Last Chance Enduro Grid Selection

Ok Looking for input on how determine staring line up instead of a straight lottery which may have been interesting but not satisfactory results. Do we attempt to us best of practice times if workable with timing and scoring for results and then get that to grid. (this could make it tight for competitors also) or a simple the fastest cars (based within a class) start in the front and work back to the slower classes. Looking for input from those who run the enduro. Plans are to start 70 cars and still the 3 Hour length. Tom Weaver

Preferred: Start based on a qualifying time for each car, if T&S can accomodate it (AMB should be able to spit out a grid sheet withing 10 seconds of the session checker).

Compromise: Start order by 'class groups', i.e. all ITA cars start together. Class 'Group' starting position determined by the lap record in that class.

Worst solution: Lottery. Have ambulances stationed & idling......

For '07 let's at least try and use John's "compromise" solution. Might help keep things less dicey. Be even nicer to use John's first solution if we could get a separate practice and qualify in before the enduro.
Larry

For enduros, ALL cars should be started based on qualifying times. We all know there are ITA and ITB cars that are faster then some ITS cars, so you can have the same "ready the safety vehicles" by putting the various groups together. Besides, since this is an endurance race, all of the groups will be mixed anyway after about ten laps or so.

So make it easy... grid based on times regardless of class.

Some other thoughts that might help...

1) Specify in your rules/supps that the qualifying driver must start the race. This keeps you from having the "fast" driver qualify the car but the slower driver actually start the race (another potential "saftey car" scenario).

2) Have your steward or starter talk to the front row about the pace lap... make sure the pole sitter understands they should maintain the speed set by the pace car until the green flag is displayed.

3) Specify that racing starts when (and only when) the green flag is displayed.

4) Specify that the race ends when the checker is displayed, regardless of elapsed time on the clock. This eliminates the potential for protests if your supps/schedule say "3 hour enduro" but you checker at 2 hours and 58 minutes.

5) Make sure all drivers understand what you determine a "jumped start" to be. Most series say that ANY peaking (moving out of line) is arbitrarily a jumped start. Some use "if we see a full headlight, that is a jumped start" rule.

6) Make it clear that you will wave off bad start formations and that you will black flag for jumped starts.

Don't ask me about passing under yellows... :)

Hope this helps some.

The Last Chance Enduro is run in conjunction with the 2nd 1/2 day of the school. While I like the ability to set up all morning then run, I hate being rushed between practice and the race to get to grid, and we ALL know this is a huge issue, how many times do you have cars SPEEDING into grid at this event to beat the 1 min rule?

My suggestion... 8:00am (or whenever the hot track opens) have the morning sessions for the Endurance race. Take times to grid cars with. Take the fastest time, and recomend that a team with variose ability drivers start the driver whom posted the time first. After this session is complete go back to the school and run it a little later into the day. This will give the Enduro teams time to fix any issues that came up at practice as well give them time to actually get to grid ON TIME!!!

If you do as I recoe=mended be ready at registration earlier in the AM for a burst of early arrivals :)

hope this helps;

Raymond

We agree with Raymond.

If a 20-30min early AM session could be run while the students are in the classroom, then grid could be posted prior to our later practice session. One person could qualify the car, and the 2nd/3rd drivers could then go out later and get some seat time prior to the start. The 1hr practice that used to precede the enduro start could be shortened to 30-40minutes.

If the bugs in the cars could be identified earlier in the morning, then I think all teams would appreciate the time to address them.

We never liked the lottery system. It made for a VERY scary turn one at the start, and has cost a lot of us $$ in avoidable repairs.

Our 2 cents.

Team Jagermeister

Quote:

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We agree with Raymond.

If a 20-30min early AM session could be run while the students are in the classroom, then grid could be posted prior to our later practice session. One person could qualify the car, and the 2nd/3rd drivers could then go out later and get some seat time prior to the start. The 1hr practice that used to precede the enduro start could be shortened to 30-40minutes.

If the bugs in the cars could be identified earlier in the morning, then I think all teams would appreciate the time to address them.

We never liked the lottery system. It made for a VERY scary turn one at the start, and has cost a lot of us $$ in avoidable repairs.

Our 2 cents.

Team Jagermeister
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Jager... I would think that 1 longer practice session in the early AM would be "good enough" and you could eliminate the one just prior to the start of the enduro... What are your thoughts on that?

Raymond

Thats fine too.

Didn't know if that would cut into schooltime, but then again, they could simply start in the classroom and end a bit later in the morning. We are good with that.


Team Jagermeister


PS Ray - Heading for Killington for a little Spring Skiing this weekend......... We still have yet to hit the slopes....

I am heading to cannon this weekend... you may want to call the Benaghs, they are probably at Killington this weekend also...

now back to the thread!!! lol


Anyone else have input for them reguarding this enduro?

Ramond

Good suggestions so far.

I'd add that, if time is too tight to add a qualifying session in the early AM, we could move the one hour practice to the early AM and call it a practice/qualifying. Then the school would start an hour later, and end an hour later.

-Kyle