Atlanta Region Pro-IT Problems

Ron Earp said:
I'd like to see a 1.5 or 2 hour race format, a series that runs all over the SE, with purse and payouts and the allowed classes included ITE (a catch all class for cars that met IT SAFETY rules) and provisions for LeChump cars. I think that would be successful and could replace the ECR, ProIT, CCPs, and the THC. It'd draw a good pool of cars, that is for sure, and for that reason it wouldn't have to cost any more than one of the aforementioned races.
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That would be awesome.
 
Running a series like that requires a great deal of traveling. For instance, RA is 3.5 for me (depending on traffic...could/has been 6), RR is 5.5, CMP 6.5, VIR 10.5, Barber 20min. This is the main reason I ran the ProIT the last two years...I did not have to travel great distances, which made it easier on me, my equipment, and my pocket book. I think a lot of people look at it that way.

If we did establish a common series, I can see me running a sprint version (30-45 minutes) but not anything longer. In addition, I really dislike CMP and have no intention of pulling all the way to VIR unless it becomes extremely inviting. One participant's opinion.
 
Sure, this series isn't your preference but what I'm asking is for people to think of the larger picture and health of club racing.


*I believe most racers would like a series that exists at all the tracks they visit. In general I see the same people at the tracks I run and I bet an informal paddock poll would reveal they don't care to have five stickers all over their cars for five different series, particularly when one that is contiguous across the region would do.

*A series that would replace ECR/ProIT/CCPs/THC would bring the regions together, one would hope. Right now I don't see a lot of cohesiveness between the NCR, SCR, CCR, BCR, and Road Africa regions. Each does their own thing. Hell, I frankly don't know why we need five regions (there are actually more) in an area 300 miles wide, but what do I know.

*I believe that the club could benefit from embracing a larger pool of racers with the NCR SCCA's ITE rule set and a specific allowance for safe LeChump cars. There are many benefits to this approach but an obvious one is that it might get some new blood into the SCCA. I don't know what our average age is but I ain't young and you're racing on social security.

*And it'd be cool.

Heck, maybe in some way tie it to the ARRC, or called it the ARRC series, and bring back meaning to the ARRC.
 
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chuck baader said:
Running a series like that requires a great deal of traveling. For instance, RA is 3.5 for me (depending on traffic...could/has been 6), RR is 5.5, CMP 6.5, VIR 10.5, Barber 20min. This is the main reason I ran the ProIT the last two years...I did not have to travel great distances, which made it easier on me, my equipment, and my pocket book. I think a lot of people look at it that way.

If we did establish a common series, I can see me running a sprint version (30-45 minutes) but not anything longer. In addition, I really dislike CMP and have no intention of pulling all the way to VIR unless it becomes extremely inviting. One participant's opinion.
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Would not be much different Chuck. Many in the other series just run the ones at their local track and get the per race payout. Some choose to run the series and get the added bonus of year end money. Everybody wins because the extra entries picked up from out of town drivers fill the field and make it viable for the region to host. Not happening now for Atlanta and we are all just tossing out ideas to help.
 
Ron Earp said:
Sure, this series isn't your preference but what I'm asking is for people to think of the larger picture and health of club racing.


*I believe most racers would like a series that exists at all the tracks they visit. In general I see the same people at the tracks I run and I bet an informal paddock poll would reveal they don't care to have five stickers all over their cars for five different series, particularly when one that is contiguous across the region would do.

*A series that would replace ECR/ProIT/CCPs/THC would bring the regions together, one would hope. Right now I don't see a lot of cohesiveness between the NCR, SCR, CCR, BCR, and Road Africa regions. Each does their own thing. Hell, I frankly don't know why we need five regions (there are actually more) in an area 300 miles wide, but what do I know.

*I believe that the club could benefit from embracing a larger pool of racers with the NCR SCCA's ITE rule set and a specific allowance for safe LeChump cars. There are many benefits to this approach but an obvious one is that it might get some new blood into the SCCA. I don't know what our average age is but I ain't young and you're racing on social security.

*And it'd be cool.

Heck, maybe in some way tie it to the ARRC, or called it the ARRC series, and bring back meaning to the ARRC.
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Make it so. Write up a proposal for a 1 hour race series to replace the ECR and other non-SARRC races and let's see if we can get any interest in the northern half ot the SEDiv.

1 hour races
Sedans/productin based cars only (including as you note ITE and safe Chumpemons cars, no SRFs)
One 3 min pit stop
VIR, CMP, Charlotte, Road Atlanta, Roebling

Sell it to the PRO IT, THC and CCPS admins first.
 
You lose a good portion of entries if you exclude SRF. 45 minutes was set as a distance all cars could make without refueling. Have to think it through a little more Jeff. You never run any of the mentioned series so you need to get some more information before you design the perfect series. :p 45 minutes is also the sweet spot for fitting it in a tight race schedule.
 
I agree that 45 mins might be easy to schedule, but I think you can have a larger draw with the 1 or 1.5 hour format. The longer format allows for a team to have two drivers which makes it more attractive to a larger pool of racers. I too think you can't exclude SRFs. There are a lot of those cars around and they'd be important for entries.
 
seckerich said:
You lose a good portion of entries if you exclude SRF. 45 minutes was set as a distance all cars could make without refueling. Have to think it through a little more Jeff. You never run any of the mentioned series so you need to get some more information before you design the perfect series. :p 45 minutes is also the sweet spot for fitting it in a tight race schedule.
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Actually I've run all of those series other than PRO-IT.

I did 1 hour because that gives an even 30/30 split for two drivers, and the 3 min stop because that is plenty of time to switch drivers and put 5 gallons in teh car. How do I know? I've run a lot of ECRs over the years and a 5 min stop involves a lot of waiting.

Scheduling I don't know much about other than being on the driver end of it, which is why I went 1 hour rather than 90 minutes.

I think SRFs probably hurt attendance as much as the help. ECRs can attract 5 or 6 or 7, but the CCPS or TCS? Not so much. And I don't think PRO IT allows them. They are the primary reason I don't run CCPS, and I think that is true for a lot of S drivers.
 
"Would not be much different Chuck. Many in the other series just run the ones at their local track and get the per race payout. Some choose to run the series and get the added bonus of year end money. Everybody wins because the extra entries picked up from out of town drivers fill the field and make it viable for the region to host. Not happening now for Atlanta and we are all just tossing out ideas to help."

Ron, this is exactly what I have done for the last two years. Participation, however, has waned to the extent that I would rather run the SARRC series without payout.
 
How about the 2 race in one format?

45 minutes for the sprint and 1.5 for the enduro,
run at the same time like at the ARRC.

For those that don't have a co-driver.

I'd run a 1.5 by myself but the brakes are shot well before 1.5 on my car.

And I'd like to stay away from the invisible SRF's.
 
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To Steve's point, and he knows a lot more about this part than most of us, scheduling a 1h race on top of the 8 groups often seen these days at a sarrc weekend is a challenge. I agree that 15 minutes doesn't sound like a lot, but when you consider that all of the listed tracks have some sort of required quiet times at night / for god / funeral processions / chicken farm inspections whatever, 15 minutes can be the difference between getting it in and getting bumped.

maybe 45 mins minimum, with 3 min stop means 2x21min driver stints, and less pit time. throw in a couple of "special" events that are 1.0 or 1.5 hours in length, maybe the 3 hour ARRC endure as a capstone. that'd be groovy.

and I agree, no sports racers.

If this gets done, I'll like the idea of moving to NC more and more. anyone have a job for an ME in the RT/Asheville/Charlotte triangle?
 
Tom Donnelly said:
How about the 2 race in one format?

45 minutes for the sprint and 1.5 for the enduro,
run at the same time like at the ARRC.

For those that don't have a co-driver.

I'd run a 1.5 by myself but the brakes are shot well before 1.5 on my car.

And I'd like to stay away from the invisible SRF's.
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This is what we are doing this year at our Charlotte Motor Speedway race. We will run the ECR (1.5 hr) and the CCPS at the same time and just checker the CCPS at 45 minutes. It also happens at night under full speedway and infield lighting. :026:

Last year we ran the CCPS under the lights with SRF and a capacity field with no contact reported.

We have tried the 1.5 hour races in our area as stand alone as Jeff mentions, it is called ECR and has had a tough time filling fields for the last 5 years or so. The 45 minute races seem to be the sweet spot to fit in a schedule and still make it pay for the region. Takes a lot of cars to justify 2 plus hours of track time for a single and over 4 for a double ECR. The other racers get shafted for track time and don't show. Cold hard reality is bring the numbers if you think you want no SRF, or put on the big boy pants and race like you do at the 13 hour.
 
I have my preferences, but my biggest preference is having a place to race with a decent field of cars. I'll adapt if need be to what we end up with.

But I'd like us to end up with something.
 
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