SE regional class; ITJ

[Butch Kummer]

I'm not sure why it is, but this idiocy seems to permeate in CFR - I'm just glad to hear it's not directed only towards the V8 Stock Car series. There were at least fourteen drivers at Daytona May 5-6 primarily because the weekend counted for V8SC points, but the CFR folks gave us so much grief that the series organizers are working with other groups (PBOC & HSR) to run at Daytona and Sebring starting in 2013.

I don't know if anyone of influence in CFR is viewing this, but eventually you guys are going to run out of people willing to put up with your crap!

[jumbojimbo]

Okay, so this is the kind of issue that should either get addressed or be clarified as not a valid complaint.

Surely someone on this board is active in the region we are talking about here and can escalate this issue to someone appropriate?

Honestly I'm tired of reading complaints about SCCA on here and no one ever does anything about it but complain.

[Flyinglizard]

Seems as tho I am not the only one bothered by the CFR tech idiota .
Turns out that the vid recorder was running post qualifying, and recorded most the the tech interaction.
While I understand that these guys are volunteers; The first part of tech school should be that;" these people that you are teching, pay the SCCA bills and we need them to have a good time. Please adjust your attitude accordingly ." Dont piss off the customers. !!
In this case, I actually looked into the job( part of the solution, etc)
I have to get e regional tech license, and apprentice for so many events. .
CFR would be miles ahead to hire the local circle track tech guy, pay him his 200$ . I am sure that he would do a better job. As they all know that without racers, they have no job. When we ran the local O track, the tech guy would call me on Mon am , if we missed the race. Checking to see if all was well, as far as the track/racer relationship went.
CFR has the luxury of numbers , so far. Many regions dont right now and more will falter as the competition for track time increases.
The racer has lots more options today than ever before. Lemons/Chumpcar is the result of SCCA. Many little things, ie, the nitpicking rules that the IT guys have. While I value a solid rule set, the constant bantor over washer bottles , brackets, etc gets these guys looking elsewhere.
The two - three days needed to complete the 2 hrs of track time is another. ( I know about the close racing, SCCA has the closest racing).

Anyway. I have started to find the solution, "Rick" needs to go away, IMHO .

[Matt93SE]

Turns out that the vid recorder was running post qualifying, and recorded most the the tech interaction.
While I understand that these guys are volunteers; The first part of tech school should be that;" these people that you are teching, pay the SCCA bills and we need them to have a good time. Please adjust your attitude accordingly ." Dont piss off the customers. !!

Dirty pool.... post that vid on the Youtoob.. send the link to the CRB via the CRB letter submission form. Tell them this is the reason you are no longer racing SCCA. They people in charge MUST at least look at the letter. The good ones will pay attention.

[Flyinglizard]

Done

[Simon T.]

Post the video here for all of us to see.

[Knestis]

Please.

Any behavior that's OK in the tech shed is OK for the rest of the world to see. No expectation of privacy and all that...

K

[Flyinglizard]

Not sure what is on the video at this point. Ivan( driver/car owner is off on mission trip). He was pretty sure that it was running.

I have talked to the tech guy( Rick) and the RE and national tech to get this looked at .
Maybe running the video should be standard op for us from now on. I think that it would solve some issues .
Understand that I usually have ugly cars that just meet the rules and I am used to being hassled by these guys. IE; I did not have a fuel port because the tech crew did not have a test kit. I said that I would get a fitting , to match their connector..
I dont like the fuel port requirement on regional only cars, leakpoint, $ wasted , no fuel test in 15yrs, etc. I should send a letter.

At the same point, I want the hoods up and cars looked at in impound. We had to write paper one time for a Volvo without headlights. All that tech needed to do was tell the guy to put the lights back in. But no, we had to" write it up to conform to the rules."
There should be a conversation before any paper work, IMHO.
I realize that many people work in an environment that requires proper channels to get sheet done. I cut to the chase and get stuff done.
Anyway, I put out the summery letter to the RE and to the nat tech person and will get back on the results in a few days.
Maybe the Crap Cans will never get done here with these tech team
They already hate me and my cars.

[TX FProd]

Why SCCA is losing customers;

Hey Mike. It's Joey. Ran across your thread while doing some research on ITJ/ITX classes. Southwest DIV SCCA is now looking at it too.

There are a lot of reasons SCCA is losing members and potential members. Cost of racing. Example, I'm running a 75 Fiat Spider in FP. Plenty of (legal) mods but I can't compete anymore with $50K FP Miatas (seriously). I can't take the car to IT, and dropping to HP would require several changes including an engine swap. A lot of time and money, and I end up in the same race group anyway.

SCCA has become checkbook racing.

The "hassle" and expense of getting a provi license, a medical, 600 page GCR, membership dues, etc. vs show up, go through a 1 hour novice school and race. If you're just getting started with stars in your eyes (and you're not made of money), what looks like the better path?

Regionals. Nationals. Rationals. Majors. WTH? I've been an SCCA member for years and I'm getting lost in all the programs. But from this end of the Country anyway, all the focus is on Nationals, Majors. Screw Regional racing. I see that coming from the top. The Southeast does a much better job with regional Racing as I understand, but you guys are more the exception than the norm.

Seat time. In some cases there is not a huge difference, but there is a difference.

Politics.

ChumpCar really is the "every man's" series. I don't think you have to spend $5k to have a winning car. There's no stupid paddock games or judges or bribes. tech is straight forward and the races are run similar to NASA/SCCA.

I don't know how many Chump/Lemons-only teams will jump on SCCA ITJ. I can tell you that I'm about done with Production car class and SCCA, but if they open the ITJ in SOWDIV, I'll move the Fiat to that class and hang around to do Regionals/Rationals, maybe have a little fun playing with rear wing aero and alternate wheel/tire sizes.

So the word I got was that our DIV is looking to copy the ITJ rules from SEDIV but I didn't run across anything like that. Does it exist?

JT

[forestdweller37]

I'm not Mike, but here's a link to Oregon's ITJ rules:
http://www.nwr-scca.org/Race/supps/2...lass_Rules.pdf

Not much to it. Cen Div has been running it this year with the same rules. I've only seen one competitor, but he just slots in with the IT cars and it seems to work out OK.

-Chris

[Flyinglizard]

Joey, Love your car.
I have 3 cars that we cross between Hp and Chump. One of the cars is a valid HP contender, with my Son driving.
The Chump rules are way too lax and will burn off a lot of serious racer guys ,including a lot of my team.( 16 drivers) John has let the 500$ deal get way out of hand , IMHO.
Some basic rules to control the benefits of big power make a lot of sense in the cost containment area. Max tire size being one simple control. There is a reason that every other race class has a tire size or wheel size rule to contain the lateral power race.
John's extra huge ego wont allow him to change his mind and accept that maybe things could be made easier. Simple crap like changing the glass rule to allow glass removal instead of requiring it. He actually said at one point that SCCA required all glass to be removed . This simple rule change would gain a lot of cars like the IT cars that could rum more classes and sanctions.
Cost containment is crucial to long term participation,IMHO
Our current Chumper was the oval track car that I based my book upon.
The tire rule was a 108$ Goodyear treaded slick tire. One tire every month was normal. next rule change went to American racers and required one tire each week , for the same 150$ win. Less racers are the result.
My email is in my sig . ..
The Turbo Jett Chumper is now plated in FL. and meets the SCCA PDX rule by having a street plate. This makes the SCCA old school just want to leap
We had 5 Chumpers @ Sebring sat, with Chin MS. 3 wide down the back straight, nice.
MM

[Flyinglizard]

I also believe that it is time to have classes as prior posted. The real 500$ Gen 1 cars, now have no reason to show up.
The Gen 2 ,200hp 6cyl/ cars should have their own class .
The G 3 -mods, cut, boosted,swapped, "Crap Can Am" ( Ogren copy right) should have our own class.
All IMHO

[Flyinglizard]

I'll have the Turbo Jett @ Sebring for rent . Turkey trot, and the short course race.
I have to sweet talk Rick into the ITJ rules.