New Format for the 2010 ARRC by GRM

B

Butch Kummer

New member
Since it’s resurrection by Atlanta Region in 1994, the American Road Race of Champions Presented by Grassroots Motorsports (the ARRC by GRM) has billed itself as the “National Championship event for non-Runoffs classes.” To keep from competing with the Runoffs for entries, none of the Runoffs classes have been invited to compete each November at Road Atlanta. Even though limited to regional-only classes the ARRC by GRM has featured 20-lap championship races, victory laps, Winners’ Circle interviews, professional race announcers, and coverage by national media. Over the years the event has grown in stature and truly become a destination event on the SCCA calendar.

In reaction to recent actions by the National BoD, we are now modifying that format slightly. Starting in November 2010, the ARRC by GRM will be open to ALL SCCA classes including Runoffs classes. To preserve the regional-only nature of the event, however, the caveat is that you cannot run the ARRC by GRM in the same class you competed in at the Runoffs. If you ran in EP at the Runoffs, for example, you’d have to enter a different class if you also wanted to compete at the ARRC by GRM. Most of the Runoffs classes also fit in a regional-only class with minimal modifications (in the previous example EP can run SPU), so if you want to run both events in the same car it’s very doable.

Due to the support demonstrated by IT and SM communities in the past, those four (4) run groups will see minimal changes. Those groups will still have exclusive use of the Club Race paddock as they did in 2009, we’ll have split starts to retain the championship atmosphere of the races, and we’ll feature extensive compliance checking during Impound (which means you’ll still race before lunch on Saturday). For those wanting additional track time we will still have the Pro-IT race on Friday afternoon plus the Three Hour (which will be part of the SEDiv’s 2011 ECR series) on Sunday afternoon. The major changes will be experienced by the groups operating out of the Infield Paddock.

The dates for 2010 are November 4-7 at Road Atlanta. Following are the anticipated run groups (not necessarily in this order):
. ITA // IT7, ITC, ITT
. SMX // SP-2, SP-3
. ITR, ITS // ITB
. SM, SM2, SSM
. F5, F6, CF, FF, FST, FV
. GT-1, GTA, SPO
. ASR, CSR, DSR, FA, FB, CFC, FC, FE, FM, FS, S2
. AS, GT-2, ITO, SSB, SSC, ST, STO, STU, T-1, T-2, T-3, TCC
. EP, FP, GT-3, GTL, HP, SPU, SRF

(SP-2 & SP-3 are 944 Cup classes, SMX is ‘99+ with no restrictor and MX-5 with a restrictor TBD, SM2 is ’97 & earlier SMs)

We’ll have more information as the 2010 season progresses, but I wanted to let y’all know the basics of what we have planned. If you have questions you can post them here or contact me at “butch /at/ b-k-racing /dot/ com”.

See y’all at the track…
 
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Butch Kummer said:
In reaction to recent actions by the National BoD...
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What would those actions be...?
...the ARRC by GRM will be open to ALL SCCA classes including Runoffs classes.
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My first reaction is...egads.

Nine full race groups in one day, including two big-bore and two wings-n-things...? This oughta be fun...why the change, not getting enough entries or something...?
 
I was tempted to write something like "Since the National BoD has dissed the regions by inviting anyone that can fog a mirror to the Runoffs, the Atlanta Region no longer feels compelled to adhere to the 'no compete' philosophy of the ARRC by GRM...", but that would be inflammatory. :rolleyes:

We've had great support from the IT/SM crowd over the years, but the other side of the front straight was pretty thin last year. And when the BoD decided to invite FB, STO & STU even though they hadn't "made the numbers", we decided to return the favor. I don't know how many National-class drivers will decide to spend four days in North Georgia for a better race than they'll get in ten days in Wisconsin, but we'll see how it works out.

Running nine races on Saturday, Nov. 6, will be a challenge, but we've done it in the past successfully. There will be a 35-minute time limit (which is plenty to finish 20 laps in all groups if no FCY is required), plus we'll have an extra hour of daylight compared to past years (DST ends on 11/7).

In response to a PM, I've made a note to bring back ITU for this event only (and run it with STU). That will allow those who attend the Runoffs in STU to also compete at the ARRC by GRM.

Thank you for your input... :D
 
There will be a 35-minute time limit (which is plenty to finish 20 laps in all groups if no FCY is required), plus we'll have an extra hour of daylight compared to past years (DST ends on 11/7).
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My reaction was similar to Greg's. Do you possibly know what the percentages are of run groups not having a FCY?

The fear is with many people traveling so far to attend, people are much less accepting of shortened race especially given the nature of this event. Maybe this is a great idea and will work out just fine. Don't know.
 
gran racing said:
My reaction was similar to Greg's. Do you possibly know what the percentages are of run groups not having a FCY?

The fear is with many people traveling so far to attend, people are much less accepting of shortened race especially given the nature of this event. Maybe this is a great idea and will work out just fine. Don't know.
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Dave,

Obviously I cannot guarantee there will be no FCY, but I ALSO cannot guarantee it won't pour down rain (or even snow!) that weekend either. What I CAN guarantee is that you'll get 35 minutes of track time even if you don't get 20 laps in.

2009 Race times (green to checker, all races went 20 laps):
Group 1 - ASM/SSM - 34:35 (52 cars)
Group 2 - ITB/ITC/ITT - 35:50 (21 cars)
Group 3 - ITR/ITS - 33:02 (20 cars)
Group 4 - ITA/IT7 - 34:43 (25 cars)
Group 5 - GTA/SPO - 29:07 (29 cars)
Group 6 - Wings & Things - 27:44 (26 cars)
Group 7 - STO, ITO, SPU, etc. - 30:37 (12 cars)
Group 8 - CF, F6, FST - 31:37 (14 cars)

Again, we finished before dark in 2008 (with nine groups) even with a massive clean up after the Big Noise race. And in 2010 we'll have the extra hour of daylight on Saturday.

Is there a risk? Certainly. Am I requiring everything to go perfectly to make this happen? Not by a long shot.
 
Butch, I think that is a great idea....NOW please see if someone can cover the race and do a decent article in the magazine. (Notice..no names mentioned:blink:) Chuck
 
From a spectator point of view (unless my life changes asap) this news doesn't seem like bad news. The more cars on the track the better. :)
 
What about timed races rather laps? This is one thing I loved about our TeamDI PRO-IT races up here. Afterall we are all equally paying for the track time not the track laps...

Not going to be their but it was an idea,
Stephen
 
Fair enough Butch. I personally enjoy having more cars on track so that wasn't a concern for me. What you've said makes sense. Thanks for the reply and info.
 
Actually, now that I know what the SP-2 and SP-3 classes are, I'm very concerned about the inclusion of those will screw up what has historically been one of the best races of the weekend...

I hear you, Butch, and I fully understand - and effectively agree with - what and why you guys are doing here, but I'm concerned that you're on the road to watering down this key, year-end, high-visibility championship event into "yet another large Atlanta Region regional weekend". I'd suggest your key players, in order to make the event financially successful, would be far more willing to pay more for entry fees than to have this happen.

GA
 
52 classes? Really? Is that how bad it's got? Damn, I think we have NASA beat now.:blink:


Butch Kummer said:
. IT7, ITA, SP-2, SP-3
. ITR, ITS, SMX
. ITB, ITC, ITT, SSB, SSC
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None of those IT races are going to go off without getting mucked up by one of the "new classes". Just not going to happen.

I was already wavering on the ARRC this year, and I'm sorry but now this doesn't have a lot more allure to me than just a regular regional. I mean really, how's it any different? Drive 600 miles for two days & one race, running around with SM, SS, and NASA cars in the middle of and not respecting your IT race? I can do that at Mid Ohio's two October regionals, and get a second race too. Yeah, the competition might not be as good, but can I continue to think "the players" in IT are going to continue showing up with this format? I think not. Well at least HPD added their ARRC contingency this year (yet I wonder if they knew about this change before they agreed to that), and combined with Hoosier's support (if it continues), it may still be a good idea for me to attend. Probably won't decide until October though.

Sorry Butch, I don't want to bitch because you guys have done such a fantastic job for us (the IT community) over the years, but it's just how I feel, and I imagine you guys were expecting that a bit from the IT crowd on this change.
 
Butch .... I am pretty disappointed that the ARRC as the championship race for the IT classes is getting more eroded every year. We need to do something to keep the ARRC as "the ARRC".

My suggestions:

* raise the entry fee some for the IT classes, maybe by $50?
* Put all the IT classes into the same groups, max 2 per group and do a split start for each group.

Ex:

A + C
S + 7
R + B

ProIT on friday for those who want to do a double weekend and the enduro on Sunday for those who want to do a triple.

Put all the Smash Miatas in one group and you have 5 groups left to fill up the ranks and give the spectators a variety of cars to watch.
 
SPiFF said:
* raise the entry fee some for the IT classes, maybe by $50?
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Hell, I'd easily pay $150 or more additional for the privilege.

I make that long, two-day-each-way tow for one reason: to joust for the Improved Touring "National Championship". The cost of that event entry is truly piss money compared to the investment in time, motivation, energy, and travel money to be there.

Dilute that attraction, and you dilute the value far more than you do by increasing the entry fee.

gran racing said:
No ITB Ron?
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"R + B" ?
 
Cross-posted from RRAX.com, in case you don't go there:

Can you get behind this?

Group 1 - ITA, split start for IT7, ITC, ITT
Group 2 - SMX, split start for SP-2, SP-3
Group 3 - ITR & ITS, split start for ITB
Group 4 - SM, SM2, SSM
Groups 5-9 - you guys don't care (other than STU would be in there somewhere for guys that want to double up)

All races would be 20 laps or 45 minutes (the sun doesn't set until 6:40 and if everyone ran the full time we'd get the last checker at 5:45) and everyone would pay the same entry fee (projected at $295 compared to $275 in 2009).

Based on the past three years, that'd put 39.7 cars in Group 1 and 32.4 in Group 3. You'd have more chance to watch your buddies races, the ITA/SM double-dippers would have two groups in between to make any changes, and the SM/SMX double-dippers would have one group in between.

I know that nobody wants to be Group 1, but last year it was SM and the year before it was ITB/ITC. We'll continue to rotate that each year (or at least until the BoD makes IT a Runoffs class, at which time I'll retire).

Let me know...
__________________
Butch Kummer
Atlanta Region Comp. Director
2006, 2007 SARRC GTA Champion
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ARRC Helpful Hints Site

:shrug:Since there are rumblings that We might attempt the trip is there a Helpful Hints column/section?
 
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