INR NTL at Gingerman 4/26-4/27

[datadude]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Sorry to bring you the news but the INR board has decided to cancel the first national at GingerMan 4/26 & 27. A combination of high costs and low pre-registration have caused them, reluctantly, to reach the conclusion that this is the best choice of action for their region. Their hope is to put the event back on the schedule next season. The event had run for about 50 years at Indy or GingerMan so it was not a decision that was easily reached[/SIZE][/FONT]

[DKRock]

This is sad news. Unfortunately, it probably won't be the last cancellation this year. Racing is expensive and the economy around here is shaky at best.

FC ranks at National events will probably be real thin in the Great Lakes Division. They were small last year and many competitors have joined the Pro series. Now, if the Runoffs were moved to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway everything would change and SCCA Nationals would be the place to be.

Dave Rock
1990 Reynard #44

[Westroc #19]

I'm sure there are many factors at play that are keeping the car counts down. The GLDiv calender for 08 in my opinion may have a lot to do with low car counts at upcoming Nationals and Regionals. I do understand that the Division and host regions are at the mercy of the tracks for scheduling. But this season is going to really put people out.

We have Regional and National races being held on the same weekend at different tracks on two occasions. There are six Regional weekends offered in an eight week period. We have the entire month of June with no GLDiv races.

I understand that there is ton of work that goes into putting all of this divisions interest together. But something has to happen before next season's schedule is considered or we will still have the same problems that have plagued this Division for the past couple of years.

Personally, I don't have a solution, but we really need to get this discussion going before some thing drastic happens.

[John LaRue]

There are two things that need to be addressed.

First, the Cen DIv needs to be put back together, period, end of story. Just because people cannot get along is not a good reason for splitting the division to the detriment of the club.

Second, there needs to be a limitation on the number of races to be held in a division and there should be no conflict within the division or at a minimum a milage radius between race events. i.e. if there was a regional at Road America and a National at Mid Ohio I don't think that poses a major issue.

The terrain has changed and you are correct, something must be done now to save these events from extinction. With fuel at 3.50/gal we will likely see a good number of the lesser events cancelled. Perhaps though as Mr. Dixon stated there will be some good come from this, a sort of natural selection process wherein the lesser events are cancelled nad the remaining events prosper. If we can't do it for ourselves perhaps the economy will do it for us.