August 2 IRDC special race

I'll try to curb my desire to rehash the explaination of the cost of track time vs unrealistic desires for unfettered track time controlled by each drivers unique perception of what is "fair". Opinions are like fingerprints - seems everyone has several and they are unique to that individual. Those of us who are slavishly attempting to organize quality race opportunities for our fellow competitors can't possibly hope to satisfy every need to every driver. We simply try to take a look at what has benefitted the membership the most, attempt to eliminate things that have caused problems, mix in a little common sense and put on the best race we can.

How can we tell if the race is a success? When you break it all down, two simple things are the criteria. Since the individual club boards and race officials all know lots of racers, we try to listen to their comments and evaluate what was good about a race and what was bad so we can further refine the next. The second criteria? After everything is added up and paid for there is a cold, hard, unambiguous bottom line on the financial statement. No matter how much everyone likes a particular race, it is still some degree of a failure if it loses money. Capitalism works if you let it - when we put on fun races that people are willing to pay their discretionary spending cash on they are voting with their dollars. If we make a small profit and it allows us to put on more races, then we are succeeding in giving our members what they want. It's no more difficult than that.

Sure, we can just divide up the undersubscribed NOW time to the rest of the day and use the remainder to finish early. We see the special race as a chance to give a group an occasional showcase, have a fun end of Saturday race that will draw racers out of their pits and entertain them, and make a few second or third entry bucks to help keep everyone elses entry fees down. I'm open to suggestions - would racers prefer that we charge them 20 or 30 bucks more per entry to eliminate a special race?? I'm feel confident that is not the case.

I take particular umbrage at two points and a historical fact stated above.

#1 - The "yamber" comment indicates a prejudice and disrespect that has no place in Conference. We have drivers in all levels and all types of cars and none of them is any less worthy or less deserving of your consideration becasue they drive a car that you don't like. If you don't like Mazdas or BMWs then don't drive one - that is your right. You don't like a driver because he is a jackass, can't drive, or slept with your wife, that is also your right. If you hate seeing the kind of cars that have run in past special race groups then don't watch - that is also your right. Disliking the majority on a public forum because they have chosen to drive a car that is somehow beneath your contempt just makes you look narrow minded.

#2 - Let stop with the kind of comments that equate making any decision that you don't personally like as somehow equal to selling out our principles and worshipping evil. The quote: "so it comes down to whether a club's need to make more money outweighs the value/quality of their ICSCC championship event to include all of their regular competitors." Is this somehow meant to infer that if the IRDC board doesn't do what you want we are selling out the membership for <gasp!> PROFIT??!! Are you serious? Sure - I'm probably biased because my lucrative IRDC salary has allowed me to buy a palacial home and a private jet, but that doesn't mean I don't still consider the well being of the peons! Our intent is to make the races break even or better SO WE CAN PUT ON MORE RACES! If we were in it for the money, we would stay at work and stop spending so much time trying to put on great races for the membership, who not only elected us but are also called upon to approve our decisions at open membership meetings.

Historical fact - The battle of "Battan" was indeed in the Phillipines and raged for about three months. Some 75,000 American and Phillipino prisoners were taken in one of the darker military defeats of World War Two. The transfer of those prisoners became the infamous "Battan Death March" and is considered one of the more overt examples of Japanese war crimes resulting in the brutal death of more than 10,000 prisoners. Not really a cheery or positive rememberance to tie a special race group to.

Here is my disclaimer. I drive a race car. As a racer, I would like seeing every minute of the expensive hot track time we are buying to be used to the maximum enjoyment of racers. Isn't that why we are doing this?
 
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[Long rant probably borne of frustration snipped.]

The "YAMBER" quote came from a BMW driver and was clearly not meant to slam either BMW or Miata groups, but to talk about getting some more variety in our special run groups... for the same reasons you mentioned about showcasing a group and having a fun race on Saturday.

I don't think Richard was drawing any parallels between a baton race and ANYthing to do with Bataan or the Death March. (Yes, it's spelled "Bataan." "Filipino," too, if we're going to be pedantic.) He was just making a little play on pronunciation, methinks.

I am with you that any "special" race should do the most it can for spectator fun and Club income. Anybody who gets pissy about that should probably re-examine their motivation in club-level racing, IMO.

Oh, and can I have a ride in your jet? :D
 
I understand that Rich was 'in' the Battle of Battan, but I may have my details wrong! It was a gruesome time in history, and one of my uncles was fortunate to survive the ordeal.
I have always campained for more track time at PR when it is available because there isn't a lot to begin with. Don't take offense Rick, it's the nature of the track and not a reflection on the club. But having said that, I do think that special race groups are fun because it's something different and breaks up the monotony of a normal race event. Watching Mike B. work through the pack in the special Bimmer race at SRP 2 years ago was priceless, as was his worn out half dead body as he crawled from the car and collapsed. Talking about putting all you have into something, boy howdy, did he ever.
So if a OW/SR race works out I'll be there, and if it's another group I'll be watching and enjoying. BTW Rick, what was the fee for the last special event at PR, do you recall?
 
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I understand that Rich was 'in' the Battle of Battan

Nahh, Wes, even I'm not that old.

But, while I was doing "my time" in other parts of Southeast Asia, I did R&R in Subic Bay (Olongapo) and took a trip to Bataan which is just south. Dad did Europe with Patton and his brother (my Uncle) was in Bataan (survived). But then a tractor rolled over on him near Bakersfield a few years after the war :(

So trust me, no disrespect for the events there was intended.

Although Rick Bos.. went on a 'rant', YES as I said at the end of my initial post, it's all about the income to the club and that TRUMPS any other concerns. Heck if we could get 50 Legends to run as a 'special race', let them have a run every weekend!!!
 
Perhaps too much of my frustration showing through ...

Good points all. I guess that a lot of the frustration is that it seems like the point of several of the posts seem made out of frustration that we are not doing something that I have been actually working on for the last month and a half. As I posted earlier, there is a fairly exciting possibility that looks like it has a good chance of happening. I will announce it here as soon as I have had a chance to make sure the rest of the board agrees next Wednesday. Until then, I hope nobody was more offended than the mild "red-ass" I intended.

On the point of profit, I will respectfully disagree - a club's survival IS all about the money. There are a lot of ways to claim success, but in the end money is how you keep score. If people percieve our races to be a good value, then they will spend the money to attend them. If the cost goes up or the enjoyment goes down that value is percieved to be lower and fewer will attend which affects profitability. By your own standards there is really no way to count smiles per minute or satisfaction per lap in a direct fashion, but you can tell you are getting those results based on participants willingness to trade their hard earned money to come out and spend times with their racing family. Lets not lose sight of the big picture - anyone racing an automobile is a "have". THere are not enough of my particular kind of car to warrant a special race group either, but I don't equate that to being underpriveledged. I appreciate that the special race group participants are doing their part to keep my entry fees affordable, while having a good time in exchange. The "have nots" are worried about feeding their families and losing their homes. They are sleeping in their cars, not racing them.

(And yes, color me embarrassed. I am a long time history buff, so correcting someone on the spelling of "Battan" and then spelling "Filipino" wrong is not one of my prouder moments!)

(Also - the entry fee for the special race is just a regular entry. If you are already racing you get a nice deal for a reduced second entry or even more reduced as a third. 1st entry is $285 ($275 IRDC members), 2nd entry is $150, 3rd is $100.)
 
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Thanks for your hard work, Rick. We're looking forward to the announcement on the special race.

For some reason, when I heard "special race" the idea of 50 grown men and women pedaling Big Wheels around Pacific Raceways came to mind. Not that it's a bad idea or anything!
 
Down the hill from 2 to 3b would be a close approximation. Can we get the great soundtrack too?
 
I know the specs for bigwheel include front drive and front steering. Since this is a "special", would you consider including my rear steering green machine?


green_machine.jpg
 
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That's funny as hell, Tyler and Mike! I would gladly park the racecar and race the GREEN MACHINE down Lombard Street for a special race!
 
No Rich, of course there was no disrespect, just bad spelling! Subic Bay eh? Boy, there are some stories to tell...
 
I love PR. It's my favorite turn-working race track. Better than Mid-O. Better than VIR.

I like IRDC. Debbie is the best, Scott A is the best, Lee? Hello you've got great peeps! My comments about schedule is not to slight the tireless efforts of the IRDC volunteers. The time restrictions, and the track itself make it a tough track to schedule.

I haven't worked a turn up there in 2 years, so maybe things have changed. But, a special race group to me at Pac Raceways would be one where the Senior Groups get their full track time, and the volunteers get their full rest time. Like I said, I haven't been back since they've had the extra NOW time, so maybe the schedule is way better.
 
the meeting over yet? sorry no patience. gotta know whether or not the green machine will be getting dusted off.
 
Appropriate people being contacted first - will make announcement here this afternoon.

Thanks for your patience!
 
Come on guys, the decision was reached last night, and it's a good one, so let the cat out of the bag!
 
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