GL Div - CenDiv split, why? Why not fix it now?

[shwah]

I was not very active in the division prior to the split, so I don't have a whole lot of past perspective to work from. However, my current view is that the split of our division has had negative impact on all racing regions.

We have fewer regional races than I can find record of in CenDiv this year - 8 races over 5 weekends at 2 tracks (we have two other tracks available but have not run Autobahn since 2006, and may not run Milwaukee Mile again). My impression is that nationals in GLDiv are very weak, and that regionals are not where they used to be either (except for that aweseme event that is IT Festival at Mid-O). CenDiv will probably do fine with nationals, with the Sprints and now that the Runoffs are coming, but regardless we struggle with volunteer staffing for events - will the racing regions usually pooling resources, not just for the Sprints, but for all events.

So my questions are:
What was the goal for the split?
How do we measure the result?
Did it acheive that goal?
If not, why would we not take steps as soon as possible to correct the mistake and bring the divisions back into a single entity?

It is not a horrible thing to try something and be wrong, but it is irrsesponsible to the club to be wrong and refuse to admit/correct the mistake.

Am I way off base on this? Is everything in fact hunky dory in the CD / GLD regions? If so please correct me and explain what I am missing.

[ddewhurst]

So my questions are:

What was the goal for the split?

My 2 cents as I'v been told the info. Area 4 wanted it's National dates & more National dates PERIOD. They got their dates & they also got no more car counts from area 5 as they had from area 5 before they received their wanted split.

How do we measure the result?

Quite simple at the National level, the split diluted racing in what was known as area 4 of the old CenDiv. Area 5 car count for Nationals continues to be quite the same as when area 4 was part of the CenDiv. The car count for the Runoffs is greater but IMHJ also diluted because twice as many cars get invited from what was one Divison is now two Divisions. My guess would be that no one in area 4 before the split payed any attention to the number of cars that came through/around Chicago to area 4 races.

No comment on Regional races other than I would suspect the economy is playing a very large part with the car counts along with $4.00 plus for gas & $5.00 plus for diesel.

[R2 Racing]

Personally, I've liked it since the split. Before it, you would lose the CenDiv Championship to someone you never even raced against all year. That gets old, real quick. So yea, because of that, some of us GLDiv members would venture up that way to compete. But that tow's a real pain in the ass strickly because of Chicago. Now, no need. I still go up to Road America once every couple of years because it's such an awesome track, but it really is too much of a pain to do every year. But now, if I was a national racer, you bet your ass I'd probably be making that trip at least twice a year, so I think you'll see a huge boost in numbers at both the regionals and the nationals up there because of that. After the Runoffs left Mid Ohio, we saw a pretty huge crash in numbers at both, but we're coming back with events like the IT Fest and creative weekends featuring restricted regionals at nationals, chase races, and enduro's. It's a competition for these regions to bring in the racers. If you get creative and increase their incentive to come, they'll come. It's not rocket science.

But back to the point, it was my understanding that Area 4 (CenDiv) wanted to split from Area 5 (GLDiv) more so than the other way around. Now, they seem to be the one's hurting (if they really even are) from it. Well......that sucks. Down here, I can't say I've noticed any adverse affect of it. If anything, it's created a more tightly nit group (at least in the IT community) of the MI, OH, & IN racers as we take on eachother in the GLDiv Championship and take on other drivers from the NEDiv & SEDiv at events like the ARRC and the IT Fest. I like having a more concentrated area to say I'm from. When I say I'm from the GLDiv, I know all of the racers who are behind that statement, and I know the talent within it very well and am proud to say I race there. With how huge the old CenDiv was, you couldn't feel that way.

[planet6racing]

But back to the point, it was my understanding that Area 4 (CenDiv) wanted to split from Area 5 (GLDiv) more so than the other way around. Now, they seem to be the one's hurting (if they really even are) from it.

Kevin:

You have that backward. Area 4 is GLDIV and Area 5 is CENDIV. I don't know anything more about who wanted to split from who...

[Racerlinn]

Indy Region consistently had seen 25% of it's entries (National and Regional) come from Area 5 Cen Div.
We are no longer seeing those numbers.

Indy Region voted AGAINST the split.

[R2 Racing]

Kevin:

You have that backward. Area 4 is GLDIV and Area 5 is CENDIV. I don't know anything more about who wanted to split from who...

Sorry, my fault. I can't say that I know who wanted the split to happen the most either. I just interpreted from the original post that it was the (what is now known as) CenDiv. Could be wrong.

[shwah]

I don't really know either. I did have one person tell me they thought Area 4 wanted it, in search of an additional national race.

I was hoping that others would be more tuned into the real story.

[shwah]

Personally, I've liked it since the split. Before it, you would lose the CenDiv Championship to someone you never even raced against all year. That gets old, real quick. So yea, because of that, some of us GLDiv members would venture up that way to compete. But that tow's a real pain in the ass strickly because of Chicago. Now, no need. I still go up to Road America once every couple of years because it's such an awesome track, but it really is too much of a pain to do every year.
....

I like having a more concentrated area to say I'm from. When I say I'm from the GLDiv, I know all of the racers who are behind that statement, and I know the talent within it very well and am proud to say I race there. With how huge the old CenDiv was, you couldn't feel that way.

Those are some great points Kevin. I feel like the IT racers in CenDiv have a pretty good handle on who all the other guys they race against are also. We also get a bit of a 'team' feeling when we talk about traveling to the IT Fest or ARRC (or at least the ITB guys do). That sounds like a positive change to me.

I just hope that the end result is not weaker regions and/or events in general. I'm not confident that this is the case, but from what feels like an 'outside view' that is what it looks like.

[TAC]

My two cents. Larger regions ( 1,000 members +) not being able to get along with each other. Now that the run-offs have moved to Road America ( within one of those Huge regions) I doubt you will ever see things combined again.