Lime Rock "Schools Out" Race

[JLawton]

Looks to be very full! Good news although still not a lot of students for the school.

I'm wondering how many of the ITA/SM cross overs realize there was a weight increase? I think a few will be a little surprised!

[Greg Amy]

I'm wondering how many of the ITA/SM cross overs realize there was a weight increase? I think a few will be a little surprised!

BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!

GA, who's working tech for the weekend and rubbing his hands together while twisting the ends of his handlebar moustache...

Edit: Anyone know the current policy for pets at LRP? Don't see anything in the supps on it.

[Andy Bettencourt]

In an effort to keep some customers happy, there might be a proactive effort to try and get them over to STL during registration...or at least a nice big notification at tech...

[Greg Amy]

In an effort to treat competitors as adults and to encourage them to read the regs that the Club publishes for them each month, there might be a proactive effort to try and get more than two volunteers to work Scrutineering each weekend. You know, like, guys that normally run Miatas in ITA and aren't actually racing this weekend, but could volunteer to help out and do things like hold other competitors' hands...?

Fixed.



Horse...water....all that.


Edit: Two weekends ago at NHMS there were originally zero volunteers to work Tech. That's right: zero. The one person that had volunteered to chief the event had an out-of-town work conflict and the region had to scramble to find a replacement. I was scheduled to be in Louisiana on family biz, and other possibilities were either busy with family or were actually racing that weekend. There was very real risk of not having anyone.

Fortunately for all you competitors that had a great time racing Memorial Day weekend, one guy (Dave LaPoint) was able to come down on Saturday and Sunday to chief, one person who was actually racing that weekend (Dick Patullo) was able to chief Friday (the day when most of you got your tech sticker), and my family situation changed such after driving home 24 hours from Louisiana I was able to spend the next day-and-a-half working Tech. And that was it.

And yet some still expressed dissatisfaction at the apparent lack of level of scrutineering on Saturday and Sunday.

Just like prepping your car for the next race, this "running the races thing" doesn't magically happen overnight while you have dreams of grandeur of racing in Formula 1. We certainly don't have the luxury of spending a lot of time treating adult competitors as "customers", as one would were they running a rental operation and making money off this volunteer organization.

You want something changed, improved, or run differently, it's time to step off the high horse and step up to the plate. We'll give you the bat and you can take a shot at the home run. Just sayin'. - GA

[itracer]

And yet some still expressed dissatisfaction at the apparent lack of level of scrutineering on Saturday and Sunday.

Actually -- I was pleasantly surprised with an Impound All after qualifying and everyone was weighed.

Kudos to the IT drivers for stepping up (Dave & Dick) and covering the weekend.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Oh hell.... The chance to bounce Miatas for weight? I may have to come down on Saturday....

Jeremy - Pulling his calendar out now.

[wepsbee]

BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!

GA, who's working tech for the weekend and rubbing his hands together while twisting the ends of his handlebar moustache...

Edit: Anyone know the current policy for pets at LRP? Don't see anything in the supps on it.

LRP policy is no dogs allowed. Changed I think beginning of last year.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Geezus Greg, it's a simple suggestion that could be as easy as a piece of paper posted at Registration and Impound. It would help everyone.

And as far as being there to volunteer on a non-racing weekend, sorry, my 'selfish' schedule THIS weekend is full of Boy Scout camp-out chaperoning, Little League baseball game managing, All-Star try-out coordinating, and the actual possibility of mowing my lawn. Sometimes a suggestion can just be a suggestion without it becoming a 'it's your idea, you do it' rant.

[Ed Funk]

Oh Boy! The Greg and Andy show is back!!!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Oh Boy! The Greg and Andy show is back!!!

Ya ya, I get it. I know, just as much as anyone, how frustrating it can be as a volunteer (within SCCA or not) to have non-volunteers telling you how much something could be better if you just did it 'this' way. That is a legitimate gripe. But let's just take this for what it is please, a non-intrusive, one-time suggestion that can be as simple as a couple of signs - or even something a tech guy mentions - that will help double dipping entrants AND tech workers keep their heartache down on a regional weekend.

Nothing more, nothing less. If Jeremy wants to make time to come down and volunteer so he can be the one who personally tells SM guys they are underweight in the ITA impound, then that's great too.

I am not privy to the who's or what's people complained about during the NHMS weekend because I wasn't one of them but I understand it can get frustrating for volunteers when staffing levels are lower than expected

[Greg Amy]

Horse ---> water.

Maybe in addition to that note in Registration directing people to the Fastrack we can put a note in the bathrooms, directing people to the Registration note directing them to the Fastrack? Then maybe we can put a note at the food vendor, pointing to the bathroom, pointing to Registration, pointing to Fastrack? Then maybe can in Tech, pointing to the food vendor, pointing to the bathroom, pointing to Registration, pointing to Fastrack? And then maybe Tom Hanks can work with the Illuminati to decode discrete DaVinci references to clues to point everyone toward the Tech note...?

Or, at some point we can just consider SCCA competitors adults, capable of their own well-being, and trust that they will do the right thing and keep up with the regs as they change.

But here's the really fun part: I'm not going to be looking up any weights of any cars as they come across the scales; we don't have the time or personnel for that and that's what the new weight sticker are for. If a Miata comes across the scales weighing 2390# with a 2380# sticker on the side, it's a pass as far as I'm concerned. Remember, we're a peer-reviewed and -policed organization; it's up to YOU as a competitor (and/or friend) to approach them and let them know that a trip to Wal-Mart's sporting goods department is in their very near future...or your responsibility to go to Tech with a filled out protest form and $25.

Your call...

GA

[zchris]

So Greg, when I run my ITA Miata across the scales and it weighs 2100 and it says 2050 on the door, your OK with that. Man, your the best! I'm buying you a beer.
Chris

[Greg Amy]

So Greg, when I run my ITA Miata across the scales and it weighs 2100 and it says 2050 on the door, your OK with that. Man, your the best! I'm buying you a beer.

That's the way the system works, Chris. If Tech had time and personnel to verify the proper weight of all cars' stickers, then there would be no need to have the stickers in the first place! Those stickers are there as a convenience to Scrutineering, and as an advertisement to competitors that you're trying to cheat.

It's no different than if your competitors know you're running an illegal cam and choose not to protest you. But in the case of the weight, that "Hey! I'm running an illegal camshaft!" is plastered on the side of the car. If your competitors are OK with it - and you have the balls to do it - then so am I... - GA

[Andy Bettencourt]

Or, at some point we can just consider SCCA competitors adults, capable of their own well-being, and trust that they will do the right thing and keep up with the regs as they change.

Or, we as adults, can realize that these are part time ITA competitors who are not reviewing the IT section of the Fast Track every month for a very atypical weight increase, and actually do the simplest thing to try and prevent any hardship...because we are a Club and we are good sports.

[Greg Amy]

...and actually do the simplest thing to try and prevent any hardship...because we are a Club and we are good sports.

A great idea, Tom Hanks. However, given Mushie and I are the only ones (so far) working Tech this weekend, I'm pretty confident your competitors (and renters) would prefer he and I focus on silly things like getting people vehicle annuals and distributing tech stickers versus the really exciting things like "being good sports" and holding people's hands that don't read the regs.

<insert rolly-eye incon here...>

GA, who says "volunteering ain't difficult; try it some time, you might actually like it..."

[BruceG]

A great idea, Tom Hanks. However, given Mushie and I are the only ones (so far) working Tech this weekend, I'm pretty confident your competitors (and renters) would prefer he and I focus on silly things like getting people vehicle annuals and distributing tech stickers versus the really exciting things like "being good sports" and holding people's hands that don't read the regs.

<insert rolly-eye incon here...>

GA, who says "volunteering ain't difficult; try it some time, you might actually like it..."

seems like most of us have no right to interject any comment, given our lack of contribution! My contribution is to man one half of the flatbed to scrape you up after a shunt......LOL.

[mossaidis]

I hoping to be at WGI for July NARRC event... volunteering, crutches and all.

[Greg Amy]

seems like most of us have no right to interject any comment, given our lack of contribution!

ABSOLUTELY not true! In fact, commentary/feedback to a volunteer club organization is not only a "right", it's a responsibility! However, after making your suggestions, if things are still not run the way you want them to and you don't volunteer to change the system, you don't have the right to stomp your feet and get all pissy at the volunteers.

Change within a volunteer organization comes from the inside, not from tossing tomatoes.

Hey, wait a sec...isn't there a race this weekend? Yes, I think there is!

GA

[Ed Funk]

Going to the "Tomato Toss" this weekend...maybe I'll try to race also. Don't think Steph got enough trophies for racing and tomato tossing. Maybe I'll bring some balsamic vinaigrette and goat cheese.

[JLawton]

Holy crap Greg. A little over the top, even for you!! Simmer down there big guy.

That was my argument about weight stickers on the cars. Does that mean tech won't look the weight up? And what if you show up with a ITB AMC Pacer. Who the f*ck knows what that is supposed to weigh? LOL You could put any weight sticker on your car.