Blytheville Pro

[Steve E]

If you plan on attending the Blytheville Pro next month please get registered before friday if possible. National has a minimum threshold of 120 entrants 2 weeks prior to the event and we have not made the number.

[YawMomentRacing]

If you plan on attending the Blytheville Pro next month please get registered before friday if possible. National has a minimum threshold of 120 entrants 2 weeks prior to the event and we have not made the number.

C'mon guys, we need 15 more entries! Yes it was cold last year, but it is a great site and you have a good chance to start off the season with some quality points.

[BMcCann]

My excuse is my fiancee's birthday is on Friday. Not something I can miss

[OZMDD]

SCCA can't even fill up B-vile early this year (which is generally not the case) because they totally dropped the ball on the tire rules, in terms of coordinating with manufacturers. Who wants to drive 8-10 hours to run on old tires, or even when you don't have legal tires at all? Sure, the hardcore folks have something ready, but apparently there are less than 150 hardcore drivers in the eastern and central US this year.

Id love to help, but no way I'm driving that far and staying in those lousy motels again for an event that is usually has non-national level courses and poor weather. Maybe it's just that I've never done well there, but I'm still pissed that those folks don't bother to show up in Texas for our events.

[BMcCann]

Has anyone looked at the weather yet? I know the forecasts don't hit the week of the event yet...but with the 10-day forecast showing every day (except for Saturday) as not even getting over 40*....Like hell am I going to drive that far to freeze my ass off.

[general default]

A sample of aProSolo on that surface.

[Steve E]

My perspective
Agree about the folks from that area not traveling to Texas events but IMHO local support for national events leaves something to be desired.
Pro courses at Bville have been national calibre the last two years. Old tour courses were transition hell airstip stuff. But CS courses of late have not been comparable to nats. Fun, fast & freakshow long...
couple of decent hotels there. New Hampton & the Holiday Inn are nicer than anything in MW and closer than rooms in CS. Plus no stupid site rules like CS.
Yes drive stinks and it too damn early in the year cold as hell.

[OZMDD]

Good points. I guess I just hold a grudge. You are definitely correct about lack of local support for TX events. If that doesn't improve this year, then we definitely don't deserve to keep asking for them.

[Davidss]

I'm still pissed that those folks don't bother to show up in Texas for our events.

While I understand your frustration, there are good reasons why some people in other parts of the country don't want to come here. Sometime at an event if you want we can discuss the situation and what we can do to improve it.

[OZMDD]

Sounds good.

[autoxmax]

While I understand your frustration, there are good reasons why some people in other parts of the country don't want to come here. Sometime at an event if you want we can discuss the situation and what we can do to improve it.

If you've got something to say, say it David. There's a bunch of us that work our asses off every year putting on these National events that would like to know! Tell me what this mysterious voodoo curse is that we have!

Or come to the next SCCA Solo event and tell me. Oh wait... that might be difficult.... You & your wife never come to Texas Region SCCA Solo events.

Hard to change things if nobody let's you know what they think the perceived problem is!

[OZMDD]

Brad, that post is a bullshit low blow and you know it. SCCA ran almost all their events at TMS for two seasons, which is a worthless site for anyone who has serious national aspirations. Nothing about TMS is useful for setting up a car to be fast on concrete. David was very respectful about NOT bashing SCCA publicly. I'll say it from my perspective: SCCA continues to Be out of touch on what the majority of autocrossers are looking for and caters to what a small but vocal and well-funded minority want. Locally, the club is strong, but the national event scene is in a tailspin, save for a few events and Nats.

There are other National Championship drivers in our area that also don't run any SCCA events at TMS and you aren't calling them out.

Anyone who knows me knows that I've had plenty of differences with David, but you're dead wrong on this one.

[SixAce]

Brad, that post is a bullshit low blow and you know it. SCCA ran almost all their events at TMS for two seasons, which is a worthless site for anyone who has serious national aspirations. Nothing about TMS is useful for setting up a car to be fast on concrete. David was very respectful about NOT bashing SCCA publicly. I'll say it from my perspective: SCCA continues to Be out of touch on what the majority of autocrossers are looking for and caters to what a small but vocal and well-funded minority want. Locally, the club is strong, but the national event scene is in a tailspin, save for a few events and Nats.

There are other National Championship drivers in our area that also don't run any SCCA events at TMS and you aren't calling them out.

Anyone who knows me knows that I've had plenty of differences with David, but you're dead wrong on this one.

While I understand your frustration, there are good reasons why some people in other parts of the country don't want to come here. Sometime at an event if you want we can discuss the situation and what we can do to improve it.

Ummm. Ok. I have no knowledge of the backstories or politics, but that won't stop me from sharing "my perspective":

From my couch, Davids comment was not "very respectful" in not calling out SCCA. While he did not mention SCCA by name, it can be easily inferred, because what other clubs locally offer National events? This is a thread about a SCCA national event is it not? I viewed the comment as a crawfish, sideways shot at SCCA locally. I understand Brad's umbrage.

I also understand David not wanting to run at the bus lot. Lot of folks have expressed their dislike for the lot. Other Nat champs don't run there. Perhaps Brad did not call them out because they did not post backhand comments about it? I'm guessing that the SRS BZNS crowd wants more MW events so they can be useful as TNT for the Pro?

David, I too would be interested in hearing what the "good reasons" why out of towners wont support local SCCA national events. Surely it's not the bus lot, cause no National is going to be coming there. Or are we to be concerned why out of town folks wont travel to local events? We all know sites are scarce and getting scarcer. The last SPOKES event at CoTA was a ~30-35 sec course and their next event is at H2R. They have site challenges too.

Mike, If SCCA is out of touch with what the "majority" of autocrossers want, then I must be in the minority. I'm assuming you are referring to the "Street" decision? What preferences are given to the small but vocal fat cats, that us peons are being denied? Please enlighten me.

[autoxmax]

Brad, that post is a bullshit low blow and you know it. SCCA ran almost all their events at TMS for two seasons, which is a worthless site for anyone who has serious national aspirations. Nothing about TMS is useful for setting up a car to be fast on concrete. David was very respectful about NOT bashing SCCA publicly. I'll say it from my perspective: SCCA continues to Be out of touch on what the majority of autocrossers are looking for and caters to what a small but vocal and well-funded minority want. Locally, the club is strong, but the national event scene is in a tailspin, save for a few events and Nats.

There are other National Championship drivers in our area that also don't run any SCCA events at TMS and you aren't calling them out.

Anyone who knows me knows that I've had plenty of differences with David, but you're dead wrong on this one.

"Low blow"???? I'm feeling like I'm the one that received the "low blow" already, but I guess that's because I made the mistake of giving a crap about what someone said about an event that I've Chaired for several years.

"NOT bashing SCCA publicly" ...What? Then what was it then?? It was totally bashing everyone connected to the event!

"small but vocal and well-funded minority" Are you on crack?? What in the world are you talking about?????

Tell me, where exactly is there a "concrete" event site in DFW area that we can run at that preps a driver for Nationals??? Find it! I'd like to use it!

TX Region SCCA has used TMS because it's not a gravel pit site and because it's large enough to handle the high attendance. How does running in "gravel-pit" sites help you setup for Nationals????????????? Seriously, if that's all people are concerned about, I suggest they go to the Texas A&M River Annex site and blow off ALL the local DFW sites. But don't come onto a forum and back hand bash the local Region's efforts to put on a ProSolos for the area. Based on your comments, I guess we should cancel the Min Wells Pro since it's not on concrete like Nationals??

Does David come to the TX Region meetings and suggest ways to improve?? NO, we've never seen him once other than the 1st meeting this year to recommend we not enforce the National 200 tread wear tire rule.

It's easy for people to sit on a forum and bash the efforts of a well intended group of people that give a crap about trying to put on large events. How about putting those words into action by actually helping to improve?!?!

So my statement stands... Tell us, Wise "National Champions", why don't competitors come to the Min Wells ProSolo???????? I'm tired of begging folks to come to the event! If they don't want to come, FINE! Let's cancel it now! I don't need the stress and the Region doesn't need to loose the money! That's right! We've NEVER made ANY money from the ProSolo in our area! In fact, TX Region SCCA typically looses money on the event!

Better yet, David can be the Event Chair & fix ALL the problems. Wait, an even better thought... YOU & DAVID CAN TAKE OVER TX REGION SCCA!

...there, all problems solved!!

[OZMDD]

If you don't want the job, then resign. If you feel like you shouldn't have to listen to opinions about it that differ from yours, then don't read public forums. I know you work hard to put on the events, and Ive supported you and complimented your effort. At the same time, the national tour/ProSolo program is broken imho, and if that's a personal thing to you, I can't help that. The numbers seem to support my perspective.

Nobody blamed you, but you've opted to take it personally. SCCA national events favor those who have the time and budget for equipment and testing that far exceeds the majority of drivers. Being able to show up on Thursday, book 4 days of hotels, attend and afford Evo schools, have multiple tire/wheels, and invest significant funds into a car and mods will always help one be more successful. That doesn't mean nobody else can win or compete, but it's harder. The change to Street is a step in the right direction. This thread got shifted when a call went out for more BVille entries to avoid a drop dead cancellation, and I expressed my reasons for not attending. David offered me his perspective. You took a shot at his wife, who said nothing in this forum, and that's a low blow in my book.

Im not interested in solving the SCCA national office problems. I tried working within the SCCA system and found it wasn't a good fit for me or my family situation. I've found other ways to contribute, with SCCA and with other clubs. I'm certain people dislike some of what we do in those clubs, but I'm not going to take it personally if I can help it.

As for labeling all the other sites "gravel pits," that's just ridiculous. Why did SCCA book the gravel pit this season if it's so terrible? im not going to get into a debate with you about sites. TMS is not the only viable autox site in DFW. The autox community has a wide variety of drivers with a variety of definitions of "acceptable site." Over a thousand entrants agreed that MMS, LSP and MW were acceptable sites in 2014.

Im happy to continue this discussion offline if you are genuinely interested in my perspective on these topics. This is not an SCCA forum, and it has traditionally (in my years on the scene) been a place where there is little concern for PC or restrained posts, and most people recognize that and take it with a grain of salt when evaluating what is posted here.

As as for the MW Pro, I'm willing to join the planning team if you really think there is something I have to offer that is different. I personally think the issue is the unwillingness of non-local competitiors to travel here, which is largely beyond our control. The top National class leaders don't seem to show up to any Texas events in the numbers they do at east/west coast events and in Lincoln. That is a National office problem to solve, imho. If it was my decision, I'd try to put the Pro in College Station too, as it is them only surface that compares to Lincoln.