2006 ECR Schedule

Don't know how many of you guys are running the ECR series for points in 2006 but I though I'd post here and if you feel the same as I do about the proposed schedule ask you to email Carol Cone and your R.E. so that it is discussed at the SEDIV Meeting.

During a stretch starting with Daytona on May 6 and ending at Lowe's on June 17 there are 5 ECR races in 7 weekends. In the middle of the stretch there are two back to back ECR weekends (Homestead to CMP and Homestead to Lowe's) which is a direct violation of ECR rule 4.4 that says you cannot have back to back ECR weekends.

As the top 10 finishes count and there are only 12 or 13 ECRs scheduled this year you basically need to run them all if you are running for points.

My personal opinion is that the current schedule not only violates the rule but also puts an undue hardship by compressing 1/3 of the race schedule in such a short period.

I'm not proposing that any region drop a race, just spread them out in accordance with the rules or use fewer finishes for the year end points total, so we can afford to skip a few.

If you agree please send Carol and your RE an email.

Thanks.

Gary Jenkins
SM Driver
www.specmiatavideos.com

The schedule is very often dictated by the dates a region CAN get, not the dates it WANTS. So I'd hesitate to complain about the spacing of the events.
I seriously doubt that any of those dates can be moved. It's likely a matter of running it the way it is or cancelling the events.

What I would like to see is fewer races count towards the championship. Very few of us (I think, at least I know I can't do it) have the time or the budget to do 10 ECRs a year. That number would look a whole lot better if it were a 6 or 7.

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Originally posted by Catch22@Jan 5 2006, 01:17 PM
The schedule is very often dictated by the dates a region CAN get, not the dates it WANTS. So I'd hesitate to complain about the spacing of the events.
I seriously doubt that any of those dates can be moved. It's likely a matter of running it the way it is or cancelling the events.

What I would like to see is fewer races count towards the championship. Very few of us (I think, at least I know I can't do it) have the time or the budget to do 10 ECRs a year. That number would look a whole lot better if it were a 6 or 7.

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I agree with Scott, with a twist: Make it 6 races count like the SARRC points or maybe 1 more than half, then reinstate the 3 hour race at Roebling at the end of the year and make that one mandatory if you want to be eligible for season prizes. (I don't like double points races, so I intentionally didn't mention that)

I agree with both of you. If you look at the results from last year, there actually weren't that many drivers who made more than 7 races. It almost ends up being whoever shows up the most wins (there were a couple of exceptions to that).

With race dates hard to come by and scheduling a nightmare it seems that structuring the ECR similar to the SARRC with fewer races needed to win the points and a YE championship might help the overall competition and allow a greater number of racers the chance to compete for the championship.

Whatever your thought, even if you love things the way they are, make sure you send your RE and Carol an email. Carol's email address is on the SEDIV website but as I know we are all lazy here it is [email protected] . You will have to look up your RE's address on your own.

Please take to add your input on this.

I'll even throw another twist.
I'd imagine that the big number of races that count towards a championship was inspired by a feeling that it would help keep entries up. I doubt its actually doing this, as very few people actually run 10 events.

So let me throw a curve in there. Is it possible that lowering the races that count down to something like 7 (or 1/2 + 1 as Bowie mentioned) might actually bring in more entries?

I know more than one person who doesn't run ECRs because they feel they have no chance at a championship because they can't do 10 of them.
We gave up halfway through last years ECR season because we just didn't have the money and time to try to win the championship. At that point we'd won 4 of 5 races we'd entered and were leading the points.
If you have championship points leaders throwing in the towel in July because they can't do enough races to win... I think you are counting too many races.

I disagree on the mandatory Roebling thing. What if I've won 6 of 6 races entered during the year and have a HUGE points lead but my kid is getting married that weekend? Or I can't get off work? Or my mom is having a tumor removed?
etc., etc., etc.
"Mandatory" races to win a championship are a bad idea and unfair in amatuer racing. I don't really like double points stuff either, but its a much better option than mandatory.

I'll email my RE. We'll see if anything happens.

Last year's rules stated that the best 8 finishes counted towards the championship. I think it was 10 races in 2004.

Currently, there are 12 races on the 2006 schedule, but there are some open weekends where the Roebling 3 hour might be added. That, obviously, brings the total to 13.
7 out of thirteen races (or, again, 1/2 plus 1) sounds very reasonable to me. That way people can easily skip some of those races tightly packed into May and June and still have a valid chance to win.

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Originally posted by pblracing@Jan 5 2006, 02:57 PM
I agree with both of you. If you look at the results from last year, there actually weren't that many drivers who made more than 7 races. It almost ends up being whoever shows up the most wins (there were a couple of exceptions to that).

With race dates hard to come by and scheduling a nightmare it seems that structuring the ECR similar to the SARRC with fewer races needed to win the points and a YE championship might help the overall competition and allow a greater number of racers the chance to compete for the championship.

Whatever your thought, even if you love things the way they are, make sure you send your RE and Carol an email. Carol's email address is on the SEDIV website but as I know we are all lazy here it is [email protected] . You will have to look up your RE's address on your own.

Please take to add your input on this.

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Email sent.

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Originally posted by Catch22@Jan 5 2006, 03:36 PM

I disagree on the mandatory Roebling thing. What if I've won 6 of 6 races entered during the year and have a HUGE points lead but my kid is getting married that weekend? Or I can't get off work? Or my mom is having a tumor removed?
etc., etc., etc.
"Mandatory" races to win a championship are a bad idea and unfair in amatuer racing. I don't really like double points stuff either, but its a much better option than mandatory.

I'll email my RE. We'll see if anything happens.

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While a "mandatory" racing may not be the best idea, I would love to see some way to entice Florida guys to come north and/or NC-GA guys to go south. Maybe double points is better, I don't know.

What I do know is that the SIC delivers a HUGE level of excitement for SARRC racers, as if you want to win a championship you had damn well better be there. Is it mandatory or just double points? I don't remember.

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Originally posted by RacerBowie@Jan 5 2006, 08:09 PM
While a "mandatory" racing may not be the best idea, I would love to see some way to entice Florida guys to come north and/or NC-GA guys to go south. Maybe double points is better, I don't know.

What I do know is that the SIC delivers a HUGE level of excitement for SARRC racers, as if you want to win a championship you had damn well better be there. Is it mandatory or just double points? I don't remember.

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Double points. But usually points are so close you have to show up and do well if you are trying to win the SEDiv.

Yes, endurance races need to be spread out, however there are more to schedules than what we as drivers would make of them. Tracks are business, and they have to schedule their customers as they can... often times events are set long in advance of when the SCCA region can get up with them.

That being said, last year we ran in 3 ECR's... the two at VIR and the one at Lowes. In between, I did run the Grand Course at VIR in May (last minute decision). Therefore, scheduling the event at Kershaw Memorial Day weekend was impossible, both financially and logistically.

We would have liked to have run 3 out of 6 weekends, but that's a lot of $ and a lot of wear and tear on the car (would I be out of line if I said that my darling bride wouldn't be to happy either?).

It would be nice to spread races out, but if they are going to offer us 12 opportunites to go race, then there are going to be some back to back events. Take advantage of what you can.

On the other hand... the SARRC is a lot less crowded, and there are no miata's and specwreckers in my run group :D