146 replies to this topic

[Chris Barnes]

As Rick Davis said earlier, there are no Semis and Main in GTC. Since GTC is always(?) using that format, two-three hours would be saved.

Yes, it would be nice to have a warm-up for Can-Am, but we don't have one for F1. It would be a lot easier to make the nine-ten hour drive Sunday night back to Atlanta if we could be done two-three hours earlier.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Let's not jump the gun though. The R4 has always had the largest entries of all of the Premier Races largely due to the slot racing population that Ohio has. Thus, one could say the "locals" make up most of the field where the other three or four Premier Events tend to have mid thirty entrants per class. Nothing to squawk at of course but different because many of the Midwest contingent just don't travel.

A quick count of the tech sheets shows that 35 of the 79 racers were from Ohio. Although some were three+ hours away even at that.

[Chris Barnes]

Tim,

What is the demographic map for the Checkpoint Cup? I know the East Coast entries fly, but I don't think anyone flies to the R4. We are all Road Warriors and it is really tough on the people that travel a long way.

I bet there are about 20 drivers that travel at least eight hours to the race. And they all want to be there next year.

[jimht]

We've been dealing with the distance problem in Texas since the Sixties.
When I ran the Series, I either didn't schedule races on Sunday or arranged it to where we were done by Noon.

More classes nowadays means more races running later on Sundays.

If everyone that shows to race races every class and the program runs too long it means there are too many classes, not too many entries.

The R4 race format lets everyone have fun and a shot at a Main win, doesn't mean three classes are needed for all to have a good time.

[Howie Ursaner]

Remember, we used to get 150 racers and we NEVER ran more than ONE as in one class for the whole weekend.

[jimht]

Didn't look like anyone came that couldn't afford to be there.


A thought:

How about paid pre-entry for Can-Am? (not mandatory, just to get an idea of the minimum turn-out) and arrange the schedule accordingly.

[Ron Hershman]

Remember, we used to get 150 racers and we NEVER ran more than ONE as in one class for the whole weekend.

Hey Howie... sing along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrjbo9QRLk

[Zippity]

With next year's race dates already announced, why not plan on taking the Monday off as annual leave/vacation? - simple as!

[Ron Hershman]

With next year's race dates already announced, why not plan on taking the Monday off as annual leave/vacation? - simple as!

My boss already told me no to having Monday off... LOL.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Your boss is a jerk... just like mine.

[Noose]

I have been taking Monday off so I could get a good night's sleep and then head out early in the morning for my eight-hour drive

[Noose]

A quick count of the tech sheets shows that 35 of the 79 racers were from Ohio. Although some were three+ hours away even at that.

Kind of what I figured. At all of the other events we might see a few of them so it is understandable that the R4 would have such large entries.

[Indiana Outlaw]

Not having a dog in this show, I suggest cutting the practice time in half and save the "Ice Cream Social" for post race. If you're ready to race when you arrive, you're ready. As I watched, the lap times did not decrease dramatically with all the practice that was given.

Could be Can-Am and GTC, being the higher entry classes, be run on Friday and Saturday, followed by F1 qualifying with the race on Sunday? This would make for a longer Saturday and a much shorter Sunday. Can you say on the road by 4:00! The key is less time wasted between races, and more time racing.

Did you come to race or to socialize, that is the question.

Flame on. I'm outta here.

[Noose]

There wasn't that much practice time. The group thing allowed guys to get equal amounts in a fair process. Worked well.

[Indiana Outlaw]

After spending most of the weekend glued to my laptop, I disagree.

[Rick]

It's very simple, you can have a good entry turn-out or an early ending race, you just can't have both.

Coupes is the quickest to race, being there are no Semis and Mains. That saves fvie hours. Probably the right class for Sunday and also a Tier 2 class, to boot. Open at 7 and pick up another half hour... Out by 5ish?

[Noose]

Each group got 1-1/4 hours practice. It started at 8 AM for Group 1 and that meant 35 people got a couple of minutes on each lane and rotated. At 9:15 Group 1 came to tech and Group 2 got to practice until 10:30 at which time they had to come to tech and Group 1 was qualifying. When Group 2 finished tech it was time for them to qualify. On average most racers did not get that much practice time unless they were there on Thursday. Even then Mike had it set-up to only allow a certain amount of time per lane.

So while it may have looked like a lot of practice time online, it wasn't for any individual as other stuff was going on.

[NJ Racer]

60-70 entries is a huge success for this event. Racing until daylight was the major difference back in the day given huge attendance. Based on the age of the average Retro racer, breaking night would not be a good idea to say the least. Just imagine the vision of Ursaner snoozing under the track again. LOL.

[Guardrail]

Greg,

It was Sano 3, I was sitting up on the upper deck with you asking a lot of stupid questions. LOL.

[Lucky Me]

With next year's race dates already announced, why not plan on taking the Monday off as annual leave/vacation? - simple as!

This is exactly what I do to allow for time with the R4. Even though I am local (55 miles away) I have already marked the calender and some vacation time to deal with the R4 in 2012.

I would love to see more racers at this event, I know it gets long and creates other issues but the great minds behind the scenes WILL figure it all out.

[Larry Mattingly]

My two cents...

Since the vast majority or racers are in the house on Thursday, the following format seems the most practical:

Friday: Formula 1 and racers party
Saturday: Can-Am
Sunday: GTC-PD and GTC-FK

GTC on Sunday is a no brainer IMHO, as the present format eliminates the need for semis and mains. That is a minimum saving of at least six hours... three hours per class. It is a support class, so racers can decide to stay and race, or go home early. Those who do stay get an earlier start on their trip back home.

My final comment regards 'practice' time. I think the R4 has the fairest system I have seen at a slot car race. And racers being racers, they always want more practice... LOL But, we would all survive with less practice time...

I was kidding Cap Henry, who practiced two full days prior to the start of the R4 weekend, as to why he needed so much practice time? Cap races a 1:1 410 sprint car on midwestern dirt tracks and normally gets only TWO hot laps to learn the track and figure out his car set-up.

LM

[Rick Davis]

Maybe we should consider eliminating the lunch break and let everybody just grab a bite when they have a chance.

[One_Track_Mind]

Rick,

I know of a person who was standing in the lunch line, and then was called to the track to marshal the upcoming race. I went to this person and said go grab your lunch I will cover for you,until you're done.

I really don't see how leaving the building would make this any better on race day?

[Ron Hershman]

I don't recall the lunch "holding" any racing up. We were usually picking lanes or doing some race "business" for the races when lunch was being served.

I know that every time lunch was starting to be served I was busy marshaling a race and had to eat after the race I was marshaling was over But hey... the line was shorter or over by the time the first race was done.

[Lucky Me]

Same here, except I had to race and when it was done there was NO line and eating was fast and easy