Texas Region SCCA '04 event #1 - Pennington Field, 3/21

[POS Racing]

Well since I got to work 1st heat and run second heat, I actually liked the new format.

We were done by 5:00ish, which may be a modern era record for our local SCCA.

The computer problems were a bit surprising since I believe this is the same Software the ER & S2K use. But I did note they did not bother to set up the timing and scoring equipment on Saturday and "test & tune" the setup. But hindsight is always 20/20. :P

They need to do something; we can't continue as we have done in the past, and I feel this is a positive step in the right direction.

The other great part is if the SCCA doesn't get their Poop together participation in their events are not mandatory.

[rx7gslse]

you guys were all done and packed up before I had run OR worked....

Whiel the old format was long, you woudl run for awhile, BS for awhile with others about lines to take, go work, run some more.. etc etc etc...

Yesterday I stood in line for an hour+, walked the course. Sprinted to change tires & tech before teh drivers meeting and then stood around for 6 hours doing nothing. Stood in the parking lot chasing cones at teh finish for an hour and a half.

then spend 15 minutes doing my runs. They were so close together that I couldn't even get over to to my friends to say "how'd I look" before I had to run again!

Every year I hit the 1st SCCA event at pennington, and every year I remeber why I don't liek running at pennington.

My opinion? They shoudl run it like houston. Basically 2 events. Half the classes show up at 8am and run their events, then the 2nd half shows up about 1 techs, and runs their events.

Same number of cars, but you only have to be there half as long.

[rx7gslse]

oh yeah, and they weren't posting any times eitehr with the new computer system...

[altiain]

There are still some bugs to work out with the new system, no one is denying that.

However, there are plenty of board members who will be more than happy to go back to the way things used to be. These are the same board members who swear that what we're trying to do now will never work.

I'd like to see our events run like Houston, too. But unless the new system gets some support, we'll go back to the old way. And then next year, when someone proposes changing things, those same set-in-their-ways board members will point out how we tried to change and things didn't work, and we'll just keep it the way it has been until cars become obsolete. Personally I don't want to see that happen.

Four things conspired to make yesterday's event tough. We have a new timing & computer system (which sounds like it didn't get a proper shakedown run, which is unacceptable). We have a new event structure. We had good weather and a looong off-season, which meant a much larger than anticipated turnout (do you think almost 200 people would have shown up if the rain had come as forecast?). Lastly, we have a new Regional chair, Tom Ramey. He's open-minded and I think he'll do a good job, but he doesn't have five years experience doing the job - and the foresight & wisdom that comes from five years experience - like Marty did.

PLease give the new structure at least a few months before ripping it to shreds... and unless you want to see things remain the way they were last season forever, get behind the new system and help to make it work, otherwise it will never change for the better. I promise you that much.

I'd like to see our events mimic Houston's format within a couple of seasons myself, but I know it won't happen unless we can make this change work first.

[rx7gslse]

yeah, the fact that 200 people showed up certainly wans't going to make for a short day running eitehr system, new or old... that is a given.

I am not saying that the old system was the best system by any stretch of the imagination, but the big complaints I always heard were "you're out there all day and don't get any run time" The new system doesn't exactly fix that...

Now I know it was teh 1st day, so it's not like you could have split the groups, but the new system as it was set yesterday didn't do much more than provide LONG breaks of sit aroudn time. I've never seen so many people sitting along the road and just watching as their were yesterday.

Basically, I'm not saying change is bad... I just think that if we're going to go thru the efforts of a change, I would like to see a change to a format that has more advantages.

[onething]

I was very impressed with the new format and hope we keep using it.

The only things I didn't like about yesterday were:

1. New format growing pains that will fix themselves
2. Thinking about what a pig I'm driving - see other post
3. My inability to drive faster than Ben Castillo's 16 yr old daughter at her 1st AX

Like every organization I've ever been in, 10% of the people do 99% of the work and . . . never mind

[altiain]

yeah, the fact that 200 people showed up certainly wans't going to make for a short day running eitehr system, new or old... that is a given.

I am not saying that the old system was the best system by any stretch of the imagination, but the big complaints I always heard were "you're out there all day and don't get any run time" The new system doesn't exactly fix that...

Basically, I'm not saying change is bad... I just think that if we're going to go thru the efforts of a change, I would like to see a change to a format that has more advantages.

Well, the biggest complaint that the new system was designed to address was the problem of cars in the same class running in different heats. Last year I know that there was more than one event when competitors that ran in a certain heat had a distinct course advantage, usually due to weather. This system is designed to eliminate that, and allow all competitors in a given class to run at the same time, so that they've all got the same course (and conditions) to work with.

As for the "you're out there all day and you don't get any run time" complaint... well, you could say the same for any autocross event. Even in Houston, a 5-6 hour time investment for 4 minutes of run time seems pretty laughable, when you stand back and look at it objectively. Why do you think non-autocrossers think we're crazy to begin with? :P

Seriously though - I agree with you on Houston's setup. I've run down there and thought it a much better idea than what we were using at the time. However, even though this new system won't address that complaint at every event, there will be events where your class gets the same break that most C Stockers got yesterday - work early, run early, and be packed up and going home by 2pm, if you want to.

Think of this system as a baby step - if we can make it successful, then when a change is proposed to make our system a split day like Houston's (something I'd certainly be for), the naysayers won't have any ammo to back up their "change is bad" mentality.

In the meantime, don't expect the SCCA to be the best "bang for the buck" in DFW - it never has been since I started, and since it draws the largest crowds, I doubt it ever will be. That's the beauty of smaller events like NTS2kOC autocrosses.

[POS Racing]

I was able to get some pictures of the Miatas running tire class, so lets play, "Name that cone smacking yahoo!"

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5

[onething]

OOH OOH OOH -- Picture # 5 JANIS HERNANDEZ!!!

What do I win?

WAIT -- Pic # 4 -- those are my numbers and letters!!! Do I get his trophy too???

[POS Racing]

What do I win?

A smack in the head with a cone you yahoo. Is she in a Miata running tire class?

Did anybody else take any pictures yesterday?????

[Treibenschnell]

OOH OOH OOH -- Picture # 5 JANIS HERNANDEZ!!!

What do I win?

WAIT -- Pic # 4 -- those are my numbers and letters!!! Do I get his trophy too???

You mean to tell me I get a trophy for worst run run of the day! Wooohoooo!!!

[general default]

Ok since POS posted pictures I thought I would return the favor. Here is a link with pictures of Miata's at the Test and Tune. Notice that the POS racer still has some lean in the corners after the sway bar install. Just think what it was like before!!!

[altiain]

Ok since POS posted pictures I thought I would return the favor. Here is a link with pictures of Miata's at the Test and Tune. Notice that the POS racer still has some lean in the corners after the sway bar install. Just think what it was like before!!!

I think your eyes are going' General. This is one funny lookin' Miata.

[POS Racing]

Ok since POS posted pictures I thought I would return the favor.

Thanks General!

[Kestrel]

Well as you probably know, I was in Richmond, Virginia this past weekend. I may have missed the SCCA opener in DFW, but I did manage to run in an autocross! The Virginia Motorsports Club had their season opener, and I co-drove my nephew's "modified" Mitsubishi Eclipse GST... in ESP . Wanta see a Miata Pilot fighting a turbocharged, wrong-wheel drive, pig? Check out picture P0003569.jpg at this site I'm in 181ESP.

I'm guessing I didn't do very well in ESP... my nephew had messed with the car quite a bit, and it really was a big, lumbering pig (at least compared to what I'm used to). But he had a great time, and I hope I've gotten him hooked on our "drug". After all, that was the real reason I ran in that event.

[POS Racing]

For those of you in Tire class, I have more pictures of your cars! If you shoot me a PM with your e-mail address I'll send you every picture I have with you car in it! :afro:

But make sure you are ready for a big ash e-mail, right onething

[rx7gslse]

pssst...


Results are up!

http://autocross.com/texasregion/tr104.htm

Looks liek I won CSP even with a blown motor :) (of course, had anyone shown up it would have been a little different.)

[general default]

Results posted

[tailchaser]

The "public" write-up (with some photos) has been posted at dfwmiata.com.

If you have anything to add, let me know. If you'd like to do the re-hash next time, let me know as well...

[Treibenschnell]

Thanks for the photos!

And hey, where's my last place trophy? At last I beat the guy that DNF'ed.