SCCA’s Track Night in America

[Hardingfv32]

How does the average American car enthusiast learn about SCCA’s 'Track Night in America'?

Brian

[bobmelvin]

How does the average American car enthusiast learn about SCCA’s Track Night in America?

Brian

I asked the same question of Heyward and got this very professional response. Read it and comment.

Hi Bob,
A few answers-
1- We do reach out via email to current, past and weekend members. Obviously, past and weekend members are populations that we want to engage/reengage and to encourage activity and membership. Likewise, a significant portion of current SCCA members do not regularly take part in events. To that, engaging the inactive members increases the chance of renewal, which equates to growth by the penny saved is a penny earned principle.

2- As you rightly pointed out, you have people you can (and hopefully will) tell about the program. Therefore, keeping Track Night in the view of the active membership helps to activate our best possible marketing tool- word of mouth. If we can pre-package the message to you, your role can become as simple as clicking forward and entering a few email addresses.

3- While we can only email market to those we have addresses for, we couple these campaigns with web adverting that is targeted at specific interest and geographic areas. To date, we have purchased a few million impressions, and converted that into better than a quarter of Track Night sales.

4- Of course, none of this matters if it doesn't drive results. To date almost 60% of Track Night participation is non-member, 45% is 35 and under. The product is reaching new populations, and they are buying.

5- We also do not rule out the possibility that you, even with racing licenses, may want to check one of these events out. You may want to see what your street car can do on track, you may have family members who you would like to introduce to SCCA, or you may just want to swing by and chat up the next generation of automotive enthusiast.

non of this means that we don't need help from our membership, we do. in short, if you are curious about Track night and you know an SCCA member, the first thing you are going to do is ask that member. Which goes back to point number 2- it is in the best interest of the club that club members know what the club is doing.
-h

end quote---

Bob Melvin
COR

[Hardingfv32]

Thanks

[problemchild]

I actually read SportsCar as I was stuck at an airport last week. It will be no surprise that I believe SCCA needs to reinvent itself into a viable 21st century operation, just to survive into the 2020s, and that I have little optimism. This Track Night in America program sounds like a great start..

In the same issue however, was an article about "bracket racing". For those of you who don't know what that is ..... you pick your time and then try and go almost that fast without going faster. While I fully accept that a viable SCCA may not include my interests ..... OMG, please let SCCA die before adopting this strategy

[SpacemanSpiff]

I learned about it here, looked into it eagerly (cheap track time is always appreciated), and found out that SFR's Track Nights in America take place at Thunderhill, which would mean burning the entire day to go, on a Tuesday. Not quite the screaming deal it seemed at first.

Meanwhile Sonoma's ten minutes from work and probably 40 from SF/Oakland.

The bracket racing looks like an attempt to compete with ChumpCar/WRL/AER/whatever else. Not drag bracket racing, you just can't outrun your classes base time, or at least that was my takeaway the last time I looked at it. It's less serious, and allows for more creativity in builds. I suspect it'll be popular.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

In the same issue however, was an article about "bracket racing". For those of you who don't know what that is ..... you pick your time and then try and go almost that fast without going faster. While I fully accept that a viable SCCA may not include my interests ..... OMG, please let SCCA die before adopting this strategy

In horse jumping this is called "Argentine Time" and I blame the Argentinians.
They set a time for everyone.

The "goal" is to promote consistency at certain levels and likewise level the playing field between riders/horses. Nobody likes it. To me it was always like a kids sport where they didn't keep score....

From an event planners pov its great because you can allocate a set amount of time and there were no jump-offs (fastest/cleanest riders return for a short course final)

Does everyone get a participation trophy then?

[Daryl DeArman]

In the same issue however, was an article about "bracket racing". For those of you who don't know what that is ..... you pick your time and then try and go almost that fast without going faster. While I fully accept that a viable SCCA may not include my interests ..... OMG, please let SCCA die before adopting this strategy

The bracket racing looks like an attempt to compete with ChumpCar/WRL/AER/whatever else. Not drag bracket racing, you just can't outrun your classes base time, or at least that was my takeaway the last time I looked at it. It's less serious, and allows for more creativity in builds. I suspect it'll be popular.

Yep, a good friend of mine, who has been road racing with various clubs since the late 70's was talking to me about this exact thing last week. He's also the chief driving instructor at another club. He's excited about this "bracket racing" prospect, said the buzz with some of his students at the last school was pretty positive. People want to build whatever the heck they want to build. Run what ya brung.

I asked what's to keep somebody from declaring a time some 10 seconds a lap slower than their car is capable of and then putzing around looking at their DA system making sure they don't break out as they go down the start/finish straight? That's not racing to me. But then again neither is any track where I want to be in second place as we take the white flag. I thought the point was to get to the front and stay there.

[Earley Motorsports]

When I used to drag race bikes there was bracket racing (30 years ago) and it used to pee me off. These guys on the brakes as they go through the lights just to keep in front of the other guy. Not really racing in my book. I ran trophy which was run as hard as you could. Didn't have prize money like bracket racing.
As for track nights, it is my understanding they will not allow open wheelers or any race car. It states street car so I guess we need some lights on our cars

[problemchild]

I think "lapping" days are good and a viable way to grow the sport. I see this, however, as lapping with an artificial target, and promoting it as "racing" is misleading, dishonest, and insulting to those who believe in racing or competition.

Just as a FWIW, in-car timers are normally not allowed in bracket racing ..... although data systems and fancy dashes are, which make it all but impossible to enforce anyway.

[Daryl DeArman]

http://www.scca.com/articles/1994514...-enduro-format

[problemchild]

http://www.scca.com/articles/1994514...-enduro-format

“We really wanted to build a program that made endurance racing truly affordable, but at the same time without limiting what people could spend,”

[Steve Bamford]

Drivers participating in the SCCA Bracket Enduro will not be required to hold SCCA competition licenses.

So someone or someone's are going to be on the track for a seven hour event and not hold a SCCA license? Does this not bother anyone but me?

[Rick Kean]

“We really wanted to build a program that made endurance racing truly affordable, but at the same time without limiting what people could spend,”

SCCA marketing doublespeak

[BeerBudgetRacing]

Drivers participating in the SCCA Bracket Enduro will not be required to hold SCCA competition licenses.

So someone or someone's are going to be on the track for a seven hour event and not hold a SCCA license? Does this not bother anyone but me?

Will it require membership?

Sounds to me like they are specifically competing with Chump/Lemons. Must be where they figure they are losing people.

This really means SCCA weekends will convert to bracket weekends and that means even less time for current SCCA members.

There is limited track time, limited number of events a region can do and workers can work. Take on these new events and the old ones fade away....

[Monty M]

So someone or someone's are going to be on the track for a seven hour event and not hold a SCCA license? Does this not bother anyone but me?

This is strange indeed.

The Track Night idea on it's own is great, but I am not sure if they are marketing it or relying on the regions or tracks to do it.

I live within distance of Thompson Speedway and am probably in their target demographic of young people that like cars.

I am involved enough to be posting here, I'm on a million email lists, and I only found out about the Track Night at Thompson (tonight) by accident.

[Steve Bamford]

I still don't see how no license is required to do these events. How does someone with no track school experience be allowed out on hot race track? There must be no passing rules in that case being just lead and follow?

[Daryl DeArman]

I still don't see how no license is required to do these events. How does someone with no track school experience be allowed out on hot race track? There must be no passing rules in that case being just lead and follow?

A lack of SCCA License is not indicative of "no track school experience". In fact, I know quite a few people with 100's of hours of wheel to wheel road racing experience that don't have a SCCA license; and folks with SCCA licenses that get maybe 4-5 hours of track time a season with half that time they likely didn't have anybody within 2 seconds of them after lap 1. Requiring a SCCA license isn't going to attract the very demographic they are targeting.

[Steve Bamford]

A lack of SCCA License is not indicative of "no track school experience". In fact, I know quite a few people with 100's of hours of wheel to wheel road racing experience that don't have a SCCA license; and folks with SCCA licenses that get maybe 4-5 hours of track time a season with half that time they likely didn't have anybody within 2 seconds of them after lap 1. Requiring a SCCA license isn't going to attract the very demographic they are targeting.

Ok good point. So what will the requirement be? Possibly a gift card or token ring out of a cereal box will get you on the track?

[bobmelvin]

For at least one year, SCCA has offered an Alternative Drivers School opportunity. You read the book, take the simple written test, and spend a day at the track with an approved licensed driver. Saw one last week during our Friday test day. 25 cars were on track during his session.

In the Colorado Region we rarely have formal schools any longer as this has been the method of choice. Driver picks the time and track and we have an 'instructor' spend the time.

Pretty easy and if it's too tough a commitment, well then,.....

Bob Melvin
COR

[Daryl DeArman]

Ok good point. So what will the requirement be? Possibly a gift card or token ring out of a cereal box will get you on the track?

I imagine something akin to writing a check for the entry fee with some form of subjective approval of prior racing experience.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Honestly, I think you're aiming too high there. The LeMons requirement is the ability to write a check, same with most of those series. I seem to recall reading about an in depth meeting/presentation before the race starts for the new drivers. There are some impressive crashes if you start searching YouTube. This all convinced me I'd never race at least LeMons. The point is to have cheap cars, so if they get destroyed apparently it doesn't matter.

My guess is it's those series that are growing substantially faster than SCCA/NASA and they want to tap into that market.

[DanW]

Lemons and Chumpcar have created the ILLUSION of cheap endurance racing. I have co-workers who burn serious money in entry fees, tires, and repairs to unreliable crap-cans for what may or may not be much track time after the carnage or breakdowns. They spend at least what I spende on Club Ford, or more.

From the Lemons web page:
Entry: $600 per car, $150 per driver, $75 for non-driving crew members. (Each team must have 4-6 drivers.) This fee covers registration, track time, paddock pass, track insurance, on-site ambulance crew, commemorative crap, and anything else we come up with by then. Non-driving crew members get all the same bennies except track time.
Not driving or wrenching for a team? General-access paddock passes are always available at the gate--they're $30 and good all weekend. Kids under 16 are free.


Chumpcar:


6.2. Entry & Driver Fees
6.2.1. For all ChumpCar Sprint Race Events:
6.2.1.1. One (1) car and one (1) driver: $300
6.2.2.
For a ll ChumpCar Endurance Race Events:
6.2.2.1.
For all one - day
Single - 7 or Single 8 hour events: $500. Includes car entry and
required MINIMUM of two (2) drivers.
6.2.2.2.
For all two day Double - 7 or Double - 8 hour
events; $1,000. Includes car entry and required MINIMUM of two (2) drivers.
6.2.2.3.
For a ll one - day events between 9 and 14 hours: $1,100.
Includes car entry and MINIMUM
three (3) drivers.
6.2.2.4.
For all two -day events where one (1) event exceeds 8 -hours (such as a 10+6 or 12+6):
$1,100. Includes car entry and MINIMUM three (3) drivers.
6.2.2.5.
For all events greater than 14 hours: $1,200. Includes car entry and MINIMUM four (4)
drivers.

[Daryl DeArman]

At the most expensive/shortest ChumpCar event that's $100 per hour RACE time. When was the last time you got that from SCCA?

[SpacemanSpiff]

No, it's $100/hr if the car runs 6 hours. That's not necessarily a good assumption. Also, while track time may be cheap and expendables reasonable, they're not getting years of service out of cars. I wonder what the over/under on a car lasting five events is.

That said, they've embraced tires that last, which is about the high point for me.

[Rob Leonick]

There was a SCCA Track Night yesterday at NOLA. About 30 cars were entered and it lasted 4hrs. It was just a track day for street cars. Nothing special but I'm sure they had fun. There were instructors for some who needed help. I am not sure how this is going to help the SCCA since not very many of these drivers are not going to become club racers.
Rob

[Rob Leonick]

The thing about bracket road racing is NOT a new idea. Circuit Grand Bayou has been doing it for more than 10 years. Its a way for the local racers to break up into groups and race without having to have a lot of rules. The same idea as drag racing but it works a whole lot better. You can't race for 30 minutes and also try not to go too fast.
Rob

[Matt King]

A big part of the appeal of Chump/Lemons is the team aspect of driving and building/maintaining the car and splitting the investment of time and money among a group of friends. I agree that at the end of the day it's not super cheap, but a lot of guys have a a great time polishing a cheap turd and racing the crap out of it. I also know a few teams that are pretty serious about building cheap but solid and reliable cars.

[cooleyjb]

No, it's $100/hr if the car runs 6 hours. That's not necessarily a good assumption. Also, while track time may be cheap and expendables reasonable, they're not getting years of service out of cars. I wonder what the over/under on a car lasting five events is.

That said, they've embraced tires that last, which is about the high point for me.

The well maintained cars last the entire event as often as any SCCA built car.

Years of service? I have some buddies who are well past 200 race hours on their car.

People who run the obscure crap cans just to run an obscure crap can have the troubles more often. The people who run the hondas and mazdas run forever.

[BeerBudgetRacing]

The well maintained cars last the entire event as often as any SCCA built car.

Years of service? I have some buddies who are well past 200 race hours on their car.

People who run the obscure crap cans just to run an obscure crap can have the troubles more often. The people who run the hondas and mazdas run forever.

I have a friend that runs a BMW 5 series. Other than blown head gaskets its been reliable.... his team regularly finishes in the top 15...

But his biggest complaint is being denied entry. They seem to want the goofballs and drama.

I'm thinking a series of " bring what you want " with no costumes or themes required would be popular.
That stuff is entertaining once....

[butch deer]

I went to a track night event last week. There were about 40-50 cars. Mostly new people and mostly younger than the average SCCA club racing group. There were a few currently retired club racers including a past national champion. The thing that struck me most was the lack of effort to get these interested people out to more events in the future.

[dick patullo]

Even as the membership of SCCA increases over the last couple of years those that self-identify as being primarily interested in club racing is declining. The number of licensed club racers is also declining.


SCCA need to broaden its appeal to car people if it wants to be a strong organization that can continue to do the events you and I want to do.


Track Night in America is an effort to get people to drive on a race track. Lots of groups do track days but SCCA is in the unique position to market to new people on a somewhat nation level. There has been great success in that it is mostly new people and much younger that what we normally see. The National office runs these events with a very small team. Regions have the opportunity to come to the TNiA events and expose these new people to other ways to have fun with cars.


It used to be when solo and track day people wanted to try racing they ran with us. Now increasingly they go to Chump or Lemons. Bracket Enduro is SCCA’s attempt to be an alternative. What is cool about the bracket part of it is you do not need to build a car to a specific class. There are no Illegal cars. Many track day cars are not built to a class so this is a great opportunity for them to step up to wheel to wheel.


It is a very large jump for someone to come from behind the spectator fence to being a Club Racing driver. These new programs are not in any way a replacement for the Club Racing that you and I love but what better way to recruit people to serious racing than to have a “farm team” of track day and bracket racers to draw from.



Dick Patullo

[Steve Demeter]

What Dick said

[Purple Frog]

I spectated at a "rice burner" convention last weekend where about 300 cars drove in without trailers. Each ride was unique. Some really cool stuff. If you tried to class them you probably would need 20 classes. Many would like to run on a real track, but they won't fit in any SCCA Club or solo class competitively.

They are the audience.

I remember the first SCCA autocross I entered in 1968. Some guy in a white shirt with fancy patches told me I had to run in the "X" class competing only for FTD because my pure stock 40 hp VW bug was missing some of its stock bumper parts. I ended up not ever joining SCCA until 1998.

[ewcmr2]

To the original question, I think the marketing people at SCCA found many avenues to get the word out. TV, online & print magazines, auto manufactures, Facebook, E-mail... Being the west coast events manager I probably noticed the adds more though.


ABC came to the first TNiA at Willow Springs.
http://abc7.com/automotive/drivers-g...samond/737725/

Winding Road has been out to willow multiple times.
http://www.windingroad.com/articles/...ht-in-america/

Mazda came to willow a couple times.
http://mazdamotorsports.com/webapp/w...1&source=STORY
Honda also brought out a couple CR-Z's

Road&Track someplace back east.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorspo...ht-in-america/

Jalopnik also back east.
http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/track-...k-r-1692330256

[Beartrax]

Road&Track someplace back east.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorspo...ht-in-america/

Jalopnik also back east.
http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/track-...k-r-1692330256

Road and Track: "Track Night at the new Corvette Motorsports Park"