Scca It Is Time For Change Now!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Bob.

Just curious as to haw many regional events you run a year in the North East? While we're at it I'd like to hear from as many other regions.

I'm on the BOG in Calclub (Sopac) We are running 8 double regional weekends this year and are thinking of cutting back to 7 doubles next year.

We also ran 1 single and a double national this year (But who cares about them, they don't have IT )

The multi-regional series up here is the North Atlantic Road Racing Championship (NARRC). This year we have 10 weekends (4 doubles and 6 singles) that produce 14 points-paying events.

Add into that a new Pro-IT series that 'supports' both Regionals, Nationals and an ARCA race(s)...8 events on 8 weekends.

Here is my suggestion for 2010:

Give up the May Lime Rock, keep the June (school) and October race
Give up the May double NHMS, keep the April (school) and September double

That brings us down to 8 weekends over 7 months. Maybe a double race at NJMP that had us run Lightning on one day and Thunderbolt on the other...that would shave another event bringing us to a reasonable 7 events over 7 months. Add ProIT to ONLY REGIONAL SCCA events. Limit weekends and add features that provide value.

It may be a time for Regions without tracks to temporarily shut down their road racing programs (NNJ, MoHud, NYR, etc). Wait until demand comes back so that we can apply for dates that we want to add and then divvy those up if we can get them. If we can't, so be it. At least that will mean the events that are being put on will be packed.

Give the drivers good choices (all the tracks in the area - NHMS, LRP, WGI, NJMP L&T, Pocono) and put on the best dang events you can with support from Pro IT.

[StephenB]

Great ideas Andy.
The only thing I disagree with is running the Pro-IT with Regional events. I think a large number of people can't afford and will not double dip and will run one or the other. Running the Pro-IT as support races to other events will get some people to run more. If they don't run more they will at least add entries to the other events that wouldn't have had the entries. Running support races with spectators can also be used as advertising to let people (spectators) know that we exist and that "entry level" wheel to wheel racing exists.

To add to that:
I also think that SCCA needs to identify if running National Events and Regional Events is something that adds value to the SCCA brand. Both Regional and National events are "entry level" or "stepping stones" for someone to get into a racing carreer, or to just have fun racing wheel to wheel a few weekends a year. I personally do not think running Nationals vs. Regionals has any value to the SCCA brand and eliminates or cuts into its own revenues. In my mind Nationals and Regionals are run seperatly as if they are two seperate companies competing with eachother for the same drivers. I do think the "National Championship" structure adds value to the SCCA brand and I do think that SCCA should have a "Runnoffs" like they currently due to determine a "National Champion".

I would propose running SCCA events (no National vs. Regional) then allow competitors to pay the "extra dues" to gain National points towards running in the National Runnoffs televised on TV to become the "National Champion". I understand a cost is involved in running the "runnoffs" and therefor higher entries is justified for those that are running for National Points and the "Runnoffs".

my .02 and I strongly feel as that this National vs. Regional thing has to go away.

Stephen
PS: I am not running the NARRC series due to time (AKA Opportunity cost) and actual cost.

[raffaelli]

I havent thought that running the Pro It with Regionals was a good idea. Seems to me that it is the same group that would enter in both. Maybe the Pro IT should run at Nationals.

Real or not, my perception is that there is a race almost every weekend when you look at the tracks I consider - WG, LRP NH, Poc. Seems way too much to me.

[Andy Bettencourt]

The PTB can fill us in on how viable running an 'event' with no National or Regional designation. I have always thought, given the size of LRP and NHMS and the historical size of our IT fields that there was no room for classes like IT, SSM and ITE...that can be as much as 3 and as little as 2 extra run groups.

[ulfelder]

I agree with much of what I'm reading here. Stephen B, your idea regarding Regional vs. National is excellent - it's something that should be explored.

Looking at the big picture, it seems the deep problem is that some of those who run regions, divisions, RR boards, and even SCCA National are forgetting that the drivers are the consumers who need to be served. (Certainly not everybody forgets this; when Brian Mushnick was the RR Board chair in NER, he beat this drum constantly.)

If you strip out SCCA history and simply look at the way races in NEDiv are presented, you see a system that is insanely complex and difficult for a newbie to learn. NERRC! NARRC! Pro-IT! NYSRRC! National! Regional! Sign up for a race here! Oops, not that race, silly - sign up over there! Go here for results! Also here! But not there! What? No payment yet? Then you're considered a late registrant! Oh, you did it that way at the last LRP event? Well that was an NNJR race, and this is an NYR race!

Memo to regions, divisions and national: Simplify, simplify.

Steve Ulfelder
Flatout Motorsports
05 ITS

[gran racing]

Politics. Egos.
Those are two things that continue to hurt SCCA as a whole, and eventually it impacts the regions that might be a part of the issue.

Funny, I know regions had contacted Mike Dickerson (previously at Topeka ) and a few years ago he made the suggestion of fewer races. No one or at least very few listened.

I know this won't be popular, in part because of my first response.
In addition to consolidating races, maybe in some instances it would be worthwhile to consolidate or at least revisit our regional structure. Maybe it's not necessary but do think it deserves some further thought.

Running support races with spectators can also be used as advertising to let people (spectators) know that we exist and that "entry level" wheel to wheel racing exists.

I absolutely agree. We as a club need more exposure. An extremely limited number of people know that any form of "Average Joe" Club Racing exists no less SCCA.

World Challenge. I'm sorry, but WTF? Why are we not using this promotional tool in a much better way? I went to LRP two years ago to drop off a supply of flyers for them to utilize. NO ONE knew where the WC truck was located. My wife and I walked the paddock multiple time, asked the information booth, security, . We finally found it and realized that we walked right by it multiple times. Nothing was out there about SCCA. I later went to another event, and faced the same problems finding it. The flyers SCCA (the "club side") to be put out in an effort to promote club racing were burried in the truck somewhere. I recognize we might not be able to have SCCA ads during the races although I do wish that were possible, pressure drivers to plug SCCA club racing when interviewed. Require that each car put decals on their car advertising SCCA. A simple "You can get involved and start racing - visit SCCA.com" type of thing.

Bob, There are too many of us in the tired and worn out. I know I am with my efforts. Hopefully we all can get re-energized some how. You and Darrel have helped me get a bit more motivation again. Thanks!

[JoshS]

If you strip out SCCA history and simply look at the way races in NEDiv are presented, you see a system that is insanely complex and difficult for a newbie to learn. NERRC! NARRC! Pro-IT! NYSRRC! National! Regional! Sign up for a race here! Oops, not that race, silly - sign up over there! Go here for results! Also here! But not there! What? No payment yet? Then you're considered a late registrant! Oh, you did it that way at the last LRP event? Well that was an NNJR race, and this is an NYR race!

I'm not in the northeast, but the more I read, the more I think you guys up there just need to restructure. You've got points series of regional events that covers the same area as your entire division. IMO (nothing to base this on), the idea is that regional events are supposed to be entry-level, requiring less travel, and if you want to travel and compete for bigger stakes, then you race your entire division and run national races. You guys have 5 tracks covering a huge area for your regional series.

I think part of the problem is that there are so many tiny regions up there that want to play. We don't really have that problem on the west coast.

Here in CA, we have 6 tracks covering less travel distance, but guess what? It's split into two series, one put on by Cal Club using the southern 3 tracks, and one put on by SFR covering the northern 3 tracks. Since the entire season is presented by the same club with the same officials, every weekend feels pretty much the same, just at different tracks. Both the CalClub series and the SFR series typically each have 8 race weekends, 13-16 races. There aren't many drivers who cross over and run the other series, so there's not much travel required, and both clubs have great turnouts (even this year, down, but pretty decent.)

On the west coast, Nationals aren't doing so well, in my opinion, because they require so much travel to compete for the division. (Of course, those 6 tracks are not in the same division.) Here near San Francisco we have to travel 12 hours up to Portland and 15 hours up to Seattle to race in our same division. If you are near Los Angeles, racing in your division requires you to travel to Phoenix.

[raffaelli]

....and difficult for a newbie to learn. NERRC! NARRC! Pro-IT! NYSRRC! National! Regional! Sign up for a race here! Oops, not that race, silly - sign up over there! Go here for results! Also here! But not there! What? No payment yet? Then you're considered a late registrant! Oh, you did it that way at the last LRP event? Well that was an NNJR race, and this is an NYR race!
Steve Ulfelder
Flatout Motorsports
05 ITS

Exactly. I just sort of sorted it out. Now I am trying to help two buddies, one building, one about to race in SE, through this stuff.