Economy?

[dtanthon]

How will this current economic condition affect your 2009 SCCA racing season?
How will this affect the volunteer SCCA workers?

The regions are planning the 2009 season and their events. The 2008 season had many good events and several bad events for the regions hosting. Should there be less events in 2009?

Check www.NARRC.com for the 2009 NARRC schedule.
The NeSCCA site should have the full northeast schedule soon.
Expect Bob to post the Pro-IT schedule as well.

Thanks,
Darrell
NNJR-RE
#27 ITS
'victim of economy as if 1/1/09'

[shwah]

I rode home from Atlanta planning to go to IT Fest and ARRC next year.

Looking at the current conditions, I may spend the season helping a friend develop an FP car and working events instead. 09 will be a rough ride.

[gran racing]

Should there be less events in 2009?

There should have been a few less in 2008 and because there weren't, several regions thoughout the country were hurt. It seems to have impacted the smaller regions moreso, but absolutely has an impact on all. I also recognize that regions don't want to give up their dates. Hopefully regions will be able to work together a bit more on their scheduling and combining efforts.

[JohnRW]

Looking at both the NEDiv National and Regional schedules for 2009, it seems that the "racing" Regions in the Division are trying to commit financial suicide. Has no one on the NEDiv Council been reading the papers for the last few months ?

But that's just my opinion.

[Greg Amy]

But that's just my opinion.

...which I share. I often wonder what kind of vacuum these decisions are made...

Darrell: yes, of course, I'll be cutting back. It's the prudent thing to do. And, yes, "we" should cut back the schedule quite a bit, for the same reason.

(Non-sequitor: John, did you notice the black Acura Integra that passed and waved at you guys Sunday AM on the way back from VIR? 'Twas me in the new donor-car/shell. Oh, and did you notice the same black Acura Integra pulled over on Highway 6 north of Livingston...? Ditto... )

[lateapex911]

Yea, I'm thinking hard about next year. Of course, leaving money in my stock fund is a worse way to lose it than racing it away....

[JohnRW]

(Non-sequitor: John, did you notice the black Acura Integra that passed and waved at you guys Sunday AM on the way back from VIR? 'Twas me in the new donor-car/shell. Oh, and did you notice the same black Acura Integra pulled over on Highway 6 north of Livingston...?

You probably just got a confused look.

I wasn't towing...I was flogging my Volvo home. You were waving at the other John, in his white van. Highway 6, north of Livingston ? Huh ? That would not have been on either of our routes. Were you broken down ?

We continue to experiment with our "Enduro-Lite" concept...to see just how little we can bring to the track for a long enduro. We went from "fully loaded enclosed with spare motor/suspension/anything imaginable" of 10 years ago, to "Dually pulling open trailer, with chase-Cargo van loaded with parts" the past two years, to this year's iteration: "Cargo-van loaded with minimum stuff, pulling open trailer". Left the overhead fuel rig at home. Rudy from Kumho drove with us, so we saved room on tires (Miatas are easy on tires, anyway). And we still won ITA. Maybe next year we'll put plates on the car and drive it down. Sure did cut down on the diesel fuel bill this year.

[wcmcarlos]

I am retired, and the economy has made big changes for us.

I sold the race car on e-bay, also the trailer, the Honda ATV, and our boat.

Stopped taking draw from investments.

Gas here is down to $1.90, so we can take the motorhome to Sebring to work events at a cost of $50.,, after worker perks are figured in.
Still can't work Daytona though, no camping on site, and longer haul.

My thinking is that I can rent an average ITB car for far less than owning one, just to keep the license active.

Central Florida Region is blessed with low entry fees, but with smaller fields, that can change.

I found myself in total agreement with the editorials in this month's
GRASSROOTS MOTORSPORTS magazine, that racing, even in a poor economy, can still be a quality experience.

See you on the grid,
Carlos

[Greg Amy]

Were you broken down ?

Having a one-on-one conversation about specific rates of travel with one of VA's finest.

We continue to experiment with our "Enduro-Lite" concept...

I hear you. We're talking about keeping the enclosed trailer but sleeping in it, and anything we don't actually "touch" for a weekend gets left home next time...

[John Nesbitt]

Looking at both the NEDiv National and Regional schedules for 2009, it seems that the "racing" Regions in the Division are trying to commit financial suicide. Has no one on the NEDiv Council been reading the papers for the last few months ?

But that's just my opinion.

The tentative NEDiv schedule for 2009 shows 2 fewer regionals (I think) than 2008, or about a 7% reduction. What's the over/under on the likely decline in entries next year?

I suspect that a lot of folks recognize that there are too many events for the likely turnout, but everybody wants the 'other region' to cancel their event. And, to be fair, a track date, once lost, is hard to regain.

Here is an anecdotal data point for you: I raced and/or stewarded 25 events this year in GLDiv, NEDiv, and SEDiv. Of those 25 events, only 6 or 7 had an entry equal to or greater than the corresponding event in 2007.

And 2009 shows every prospect of being tougher still.

[JohnRW]

IIRIC (if I read it correctly), NEDiv's 2009 sked is only 1 less than 2008 (don't count the Pumpkin...on the sked but cancelled). I'm one of the voices on my Region's BOD advocating dropping one of our dates. But...you are correct...no individual Region has any incentive to "not race", so in NEDiv we'll just continue to "eat each other's young". I"ve yapped about this in previous years...we're racing too much in NEDiv. Worker-staff burnout. Declining fields. Increasing numbers of Regions taking a financial hit on race weekends. Oh joy.

Individually, while it's nice to look at the schedule and think "Cool...I could race every weekend in this division, from late April thru October", is that really a good thing for our organization(s) ?

I have another rant about the National schedule. It's a doozie...get earplugs.....

[Jeremy Billiel]

I have been on record, like a broken record, for years saying that all of New England needs to contract and reduce the amount of events it hosts. Yes I am very aware of the politics, and yes I know the inside information. I still think we need to shrink and there should under no circumstances have multiple events competiting on the same weekend.

Just my strong opinion.

[Robert Zecca]

I attended the mini con a few weeks ago and was surprised that two of the major regions in the NE still want to hold 6 regionals each for 2009. This can be suicide for each of the regions and unfair to the workers. Some regions will just have one and a few four. It is my opinion that we have less events, make these events more quality and sacrifice for 09 in hopes that we make it to 2010. The regions must work together.

WRITE TO YOUR REGIONS OR CALL and voice your thoughts and opinions. Most of us get it.

Sincerely,
Bob Zecca

[dickita15]

Bob
You say that like all regions are the same. Those two regions serve over 5000 members. of course they will have more races than a region of 400.

[Doc Bro]

The thing that makes this even more rediculous is that we want ALL the events we have but we still only count 8 out of 12 for the NARRC championship. Hmmm, we need the revenues, we won't cut races, and you as a driver only need to go to 66% of them. Seems to me like revenues will be down about 33%.

Let's put the politics aside and try to run this like a business. The goals of a business are to attract and retain customers and to be profitable. I think we should do what's necessary to defray costs. If we drop events so be it. To make decisions based on fear [that we'll lose the evnt] is poor decision making and myopic. Let's worry about staying solvent first, we can worry about getting the date back in the future.

BTW, when I was a drivers rep last year (whole nuther story there!!) I advocated the same thing, and the moneyfund isue and, and, and....

While I think this exercise is worthwile I doubt anything will change......

R

[BlueStreak]

My business (mechanical design service) just wrapped up its worst three quarters since its inception 10 years ago.

I just sold the road race car and the trailer

Still have a TimeTrials car that can be driven to events.

Looking to rent to keep the license hot...

[tdw6974]

I suspect we will do less events than 2008. (We are only 45 miles from Watkins Glen) went to NJ twice for Pro-IT(6.5 hrs 278.00 for fuel), Twice to Pocono (2 hrs down more on way back because of bridge construction on 81 Dave Z will attest to that), Cut out the June Race at nelson, Ran all we could at WGI. at This point not certain about 2009. The property & casualty end of Business is Holding up ok. Financial End well it sucks and since it is becoming more and more complicated to maintain compliance wise and cost wise may see that go away for 2009. I know that our region tried to make some changes in schedule( Big one was to move Drivers school from October to July date) in hopes that it might attract more entrants with first school in April then move Glen region school to July might have a better chance to make it convenient for new drivers and allow for more time to be able to participant in rest of summer and still Have the WDCR have final school as they do now. Unable to get the schedule changed since we need Thursday evening and Friday to stage school. Personally I would like to see the July Sprints become a double with a Pro-it included for good measure. I know NNJR had conflict with NH lets face it if its closer that's where most will go. Looking to save when and where we can

[Speed Raycer]

My brother and I are actually hoping to do more events this year. '08 was a bad year for us. We probably won't be doing more wheel to wheel races, but more HPDE/PDX or Test n Tune days. We're developing/learning the car so we need to have the most bang for the buck. A Club Racing weekend aint where the seat time/bang per buck is.

The Midwest Division lost 2 or 3 points races in '08. Hopefully they'll figure out that the division (workers or drivers) can't handle a race every weekend. St. Louis co-hosted the drivers school with Memphis and only held 3 races, the 3rd of which was pretty sparse. I hope they'll seriously look into pulling their PDX program to run on the same days as the Club Races. Might be a way of filling the paddock. Their PDX program actually did pretty well this year with just about every event (even Wed. Night 4 hour sessions) being sold out.

[tnord]

The Midwest Division lost 2 or 3 points races in '08. Hopefully they'll figure out that the division (workers or drivers) can't handle a race every weekend. St. Louis co-hosted the drivers school with Memphis and only held 3 races, the 3rd of which was pretty sparse. I hope they'll seriously look into pulling their PDX program to run on the same days as the Club Races. Might be a way of filling the paddock. Their PDX program actually did pretty well this year with just about every event (even Wed. Night 4 hour sessions) being sold out.

it was two races. Hallett and Hastings. the double school is now put on by about six regions this year (at MAM). since it's always a money loser, this way a bigger chunk of the region can share the cost, as the schools really do benefit everyone in the Division.

i've seen the preliminary schedule, and it looks as if we finally are starting to figure it out. there's a few less weekends this year....so hopefully it'll be easier on the workers, and the paddocks will be fuller this year.


....and oh yeah.....i plan on doing more this year rather than less. of course last year i did zero. and i've been lucky so far, surviving three rounds of layoffs at work so far.

[RacerBill]

I did three events last year and plan to do four in 2009 (GLD is adding a new track - Bluegrass Raceway in Kentucky). Also, three of the events have PDX's, so we'll get three hours more track time without adding more towing. (paid $1.67 for fuel this morning, and getting more Giant Eagle discounts by buying Home Depot gift cards to buy the material needed to finish the basement!)