Tow Fund Idea...

[RSTPerformance]

In another thread we started a discusion on ideas on how to do a fuel/tow fund. I offered an idea that if you lived a certain distance based on everyones distances that maybe you would get a reduced entry. My suggestion would be to base each years tow fund on the previose years entrant list as well as all entrants that are pre-registered. if somone does not pre register than he/she shall forfit the opportunity of getting $ from the tow fund.

I would also suggest that people flling in the 84% and higher get 50% discount on entries for races and people falling in the 97.5% and higher catagory get a free entry to the event.

ok I did a bit of (thats number crunching) and here were the results if we were to only look at the the ITB/ITC field:

The average (Mean) distance traveled in 2005 was 447 Miles
84% (1 Standard deviation from mean) of the competitors hometowns were within 893 Miles.
97.5% (2 standard deviations from the mean) of the competitors hometowns were within 1321 miles.

Below is the data that was used:

Hometown, Distance
Duluth GA, 27 Miles
Murrayville GA, 28 Miles
Cumming GA, 31 Miles
Cumming GA, 31 Miles
Chamblee GA, 38 Miles
Atlanta GA , 49 Miles
Marietta GA, 56 Miles
Fayetteville GA, 74 Miles
Chattanooga TN, 153 Miles
Chattanooga TN, 153 Miles
Soddy Daisy TN, 170 Miles
Birmingham AL, 196 Miles
Terrell NC, 205 Miles
Philadelphia TN, 215 Miles
Kannapolis NC, 218 Miles
Leesburg GA, 220 Miles
Madison TN, 292 Miles
Paris TN, 403 Miles
Memphis TN, 437 Miles
Mean: 447 Miles
Cocoa Beach FL, 540 Miles
Cocoa Beach FL, 540 Miles
Troy OH, 571Miles
Baton Rouge LA, 574 Miles
Maryland Heights MO, 607 Miles
Ypsilanti MI, 743 Miles
Royal Oak MI, 771 Miles
Commerce Township MI, 773 Miles
84%: 893 Miles
Ridgefield CT, 895 Miles
Holmes NY, 905 Miles
Newington CT, 954 Miles
97.5%: 1321 Miles
Truro NS, 1694 Miles
Halifax NS, 1750 Miles



What do you all think? what other ideas do people have?

Butch comments?

Raymond "It sucks being 2 hours from your race car and bored..." Blethen

[lateapex911]

interesting....you actually WERE paying attention is school....

So, the math.

Total revenue from entries in the B/C race, 32 entrants x $250 = 8000.

3 guys get 50% off... (375)
2 guys get in free..... (500)

Adjusted revenue........... (7125)

So, the Region loses $875.....will they gain that back in greater entries? They'll need zero entries in the over 97.5% bracket, cuz that hurts the numbers, and we can asume that they won't get any additional entries from the under 84% bracket, because there's no incentive for those folks, so all the increased entries have to come from the guys who get the 50% break ($125). And they'll need 6.6 of them to break even.

So, if that's the system, will 7 more guys, essentially from 900 miles away or greater, be moved to attend, (where they wouldn't have otherwise) for a credit of $125??

[dickita15]

Jake you also have to add is if the tow fund would increase the prestige of the event by encouraging distant entries and if that addition of credibility in calling the ARRC a championship would increase entries for closer teams as well.

[Andy Bettencourt]

And if more people from further away come, this adjusts the 2007 number upward.

[Butch Kummer]

First of all, this is a VERY interesting idea!

Some groundwork:

1. Although our revenues generally exceed our expenses on any given race weekend (the upcoming weekend at Nashville excluded, but we're willing to do that once to build the event), Atlanta Region has a pretty lean budget already. I was Treasurer for seven years and NOBODY is getting rich here. Selling the concept of giving up racing revenue to our BOD is a tough sell.

2. Having more racers from greater distances definitely adds to the prestige of the event.

3. The earliest we could start any Tow Fund program would be the 2007 event.

What if?

A. We add a nominal fee (say $25) to every entry fee that is specifically allocated to the Tow Fund.

B. We allow (encourage) sponsors to dictate a portion of their sponsorship fee go into the Tow Fund. Enterprises is effectively doing that this year, BTW.

C. We establish concentric 100-mile circles around Road Atlanta (similar to the Runoffs plan) with an increasing percentage of reimbursement the further away you are. There's an issue here regarding accurate addresses ("Yeah, I live in Alpharetta but I DO have a condo in Vail.") but we can work that out.

D. In order to receive anything from the Tow Fund, you need to have pre-registered a month before the event (our Registrars and event planners will REALLY like that!).

Atlanta Region carries part of the load (giving up the portion of the sponsorship fee allocated to the tow fund) and the racers carry part of the load, but neither of those will break the camel's back. Yes there'd be an element of the closer guys paying a portion of the travel expenses for the guys farther away, but they/we also get to race against more people (and that IS why we do this, right?). Could be a win-win situation.

On a totally different subject, the ARRC Committee appreciates the kind words about our willingness to listen and be flexible. This is a perfect example of how communication can improve the product. What amused me when thinking about the sequence of events over the weekend is that I never would have been aware of this Forum if MattBerg had not introduced my name into his tirade against the "Secret Meeting" at Jekyll last January. The racing gods do indeed have a sense of humor! :P

Let me know your thoughts and perhaps we'll have something to announce at the 2006 ARRC regarding a Tow Fund for 2007 (and beyond)...

Butch Kummer
Atlanta Region Asst. RE
Competition Director

One other thought:

Do most Divisions have divisional championships similar to SARRC? If so, we could also base someone's reimbursement from the tow fund on how they did in the Divisional series. Encourages participation in those programs and encourages the more competitive drivers/cars to come to the ARRC.

MMIR (My Mind Is Racing)...

[Andy Bettencourt]

One other thought:

Do most Divisions have divisional championships similar to SARRC? If so, we could also base someone's reimbursement from the tow fund on how they did in the Divisional series. Encourages participation in those programs and encourages the more competitive drivers/cars to come to the ARRC.

[/b]

Butch,

This is exactly what I was thinking about doing if there was some sort of IT Festival at some other track...I think it is a GREAT idea.

Here in NER we have two Champions. The NERRC (New England Road Racing Championship) with is a Regional deal and then the NARRC (North Atlantic Road Racing Championship) with is a NeDiv deal. Contact me if you want me to get you the names of teh champs. Our Runoff event (in which you have to participate to win a title) is Oct 20-21.

On a side note, I know the ARRC is the incumbant, but how would you guys and the Region feel if there was an IT Festival at Mid Ohio? Sort of like a 'June Sprints' to your 'Runoffs'? Stepping on your toes?

[Butch Kummer]

On a side note, I know the ARRC is the incumbant, but how would you guys and the Region feel if there was an IT Festival at Mid Ohio? Sort of like a 'June Sprints' to your 'Runoffs'? Stepping on your toes?
[/b]

This may get me kicked out of Atlanta Region (promises, promises), but I wanted to post before that I have no problem with an IT Festival at Mid-Ohio. I know some people think of the ARRC as the "IT Runoffs", but it's always been more than just IT cars (and the non-IT portion continues to grow each year). And since your weather "challenges" force you to run no later than September and we'll continue to run in early November, it should work on the calendar.

I like your June Sprints analogy. I could even see our version of the Triple Crown - Divisional Champion, IT Festival Champion, ARRC Champion.

More people racing is ALWAYS a good thing...

BK

[Greg Amy]

Let me know your thoughts...[/b]

[Andy Bettencourt]

I could even see our version of the Triple Crown - Divisional Champion, IT Festival Champion, ARRC Champion.

BK [/b]

Exactly!!!!

[Bildon]

>> IT Festival at Mid Ohio?

[Eagle7]

>> IT Festival at Mid Ohio?


[/b]

[dickita15]

Here in NER we have two Champions. The NERRC (New England Road Racing Championship) with is a Regional deal and then the NARRC (North Atlantic Road Racing Championship) with is a NeDiv deal. Contact me if you want me to get you the names of teh champs. Our Runoff event (in which you have to participate to win a title) is Oct 20-21.
[/b]

Butch, actually there are 5 championships (I think) in Ne-Div. NERRC (New England) NARRC (north atlantic) MARRS (mid atlantic) Nyssrc (new york state) and Kryder (western Ne Div & eastern Cen div). there is obviously some overlap.

It always amazed me that to my knowledge Se Div has only division wide and region championships. it is a long way fro Morroso to VIR.

>> IT Festival at Mid Ohio?


[/b]

[Butch Kummer]

It always amazed me that to my knowledge Se Div has only division wide and region championships. it is a long way fro Morroso to VIR.
[/b]

And it's even farther from Homestead to VIR! The key to making it work (and it's worked very well for a number of years) is that you count only your best six (6) SARRC finishes prior to the SARRC Invitational Challenge, which is held at Roebling Road. There are over 20 races that count for SARRC points, so it means we essentially have a North series and a South series with minor overlap at the bigger events like Daytona, Road Atlanta and (perhaps beginning again in 2007) Barber. That's also why NCR has more entries from MARRS than SARRC at their annual "Double/Double" weekend on Mother's Day, but anyone that's been there has to agree the racing is fantastic.

The other aspect of counting only the best six finishes is that you could have (and it HAS happened multiple times in the past) three drivers come into the SIC with six wins each. Makes for some pretty good racing at the pointy end of the grid when that happens!

Every division has their own challenges and invents ways to overcome them. There's been discussion in the past about splitting SEDIV like CENDIV will next year, but so far we've been able to avoid that.

[lateapex911]

Well, I didn't mention the intangibles in my post, and am happy to see that there is so much support for the concept in spite of some of the issues.

I love the idea, and think that one of the issues facing the ARRC is it's geographic location...it's a looong way to Atlanta, even from Texas...any attempt by the organizers to even tip their hat to those who make the long tow is a very good thing. Obviously, the more the hat is tipped, the better.

Butch, I am VERY impressed with your approach, but I am VERY disappointed in one critical error you have made. You mentioned M@##berg.....gasp...you KNOW he has a web crawler program searching for his name to be used...and now you've done it...he'll be raining on this parade any second, LOL. (kidding, kidding)

Seriously, I think you have some GREAT ideas. Develop them,....even if they aren't perfect, they are a great start, and can be fine tuned as the years go by.

One item though, regarding champions of other series is that in some cases, the very nature of the classes you cater to will thwart efforts in that regard. For example, certain classes, (IT7 for example) doesn't exist in other areas. We NE IT7 drivers ply our trade against the likes of Mr Serra and Mr Bettencourt, among others here in ITA. And the same could hold true for other regional differences in similar classes. Something to consider.

Mid Ohio IT festival?? Bring it on!

[charrbq]

Geez...it amazes me how well you guys in charge of the ARRC listen...usually The triple crown idea is excellent, unless your division doesn't have a championship. I don't know if all of them do, but that shouldn't be an issue. A big IT race further north than Texas or Louisiana in the summer could work really well. I don't thing a Mid Ohio race in September would go over too well with Topeka, even if we are the step children. There most likely would be a conflict with stewards, but I doubt that the worker situation would be hurt too badly. Even though a lot of them go to the Runoffs, most don't.

[lateapex911]

Well, maybe the idea would be to make the IT Festival a race in a race...In other words, make the arrangements with an existing event, then market it. There are what, 5 straight IT classes, and ITE? Can't do an entire weekend around that first time out.

If we do it within an existing system, we avoid all the big conflicts. Just have to choose a race that falls at a good time in the big scheme of things, and one that isn't already oversubscribed....

Maybe a special Restricted Regional policy could be used if needed.