Pocono Regional Races

[Greg Amy]

Hey, Howard Cosell-wannabe , wasn't me driving ITB in the regional race...but, had you been so kind as to notice that there were more than two classes in the Pro-IT race, *THEN* you woulda caught some nice 'Zook action...

Better get the Porsche tuned up good, bud; I think there's a Suzuki Swift with your name on the front bumper...

[JLawton]

OK - here's the Saturday race from turn three. Now I was drinking cold beverages at this point so I start goofing on the drivers a little more so apologies to anybody I've offended. I think I goof on Saturns and Suzukis the worst...

.

I can't watch this at work but I started crackin' up just reading this!!! I can only imagine what you were saying!!!!


But wait til you get "Saturn" tatooed on the rear bumper of that Porsch!!

[Jeremy Billiel]

Yup, Ben has got me driving the wounded warrior. Just pulled the engine apart and the block is cracked and pistons melted. Who knows when it will drive again if at all...

[PsychoRallye]

The Jo...is!

(I figured I'd cut out the middle part and all .

Chris is a great guy and I'm glad to have got him on board. I couldn't do all this without him either... so it's a good pairing -- we make a great team (that has no finances) but a whole bunch of potential...

Further, I second his thanks to all the folks that helped us along. I want to get to know all you guys better... and I always am willing to lend a helping hand!

Anyway, here's to a good season!

[Doc Bro]

Regarding people running the TEAMDI PROIT Series and not entering the regional may be a problem for the future. WE ARE ONLY SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT. Last year we had about 160 cars for the regional and this year 120. Last year we had 28 cars for ProIt and this year 35. One of the reasons why ProIT was born is to supplement money for the regions and give people a reason to run a second event. Now it seems people are only the ProIT series and no regionals. This will hurt the regions and I am sure we will see increased entry fees for ProIt in the future. The other thing we may see is that we only run with Nationals and not regionals and then we will see decreased events for 2009. I do not make the rules, the regions do but I forsee a problem down the road. I would hope you would do your best in the future to run both the regional and PROIT event or we may lose a good thing????

Thank you to those who are able to support both.



Sincerely,
Bob Zecca

Bob,

Part of the prblem as I see it is with the expansion of the Pro-IT series it begins to stand on its' own as a viable series and an alternative to the NARRC (or NERRC). I am all in favor of the series and have supported it and the regional races heavily, but for other guys the series growing to 8 races makes it a "real season". Throw in some sponsors and a little cash back and it really becomes attractive to some. I think the general decrease in participation seen in the regional racing counts may be a sign of the times. I think the decrease in counts on a weekend with Pro-IT may be a result of Pro-IT.

R

[Greg Amy]

Part of the prblem as I see it is with the expansion of the Pro-IT series it begins to stand on its' own as a viable series and an alternative to the NARRC (or NERRC).

The problem with that stance, Rob, is that (from my perspective) the Pro-IT series was never intended to be a standalone series, and it cannot survive as a standalone series.

Pro-IT was born a way to attract competitor entries at events where normal participation is low. Further, as I understand it the regions that are hosting the Pro-IT races are doing so with anticipation of increased entries in the other groups, and thus voluntarily surrender half of the entry fees from each Pro-IT entry to go back to the competitors (this is how the series can pay out). As you can easily see, no region can afford to keep subsidizing the Pro-IT entries unless they get additional revenue some other way; e.g., increased entries in other groups.

If competitors start to think of the Pro-IT "series" as a series-in-itself and enter these races in lieu of the regular co-existing Regional/National races, then the regions will surely discontinue support the Pro-IT series (I certainly would). This will cause the Pro-IT series to either be forced to raise their entry fees significantly (probably double, if you're still looking to get money back), or compete with the Regions for track time to host their own standalone events (can you imagine the costs of 30-35 guysd paying for the track?) or die off entirely.

The bottom line is that the Pro-IT series cannot stand on its own merits, it must be done in conjunction with other races, and these other races must be supported by the Pro-IT competitors for the regions to continue to support Pro-IT. If we competitors view the Pro-IT series as standalone series and thus do not participate in the hosting Regional/National race weekends, then Pro-IT will either get so expensive to enter that no one chooses to, or all this effort is lost when it dies off as surely as I write this.

There are no other choices here, folks.

Greg

[Doc Bro]

The problem with that stance, Rob, is that (from my perspective) the Pro-IT series was never intended to be a standalone series, and it cannot survive as a standalone series.

Pro-IT was born a way to attract competitor entries at events where normal participation is low. Further, as I understand it the regions that are hosting the Pro-IT races are doing so with anticipation of increased entries in the other groups, and thus voluntarily surrender half of the entry fees from each Pro-IT entry to go back to the competitors (this is how the series can pay out). As you can easily see, no region can afford to keep subsidizing the Pro-IT entries unless they get additional revenue some other way; e.g., increased entries in other groups.

If competitors start to think of the Pro-IT "series" as a series-in-itself and enter these races in lieu of the regular co-existing Regional/National races, then the regions will surely discontinue support the Pro-IT series (I certainly would). This will cause the Pro-IT series to either be forced to raise their entry fees significantly (probably double, if you're still looking to get money back), or compete with the Regions for track time to host their own standalone events (can you imagine the costs of 30-35 guysd paying for the track?) or die off entirely.

The bottom line is that the Pro-IT series cannot stand on its own merits, it must be done in conjunction with other races, and these other races must be supported by the Pro-IT competitors for the regions to continue to support Pro-IT. If we competitors view the Pro-IT series as standalone series and thus do not participate in the hosting Regional/National race weekends, then Pro-IT will either get so expensive to enter that no one chooses to, or all this effort is lost when it dies off as surely as I write this.

There are no other choices here, folks.

Greg

Agreed 100%...what I left out of my OP.

Part of the prblem as I see it is with the expansion of the Pro-IT series it begins to stand on its' own as a viable series and an alternative to the NARRC (or NERRC) [in competitors minds].

R

[Marcus Miller]

Yup, Ben has got me driving the wonded warrior. Just pulled the engine apart and the block is cracked and pistons melted. Who knows when it will drive again if at all...

JY Power FTW!

[benspeed]

Hey, Howard Cosell-wannabe , wasn't me driving ITB in the regional race...but, had you been so kind as to notice that there were more than two classes in the Pro-IT race, *THEN* you woulda caught some nice 'Zook action...

Better get the Porsche tuned up good, bud; I think there's a Suzuki Swift with your name on the front bumper...

I might have a bunch of dents pummeled into my car after that race commentary

I watched the video again and laughed for like 5 minutes when I saw the look on Eric's face at the end when I mentioned his "adult entertainment" company sponsored - he looked like he just smelled something bad. Sorta like hmmmmm....WTF????

Jeremy - that is a shame on the Suzuki crapping out that bad. I say drop an LS1 into it now and run ITE. :026:

[Magical Trevor]

I might have a bunch of dents pummeled into my car after that race commentary

I watched the video again and laughed for like 5 minutes when I saw the look on Eric's face at the end when I mentioned his "adult entertainment" company sponsored - he looked like he just smelled something bad. Sorta like hmmmmm....WTF????

Jeremy - that is a shame on the Suzuki crapping out that bad. I say drop an LS1 into it now and run ITE. :026:

I am surprised no "Geo Metro" references have yet been made... maybe an idea for your next production Ben?

[ulfelder]

Agreed 100%...what I left out of my OP.

... it begins to stand on its' own as a viable series and an alternative to the NARRC (or NERRC) [in competitors minds].

R

FWIW, this is precisely how I'm treating Pro-IT. To many (most?) racers, it may seem crazy to show up for Pro-IT and skip the Regional it's attached to, but some of us (OK - me) can't hop in and out of the car all day long, so Pro-IT it is.

Steve

[JLawton]

Here's the "spin and win" video from Sunday's race.....


http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5072947/13476376



One really entertaining part is when I finally catch Cefelo on the back straight and as I roll up on him you can see him signalling me to bump draft him. At that point I didn't need him and drove right around him........... But he paid me back with a little tap (I'm SURE it was an accident LOL) in the chicane that results in an interesting line coming out.............. And back up on the banking I give him the "#1 salute"..........

[benspeed]

Nice drive, JEFF! Good to finally see some in-car video of the event.

[Racerlinn]

Hell of a drive in that lunchbox Jeff. Can't imagine the look on Crazy Joe's face.....

[StephenB]

Jeff,

great video very entertaining, I love spins and salutes! I was curious on how you got spun? did the car break loose or did you get bumped from behind. I always try and learn from any video that I watch and was just curious.

Thanks, and congrats on the win!
Stephen Blethen

[Robert Zecca]

EVERBODY PLEASE READ WHAT GREG AMY SAYS ABOVE ABOUT PROIT SERIES. He hit it on the head. I hope you understand our original intentions and that we can not stand alone without the support of the regions. We will speak about this at our next drivers meeting.

Thanks
Bob Zecca

[JLawton]

Jeff,

great video very entertaining, I love spins and salutes! I was curious on how you got spun? did the car break loose or did you get bumped from behind. I always try and learn from any video that I watch and was just curious.

Thanks, and congrats on the win!
Stephen Blethen

John G in an ITS RX7 locked them up (you can hear it in the video. The screeching tires aren't mine) and bumped me. Totally unintentional and he came right up after to apologize.
You can see further in the video when I catch him he pulls WAAAAY to the side and points me by. I had to laugh at that!!

Mark and Joe raced me VERY hard all weekend long and it was very clean. They did a great job!!

Also, hats off to Kessler for giving me the killer set-up!!!

[lateapex911]

Also, hats off to Kessler for giving me the killer hp!!!

Fixored that to represent the troof!

[Jeremy Billiel]

Oh ya... Massive HP.

[lateapex911]

Remember ...I look at things from the little rotary engine perspective. No big deal compared the Crazy Joe, or Gregs old car, but to me, yea...bye bye.