Mid Ohio Ford grouping

[Ralph Z.]

I just received the entry form for the upcoming regional at Mid Ohio on September 9 & 10. I noticed that there is a very desireable grouping for the Fords. It includes FF, CFF and CFC. Last year the EWC was held at MO on this same weekend and featured the identical grouping. As I recall, there were only two CFCs in the field and a bunch of FFs and CFFs which made for a really nice race.

I constantly look for races with reasonable groupings ie. no FVs, F500s or FAs. Of course, the EWC is obviously the best place to play.

How many of you FF and CFF guys are planning on attending this upcoming MO race? Could be a fun one with enough entries.

Ralph

[Steve B]

Ralph:

I just got my September 9-10 M-O entry form in the mail and am more than a little bit annoyed that Ohio Valley Region thinks that their double regional is on the 2006 EWC schedule. This is not an EWC weekend! Why? Because the last two years OVR did not hold up their end of the bargain on single race groups for FF/CFF.

The fourth EWC weekend was moved to Nelson Ledges September 23-24. Both the track and NEOhio Region are very excited to be hosting the series.

Steve Beeler, de facto EWC commissioner
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)390-1818 sbeeler@ford.com

[Ralph Z.]

Steve:

You are absolutely right. I was quite surprised that the schedule had not changed from the previous year. They also make reference to a "Formula Ford Festival" of which I am not sure what they are referring to. I wonder if they will uphold this same schedule on the race weekend.

[Steve Demeter]

I say call the race chairman, Phil Alspach, who is a reasonable guy.

I race CFC and nothing against you guys in FF and CFF, but I think we (CFC) belongs with FC and the like.

I am going to call Phil and let him know how I feel.

I also recall many times showing up at registration Friday PM and finding out that some race groups had beenchanged in the past, so I think that it would not require an act of Congress to get it changed, just enough people asking.

Steve Demeter

[Bill Bonow]

These guys just kill me. Working the opposite side of the EWC, we brought OVR 30+ FV / FST cars for two years to help support the separate FF/CFF EWC race group. As Steve B pointed out, OVR didn't keep their promiss, shoved some 60 cars in last years group claiming "they would do nothing to change the group" and "it was our fault for bringing so many cars" (yes, they actually said that to me). We ended up with a bunch of trashed cars and then separated the group for the ballance of the weekend.

I got my entry and wondered why OVR is planning for big FF/CFF and FV/FST fields. OVR lost the EWC and the FCM FV/FST Challenge Cup and rightfully so. I have a feeling that race groups 1 & 7 will be quite a bit smaller than in the past couple of years.

NeOhio will get to host the EWC and FCM FV/FST series. As of this point, it looks like we will bring close to 40 FV / FST cars to Nelson Ledges for the September 23, 24 races and support the separate FF/CFF race group.

As for the "Formula Ford Festival" , I think the brass at OVR may wish to lay off the ditch weed.

[LAJ]

I just do not know what OVR is thinking??I know and personally mentioned said grouping to Matt Downey(co/race chair) and I quote him as I got the race group I want, so??(he runs in ITA) They do not care and this is a friend of mine?? I have been trying to help the Great Lakes CFC/FC SERIES GROW and it just gets frutrating that you want to bring cars to these races and they act like it they do not care!!
Lee