Breaking News from LRP

[Magical Trevor]

Well... the track has opened up the month of March for rescheduling of July's dates for clubs, etc....

...Winteregional?

[TimM ITB]

my 2 cents:

I can't believe that we would even be considering re-scheduling right into another region's already scheduled date? From what I have heard and read, MUCH effort has been expended by the regions to ensure as much harmony amongst dates as possible. And this year, it seems to be really in sync with the NARRC, most of the enduros and now the IT Fest. To create the kind of angst that will probably arise amongst the regions if we re-schedule just because LRP has thrown us a ONE TIME curve ball seems to not make much sense to me.

And on the same theme but with a twist.........why wouldn't the host region for the 2 races cancelled perhaps be breathing a sigh of relief? With the turnouts of the last couple of years, based on the escalating costs at LRP, strange weather, full moons, whatever, hasn't the car counts for these 2 weekends been perilously low?

And lastly, since this is a ONE TIME occurrence, I would think (and this limb that I am on is pretty slim I grant you) that the management at LRP would understand if we can't pony up and take on new dates for the cancelled weekends - because of EXISTING scheduling conflicts? If they posted the dates as available "bonus" dates to other clubs - again a ONE TIME bonus arrangement - and they could get the dates sold, and save the dates for us for next year, etc.........why would they have a gripe? They get the income that they want, even with the cancelling of the original dates with the SCCA? Seems like they win, doesn't it? We lose 2 race weekends at LRP, and the school, but maybe we could try to add a Friday school at NHIS?

Too simple an approach?

As for the NARRC and the bonus points situation - couldn't we amend the rules for just ONE year? Or, since the NARRC race is a double points race anyway, just leave it alone. We all get to LRP with the same lack of track time / handicap?

Whatever the outcome, I think we need to consider the existing level of cooperation amongst the regions (at least in terms of scheduling) as a priority, and not something to be potentially lost in our haste to react to this one time problem.

thanks for listening.

tim m

[JLawton]

Screw LRP. The only bad thing I see is elimination of the school. I think that it's importnt to have another school during the seaosn in the NE.

Maybe add a day to an NHIS event for a school???




I'm goin' to Pocono!



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[Andy Bettencourt]

As I said in my first post, having two NARRC events on one day is not the way to go. BOTH events will fail. But we as people 'not in the know' need to understand that there may be other forces at work here. It is possible that:

LRP tells us that we need to take this one or lose it forever
Tri-Region can't cancel their date or they will lose that one

Neither of those things may be happening but they are possible.

Tim is right in that there was much harmony in the scheduling this year and this is a huge curve ball. We need to do what is best for NeDiv and the NARRC at the same time, remembering or course that Tri-Region is NOT part of the NARRC series.

Dave, I don't understand your comment about Flatout. I am just telling you what *I* would do as a racer during this one-time curve ball to 1. race as much as I can and 2. help everyone involved survive. The Pocono race is a 'far away' double and it was on my schedule anyway. So the whole weekend plus a day of travel was booked anyway. Big picture time.

Looking at the NESCCA schedule from last year, I don't even see a second Pocono as an option - for ANY series. Actually, WHAT IS Tri-Region? It isn't listed as an offical region on the NeDiv section of the SCCA site...

If we don't pay a 'penalty with LRP for not holding the July races, I say Pocono. If we lose a weekend if we don't take it, I say LRP. Even BMWCCA doesn't have any LRP dates this year.

[dickita15]

So without the Lime Rock weekend the Narrc schedule would be 4 NHMS races, 4 Pocono, a double at the Glen and one each at NLMP and LRP. With current rules only Pocono and NHMS would earn track points

[dickita15]

By the way Tri-region is a cooperation of Philadelphia, South Jersey and Northeast Pennsylvania regions that was started to sanction races at a time none of the three had the resources to do it alone.

[gran racing]

Andy, my comment was only that Flatout would have some extra incentive to attend both and most people wouldn't have the commitment to attend both races.

[dominojd]

We need to do what is best for NeDiv and the NARRC at the same time, remembering or course that Tri-Region is NOT part of the NARRC series.

Then why are they hosting a NARRC race? I'm with Jeff and others on this one for sure. LRP has screwed us so f-ing bad over the past few years, if it was up to me I would tell to stick all thier dates in their ass. Just me though.

Let's see run double at Pocono and single at LRP same price. No brainer.

[gran racing]

Well, I don't know about that Joe. I'd take a single at LRP over anything at Pocono.

[Greg Amy]

Well, I don't know about that Joe. I'd take a single at LRP over anything at Pocono.

Well, I don't know about that Dave; I'd take a single at Pocono over anything at LRP...

If I'm racing that weekend, I'm going to Pocono. If NER chooses to schedule an event that weekend, well, it would be disappointing. Like Dave said, "don't f-over Tri-Regions". - GA

[JLawton]

Well, I don't know about that Joe. I'd take a single at LRP over anything at Pocono.

Dave,

You need to stop being a wuss about going to other tracks!! You need to be able to drive more track than just LRP and Mid O!!

[RSTPerformance]

I have been away for a while, but still trying to check in once a week or so... Hope everyone is doing well!!!

This is certainly an interesting thread...

I can say that our entire family certainly has choosen races depending on the series, especially when we are actually running a series. To me it is far more important to race a "series event" than just any old race. Example: I probably would never run an event at NHIS (NHMS) unless it was a NARRC event or an enduro. However I do have to admit that this year we would like to do a Glenn race and a NJMP race and neither would have anything to do with a series, but the actual event itself.

As for NER scheduling a race in conflict with Pocono is not impressive at all (Unless it is a National!)and I certainly hope it does not effect the Pocono event, but I don't see how it wouldn't unless it is a National, maybe it is?

If NARRC changes the schedule "for the good of the series" then that group isn't any better than the NER group and it would really make me think twice about that series. I was very disapointed in NARRC last year and I was impressed with the changes. I hope that the changes they made keep it going in the correct direction and the series stays with the Pocono event.

For what it is worth, I wont be at Pocono or LRP in July but if it was in the budget I would be a Pocono.

Raymond "30+ now, and still can't spell" Blethen

[Magical Trevor]

Looking at Lime Rock's published schedules (basically Pro and The Club), May 16-17 is open. NESCCA only has a National going on at Summit Saturday the 17th, and LRP probably only has car clubs those days; maybe dates could be swapped? This wouldn't have the potential for a double as July would, but a NARRC race would still be possible.
No idea about the school; maybe July 4 for the drivers that don't go to Pocono (if LRP would let us keep that after a move to May-what else are they gonna do with the unmuffled holiday?... unless they move their July 17 Test/Tune date there)...

[TimM ITB]

Gone for a day and an WHOLE BUNCH of new input on this subject. But the facts still remain the same:

- LRP threw a monster monkey wrench into the 2008 season's scheduling - the NARRC series most prominently affected-and yet we are trying to appease LRP by "choosing" a date that is in conflict within our own series (NARRC)
- NER is the host region affected and NER needs to find a way to cope with the situation, taking the hit one way or the other, not Tri-Region

If it means that only one event can have the NARRC sanction, then give it to Tri-Region!! I know that this messes up the bonus points situation, but it will only be for THIS year. Potentially ruining your "brother" region's chances of success for a Regional weekend, and the hard feelings that will bring about..........THAT will last a long time.

I am confused as to the obsession with getting another date at LRP? Why do we have to do this? Is there a gun pointed at our heads for 2009 or beyond if we don't take a date in July for 2008? If this is accurate, couldn't we have a driver's school over 2 days and get people signed off quickly?? Hasn't this been done before? Would that not be a better use of the date in July that we "must" take? Maybe even draw a bunch more people to a school that, assuming they pass both days, means that they can go racing after just one weekend of school? I gotta believe that would be attractive to many people considering a school. And I absolutely believe that we need to find some creative alternative to this problem, rather than having 2 regional races in the same part of the world on the same weekend.

Tim M

[indy33]

The July 5 & 6 Tri-Region event at Pocono (Double NARRC, Double NJRRS, and Pro-IT) is a big event in Tri-Region’s plan to return to putting on SCCA Regionals at Pocono. We have a long history of hosting Regional races there and only switched to PDXs three years ago to avoid conflicting with Regional races at other SCCA tracks in NEDiv scheduled for the same weekend Pocono made available to us. All of our PDXs lost significant money despite a major effort promoting and advertising these events and assistance from PDA.

Tri-Region is committed to a strong SCCA racing program at Pocono and is currently operating with a very good relationship with Pocono management. We hope to host at least one SCCA Regional weekend as well as a National weekend there for the foreseeable future and are very eager to be regular participants in the NARRC and new NJRRS series.

The loss of our NARRC/NJRRS event July 5 & 6 would be a critical blow to our plans. We have already written a check to Pocono committing to our 2008 events and are well along in planning the Double Regional.

I hope our fellow racing regions in NEDiv will think about the future when considering your Regional racing plans for this year. We have an approved SCCA road course at Pocono that is not going to be turned into a private club and expect to be racing there for many years to come.

Thanks,
George Bloeser
Tri-Region Chairman

[alfa]

LRP = Let's Raise Prices.