Forest, Your schedule needs to be time limited.
Crap can racing runs about 150$ per hr of track time MOL.
We need to present a package that get s the racers on track for less than 200$ per hr. The races need to be at least 2hrs, so that 2 drivers can drive.
Draw1)Part of the draw of "CrapCan Racing" (CCR) is that the team buds build the car together. The one guy loading his FV all by himself does not exist in CCR. The guys have fun at the track, enroute, and fixing the car. How can we duplicate this?
Draw 2) The best cars cost about 5000$ all done. MOL
Old crappy IT cars are about the same. How can we duplicate this?
Draw 3) races are 7 hr or more. Lots of stuff happens, the fast cars seldom win. Teams tow 10hrs or more very often. How can we compete? (We have Canadian teams coming to FL for Daytona)
I see very little market to run these cars in the normal SCCA sprint format. The guys just dont see the reason to prep cars for months, tow for hrs. and race for one or maybe 2 hours per weekend. Chumpcar looses racers when they shorten races from 14hr to 8.
Draw 4) write the check and race. No med other than the drivers license. Can we change to something like this?
Draw 5) Night racing. ..
I had 3 drivers doing rock/paper/scissors, to see who got to drive in the dark, in the rain, @ Sebring, with no roof.
I would like to see a "Twilight Endurance Series". Race from maybe 5:00 till 9 or 10 pm.
Allow IT cars,prod cars, ITJ/CCR cars, all on 190 or 180 or higher tread wear tires. Max width of 205 mm
Any wheel. No fuel rigs! This lets the CCR guys come with their tires, the SCCA guys will have to buy tires anyway but not wheels. The 205s will go on up to 8in wide. All good. The 205 will limit the value of big power .( issue with Chumpcar, no tire width rule).
TEO for fast, TEU for less fast. 2 classes only
Allow the CCR drivers, school credit for the successful race.
Hand out the Novice permits post race and let them race on the book, from then on. WE have plenty of stewards to monitor the race and allow this to happen.
I' d be happy to put together some guidelines, but this is most of it.
MM
PS. the car below , was the car above.
I like some of your ideas, comments below. For reference, I've built or participated in building 3 Lemons cars, and led two of the 3 teams.
1) No, that's true for some, but not everybody. There's nothing to differentiate between SCCA or CCR on this one. I was an IT guy first. I built the latest car by myself, and prefer it that way. I do it just like I did IT.. I prep well before the event, and barring any freak occurance, I don't work on the car at the track. I sure don't bring all kinds of spares. Oil, Trans fluid, and brake pads/rotors are about it. So, this one is neutral.
2) Yep - $5k is about right for a fast car, BUT - you get to build what YOU want, not some rule set that sweats you over bolt length or decal placement. THIS is the draw for me and why I left IT.
3) Mixed on this... I actually prefer the true 24 events the best - best test of man and machine. After one of those, I feel like I've accomplished something. A sprint race feels to me know like an autocross run used to. Given I've only got 2hrs of fuel endurance though, I'd say anything in 2hr increments is good - great way to run multiple drivers... I'd run a sprint race if it was close. Also good to test out the car before a Lemons race, but there's too many requirements.... Hans, Physicals, drivers schools, licenses etc.... no thanks. THIS is where you are losing people, not session length. I had the same "SCCA Attitude" at first with Lemons where you show up, pay $50 and you are a racer. Truth be told, the drivers are more courteous and less "demo derby" in Lemons than they are in IT - Another reason I prefer Lemons - I don't want the spec pinata guys in particular trashing my IT car for a plastic trophy.
4) Agree totally. SCCA=Hassle. Don't have time or the will to jump through those hoops anymore, though if it were easier I'd come back.
5) Yep... Night racing is fun, though I always keep the roof for rain reasons. I like the twilight idea.
Why are you trying to eliminate any car bigger than yours? The 205 tire limit is nuts. This is part of the "Stupid" rules that got me out of SCCA in the first place. I've got a great IT car, but I'll be damned if I'm going to throw out my new panasports and add 200# of lead because they reclassed me. It sits in the garage and I run lemons instead. Similarly, you limit what I can run, and I won't run your series either. My car came with 225's to start with - you'd force me to run an "unsafe" tire? Not likely. Your rule would eliminate any car bigger than yours... That's like saying everybody should run 345/30's... You'd lose 1/2 your potential customers right off the bat with either proposal. You've got all kinds of spec series already - let me build what and how I want.