Fast Specialties Challenge: a 1 hour mini Enduro Series by CSCC!

colin_koehler

colin_koehler

Great SCOTT!
Steve: Can you help me edit the title to say Enduro vs Endur.

I didn't know if everyone read the full announcement for the Cascade race or followed the special race brainstorming thread but...

The Special race at the opening race this year is a 1 hour enduro allowing a driver change for $150/car. One hell of deal!!! Split that between 2 drivers and it's a $75 race! So who's in?!

Another really cool feature is how they're doing Qualifying for it! Read below:


Here's the rules from the memo:

CASCADE SPORTS CAR CLUB PRESENTS
THE FAST SPECIALTIES CHALLENGE​

WHAT IS IT: The FAST SPECIALTIES CHALLENGE is a two race series (May 5, 2012 and June 30, 2012) that gives drivers a sample of endurance racing. Drivers may race in one or both races; however, points will be cumulative. Points earned in the series will have a dollar value which can be applied to the 8 Hours of the Cascades entry fee on October 20, 2012. Each race will be one hour in length with a mandatory pit stop to be made between the 25 and 35 minute mark of the race. Each entry shall consist of one or two drivers. During the mandatory pit stop, a driver change shall take place or a 60 second timed stop, whichever corresponds with the type of entry – one or two drivers.

THE CLASSES:
NSF (NotsoFAST) – EP, FP, GP, HP, IP, CR, PRO7, SM, CSM, H4, ITA, ITB, ITC, HIP, 944CUP
KFC (KindaFAST) – CP, DP, PRO3, ITS, GTL, EIP, FIP, RS, AS
WTF (WaytooFAST) – AP, BP, SPO, SPM, SPU, GT1, GT2, GT3,
ITE, ST​

THE POINTS: See ICSCC Championship Points. Each driver will receive the same points whether an entry is one or two drivers. Example: If a one driver entry wins – 25 pts are awarded. If a two driver entry wins – 25 pts are awarded to each driver. Pole points will be awarded to both drivers. Class series champions will receive credit towards the 8 Hours of the Cascades equal to $2.00 per point. All other positions will receive credit equal to $1.00 per point. For purposes of determining the 8 Hours of the Cascades entry fee credit, point totals will be by driver name in case a driver drives in two or more classes.

QUALIFYING: Round 1 (May 5, 2012) – PRESSURE QUALIFYING – Either driver may qualify. PRESSURE QUALIFYING shall consist of one green flag lap (one out lap and one green flag lap) Qualifying order shall be set based on practice times – fastest first to slowest last. The starting grid shall be set fastest to slowest. Round 2 (June 30, 2012) – 10 minute qualifying session. The starting grid shall be set fastest to slowest.

RULES: ICSCC rules apply. A driver may drive in up to two cars per race. If both cars are in the same class – the higher finish will apply towards the points. If a driver drives in two different classes – the driver will be awarded points in both classes. Car numbers will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. For the full set of rules, visit www.cascadesportscarclub.org and scroll down to pages 2/3 of this page.

ELIGIBILITY: Licenses – ICSCC ARR or IRR, SCCA National, CACC, FIA, ASN, or NASA. All other licenses must be approved by the ICSCC License Director. Novice license holders are not eligible.

ENTRY FEE: $150.00 US per car


The hope is that this race will give those drivers who have never tried an enduro, a sample of what endurance racing is like, and will give those drivers who have tried and like endurance racing a chance to do more of it. This race can also be fun for those who just want to do more RACING!!! Although we don’t anticipate too many cars needing to re-fuel, we wanted to make sure that those who wanted to do this series and need to re-fuel, a chance to enjoy this series with everyone else!! This race can be as simple as you want it to be – A single driver who comes in for a 60 second pit stop, to a pit stop for a driver change, to an all out mini endurance race with re-fueling and/or tire changes added in!! Just make sure it’s FUN!!!!


I love racing!​
 
Just came back to re-read the rules for this... and they destroyed my potential strategy of pitting on lap 1 to get away from early race traffic (Colin ;) )and then driving 57 minutes straight.

I think the NSF class could be quite fun. I haven't entered the enduro yet but I am likely to do so. I have always thought something like this would be a good format for an event and I want to support it for that reason.
 
Wow...classes are interesting...I think some of those NSF cars should be in the KFC class. No way a CSM can compete at Portland against an ITA or 944 Cup car...hell a SM, unless driven by Heitman, would have a hard time. The only way I could be competitive, would be if the race was significantly longer as many of the NSF cars would end up breaking...we all know Miata's keep going and going and going! If it's only a two race series, then might as well try and win it, right??
My money is on Colin!

Still not sure I will make Portland as it costs me big bucks to tow down in a motor home at $4 bucks a gallon and getting 7 miles per gallon!!! Where's that cheaper gas we were all promised??

Bill-
 
Bill: gasoline will never be cheap again. Its price is only going in one direction.

Let me be a devils advocate for a moment. First, there are already more miatas entered in the NSF class right now than ITA cars. Also, I've only finished in front of all the maiatas once at Portland because they are damn fast there. Second, most ITA cars run the same lap times as most CSM or SM cars. The classification is fair. Third, it's a 1 hour race for $150!! When was the last time you got to do a 1 hour sprint race? Or pressure qualifying? this is very cool.


My biggest concern is going 1 hour at full tilt on 1 tank of fuel. I don't think I can due to slosh.
 
well Colin i guess you need to draft and save fuel the first part of the race maybe till your stop, then hammer down till then end.
 
I think at PIR we're as close as we're gonna get. The straights at Pacific and Spokane and the hill at ORP definitely put the Miatas at a disadvantage to a 944. As for the classes, it's a tough call for sure with only 3 groups. Put the 944 in the middle group and we have no chance against RS and AS cars.

Colin, I might have held off on that comment about your fuel capacity. Definitely influences my strategy knowing 1 hour is questionable for you. Unless you are spreading disinformation... in that case I can only hold 5 gallons in my tank ;)

Bill, I definitely can understand tow costs being a concern, but that is a part of racing. To me events like this and GTCC make it easier to justify a tow on an otherwise single race weekend. A one hour enduro is a great format and provides a ton of green flag seat time, a nice schedule change up the schedule, and a way to race against other cars. There is also the motivation to hook more folks on endurance racing in the hopes of increasing the field size at the main enduro in October.

You could always not tow your car down here and just rent Eric B's E30 eta for cheap ;)
 
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If i get the chance to not only get my motor back in, but truly break it in... I'm a good potential entry. However since PIR ended my season two years in a row I'm not too eager to run my chances on a new motor.

Now that being said there is another 944 that is planning to drive south and if I'm carless I will be driving some in that car.
 
Colin...you know I love ya. And I think you are one of the really good guys, but I got to call you on a couple of things here my friend. First, gasoline does not have to keep going up and up. We have enough reserves of oil in the US including the North Slope to fill our needs for a generation or more. We just have to have sound energy policies to develop our own resources first and foremost.

I also do think the 1 hour sprint race is a great idea. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. It is a great deal for sure. But, I do think you are a bit off in your analysis of the classes. At last years Rose City opener I think you qualified with a 124.8 or so. While Dunning was close (a definite pro motor there), the nearest CSM car was over 3 seconds slower. And even Higgenbotham, who went on to become the SM champ, was at 1:26. Running 2 seconds a lap faster you might be able to lap a Miata during a 60 minute sprint race. That's why my money is on you! And I don't think you will have any trouble doing 60 minutes on fuel...now 90 minutes is another story!!

Also, and this is for Eric, several of the 944 Cup guys have done 1:30 or 1:31 at PIR with chicane...times which have never been achieved by a CSM and I am not sure any Conference SM has ever run those times. If a 944 Cup car runs ITS, then in my book it doesn't run against SM/CSM/ITA....just trying to put those P guys in their places...all in good fun and definitely ready for some racin'............

As I say, not sure if I will make Portland in May but I do have it scheduled for the end of June. But planning on running Group 2 and 5 at Pacific mid May.

Bill-
 
Bill Bonsell said:
Colin...you know I love ya. And I think you are one of the really good guys, but I got to call you on a couple of things here my friend. First, gasoline does not have to keep going up and up. We have enough reserves of oil in the US including the North Slope to fill our needs for a generation or more. We just have to have sound energy policies to develop our own resources first and foremost.
Click to expand...

The assumption is that all that the oil we drill here stays here. And that refined oil products stay here.
But last year the US #1 export in dollars was oil and oil products. So your gas is going somewhere else for a higher profit.
The free enterprise system is doing what it does best -- making money. Cheap gas here means less profits. More domestic oil would mean more profits, not lower prices.

Oil and oil products are now a world market product and domestic oil is just one part of that puzzle. Prices will level out, but they will do so world-wide.
 
Colin, let me know if you need crew help. I can pour 3 or 4 gallons of gas into a CRX in less than 60 seconds (and most of it will go into the gas tank!).
 
OK! I'm reviving this year-old thread to ask if anyone has information on another planned 1-hour mini enduro in April. I'd love to hear about it.
 
From Cascades Last Meeting Minutes:
We found a way to have 1 hour enduro for all 3 CSCC events. Chris will contact each club to see if they would like to have a mini enduro. All the races would be 1 hour, but the last one will be 2 hours and double points. 1 hour will be $150, no decision on price for 2 hour.

So, if we can convince the other clubs to join in, we'll have a real Enduro Series! Either way Cascade is having an Enduro searies and the other clubs are welcome to join in as well.
 
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