A proposal on improving AX.
Ok boys and girls, this might seem a bit odd because I've only done 2 AX events in my lifetime, but I've read the recent posts on the topic and I'd like to throw my hat in the ring.
1) I did the most recent SCCA event at Pennington Field (#6?). That was my second AX. My first was almost 25 years ago with ER or something similar to them (at Northpark Mall, believe it or not.)
The first thing that amazed me was that the two events were operated the same way. 25 years of progress and the AX industry has gone nowhere. Oh, they keep their manually entered data on a computer now instead of a clip-board, but that's hardly modernization. Manual data entry is manual data entry regardless of its level of electrification.
The second thing that amazed me was that the entry fees haven't kept up with inflation. If they had, then it would have been $1.50 to enter back in the day.
2) I've told some of you my race creds, but for the record, here it is again. I raced motorcycles for 18 years. I'm a 3 time regional roadrace champ. I'm an ex-race director for WERA. I'm a current race school instructor. I mention these only so that you can understand that I really do know something about club level racing from the local, regional, and national viewpoints.
3) A bit of perspective. The Central Motorcycle Roadrace Association (CMRA) is the local (TX, OK, LA, AR, KS) racing organization. They have been affiliated with several national sanctioning bodies, but they have recently gone out on their own as an independent, self supporting organization based on their strengths and abilities. They are highly successful and have retained all of the corporate support they previously had with the larger sanctioning bodies.
I will base my proposal on my personal experience with the CMRA and their prior sanctioning bodies.
5) Yes, that was a long prolog, but here's the meat of the topic.
The CMRA puts 500+ entries onto an open track over a period of 6 hours. Each race consists of 8 laps plus one warmup lap, one cool down lap, and gridding. Basically, each race lasts ~15-18 minutes.
Barring unforseen situations, such as an accident that requires shutdown of the track, medevac, or an exploded motor that oils the surface, CMRA events run on time every time.
CMRA does not have "trailer troubles". The "computer guy" is completely responsible for the computer system. He has a backup unit and in 8 years of racing in this region, I've seen problems with obtaining results exactly once.
CMRA uses electronic transponders for lap timing to .001 sec. Yes, the system is expensive. Yes, the racers have to buy and maintain their own transponder. Each transponder is linked to an individual racer.
CMRA racers do not have to perform a work assignment except as a condition of their provisional licensing. The CMRA pays corner workers an insanely small amount ($25 plus lunch plus "the best seat in the house") for a full day of picking up crashed motorcycles and dealing with injured riders. They work one hell of a lot harder than your average SCCA cone drone, and they do it eagerly. Read the policy here:
http://tinyurl.com/6runm
And how does the CMRA do it all? With money.
If I'm racing, I still have to pay the gate fee to enter the facility. What a concept! An entry fee to make the event appear more interesting while simultaneously providing spectator control and generating revenue!
If I'm racing in 4 events, my total for the day will be a whopping $170 plus my gate fee of $10 for the day. Yup, that's $180 plus the $400 in tires I'll destroy during the day...... but what does it buy me?
Sunday morning practice - 3 sessions of 20 minutes each. That's 1 hour of live track time.
Four 15 minute events. That's another hour of live track time.
Kids, that's two full hours of "oh my!" time in a single day. It's not a bad price when you consider that my most recent SCCA event cost me about $2.50 per minute and a half day standing in the sun while I waited for my "opportunity" to be a cone drone.
A price per minute comparison gives me $2.50 for the SCCA and $1.50 for the CMRA.
For what it's worth, the CMRA is very successful and nobody complains about a lack of track time or too much downtime. And when you're done, you can pack up and go home.
OK, so what am I proposing?
1) Raise the entry fee $5. With 200 entries, the $1000 raised can be used to pay corner workers and buy infrastructure. If we paid the corner workers $50 per day, we could have 100 corner workers and still have 1/2 our money. Add the fact that racers wouldn't have to work Mafia deals with their "connection" or wait around all day to complete a work assignment and it sounds like a winning plan to me. (Can't afford $5? Should you be racing?)
In metro areas, there should be no problem getting corner workers. The CMRA does it even though their races are held in the boondocks.
2) Use the increased revenue to purchase a lap-timing transponder system like real racers use. Rent the transponders to novices. Let regular racers buy their own if they want.
3) Invest in some infrastructure such as the trailer. I have two computers sitting unused here in the house that are probably better than the stuff I saw in there. Certainly one of our other members has access to free equipment too. Besides, what's a good CPU cost nowdays? $500? Does the trailer have a network and a client/server architecture? Why not?
4) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with corner workers. It will be his job to get water out to them, pick them up for lunch, and redistribute them before the afternoon session. They are HIS.
5) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with Novices. Hand each novice a single page sheet that explains how the day will go, from soup to nuts. Deal with them as if you'd like to see them return.
6) Restrict facility access to racers, crew, and spectators who have paid and signed the release.
7) Charge everyone $5 bucks a head to enter - period - unless you're a worker bee. Can't afford it? Don't bring the whole posse.
Again. These are proposals, not a rant. They're ideas that have been used successfully by other organizations.
Feedback please....
Re: A proposal on improving AX.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"If we paid the corner workers $50 per day, we could have 100 corner workers..."
I haven't gotten through your entire post (and I will... it's good stuff!), but the finance guy side of me just has to respond... 50 x 100 = $5,000, not the $500 your are suggesting. That extra $1,000 would only get you 20 workers at $50 per person, and would use up all that $1,000. Still, your point is a good one. Continuing to read...
Re: A proposal on improving AX.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"Does the trailer have a network and a client/server architecture? Why not?"
Why does it need one? What benefit is there to having an "in-trailer network"... networking to what? Sounds like over engineering for what you need at an autocross...
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"4) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with corner workers. It will be his job to get water out to them, pick them up for lunch, and redistribute them before the afternoon session. They are HIS."
Awesome idea. It's called a Worker Chief, and we've already got them. OK, they don't run water out to the corners (the workers can take there own) or pick them up for lunch, but the Worker Chief is in charge of the workers. I'd like to see the Worker Chief lean on the workers a little harder -- make sure they are actually doing their job -- but we really already have this covered.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"5) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with Novices. Hand each novice a single page sheet that explains how the day will go, from soup to nuts. Deal with them as if you'd like to see them return."
This is a great idea, and should be implemented by both the SCCA and ER (I'll add that to my list of changes that I'll propose in ER). But I think this individual's job should be larger than simply handing out a sheet of paper. They should actively seek new folks and directly help them. They should strongly encourage them to ride with an experienced driver, and find that experienced driver for them. They should handle the Novice Walk-Through, and make sure they understand how to work the course. Great idea OUTRACE!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"6) Restrict facility access to racers, crew, and spectators who have paid and signed the release.
7) Charge everyone $5 bucks a head to enter..."
Hummmm... not sure I agree with charging everyone. Autocross is grassroots motorsports, and leaving it easy/cheap to watch means that we reach more people. I kinda like the casualness of AX, and wouldn't want to keep people away for the sake of a few bucks. But that's just my view...
Re: A proposal on improving AX.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kestrel
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"Does the trailer have a network and a client/server architecture? Why not?"
Why does it need one? What benefit is there to having an "in-trailer network"... networking to what? Sounds like over engineering for what you need at an autocross...
A networked/client-server structure would allow all of the computers to run all of the applications (whatever they are), with all of the data being common simultaneously. No need to switch chairs to switch jobs, and the architecture will also allow registration to be computerized with instantaneous updates to all stations. This architecture will only cost about $100.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"4) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with corner workers. It will be his job to get water out to them, pick them up for lunch, and redistribute them before the afternoon session. They are HIS."
Awesome idea. It's called a Worker Chief, and we've already got them. OK, they don't run water out to the corners (the workers can take there own) or pick them up for lunch, but the Worker Chief is in charge of the workers. I'd like to see the Worker Chief lean on the workers a little harder -- make sure they are actually doing their job -- but we really already have this covered.
What is the value of the current worker chief's assignment if he currently has no contact with the novices. Under a paid system, the worker chief's job gets easier. I don't believe that the worker chief can be a competitor and be completely effective at his assigment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"5) Assign ONE PERSON to deal with Novices. Hand each novice a single page sheet that explains how the day will go, from soup to nuts. Deal with them as if you'd like to see them return."
This is a great idea, and should be implemented by both the SCCA and ER (I'll add that to my list of changes that I'll propose in ER). But I think this individual's job should be larger than simply handing out a sheet of paper. They should actively seek new folks and directly help them. They should strongly encourage them to ride with an experienced driver, and find that experienced driver for them. They should handle the Novice Walk-Through, and make sure they understand how to work the course. Great idea OUTRACE!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"6) Restrict facility access to racers, crew, and spectators who have paid and signed the release.
7) Charge everyone $5 bucks a head to enter..."
Hummmm... not sure I agree with charging everyone. Autocross is grassroots motorsports, and leaving it easy/cheap to watch means that we reach more people. I kinda like the casualness of AX, and wouldn't want to keep people away for the sake of a few bucks. But that's just my view...
Charging spectators is always a sensitive issue with club level racing. However, even if there isn't a charge, spectator access should still be controlled and they should be required to sign the release. I realize it happens seldom, but there is a danger that a serious mechanical failure could spectator lives in danger.
Re: A proposal on improving AX.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kestrel
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"If we paid the corner workers $50 per day, we could have 100 corner workers..."
I haven't gotten through your entire post (and I will... it's good stuff!), but the finance guy side of me just has to respond... 50 x 100 = $5,000, not the $500 your are suggesting. That extra $1,000 would only get you 20 workers at $50 per person, and would use up all that $1,000. Still, your point is a good one. Continuing to read...
Brain fart..... factors of ten...... wanna see my 16 liter Miata? :lol:
Re: A proposal on improving AX.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUTRACE
"However, even if there isn't a charge, spectator access should still be controlled and they should be required to sign the release. I realize it happens seldom, but there is a danger that a serious mechanical failure could spectator lives in danger."
Everyone on site is required to sign a waiver -- participant or spectator. There are even work assignments at each SCCA event who's specific duty is to seek out and find new worlds, and new civiliations... ooops, I went into Star Trek mode :lol: . Who's specific job is to go around and find folks who haven't singed the waiver and get them to do so. Spectator (including participants who are not driving in a given heat) access to the course is also restricted, and this is usually mentioned at the Driver's Meeting.
As for the computer / network thing, they run the entire event with one computer. It is connected to the timing lights, display panel, and printer through various I/O ports, but there doesn't appear to be any need for a network, since there is only one computer in the Trailer. AX is pretty low-tech... :wink: Now, if we get transponders and flux capacitors, that will be a different story. :)
