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Florida Arrive & Drive series – coming soon?


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#101 dalek

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Posted 23 August 2019 - 08:02 AM

So dale if you dont think you can win you will not go? What kind of sportsmanship is that? I would think if you want the flexi series to grow you should race at all the tracks and follow the series. How can one ask for something to grow but not help it grow by not attending just because you dont think youll win. I think thats pathetic!!!!!!!

 

It seems that you read my post #89 but didn't see the sentence where I said "I don't need to win every race -- in fact it doesn't matter what position I finish in, because I'm satisfied as long as I was in the hunt."
 
If I go to Eddie's and I drive my car and then I try your car and I find that your car is a tenth faster than mine, there's no way I can compete with you, especially since you have thousands more laps on that track than I do.  I'd be happy if my car was equal to yours, so at least I could finish the race maybe only two or three laps behind you rather than six or seven.  
 
If I'm happy then it's more likely that I'll make the 240-mile round trip, and put up with heavy traffic, in order to race at Eddie's.  I doubt that I'm the only one, and that's why I think the format that I'm proposing might work to increase attendance in the traveling series.  If the raceway owners don't think it would work, then that's OK -- I'm just trying to come up with a solution to the low-attendance issue.





#102 Danny Zona

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Posted 23 August 2019 - 08:19 AM

Re:  Marcus has a solid group of racers but not a single one travels so maybe they can shed some light on the biggest reasons. 
 
The main reason I don't go to the FSCS races at Fast Eddie's is because, even doing test & tune the day before the races, my cars often haven't been capable of running lap times that the locals can run.  I've often seen the same thing at P-1.  IOW, non-locals that are good drivers but their cars aren't up to the task.  When their cars have been up to the task, these guys have run at, or near, the front.  As we all know, if our car isn't capable of keeping up, then it makes for a not-so-fun race.  I don't need to win every race -- in fact it doesn't matter what position I finish in, because I'm satisfied as long as I was in the hunt.  If I'm in the hunt, I'll get my share of podiums.
 
When I go to a track that I don't run on very often, I need to arrive with all of my cars equal to everyone else's so I can spend the time practicing.  If this is the way it turns out, then I'll start going to Fast Eddie's when the series runs there.
 
I don't like the heavy traffic on the west side of central florida, and it's more than a two hour drive each way for me, but if I'm virtually guaranteed that I'll have a competitive car in all three races, then I'll put up with the heavy traffic.

I will say pulling that trigger is just as important as car set-up.

The Fastest Hill Climb in the South is a very challenging track. I've always claimed the track feels easy to drive but hard to drive fast going back to FlDiv2 days.

Just because cars are set-up the same doesn't translate to automatic podium finishes. Will Brinkley who won the belt at the Fall Brawl I believe only placed on one podium in 3 races on the hill climb at The Southern Retro Rumble. He uses two of the top chassi builders chassis and can obviously set-up a car. He is a top-tier racer who has won everywhere but enjoyed the challenge of racing on a tough track with competitive racers. Jeff Bonanno who has made mains at big races and has won races at P1(numerous raceways) I believe only made one podium at the Rumble on the hill climb. It's his home track. Not from lack of skill or car set-up. It's just a very competitive track. When the track was in Jacksonville the locals were always fast. One racer named JT was hard to beat. Biscuit and I maybe beat him a handful of times racing there over the years. A few races I knew I had a better car set-up but JT out triggered me. I loved the competition! Now on the road JT struggled a bit but he loved the competition as well.

I know when Biscuit and I raced at P1 flexi state races our cars are not even close to the same set-up as what Dale uses but We all have had podium finishes at P1 though.

That being said I still believe a minimum weight limit with the intention of more durable cars is the best bet. Also with the possibility of the Raceways gluing tracks on the heavy side which tends to let cars use a harder tire which helps tire wear being lessened could help the cause. I love racing at Eds because he does glue on the heavy side and I've been using wr or a hard fish rubber when racing there.

By the way the West coast traffic is horrible but the Orlando area traffic isn't fun either and it is a close podium finish to it. 😎
  • dalek likes this
Test, test, test and go test some more.
You're never fast enough!!! 💯

Preparation leads to separation.

Success is never owned but rented and rent is due everyday.

KELLY RACING 😎

#103 Clyde Romero

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Posted 23 August 2019 - 08:21 AM

Lets face it FLORIDA is a big *** state with a horrible highway system. People just dont want to drive 3 hours to race never mind practice. State races need the biggest participation by locals. It was always like that even when I was racing pro and we would get 80 for the monthly wing car race and 65 would be locals.
You will always have the Band of gypsies that travel from race to race like in the old days but these are not the people to build a program on.
You Need:
Same flexi classes and rules at every raceway in the series, no exceptions.
More than 6 races so people can pick which ones they choose to run, with six races if you miss 2 because of illness or prior commitments you get to race only 4 times a year. Miss one theres another in 4 weeks. Most people especially those with families plan their racing around family not the other way around.
Id love to be able to practice at eds but I can no longer take the 2 + hour drive down and 3 hour drive home by myself any more and unless I get a hotel $$$$ I dont practice, just put in a crappy effort to support the raceway.

Lets face it FLORIDA is a big *** state with a horrible highway system. People just dont want to drive 3 hours to race never mind practice. State races need the biggest participation by locals. It was always like that even when I was racing pro and we would get 80 for the monthly wing car race and 65 would be locals.
You will always have the Band of gypsies that travel from race to race like in the old days but these are not the people to build a program on.
You Need:
Same flexi classes and rules at every raceway in the series, no exceptions.
More than 6 races so people can pick which ones they choose to run, with six races if you miss 2 because of illness or prior commitments you get to race only 4 times a year. Miss one theres another in 4 weeks. Most people especially those with families plan their racing around family not the other way around.
Id love to be able to practice at eds but I can no longer take the 2 + hour drive down and 3 hour drive home by myself any more and unless I get a hotel $$$$ I dont practice, just put in a crappy effort to support the raceway.




Excellent point
Even here in the Atlanta metro area we have severe traffic issues with weekend traffic and construction

Tony your spot on with your assessment
Locals make it
I will travel but I am the exception not the rule

Clyde track owner/ racer

#104 gatormark

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Posted 23 August 2019 - 01:47 PM

Not a racer but my biz has me putting down 30 k a year in travel and Fla just sux for driving
24 million people here and more coming. I wish eddies wasnt 2 plus hrs away, i love that tri oval but it just shoots a whole day in the butt
Mark Conner

#105 Eddie Fleming

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Posted 24 August 2019 - 08:57 AM

How are you going to police the spec tire rule? 


Eddie Fleming

#106 dalek

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Posted 24 August 2019 - 09:49 AM

Great post (#102), Danny.  The suggestion that you and others have made regarding minimum weight hasn't been lost on me.  P-1 races two classes that require the JK Cheetah-21 chassis  (GT1 and GTP) and the cars weigh in at 100 to 105 grams.  The cars typically handle very well, making them fun to drive.  
 
As mundane as it sounds, the C-21 chassis might be a better choice than a Striker, for this proposed Arrive & Drive format.  
 
 


#107 dalek

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Posted 24 August 2019 - 10:01 AM

How are you going to police the spec tire rule? 

 

I assume you mean that a racer might replace the rubber on the spec wheel with something other than what came on it, and if this is the case, how would the person teching the car be able to tell?

 

If the density of the replacement rubber is significantly different than the original, then I suppose that you could tell that the rubber wasn't original just by looking at it.  Otherwise, I don't know how you would be able to tell.



#108 dalek

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Posted 25 August 2019 - 09:08 AM

This thread has become lengthy so I've continued it at:  

FOCUS Series (Flexi One Car Ultra Spec) -- worth a try?







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