Getting Rid of Regional/Majors Distinction?

[StephenB]

I am not trying to...

Get rid of the confusing majors ect so that every "race weekend" is the same. Make specific classes listed at the beginning if the year as runoffs eligible... ie post the runoffs schedule at the beginning of the season and let people pick a class to race in and commit all their money to. With that being said don't ever include IT in the "runoffs" race week. Still have divisional champions in IT and maybe bring back the ARRC as the place to play for a national IT championship.

Does that make me sense without contradicting myself?
Stephen

[Greg Amy]

Get rid of the confusing majors ect so that every "race weekend" is the same. Make specific classes listed at the beginning if the year as runoffs eligible... ie post the runoffs schedule at the beginning of the season and let people pick a class to race in and commit all their money to. With that being said don't ever include IT in the "runoffs" race week. Still have divisional champions in IT and maybe bring back the ARRC as the place to play for a national IT championship.

Does that make me sense without contradicting myself?

No. The point of Majors events is to present a unique, low-volume product with the goal to qualify for the Runoffs. Everything you just said above contradicts that.

Well, except if you removed all references to Improved Touring, at which point we could create a different kind of product, keep it more regional, put in local/regional classes, and call it...wait for it...

[seckerich]

I think it would be a bad thing to get rid of Majors, or Nationals as they were in the past. There are many drivers at Regionals that can run with most of the top drivers in our club. That said there are many that would find they are just a big fish in a small pond. If you do not like drivers with stickers every session, and want 200 TW tires you will not be happy running Majors. Ignoring the class consolidation attempt for the moment, we need a place for drivers to play at a higher level below a Pro series. Majors have started to cluster the drivers at fewer races and helped bring up the field size in some areas. The killing of the regional programs in those areas is the result of not allowing those regions to add a regional group to the schedule to stay financially viable.

What the club should do is allow a regional grouping at Majors, separate from the Majors entry like we do with enduro groups now. Even IMSA saw that as positive with the Pro IT series at their pro event. Would help finances and give all our members a chance to see how things are outside our inner circle. If you have a car that fits the Majors then just run that group.

[Butch Kummer]

The killing of the regional programs in those areas is the result of not allowing those regions to add a regional group to the schedule to stay financially viable.

What the club should do is allow a regional grouping at Majors, separate from the Majors entry like we do with enduro groups now. Even IMSA saw that as positive with the Pro IT series at their pro event. Would help finances and give all our members a chance to see how things are outside our inner circle. If you have a car that fits the Majors then just run that group.

Two years late the BoD recognized the folly of not allowing regional-only run groups at Majors events, but for 2015 they are now only allowed at "historically low subscription events". I'm not sure. but I think that means events that project less than 100 entries based on past performance. And I'm not in the inner loop any longer (and am trying not to care) so I'm not sure if that means regional-only classes can share the track with Majors classes or not (by BoD edict they could not in 2013).

And if every "race weekend" is the same (as StephenB suggests), where do the Enduros (yes Dr. K, I know 90 minutes with a mandatory pit stop is not considered an "enduro" in some circles ) fit into the mix? Typically those races are shunned by slick-shod cars (GT, Prod, FSR) and are instead populated by their DOT-tired brethren and, at least in some areas, SRF.

[pfcs]

Put all regional classes on 200tw shoes and let them have some fun!

I know how ridiculous that sounds, but after some thought, it could be a winner.

Let those egomaniacs with inferiority complexes run "nationals" or whatever they will call them, and piss their money away resentfully, while we nitwits have a ball.

[seckerich]

Two years late the BoD recognized the folly of not allowing regional-only run groups at Majors events, but for 2015 they are now only allowed at "historically low subscription events". I'm not sure. but I think that means events that project less than 100 entries based on past performance. And I'm not in the inner loop any longer (and am trying not to care) so I'm not sure if that means regional-only classes can share the track with Majors classes or not (by BoD edict they could not in 2013).

And if every "race weekend" is the same (as StephenB suggests), where do the Enduros (yes Dr. K, I know 90 minutes with a mandatory pit stop is not considered an "enduro" in some circles ) fit into the mix? Typically those races are shunned by slick-shod cars (GT, Prod, FSR) and are instead populated by their DOT-tired brethren and, at least in some areas, SRF.

I wish all the regions holding a Majors would just tell the BOD what they want. not the other way around. Would get fixed quick. We get lectured about the club needing to reach out by our new president all while excluding a good portion of the membership from racing on a Majors weekend.

[Greg Amy]

Butch can respond on the details, but regions don't hold the Majors; Majors events are a product of Topeka and are basically managed top-down from Topeka with the sanctioning region's assistance and volunteers. Reason being, they're looking to maintain a specific method and process for all Majors events.

Majors are a totally different product than Regionals, in many ways.

[seckerich]

Butch can respond on the details, but regions don't hold the Majors; Majors events are a product of Topeka and are basically managed top-down from Topeka with the sanctioning region's assistance and volunteers. Reason being, they're looking to maintain a specific method and process for all Majors events.

Majors are a totally different product than Regionals, in many ways.

For the most part Greg, the regions book the track and have a contract with national office to run the event. Regions still hold the dates at the tracks and have the leverage to get some things done.

[Terry Hanushek]

Greg

Butch can respond on the details, but regions don't hold the Majors; Majors events are a product of Topeka and are basically managed top-down from Topeka with the sanctioning region's assistance and volunteers. Reason being, they're looking to maintain a specific method and process for all Majors events.

For Majors, the schedule / race groups are discussed between Club Racing and the organizing region, then included in event agreement. The Club Racing input is intended to provide consistency between the Majors events in the conference. The Supps are developed by the region within certain requirements for Majors. The region is entirely responsible for running the event.

Terry

[Ralf]

The IT group gets to run at the Kansas Speedway Majors in 2015.

[tom91ita]

The IT group gets to run at the Kansas Speedway Majors in 2015.

A couple years ago the IT group ran on a pro weekend at mid-ohi . Really wish I had made one of thos .

[jumbojimbo]

The IT group gets to run at the Kansas Speedway Majors in 2015.

Let me guess: as a separate group with 5-6 classes. IE: sure, you can run your go carts during our lunch hour if you pay the bills for us when we can't support ourselves.

edit: now that i've read more, let me rant about contingencies a bit. I don't like them because they are a benefit only to the royalty and a tax on the rest of us. That money comes from sales, why should my $200 tire pay you for winning races in another series?

And that's kind of my issue with all of the distinction. My impression is that regional racing pays the bills and national racing doesn't. Regional sanction fees pay more bills than national sanction fees, regional purchases pay for national contingencies, etc. Regional racers pay the bill and national racers get the benefits.