Endurance Championship Series 2008

[Hahn63]

Ok all, I'm starting to put togther next years series. This is your chance to give me your idea's. Please be realistic in your requests. Remember this is an endurance championship not sprint racing. If you are looking for a bunch of 2 and 3 hour events to be included...it won't happen.

Fire and flame away!


Roland

[JohnRW]

Points multiplier for age of drivers.

Bonus points for still having a working stereo/cassette/CD in the car.

"Prettyness points" for teams with least amount of body damage at the end of each race.

Give me a few weeks, I'll come up with more.....

[Knestis]

I don't know what I'd suggest changing, relative to what was sketched out this year. There will probably be ideas about tweaking the points but we don't have enough experience yet to to know for sure what/if anything should be done with them.

Frankly, I'd say leave it alone and let it perk for a couple of years.

K

[Bob Roth]

We would appreciate that tracks with land line corners ie nelson have a radio repeater so teams can scan what's happening. We scanned the frequency recommended but heard little. It really helps to hear about yellows, etc in real time.

next year, we'll be back
bob

[Hahn63]

Bob,

Interesting comment. I will check into it but I believe per the GCR that the system has to be closed looped. Now what I don't know is can it be broadcasted. I'll see what they say. Stay tuned.

Look forward to racing with you guys again. Bring back out your car?

Roland

[Cobrar05]

It would be easier for me to afford races that are 6 hours and under. 12 hours and up and I am having to sell seats in my entry in order afford tires and such.

I hear that the Homestead 12 hour is being replaced by a double 4 hour closer to new year's. Any truth to that?

[Knestis]

>> ...It would be easier for me to afford races that are 6 hours and under.

Interesting. It's easier for me to afford to do the long ones because I CAN provide enough value that people want to share the seat with me.

Of course, the Golf is pretty immune to race length - it just doesn't care. We didn't change brake pads at Nelson in 24 hours, but I'd guess that a Mustang wouldn't have that luxury.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Homestead 12 change format, given the relatively low turn-out they've had. We'd LOVE to add that one to our calendar but the biggest problem is getting the crew necessary to run an enduro, who can take the time/income/vacation hit necessary to travel from the NC area.

K

EDIT - note that this doesn't mean that I'd be fundamentally against the idea of shorter enduros being added to the mix. The points system does a good job of recognizing length as a factor, so it would be interesting to see what options exist.

One other thought - maybe it would be possible to phase in class championships, like if a class gets 5 entries over the duration of the year (just making up a number), then it gets a trophy. 6 warrants 1st and 2nd, etc.

[racechair]

We would appreciate that tracks with land line corners ie nelson have a radio repeater so teams can scan what's happening. We scanned the frequency recommended but heard little. It really helps to hear about yellows, etc in real time.

next year, we'll be back
bob
[/b]

I'm not sure which channel you were listening to. I know the stewards and the safety team are on radio's that can be picked up on a scanner. The corners are another story. They are on a land line and that has to be a closed line. So unless the stewards talk about an incident on the radio, you would know what happened and where. There was some talk at the Neohio board meeting about requiring scanners for next year. Don't quote me on that, I was busy at the time, but we'll see what happens.

[Hahn63]

There was some talk at the Neohio board meeting about requiring scanners for next year. [/b]

I would be very against requiring them. I think what was done this year fine. We don't need another requirment that isn't necessary.

Roland

[Knestis]

...like $175 worth of number panels for the VIR 13 hours??

Lovely.

K

[JohnRW]

...like $175 worth of number panels for the VIR 13 hours??
[/b]

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that that is "a solution looking for a problem".

[Hahn63]

It would be easier for me to afford races that are 6 hours and under.
[/b]

You won't be seeing any races for sure under 6 hours. Keep in mind this is an endurance series. It does cost money and it is very difficult to plan and run. If it wasn't then we would have lots of them. This is a series for the true die hard endurance racers, you gotta want to do it bad!


Roland

...like $175 worth of number panels for the VIR 13 hours??

[/b]

Well, since everyone will already have them...I'll put them in as a requirement for the series..... I think NOT!!!!!

[Cobrar05]

Well, you asked for input. That was my input.

On a different subject I have been told that the 12 Hr Homestead event has been taken off the schedule and replaced by a double 4 hr thing at Moroso around the holidays.

That was another reason why I suggested shorter events. The longer events are few and becoming fewer.

I will do Summit and VIR.

[Hahn63]

Well, you asked for input. That was my input.

On a different subject I have been told that the 12 Hr Homestead event has been taken off the schedule and replaced by a double 4 hr thing at Moroso around the holidays.

That was another reason why I suggested shorter events. The longer events are few and becoming fewer.

I will do Summit and VIR.
[/b]

I do appreciate your input and your not alone in your request. I have to keep the series more on the endurance side to keep it in the market niche that sponsors are willing to participate. Keep in mind that USERA had made a run at a shorter series format and it didn't go very well( surprised me). I will keep shorter events in mind and see if we can include a few of the best shorter ones but they will not be the core of the format.

I have not heard anything about the Homestead Event. As was said in another post , would not be suprised that a change was in the works as the attendance was not very good at the last event and the location and the time of year didn't help matters.

I will be contacting regions soon to see what they are thinking but it is still way to early to know any details about next year.

I am hoping Kumho will return and other tire companies will join us. I will be trying to get the auto makers to put up some contingency as well. The series is less than a year old and we are still on are feet and slowly growing. Things will change with time , as they must, to meet market and particapation demand. So hang in there and come play when you can , and maybe it will eventally be something you can do on a regular basis.


Roland

[Cobrar05]

We are doing the 3 hour ARRC Enduro as a first step to running Summit Point and VIR next season. We will have a two car Mustang Cobra team with a retired famous name in the driver lineup and an open seat or two.

[Willisbe]

We are doing the 3 hour ARRC Enduro as a first step to running Summit Point and VIR next season. [/b]

Just dive right in. You will learn a great deal more than you would by doing a 3hr. Probably still time to jump on board for VIR.

Jeremy Cesene
#13 ITB
Hillbilly Motorsports
Finisher of the Longest Day 2007

[JohnRW]

Actually, a shorter enduro is a good 'shake-out' if you're planning to do longer enduros. Why ? You start to learn what breaks on the car (and it will break), without sinking major entry and preparation fees.

Not to be a smartazz (who, me ?) but if we have a choice, we always choose to pit next to a V8-powered team at long enduros. Why ? Cuz after about 3-4 hours, we have all sorts of extra space, vacated by the kersploded V8 team. Really. V8 cars are challenging to run in long enduros. If you look at the start/finish ratios of V8 cars for Summit Point/Nelson Ledges/VIR enduros, you'll see what I mean. Reality says your preparation needs to be top-notch, and you have to have reliable equipment and drivers who are soft on that equipment.

[eprodrx7]

couple of things off the top of my head...

Series rules instead of the region's rules for spec classes. We got bumped up to ITS from SM for running Kumhos at SP. But at Nelson SM could run any tire they wanted. We need to be consistent here. There maybe other instances of this type of thing but this directly effected us so it got my attention.

Start the 24 hr earlier. I know that the later start was in consideration of the spectators but until the spectators out number the the participants that need to get to work on Monday am, I say we start at 10am. Better yet lets start at 9 pm on Friday night. Time for many beer on Sat night and plenty of time to get home on Sun. Lets face it Sat morning was a waste of time this year.

Please include provisions in the entry process for multi car teams. SP was a nightmare for us this year. Speaking of SP can we give priority on entries to teams that ran last year and will run instead of teams that are hoping to run?

[Hahn63]

John, the points you brought up are very valid. The big problem with most of them is it is under region control . I will try and work with then on rules but the political road blocks get throwen out very quick when I apporoch any of these subjects. I am working on these areas and will continue to do so. It will take time but I am confident that some of them can be addressed. Thanks for your input!!

Roland

[Bob Roth]

Actually, for those of us that came from 600 miles, this year's schedule worked pretty good, No really early saturday start, Sunday we had trophy's, tear down and head to a hotel by 6:00 on sunday night. I wouldn't change it.

One thing we would ask is that Nelson get a radio repeater for its land line, I sure missed getting reports on yellow's etc from my crew. Several times I came across emergency vehicles that had there been radio loop, my chief would have told me about.