Numbers

[Chuck Wilson]

Guys

I have been out of racing for awhile. I used to race Formula vees and blessed to race in the Southeast back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Big fields even at the region level. Heck I can remember 25 cars at a region race in Roebling Road. Back in those days (I sound like a Grand Pa, I am a Grand Pa, Sorry to make you feel OLD Stevan.) I remember most track having 2 regional races AND two National races, Between Road Atlanta and Roebling Road alone that was 8 races. I am not counting other tracks we could have attended. So one had plenty of races to chose from. I don’t understand we have more tracks but fewer races to choose from.

Another thing I here is you guys saying we need to bring the younger crowd in. Great idea. A lot say well the cost has gotten to high. When you look at the actual value of money today compared to back then it really is the same buying power. People are making more money. So I feel that is not an issue.

I teach automotive technology at a high school and I have tried to start several auto clubs and tried field trips to racing venues. Pretty much have given up on that. Why , bottom line it eats into their time, Kids do not want to give up their time or don’t want to put forth the effort it takes to be involved in something fun. Did get a hotrod in my shop one time to rebuild for show and possible drag race time. Started off with about 15 students and then it just fizzled out. Excuses ranged from homework to jobs etc etc. Bottom line is they wanted to be able to jump in and go.

Yes we have a lot of young kids coming up from the karting ranks but look at who does all the work. Parents or hired crew. They have plenty of money so again not an issue. All they have to do is ride in the back seat and sit in the chair while dad or hired help works on the car.

My parents helped me to buy my first vee but they knew nothing about working on it and I learned from Steven Davis, James Brookshire, all those guys. But I had to go ask and do it myself. And that really made it more fun.

It is fun watching the threads on cars being built, updated etc etc, but those guys are older . Again money not an issue. Enjoying watching the pro formula series where you see the young crowd coming in. They are bring in the money to the teams . I am not saying they are not good ; they are . but you do not see any of them working on their own cars.

They days of guys working on their own cars are fading away and I strongly believe that was the original intent of SCCA. All Amateur; But but we have burned our bridge on that one.

Should we have some one build a bunch of vees or fords for people to buy and start racing or is it time to start something strictly amateur again.
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I can go on and on but You can see what I am seeing.

[Earley Motorsports]

A lot of kids (not all kids) are spoiled these days and can't be bothered with what it takes to get a car to where it needs to be. A lot of parents (not all) are to blame as they just through money at them to make them go away. Me, I learned the hard way and now I do it for the pleasure of fabrication and the joy and pride of the finished product. And of course race it as well.

[butch deer]

While I am downsizing and cleaning out files and stuff I came across a document From Joe Hoppen of VWOA written in 1968 saying they could account for 2072 FV cars and Kits built at that time. Must have been a few more since 1968. Where are they? Maybe 300 or so cars racing in the U.S. including Vintage.
Butch

[crypt0zink]

My opinion why the numbers of modern SCCA Formula Vees are decreasing has nothing to do with age/generation. Competition from other forms of motorsports, dwindling fields numbers and lack of awareness makes modern Formula Vee less appealing to any age/generation.

Formula Vee has matured from the early years and new forms of entry level motorsports have filled the void. Modern Formula Vee numbers have been in decline, but Vintage Formula Vee have been on the rise in parts of the country.

Can modern Formula Vee make a come back? I hope so..

[BLS]

17 V's currently entered at Summit Point Majors, and I would guess there are at least 4 more yet to enter.

[Wren]

My opinion why the numbers of modern SCCA Formula Vees are decreasing has nothing to do with age/generation. Competition from other forms of motorsports, dwindling fields numbers and lack of awareness makes modern Formula Vee less appealing to any age/generation.

I think this is much more accurate. The younger generation is not less interested in cars or less willing to work on their own cars. There are thousands of college students who participate in things like Formula SAE or Baja. Anyone involved in that is working very hard on some pretty sophisticated stuff. SCCA seems to do a pretty good job of reaching out to these groups also with FSAE specific autocross classes. As for why they aren't going club racing, I don't know. It is probably a combination of finances and time constraints. Trying to club race competitively on a starting engineers salary is challenging.

Back in the day the SCCA was the only show in town. Now there are marque clubs, regional groups, Lemons/Chumpcar, and NASA. It seems that there are more people involved in racing than ever, they just may not be doing it in the SCCA or FV.

[S Lathrop]

Wren;

You might be getting close to a truth.

Decades ago, most of the young racers I ran with were recent college grads with decent jobs making something close to medium income. That included me.

Today the big difference might be that college debt is where the racing money is going and when they have paid that off, there is a house and family placing demands on any excess income.

FV was the hot class back then, the late '60's. Also a new, factory built, Zink FV, on a trailer cost just over $3000. That was less than half medium income at the time. I believe that one of those customers won that much money in his first race in Florida that year.

Just a thought.

[marshall9]

Great post.
I do 90 percent of my own work on my Crossle CF. But I am old, 51. I don't log the hours spent, but it is doable outside of a full time job. It seems that I need help at the actual weekends though. It's just too much to keep up with all the deadlines, sessions and chassis changes. I am fortunate to have a guy that has mechanical ability to help. His background is in building and fabricating American V-Twin motorcycles. He laid hands on a FB prior to helping me and loved it. Of course, now he is wondering when we will acquire of those. Even for a 'Helper', they want the "Wow" factor eventually.....FV is a great class and even better when done as a one man show. Maybe a transition from FV to Vintage SV would provide that, I dunno.