MiDiv Schedule

[Turkflyer]

What happened to Memphis on the '09 schedule. Only one race, and it doesn't have IT?

[Speed Raycer]

And you've seen the schedule where??????

[IPRESS]

Scott that is what the tentative schedule looked like.

[Turkflyer]

I'll see if I can attach the tentative schedule I saw.

[SLUF]

Is this the one you saw over in the other thread? Nothing official has been published that I can find. I think this was Matt taking notes in a meeting somewhere.

3-14/15 MEM N/N
3-28/29 STL R/IT/N
4-4/5 Hallett R/IT/N
4- 18/19 MAM ssR
5- 2/3 ??? N/N forgot to write down where
5- 30/31 MAM R/IT/N
7- 4/5 HAL ???
7- 18/19 MEM R/R
8-1/2 STL ??

[Turkflyer]

Here is what I saw:
2009 Midwest Division Schedule - Tentative Draft 11-17-08JAN3/410/1117/1824/2531/1F7/814/1521/2228/1ENational Convention100 Acre Wood-StLB2/19-21/09(Fri/Sat, 2/27-28)Las Vegas(non-SCCA Event)M7/814/15NN21/2228/29R-INAMiDiv ConventionMMP/MS (no IT) provisionalGIR/STLRKansas City (3/6-7-8)14CFR/DMVR (3/14)Daylight Svgs Time Begins 3/8A4/5R-IN11/1218/19SSR25/26HCPHMRC/AVRG MAM/ MVRG-KVRG-AVRGDrumright, OK/NEOk (4/25)R8X4/17-18-1925XGIR/StL-Hyperdrive (Wed)GIR/StL (full day)Easter - 12th M2/3NN9/1016/1723/2430/31R-INAHPT/KVRGMAM/MVRGY(no IT)13XGIR/StL (Wed)Mother's Day - 10thMemorial Day - 25th J6/713/1420/21X27/28U20-21 Location TBD/MSN10XGIR/StL (Wed)June Sprints (19-21)Father's Day - 21stJ4/5R-IN11/1218/19RR25/26UHMRC/AVRGMPH/Neb (T)L8XGIR/StL (Wed)A1/2R-IN8/915/16R-IN22/2329/30UGIR/STLMAM/MVRGG22XGIR/StL (full day)S5/6R*r12/1319/2026/27EHPT/KVRGTest Days - RA (14-21)National Runoffs - RA (22-27)P5/6ProSolo Finale - Lincoln8-11Solo Nationals - LincolnLabor Day - 7thO3/410/1117/1824/25RR31/1CGIR/STLTDaylight Svgs Time Ends 11/1N7/814/1521/2228/29OARRC (6-8)VRoad Atlanta / Atlanta RegionThanksgiving - 26thDEC5/612/1319/2026/27Events:S = Drivers SchoolN = NationalX = Performance Driving Experience (PDX)R = Regional (MidAm)I = IT TourHC = Hill ClimbR* = Bonus Regional (MidAm)E = EnduroCT = Club Trialsr = Regional (non-points)ProV = ProVeeTT = Track Trials(T) = tentativeMRRS = MIDIV Road Rally SeriesTracks:GIR - Gateway International Raceway - St Louis, MOMAM - Mid-America Motorplex - Glenwood, IAHPT - Heartland Park Topeka - Topeka, KSMMP - Memphis Motor Sports Park - Memphis, TNHMRC - Hallett Motor Racing Circuit - Hallett, OKMPH - Motorsports Park Hastings - Hastings, NENSS - Nashville Super Speedway - Nashville, TNTotal Events: S-2; R-12 (1-R*); r-1; E-0; N-10 (2-NN); I-6; X-7; HC-1; CT-0; TT-0 = 12 Weekends + 1 HC-only + 3 X-only + 4 X-Wed11/17/08 mjs (draft)

[Turkflyer]

Boy, that didn't work well. Not sure how to post an Excel spreadsheet here. Anyway, the July race you show for MEM isn't on this one. July races are Hallett on the 4th, then MPH in Nebraska 18/19th.

[FireballPhil]

Everyone,

At the time that we had schedule discussions, I had a difficult time getting the MMP schedule and what they did have conficted with other race dates on the Midiv schedule. So we tentatively set a NN date for March. I finally got a meeting with the MMP management on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It looks like we are going to have a RR/PDX/Enduro on Memorial weekend May 23/24 and probably another RR on August 22/23(?) with probably a PDX. I have to run that through my BoD to get approved but that is what looks like for Memphis in 2009. I know that the August date will be hot but I am trying to put on more races for the regional guys and also build up a worker base. We really need help in recruiting workers for 2009.

ps. we never had a July date on the schedule so I don't know where that came from.

[tnord]

Everyone,

At the time that we had schedule discussions, I had a difficult time getting the MMP schedule and what they did have conficted with other race dates on the Midiv schedule. So we tentatively set a NN date for March. I finally got a meeting with the MMP management on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It looks like we are going to have a RR/PDX/Enduro on Memorial weekend May 23/24 and probably another RR on August 22/23(?) with probably a PDX. I have to run that through my BoD to get approved but that is what looks like for Memphis in 2009. I know that the August date will be hot but I am trying to put on more races for the regional guys and also build up a worker base. We really need help in recruiting workers for 2009.

ps. we never had a July date on the schedule so I don't know where that came from.

Phil -

Why did you decide to go with two dates rather than one? I am very strongly in favor of the entire division reducing its schedule in order to create stronger participation at the events that are held. We have had too many dates too close together in this division for the last few years, and everyone has paid the price for it with money-losing events.

The mentality of all schedule makers needs to transition from "land grab" to cooperation, because the event date(s) chosen by the region(s) hosting the event affect EVERYONE in the whole division. The best way to help out the regional program is NOT to schedule more regional races, but to make each regional race better attended. A glorified lapping day with 2 or 3 cars per class hurts more than it helps.

[FireballPhil]

Travis,

I assume that you are referring to the 2 RR events that I listed above. If you reread my message above, you will notice that I still have to get approval from my BoD. I have not listed the above events with our Midiv Scheduler yet but will after my BoD meeting next Wednesday.

How can I build up a good worker base on 1 or 2 weekends a year? About 90% of the workers at our events come from other regions. We have only 1 chief locally. In the 3 years that I was RE, we had only 1 event when we had more than enough workers. I don't know if you have ever organized an event before but recruiting enough volunteers is difficult.

[tnord]

i have no idea how you build up a good worker base, but i do know that scheduling too many events too close together burns out the enthusiasm/budget of the workers we do have.

[Turkflyer]

Thanks Phil. Let us know the outcome. We appreciate your good work.

[IPRESS]

So Phil, the NN is a go in March?

[SLUF]

Wondering the same thing too Phil! I would love three race weekends in Memphis. World class BBQ and I have a place to stay!

[FireballPhil]

SLUFF & IPRESS,

Thanks so much for your vote of confidence. It really means alot. The NN on March 14/15 is a definite go. MMP gave me 3 more dates to look at in 2009. All of these dates coincide with an open date in the Midiv schedule. I "want" to use 2 out of 3 of these dates. They will be a RR and probably both a PDX on one day and an enduro the other day. Those dates are Memorial weekend May 23/24; August 22/23; October 31/November 1.

I will find out about those dates Wednesday night but more than likely they will be the May and August dates. The October date is 1 week after the RR in STL. I had some less than positive feedback from STL so I am not going to consider the October date. The STL region is very good to the Mid-South region and I am not going to screw up that relationship. I am trying to build a worker base for the Mid-South region is the reason for the 2 extra races.

SLUF/IPRESS, do you have any opinions or suggesitons? They would be appreciated.

[tnord]

Phil -

Is Memphis region prepared to lose between $5,000-$10,000 in the name of trying to building a worker base?

I know there's probably not many people from NE who would travel to Memphis for a race and vice versa, but there probably are people in MO who would go to either place. However, I can practically garauntee there will be ZERO people willing to travel to Omaha one weekend, and Memphis the next.

From my perspective, adding these two races is going to thin the field both at MAM and Memphis, and create a big heaping loss on the Memphis Region cash flow statement for the month. I have thought about your question of how to attract workers, and my answer is that we have to have a STRONG racing program that puts on a good show in order to make it fun and worthwhile for workers to volunteer their time and money. I have worked corners in the past, and the "races" with only a handful of cars which is hardly anything more than a lapping parade is not fun. But back when SM had 25+ car fields, that was a lot of fun to be on the corners, and if every race was like that, i'd be a lot more willing to do it again.

There are only a certain number of people racing in this part of the country, and especially these days there is only a certain amount of money to be had by the regions. If we keep adding events, we're only slicing the pie into smaller pieces, and that's not good for anyone.

I think adding more events to MiDiv's schedule is the worst thing we can possibly do for the health of both the racing and worker programs.

[PSherm]

Phil -

I think adding more events to MiDiv's schedule is the worst thing we can possibly do for the health of both the racing and worker programs.

+1! Cancelling the S/R at Hallett cost the AVRG. With low car turnouts this year, I think we got lucky with the July race weekend, so we may have broken even on the year. As a driver, cancelling both Hallett and the RR at MPH, cost me plenty for season points. I have heard plenty of complaints over the last couple years from worker chiefs that the back-to-back weekends, as well as just the shear number of events, have taken their toll. Something's gonna give eventually, especially since we can't seem to recruit enuff new blood.....

[CCARVER]

Phil,
John and I will make one of the events you get approved and we will bring all the F&C guys we can fit in the trucks when we head up.
Thanks for all the hard work.
Carver

[FireballPhil]

Thanks Carver for supporting us. You have in the past. And you were also here in 2008 in March when we had the SSR and lost $9400. Thank you. Driver schools are a requirement for a track per the GCR.

[tnord]

Driver schools are a requirement for a track per the GCR.

Curious what this statement means. Not every track has an SCCA school every year, nor should they have to.