Portland Race

[Karen Stimson]

Thanks to all who made our Portland racing happen. Thanks to everyone from turn workers, grid, safety, admin, Gary and Kai, to our stewards, to all the racers who drove well.

It was a great weekend with some great racing. Once again, it was fun to be around all of you.

 

[mikeblaszczak]

Bill is going to have it pretty easy next year, after the E-Board approves the Steward Lounge Tent and Grill area.

 

[mikecolangelo]

Bill is going to have it pretty easy next year, after the E-Board approves the Steward Lounge Tent and Grill area.

Is that where the beer kegs will be stored?

 

[randy_buell]

It was fun to be there with everyone again. Wish I would have been driving but working a turn station gave me a renewed appreciation, respect, and thankfulness to all those who come out and donate their time and expertise so we can go racing.

And to the fine gentleman who felt it necessary to shoot a tire, wheel, and hub at me while I was at T6, sorry if I did something to offend you. I was doing the best I could with the flags. Really all you need to do is come talk to me, you don't have to go to such extremes

 

[mikeblaszczak]

Is that where the beer kegs will be stored?

No, that's where they'll be installed. (Stored == parked, installed == driven. See?)

 

[rick_bostrom]

For every bad situation there is good mixed in. Shooting off the end of the backstraight at 140 with a collapsed front suspension ... bad. Hanging out with a bunch of fun guys in white for a little bit ... good!

Thanks for looking out for me - we are damn lucky to have such a good group of folks out there and heck, they are quick with a laugh too.

Personally, I think I am paying for karma - I've met too few of you folks at the barbeque so karma is sending me out to the turn stations to meet you during the races!

 

[db1]

Hey Rick there's a less expensive way to do that, grab one of Mr. Blaylocks clip boards on Saturday afternoon and come hang out on the corner. Give the novices some helpful feedback and meet the good folks in white. When I first started corner working I seem to recall more senior observers on the corners and it was a great way to get to know the drivers too.

 

[Lynn Rimmer]

Rick,
Thankfully the suspension went south heading into Turn 10 and not in the middle of the back straight. When we talked to the Turn 11 people later, they said that they all had really big eyes watching you miss the wall at 11. They figured you had about 6 inches of clearance. You had horse shoes that day Rick.
And Dave, we had Rick as an observer at Trn 4 in Spokane this year. Maybe that's what earned him a "dodged a bullet on that one" pass.

 

[brian_towey]

Thank you to the workers, we really appreciate all you do for us.

I promised Mike B. that I would be public about my experiences this past weekend. The video is kind of fun, so I thank him for making that part possible - it wasn't exactly what I had planned, however. Link to the story at the bottom.

BT

http://meettheroad.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/conference-racing-and-the-mall-cops/

 

[Ken Killam]

Brian,

Honesty is always the best, if not the hardest to keep in practice, policy in our great sport.

Thanks for the great read. I do hope that you'll come out again, someday soon, and put on another great show for us.

 

[mikeblaszczak]

If you want to talk things over, Brian, feel free to give me a call.

 

[kyle_nickels]

Wow! and I thought we were all friends in the racing community!! This was supposed to be a thank you blog!!! Karen, you got jacked!!

I had a blast. Car ran better than ever (Thanks Fast Specialties) and thanks to Steve Epperly for the info on making it better for the next race (Brett I should get the 145 more HP that Kai has been promising me

IMHO I think our events get better each time because are afforded the opportunity to speak our minds. It is also because of our volunteers, Race Chairmen, Stewards ETC. and Conferences willingness to change. Can't ask for a better group of people to hang out with.

 

[Randy Blaylock]

Conference rules, culture, etc... are indeed unique and different from many other organizations. Some of them I like, some I don't, some frankly do seem contradictory and silly, but they are what they are. They're set up by volunteers, with the best intentions, with the objective being trying to bring order to chaos.

Having worked for a large metropolitan public safety agency long enough to know the difference, Conference races are run with an incredible smoothness compared to what could happen.

Being involved in Conference on a level that includes attendance more than once every few years, I still try to discover the rationale behind whatever rules look silly at first glance, before being too critical.

I'll give people that have complaints the benefit of the doubt that maybe their underwear was too tight, but will always come down on the side of my fellow volunteers before giving any validation to those that would make personal attacks.

I don't find snarky little stories to be too funny when they include derogatory references to people I respect. No thank you very much.

 

[Steve Adams]

Not only that, but the whole "the rules were applied unfairly to me because of my 700-series number" is so much BS... as he would know if he "dropped in" to a Conference event more than once a decade. This is as true for the bit about wearing all your safety gear until you're in the paddock as it is for the weird (and truly annoying, especially as it's different at different tracks) 5-minute-warning-that-really-isn't-5-minutes.

 

[Scott Norton]

Thats just wrong

Very much opposite of the 7 experances I have had this year starting with my first novice race.


I have participated with two other racing organizations in the past two years. One in the Northwest and the other in California (a professional profit making organizations supposedly)

Neither could hold a candle to ICSCC in organization or attitude or professional attitude.

I had the chance to experance one of the rules first hand in my second novice race. Although I was sure I was right I stayed calm. I was treated and talked to very fairly. I did disagree. I was given some options to prove my case. One of these proved beyond a shadow of a doubt I was not in violation. I asked if the Officials would look at the evidence and consider it. Yes they said we would be happy too. After careful review the fine was torn up and my novice credit was re-instated. I was very happy they gave me a fair chance to prove my side. I also did my best to do that in a polite respectful adult manner. (although I can be far from that at times)

I do not understand your point of view at all. Perhaps you might want to stay with your other option around here and see if that suits you better.

 

[Karen Stimson]

Brian,
It is unfortunate that a few people/rules conspired to drag you down this weekend. There are always going to be people who are either having a bad day or a bad personality--that's life. Sorry, but you can't trash the whole organization because of them.
Most of the people in Conference are hugely supportive of others and just out to have fun racing. I think that every weekend I've raced this year I've seen a group of racers together tackling another racer's diff, engine, etc. in order to get the guy back on track. How cool is that--to help the competition instead of hinder them?
We're constantly asking back and forth for each other's advice, help, tools, or parts.
Additionally, all our workers are volunteers who work their hindsides off for us 12-13 weekends a year. They are there trying to pull this whole event together and keep us from killing ourselves (despite ourselves). It's hard work. It can make them frustrated. Sometimes they probably just need us to cut them some slack.

Our rules are generated and enforced by flawed humanity. Knowing the issues can help us to make this better. I'm with Brian on the "5 min" warning--how can a "5"minute warning be given any other time than "5" minutes from something? Call it something else if it is to be given some other time--It's CONFUSING this way.
Hope your next experience is better.

(PS I wasn't the yellow Rx7 in the text ...)

 

[Steve Adams]

I'm with Brian on the "5 min" warning--how can a "5"minute warning be given any other time than "5" minutes from something? Call it something else if it is to be given some other time--It's CONFUSING this way.

I absolutely, totally HATE this change. As if I don't have enough to worry about before a session, now I have to figure out when the "5 minute warning" really is, at each different track? Of course, that assumes I can even hear the announcements...

(PS I wasn't the yellow Rx7 in the text ...)

I was wondering about that!

 

[Scott Norton]

I'm with Brian on the "5 min" warning--how can a "5"minute warning be given any other time than "5" minutes from something? Call it something else if it is to be given some other time--It's CONFUSING this way.

You think that is confusing try Hydroplane racing.
5 min to the 5 min to the 10 min to the 5 min. Wait on hold for ?? how long while the boat sits in the water driver strapped in.

I either try to get there early to get my mind right or if I am gridded at the back I do it in my paddock and still always arrive before 5 min when ever that is.

If your early it makes no differance if at 8 mins or not.
If your late well your late anyway.

 

[Mark Estes]

Grp5 Video

Great weekend, awesome volunteers and workers. For you group 5 junkies here is a view from the middle of the pack.

The 5/8 minute rule was discussed a while back there is some logic to it, but I cannot recall exactly at the moment, something to do with, allowing extra time for clearing the track from the previous race..... sorry, someone with a better memory than I will have to summarize it.

http://www.vimeo.com/6165518

Special thanks to SteveS. for renting his pro3 car to me this weekend while mine was enjoying R&R in the shop.

 

[Richard Broadhead]

First off, the 1st thing that triggered Brian's 'bad experience' was being chastised for removing his gloves BEFORE clearing the track (including the hot pit area). I DO NOT think Conference is the one and only organization having this rule. It's true in SCCA but may not be in NASA.. don't know. Yes, it's a safety thing. Amazing how much 'stuff' happens on cool down and track exiting periods. As turn workers WELL know; Never put the yellow flag down until the last car has passed your stations area on the cool down lap.

Brian's second issue with the car starting. I do think it's the SAME in SCCA. You need to be gridded with engine OFF at the 5 minute warning. If the car won't start, you crew cannot push start you at the one minute warning or any other time. However, if the grid personel are so inclined (be NICE to the workers ), they can push start you after all other cars have left and you join at the back of the pack.

I hear all of you on the 5 minute thing. But I believe the '5 minute' thing IS over the loud speaker as the '5 minute warning saying you have FIVE minutes to get to grid. It is NOT the on grid, in position with engine off time (being given 3 minutes early). I 'think' the 5 minute warning being given at 8 minutes initially was in recognition of the LONG run to pregrid at Pacific?