ARRC Enduro - Part Two

[Butch Kummer]

Sorry to be so long getting back to this, but this thing called a "day job" intervenes sometimes...

So the consensus both here and on the SM board appears to be Option A - one three-hour Enduro. If you guys are okay with the idea of being sent home (with a $200 refund) if you aren't fast enough to make the show, I believe I can sell that to the ARRC Committee and the workers.

The next question is - how do you want to work the pit stops? Some have said two mandatory stops of a predetermined length, others have said no minimum requirements. Not requiring stops means the results can come out much sooner (no need to audit for the correct number of stops) and it adds the strategy element to the mix. The downside is it makes it more difficult to justify a multi-driver team for a car that could perhaps go the entire time on one tank of fuel and one set of tires. Having a required length for the stops also helps with safety (driver out of the car) and reduces the advantage of high-dollar fueling rigs.

The only things I'm adamant about are (1) a 40-mph speed limit on pit road and (2) the driver must be out of the car when re-fueling. I'm also concerned about somebody installing a 50-gallon fuel cell (or towing a fuel tank trailer ), but maybe there are IT rules that prevent such a thing.

Let me know what works in other places...

[Chris Wire]

I weighed in before under the premise of this being definite for '08 and possible this year, so here goes:

I think you'll do more harm than good to the entry list by eliminating mandatory pit stops. Single driver cars with large fuel cells would almost be a lock, which could discourage the multi-driver teams and cars that require a fuel stop or two. I personally favor 2 mandatory timed stops, similar to the ECR. The stops could be 3 minutes instead of 5 to minimize off-track time though. I know in ECRs the 5 minutes seems excessive.

To your other concern, I don't remember seeing anything in the IT rules about fuel cell capacity, only location. However, the supps could very easily limit fuel cell size.

I love endurance racing, and having watched much of the 24 Heures Du Mans coverage this past weekend, I could easily get caught up in the whole "no limitations" position regarding pit stops. However, those guys are pros, and we're not. Their race is 24 hours, ours is really a 3 hour sprint race. Their crews are well equipped and well trained, we all have day jobs. I would err on the side of caution and safety in this case.

But that's just me.

Thanks, Butch, for seeking to include us all in the process. You don't know how refreshing it is.

[murphyd]

As they say in the NFL "After futher review, I agree with Chris" Keep the mandatory stops. Better for everyone involved! Not just the racers.

[RacerBowie]

I'm in agreement about keeping the mandatory stops. When we run longer enduros a giant part of the preparation goes into recruiting the big number of crew people needed to do fast, consistent pit stops. As this enduro is an add-on to the weekend, I think adding that work to it by opening up pit stops will hurt entries.

I vote for 2 mandatory stops, 3 or 4 minutes in length. Driver must be out of the car and no work can be done on the car while fueling.

[tom_sprecher]

I agree with the comments above regarding keeping manditory pit stops. It would appear that the pros (fuel cell capacity disparity, attracting 2nd or more drivers and crew, safety issues, etc.) outweight the cons.

2 stops, 3-4 mins in length, driver out and no working on car to fuel.

Hopefully, I will be standing there watching my dump cans working.

[lateapex911]

Personally, I can't really afford to have guys crewing me and paying to get them to Atlanta, and so on, so I'd only do it if I could be lean. I'm also not in the postion of buying somebody elses racecar after I end up on my roof for whatever reason, so I can't see myself sharing a car.

I would think one mandatory stop and a limit on fuel cell size is a good compromise, and if that were the case, i might just do it myself and try to find a guy to help for a couple minutes in the middle, LOL.

[Cobrar05]

Butch, Looking forward to seeing you at RA in July!! I will throw my support behind two manditory stops of short duration. Long enough for a driver change.

[trhoppe]

I would vote for two mandatory 3-5 minute stops.

-Tom

[lymanator]

2-stopper. I don't want to have to buy a fuel cell!

[Hracer]

Another vote for a 2-stopper. Otherwise it takes away all incentives to have a 3rd driver because it would definitely favor cars that can make it on fuel with only 1 pit stop. This is not ALMS with pro pit crews and equipment. I would not want to beat the other guy just because he had to make an extra fuel stop. I would also not trade any day an extra whole minute of track time for sitting in the car in pit lane all buckled in properly waiting for the go than to have to rush getting buckled in with the chance of compromising safety. IMHO at our level I find it stupid to have to rush (beyond a reasonable level) a re-fueling pit stop with "non-pro" equipment and crew, as well as rush a driver change getting him/her buckled and strapped in properly. For what, an extra minute of track time? lol Totally not worth it in my book.