2015 NERRC schedule

[StephenB]

We invited him? Or we have a ruleset that allows him to race? BIG difference...

[Greg Amy]

We invited him? Or we have a ruleset that allows him to race? BIG difference...

We specifically list the Spec E46 cars as eligible for STU, because the class has deviations that make them ineligible to the basic STU ruleset (weight, I think?). We added the class a couple of months ago on his request (and Eric Heinrich's lobbying).

You can do this, too, but "it's never been done" in IT. In fact, the idea has been explicitly rejected (see: Spec Miatas in ITA).

GA

[craigs]

Will has been to the runoffs at least once and as I recall made a great showing on RA-1s that he was "contracted" to run at the time.

1. We have too many events competing for a limited number of drivers. Northeast Division July 10 - August 23 has at least one race EVERY weekend and sometimes three!
2. Allow people to pay up from for a discount. Buy 5 nonrefundable race weekends and get a 6th free if you pay before March 1st.
3. Cut the number of classes.
4. Remove the Major and Regional distinction.
5. One series at the divisional level.

Dave - you talk about LRPs high cost making you pause. No calling you out specifically because I hear it all the time, but I think LRP gets a bad rap for the entry fee which is only about $20 higher than NHMS. LRP is no longer way over priced in comparison.

[gran racing]

Do you see me at NHMS? It's not just about cost, it's about perceived value.

For example, I'd MUCH prefer to attend Summit Point's Labor Day Friday - Monday events even though it'll cost me more a fair amount more due to travel. Yet I totally feel my family and I get an awesome product. Maybe not a great example... From what I've seen of Palmer, I'd rather head there for a Friday - Sunday race weekend for more money and a lot more racing. LRP often has a waste of a vacation day Friday qualifying, some wonky qualifying sprint which isn't a race cause that noise would be louder or something like that, and so forth.

Ask tGA if I'm a guy who typically defends LRP, has emotional ties to it since I grew up going there with my father watching races, and so on. Gesh Greg, you proud of me? lol

[Greg Amy]

I do find it ironic that you're complaining about entry fee cost, yet you prefer to tow 7 hours (versus 5)..the difference just in fuel cost is more (ignoring the relative value of the tracks...I know you're not a fan of NHMS).

But I think that illustrates a bigger picture than just entry fees. I think entry fees certainly give us pause, but they don't guide our behavior as much as we think they do. I bitched about the entry fees for the Majors last year ($650, was it?) and for the Runoffs ($950?) but I still did the events because they were races I wanted to run, at venues I wanted to race, and competition I wanted to race against. Provide events at attractive venues with full fields and the rest follows.

Hell, I bet you could probably charge $750 for the first 2015 Palmer Regional and I bet the place still fills up. Yes, people will bitch, but if this were a purely economic discussion, that's what we'd do... - GA

[georgethefierce]

I do find it ironic that you're complaining about entry fee cost, yet you prefer to tow 7 hours (versus 5)..the difference just in fuel cost is more (ignoring the relative value of the tracks...I know you're not a fan of NHMS).

But I think that illustrates a bigger picture than just entry fees. I think entry fees certainly give us pause, but they don't guide our behavior as much as we think they do. I bitched about the entry fees for the Majors last year ($650, was it?) and for the Runoffs ($950?) but I still did the events because they were races I wanted to run, at venues I wanted to race, and competition I wanted to race against. Provide events at attractive venues with full fields and the rest follows.

Hell, I bet you could probably charge $750 for the first 2015 Palmer Regional and I bet the place still fills up. Yes, people will bitch, but if this were a purely economic discussion, that's what we'd do... - GA

I agree, and as a super low budget racer I wish I didn't...I WISH $300 entry fees would make a real difference, I just don't see it being the reason people only run a couple events a year. Now $750 for Palmer...that's a different story.

[gran racing]

Jake G. has often mentioned one of the reasons why Club Racing has declined is due to how the family structure has changed over the years. A while back, in more families the father would simply state he's going racing, had more control of the financial state of the family, and that would be that. His role was more of a provider in the family. There were less expectations for dad to be as involved in the kids extra curricular activities. Times have changes and I don't disagree with his theory.

I do find it ironic that you're complaining about entry fee cost, yet you prefer to tow 7 hours (versus 5)..the difference just in fuel cost is more

There are multiple factors in that decision. My perceived value being one and overall experience the family has. It's easier for me to sell an event where my wife recognizes the "value".

Greg, you're looking it at a different way than many of us who have kids do. To be honest, your calculation is the accurate way. I won't disagree with that. Mine and many other people especially who have kids need to market it / sell it differently. This is no different than 95% of products sold to consumers. The entry fee is highly visible and right there in our face.

Pay to the Order of: Lime Rock Park
Amount: Three hundred eighty five dollars and 00/100.

Ut oh! Many of our wives are NOT going to like seeing that. And by all means, I'm not saying our wives are dumb and don't recognize other costs involved. Yet at more incremental and spread out spending, we find a way to rationalize or ignore it. This plays on most peoples' human nature. Just like building a racecar where we make several trips to Home Depot and ignore those costs the best we can.

This happens on a sliding scale of sorts where fuel costs begin to factor in the further away. The Glen 5 hour tow? Yes, but not a huge factor. Summit - 7 hours? Yeah, but hey, it's an amazing event. Road Atlanta where it's a $1,000 fuel bill; that scale tipped too much.

I am not expecting this to make sense to people who are rational and/or don't need to sell our Club Racing habbit this way. Yet I know it's a reality for many.

[craigs]

When you mentioned dollar amounts I mistakenly interpreted that as cost and not value. My bad.