Last Chance Enduro?drivers School?regional

[tdw6974]

The Glen Region's Competition Board is seeking input regarding possible changes to the October Last Chance Enduro. For a number of years now the Region has held a 3HOUR Enduro on the Saturday of the Last Chance Weekend. The other two events are a Driver School on Thursday Night-11am Saturday, (then the Enduro on Saturday) and a one day Regional on Sunday.
Increases in cost of operating the weekend are causing the Glen Region's Comp Board to look at changes for that weekend.

My question to you is: If you run the Enduro, what would you like see change to the event? Expand the Enduro's time? If so, how long? Drop the Enduro completely? If so, why?

Would you rather see a two day Regional instead of the Enduro? Or something else?

The Glen Region feels strongly in seeking out you input on this matter. Please reply to me (open or private) and let me know what you are thinking...

Thanks, --Ed...

In The Spirit Of The Sport,
I am posting this for Ed. The Days are locked in If we give up a Day we would not get it back. T Weaver

[kevin22]

2 day regional and enduro
or
school & 2 day regional

I think it is not worth the drive for some for a 1 day regional, and I also think guys getting right out of the school should not have their First race be an Enduro.

[dickita15]

I am not an enduro guy, and if your enduro is well supported fine, but I might consider the trip for a double regional.

[DaveITB1]

As an Enduro guy, I am always looking for more seat time and more venues to be added to the race season. As for the Last Chance race? 4hrs? 5hrs? 6hrs? Even if the cost were increased (and it sounds like it will be from Ed's message - thanks Tom for posting it), I have been preaching that it is still the best bang for your buck when it comes to the level of racing that we do. I get more seat time just in the few enduros, than I would if I did all of the regional sprint races in the northeast only (and I do participate in both during the year).

The other angle to look at is the involvement that goes beyond the driver and maybe a friend or two that come for the sprint races. Enduros get more people involved in the event, and more involvement rolls over into greater membership numbers, and utlimately the better chance for survival of our club down the road.

Strategy comes into play with enduros more so that the sprint races. When do I stop for gas? How much gas do I take on at this stop? Driver change? How quickly can we do that and not go past the 5min mark? Do we have the right spares and tools in our pit box? Everyone I talk to about the enduros say they love it and want to do more. Comradery in the paddock and on the pit wall is enhanced during the enduro races. Stories told before, during, and after enduros last alot longer that those of the sprint races. Not to mention, you can also actually fill up a video tape with one race !!!!

But I also find that the drivers that prefer the sprint races outnumber the enduro drivers (and there are more classes of cars in the sprint races too - so that swells their numbers too.

It seems in years past that we have had no problem filling the field for the enduro. I hope this isn't the beginning of the end of the Enduro Series. Enduros are successfully run in every other part of the country. I think we can grow that interest up here too.

Of course the enduro series probably would not have come around if it weren't for the sprint races that we do all season, and I know there is a STRONG following for those. There were many opinions tossed about regarding the length of the Petit LeMans race at NHIS, what day to have it, what length it should be, how many would not come to NHIS if it were only a 1 day regional that weekend. All in all, the enduro happened (of course, shorter that I wanted) with a full field, regional races happened with capacity race groups (correct me if I'm wrong), and both sides of the fence went home happy. Since I got into racing in 2000, I've had a tough time calculating why we have 20 minute practices for 30minute races? Give us 10 minute practices and 40 minute races!! If I'm going to trailer my car 4hrs to a track, I'd like to get more than 1/2 hr of competition time.

Thanks for the inquiry about the Last Chance weekend. Like I said above, I hope this isn't the beginning of the end of enduros in the Northeast.

Regards,

Dave Austin (& Bob Smart)
Team Jagermeister
ITB #1

[Andy Bettencourt]

As s print guy with a sprint car, anything over 4 hours is not a consideration for me. A double regional with the two track configs is more appealing.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Of course the enduro series probably would not have come around if it weren't for the sprint races that we do all season, and I know there is a STRONG following for those. There were many opinions tossed about regarding the length of the Petit LeMans race at NHIS, what day to have it, what length it should be, how many would not come to NHIS if it were only a 1 day regional that weekend. All in all, the enduro happened (of course, shorter that I wanted) with a full field, regional races happened with capacity race groups (correct me if I'm wrong), and both sides of the fence went home happy.

The enduro was about 3/4 full (29 cars) and the regional was pretty well attended (because it was a NARRC single). Anything longer than 3-4 hours at NHIS is tough to take. WGI - different story.

[JimLill]

Make the enduro the last event of the weekend. I'd hate to break in a Saturday enduro and miss a Sunday sprint. Is it possible to make finishing the first 1/2 hour of an enduro count as finishing a sprint?

[DaveITB1]

The enduro was about 3/4 full (29 cars) and the regional was pretty well attended (because it was a NARRC single). Anything longer than 3-4 hours at NHIS is tough to take. WGI - different story.

is it safe to assume that 29 cars can also been views as @58-65 drivers? We can't just look at the car numbers alone when calculating enduro racers.

[stevel]

2 day regional and enduro
and I also think guys getting right out of the school should not have their First race be an Enduro.

At that track, I think it's way better than throwing them to the wolves in a sprint race. In my experience, an enduro is a lot less "intense" than a sprint race. More people do them for fun as opposed to a sprint race. The track is so big and the field varies with so many classes that the cars get pretty spread out pretty quickly. While maybe not the best to perfect your racing "craft", I believe it's a great way to get track time for a new driver. Sprint races can be a little overwhelming for your first race, moreso than an enduro I think. Granted you have a lot of different classes which makes for large speed differences, but if you're the average guy coming out of your first school, you're going to be several seconds off the pace in your own class anyways so in either case you have to watch your mirrors for faster cars. I did that Enduro as my second ever race and thought it was perfect for getting your feet wet as a first race.

I know there's financial hardships, but schools are becoming more and more scarce so I think it's a bad idea to cancel the school.

As for making the enduro on Sunday, I think that will really put a nail in the coffin of the enduro. I think a lot of people do it because they're there for the sprint race on Sunday and figure it's a great way to learn the track and they're there already. If you put the sprint on Sat. and the enduro on Sunday, I think attendance is going to take a hit to the point it will eventually die.

I say you make the enduro 4 hours, maybe even 5.. At 3 hours it really is two 1.5 hour sprint races for each driver. And at that track, 1.5 hours does NOT seem that long. I remember thinking, wow, it's over already. While at NHIS, after that long I was just waiting for the car to run out of gas so I could pit. Making it 4+ hours does make for more strategy, and while car counts MAY not go up, it will most likely increase driver counts because you could have a 3 driver team now if you wanted. It would be a shame to lose that enduro, or moving it to Sunday and pretty much killing it. It's a great event and great way to learn that track.

That enduro event is such a fun event. I had a blast at that event and would love to do it again.

just my .02, coming from a driver who not that long ago got his comp license and has done more enduros than sprint races. neither of which is that many, but just saying.

s