IT Festival at MO

How about "Championship Level Event"
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My comment was tounge 'n cheek, I hope I didn't upset the apple cart.

I have to admit that I am a bit cynical. There are many people here that seem very concerned abut the tech at this event. Personally I am a big fan of more tech involvement at every Regional, National, ect. The fact of the matter is that the tech crew, the stewards, ect are all volunteers and they want to go home at the end of the event as well. The legitimacy of the event is not based on whether the cars get torn down or not. At the National level if you want to win the Triple Crown you have to win your division, win the June Sprints, and win the Run-offs. Very little tear downs happen before the Run-offs. If the ARRC is the Run-Offs for IT then let the tear downs get done there. This race may be a very good way to see who is going to be likely to win the ARRC, just like people look to the people the win the Sprints for possible Run-Offs winners. If they are “Cheating” find it at the ARRC. If they don’t go to the ARRC, who cares!

As far as washer bottles go, I think it is funny that people get all fired up about it either way. Both of my cars have em, but I could care less if anyone else's does.
 
Hi guys,

The proposal we will be presenting to the Board in Jaunary has two concerns. It seems like there is a lot of events on the calendar Aug. 10th-12th. Is there a possiblity that.

A. Drivers will come for an I.T. Festival because its the first one?

B. Drivers will skip the event and wait for next year if this one is successful? ( i.e. wait for feedback)

The idea is to build this event up as I have said before. But to do this we feel we need support races to go with the I.T. race groups. Thus the proposal to include a Spec Miata race group and a Spec Racer Ford race group. Call it the I.T. Festival / the SPEC-tacle of Motor Sports. ( Long name I doubt we could fit that on a t-shirt.) Anyway I digress. I have talked with Butch Kummer with ARRC and we feel we can get close to the alignment in the I.T. groups that ARRC is proposing for 2007. It won't be perfect and down the road ( hopfully the 25 anniverary in 2009) the idea is to bring it closer to what you will see at ARRC . BUT ! we feel we need to make sure the 1st year is successful, keep the seat time high ( you guys wanting to run two classes will be saddle sore by Sunday evening !) and keep the prices at a resonable level. The proposal
is to invite the Spec guys. Let me know your thoughts and what the Spec Miata and SRF drivers think. Keep the Tech suggestions coming. The more we reinforce this thought the better the idea will look to the Cincinnati Board in January.

Thanks for the input and support

Todd C.
Cincinnati Race Chair
 
I had never thought that it would be limited to IT cars only.....I can't see how that would fly, so I would have no problem with the suggestion of SRF and SM.
 
With the start of ITR is seems to be a category that will always grow. The grouping itself is now up to 7 catagories. ITA,B,C,E,S,R,7. That's seven stand alone race groups if you get a turnout of 35 to 40 cars per class. But with so many tracks and events over the summer it is hard to get that kind of turnout at any given track.

Todd
 
Hmmm...

I imagine you'll get, max:

ITC - 12
ITB - 22
ITA - 32
ITS - 27
ITR - 6
ITE (I forgot about ITE, LOL...no idea, 18??)
IT - 7 (forgot about this one, too) 13

Total 130

SM - 44
SPF - 38

total Specs 82

total all 212
 
1) I like the multi-race format. Just use moto scoring.

1st = 1 point
2nd = 2
etc.

Receive points for each race. Low point total wins. Weight is given to the Sunday race over the Saturday. Meaning the guy that runs 2nd Saturday and 1st Sunday (3 pts) beats the guy that ran 1st Saturday and 2nd Sunday (3 pts).

2) Race length. I vote for equal lengths each day. Normal sprint race length. If you can wittle down the number of groups then add to race length each day.

3) This will be a radical idea to some of you and I don't expect it to fly but instead of the Saturday races simply gridding the race for Sunday (and/or applying to overall scoring) how about inverting the top 4-6 starters from Saturday for the Sunday start? With moto scoring you can't afford to sandbag Saturday. Then Sunday invert the field. Would make for something spectator friendly.

4) Want people to make the trip? Money talks. Real prize money. Not the "possible 2 million in contingency payout" the Runoffs and NASA brag about. Attended a USAC race Saturday night that offered $50k to anyone that could double up in the sprint and midget races. Bill Simpson was "offering" the purse. Truth is the purse is underwritten and Simpson's outlay was no where near $50k. The purse created a lot of buzz even though the chance of someone winning it was about zero.

I'm not expecting a $50k purse for an IT race. But a chance to take something home other than a $2 plaque would draw me into finding a ride or building one. In my case the Indy region offering an SM cash race early this year was the only thing that got me looking for an SCCA ride all year. Spare me the "we're all amatuers, money ruins racing" BS. The yearly bill to campaign a top notch IT car would of made some pro teams blush a decade ago. Cars don't run on wood plaques and I'm sure as hell not going to haul half way across the US or skip a local points race for a bigger wood plaque.

Thinking long term...truely tie in the triple crown and offer something along the lines of an award for winning all three. A spring west coast or SW race. The mid-year deal at M-O and the ARRC in the fall. Something more than a trophy. Three regions (leave the national office out of it please) collaborate on a purse (we all have enough trophies) and the draw becomes real. IT is the largest group in SCCA. Make that work for the event.

What would it cost to have a $10k purse underwritten for someone who wins the triple crown in their class PLUS the overall ARRC enduro? Would add lots of buzz and help draw the top competitors to all three venues.

5) Tech. How many people have said part of what legitimizes the ARRC is the teardown process? Lots. I firmly believe most IT racers are legal (washer bottles not withstanding) but there are the select few that stop at nothing. Passing tech after a win adds to the victory IMO.

I agree on no tear downs Saturday. But hearing people whine, yeah I said it, about having to have the head back on the car before a race the next weekend is laughable. Circle track guys that run two and three nights a week 20 weeks a year AND hold down real 40+ hr/week jobs are rolling there eyes from under a car right now. I'm sorry, but buck up.

The logistics at M-O might be a hurdle. Enough knowledgeable tech people and covered space. Hell, Holiday Canopy has a big advertisement over the tech shed. Ask them to donate some more cover for the week.

6)An enduro would be nice. The date, so close to Nelson, would be a tough sell.
 
Am I reading things correct??? This is now going to be a restricted regional? I thought it was a regular regional with a concentration on marketing the IT races?

Also I don't like the "Tripple crown" idea, as it seems very hard for most IT guys to get to all three tracks... realisticly I don't see it happaning. However I do like the idea of having a "National Champion." Gets points from overall finish from each of the three weekends, and crown an overall National IT champion.

Raymond "This is looking better and better" Blethen
 
To All,

Yes we are looking at making this a Restricted Double Regional. 5 race groups. Lots of seat time. The proposal is for 4 sessions over the weekend culminating into 150 minutes of track time per race group. Or we stay with a Double regional and go back to more mixed classes and at the max. 7 race groups. Seat time drops off to about 90 minutes for the weekend. But we restore champ and division series points.
Thats pretty much our two options going into January.

Todd
 
I think that it should be pretty obvious but for those of us considering coming to this event from a distance the more track time and the more racing the better. The quality of the event is much more important to those of us with a long tow that the entry fee. Even though we have a local event that we would have to pass on this is something my teammate and I are interested in. Now we just have to figure out how to get the racecars as well as something to use in the pdx to help learn the track out there out there.

By the way I have been lurking at apexspeed ever since the marrs race group thread started and already there is someone from that board who is complaining that a IT festival is a threat to open wheel racing. :rolleyes:
 
I know that WDC considered dropping the wings & things group from the MARRS series due to undersubscription in the open-wheeled groups. We have the same problem even when we host an event on 4th of July weekend. There are still 4 Mid-Ohio dates National and Regional level on the calendar that will host open wheel classes, as well as 12 other National and Regional level weekends around GLDivision on other tracks. Thats a whole lotta weekends to choose from without Cincinnati Region in the mix.

Todd
 
Also I don't like the "Tripple crown" idea, as it seems very hard for most IT guys to get to all three tracks... realisticly I don't see it happaning. However I do like the idea of having a "National Champion." Gets points from overall finish from each of the three weekends, and crown an overall National IT champion.

Raymond "This is looking better and better" Blethen
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I was not suggesting that there should be a tripple crown for IT. What I was trying to get across is that this is somethat that is held in high regard with or without tear downs.
 
I like the Pro-caliber mentality. I can't wait to see the enty fees and the CASH payouts!

when do you expect the details on this event as the new year is almost here it is time to put in vacation time! This may be one of the first Pro IT races I have been in with Cash rewards!!
 
I appretiate your hard work and I hope your region appretiates the hype that has been created already.

If the entry fee is around $250 or less I may consider it. Do you have any real ideas on the cost yet?

PS: In my opinion to be a PRO caliber event cash payouts are needed not just technical inspection and more track time. That is only making it a "National" level event verses a "Regional" level event.
 
I appretiate your hard work and I hope your region appretiates the hype that has been created already.

If the entry fee is around $250 or less I may consider it. Do you have any real ideas on the cost yet?

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So mucho track time at MO and a double format and $250 is your threshold? What is the fee for the ARRC? Hopefully, as this event grows and we all cram into MO, sponsors and contingencies will follow.
 
If you go comparison shopping this is what you will find. However we really shouldn't be compairing it to the ARRC as the only similarity we have so far is that it will have preplanned technical inspections. Other than that it is a regional event that we WANT to be BIG. I figure the events value is probably more than the nearby venues due to track time and the track itself seems great. However we want to build this event to be something big and to do that we need to attract people to come. Other than some chatter on this forum why woud you go? There is no contingency, no publicity, nothing more than a double regional. If it becomes a restricted regional we will get more track time but to attract me you will need to have lot's of track time at a cheap price. I think $250 or at least close to that is very reasonable to market this event and get a big turnout. IF we get a big tunrout THEN contingency and publicity will come. IF we do not get a big turnout the event will dwindle away.

WGI double = $230
Nelson LedgesL double = $230 & $240 Not sure on the price difference?
NHIS double = $220 & $260 why the $40 price break... most likely to attract more attendance.
Summit Point double = $290
Beaver run double = $227
Pocono Double = $325 in 2005 / $300 in 2006 Why the price break? some say to increase the turnout but we lost a session for an enduro to be scheduled so the actual per lap price went up! Overall VERY poor attendance at this event.
WORGAMES double = $250 Not exactly sure what this is as the surver is down but it seems like an SCCA double at Mid Ohio...

FYI:
Entry for the SCCA National Championship Runnoffs that is aired on TV with contingeny and publicity is $300
NASA championship at Mid Ohiowith contingency and publicity Entry fee = $395
ARRC sprint with contingency and publicity = $250
ARRC PRO-IT with contingency and publicity = $250
 
Will all due respect Steven, the fuel bill to tow there alone will be $300. This is not a cheap weekend to do from a long distance. The entry fee is a much smaller concern that the quality of the event. I am much more likely to tow out for a double with plenty of practice time to learn this challenging track. Prize money is unrealistic for a first time event like this and the effort trying to raise a few hundred dollars for payouts is better spent making other part of the event excellent. Besides 5 years from now when this race has great stature what will it be worth to you to day you one the first one.
 
Will all due respect Steven, the fuel bill to tow there alone will be $300.[/b]
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'Zactly what I was thinking. As I've said several times before, the number on the entry fee is such a SMALL percentage of total costs that it's prety much irrelevant...Increase the track time, raise the entry fee: matters not to me.

I do like how folks are talking about prize money, but you're forgetting one big factor: this is Club Racing. You know why roundy-round cars, and sprint cars, and Indy cars, and WoO and others have prize money? Cause there's REVENUE for the track. They pay money to entice quality competitors to show up 'cause it draws crowds. SCCA Club Racing does not draw crowds, thus it does not draw revenue, thus it does not pay competitors. How many of YOU guys have merchandising with your car number on coffee cups and T-shirts for sale at the track? That's a fact of club racing life, folks, and if you don't understand that, then you don't understand pro racing and you don't understand business.

Besides, if it DID pay money, enough to entice quality competition, then you'd be complaining about all the high-dollar entrants coming in with $50,000 ITC cars.

Remember Milton Friedman's (RIP) famous quote: "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

They're going to put the event on, it's going to be fun, and you're either going to be there or you're going to suck.

Regardless, stop complaining.
 
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