Originally Posted by
problemchild
I have been thinking about this for a few weeks and thought I would post my idea to the Apexspeed community.
In 2019, in our 50th year as a class, can we remove the FF class National Championship race from the SCCA Runoffs?
Clearly, like a business who is run by the accountants, SCCA is letting Eric Prill and his staff treat FF as one of 25+ classes, and finding "efficient" ways to combine classes and manage an oversized event. Both FV and FF have an unparalleled history in SCCA Club racing and deserve special treatment, IMO. Because they combine so poorly with other classes, FV has survived with stand-alone status, but FF has been treated like $hit at the Runoffs in 2018 and 2019. Note that I don't blame EP and staff for doing their job, but SCCA leadership for not giving them direction to respect our iconic class and treat us right.
Formula F, Formula Ford, and F1600 is thriving across the country, especially on the East coast ...... although you can not tell that by looking at SCCA numbers. Before somebody jumps all over me, I am using the term "thriving" by 2018 small formula car standards. This weekend, there were 70 F-cars at Mosport and dozens at Indy with SVRA. Did we make it to double digits at the June Sprints?
What SCCA did to FF and F500 at the Indy Runoffs in 2017 was criminal. It was the worst treatment to our iconic class that I have seen in the 35 years I have been involved. So for 2018, they stepped up the horrible treatment, if that is possible.
What is in store for the 2019 Runoffs? Will we celebrate our 50th birthday by spending 20 mins a day for a week, practicing, qualifying, and racing with F500 .... while driving an hour each way to a hotel room ...... and spending $1500 for entry and paddock rent?
My idea. We nicely ask SCCA to suspend the FF class from their 2019 Runoff event and divert funds, energy, and promotion to a free-standing 50th BP FF SCCA Championship event on a different weekend. My suggestion would be to piggyback on another event with a FF only Thursday test day. My proposed schedule would be all day open FF testing on Thursday, 30 min Qual Friday, 30 min Qual Saturday, and a feature National Championship race at 1pm on Sunday afternoon. If wanted, we could condense to 2 Quals on Friday and a Saturday race, but maximum 4-day format. Regular SCCA Runoff invitation process would apply.
Such a format could likely piggyback on any fall event, whether run by SCCA, FRP, Vintage, or other event, although the ARRC would be an obvious choice. Our class would be celebrated as it deserves to be, and not buried in SCCA Runoff hype or bureaucracy.
I think our F-car community could make this work. We would need to organize and push for it. We would also need to unite and agree not to go to the SCCA Runoffs should SCCA not remove us from their Runoff master plan. It would take just one rogue driver looking for a cheap Runoff title to destroy this idea.
What do people think? Clearly, I am not the person to take this to SCCA, but I would certainly work in a group to make this happen. Like any idea like this, having a sponsor come forward who believes in the idea, would be a good start.
I think this could be a win-win for everyone involved. SCCA would have more available time for their other 25+ Run-off classes AND would get increased attendance at their events during the season. The class would get more recognition and media attention for it's celebration. Most of all, the competitors could have a better single-class event at reduced cost (money and time).
Cheers!