I hope the PDC rules are NOT like the GCR. The GCR is Draconian. As an event chair of HPCCCs (I guess now PDCs), chief instructor, and instructor (for about 4 groups) what is going to make not wanting to put on one of these programs is to have it too complicated from a rules and staffing standpoint. On one hand you mentioned GCR and on the other you mentioned making it easy to implement. Those two phrases don't go together. LOL. If you are writing rules for this program I know I would like to see them before they become "cast in stone" for 2005 and would appreciate sitting down with you at the national convention on this if you have the time.
In talking to Bill Weston on the board, I was advised that the board had vested the Club Racing staff with implementing the program. It was my understanding that the board is not going to vote of the "rules" of what you say will be PDC. You said that you patterned the proposed package after several other marque groups. I hope so. BMWCCA and PCA appear to keep it simple from a participant standpoint but I have not been involved in the hands on management of their events.
I have talked to Brian Cohn in Club Racing in person and on the phone about HPCCC in the last year. Also with Pete Lyon in Risk Management as well.
First the rules started out requiring two workers per corner when no other DE I have either instructed or done F&C at required such. Only one worker per corner. After talking to riks management and then to Brian he said they were going to change that done to one.
The Rules also required the chief instructor to be a licensed Solo 1 or licensed Club racer. Why make a program which should become the second highest participant activity after Solo 2 dependent on an entirely different program? And meaning no offense just because one has a Solo 1 license or Club racing license says nothing about whether that person makes a good instructor or chief instructor. The instructor credentialing needs to on its own in the program.
I would like to see the 85mph "limit" gone. It is so arbitrary and put the steward in an awkward position (what do you do stand there with a radar gun?). I doubt it will be removed but why does SCCA come up with that limit when BMCCCA, PCA, ITRCA, NASA, Tracquest, or folks like Panoz do not have that limit? BMWCCA and PCA have been doing this for quite some time with no issues on a "speed limit" and both organizations use the same insurance carrier as SCCA for DE events so it should not be a underwriting/risk managament issue for the insurance company. Instructors in the car and vigilance by the event chair/staff/corner workers keeps the drivers in check and safe.
When you say GCR I think layers of management of the event. I am very familiar with that having been both Race Chair and Assist. Race Chair for club racing in my region (besides being the RE). Quite Frankly I don't see the need for anything more than an event chair and a safety steward (along the lines of Solo 1 credentialing which shoudl then turn into PDC having its own safety steward credentialing). Why have a chief steward? It is just one more person you have to dig up to volunteer to run the event. You have your event chair who is responsible for making sure all the proper elements have been brought to the event (insurance, contracts, tech, rules, entrants, etc.) and then you should have a safety steward to make sure the event does not get out of hand or is not conducted in an unsafe manner. Under the current set up you have an event chair, chief steward, safety steward, and chief instructor. You don't need all that.
I do a lot of DEs almost always as an instructor (except Panoz at Road Atlanta). I am a certified NASA instructor. I have helped other organization write their "supps", tech forms, marshalled their workers, been their chief instructor.I have also been "control" in Race Control several times for the F&C workers at other marque club DE events. I say this only to indicate that I have had a pretty well rounded exposure to this motorsports activity.
I want to see this program do very well for SCCA. SCCA is behind the curve on this and needs to catch up which I think they are trying to do. It needs to be kept user friendly for regions that don't have tons of volunteers, event chairs who don't want draconian rules and management to conduct the event, or make it not participant friendly. There are plenty other groups out there doing DEs that are low key and fun and if we don't do the same we will not have people agree to chair the event or have many students wanting to run the events.
While I agree that DEs can be a stepping stone to Road Racing, we should also keep in mind that the vast majority of DE drivers don't want to go club racing. They are as happy as pigs in mud bringing out their street cars with maybe a few mods and just driving fast for fun. No dedicated car, tow vehicle and huge drain in the wallet. But I agree that having Solo 2, DEs, Solo 1, and Club racing kind of dovetail is a good idea.
Speaking of good ideas at I like NASA's idea of its "passport" card that the driver gets signed off on each event as to what group they ran and what areas they are doing well on and what areas need improvement. They would really help event chairs, provide a greater measure of guaging someone's ability when you are doing your run groups. Although I think NASA card needs some work too.
I appreciate you taking on the task of writing up the rules and such. I would sure like the opportunity to look at them before they become "the rules". When you said GCR I just thought of that thick, rules laden book. Ugh. I was going to PM you but I didn't see any PM function.
Barry Hair
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by apexingsupra (edited January 08, 2005).]
