Memphis and Hallett

[Ralf]

Glad to see the entry fees for Gateway didn't go up.

[JIgou]

Ralf and other IT drivers:

A few questions regarding entry fees and track time....

1. If you could pick between longer races (national-length, with National-level fees) or shorter races (regional-length, with somewhat-lower entry fees), which would you choose?

2. Do you prefer to run as a part of an IT-only group (as has been traditional in Midiv or at least at MAM), or "sprinkled into" the various other groups where appropriate (based on theoretical speed)?

You may mix and match among those options to a degree, but it's not 100% a-la-carte....

Are there other thoughts y'all have along these lines?

Thanks!

Jarrod

[RX555]

Thanks for asking Jarrod. I don't care as much about length of the race. I ran Memphis last week and did the full national distance (well, other than getting lapped twice by AS cars). It was fun, but would just as soon do the regional length and lower entry. Otherwise, I don't see the point of having national and regional licences. (Not sure I see the point of that anymore, but is a topic for a different thread).
Don't really care who I'm on track with as long as there's somebody to run with.
Mostly just wanna have at least two track sessions per day for two days. I'm not gonna tow long distances for one day.

[Ralf]

I prefer the shorter regional, lower cost races. My only concern now is on how many IT drivers we've lost because of the Majors program. I talked with Mitch and Brett on friday and both of them are "maybe" for MAM and only because its local. They are not planning on running any other SCCA races. Gary Learned is also done with SCCA. Who knows how many others we've lost to NASA.
I would suggest someone mail a questionare to all past IT racers and poll them on their plans before making any decisions.

[JIgou]

The input is appreciated - thanks guys!

Anyone else want to share? Even if you're not planning on running with us, the more opinions the better!

[OTLimit]

I think the Majors program is going to have some unintended consequences that are going to hurt SCCA racing overall, but that is my own personal opinion. What I do know for sure is that we have fewer races on our schedule, but with gas for the truck at $3.85/gal, something had to give...

[Gary L]

The input is appreciated - thanks guys!

Anyone else want to share? Even if you're not planning on running with us, the more opinions the better!

Okay... since you've given me an opening, I'll vent a little. Or maybe a lot.

I decided not to renew my SCCA license this year for a number of reasons, but primarily because from my point of view, Improved Touring as a category took it in the shorts due to decisions at the national and divisional levels. Personally, I went from 8 scheduled races (4 complete weekends) in 2011, to 3 races (a weekend and a Saturday), at the two tracks I considered my "home tracks", in 2012. Those two tracks are the only ones that are under 200 miles one way tow for me... Hallett and Topeka. Bottom line - "Super Tours" and "Major Invitationals" (or whatever) took 5 races away for the IT guys in this neck of the woods. Wonderful.

Furthermore, at the vast majority of remaining (long tow... 350 to 500+ miles one way) race weekends, we're talking Double Rationals. This meant running much longer races on both days, and to prove what? FWIW, I'm not one of the guys that buys into the "...more seat time is better" argument; in IT cars especially, this simply means more broken parts, more general wear and tear, significantly more expense, for the same wooden plaque. But then I've always thought (since 1960-something) that National races were too way long. Now we're making regional racers run those same too-long races. BS. Unless you're into enduros, there's a green flag and a checkered flag, and the latter is the point at which we determine the winner. How many times you pass the starter's stand between those two flags is pretty much irrelevant. Maybe I'm just weird.

In any case, MidDiv has somewhat belatedly (2 days ago) reacted to this situation by sending out a scheduling letter that points out IT will have it's own run group at all those Double Rationals. Nice try, but sorry... too damned late, my plans are made. Besides, it (separate run groups) will probably not be what actually happens when push comes to shove, because I'd wager that entry numbers are not going to support IT-only run groups in this division this year. Six IT cars - yes, that's all IT classes - showed up at Memphis and a total of seven entered at Hallett, two days before grid! Obviously I'm not the only guy that thinks there's something wrong here.

And then there's the 1000 bucks or so I was going to have to spend on safety equipment this year, for no valid reason (just my opinion, of course). And the $4 per gallon gas, and the $500 entry fee at Memphis, and the double points bonus race at a track that is tucked away in a geographical corner of the division, and...

To Hell with it. I'm going back to running COMMA events at Hallett. 85 mile tow, events once per month. For the "seat time" advocates, plenty of it for a $125 Sunday-only entry, including two (count 'em, 2) races.

[red986s]

Gary pretty much summed up my feelings on the whole mess.

The schedule was sorted out waaaay to late to make any plans. Taking away races was a bad move being that IT "was" one of the biggest race groups in the MiDiv. The mass confusion of what the "Majors" program is and it's execution didn't impress me at all. Just made me think that SCCA leadership is asleep at the wheel. Boy did I feel burnt after spending a ton of money making my car competitive and then find out I'm not part of the "cool classes".

Like others have mentioned, I don't need more seat time during a race weekend. Personally, I do track days for practice and testing. I'm not rich, less wear and tear on my equipment is a good thing. HPT, MAM and MPH are my tracks. Anything outside that radius is too far. If I could afford to spend thousands of dollars in gas, food, hotel rooms, etc. I would race in a National class.

I'm not washing my hands of SCCA, yet. I'll wait and see how things pan out. I hate to be a pessimist but my gut feeling is IT's days are numbered in the MiDiv. Maybe that was the plan all along?