Length of May 30 ECR at Road Atlanta?

[Butch Kummer]

Need some input, guys...

We'll be running an ECR on Saturday afternoon as part of our May 30-31 weekend at Road Atlanta (National and Pro-IT races will be on Sunday). The ECR rules mandate the number of pit stops depending on the length of the race, so let me know which option you prefer:

A. Two-hour race with one 5-minute pit stop required for $325
B. Three-hour race with two 5-minute pit stops required for $375

This is not really a "vote", I just want to see which way the wind's blowing.

Thank you for your input...

[Cobrar05]

I would love to run this race. Saving $50 on entry fee and another $35 or so on fuel for a shorter race has a real impact these days. Pays for most of my fuel for the drive home.

I can wait for the ARRC for a 3 hour race. I will probably do it either way, but shorter and cheaper is easier for me.

[civicracer13]

Run the 3 Hour PLEASE! ARRC strategy! With a co-driver that is $25 each for ~30 min. more track time - YES! Better yet, with 2 pit stops, add a 3rd driver from the crew so they can have some fun and split costs in 3rds!

Make it worth our trip, towing is usually our biggest expense and it would be great to have some extra time on track.

Don't make RA more expensive than VIR by running the 2 hour!

Douglas-Racing +1 for ITB.
www.douglas-racing.com

[backformore]

1 more vote for shorter.

[jjoyce]

Make that +2 for Douglas Racing. Would love a 3 hour enduro, gives us more track time. Plus costs split three ways as well.

JJ

[RacerBowie]

If it is 3 hours, I'm there! The Pumpkin finally goes to the body shop today...

[mmasters]

3 hours sounds like a great idea.

Mark

[bigalfred]

I would prefer the Three hour. Works out well with our fuel capacity and with two drivers we each get a full 1 1/2 hours. The 07 AARC three hour was a blast. Now if you would only exercise the SEDIV power to let us run RA1's OR (is he really going to suggest this in public?) HOOSIERS then you would become my favorite pit lane speed monitor. Are you going to use a real radar gun this time or just your wife's hairdrier like you did at the 6 hour race?
Thanks.
Al McPeters #96

[trhoppe]

I won't run it, but I might run the Pro-IT, so I vote for whatever would get more entries there

[ITC69]

Butch:
I'll vote for a three hour enduro--more track time

John

[kmk228]

Go for the 3 hours.

Get your track time. Track time. Track time. Get your track time here.

[tthorp]

One more vote for three hour.

[Chris Wire]

I'd cast a vote for the 3 hours, as a potential 2nd driver. No way my car will be ready for that length race by then.

[its66]

I'd cast a vote for the 3 hours, as a potential 2nd driver. No way my car will be ready for that length race by then.

Chris,
Butch means Memorial Day this year....

[Flyinglizard]

Allow the SRF tires and we'll bring the car for three hours
MM

[Chris Wire]

Chris,
Butch means Memorial Day this year....

He could include Memorial Day next year, given the current rate of progress. But I might still consider a 2nd driver opportunity for that weekend. I'll have some vacation time that I'll need to be using up around then!

[Butch Kummer]

Just so you can make plans:

Given the split input from the drivers and after talking to our workers, we're going to go with a "Deuce and a Quarter" (2 hours, 15 minutes) format for our ECR race on May 30 (which is NOT Memorial weekend - Memorial Day is May 25 in 2009 and you guys should be a CMP that weekend). Cost will be $325, the same as last year's 90-minute race.

Under ECR rules this length requires at least two five-minute pit stops. Those that want to split the cost among three drivers can do so, those that want to play the strategy game on when to make the second stop (and install the ringer driver) can do so, and those that want to run the entire race solo can do so. We also may get some SRF guys to play with us since a 45 minute stint is right at the limit of what they can run per tank.

BTW - the 2009 ARRC by GRM will still have a three-hour Enduro (non-ECR).

As always, let me know if you have any questions or comments.

See y'all at the track...

[NutDriverRighty]

Thanks for the plug, Butch!! Since you mentioned it, I hope that this isn't considered thread-jacking. If you can't make it to Road Atlanta the last weekend in May, or if you're doing so well you want ANOTHER opportunity to play, come to CMP for the Central Carolinas Region's Memorial Monster. Wheel 2 wheel on Sat and Sun. On Monday, half the track used for time trial, the other half for an autocross. Might be a good way to pay back some of your crew for their support!!

Scott Franklin
ITA/7 #91
SPU #68
CCR BoD (at large.............and getting larger!)
SWCCCR Road Racing Liaison
F&C

[Tom Donnelly]

Butch,

I noticed from the supps for the May 30-31 weekend that group 7, Pro-IT, has no practice sessions. Its been awhile since I've run Pro-it, is this the case now or is it a scheduling problem or something?

Tom

[Butch Kummer]

Tom,

Over the past four years we have varied the number of pre-race sessions (either one or two) for the Pro-IT group depending on what else was running that weekend and how many Pro-IT races we'd scheduled. Looking at participation levels for each weekend, there is no obvious correlation between number of sessions and car count. In March, for example, Pro-IT had two 15-minute qualifying sessions before the race Saturday afternoon while in May there's a single 20-minute session prior to Sunday afternoon's race.

Mostly it's trying to fit things into the time available, but in this instance we also figured many if not most of the Pro-IT cars would also be running the ECR so the second session was not necessary.