DUFFUS 2015 or Not?

Hi,

Having just completed the initial season of Da Unofficial Formula F United States championship we wanted to see if there was enough interest to make it worth while to continue in 2015. The third and final DUFFUS race at Summit Point saw 17 drivers race and the racing was terrific as you can see from some of the videos that have been posted.

Trying to be realistic; I believe the season was an artistic success and an attendance failure with the exception of the Summit Point event. So, we would like to get input/feedback/suggestions/criticism that would help us do a better job next season. The meeting that we held with the attending drivers on Saturday after the first sprint race suggests that we have at least 19 people (17 drivers and two whose cars were not ready) who want us to continue.

What we need and would greatly appreciate is some genuine, honest, don't spare the feelings commentary; particularly from those who did not attend. Here are some of the things we would like to know:

1. Do you like or object to the name of the series? Is the "DUFFUS" name keeping you from coming?
2. Did the tracks we chose (Mid Ohio, Pittsburgh International Raceway, Summit Point) affect your decision to attend or not to attend?
3. Were the dates we chose (such as the Fourth of July weekend at MO) the reason you chose to attend or not to attend?
4. Was the travel distance a significant part of the attend/not attend decision?
5. Was being part of a pro weekend a significant part of the attend/not attend decision?
6. Was the entry fee a significant part of the decision to attend or not attend?
7. Was the amount of track time (just under 3 hours on the pro race weekends and about 1 hour 10 minutes at Summit Point) sufficient or insufficient?
8. Would you participate or not participate if we ran one or more of the events with groups other than the SCCA?
9. Anything else that you feel we need to know or should take into consideration.

We have been approached by several groups to see if we would like to run with them next season. Before we begin any discussion on dates we would really like your input. If you would prefer to reply privately please do so at joemffracer@verizon.net.

We feel we did our best to make everyone feel welcome and to ensure that everyone had a really good time. Please let us know what we could do to get the attendance to grow.

Thanks,

Joe Marcinski
#04 Club Ford
1977 Royale RP24

I'd love to see it happen again in 2015, and would do my best to move schedules around so I could be at most events.

Joe is hinting that other race entities have contacted him to add his races to their schedule. He has also in a guarded way asked if it is OK to change the name of the series from DUFFUS to something else. Here is what I read into all of that. The 2015 New Jersey F1 Grand Prix is back on, and Joe and Bernie are talking. WOW!

That aside. I personally enjoy the events with the Pro series since it is like the pro racing (lots of track time, proper schedule and awesome support) without the humiliation of being many seconds off the pace thanks to the brilliance of the pro drivers and teams.

I did not race the Fest only cause I had so many other races in the plan and they were all closer to me. So in the summer an 11 hour tow was no problem, but in the fall a six hour tow was a barrier. Go figure.

My 2015 plans include a serious look at the runoffs at Daytona and that will require trying to qualify and I wonder how many other East coasters might get tempted to do a once in lifetime thing like that. I have to get through the winter and see if the itch will go away or get worse.

Answers: Entry fee was OK. I will travel far at times. I don't mind running with other clubs as long as they guarantee the same excellent insurance and legal protection and marshaling, I strongly prefer the big tracks

Joe-Any updates for 2015?

'Duffus' , with or without Lipstick.
I'm in.
Love the concept and think it is a great way to enjoy our little cars the way they were meant to be enjoyed.....

Hi Will,

Nothing firm as far as dates yet. We will definitely have a race at Summit Point and we will definitely have a race at New Jersey Motorsports park. We are working on something special for Summit Point, but we do not yet know if we can pull it off. We are also awaiting word on the availability of two other events. I do expect to hear something before the end of January.

We want to keep the series at 3 to 4 events with some reasonable time spacing between each event. We have not yet decided to change the series name yet, but we will have that decision at the same time we announce the dates for the races.

So please stay tuned and we will let you know as soon as the dates and formats are firm.

Thanks,

Joe M.

Oh yeah, the Royale is now being reassembled.

Now that my car is in one piece... I would like to race the DUFFUS events. After a new cylinder and some alignment work I will be ready to go. I do like the DUFFUS name and that is not going to keep me from racing.

Joe,
I promised support last year but many things conspired to prevent any entries, but I think I am way more likely to run with you this year as my close to home Lime Rock opportunities have fallen from a high of maybe 5 or 6 some years back to only 2 in 2015 !
And, having not driven Summit for years, make that decades, I think that may well be back on my schedule depending on when you get one scheduled.
Hope to be part of the DUFFUS Circus in 2015, keep plugging away, good on you man !
Mike

Joe,
I wanted to participate but found the scca connection onerous. Could bring some of my frcca compatriots along even on fred flintstone tires if we could come and race. But you would need to recognize our years of experience in the FRCCA as ok license wise :o

Mike, I am truly looking forward to that day when you can run a race that I helped organize if only to slightly pay you back for all the amazing events that you have organized for the Formula F community!

I know that Derek and Doug will be there to support us when we announce the upcoming season schedule.

Rondo; I will look into the license recognition thing but I am pretty sure that won't be a problem. The only thing that SCCA will require is a temporary weekend membership (so you are covered by the insurance) for any race you plan on attending. I will also find out what the charge for that would be. All of our friends from the FRCCA are always welcome.

As for the whole Bernie thing that Steve mentioned. I was having dinner in a really nice restaurant in New York last fall. And I was talking about our series with a guy sitting at the same table. But the bugger was so short I couldn't see who it was sitting on the other side of the table!!!! His girlfriend as incredibly hot, but at least twice as tall as him. He offered us a lot of appearance money, but said he had to wait for his German banker to finish some commitment with the German government. He did offer me a deposit check.........but it was drawn on an account shared by Caterham & Marussia so I thought it might be more productive to wait for the banker.................................

Joe M.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe Marcinski

1. Do you like or object to the name of the series? Is the "DUFFUS" name keeping you from coming?

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I actually rather like the name, the logo, and the "special trophies" we got at the last race of the year. But then again I try not to take myself too seriously.

Didn't get to play, due to travel/distance, and Mid Ohio mistaking my four legged kids for dogs. Don't really care what you call it [I've been called a DUFFUS before]. Love the concept, like what I think was offered at the pro weekend combo [good track time, good insurance, get to watch the pros race] If you do VIR or Road Atlanta or even CMP in Kershaw, I'd try to make it, but that is as far as the crew is willing to tow.

Joe - I would love to do more Duffus events in 2015 but it all depends on when and were.

Oh and I like the name

Ed Callo

Sam, Jim & Ed,

Thanks for checking in. Things are beginning to firm up and we should be able to announce a schedule before the end of the month. We are waiting a decision on an event that will kind of be the lynchpin that sets the time spacing and venues matrix for us.

As for the name, some people feel that DUFFUS is disrespectful. That is certainly not the intent and never has been. I was never offended by being a member of the Polish Racing Drivers of America. That was certainly organized with Oscar's tongue fully lodged in his cheek much in the way the DUFFUS name has come about. We are not trying to make any money or garner any sponsorship or to build something more expansive out of this. We are doing this for the fun and satisfaction that we get from racing in larger groups.

The logo, trophy, suit patch, etc. all just kind of happened and took on a life of its own. I think that it just helps make it a bit unique and perhaps a bit more fun. Some of you agree and some of you don't. If it would really get more drivers to show up, we will certainly change the name.

Our premise was and still is quite simple. We hoped that if we could find a way to get a separate race group for FF & CF drivers, something significant in terms of track time and do it at three to four different tracks within a fairly limited geographical area; that perhaps we could get some other FF & CF drivers to come and race with us.

There is plenty of commentary on this website regarding the frustration with mixed class racing. It is a pipe dream to think that we can have it the way we used to because we simply don't show up in significant enough numbers at EVERY club racing event to get our own run group. We have shown that with the help of our friends and contacts that we can arrange to have the opportunity to have single class racing and significant track time several times each year.

I tend to think of what we are doing as a template that could be used by drivers in other areas of the country to do the same thing. It certainly is what is happening with our fellow drivers in the Southwest. They run a limited schedule on a limited number of tracks and yet they have been able to draw good size fields with really good racing. Additionally, they have all had the good sense to see that a spec tire helps lower running costs and levels the playing field a bit and are really quite successful.

So, please stay tuned and we will have something to announce shortly.

Thanks,

Joe M.

Joe, Just getting back into FF. I would like and will make a serious effort to run in the Duffis events. It sounds like fun. Pat Patterson

Hi Pat,

It has been way too long! I am really looking forward to seeing you and Carla again at the track...........provided that no jars of peas & mayonnaise or rubber snakes show up in the seat of my car!!!!!

I do hope you can join us, you will have a really good time!

Thanks,

Joe M.