WGI , July Sprints 2006 - test day ??

[Bildon]

Will there be a test day this year the Friday before the July Sprints at WGI?
I dont see any mention of it on the supps.

Should be a good event...
So who is showing up for the big NYSRRC / NARRC showdown?

[JohnRW]

There is a test day scheduled on the Friday before the Nat'l and Regionals this year, but they won't be under an SCCA sanction, as it has been for the past two years. It's back to being a 'WGI' event, as I think the Glen has resolved some insurance issues that caused them to ask the SCCA Regions to provide the sanction and insurance for the test days.

Did you download the whole Supps package and look for an attachment page with the Test Day info on it ? Don't know if the Glen Region did that for the Regional, but I know that WGI management asked me to make sure I did that for the FLR races last year.

The Corrado was flying at Nelson on Sunday...but sounded like it had an engine hiccup going thru Oak Tree. You guys running that at the Glen this year, or back to the B car ?

[Bildon]

>> The Corrado was flying at Nelson on Sunday...

That was an optical illusion :P due to the large pack of ITB cars I had to wade through.
In reality I was doing the same times as the leaders and was much slower than the fastest ITS guys.
I was doing 1:18s and the fast guys do 1:16s. You'll see in the lap chart below that once I got past all the ITB and ITA cars I went no farther.

The mid-pipe decided to part company with the downpipe half way through the event, hence the noise. Fortunately it didnt drop down and get me black flagged.

Yes the Corrado will be going to Watkins Glen. We plan to make some more changes, do a few tests days and then that will be the next NYSRRC event. Would like to come to LRP on the 4th but life is getting in the way of racing that weekend.

[erlrich]

I e-mailed Ryan Lake at WGI about the test day on 7/21, and received the following reply:

"Earl,

Since that SCCA weekend is simply a track rental and not a spectator event we really have nothing to do with the set up or running of it. I would suggest trying to call the SCCA directly to get the information you need. I am sorry that I cannot be of more assistance.

Have a good day.

Ryan Lake

Watkins Glen International"

The test day is listed on WGI's website, but not on the Glen Region's, so I assumed it was being run by WGI. Guess I was wrong.



If anyone finds out what's going on, please keep us updated.



Thanks

[lateapex911]

Am I nuts, or is the Glen one of the most frustrating organizaions to deal with?? Seems everytime I go, I'm getting jerked around by them in one way or another.

Car off the track in a safe spot?? Nope...gotta go full course yellow while the tow truck trundles out there and figures out how to drag it on the bed, then trundles back...using the entire course..... Glen management insists on it that way I'm told.

Got a test session at 8AM? In line at 6:15 after driving all night?? Waaaaay too late..you'll have to register for the event first THEN the test day, no matter what the previous supps etc, said. The Glen management won't allow it any other way I'm told.

In the last race group?? Didn't you know?? Well forget about getting a full race in...even if they don't have to trundle the flatbed around in your session, the 3 cows within a mile of the track have sensitive ears, so there is no noise after the curfew...Glen management has to deal with the town, you know....
(You can see how a place like Lime Rock, that was built after the houses just a few hundred feet from the track would have restrictive use issues...but maybe I'm missing the condo complex in earshot of the Glen...they seem pretty desolate to me out there to me.)

Maybe I've just had consistant bad luck, but I leave after every event thinking...great track, but crappy event...at least our run group. Sad. Makes me not want to tow 5 or 6 hours for fear some other stupid thing will come up.

[Bildon]

>> I'm getting jerked around by them in one way or another.

S*&# rolls downhill and I think you are probably feeling the effects of the track management's NASCAR-tude!
Those guys love to throw their weight around when the "little club" comes to town. The non-SCCA track workers there can be little Nazis.

Also flipping your car there can really leave a bad impression about the place

I know many of the Glen Region SCCA personally and I actually think they have more experience than most regions. Remember these folks have been working with the top line sanctioning organizations for years... ther eare still a few people around that pretty much RAN the F1 events. My experience with the folks in the tower has been nothing but positive. Then again I'm biased as I grew up a couple lakes over and spent my teenage weekends wandering the pit lane during IMSA events instead of chasing girls.

[lateapex911]

Bill, to be clear, I wasn't discussing the SCCA regions running of the events at all. And my impression isn't related to any crashing either...Never flipped.... or got on two wheels in my little watermelon seed trick,, but the guardrail is stout! (My race the next day, {as the crash lap occured on the first lap of qual., and turned out to be my 'best' Q lap, 65th on a 68 car field, LOL} was fun, and I moved from 65th to 26th in the 7 green flag laps we had of the scheduled 12, I think.)

My issues with the Glen seem to always come back to things that are unique to the management of that track, by the company that owns it. And it always seems to end up making what is a great track a very questionable call for me to go to. I think that about 75% of the few races I have run there have been labout 50% of the scheduled regional distance. My fiirst race there was 3 green flag laps, 2 yellow flag laps, and a "See ya, get off the track thank you, we close in 10 minutes..have a nice drive home!" deal.

Cows need their beauty rest evidently...

[Greg Amy]

Sooo....any definitive word about a test day...? - GA

[Andy Bettencourt]

Sooo....any definitive word about a test day...? - GA
[/b]

I want in.

[JohnRW]

The Fridays before the Nat'l and the July and mid-Sept. Reg'ls are 'Promoter Test Days', run by WGI themselves. For the past two years, they've been under SCCA-sanction, but now WGI is handling the insurance and operations themselves.

The first page of the Nat'l Supps discusses it (http://www.nescca.com/registration/Supps/06-N-54-S.pdf), but for some reason it isn't included in the July Reg'l Supps.

Re-ask your question to WGI...I think their response will be different this time.

[tdw6974]

Just got off the Phone with WGI. THERE IS A TEST DAY on Friday the 21st. It will be $250.00 cash or credit card. No Checks No Preregistration. Registration Will open at 6:00 am at the registration building. This is a WGI run not SCCA Glen region Test day. Hope this helps. TW

[lateapex911]

FYI, last time I was there, the official word was:

1- Show up at O'dark hundred hours, register for test day
2- Rush to paddock, set up, rush to get car on track for first session
3- Run test day
4- Go back and register for race after test day

When I gt there at O'dark hundred hours, and stood in line, I was told,:

Nope it's-

1- Register for RACE
2- Go to other side of building and register for Test day
3- Continue with #2 above, but skip #4.

Result???

The line to register for the race took way too long, and of course, there was no way to make the first session. grrrrr

[RSTPerformance]

How many session s might we get in?

Raymond

[dickita15]

we know jake they screwed that up last time but this is a track test day. I would not expect the regional registration to even open untill friday night.

[lateapex911]

Sort of my point Dick, the last time I was there that was my understanding as well, then it changed at the last minute. I'm sure it was a weird one time miscommunication. Sounds like this should go off without a hitch. 6AM registration should help get everyone on track on time.

[Bildon]

>> How many session s might we get in?

I skipped last year but tested this day the previous couple years. If I remember correctly we got about 4 or 5 long sessions. 2 groups open and closed.

The garages are reserved for SCCA cars with garages (even early Fri) but I recall people sneaking into them later in the day to do a proper setup on flat ground.

It's nice having a huge professional facilty almost all to yorself

Looks like DJ10 (325is) and I are coming up from da Burgh. So who is showing up from New England? I expect to be properly stomped on by you fast RX7s and Acuras. 2:14 geez thats quick. I hope i have a decent suspension setup on my car by then.

[dj10]

>> How many session s might we get in?

I skipped last year but tested this day the previous couple years. If I remember correctly we got about 4 or 5 long sessions. 2 groups open and closed.

The garages are reserved for SCCA cars with garages (even early Fri) but I recall people sneaking into them later in the day to do a proper setup on flat ground.

It's nice having a huge professional facilty almost all to yorself

Looks like DJ10 (325is) and I are coming up from da Burgh. So who is showing up from New England? I expect to be properly stomped on by you fast RX7s and Acuras. 2:14 geez thats quick. I hope i have a decent suspension setup on my car by then. [/b]

Damn Bill, it's a 325i (4 door), 325is is a 2 door!!!!! Damn VW people don't know a 2 door from a 4 door.

Wanted, sponsor for slightly lower hp BMW than usual.

[benspeed]

I'm thinking I'll give that SPO car another try....give me room after the last test.....might need some vodoo exorcisms first.....

[jcmotorsports]

I will be there with my RX7 (for the race). Gotta prove what the car can do so I can sell it. Don't worry Raymond I am still considering bringing both cars!!!!

[JamesB]

I would love to run the test day. But that depends on if I have to rering a junker motor or not. I get to find that out this weekend since I finally have time to do a compression and leakdown on my now anemic car.