March 8th and 9th - what to do....

[Bone]

Looking for feedback/interest on what to do over two days in March that we have reserved in Brooksville.

Options:

1. A test/tune day on day 1, and an autocross on day 2;
2. give up one day, and just do a normal autocross;
3. a two day event, with points issued for both days;
4. any non-exclusive combination of the above.

Other options worth consideration would be an "enduro-cross" type event, where we run a much longer course (or multiple laps)..... over one or two days.

I'm open to other ideas or suggestions.

Steve, if you will pm me the fixed costs for each day, I'll conduct a break even analysis on the top options to confirm economic viability.

RC

[Native]

ok.

[Dave-ROR]

MirrorKhana, enduro cross, or double points weekend all sound fine IMO.

[Alizarin]

Ron, an option we have with the software is to do a 2 day event, where the best time from each day counts towards a final time, which is used to determine the standings. We can also do lap mode and such.

Whatever is decided, it needs to get advertised so people can block that weekend off.

[impalanut]

I like the idea of a two day event. One way to cut down on set up time is to run the Sarturday course backwards on Sunday with some minor mods to the start and finish.

[Loren]

It's very difficult to design a course that "works" in both directions without some additional tweaks here and there. But, we can get close.

Do a 2-day Endurocross!

Might only get 2-3 runs per day, but they could be LOOOOONG runs.

One of the downsides to an Enduro is that we can't do a lot of runs in a day. Making it 2-day would help. Keep the same course, even... just run it as if it were one single day. Best time from either day for the win!

Lemme know if you're interested in that idea. I can provide a lot more info on the Enduro format.

[Solar]

double points weekend all sound fine IMO.

I personally have no problem with a two day points event, but some people might not be able to make it both days, and that seems a bit unfair if that's the case. (Just my 2 cents worth)

[AScoda]

I vote for an enduro also.
A thought: Since we usually limit entries for the enduros due to the already limited number of runs, we could split classes between the 2 days. Half run on Saturday and the others on Sunday. We can accomodate those that can only make it one day or the other and allow more entries. Those that want to come both days could still do so.

[TracAction]

I like that idea of the split 2 day enduro-cross like 1/2 the classes one day and the other 1/2 the next could be fun to do some multi lap long runs. BUT my question is on the enduro style do you get multiple long runs or just one long run. cause if we just get one long run you could do that under our current system or even do two four lap runs and still do it just like we do now time and run wise.

[Loren]

Wrong.

Now, we start a car every 30 seconds (give or take) and it doesn't matter if the course is 45 seconds or 60 seconds, we start a car every 30 seconds... that's what determines how many cars we can start... and thus how many runs we get.

If the course is multiple laps, we can't start a car every 30 seconds. If we do 4 laps of a 45 second course, we have a 3-minute course and can't start a second car until the first car is nearing the end of his run. At, say, the 2.5-minute mark.

Starting a car every 2.5 minutes vs. every 30 seconds results in FAR fewer total runs, and thus far fewer total runs per driver. And with far less "overlap", each driver gets about half as much seat time.

Starting a car every 30 seconds, there's almost always 2 cars on course at a time... sometimes even 3! It doesn't work that way with a multi-lap enduro.

Sorry for rambling. I don't feel like I'm explaining myself well today.

If anybody doesn't "get it", I'll give some better examples.

[Solar]

"I don't get it"

The only thing I don't understand about starting a car every 30 seconds is what happens if a car spins out or takes out a row of cones in front of the other 1 or 2 cars on the course?

[Loren]

Reruns.

[Native]

...and delays. If we're working on a 30 second start interval, and a 2-1/2 minute delay occurs, that's 5 cars that didn't get run. If that happens twice per group, in an event with 3 groups, it adds up to (5x2x3) 30 cars that didn't get run. Or what, 15 minutes? Which is why we try to keep everything synchronized, why we yell at coureworkers to run when resetting those cones, why the driver who does spin needs to get it back together and keep going - briskly, why we try to keep the grid flowing.

[Anonymous]

Endurocross at Brooksville doesn't sound fun to me, probably wouldn't go to that.

I would prefer a Mirrorkhana, or a 2-day event with different courses and add your best times from each day ala SCCA national events.

[aparke]

I'm certainly for a two-day event, but I think you should have the option of one or both days. (I personally wouldn't be able to make it two days in March.) If it is a two-day event and each run group runs both days with the best time per day counting, then it will encourage folks to show up (and work) both days.

[Loren]

The whole point of a 2-day event is that it IS a two-day event. If some folks can't make both days, that's okay (sorry, guys). Obviously, we have no trouble getting enough folks to come to our events, even at Brooksville.

Generally, a 2-day "special event" is going to be limited entry, anyway. It will also be a "non-points" event, not counting toward the season championship.

[matsuwesty]

Mirrorkhana gets my vote.
An enduro event might work out well up at Gainesville, if we ever choose to go up there. Or maybe at the airstrip where Gulf Coast Autocrossers host events (Ft Meyers), VERY nice patch of concrete with unlimited amount of setups possible.
I know these are areas we don't usually go, but SCCA goes there so it shouldn't be a big deal for us to set something up (just a thought).

[Loren]

Site availability at Gainesville or Ft. Myers isn't the issue for us. We could get the site and hold an event there. But, not many of our regulars would attend. I can count on one hand the number of FAST regulars who have been to an autocross at Ft. Myers.

Would the event be successful? Perhaps. The locals from the area the event is in would attend, and some other folks from around the state woudl go. But... for the people who are organizing the event... what's the incentive? We want to put on events for OUR people. We really don't get much out of jumping through hoops to put on events 2 hours away for a bunch of people that we don't know!

CFRSCCA quit doing events at Gainesville for the same reason. It almost worked for them financially... but it's a lot of extra work to put on a remote event, and when the majority who attend aren't even your own members, it starts to not make sense any more.

[Agent]

I would like being able to hit the same course a couple of times in a row, even if it meant loosing total runs. The quality would be better and I think it would make me a better driver by being able to see the consequences or the benefits with each tactic in specific types of corners. Every person has a different driving style, and in stead of waiting to try the next idea for a couple of hours, you would be able to try it immediately and see the benefit, or negative effect of doing so.

Just my 2 cents, and since I'm new, it may even be just 1 cent.

I will be more than willing to help out in any facet. The sole reason I was not there last time after my car broke was because I was up until 3am trying to fix it. Had it broken a few days prior I would have still been there as I said I would have. I know that no one here knows that, nor can I prove it. But if there is anything I can do to help, I am more than willing.

[Jamie]

I would like being able to hit the same course a couple of times in a row...I think it would make me a better driver by being able to see the consequences or the benefits with each tactic in specific types of corners.

That's basically an autocross -- around here, you'll get 6-8 tries at the same course within an hour or so.