ulfelder
05-22-2004, 12:44 PM
I'm pressed for time (trying to get my daughter's softball game in before it pours again), but here are two items of note from last night's meeting:
1. Possible Miata race at LRP during the July 4 weekend. Here's my effort to untangle this: NER has been asked by the promoter to pay (dearly!) to put on a limited regional support race. Any kind of car we want, as long as it's a Miata. SM, SSM, ITA, that's up to us ... just make 'em Miatas. The region is lukewarm on the idea because it is risky financially; if we draw 40 Miatas, we make a bit of dough. If we draw only 20-25, we could lose our shirts. The same weekend, there's a Pro Spec Miata race at Beaver Run, so that slims the pool of potential entrants. As does the entry fee, which will be about $400 (for prac/qual/race totaling 60 minutes). Upshot: NER is going back to the promoter to negotiate fees, and we should all stay tuned. If I were a bookie, I'd say the odds are 4-1 against this race happening. Dick, Jake, did I get this about right?
2. Run groups. The board knows we need to do something about the configuration of our run groups, what with the growth of IT and especially SM/SSM. Moreover, they know we may have to make some tough decisions that will be unpopular with open-wheel drivers. The plan is to sit down in October and study the sizes of all classes and run groups at ALL 2004 LRP regionals (regardless of host region). Nothing is guaranteed, of course, and sometimes changes doesn't come as rapidly as we may like, but believe me, board members are well aware that it's time to act on this obvious trend.
3. Bonus item! Did you know there were no functional scales during the June LRP regional? We were missing just one connector and that has been remedied, but operationally, it's a bit of a no-no. Why do I bring this up? Because I have to wonder if the region will be scale-happy at the *next* regional. A word to the wise: top off your tanks for the next few NER races, if you get my drift.
/Steve U
05 ITS
1. Possible Miata race at LRP during the July 4 weekend. Here's my effort to untangle this: NER has been asked by the promoter to pay (dearly!) to put on a limited regional support race. Any kind of car we want, as long as it's a Miata. SM, SSM, ITA, that's up to us ... just make 'em Miatas. The region is lukewarm on the idea because it is risky financially; if we draw 40 Miatas, we make a bit of dough. If we draw only 20-25, we could lose our shirts. The same weekend, there's a Pro Spec Miata race at Beaver Run, so that slims the pool of potential entrants. As does the entry fee, which will be about $400 (for prac/qual/race totaling 60 minutes). Upshot: NER is going back to the promoter to negotiate fees, and we should all stay tuned. If I were a bookie, I'd say the odds are 4-1 against this race happening. Dick, Jake, did I get this about right?
2. Run groups. The board knows we need to do something about the configuration of our run groups, what with the growth of IT and especially SM/SSM. Moreover, they know we may have to make some tough decisions that will be unpopular with open-wheel drivers. The plan is to sit down in October and study the sizes of all classes and run groups at ALL 2004 LRP regionals (regardless of host region). Nothing is guaranteed, of course, and sometimes changes doesn't come as rapidly as we may like, but believe me, board members are well aware that it's time to act on this obvious trend.
3. Bonus item! Did you know there were no functional scales during the June LRP regional? We were missing just one connector and that has been remedied, but operationally, it's a bit of a no-no. Why do I bring this up? Because I have to wonder if the region will be scale-happy at the *next* regional. A word to the wise: top off your tanks for the next few NER races, if you get my drift.
/Steve U
05 ITS