TeamDI Pro IT - 2010 Season

[lawtonglenn]

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I am concerned.

While we have in Pro-IT a great series, organized by terrific and caring individuals, and attended by enthusiastic participants, I do not think we have adequately concerned ourselves with the bigger picture.
By design, the Pro-IT series is parasitic. It requires a host to put on the event, schedule the track, organize the volunteers and paid workers, etc. etc. etc.

par⋅a⋅site [par-uh-sahyt] –noun 1.an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.

While the word parasite has a generally negative connotation, that is not the point I am trying to make. What I am concerned about is that we have many people supporting the development of the parasite, disproportionate to the comparatively meager support of the host.
Without a healthy host, the parasite eventually dies.

To illustrate this, I need only point out the current preregistration numbers for the October Pro-IT and Regional event at NJMP:

...... Reg ....Pro
SM..... 1...... 3
ITR.... 3...... 8
ITS.... 2...... 9
ITB.... 1...... 3
ITA.... 1...... 1

....... 8...... 24

I know many of you have read at least a few of the other threads regarding the future of IT. While much of the talk is of rule changes, there is still a considerable amount of discussion about the current recession driven overcapacity (ie too many events, not enough participants).

Some make take my remarks as "Glenn calling the baby ugly", but they are meant to encourage discussion that will make the host healthy, to continue the success of the newly popular Pro-IT series.

For example, I support the suggestion that future Pro-It races not be scheduled on the same days as a regional event at a different "nearby" track.

Also, in reference to the chart above, I suggest that in future Pro-IT races that are held with Regionals, paid participation in the Regional should be a requirement for the Pro-IT.
To this idea I know that some might say "I cannot afford to do both the regional and the Pro-IT"...to that I respond that you are asking others to carry the load for you, and those others are not forthcoming.

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[Doc Bro]

.

I am concerned.

While we have in Pro-IT a great series, organized by terrific and caring individuals, and attended by enthusiastic participants, I do not think we have adequately concerned ourselves with the bigger picture.
By design, the Pro-IT series is parasitic. It requires a host to put on the event, schedule the track, organize the volunteers and paid workers, etc. etc. etc.

par⋅a⋅site [par-uh-sahyt] –noun 1.an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.

While the word parasite has a generally negative connotation, that is not the point I am trying to make. What I am concerned about is that we have many people supporting the development of the parasite, disproportionate to the comparatively meager support of the host.
Without a healthy host, the parasite eventually dies.

To illustrate this, I need only point out the current preregistration numbers for the October Pro-IT and Regional event at NJMP:

...... Reg ....Pro
SM..... 1...... 3
ITR.... 3...... 8
ITS.... 2...... 9
ITB.... 1...... 3
ITA.... 1...... 1

....... 8...... 24

I know many of you have read at least a few of the other threads regarding the future of IT. While much of the talk is of rule changes, there is still a considerable amount of discussion about the current recession driven overcapacity (ie too many events, not enough participants).

Some make take my remarks as "Glenn calling the baby ugly", but they are meant to encourage discussion that will make the host healthy, to continue the success of the newly popular Pro-IT series.

For example, I support the suggestion that future Pro-It races not be scheduled on the same days as a regional event at a different "nearby" track.

Also, in reference to the chart above, I suggest that in future Pro-IT races that are held with Regionals, paid participation in the Regional should be a requirement for the Pro-IT.
To this idea I know that some might say "I cannot afford to do both the regional and the Pro-IT"...to that I respond that you are asking others to carry the load for you, and those others are not forthcoming.

.

Glenn,

The Oct Pro-IT/Reg is Fri/Sat/Sun. I think that having 2 races back to back with event participation on Fri may be part of the problem. I'll go to the Oct Pro-IT but not the regional for this reason. I can only give my employees so many unpaid fridays off before they asked me to pay them!! For all the self-employeed folks out there having to take another day off really adds to the weekend costs.

R

[rthiele]

I share your concerns Glenn. The discount for the combination of reg and Pro IT is a great thing and the region tries the best to make it work.

However for this case we need to consider that not everyone can make it Friday (means travel to NJ on Thursday). If everything is on the weekend it should be less of a problem to run both. Also as a guess it might be too much driving time that specific weekend for some - tires, personal fitness etc. Last but not least the regional that weekend is not a NARRC points race.

So again, I second your point, just that weekend is a bit more difficult.

[dj10]

Maybe going back to the 1- ProIT race per weekend along with the regional would help? As much as I like 2 long races the regions do have to survive. I believe it is the extra Friday that is hurting. If you plan 2- ProIT races then they much be indendpendent & held on their own weekends, not to hurt the regions.
IMO

[lawtonglenn]

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I understand.

For me anyway, the fact that there are 5 races in one event weekend is a major plus...and since it isn't a points race, my plan is to gather up all my "still good but not fast enough to win" tires, and use them up.

As to this event's schedule, Friday is merely two qualifying sessions for the Regional. My intention is to show up late Friday night, miss the Qualifiers, and start from the back. Once again, this isn't a points event.

I really do understand that each of us may have a particular difficulty with this event. However, I only used this as an example, since the data is so compelling.

My point is really bigger than this one event. I know of several friends that I have had fun racing with in prior years, who have decided to only race the Pro-IT series in 2009. If too many people take that path, the parasite outgrows the host, and poof....

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