What's up with ECRs?

[seckerich]

I agree with your statement that big changes are needed. I will also be looking at the financials at the Jeckyl meeting to see where all that money is. Is this all being paid out or is there a slush fund that it ends up in when drivers do not register for the series. Many questions--few answers. This message board is not the place to answer all my questions but it will be looked into. Many of us brought it up at the midyear meeting as to why we should continue with ECR as it stands today. Expect it to be on the table at Jeckyl. Thanks Krys.

[Krysd]

No, thank you Steve, I would like to see the series go on, I have enjoyed being the Series Chief Steward for the Southern half of SEDIV, it is fun hanging with you guys, maybe someday I can even join you on track, but I would probably screw up and wind up talking to the SOM .

The entire fund is paid out each year except for $5.00 per car, which goes in to the ECR administrative fund, that covers all the expenses that are incurred to run the Series and includes some money to cover my on the road expenses when I remember to send them in.

See you at Jekyl

Krys

[GKR_17]

The last two events this season were at VIR just over two weeks ago. Provisional results were posted at the track as required, but there are no official results yet (big surprise!), even though they should have been mailed over a week ago per GCR 3.7.2. I'll cut them a little slack since the ECR rules allow an additional 10 days for protests of the audited results, but that shouldn't mean there are no deadlines.

[HONDA69]

Hey Gang, Time I added my $.02 comments on the ECR SERIES. As the 2004, 2005 & 2006 ITC WINNER for the ECR Series, I agree that we have [b]BIG PROBLEMS with the ECR Series at this time. In order i think the problems are:

1. SERIES ENTRANTS ARE DOWN - we used to pay our ECR ENTRANT FEES at the first ECR we participated in at the track - No Mailing Forms to the Administrator with a check etc, etc.
SUGGESTED FIX: Have the Series Chief Stewards collect forms at the track & mail checks & Forms to the administrator after each race weekend.
2. WORKING TRANSPONDERS ARE A MUST AT EACH EVENT!!!
SUGGESTED FIX: If a competitor's transponder is broken - have Loaner self charged uints available on PIT ROAD so when a car w/a broken transponder comes in, a temp can be zip tied to the car. Driver is then charged a rental fee for the rental unit.(NOTE: each region has a transponder tester if in doubt visit tech and have your transponder checked before the race starts)
3. PROVISIONAL RESULTS MUST Be e-mailed/FAXED to the ECR Series administrator no later than TUESDAY Following the race. regions failing to do so will be penalized and not be given any further sanction #'s by SCCA Inc until matter is resolved. BOTH AREA DIRECTORS Will act as arbritrators in any disputes concerning this matter!!
4. Not a single active ECR Driver is currently on the ECR Committee - Suggest one from the Southern end of the Division and one from the Northern half of the division.
5. As for ITO - Raced against the Mustang this last weekend at the ARRC Enduro-wheee- told my car that's how we're going to go after I figure out how to smuggle the TURBO past post race teardown Jokes aside, Mustang raced a clean race from my perspective, caught me on the back straight everytime & was watching for points from other drivers. YEAH us "slower Guys" do know how to use our mirrors and will point you by at the first opportunity! HEY If we're not in the middle of a hot duel of our own, we'll probably give you the preferred line thru a corner, provided we don't put ourselves in jeopardy - just remember to wave and smile as you go by!!

[Cobrar05]

Thanks for the compliments on the way we raced with everyone in our Cobra R. I saw a lot of hands waving and pointing in the rear glass. I got lots of room. I ran the middle stint in the car and we had almost no brakes most of those laps. So, I was fighting the car and appreciated not being crowded in the corners.

Its important to note that in most SCCA competition I race in the stock car, GT1, GTA race group where I am the pylon. So, I appreciate what its like driving looking in the mirror and waving the fast guys by. You should have seen Tony Ave pass me at VIR a couple weeks ago. I ran a 2:20 and he a 1:50 that lap.

Had some interesting laps with David Kim's 27 car Z.

I read this post and the worries about the drop in entries. Keep that issue in mind when you decide not to let us race next season. I realize there are reasons why NOT to let us run. I also saw two 2900lb RX8's running laps in the 1:39/1:40 range with us.

Shave ITO how you like. There are a lot of NASA American Iron and Camaro Mustang Challenge cars from VIR to Roebling Road. Make these cars legal and not the Viper and Corvettes.

You want more entries and we want to race. Its a shame that we can't find a way to make it work out.

[jcreig53]

OK, this is my first post on the IT forum.

I, along with Robin Langlotz and Buddy Matthews, wrote the ECR rules and have made up the ECR Committee since the Division adopted the series. We have watched the series closely and changed the rules as needed when needed.

Well, Robin and I have spoke several nights ago and we think ECR needs a big fix or it is going to die. This year the payout is only about 1/2 what it was in 2006 and the number of registered entrants is painfully low. As a matter of fact, no driver in ITA bothered to join the series and the more than $1000 that went into ITA is not being paid out to anyone.

I am going to share with you what Robin and I feel should happen to ECR. I haven't heard from Buddy yet and I will share with you what his response is when I receive it. Robin and I feel that ECR needs to become structured like the SARRC series. No longer will drivers be required to sign up to accumulate points, just enter the race. Points will be structured like SARRC and a driver will be able to count his best six finishes. Entries in races will have to declare the driver receiving the points when there are multi drivers. We plan to ask the race regions to make all their enduros that are more than 1 hour ECR's for SEDIv points. Example, FES & CCP races of more than 1 hour would be counted for Divison ECR points.

At the same time, there will no longer be any $$ payouts, only Jackets and plaques similar to SARRC. The region would have to pay $5 per entry into the ECR trophy fund per entry.

We agreed that ECR should remain for the classes as they are now but the regions can include additional classes in their race if they wish as long as they do not displace the ECR classes. We also discussed some simplification for the pit stop procedure but that needs to further discussed internally to see if it can work.

I am sure there are some other details such as the ECR Stewards that will need to be worked out, but I wanted to get this out and hear from some of you. I'm going to be leaving town Dec 27th for the Morosso Double SARRC and then am going to attend the Sebring and Homestead National. I will watch what is posted here. You can also email me direct as you can Robin or Buddy. Our email addresses are located on the ECR website which links from www.sedivracing.org.

IT And ECR mean a lot to me since I had sat in on the original IT rules making meetings and then raced my ITS 240 Z in the first couple of years of ECR. Heck, I even won the Championship. I think it cost me $15,000 to win a $1000, but it was worth every penny.

Jim Creighton

[Cobrar05]

Jim,

I would ask again that our ITO Mustangs be permitted to join the race. We would be at the race track regular for ECR, if there is a race for us. We have enjoyed our enduro experience so far and would like to do more. Make us welcome and you have entries here ready to race.

I understand some of the discomfort with some ITO legal cars that are far more capable than our street stock IMSA Grand Sport/American Iron legal cars. If that is the case, I recommend picking the ITO legal rules packages that make sense for ECR and disallowing the rest.

[GKR_17]

1. I agree with the main point, eliminate the cash award. We don't race for money, it costs far more for a championship effort than is ever won back at the end of the season. Copy the SARRC awards and funding structure (I would suggest up to two jackets per class champion though).

2. fix ECR 7.9 - any race which does not run the full scheduled duration should not count for points. The current rule (implemented 2007) allows the race to be stopped at any time and still count for points. GCR 6.7.5.A specifies that the race count for championship points only after half of the scheduled time or distance has been completed. In either case it is highly likely that some, but not all, of the competitors will have completed their required pit stop(s), at which point the remaining cars must be penalized for not taking the required stop(s). This can drastically affect the finishing order (as shown at Sebring 2006) and award high points to competitors who would not have otherwise earned them. This may impact season standing since the final margins are often quite small (as actually occurred in 2006). It is better that these races not count at all.

3. Firm deadlines must be established for posting of audited provisional results, final results, and points after any event. This year's performance was beyond abysmal, need I say more? I will gladly volunteer to help with this, and will understand if any competitor wants to double check the findings.

Before I propose changes to the pit timing regulations, I need to show the flaw: In the current method, the pit lap must total a minimum of 5 minutes, plus traverse time, plus best lap. In this case, the car is assumed to have traveled the pit segment twice, once in the traverse time, and once in the best lap. At most tracks, the pit segment is taken very quickly in the best lap so this time is nearly negligible. At Homestead for example, there is a slow turn entering that straight, which makes this time more significant. It is possible to violate the current rule even after stopping for 5 minutes and obeying the pit speed limit. Here are two possible solutions:

4a. Revise pit timing requirements by reducing the current traverse times by ~40% and rename them "Pit Speed Time Adjustment" or similar (just so it's not confused with the actual traverse time). The rest of the requirements and calculations are unchanged. There is no requirement that the actual stop be 5 minutes, as with the current rule. The intent is to ensure that any car that stops for 5 minutes and obeys the speed limit will be compliant. For tracks where pit stalls are located on either side of the timing line (such as Homestead, Lowes, or Sebring), the shorter of the two segments is to be used for timing requirements. I suggest the actual pit segment lengths be verified at each event, with time requirements updated at the drivers meeting as appropriate. Pit lane speed may be monitored via radar, penalties to be imposed at discretion of Operating Steward.

4b. Eliminate the traverse time. Pit lap must equal 5 minutes (or any arbitrary time) plus best lap. This doesn't enforce the pit speed limit, but honestly the current rule doesn't either. Use radar as stated in the above option. Competitors who know what they're doing will stop less somewhat than five minutes, but no one who stops five minutes will be penalized. This version is very simple. Krys Dean has proposed this same solution (except 5:30 instead of 5:00)

Grafton Robertson

[jcreig53]

I just moved this discussion to a new thread so it will be easier to follow.