79 replies to this topic

[Pappy]

Some of the race reports didn't tell how many entries they had in the class, but going through the semi's and consi's and mains it looks to me like the biggest class was the GT Coupe followed by the JK Spec. This is surprising to me considering that a lot of the regions don't run GT Coupe and I think the Ohio Valley region is about the only one that runs JK Spec. Or am I wrong in my tallies?

[Ron Hershman]

The two flat track races had 17 entries each, 34 total.

Coupe - 29
Spec - 24
F1 King - 21
Can-Am King - 14

Coupes could have been the largest due to being ran on Sat evening and lots of locals ran it. Maybe it could have had something to do with hand-out motors???

[MSwiss]

Ron,
I edited your post.
I'm pretty sure GT coupe was 29.
Last year's biggest class was also GT Coupe with 40 entries.
Handouts are one reason.
I think another reason is the ideal Saturday night time slot.
That falls more in line with my regular Saturday night racing.
Some of my weekly crowd,(especially the married ones) are just not able to race a full weekend
due to family, work,or financial situations.

Also, a few newer guys were intimidated by the notion of a "big" race and are the type
that think they need another year under their belt to be a bit more competitive.
They still came to watch which I appreciated.

While the turnout was dissappointing, I am gratetful for anyone in this economy, who jumped
in a car and traveled across state lines to race toy cars.
I was also pleased that the new format resulted in some really great, star-studded mains.

[Ron Hershman]

While the turnout was dissappointing, I am gratetful for anyone in this economy, who jumped
in a car and traveled across state lines to race toy cars.
I was also pleased that the new format resulted in some really great, star-studded mains.

While the qualifying format worked great by not adding to the length of time running the races.... part of me thinks that maybe some racers didn't think it was worth the cost to come to a race that was going to have a main event half filled by "star studded" drivers based on qualifying times. Four less chances of racing into the "A" main as four spots were already filled by the four fastest drivers.

Just 2 cents worth

[MSwiss]

Possibly having 2 semi's like a USRA wing race would be the solution although that would be a extra time.

I'm starting to think possibly a seperate Amatuer & Expert division might be the answer.
There is not enough attrition in Retro races to hardly ever keep a Hershman, Bruce, Kisling or
Sano out of the main event no matter if my format or the one that was used at R4/2(which I thought was good)

[Mopar Rob]

Personally, I liked the format. At first I reservations but they were quickly dismissed.

In the F1 flat track race, I got to race from the C main all the way to the A. Unfortunately, some un-named person decided to drive through me, and my car cartwheeled to the floor and became bent like a potato chip.

In the spec race, I was able to race from the B main to the A. Unfortunately I didn't think Know we could change motors like Terry did? Next time I will.

It was also fun to watch Ron VW race from the Z main or wherever he qualified to the A

[Rick]

Racers show their approval or disapproval of a system/format with their entry dollars....................

The race did produce the wanted results with the cream of the crop in the A.

[MSwiss]

The format wasn't going to bring in the 5 Texan's from last year since they don't race Retro anymore
or guys like Allan Reeder from Colorado who hasn't raced all year.

With having 6 races and move-ups, the guys who did show got to race a lot more.
Ron VW raced only one day and got to run 144 minutes. In the old format he would of run 48 minutes.
They also spent a lot more on entry fees and parts. Guys like Howie ran in all 6 races.
At the end of Sunday I was shocked to find I rang more money this year than last.

More importantly than financial successs, the slowest racer of the event approached me later in the weekend and thanked me
for changing the format. He said he much preferred to race with the other slower drivers
rather than as Tony P has put it before, "being passed every 5 laps by the fast guys".

[Tex]

The format wasn't going to bring in the 5 Texan's from last year since they don't race Retro anymore

One of the Texans(me!) didn't show due to hip replacement surgery; if it hadn't been for that, at least I would have been there. Barring other serious obstacles, I WILL be there next year.

And while it is true that retro racing in Texas has suffered some dropoff in attendace, I prefer to look upon Texas retro racing as having been "hibernating". I know of at least 3 retro Can-Am races held recently, 2 of which I participated in. To paraphrase The Governator... "We'll be back!".

[Ralph Thorne]

I'm starting to think possibly a seperate Amatuer & Expert division might be the answer.

Mike, I was also thinking that this would be an idea worth discussing.

[Pappy]

I'd rather see it broken up into "under 55" years of age and "55 years of age and older".

[Mark Misegadis]

The two flat track races had 17 entries each, 34 total.

Coupe - 29
Spec - 24
F1 King - 21
Can-Am King - 14

Coupes could have been the largest due to being ran on Sat evening and lots of locals ran it. Maybe it could have had something to do with hand-out motors???

How many Drivers total attended the event for this year?
Is that number 34?
What were the Driver totals for the 2 previous years?

Mark

[tonyp]

I am with butch!

[tonyp]

Or how about those that can run around the track between lane changes and those of us who hobble and need oxygen.

[MSwiss]

FWIW, 4 of the 6 winners were over 55.
Ken, Howie & Sano Dave twice.

[tonyp]

Ok move that class up to 59....LOL

[Pappy]

I second that. I'll be 59 in January.

[tonyp]

Do we get a third vote and pass it?

At some of the RC races they have a masters class which is a good idea but they set the age limit at only 40.... It might be something to look at down the road.

[The Bugman]

Ok move that class up to 59....LOL


wow out here on the LEFT COAST youd be toast with over 59,,check out these names,of 60+ guys
Steube, Warmack,Cukras,Tore Anderson,Pete Zimmerman,Keith Tanaka,Roger Uusitalo,Jay Henry,,Lee Hines,,and yeah that little frenchie Mr P. too,,,not counting the rest of us over that age that'll give ya a run for your money,so over 59 here in the West,you aint gettin no easier,its tuffer with the "older generation",,,lol

[Ron Hershman]

Mike, I was also thinking that this would be an idea worth discussing.

Why???? Did they do that back in the 60's??????

[tonyp]

Yes, the Car Model series ran amateur and pro classes.

[Noose]

Actually we did in a way, Ron. There were the Pros, Semi Pros, and Independents.

I really don't want to see this go into splitting into Pros and Ams. Who is a Pro? Someone defined by whom under what criteria? If you ran pro in the '60s does that mean you should be one now? What if a guy was a Pro in another form of racing... does that make him one in Retro?

What I would recommend is to give recognition and the same plaques to those guys making the podium in the B, C, D Mains, etc.

[Tex]

With every dividing up of the racers and races, the complexity of administering it all grows which equates to "more time". The race director and/or organizer should (as I'm sure Mike does) take all this into account to determine what is realistically doable during the time allotted.

[Ron Hershman]

Yup.

[Ron Hershman]

Yes, the Car Model series ran amateur and pro classes.

Yep, when being sponsored by a motor manufacturer was the difference between winning and loosing.

We don't have the motor issues today. We run spec motors.

The only thing I could see... MAYBE and that's a big maybe... is a ONE legends race ONLY for the guys who did race in the '60's. But then can they race legends and the same class with the other guys at the same event?

And if the "non" Legend guys turn more laps than the legends overall... what are we proving???

Sorry, I don't see a need for a split at this time. We host races and everyone knows what or who they are up against before the head out the door to the track.