Nov. 15th - SPC

[WAFlowers]

Being unused since July, your skills should be well-rested and fresh. That's how that works, right?

Hah!

^^^ Bill's gonna nail FTD - watch.

On rear tires worn that are into the wear bars and seriously heat cycled. Yellow_Colorz_PDT_06

[Native]

ok, so you'll drift your way to FTD!

[WAFlowers]

Well, it will force me to reach deep for some skills instead of relying on the car (tires, etc.) to compensate as best it can for poor skills. Not a bad thing.

[Jamie]

If someone would volunteer for supplies, it would be greatly appreciated.

We can use a couple people for teardown as well.

[shakedown067]

I'll be around to help with tear down.

[S2K_MoZo]

I have been procrastinating on the registration which I should do pretty soon here but I wanted to bring this up before the next event the concern I had. I am sure a lot of people are like me and want as many runs as they can in a day and one way to do it is we can maybe start at 9:30 sharp?

All the autocrosses I did in TX were based off of time.
For e.g. Registration 8:30, Driver's meeting 9AM and Workers get on course at 9:15 and first car gets out at 9:30AM?

From what I noticed in last couple of events is that we don't start till like after 10:30AM and then the guy incharge is running around looking for corner workers.
If everyone would stand up and take their responsibility and understand what they are supposed to do we can cut a lot of time spent doing all this and get more runs per event.

I am just throwing things out there that might improve and help with organizing better events? Not complaining, just some ideas and sharing what I have seen so far:)
Thank you.

[Native]

guy in charge is running around looking for corner workers.
If everyone would stand up and take their responsibility and understand what they are supposed to do we can cut a lot of time spent doing all this and get more runs per event.

Darn right.

The issue is: this is basically a laid-back "club." More than one person will tell you that the "F" in "FAST" stands for "fun."
Nevertheless, unless we remind everyone that "time is of the essence," we'll end up waiting for someone to show up for their job assignment. We tend to cater to novices, so a lot of times, folks don't understand that autocross is a team effort - you get your runs, but you also have to work. And one relates to the other.

Someone once said that it's "like herding cats." This is true.

So, if you can preach your gospel, and get the crew to show up on time, the event will run on time, which is what everyone would like. It's a team effort.

You wanna make a speech during the drivers' meeting - let the event chair know.

edit:
register, already, dammit. 8)

[Jamie]

I am sure a lot of people are like me and want as many runs as they can in a day and one way to do it is we can maybe start at 9:30 sharp?

The start time is based off experience with how long it takes to set up the site. The earliest we're normally able to get the trailer there is 7, so everything starts from there. Guaranteed a minimum of two people to start throwing cones out on the course (keeping in mind that at SPC, first we also have to first clear the police course) -- figure 60-90 minutes to get it set up and checked. If we get lots of extra hands, that can go faster...more often, it's just 2-3 guys setting up while others set up their cars and then start walking the course even before it's finished.

We cut registration off at 9 simply because for either site, there's about half the field that's making a 60-90 minute drive. Not all of them are hard-core enough to get up at 5 and leave at 6.

All in all, most of the work is done by about 9:15. Figure in time for those early workers to set up their cars and walk the course at least once, and 10 seems to be the sweet spot for the driver's meeting -- that gets the first car out about 10:30.

All the autocrosses I did in TX were based off of time.
For e.g. Registration 8:30, Driver's meeting 9AM and Workers get on course at 9:15 and first car gets out at 9:30AM?

When did you start setting up, and with how many people? That's the key.

From what I noticed in last couple of events is that we don't start till like after 10:30AM and then the guy incharge is running around looking for corner workers.
If everyone would stand up and take their responsibility....

Since you opened the can of worms, that's exactly what it takes. If people were near the trailer at the time the drivers meeting started (besides being listed in the event annoucement, it's the same for every event!), we wouldn't waste 10 minutes rounding them up from the course and the paddock. If the finishing group promptly came up and checked their work assignments (normally posted on the trailer), we wouldn't spend chasing them down while they're packing up their cars or BSing in the paddock. The run groups and work assignments are actually drafted up before the event, then adjusted after registration closes to account for no-shows (and at SPC, for walk-on entries -- that's why the run/work setup at SPC events is a little more chaotic). The list is posted on the trailer no later than 9:30 (usually earlier for Brooksville -- less tinkering with the list), unless the groups have to be totally recalculated...guess when people start looking at it.

C'mon out early...if you see a better way to work the flow, we're always willing to tinker.

[nc4me]

The hard part about that at St. Pete, is the fact that we have walk up registration and that doesn't close until 9:00A.M. If someone shows at 9:00 and then needs to clean out their car for tech and fill out forms then normally they"re not ready for the drivers meeting until 9:30. Then you have the meeting 10min., awards for last event 5min., and the novice walk 10min. It's 10:00 at the earliest. Granted even without walk up registration, if people that are pre-registered don't show until 9:00 than we have the same issue. Sure we could close registration at 8:30 and make pre-registered people also show at 8:30, but like Steven said, "we're a laid back club".

Plus you need to take into account the workers. You don't want the workers to be out there for to long. I plan on starting at 10:15. If we don't break for lunch until 12:00, than that's more than enough time for 8 runs if not more.

We still need people for supplies and tear down(thank you shakedown067 for volunteering to stay late). It would be appreciated though if we could get 2 people to sign up for tear down.

[snookwheel]

Just registered! Sign me up for supplies. What do we need?

[Jeremy]

This car needs moved from J to H.
143 Councill, Benjamin [N]
Tampa, FL 01 Lexus Is300 Pearl whit

[Native]

^^ done.
Thanks.
The "J-Police" would've caught that eventually...

[S2K_MoZo]

I totally understand what you guys are saying and now I understand better the ef, I mean "F" of FAST

Just registered and as always ready and can't wait!

As always I would say the same thing, I am down for any kind of help needed. If you guys want me to come at 7am and help setup the course I would be more than happy to. I have tried and will always try to help in all the possible ways to make an event smooth and get the maximum number of runs possible.

One of the things I would say about SPC is: since the cars are parked away from where registration and all is going on, a lot of people have no clue about what to do and stuff, so it would be nice if someone or I can go to every car in the morning and make sure they registered and car is inspected before 9am. Like I said, I am just throwing out ideas out there and it seems that a lot of novice guys we get don't know what is going on and are running a little behind schedule.

I don't mind working extra or coming early as you get to do this once a month and my only concern is to get a lot of seat time and get better

[nc4me]

I believe Steven took a look at supplies after last event. I think we had plenty of water. We need marble dust(at least 2 50# bags, 3 would be preferable) and a variety of regular soda, I believe we had enough diet soda.

Steven, if you would like to chime in and correct me if I'm wrong than please do so.

Scott, thanks for volunteering for supplies. I look forward to seeing you.

[Tim_M]

With regrets, I will be unable to attend November's SPC event.

I'm currently signed up for Tech so this position is now available.

Registrar: I request a credit for a future FAST event.

Thanks

Tim McArthur

[Solar]

The "J-Police" would've caught that eventually...

Damn Straight!!! Yellow_Colorz_PDT_06

The "J-Police" would've caught it soon enough, we run a tight ship; but thanks Jeremy. 8)

[Native]

I believe Steven took a look at supplies after last event. I think we had plenty of water. We need marble dust(at least 2 50# bags, 3 would be preferable) and a variety of regular soda, I believe we had enough diet soda.

Steven, if you would like to chime in and correct me if I'm wrong than please do so.

Scott, thanks for volunteering for supplies. I look forward to seeing you.

Supplies: We have enough water. It looked like most of what was left was diet sodas. I'd suggest 3-4 cases of a variety of non-diet sodas. 6 bags of ice. We could use paper plates - several hundred. We need marble dust for SPC - we have used flour in the past, but I'm not sure that's a good idea.

What Chris wrote above about the marble dust is right, and it's in the thread somewhere...


Tim, bummer. Hopefully next month, then.

Zo, if you want to do more, we're all into the help. As was said, more hands will get setup done quicker, and/or if you have other ideas, such as going "...to every car in the morning and make sure they registered and car is inspected before 9am" it's fine to give that a try, or whatever else you think might move it along.

[snookwheel]

Where do you get Marble dust?

[shakedown067]

With regrets, I will be unable to attend November's SPC event.

I'm currently signed up for Tech so this position is now available.

Registrar: I request a credit for a future FAST event.

Thanks

Tim McArthur

Damn, sorry to hear that man. Will have to "catch" you at brooksville in Dec.

[Native]

Where do you get Marble dust?

The one place I know of is Allen's Sporting Goods in Seminole. They sell it in 50 lb bags. I'd imagine other sporting goods stores may have it.

Maybe someone over in that neck of the woods could plan to grab a bag or 2 for us?