IT Festival at MO

[Andy Bettencourt]

There are people trying to get a very high-profile IT-centric event together Aug 10-12 at Mid-Ohio. This would be a coplimentary event to the ARRC, very much like the June Sprints / Runoffs.

Ideas on what would make it a great event and draw you to it are appreciated.

Understand nothing is written in stone and this is very much in the planning stages but every little bit helps!

[zracre]

Make it more of an IT festival and less of a Miata festival (sorry Andy)...Kevin, what regional only classes do well over there? Maybe a few different regional classes but put emphasis on IT...great idea with the PDX on friday but a test day anytime? thursday? tow funds for out of area people and cool trophies/contingencies. The ARRC has always been the premier IT race and will continue...Due to hard work from the region and people. I like the Idea of an "August sprints" type thing

[RSTPerformance]

I think i missed some of the discussion on the other thread, so I am sorry if I am asking a question that has already been adressed...

Is this "IT Festival" a restricted regional, or a normal regional race with the IT community getting some publicity into the IT classes, basically making it a well subscrbed normal "regional" IT race?

If so I would be worried that this may upset members running in the other classes simply because the region is putting more effort/time into specific races when "all" the races are just as important that weekend to those compeating in the other classes. Basically the battle you have to deal with is drawing drivers from further distances. To do this you will need to balance the IT races with the other races and still have some sort of special feature making this something different than a normal weekend.

I fully support and would love to attend if I had the $ at the time, just wanted to put in my thoughts;

Raymond

[dj10]

There are people trying to get a very high-profile IT-centric event together Aug 10-12 at Mid-Ohio. This would be a coplimentary event to the ARRC, very much like the June Sprints / Runoffs.

Ideas on what would make it a great event and draw you to it are appreciated.

Understand nothing is written in stone and this is very much in the planning stages but every little bit helps!

[/b]

Someone better mention teardowns to keep cheaters away! AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND SO DO WE!

Wow the whole thread was deleted!? Oh well, *&it happens.

[Racerlinn]

To bring a few things over from the other thread (I hope I am not mis-stating anything that Todd C. has said so far):
The weekend currently in question is a normal GLDIV Double Regional weekend. It is not a restricted Regional. It will be run as a standard GLDIV Double.
The idea is that the IT classes will try to be acknowledged in some special way.
The date and the track will not change unless M-O makes a drastic change - this is not unheard of, but I think at this point things are pretty well set.
I would not expect a tow fund (my opinion).

[charrbq]

If it's to be a true IT Festival, then that should be the only things running during the weekend. That would eliminate thunder wagons, fast plastic, winged things, or pickups. Does the region think they can afford to limit themselves to five classes of racing for two days and make money? It would be tough, but it sure would be nice. The weekend could have qualifying, heat races, feature races, short enduros, etc., but no standing starts.

[greendot]

Yes, what he said ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[R2 Racing]

Kevin, what regional only classes do well over there?[/b]

ITS, ITA, ITB, & ITC are all pretty strong. We also get a lot of TCC/ITE cars up here too. Plus a pretty decent number of "Club" Formula cars and IT-7 cars.


That's too bad that the original thread got deleted. There was a lot of good discussion in there.

[Greg Amy]

Does the region think they can afford to limit themselves to five classes of racing for two days and make money?[/b]

Add in a PDX group, if necessary, to fill up the paddock and I'd pay extra money for the entry. In a heartbeat...

[greendot]

It's hard to forecast but ITR might have a decent field also.

Trying to remember some things from the original thread:

Club or pro course or combination.

Standing start.

Enduro or longer race.

Awards presentation.

????????

[gran racing]

That's too bad that the original thread got deleted. There was a lot of good discussion in there.[/b]

Maybe some of the posts could have been deleted, but all? Oh well.

[tdw6974]

If it's to be a true IT Festival, then that should be the only things running during the weekend. That would eliminate thunder wagons, fast plastic, winged things, or pickups. Does the region think they can afford to limit themselves to five classes of racing for two days and make money? It would be tough, but it sure would be nice. The weekend could have qualifying, heat races, feature races, short enduros, etc., but no standing starts.
[/b]

Also to consider That weekend a regional at Beaver run, Summit Point, and Bud at the Glen(or whatever the current sponsor is) dilution of worker pool and of entrants running a particular series?

[TAC]

I like the August Sprints idea but I doubt that will be the name we choose in the end. The reason we are exploring the idea is that the need seems to be out there for another date for I.T. to run head to head. It is unfortunate that we got knocked off our regular July 4th weekend but thats the way things go at the Pro tracks.

The ARRC will always be the end of the season championship and we do not want to take anything away from that. We are just looking for a way to compliment it. Dave Burchfield gets the credit for the idea and we hope with your help in this forum to build on the idea. We are trying to keep it simple this year to try and get this baby off the ground. Gotta crawl before we walk! Maybe two years from now we will be running!

Thanks for the constructive comments,

Todd Cholmondeley
Cincinnati Race Chairman

[tdw6974]

Also to consider That weekend a regional at Beaver run, Summit Point, and Bud at the Glen(or whatever the current sponsor is) dilution of worker pool and of entrants running a particular series?
[/b]

Just looked at NNJR and they have a Regional At Limerock August 10-11.

[RSTPerformance]

I know this wont happen this year, but while you are taking suggestions/comments. I don't think that an "IT" only race weekend will support the costs of renting Mid-Ohio, but I could be wrong as I have no idea what the rental rates are. I do however like the way that the ARRC does it... Restricted regional for "Regional Only" classes. Don't get me wrong I would LOVE to see a "IT" only race weekend with all the thunder going to the IT folks, but for now I don't see it as possiblity, at least in the begining especially without SSM .

Raymond

[dj10]

Also to consider That weekend a regional at Beaver run, Summit Point, and Bud at the Glen(or whatever the current sponsor is) dilution of worker pool and of entrants running a particular series? [/b]

Again, once the word gets back to these regions holding the other events. They might want to switch their dates around. This could shape up into one kick ass weekend. Hell I'm looking forward to the ITA race already myself I wished I had a ITA car, I love to be in that race too!

[Bill Miller]

Again, once the word gets back to these regions holding the other events. They might want to switch their dates around. This could shape up into one kick ass weekend. Hell I'm looking forward to the ITA race already myself I wished I had a ITA car, I love to be in that race too!
[/b]

IT's not quite that easy dj. Most tracks are booked up for the season, on the weekends. A Region doesn't have the luxury of just picking a new date for a race weekend. And not for nothing, but asking 3 or 4 Regions to move/cancel one of their race weekends for another Region's event is asking a bit much. Especially when those races are part of series like MARRS and NARRC.

[dj10]

IT's not quite that easy dj. Most tracks are booked up for the season, on the weekends. A Region doesn't have the luxury of just picking a new date for a race weekend. And not for nothing, but asking 3 or 4 Regions to move/cancel one of their race weekends for another Region's event is asking a bit much. Especially when those races are part of series like MARRS and NARRC. [/b]

I'm sure it won't be but there is 9 months to plan this out.

[greendot]

Gotta love an optimist

[tdw6974]

[quote]
Again, once the word gets back to these regions holding the other events. They might want to switch their dates around. Glen region has already recieved dates and contracts for 2007 Dates. Not much flexibility because of the track being used by other groups etc. We are back to October for the drivers school, regional and enduro. TW