Lime Rock "Schools Out" Race

[Greg Amy]

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

'Scuse me? With which point(s) are you disagreeing?

Does this mean you are volunteering to put up Andy's "please read your Fastrack" notices...? Talk to Pat when you register in, she can give you the paper, marker, and tape. Talk to Andy about the preferred format.

Does that mean tech won't look the weight up?

That's exactly what it means, and exactly what these stickers are for. Why else do you think the SCCA made this requirement...?

When you've got a group of 30+ cars lined up for the scales, all of different weights, probably with different configurations, engine sizes, etc, and with only a small number of volunteers to accurately corral, weigh, and evaluate those weights, all while these 30+ competitors are steaming hot wanting to be released from impound so they can go back to their paddock spaces, does it not make sense to delegate some of that investigation and evaluation responsibility back to the competitors, people who know the cars FAR better than anyone else at the track...?

Peer-reviewed, peer responsibility, and peer-compliance, just like every other prep regulation. If you wish to have each of those stickers reviewed in impound, please do feel free to join us in Scrutineering; I'll ask Brian to give you that explicit responsibility*. If you accept that responsibility we can file paper against any competitor that shows up this weekend with the wrong weights displayed on the car.

And what if you show up with a ITB AMC Pacer. Who the f*ck knows what that is supposed to weigh?

Come by Tech, I'll show you how to use a "GCR". They even make a little table with all the weights, I can show you how to use it...it's a whole lot faster when you only have to look up that one car.

You could put any weight sticker on your car.

You "could" also put any camshaft in your car.

GA

* And please don't give us the excuse about how you're racing this weekend. First, I've been doing it in between my racing sessions for years, and second, you're driving a Miata.

[BruceG]

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

LOL........I was trying to support you on this issue Greg

[Gregg]

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?

Wouldn't it be easier to just have a sign @ Registration directing people to the bathrooms? Afterall that's where the Fastrack can usually be found.

Edit: My mistake. The bathroom is where Sportscar can usually be found, and the Fastrack hasn't been included in that rag for years.

Sorry--let's get back to the topic of volunteerism (Hey Andy, didn't you say you would be helping out the Boy Scouts this weekend?)

[dickita15]

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.

After working tech and being teched a couple of times this year I think the stickers are the best thing since sliced bread. Doing annuals has given tech an opportunity to help drivers learn to look up their weight. Doing impound weights is super easy. No arguments about what “I thought it was supposed to weigh”.
I disagree with Greg that the stickers will not be checked but it would be a separate compliance item that could be done at some events and might be checked at your annual. But as Greg said there has to be some competitor that knows what your car should weigh and that is the easiest way to know they are right.
As to Greg’s volunteer thread, well he is not wrong but is obviously having too much fun. Hey Greg, are you on new pain meds for the shoulder?
Oh yeah, who cares what a Pacer weighs.

[Greg Amy]

...but is obviously having too much fun. Hey Greg, are you on new pain meds for the shoulder?

Hey, don't bogart my thread, man! Two on the hook and a third nibbling...dammit! But if it gets just one child to read the regulations, it's worth it!

GA, who can only imagine the evil Brian Mushnick will dig up as tech chief this weekend...

[StephenB]

I worked the First race of the year in Tech and had a GREAT time! I will help with the tech line if you want since I will be at the event and can help check gear/ helmet stickers. (No lic though to sign) I can't help the entire day since I have child duties as well , but getting that loooonnnnggg line that LR always has to go a little faster would be my pleasure! What time do I start? Oh and I think a good idea would be a seperate line for groups 1 and 2 that I could do if you wanted me to.

For the record when we did tech at the first race we checked the weight of EVERY CAR at the entire event. All I did was verify the weight on the side of the car. It should be part of the competitors responsibility to verify it is correct IMHO and if tech catches it then they do but you can't expect them to know all the cars like each driver does. Do you have any idea how many different lbs a damn miata can be between the first model year and the last model year... I was confused as all hell and without those stickers you could have told me anything you wanted and I would have believed you. Those stickers allow everyone to know what you are "claiming" you should be and allow eachother to "verify" your not giving a line of BS to the tech guy that can't tell the difference between a 1.6 and a 1.8 for example. (Like me)
So in short I love them damn stickers everyone bitched so much about!

Stephen

[raffaelli]

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.

Sounds like a perfect weekend Andy. Have fun!

[Greg Amy]

Stephen, I can't be there Thursday night, so Mushnick may be "it" for tech then. I'm sure that there's going to be a lot of freaked-out racers from the early groups looking to get their tech stickers Friday AM. Anything you - or any racer, who is automatically a Regional scrutineer and is authorized to inspect helmets, logbooks, and issue event stickers - can do to help would be sincerely appreciated. If folks can help with that stuff during the day it frees other scru crew for other checks, such as, oh I dunno, verifying validity of weight stickers on cars...

ITB, ITS, ITR is Group 4, which won't be on track until after 11:00; ITA/7/C probably won't hit the track until after lunch; SSM/SM2, and STU/L are at the end of the day. Stop by and help in Tech and I'll buy you a beer at the party at the end of the day...

GA

[lawtonglenn]

You "could" also put any camshaft in your car.

I can't ... except maybe as ballast

[StephenB]

Stop by and help in Tech and I'll buy you a beer at the party at the end of the day...

GA

FREE BEER!!! Yahooo! I am in
I will help out Friday AM assuming everything goes as planned and I arrive at the track sometime overnight. I know I will need to register first thing Friday AM then I will head to tech.

I can't ... except maybe as ballast

Glen, you should see the new cam shaft for the Renesis!


Stephen

[mossaidis]

cam... whatever, I am running a supercharger on my car

[Ed Funk]

cam... whatever, I am running a supercharger on my car

Yabbut, you'll be pushin' pedals with a crutch....that should even things out.

[JLawton]

'Scuse me? With which point(s) are you disagreeing?

Hmmmmmm. I don't recall anything in my comment about disagreeing with what you're saying (but please feel free to point it out if i missed it in my own post) In fact, as other posters have said, everyone agrees with you............ however, your good message is getting lost because of the delivery. I'm not so sure being a dick will have everyone jumping up and down, volunteering to help you....... and yes, it is really is helping the club but with the delivery people will infer it's all about helping you.

Didn't your mother ever tell you that you get further with sugar than spice? Be nice. it makes people much more sympathetic to the cause.

[gran racing]

Talk to Pat when you register in, she can give you the paper, marker, and tape.

So someone here who will be at the event man up, print out a couple while at work (I know, you're too busy lol), and ask to put them up at the registration booth. This is something IMO that should be done. At the test & tune yesterday, many Miatas had no idea about the weight change.

Not so sure how dissappointed I am that group 8 was full before I attempted to register, and the car will already be driven in the SM grouping.

[ner88]

Group8 should have been opened up as the Prod guys have been moved.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Wait... Is adding 100 lbs to the miata an evil consiracy by national to increase the STL entries and to finally push out HP, etc?

[Raceman77]

Wow 5 it7.

[StephF]

So why in the world do we have to tell anyone to read their own rules?????????????

If I roll into to impound with a car underweight I'd get told, "Tough shit. Pay attention to the rules change."

You want to take care of your own customers, post a sign at your compound instead of worrying about posting them all over the track. And FWIW, I don't think Greg's being a dick about it, not at all. He's pointing out the ridiculousness of the whole thing.

[Andy Bettencourt]

So why in the world do we have to tell anyone to read their own rules?????????????

If I roll into to impound with a car underweight I'd get told, "Tough shit. Pay attention to the rules change."

You want to take care of your own customers, post a sign at your compound instead of worrying about posting them all over the track. And FWIW, I don't think Greg's being a dick about it, not at all. He's pointing out the ridiculousness of the whole thing.

No Steph, he is being a dick. All that was suggested was that a informational posting could be put up to help these guys and what we got back was a 'screw those guys for not knowing and BTW if you want something done, come do it yourself' post.

And why is it different? Because it's not their usual class. YES, they need to be up to date on the rules of ANY class that they participate in, but this is a VERY anomalous mid-year change to a weight in IT so they could have EASILY missed it. It's just a request to make an effort to let them know that as of just 6 days ago, the weight of the classification (that can ONLY be found on-line) they double-dip in, has gone up by enough so that they may want to consider another class to dip in, figure out a tough weight-addition and removal plan, or just to cancel their 2nd entry at registration.

This is supposed to be fun, helping our fellow racers with a piece of information they could easily have overlooked is simply NOT a big request, nor is it ridiculous if you look at the big picture. Should they know? Yes. But the probability is that they don't and it's easy to understand why. Why not try and be a community and give them a heads up? Two pieces of paper and 4 pieces of tape. Whooptie-freaking do.

[gran racing]

Group8 should have been opened up as the Prod guys have been moved.

Yeah, I thought the same thing. When SSM still didn't show up on motorsports reg in the options, I gave the Terry a phone call. Still wasn't an option. I was on the fence about this event anyways, so this made my choice easier. Made my wife happy! LOL

So why in the world do we have to tell anyone to read their own rules?

If it were SM or SM2 rules, I'd absolutely agree. However, there are two other ways we can look at it. The first is to be selfish - regions need entries or it WILL hurt you. Even if you're Mr. Cranky Pants, it will make Tech's life a little more pleasant. The other aspect is that SCCA needs to be more customer focused if we want our club to stick around, which goes back to point one.

On Edit - Andy beat me to the why it's different. I totally agree. Bet there are some ITA Miatas who are not aware of this too.