What does a SCCA IT race car look like...

[Z3_GoCar]

I have to agree with Jerry, I had three other guys sharing my instructor. Not a big deal for me, I raced Karts so I knew how a race is run, and what the flags mean, taken greens and had wave-off starts. Where we get the 1-on-1 instructing is the open wheel guys where we only get like 3 students... Closed wheel would be like 15-20 students.

Back to the OP's point, if there are only 2-double weekends where they allow your class to run, I say good on you for finding someone else to race with.

[JLawton]

The racers that come out of the NER schools are prepared to race. They don't get signed off until we, as instructors would race door handle to door handle with them. I had one student this past weekend and can honestly say I spent at LEAST a full hour doing lead/follow and pushing him hard under race conditions. I probably spent at least another hour discussing not only his driving but how to handle race situations and race craft. I also checked in with him several times during the race weekend to see how he was doing and if he had questions. I then gave him my card and told him to contact me if he had ANY questions. I feel as an instructor our jobs don't end after we walk out of the class room. I would certainly rather race with him than someone who was thrown into a race at Lemons or Chump. Yeah, it may be easier but it sure as hell doesn't produce good, safe racers............

[jhooten]

Jerry
What is missing or not reported is the amount of classroom time during the event.

Terry

I listed all the classroom time received in my summary.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Back to the OP's point, if there are only 2-double weekends where they allow your class to run, I say good on you for finding someone else to race with.

Agreed 100%. You have to find the club that best fits your needs. Not a shot an any one club but it's just a fact.

[Terry Hanushek]

Jerry

I listed all the classroom time received in my summary.

I realize that you listed the classroom session on Friday evening along with 2-3 'brief' instructor debriefings (one on one?, one on five?). What I was trying to highlight is that there was no mention of classroom sessions on Saturday / Sunday during the school. Schools that I have observed locally probably have as much classroom time during Sat / Sun as there is track time - feedback, instruction, discussions in addition to the Friday evening 'introduction' session. That is what I meant by missing classroom time.

Terry

[jhooten]

Jerry



I realize that you listed the classroom session on Friday evening along with 2-3 'brief' instructor debriefings (one on one?, one on five?). What I was trying to highlight is that there was no mention of classroom sessions on Saturday / Sunday during the school. Schools that I have observed locally probably have as much classroom time during Sat / Sun as there is track time - feedback, instruction, discussions in addition to the Friday evening 'introduction' session. That is what I meant by missing classroom time.

Terry

Didn't list what didn't occur. If you were not on the track or preping your car you were expected to observe the on track activities. The instructor debrief was as a group if all went well and 1-1 if the instructor had something specific for you.

Maybe I need to get out more and go see how things are done in other parts of the country.

[JIgou]

A few thoughts from someone not directly a part of MiDiv leadership, but I know a fair amount about the sausage and how it's made....

1. Ralf, we'll have some divisional and national leadership at the race this weekend. If they haven't heard from you already, I'd LOVE for them to hear you face-to-face - you've got valid points all across the board. It's too bad a bunch of folks jumped ship (*cough*TONY*cough*) because of a bad end to 2011 and unclear start to 2012 - I know that DMVR recognizes the importance of the IT groups, as is evidenced elsewhere on this site - we've tried to make MAM attractive for everyone! (If only we could fix the paddock so the formula car guys could come out and play too....)

2. The Majors / Invitational program really screwed with ALL of us, IMHO. It was VERY unclear how the program was to be laid out when it was jammed down our throats at the last minute EXTREMELY late in the scheduling cycle last year, and I don't know if everyone involved understands it YET.

3. The IT group for MAM this coming weekend shows 21 entries. Not the biggest the group has ever been....but not bad.

4. We have at least two drivers (three, counting family members) registered for the upcoming weekend who ran in our regional-only Chumpcar catchall class during school and events last year. I've been told they've got "real" (whatever that means) SCCA cars this year. One other guy bought an SCCA car over the winter, but I don't see him registered for this event.

5. NASA is alive here, but based on results that I'm seeing far from well. I hope for those guys' sake things pick up for them. I could / should / might eyeball a couple of their events.

Jarrod

PS: Pulled pork for Friday night's party....

[forestdweller37]

4. We have at least two drivers (three, counting family members) registered for the upcoming weekend who ran in our regional-only Chumpcar catchall class during school and events last year. I've been told they've got "real" (whatever that means) SCCA cars this year. One other guy bought an SCCA car over the winter, but I don't see him registered for this event.

Jarrod

PS: Pulled pork for Friday night's party....

Hey! ANY weekend other than my wife's birthday...
(I'll be at DMVR's fall race )

[Ralf]

Jarrod,
Come find me if I don't find you first. Would love to talk to them. I'm sure Brett and Mitch would have some good input also.

[RX555]

Bzzzt: 404 error, logic not found

I don't understand this comment. I'm allowed to have my opinion just as you are yours. My point is to not let running for points in your division get in the way of getting the race car out and using it where you can.

Chumpcar is DIFFERRENT. And you can't compare the two and eliminate the economy, because LeMons/Chumpcar isn't the same thing, AND it's cheaper

I don't seem them as different. Both involve running crappy cars with a cage and cars that look like, well, crap.

You said it yourself, you are tired of chasing points, going for the championship, going for the wins.

I think you misread my post as I have never run for points or championships. Some have and they usually burn out fast or can't afford it very long. I've never had any goals of winning anything other than maybe my class.

1- Families are more demographic than they once were. The average SCCA guy gets his marching orders from his wife. Kids to soccer this weekend, Daughter is singing in a play the following weekend, and the son is in a swim meet the following, and Dad better be present. That isn't how it used to be. Shop time is reduced, personal free time is reduced, and available weekends are reduced. Therefor entries are down.
2- Costs ARE up. To get my car back on the track this year, and to be as safe I was last year, I will need to spend over $2K on safety gear, and arguably I'll be less safe.

All good points, but hopefully you aren't one of those guys who think the H&N device makes you less safe.

[Cobrar05]

wait, someone is blaming the fall off in scca car count over the recent years on head and neck restraint?

[Spinnetti]

wait, someone is blaming the fall off in scca car count over the recent years on head and neck restraint?

It kept me out of SCCA events this year.... I just ran Lemons instead...

[tom91ita]

wait, someone is blaming the fall off in scca car count over the recent years on head and neck restraint?

My membership lapsed after 26 years. I no longer have a SCCA license and have two lemons events on my calendar.

And I have a sfi approved device.

[tom91ita]

Rx555

Our lemons car is an old SCCA itc car. We did put 4 door civic fenders on it instead of crx plastic fenders but it is relatively clean. And has a brand new fuel cell.

[ShelbyRacer]

All good points, but hopefully you aren't one of those guys who think the H&N device makes you less safe.

Jake's not necessarily saying that a HNR makes you less safe, I believe that he, and several others including myself, are saying that the SFI requirement makes it so that we cannot use the device which we feel is better, and that we have to shell out big $$$ to get a device that doesn't do as good of a job, or creates other issues (like belts not being able to be tightened properly).

[gran racing]

wait, someone is blaming the fall off in scca car count over the recent years on head and neck restraint?

If I were relying on my ITB car, it would have pushed me over edge just enough to at least take a year off from racing. As it is, I borrowed one for my last race, borrowing a one for a test & tune, and borrowing for other future races this year (thankfully three people I know have them and are nice enough to let me use it). I don't think it's the cause of the drop off, but it adds yet one more layer to affording the entry to this hobby.

[Spinnetti]

My membership lapsed after 26 years. I no longer have a SCCA license and have two lemons events on my calendar.

And I have a sfi approved device.

Has it been that long? You pipped me by a year! I do remeber our early ITA years with fondness though. After all those years, I think I finally decided to sell the Corolla when I get my next street car in a few years. Its no good sitting unused in the garage.

BTW, we just bought our next Lemons car - a 67 Datsun SRL roadster..... more crazy builds coming!