Lime Rock events

[RacerBill]

For those looking for series points/races to keep their licenses, a double event with two sanctions would be ideal.

[anthony1k]

For most people I don't believe it makes sense to be at LRP for a second day for an extra 15-30 minute of track time. A few years back we ran a full test day on Friday and qual/race on Saturday. If you registered for both days you got lots of track time for reasonable money. If I remember correctly that events was very well subscribed. Of course that was then so I'm not sure how well this format would work now.

[ner88]

For most people I don't believe it makes sense to be at LRP for a second day for an extra 15-30 minute of track time. A few years back we ran a full test day on Friday and qual/race on Saturday. If you registered for both days you got lots of track time for reasonable money. If I remember correctly that events was very well subscribed. Of course that was then so I'm not sure how well this format would work now.

If your're talking about the June event 2 years ago, NNJ lost their shirt on that event

[anthony1k]

If your're talking about the June event 2 years ago, NNJ lost their shirt on that event

I hear that they are all money losers.
It is more of an exercise in damage control.

[StephenB]

I really like Jake's idea ... it actually gives you some strategy to work out! And if you crash out and or break BUT you had a good lap time you could be near the front still.


A few years back i think NER held an event called "Track Time is King" This had a regular qualifying/practice Friday am. Then a qualifying race Friday evening that set the grid for a Saturday AM race. The sat am race finishing positions set the grid for a Saturday afternoon sanctioned race. 1 sanction # to save the region money but advertised like it was a triple! It was a ton of fun with a lot of racing. Best weekend that I had at limerock in the last ten years as a driver.

I dislike and will probably not travel for the 1 day event. I would rather spend the 2 days and have the opportunity to hang out and relax with racing friends. That's just me and it doesn't matter if its 15 min. to NH or the 3 to LRP I still like the 2day race weekends. Heck if it was my choice I would stick around and race on Monday at LRP and enjoy a social day Sunday!

One other option that is pretty cool was the drivers school mixed with test day idea we did... that may work as well to generate some extra money for the region.

Those are my ideas,
Stephen

[dtanthon]

To add to Jerry's comment:
That was a test day Friday and Qual/Race on Saturday. NNJR do lose a lot on that one. The problem was it was the weekend after Memorial Day. Bad on the schedule.

Remember back in 2007 when MoHud did a double at LRP. 2 quals on Friday and 2 races on Saturday. A ton of track time because many freaked on the cost, the entry was very low.

The goal of any SCCA region is to have a little profit at any event, not just break even. Every once in awhile we can have a strong event but most are planned for that small profit. The regions have equipment and other costs that spread over the year that needs to be accounted.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Remember back in 2007 when MoHud did a double at LRP. 2 quals on Friday and 2 races on Saturday. A ton of track time because many freaked on the cost, the entry was very low.

Drivers will also tell you that it was 1 of 3 back-to-back-to-back doubles. Yes, you read that right.

Try that format again with a better schedule and I bet you have a winner.

[dtanthon]

yep, that was doubles at Pocono, Lime Rock, then NHMS. (We had the Pocono diff in the GT4 510 for LRP, I was shifting all over the place. A lot of fun. I miss that 510, but the RX/7 is even more fun.)

I think the MoHud race was $300 for a single and $400 for the double.
On the event where NNJR lost it was $290 for the one day regional and $250 for the test day (I think). But I think the real reason it feel was because it was after the double (or triple) at NHMS.

The 4 regions that run races at LRP have to work together. If we don't then NER needs to take them all. My 2 cents.

[gran racing]

Quality versus quantity. And yes Jerry, I absolutely know you are doing everything you can to ensure the quality aspect, ask then have listened to us (even when you sound grumpy here lol) and even better - employ suggetions made.

I do think there are still some things which have not been tapped into yet which could help with the quality aspect.

[67ITB]

I have no problem attending Friday events at Limerock.

But my situation is sort of unique, I live less than an hour away, and have more vacation days than most.

Matt

[lateapex911]

I gotta say, I always raise an eyebrow when I read and hear comments about entry fees being high. I walk around the paddock, and I see not one or two, but DOZENS of motorhomes costing HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars. Yea yea, "I got it used". and "it saves on hotels"... whatever, LOL, I'd love to see the math.
The bottom bottom line isn't how much the entry fee is...it's way more complicated. For guys who live where I do, it's cheaper by far to run Lime Rock than other tracks, even if the other entry fees were nearly free because of gas. Conversely LRP is really expensive for those distant.

I think events succeed or fail based on a number of factors, but the biggest one is scheduling...TIME is for most of us, the dearest resource. Family pressures mean we just can't do three weekends in a row. And a small cadre of workers can't either. I bet THAT's the main worry for any region. We're very lucky here in the NE having so many tracks, and so many events to chose from, but racers and workers aren't an infinite resource. But yea, nothing new about that.

[JLawton]

I gotta say, I always raise an eyebrow when I read and hear comments about entry fees being high. I walk around the paddock, and I see not one or two, but DOZENS of motorhomes costing HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars. Yea yea, "I got it used". and "it saves on hotels"... whatever, LOL, I'd love to see the math.
.

No sh*t, huh?

My expenses for a weekend run over $1,000 (total expenses divided by the number of races I run). Whether I pay $250 or $350 it's not going to be the deal breaker for me. But if I have to make a choice on my schedule between a triple at NHMS or a LRP event? I'm going to NH. But I think NER has done an awesome job of cramming as much racing into a weekend as you possibly can. The June LRP event is a good example.

Yeah, Jerry gets grumpy once in awhile but he does listen. But he is in one of those "no win" situations where you can't make EVERYONE happy.

[gran racing]

The bottom bottom line isn't how much the entry fee is...it's way more complicated.

You're right, it's way more complicated. I will absolutely say that in my family, how much the entrance fee is matters. Not saying that is necessarily should in some instances, but it does. I don't know how much I paid in fuel to get to Summit Point last weekend, nor do I want to know. (I just imagine Jake going to Mapquest the moment he reads this then doing his little calculation. Grrrrr.) I can tell you that my wife was pleased when I told her the entry fee for three days of racing there was less than one day at LRP. A part of people who have similar thinking is due to perceived value in the product we're purchasing.

While not ignorant of the various costs to attend a race further away, I think human nature is to hide some of the costs like I mentioned above fuel. Much like many of us do when it comes to the build versus buy evaluation.

[THawkbh]

I gotta say, I always raise an eyebrow when I read and hear comments about entry fees being high. I walk around the paddock, and I see not one or two, but DOZENS of motorhomes costing HUNDREDS of thousands of dollars. Yea yea, "I got it used". and "it saves on hotels"... whatever, LOL, I'd love to see the math.
The bottom bottom line isn't how much the entry fee is...it's way more complicated. For guys who live where I do, it's cheaper by far to run Lime Rock than other tracks, even if the other entry fees were nearly free because of gas. Conversely LRP is really expensive for those distant.

I wonder that too. An extra hundred dollars here and there is nothing compared to what we're all spending on going racing. No, I don't like watching entry fees go up, but I also don't like paying for hotels and rising fuel costs, but if I want to go racing, I have to pay. We also have to remember that the sanctioning body is experiencing these same cost increases and in order to stay active, they need to make enough money to cover these costs. I won't run every race in a season because I just can't afford it, but the entry fee is not the deciding factor.

[anthony1k]

I wonder that too. An extra hundred dollars here and there is nothing compared to what we're all spending on going racing. No, I don't like watching entry fees go up, but I also don't like paying for hotels and rising fuel costs, but if I want to go racing, I have to pay. We also have to remember that the sanctioning body is experiencing these same cost increases and in order to stay active, they need to make enough money to cover these costs. I won't run every race in a season because I just can't afford it, but the entry fee is not the deciding factor.

Totally agree. OT but along the same lines, I find it surprising how few people contribute to the workers fund.

[THawkbh]

Totally agree. OT but along the same lines, I find it surprising how few people contribute to the workers fund.

Some people are just cheap and greedy.

[gran racing]

An extra hundred dollars here and there is nothing compared to what we're all spending on going racing.

If one races six races in a season, that extra hundered dollars here and there per event adds up. All a matter of perspective.

[THawkbh]

If one races six races in a season, that extra hundered dollars here and there per event adds up. All a matter of perspective.

Very good point.



I'm referring your book to someone right now. I can't believe your offering it for free. It's worth its weight in gold.

[BruceG]

I wonder that too. An extra hundred dollars here and there is nothing compared to what we're all spending on going racing. No, I don't like watching entry fees go up, but I also don't like paying for hotels and rising fuel costs, but if I want to go racing, I have to pay. We also have to remember that the sanctioning body is experiencing these same cost increases and in order to stay active, they need to make enough money to cover these costs. I won't run every race in a season because I just can't afford it, but the entry fee is not the deciding factor.

I read recently that the cost of living adjustment(COLA) is based on an index of young singles living in urban areas(not exactly the demographic for most of us. So many of the things we use and consume as racers aren't even on the Federal charts. When the government tells me that there will be no COLA for Social Security receipiants for 3 years because costs have not increased, I have to laugh. Any of you spending less for food and housing and health care, lately?....LOL. The only area of any luck is that gas has stayed down because the economy is so poor!

[gran racing]

Thank you - I really appreciate both the comment and referral.