2010 NEDiv Roundtable

[ner88]

Andy, you made your point, again!
I told you where I stood but everyone else wanted no drops.
Greg did not say anything about a manditory series?

[Andy Bettencourt]

Andy, you made your point, again!
I told you where I stood but everyone else wanted no drops.
Greg did not say anything about a manditory series?

And I'll say it until the PTB hear it.

[Greg Amy]

Greg did not say anything about a manditory series?

It could have been inferred (it was most assuredly implied).

No personal offense intended to anyone, but "8 races over 5 weekends at 4 tracks with no drops" in order to win a Regional championship is not Club Racing (as Andy eloquently described). It's actually torturous, unless you're simultaneously wealthy, retired, and bored. The perfect race series for Club Racing is one race weekend per month, spread evenly on both a calender and geographical basis, optimally hitting all the key tracks at least once, with opportunity to accommodate a failure or two through the year (e.g., family/career commitments and/or equipment failures on 10-20% of the weekends).

While I can see the underlying reason for such a series as presented (e.g., using the series championship push as a bone to encourage competitor participation at more events and at more tracks) what the schedule has effectively done is cause a lot of folks to drop out of the series before it ever got started...

We cannot as competitors (i.e., the ones providing the revenue) make every SCCA region and/or every SCCA event at every SCCA-accessible race track profitable. There's just not enough time and money to go around.

It's time to cull the herd.

GA

[Jeremy Billiel]

I can't tell you how many times I have tried to explain that racing is a commodity. It is NOT a club atmosphere. Racers simply do not care about the regions, who is hosting events and if they make money or not. They look at the family schedule and then say what weekends can I slot into my free time. Just that simple...

Over time as we have already began to see that the northeast is unraveling and quite frankly we have too many regions and too much politics. The regions with the best events, most value and ease of running will ultimately win.

Just my .02. Call me a cynic, call me what you want, but this is how its SUPPOSE TO WORK.

Rant off.

[Marcus Miller]

I can't tell you how many times I have tried to explain that racing is a commodity. It is NOT a club atmosphere. Racers simply do not care about the regions, who is hosting events and if they make money or not. They look at the family schedule and then say what weekends can I slot into my free time. Just that simple...

Over time as we have already began to see that the northeast is unraveling and quite frankly we have too many regions and too much politics. The regions with the best events, most value and ease of running will ultimately win.

Just my .02. Call me a cynic, call me what you want, but this is how its SUPPOSE TO WORK.

Rant off.

+1
What are you guys running at the natl weekend? Teg? or Miata?

[mossaidis]

If I may... I *think* the PTB decided that NARRC would the premier regional circuit in the NE, hence the limited schedule and no more "soft" point exceptions and rules. Is NARRC at odds with Pro-IT? perhaps... but probably not. If I remember correctly, there was a post here about what NARRC "should be". So... if you are serious about regional championship racing in the NE, you will make the time and effort for NARRC - I am. Don't care about a championship? there they are tons of regional, restricted and Pro-IT races to choose from at every track.

And if you're like tGA and tJB itching for National races w/o having to wait for the damn IT-to-go-National debate to be settled, then there's STU. Don't get me wrong, I would love to put in a K20, cams and a big-a$$ wing on my EG, but based on principal and $$$ I will make the most of it in NARRC.

[Jeremy Billiel]

If I may... I *think* the PTB decided that NARRC would the premier regional circuit in the NE, hence the limited schedule and no more "soft" point exceptions and rules. Is NARRC at odds with Pro-IT? perhaps... but probably not. If I remember correctly, there was a post here about what NARRC "should be". So... if you are serious about regional championship racing in the NE, you will make the time and effort for NARRC - I am. Don't care about a championship? there they are tons of regional, restricted and Pro-IT races to choose from at every track.

And if you're like tGA and tJB itching for National races w/o having to wait for the damn IT-to-go-National debate to be settled, then there's STU. Don't get me wrong, I would love to put in a K20, cams and a big-a$$ wing on my EG, but based on principal and $$$ I will make the most of it in NARRC.

Please don't confuse my comments as national vs regional banter. It's 100% about the regions at play and the NARRC series that started this latest version of the thread.

[Robert Zecca]

Dear Drivers,
It is a shame to hear so many people are unhappy with the NARRC, etc......I was at the Roundtable and it was excellent. TOO BAD the drivers did not show up to voice their opinions because we if we really need to fix something we need to voice our opinions. Too late now but I personally feel we need to build back up NARRC to make it mean something like years ago. I am happy that about 50-60% of the drivers did show up to pick up their awards and they were given out by Jeff Dahnert our President.

I have my hands full with ProIT and trying to close this NY Life deal but it would be nice to incorporate a deal for NARRC as well. Maybe we can sit down at an upcoming regional and get this thing figured out. Jerry Rigoli works very hard and Dick Patullo is incredible as well and if we work together we can get thing solved for a sold platform to work for going into the future.

Sincerely,
Bob Zecca

[mossaidis]

Please don't confuse my comments as national vs regional banter. It's 100% about the regions at play and the NARRC series that started this latest version of the thread.

I was placing my own shameless plug on the regional vs national banter. STU kills me.

[Greg Amy]

What are you guys running at the natl weekend? Teg? or Miata?

ITS Integra. It's still in pieces at Kessler's shop and we haven't even started on the Mee-Otter yet!!!

[ulfelder]

It could have been inferred (it was most assuredly implied).

The perfect race series for Club Racing is one race weekend per month, spread evenly on both a calender and geographical basis, optimally hitting all the key tracks at least once...
GA

Amen amen amen amen.

Steve

[gran racing]

Right now it's an attendance award.

Right now? LOL!

NERRC series, NARRC series, JRRC series, NYSRRC series, Pro-IT series

Oh my! Maybe we could add a couple more?

the NARRC has been the local measuring stick.

For a select few people, sure. Overall the majority of people do not see it as a measuring stick or even know who won the various series. Heck, most people have absolutely no idea who won any of the IT series championships last year. I don’t even know who won ITB.

There are too many different series being run, too many races, and it’s all watered down. I will say that I do like how Pro IT organizes their series schedule.

…and for those that are not motivated by a series, which is most, there are tons of races and formats available throughout the northeast.

Dick, this is a key point and one that it sure seems regions fail to recognize or don’t make the necessary adjustments based upon this fact. I realize that politics comes into play as well. Another challenge in creating a successful series here in the north east is due the fact there are tons of races and tracks. I’m not suggesting that there shouldn’t be a series since some do enjoy it and if done right, it could be a bigger draw.

I have to imagine that there’s quite a bit of time and effort put into running the various series. Maybe some of that time should be reallocated towards making specific events even better than they already are? As said numerous times, eliminate some other races so this can be done if need be. For example, make the NARRC runoffs a big event again instead of “another typical race weekend” which in my opinion it has become.

Other regions should take a serious look at IT Fest, the Labor Day event at Summit Point and the ARRC at Road Atlanta. Talk about fantastic events!! These events have raised the bar to another level and more regions should follow their lead. The racing is great, but the stuff off the track is what really makes these events. If some don’t think this is the way to go, look at the number of people who attend these events, how far they travel to make it, and how early they put it on their calendars as a “must attend event.”