Road Atlanta ProIT - Really low turnout?

Was I just seeing things with only 21 cars entered in the ProIT?

I visited mylaps.com to check the racing results from this past weekend and although I expected the National classes to show a low turnout in each class, the website showed only around 5 cars in each IT class.

If this is the case, it is a far cry from the 60 or so cars that used to start in the late 90s. Gonna take a really long time to sell the ITS Prelude to a potential IT racer if the numbers are now this low.....

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
OPM Autosports
ITS Honda Prelude (for sale)

[This message has been edited by bobpink (edited March 29, 2004).]

We are in the process of building a new car, since I totalled the last one at the early March race at Road Atlanta, but still, I don't think we would have participated in the ProIT this weekend.

Most other weekends at Road Atlanta, we get 2 and sometimes 3 races per weekend, with praactice and qualifying sessions, so spending the whole weekend there and being the last group on Sunday for just one race, wasn't as appealing. Maybe if our car was a fully developed, front running car or if the schedule would have had practice/qualifying and the Pro IT race all on Saturday.

http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

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Ony Anglade
ITA Miata
Sugar Hill, GA

Bob,
Worse than that, only 5 cars in ITS. The economy just doesn't lend itself to trash a car right now. At least for me, I've just about gotten rid of all my debt so I'll be back soon. Your Prelude is a damn nice car, I saw it over at OPM not too long ago.

Maybe it doesn't want to leave you?

Tom

[This message has been edited by Tom Donnelly (edited March 29, 2004).]

HI Bob,
I for one am still hunting time to get my car back together. Combination of Kids mudbike racing and litle extra time after work, conflicting race weekends will plague me this season after car is complete....

Wanna race BAD
david spillman

[quote]Originally posted by bobpink:
[B]Was I just seeing things with only 21 cars entered in the ProIT?

Not trying to beat on you guys wondering where you are since I still kind of keep up with the Z car guys through friends, but when I was racing in ITB a few years back the IT fields were huge. It just kind of surprised me when I looked at the results from this past weekend. And I've been away long enough to where I now recognize very few of the names.

I agree with Tom that the economy has something to do with it and a good number of the people I used to race with are now doing Spec Miata.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
OPM Autosports
ITS Honda Prelude (for sale)

Our IT7's are sidelined due to finances at the moment. When I am working again, we'll be there.

Quote:

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<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">I agree with Tom that the economy has something to do with it and a good number of the people I used to race with are now doing Spec Miata.</font>

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There is always a lot of talk about how many new SM cars there are. But no discussion about are these "new" or "cannibalized" entries. Here in AZ our entries are way off this year (we had 51 cars each day at a double regional at Firebird on Valentines weekend). And 1 SM.

I personally wasnt "grabbed" by the series. I think that after everything I had to go though for my first race, being yelled at several times, being threatened etc.. I wasnt going to do the event again! If you want specifics email me but thats all i really want to say here.

I'll wait and see what else comes out otherwise I will switch classes to something else.

My opinion would be "cannibalized" entries as I can think of ten drivers right off the bat who now race Spec Miata instead of IT.

>But no discussion about are these "new" or "cannibalized" entries.

Fleetcare, bummed to read that your first experience with the series wasn't a pleasant one. This is never a good thing for new people entering SCCA Club Racing and disappointed to hear it. I can think of one suspect that the yelling and threatening sound likes and if it is who I think it is, I wouldn't get too upset about it.

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Bob Pinkowski
Atlanta Region SCCA
OPM Autosports
ITS Honda Prelude (for sale)

[This message has been edited by bobpink (edited March 30, 2004).]

Quote:

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I think that after everything I had to go though for my first race, being yelled at several times, being threatened etc.. I wasnt going to do the event again! If you want specifics email me but thats all i really want to say here.

I'll wait and see what else comes out otherwise I will switch classes to something else.

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Give me a break.

reference:
http://forum.improvedtouring.com/it/Forum5...TML/000345.html



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Adam in Charlotte
#42 ITA CRX Si

I have to say that I do like the series. One of my complaints when I lived in Texas was the limited amount of regionals and how, if anything went wrong, the first thing to get shortened or cut out was the regional race on the national weekend.

I really like the series because we get a good amount of track time with a longer race distance than a National and because it tends to bring out great competition.

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Ony Anglade
ITA Miata
Sugar Hill, GA

We actually liked doing the ProIT races in Atlanta. The problem was getting there and getting home again. Couldn't afford to keep taking a day of vacation before and another one after, and we're getting to old to drive all night and still feeling like participating (although that might also be caused by the lack of sleep that we endure during the week on a routine basis.) At least it seemed a lot easier a few years ago when we did it, but our last few trips home from the ARRC have been horrid, and I can't see Chris setting himself up for that kind of thing on a more regular basis. We used to say that we would rather drive to Atlanta than Hallett, but that has kind of changed.

Maybe we should just move the track to Nashville or Knoxville or somewhere. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif (That would still be closer than Hallett from our house.)



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Lesley Albin
Over The Limit Racing
Blazen Golden Retrievers

When compared to the SARRC the first of March I would have to agree with the only one race with qualifing, and race on different days as the reason for low turn out At the SARRC we had large fields in IT and SM. This was my first race. Started 40th in a field of 44, finished 33rd,(last car running to finish) and had a ball. :>} I skipped this weekend due to the above reason. I am planning to be at the next PRO-IT in April.

Chuck
ITA Pontiac Fiero

[This message has been edited by 88YB1 (edited March 30, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by 88YB1 (edited March 30, 2004).]

I'm a newbie to Pro-IT but have done a lot of Nat'l and SARRC races in the past. One comment, even when there is "only" one race, there is a lot of good track time due to the way the ATL region runs the weekends-45 minutes of practice and qualifying + a good 20 lap race exceeds a National and even some multiple race regional weekends. This past weekend was about 120 miles worth.
So far I really enjoy it and the quality of racing is excellent. Come on out!

Dave Piasecki
ITA CRX