is chumpcar bad for ICSCC and SCCA?

davemarden

davemarden

Member
I just want to throw this out for disscusion I found tha the chumpcar race was cheaper and more fun than most of the races I've done it the last 5 years
 
Two completely different venues.
This isn't a case of apples to apples.
There's no basis for comparison to decide whether it's good or bad for other sanctioning bodies.

So, I don't think so either.

I am glad that you had a blast though.
 
I think it was only more fun for you in the same way that sleeping with a new woman is fun. Maybe it seems like it's more fun because you've been doing sprint racing for awhile and now you're doing something new and different. If you stopped doing sprint races and only focused on Chump, you may find yourself missing your "ol' lady".

In regards to Endurance racing. Considering the low cost, relaxed environment and high fun factor, I can see the draw to it as opposed to high cost environment of the 12 hour at Portland or the 25 at Thunderhill.
 
Chump Car sounds like the sister to Hornet Racing up at Monroe. It's racing with disposable cars as far as I can tell. That will appeal to some people.
 
Fun and inexpensive is a pretty attractive combination. That's why there are Miatas. But if that were all that mattered, there would only be Miatas. So I think Chump Car isn't a threat to Conference. Of course I might change my mind if I participate in one.
 
I believe IRDC has taken back the reins of the 6 hour Kenny, and NWERS is on hold. We had planned to go after other venues as part of NWERS, but as of now it's just kinda sitting there.
I'm old school and thus enjoy the noise, speed and competition that goes with the more serious form of endurance racing. I was booked for a seat at the Chump car event, but a conflict kept me from attending. I will probably try it at some point because the team I was aligned with had an absolute blast and told me John the organizer had the event well organized, well run and made sure everyone had a great time. Seems like a enjoyable way to end a season although they had a large number of drivers who had never raced before, and that did concern me.
So it's not a threat to Conference because few of us would be satisfied driving $500 cars as our primary racing source. I hear they are expanding their series to Spokane and Infineon next year, with more to come.
 
I guess this(Chumpcar) may be what I personally have been looking for in road racing; cheap! and and a sanctioning body that treats drivers like adults that are responsible for their own actions. Not worried about race licenses, more concerned about the speed of cars (under 120 mph)
 
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Chump car had many flat-tows, and a smaller number of lift-tows, usually a "wallwacker". And much like the 12 hr. track day, they are ALL brought to impound, or ..., so, the Safety Team got a good lot of track time. When a FCY was requested and displayed, we knew the Pace 'truck' may not be deployed, so had to act accordingly when being dispatched to recover driver/vehicles. Most of whom were either still on the track or just off. I suppose I should have mentioned how annoying that is at the drivers' meeting. At any rate...

These "novices", within a lap of the FCY, were under control, and circulated at a fair and reasonable speed (my estimate) through our 'caution' areas until we got out of the way, and they got green.

Early on there were a fair number of them, much like any ICSCC group. And dancing around these brand spanking new, maybe I really should mortgage the house and buy me one-a-these, rookie pilots felt no different than if we were waltzing amoungst any higher skill ratio/group of our Conference family.

It was surprising, amazing, and fantastically welcomed.

And no oil on my surface was pretty cool too.

So if there's a real threat, it might be getting yourself caught up in this particular style of racing style (mayhem), and so provide some example of, not only race control, but control of your race as it may apply to all of these brand spanking, new maybe I should... folks utilizing this wonderful new training tool, what? Something that the Conference is about, yes?

Spokane...wow. NWMS needs another truck.
 
I wonder if the Chump Car date at Spokane in July will conflict with the NASCAR date at Portland? Chump Car is scheduled for the last weekend in July. Anyone know when the NASCAR race is scheduled?
 
Mr. Gary B. knows.
He said at the last Portland race that the date had already been confirmed and I thought, could have mis-understood, that it was going to be basically the same date for 2010 as it was for 2009.
I think the date might have been set early for the NASCAR so as not to conflict with ICSCC in Spokane.
 
I think one of the reasons we were all so well behaved is we took it to heart rather elaborate penaltys involved with misbehavour. 2hr time penaltys or getting sent home (or worse) nobody wanted to get thier team in trouble
P.S. I've had worse days on the track with supposed "senior" or "national" drivers
 
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My .02, I had a fun time at the Chump Car race.

Three 2hour driving stints for a cost of just over $600. We were turning 1:40ish lap times with an additional chicane on the back stretch, clean driving from everyone I was on the track with exception of the #69 orange mustang (yes I am calling you out). Everyone from the promoters, officials, and competitors were a fun group to associate with.
 
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I was told that one poor soul hit all 4 of the water barrels on the back 'chicane', and paid $250.00 per barrel, which all went to charity.
 
westipton said:
I was told that one poor soul hit all 4 of the water barrels on the back 'chicane', and paid $250.00 per barrel, which all went to charity.
Click to expand...

It was the #00 Porsche 944 next to our pit. Good group to pit next to and it was great of them to take out the chicane :D
 
My greatest fear, in regard to the plastic barrier chicane located just past the T9 station, and well lit with the portable lighting, was that a car would put a foot out on the wet grass while exiting and pushing too far Drivers' Left, thus turning into a pinball. But that didn't happen. They just hit them and tore them apart like we knew they would.

They were positively effective, though, because after the final barrier fell (munched) the entry speeds into T10/11 increased and so on. This wasn't bad earlier on because it was getting damp and starting to fog up, but the next morning as things lightened up, and the track warmed, and dried nicely, some of the drivers that had probably not been through the east section without the chicane were developing severe push just past the turn in around the South paddock exit road/turn in. Also got two hard T12, "Dratwall" hits towards the final hour(s).

I see them coming back next year. Perhaps a different design, but I think that the desired affect was accomplished, and most likely kept more cars in the race to the finish.
 
IMHO, I think the additional chicane was not needed and added an element of risk unnecessarily, especially for less experienced drivers. Every other place on the track you have a little room to screw up and recover but not through the back stretch chicane.

I too was a little worried the first few times through it that there was not enough grip to the outside of the track through the chicane but there seemed to be plenty of traction, even when wet. After the first two times through I never lifted, just scrubbed off a little speed through the chicane and from the gradual S curve into T10.
 
Chump car is so totally different than ICSCC racing. It will enable some folks who can not field a "true" race car to spend time on the track. I do wonder about some of the cars out there being actual $500.00 ones. I remember that big orange Polara that ran in HPDE at CSCC days. It was actually a pretty well developed car, the body was crap but the running gear was pretty stout. In that way it will be hard for the Chumpcar folks to regulate it to only crap cars.
 
The Chump Car race was very well organized and controlled. Hats off to John the organizer. He brought a great attitude to the event.

It's so totally different to do this kind of stuff. Team spirit, costumes and themes, long hours, piece of junk cars that may or may not be fun to drive.
On the other hand, very little stress as it just doesn't matter what happens to the car.

Hats off too to alot of people who pulled all-nighters in the cold and wet to make the event happen.
 
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