VIR In March - CANCELLED??

[dj10]

Only if enough people show up to offset the extra cost of ticket takers. And tickets. Sounds silly, but SCCA spectator numbers aren't typically a big revenue stream...even at the ARRC, the counts are pretty dismal.
[/b]

I really would wonder what would happen if someone took sometime and did some creative marketing of these events, what would happen? I guess we'll never know.

[JeffYoung]

You should see pictures of SCCA events at VIR in the 60's and 70's. I would guess several thousand spectators in let's say a Woodstock like atmosphere.

[bldn10]

"I have always wanted to run VIR but, if that is their feeling towards us, I say pull the whole plug - lock, stock, barrel, workers, everything. Screw 'em!"

"This is the wrong attitude if you ever want SCCA to go back there. Low turnouts will just make it worse."

Bill, I said lock, stock, and barrel - not low turnouts - NO turnouts! Cancel everything. They evidently want to have their cake and eat it too: they allow us to hang around just enough to keep us interested (for their benefit) but treat us like crap. It's like the girl you would die for who tells you you're never going to get anywhere w/ her (because she likes doctors who drive Porsches) but she doesn't mind if you take her out to dinner now and then anyway. I say: fine, if you really don't want us then we will just find another track that does. Maybe they will come to realize that having a good relationship w/ the SCCA and its tens of thousands of members is worth something. Barber basically kicked us out and now it looks like we'll be going back.

I'm sorry; this kind of crap just pisses me off.

[seckerich]

Wait until you have actually run VIR and then come back and tell us you want to go away. This is a world class facility with some of the nicest staff and workers I have ever met. We rolled in about 10 minutes before the gate was to close after the hurricane went through a few years ago. Long story short the guard needed to go home and get a generator going for his family but waited for me to park and unhook before he left. Good people. Tracks go through cycles where they change focus and see big dollar signs. I just hope they work with the region and give them a chance before giving the date to the 3 ring circus that took it.

[Jeremy Billiel]

"I have always wanted to run VIR but, if that is their feeling towards us, I say pull the whole plug - lock, stock, barrel, workers, everything. Screw 'em!"

"This is the wrong attitude if you ever want SCCA to go back there. Low turnouts will just make it worse."

Bill, I said lock, stock, and barrel - not low turnouts - NO turnouts! Cancel everything. They evidently want to have their cake and eat it too: they allow us to hang around just enough to keep us interested (for their benefit) but treat us like crap. It's like the girl you would die for who tells you you're never going to get anywhere w/ her (because she likes doctors who drive Porsches) but she doesn't mind if you take her out to dinner now and then anyway. I say: fine, if you really don't want us then we will just find another track that does. Maybe they will come to realize that having a good relationship w/ the SCCA and its tens of thousands of members is worth something. Barber basically kicked us out and now it looks like we'll be going back.

I'm sorry; this kind of crap just pisses me off.
[/b]

Be careful of what you wish for. Very few new race tracks are being built these days. The tracks need to survive and its simple supply and demand. Yes I agree that the SCCA does do a lot for the track with publicity, workers, etc and it never feels good, but to think that the track will be screwed if we leave is silly. They can rent those days out ALL DAY to other clubs, while needing less workers and having less risk. I still want to drive VIR, but we must understand the economics of running a track before we make blanket statements.

[JeffYoung]

3 ring circus...oh hell....is it NASA?

[lateapex911]

And maybe just getting that ONE date with the HOTTEST chick, and getting her juuuust drunk enough is.....enough.....if ya know what I mean.

Who'd want to marry her anyway?

[charrbq]

A lot of times it's a simple management issue rather than an owner problem. Not to belittle the issue, but often, things change over a period of time. The SCCA can be rather picky about a lot of things concerning courses and their operation. I have no problem with that at all, but sometimes the management of the organization does. It's happened. My understanding is that's exactly what happened at Barber. Things started smelling when they did the same, if not worse, to the Porsche club as they did to the SCCA.

Racing is almost an oxymoron. A race track needs them to stay in business, but doesn't want them, because it creates too much work. We have to face it, in this day and age, unless you're last name is France or something similar, it's more dollar beneficial to take all that mass of acerage and asphalt and put condominiums or industrial parks on it.

[JeffYoung]

Unless it is 10 miles south of Kershaw South Carolina.

CMP has THREE regional weekends this year by the way. THREE.

[seckerich]

Race dates tend to get moved for various reasons. The track changes available dates, the regions swap dates, or dates you see as a regional may change to a national (or vice-versa). ALL the dates on the Southeast schedule are not final until after the annual meeting at Jekyll. Give it some time. We will have plenty of places to play.

[mazda49]

Racers......it seems everyone chimes in and has an opinion without the knowledge of why? As someone who manages a racetrack I can't see that VIR has done anything out of the norm for a business that was a major investment by Mr. Seigal the New York Investment Broker who took the track which was abondoned and
in shambles and rebuilt it. If you would have flown over the track in the early ninties it would have only invoked memories of emotions. I for one ran the Carter Hall 250 back in 1971 that Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood won. Other than being participants what are we doing to help the track achieve the goals of being the premier road racing course in America. As Steve said. "world class facility", I feel as if we are a guest at an exclusive country club. Selling motorsports outside of the NASCAR Cup/Busch/Craftsman series is difficult. I say thanks for allowing us to run the facility. If you knew the number of barriers in place by the EPA/building-code departments/permitting/legal obstacles you would know that as we loose racetracks new ones will be difficult to build. Support is what VIR or any track needs. Sometimes the obstacles are put in place by those with authority acting only in their interest. A little consideration needs to be used in this discussion. Dictating what as group this forums opinions....will lead to many years of wondering why VIR developed and attitude by those who wish to race their in the future.

[lateapex911]

What track do you manage??

[murphyd]

The race has not been cancelled! It has been moved to March 10-11 at Rockingham. This should be a great event as their is tentatively an ECR/SARRC/CCPS scheduled. Talking to the NCR RE the fees will be very reasonable and the track time more than usual. Also NASCAR garages will be available! If you like Lowes you'll like Rockingham. Not as much horsepower needed so it kinda even things out. Come out and play!!

[Greg Amy]

The race has not been cancelled![/b]

Uh, Ok. The March 17th event at VIR is not cancelled.

But, it's not on March 17th, it's on March 11th.

Oh, and it's not at VIR, it's at Rockingham.

But it's not cancelled.

"I'm not cheap, I'm thrifty."

[Jeremy Billiel]

Uh, Ok. The March 17th event at VIR is not cancelled.

But, it's not on March 17th, it's on March 11th.

Oh, and it's not at VIR, it's at Rockingham.

But it's not cancelled.

"I'm not cheap, I'm thrifty."
[/b]

LOL... Thanks for the laugh Greg. I really needed it. Work just plain sucks this week!

[tom_sprecher]

When looked at from a Regional and Division level David is correct is stating the event has not been canceled. It is just on another date and track. I know it sounds goofy but if you have ever tried to change the Division schedule and still make all the racing regions happy in a division as big as SEDiv you would get it.

[JeffYoung]

Greg, David (on his own time) runs our local (and excellent) pro series, the Carolina Cup. I'm sure he was just reminding everyone that my topic line about cancellation is not accurate -- race was moved. I didn't mean to impact registration for the Cup (and other) races at the Rock.

I ran there last fall during the first test day after it reopened to the SCCA. Not bad for a roval, I liked it better than Lowe's in some respects, except for that nasty transition onto the banking.

[Greg Amy]

Roger. Ninja edited a in there (which was the original intent...)

[gprodracer]

Just to chime in here..

For anyone who has never driven the "roval" at Rockingham, it is unlike any roval you've ever driven. It is a huge handling track, and because the oval section is not as long as Lowes, or Daytona, horsepower is far from the determining factor for fast laps. On the banking, your field of vision is very small, as the corners are very tight with the amount of banking. It is a track that you will either love or hate...nothing in between.
I personally am exteremely glad it is open to SCCA again, and look forward to going back.
BTW, if your car doesn't handle very well, you will "hate" the track.

Good luck to all going, and lets all work towards getting more VIR dates as well. Heed the previous advice...we need the SCCA at all the tracks we can get to.

Mark

[Ron Earp]

I drove The Rock in a Miata, got some laps in Jeff's TR8, and also drove Robert Mitchells IT7 car there - I loved the track. It was a lot of fun and while short is pretty cool. It isn't a VIR replacement though, that is for certain. I'm hoping we get some VIR dates back and continue to run Rockingham, Lowes, and CMP.

Is there anything members can do to help get the VIR dates back or organize future dates?

Ron