually provide for BETTER QUALITY TRACK TIME FOR ALL. You MAY even be able to pull off DOUBLE RACES on these revised weekends. This would potentially attract MORE COMPETITORS because the IMPROVED RACE GROUPS. One tow/hotel bill for 5 doubles? =10 MARRS races...OR EVEN 10 LAP QUALIFYING SPRINT RACES ON SATURDAYS, and/or longer races on sunday, the possibilities are endless, this seems SO easy to do. The doorslammers could even do sprints on saturday, and enduros on sunday. Just TRY IT for 1 season for pete sake. After ALL, we do not race with the rally cars, the national cars and solo cars ALL at the same time, at the same track. AT WHAT POINT DO WE SPLIT IT UP? I think NOW is as good a time as any to give this a try. If you HAVE TO race at the GLEN, and it's not on the MARRS schedule for your class this year, pick a date and go with another regional race there. EZ... The proliferation of new classes each year is causing this problem to get worse. FS, F1000, FSSCA, T2,T3, SSM, SM and on and on.... door slammers one weekend, and purpose built race cars the next.
I respectfully suggest we HAVE A REFERENDUM BY THE LICENSED RACERS... not private discussions with cronies about what each of you want or prefer...
I am sure the quality of racing will improve with this idea. The fields will most likely increase in size. WHY? By cutting in half the number of potential weekends one can race at MARRS, the number of potential racers will not be spread so thin. It could be a winner... but you have to TRY IT it to see. A one season PILOT SERIES. OR just a 4 event PILOT SERIES?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result.
You say you want a revolution?
I've alerted the guys over on specracer.com to check out this thread.
file a protest to test the rules?
It has been stated that the GCR prohibits dis-enfranchising any recognized class.
Would it be possible for a driver, or group of drivers, to file a protest against the officials/organizing region in order to provide a test case for the legality or illegality of this issue? Kinda like a class-action suit?
I know that we have one 'restricted regional' event a year in SEDIV that specifically INCLUDES formula cars/SR. So far I haven't heard any grumblings from the other side.
My attempts to bring the issue of 'qualifying within the rules' or go home did not meet with any acknowledgement of the rule. More like, if you pay your entry fee you are guaranteed a race.
I, too, like the idea of making 4-5 races for one set of classes and another set of races for the remaining classes. That way there should be more cars attending for the respective groups. As stated, no additional race weekends, just different groupings.
Premier Purpose-built Race car Weekends
A combination of 7 single and double events at the premier tracks:
Watkins Glen, Summit Point, New Hampshire, VIR, Mid Ohio, Limerock, and Road Atlanta, as an example.
A maximum of 7 run groups.
The intent is to give FF and FC their own run groups. FA and FV also get their own run group. FM, FSCCA and F1000 run together.
CSR and DSR run together and S2000 and SRF run together unless large enough fields to split them. And a GT run group as well perhaps.
Specific classes with out of date machinery such as FC and FF are split as expert and novice and run together but for their own trophies. This would allow regional drivers to run premier weekends but still have a chance to trophy, this is how it is done in motorcycle racing. Alternatively split the trophies by year, pre 97 for FC.
Overall finish counts for national points toward the runoffs. These are SCCA sanctioned events.
The DC region can continue to hack away but contribute one regional weekend. Perhaps Limerock could contribute one of its two national dates.
This would be a way for the SCCA to show leadership in support of purpose built race cars. It would also cut the number of races and increase purpose built race car numbers. It would also give guys in older equipment or who are new at racing a chance to trophy. At the end of the year, top 5 novices have to move up to expert.
A view from a new car guy
Dear fellow racers, Some of you may remember me, maybe not. The name is Quentin Mise, and I am a convert from motorcycle racing to car racing. Back in 03 I built a ground up Formula Vee because it seemed to be the "home built" budget class for "real" race cars and I thoroughly enjoyed the project. Ties in the motorcycle racing scene, (I am the tire guy for the NE corner of the country for two of the four bike tire brands,) has pulled me away but I am now freeing myself up a little bit to return to scca. My return to the car side is marred by the same concerns I had when I bowed out in 04. There are too many individual "clicks" or special interests represented in the paddock. Workers don't agree with what drivers want, drivers of street cars don't like drivers of winged cars. Vice versa. Man oh man, would you guys all remember that this a hobby that costs a lot of money. And people don't want to spend the kind of money that it takes to get involved in racing just to get out of driver's school and find out that a big portion of their excitement is being chewed up and diminshed by "appeals" and "board reviews" and "driver representative disagreements."
One of the ideas mentioned is to split SOME groups during CERTAIN weekends into novice / expert. And yes, we do do that on the bike side. But we also typically have ten or more racers in each and every different class, (sometimes 50-60) nov and ex and there is never a problem getting a class together. We do run experts in the front wave, nov in the rear to save track time of course, but we have enough riders to make it worthwile. In the formula scene at Summit Point, you don't even have enough drivers to keep some classes at all according to some......... and since car racers can't agree on anything already, (tongue in cheek,) I would hate to see the GCR board reviews and committee meetings and appeals that originate from arguments over rules regulating promotion to expert, sandbaggers, etc. etc.
This being said, I would recommend two things from a "newbie" point of view. And before you discount the "newbie" point of view, remember that it's the "newbie" point of view that brings in new racers, and feeds the series, and keeps everyone going. If you don't have time or the patience for the new guys opinion, then you aren't promoting your sport......
Item one is there are too many different formula classes. There are six or seven different categories to choose from. When I purchased my car this week, (lola vintage formula ford,) my head was spinning trying to figure out the differences between a vee, a 1st vee, a FF, a FF that is old enough to be called club Ford, continental, club continental, FM, F1000, F2000, FSCCA some available nationally, some only regionally, and on and on and on and on. Come on already. We formula car lovers are only splitting ourselves up and spreading ourselves too thin. There needs to be three basic classes. A slow/cheap class, a middle class for guys who want to go a little faster, without spending $20,000. And then the winged cars. I fully understand that this means not everyone will get a 1st place trophy, because they had to actually race with 15 other people instead of 3, thereby getting the guaranteed podium. Some of you need to learn that it's better to finish 4th or 9th out of 12 than to win first place out of 3 people. Oh well, at least you'd have a class.
Secondly, the thing to consider is why and how classes like spec Miata and spec RX7 have so many cars? They allow someone to come into the sport, pick a cheap car, and go racing. Just like that. Done deal. In my search I found four cars, two of which had finished in the top five recently, that I could buy for under $8000 turn key. If we formula drivers are going to compete for a bigger slice of the excitement pie within a relatively fixed market size, then we must be able to present a simpler joice. Same speed as a tin top car but in a formula layout for ten g's or less. Faster with more power, but still under $20. And the third choice is speed cost money, how fat is your wallet. If you streamlined the classes and presented a simpler entry, I promise you, more of the RX-7 and miata guys would be in Vees' and FF's. After talking to some of them that are selling their cars to upgrade to IT, or GT, or whatever, the common theme is they think formula cars, or the formula scene, is too complex, or lack cohesiveness and they therefore prefer the fellowship of a simple car, with a larger class of simpler racers and rules.
Just a new guys input, but consider it carefully. I'm the only crazy nut who's buying a formula car in the Mid Atlantic now that all of this arguing is going on.