No Test Day this year.

Fine, it might not be the region's fault but I do have to say that this really, really sucks! I'm sorry, but someone did drop the ball on this one. Why would this impact a person's decision on coming? For this event it isn't about total seat time. IF I still decide on coming down, qualifying will be the first time seeing the track. Nice. If anyone says that they can qualify just as well without seeing the track first vs. a person having some track time is full of it. Like Ray said, one big reason many of us come to the event is because we feel that we have a shot of winning. After all, this is what people self proclaim as the national IT championships. Of course we all want to have fun, but isn't this a bit of a different weekend then normal?

Run the Pro IT race - sounds fine and dandy but that sure doesn't help out with qualifying. And yes, in a race that is so competitive qualifying does matter. Needless to say I am frustrated that I (and many other racers in similar situations) planned much of my season around this. Having a test day is a HUGE help for those of us who have never driven the track.

Serious question here. Can someone that has never seen the track (of which I have heard is hard to learn even by a very, very good driver) realistically have a good shot to win at that ARRC? Not this BS that anyone could win given the right situations. I'm thinking this will make a fairly significant difference in the race for me.

Oh, by the way...did I say this fugn sucks?!!
 
Originally posted by gran racing@Oct 8 2005, 11:58 PM
Serious question here.  Can someone that has never seen the track...realistically have a good shot to win at that ARRC?
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Not reasonably.

I raced the Runoffs there 1989-1992. I don't recall ever doing a test day there, and I never did another event during the year there (I lived in north Texas at the time). The Runoffs format was always a full week of two practice sessions, two qualifying sessions, then a race session, with lots of time to walk around and watch other sessions. Further, I had the opportunity to walk the track a couple of times with a very experienced Road Atlanta driver, so I picked up some tips and tricks along the way. I remember that first year: I was TOTALLY intimidated by the track, the event, the competitors, the spectators. I recall having a BEE-LAST at the event, but I never really came to terms with Road Atlanta.

In subsequent years I came better prepared mentally, and eventually felt I had learned the track well. When I attended the ARRC in 2003 I felt pretty comfortable there, despite the physical changes since 1992. However, in helping others learn the track that weekend I could tell that if I did not have that prior experience it would have been difficult.

To say you would not attend the ARRC because you do not have the experience to win is a bit specious. How are you planning on getting that experience; think one test day is going to give that to you? Despite no test day, if you go this year you will get a bit of useful experience (especially to become accustomed to the event, paddock layout, local customs, etc). Yeah, you might not have seen the track before, but you'll be that much better off next year. If you DON'T go this year, you're still at square one in '06 (it's a bit like the next-door kid that decided he didn't want to go to college because it would take four years. Of course, where's he gonna be in four years if he doesn't start now?) Yup, if you go this year without a test day your chances of winning the race are diminished, but I am quite confident that if you don't go to the event you will definitely not win.

There's a lot more to winning an event like this than "knowing the track", and a test day (and simulator time) isn't going to magically hand that to you. I say suck it up, go to the event, live it, learn it, and prep for the future. - GA
 
Ed,

I have an old copy od the SEDiv schedule showing the ARRC slated for Nov. 4, 5 & 6th. Just curious as to why was race rescheduled for the following week? Also, I know someone who has been talking to Panoz to try and get a half day test session. Have you heard anything about this?
 
Derek:

I could not agree more. It is amazing to me how much talk goes on without ANYTHING to back it up.






IMO and based on experience the NARRC Runoffs are a much harder race to win.
I do know know you very well, but respectfully I have to say that this statement is extremly hard for you to justify when you have yet to win this race. Yes I know you guys were on the pole, but reliability is part of winning and again you guys have yet to win this race. If and when you do I will be happily to buy you a six pack, but until that day comes, continually saying that this race has less competition and is easier to win than others is really an impossible statement for you to make seeing how you have never won it.

Again I do not know you and I am not trying to offend anyone. Sorry for the highjack.
Derek Ketchie
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It IS dissapointing that we don't have a test day, but it is hardly a reason to not show up. Be honest, if you thought you had a realistic chance in winning the ARRC with a test day, have your chances really changed that much without one?

You DO still get 2 qualifying sessions! Use your first as a practice session.

Borrow a Road Atlanta tape from somebody and watch it every day until the ARRC, you will have no excuse if you don't "know" the track by then. Walk the track Thursday night. If you need one, email me, I'll send you one!

In qualifying, pick a "fast" local guy and follow... good drivers can follow anybody, even without great knowledge of the track they are driving.

Remember, many of us have little to no experience at RA, but if you are really good enough to win, you are good enough to overcome this set-back. The only time I ever won the ARRC was in 1999, 1st time at the track, with NO practice day! :) I've had several practice days and ARRCs since then, but no W's!

- Joe Moser
 
Well, Road Atlanta is tough.
Very tough actually. And intimidating. It took me a couple of years to come to grips with it.
I seriously doubt anyone would go from "no chance" to "could win this thing" as a result of a test day. If you've never been there, unless you are a serious shoe with awesome equipment the test day wasn't going to catapult you onto the podium.

The ARRC isn't much different from the runoffs in that its rarely won by someone who is there for the first time. Do it this year to learn, aim to win it next year.

Hell, its my home track and I was overwhelmed at my first ARRC. Even though I'd been racing there for 2 years and doing DEs and Solo Is there for 8 years, that first ARRC was... Nuts.
The pace and aggression of the competition, for the entire 45 minutes, is likely something that you've not seen in regular regional racing. The only way to pop that cherry is to jump in there and pop it.
Yes, the lack of the test day will hurt you in qualifying, but c'mon... It really isn't going to make THAT much difference.

In short, see Greg A's post.
 
Originally posted by GregAmy@Oct 6 2005, 08:28 PM
...The bright spot of the year was the ITB win at the Summit 12-hour, then the damnable owner goes and rolls it into a rounder shape so we can't defend our '04 VIR 13-hour win. ... Did I mention my year sucked?
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:huh:

Sheesh, G. It's not like I did it on purpose.

K
 
Originally posted by Knestis@Oct 9 2005, 07:10 PM
Sheesh, G. It's not like I did it on purpose.
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...and I didn't blow up two engines on purpose, and the guy didn't intentionally wreck the Spec Miata, and so forth and so on ;) No offense intended, that's why racing sucks. We're all head cases for continuing to do it. Well, more specifically, PAYING to continue to do it. Voluntarily. On purpose. - GA
 
I recall that one year we drove down for EVERY race at Road Atlanta, even though it is a long way out of our division, cost us a ton of vacation days, $$, and sleep (on the weekends we couldn't use vacation). And then they changed the Pro-IT rules to give points to each starter in each Pro-IT race, and made it harder for out-of-division people to win the championship (believe me, it wasn't intentional, just a nice surprise at the end of the year).

But it paid off.

Comparing the ARRC to any divisional championship is kind of like the argument I had a couple of weeks ago at the Golden Retriever National Specialty show with someone from the northeast. She kept insisting that it must be harder to finish championships on dogs in the NE because there were so many more dogs entered at every show. The problem is that she doesn't think about the fact that there still may be a percentage of dogs that are deserving of the win, and there will always be a larger percentage that are there just because they can be.

There is no doubt that the ARRC is tough to win, and doesn't depend just on talent. Lady luck is alive and well at RA, and plays favorites. A small piece of debris in a tire will take you out just as easily as mechanical failure or crash.
 
Originally posted by KevSC1@Oct 9 2005, 08:50 PM
Interesting option... anything we need to know before registering?
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when registraton comes online just check the pro it race box and you can run it....it is sceduled for friday and will give you great race experience at the track...so you will be fresh for sat sprints!!

and...I know roebling is not road atlanta, but I just won the sediv ita championship never being there before and no test day AND no practice (only a 10 minute session on sunday morning to bed brakes and such)...just 2 qualifying sessions...ended up 3rd on the grid and worked my ass off...
 
Originally posted by zracre@Oct 10 2005, 04:05 AM
when registraton comes online just check the pro it race box and you can run it....it is sceduled for friday and will give you great race experience at the track...so you will be fresh for sat sprints!!


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I would just ask that everyone running the pro-it as practice to please be courteous to us drivers running the race. It's gonna be tough to go out and qualify cold for some of us and to have someone out scrubbing tires or not watching their mirrors might make the job even harder.

Thanks much,

Jason
 
I got a email last night from Proit, it said "Practice for Proit will be on Thursday". Does anyone have confirmation of this?
dj
 
Originally posted by dj10@Oct 11 2005, 09:30 AM
I got a email last night from Proit, it said "Practice for Proit will be on Thursday". Does anyone have confirmation of this?
dj
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Road Atlanta restored the test day for us lowly SCCA people....so back to standard test day thurs qualify/PRO-IT.....
 
Originally posted by zracre@Oct 11 2005, 02:27 PM
Road Atlanta restored the test day for us lowly SCCA people....so back to standard test day thurs qualify/PRO-IT.....
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No it hasn't! I just go off the Phone with Road Atlanta and the ARRC website is wrong and the emails I received from proit are false. The website shows Thursday the 11th is a practice day. 1st of all, Thursday is the 10th not the 11th and the lady on the phone said the event starts on Fri., the 11th.
 
A reply to some of the replies to me, sorry i was away for the weekend-

I will stand by my judgement that I think that the NARRC Runoffs put up a good challenge to the ARRC as far as a good competition, and an overall good race... Top dogs and those that beat the top dogs from the ARRC generally are sceen at the NARRC Runoffs... However I will agree that the the ARRC does bring more people from more regions together for a "National Championship" which IMO is very very cool!!! I might just suggest though that some of you come to the NARRC as well if you want a good challenge!!!

Please remember that I think that the ARRC is a wonderful event. I think it is the BEST regional event run all year that I have been to in my 20+ years. (I have been to the ARRC 3 times, once as a spectator, once as crew for my brother, and once as a driver). I wouldn't be excited for the event all year if I didn't think that it was the best event.

I do think though that the track is favorable to certain cars. My little experience shows that with one test day I was able to drive my car 1 second a lap faster than the competition at the ARRC. I have NEVER been that much faster at any other track except Pocono. Thus I think that at Road Atlanta you can have "the car" for the track. Our cars for example have a tough time keeping up with people such as Derek Lugar (last years ITB ARRC champ) at tracks here in the Northeast. Thus for me I think that the NARRC Runoffs are a tougher race to win in ITB. The ITB competition here in the Northeast is legit (IMO) and their are several drivers who will have the oppertunity to challenge for the podium. Also as a side note my brother and I have NEVER won the NARRC runoffs, nor have we ever qualified on Pole.

Please remember that I DO think that the ARRC does bring a few of the best contenders to play, for example the Canadians... Derek Lugar (last years ITB champ) is probably one of the best ITB compeditors that I have ever run against. Colin as well. Derek is the only person in the Northeast to beat Scott Carlson head to head in a race here in the Northeast in the last 5 years. -congrats to him!!!

I guess I just wish that something could be done to get more competition from other areas of the contry to this event. Congrats to whomever will win this years ARRC!!!

Raymond "Now we need to see if it is still feasable (funding) to go to the ARRC now that they have a test day" Blethen

PS: On a side note, the comment on Chris Albin and the Audi build... I am not sure why he decided not to build the car for ITB as I think that it is a relatively inexpensive car to build and is very easily built into a fast car. Chris is a big VW person and I think that he feels that the A3 can be faster. Judging by last year, I think that he could be right. That was his first year with the car and he proved to be very very fast. In reguards to the Audi's though, we are not the only people to have sucess in the cars around the country, others also have. As far as the tech shed comment, that leads me to believe that some are hesitant to think that we are legit??? If so please bring it up publicly or privately whatever works (we can defend ourselves ;) ). nobody has to post a protest or a bond if they want to take a look at something. We are very open about things, and would welcome any observations or inspections. We are not perfect, and while we attempt to keep things legit maybe we are missing something??? I am close to 100% certain that the cars are completely legal. As being a steward in training and a long time compeditor I think that is is important for everyone to be legal, no exceptions.
 
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