NHIS August Enduro

[ner88]

OK, so 3 or 4 hour???
3 hour can be done by one driver and 1 pit stop.
4 hour needs two drivers and 2 stops

Practice 1 hour or two half hour sessions with time in between?

[DaveITB1]

I don't think that ONE race one year with a low car count is an edict that we (enduro drivers) don't want a longer enduro. The factors that could have played into this are too long to list here. I would suggest that the folks at NESCCA who run the series make up a questionaire page on their website to ask the drivers directly what they want in an enduro. Today's technology can help organizers hear directly from us what we like, what we don't like, and most importantly, WHY. Let's let the 1's and 0's of the internet (a shout out to the binary crowd) help the organizers keep their collective fingers on the pulse of why we choose the racing options that we do. Those results can be posted on said site for all to see - no speculating necessary.

I go to NHIS that weekend specifically for the Enduro. As stated in earlier posts, anything under 4hrs is just a longer regional race in my opinion. There SHOULD be driver changes, refueling stops, and even tire changes. This is The Little Lemans. It's the enduro for those who don't want to endure the time and/or expense of trucking 12-18hrs to Ohio for their enduro. I have been asking for a longer enduro at every drivers' meeting. You want to see what your equipment is made of? Pound on it for hrs on end. Here's an idea for those who say they they would run it if they could do it all in one driver stint, buddy up with that guy who always parks next to you at regional races, and you have yourself an enduro team. We should be offering suggestions on how to make this a stronger event, instead of finding ways to cut it back (can you hear the bias in my voice?) Its the 50th Little LeMans !!!!!! It's not the Micro LeMans, or the LeMans Sprint.

The only reason my co-driver and I didn't participate in '06 race was that my team was building a new car (the old one gave up the ghost mid season). Planning strategies for enduros have been alot of fun too. I've caught the enduro bug. I feel more satisfaction that my equipment has held up to an enduro than I do after 20-30min sprint race. There were poinits made about costs. A 6hr race gives you the equivalent of 3 regional sprint races (qualifying & race time). That is the best bang for your SCCA buck going !!

Suggestions?
Take finishing times from Sat sprint race and use that to line up and race another sprint race Sun am
Move the enduro to Sun pm.
Work out an agreement to allow teams to leave their trailers in the infield until the 9/8 weekend.
Give price breaks wherever possible to make the weekend more economically possible for those on the fence.

Lets all try to find more options for racing in SCCA, rather than fewer. I think offering more options to race in the SCCA will help lure more people to our sport. Take a look in the Endurance Racing section of the forums. There's a guy who's going to take the Enduro plunge this year for the first time. If he catches the enduro bug as i have, he'll get his buddy to go to school, get his/her license, and become the co-driver of his car. This is another way to build our ranks.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Team Jagermeister's vote is for 6+hrs at NHIS in '07 and beyond.....

[MMiskoe]

Three hour with one required pit stop.[/b]

Doesn't NASCAR do mandatory pit stops?

[Jeremy Billiel]

I don't think that ONE race one year with a low car count is an edict that we (enduro drivers) don't want a longer enduro. The factors that could have played into this are too long to list here. I would suggest that the folks at NESCCA who run the series make up a questionaire page on their website to ask the drivers directly what they want in an enduro. Today's technology can help organizers hear directly from us what we like, what we don't like, and most importantly, WHY. Let's let the 1's and 0's of the internet (a shout out to the binary crowd) help the organizers keep their collective fingers on the pulse of why we choose the racing options that we do. Those results can be posted on said site for all to see - no speculating necessary.

I go to NHIS that weekend specifically for the Enduro. As stated in earlier posts, anything under 4hrs is just a longer regional race in my opinion. There SHOULD be driver changes, refueling stops, and even tire changes. This is The Little Lemans. It's the enduro for those who don't want to endure the time and/or expense of trucking 12-18hrs to Ohio for their enduro. I have been asking for a longer enduro at every drivers' meeting. You want to see what your equipment is made of? Pound on it for hrs on end. Here's an idea for those who say they they would run it if they could do it all in one driver stint, buddy up with that guy who always parks next to you at regional races, and you have yourself an enduro team. We should be offering suggestions on how to make this a stronger event, instead of finding ways to cut it back (can you hear the bias in my voice?) Its the 50th Little LeMans !!!!!! It's not the Micro LeMans, or the LeMans Sprint.

The only reason my co-driver and I didn't participate in '06 race was that my team was building a new car (the old one gave up the ghost mid season). Planning strategies for enduros have been alot of fun too. I've caught the enduro bug. I feel more satisfaction that my equipment has held up to an enduro than I do after 20-30min sprint race. There were poinits made about costs. A 6hr race gives you the equivalent of 3 regional sprint races (qualifying & race time). That is the best bang for your SCCA buck going !!

Suggestions?
Take finishing times from Sat sprint race and use that to line up and race another sprint race Sun am
Move the enduro to Sun pm.
Work out an agreement to allow teams to leave their trailers in the infield until the 9/8 weekend.
Give price breaks wherever possible to make the weekend more economically possible for those on the fence.

Lets all try to find more options for racing in SCCA, rather than fewer. I think offering more options to race in the SCCA will help lure more people to our sport. Take a look in the Endurance Racing section of the forums. There's a guy who's going to take the Enduro plunge this year for the first time. If he catches the enduro bug as i have, he'll get his buddy to go to school, get his/her license, and become the co-driver of his car. This is another way to build our ranks.

Thanks for letting me rant.

Team Jagermeister's vote is for 6+hrs at NHIS in '07 and beyond..... [/b]

Dave - Some good points here...

I would ask the region what do you want out of this event? Is it to draw "real" enduro drivers? If so, I am not sure this is ever going to happen based on NHIS being too small and tough on equipment.

So then is the enduro meant to be a "change it up and have some fun weekend"? If so, this is fine, but you may not get the car counts as some people will be more interested in the following double which will be more important in the points championship. If you want to just have fun then I also think you need to keep it shorter in length as you will be getting the people who want to try an enduro and see if they like it. BTW - I am in this boat. I would love to try it, but even at 4 hours I don't think I will be able to keep a set of brake pads on my GSR.

[ner88]

Diehard enduro racers will be at Nelson Ledges.
3 hour enduro is our best bet, not a lot of wear and tear = less expensive to do.
Short enough for one driver to do or long enough for two.

[lateapex911]

When I did they enduro, the only reason I did it was the 3 hour length...I figured I could make it on one stop, one set of tires, and do the whole thing myself.