2014 Production Car Festival...the 10th annual Prod Fest!

Mark Coffin

Mark Coffin

Well-known member
I'm opening up this thread to start the planning for the 2014 Production Car Festival.

The NC Region is very much behind having the Prod Fest return to the Goblins Go weekend at VIR in 2014.

This will be the 10th anniversary Prod Fest, so Barrie and I are going to do whatever we can to make it a spectacular event. We're always looking for ideas, so feel free to post them here.

One thing I'm going to be asking for is for the race to be either the 2nd race in the morning or the first race after lunch, to allow for a slightly warmer track and better conditions. thoughts?

Another idea I have is to ask the NC Region to create a regional only GT4 class, using the GTCS from the last year where the carb/choke option was permitted as alternative to the SIR. My thoughts are is that this might encourage drivers to get out those old GT4/GP/FP sedans that are gathering dust. Since they're not running GTL anyway, it shouldn't affect the current GTL participation issues.

I know that there are 3 or 4 cars in the Coffin racing stable that could be easily put back into service as a GT4 car, and I'm hoping there are other out there who would like to bring their racecar to the Prod Fest and join us for the fun!

Who would be interested in this idea??

Thanks for everyone's support of the Prod Fest and we look forward to 2014!

Mark
 
Mark - if you do a GT4, why not include GP as well? I bet there are a bunch of cars that would come out for that...

Also... shoot me a note about an idea I have. Barrie should have my email from previous Prod Fest communications...
 
Think that will be the October 18/19 weekend? That's a long solo haul and really would like to have it on the schedule early for the household approval. It's hard to give up the Nelson quad regional that typically falls on that same weekend. Four regional point races for the divisional championship points in one weekend verses one regional race... :think:
 
Stiner0931":31lgoq4r said:
Mark - if you do a GT4, why not include GP as well? I bet there are a bunch of cars that would come out for that...

Also... shoot me a note about an idea I have. Barrie should have my email from previous Prod Fest communications...
Click to expand...

Been there, tried that. Not much interest.

However, the old GP cars would fit right into the regional GT4 class. So in theory a regional GT4 class should have a bigger pool from which to draw.

Mark
 
Lets put the word out early that any old parked G or GT should be able to find a place with us to run.

It is a regional event. There are all sorts of regional race classes. At the last NJMP event they even had LMCH classes. There is also PintoGT and RX7GT or something.

I know racing changes, but this is still a club and this is a fun event, invite everyone. Maybe at the event they can meet people that can show how easy it would be to convert the car to current rules and get back in the game.....
 
TED HEINRITZ":12nl338t said:
Lets put the word out early that any old parked G or GT should be able to find a place with us to run.

It is a regional event. There are all sorts of regional race classes. At the last NJMP event they even had LMCH classes. There is also PintoGT and RX7GT or something.

I know racing changes, but this is still a club and this is a fun event, invite everyone. Maybe at the event they can meet people that can show how easy it would be to convert the car to current rules and get back in the game.....
Click to expand...

I agree absolutely. Now who wants to volunteer to work with NC Region to help us get these classes added to their race schedule? :wink:

That's what I need help with. I can't do all of this by myself. I'm happy to put on the event and lobby with the NC Region board for what we want, but we as a group have to come together and decide what to ask for. Do we want regional GT4? Regional GP? If we ask, we also have to show that these cars exist and the drivers will commit to showing up for the event. Unfortunately it's not a "Field of Dreams" thing where we build it and hope someone shows up. The region is going to want to see numbers.

My thought is that if was ask for regional GT4, then disenfranchised FP, GP, and GT4/GTL cars will be afforded a place to play.

Mark
 
Mark & all, I suggest you pick a year when GT4 was in full swing. Then, obtain a copy of the GCR for that year and publish all the rules for GT4 and the various car specs. That way, everyone will know specifically which cars under what rules.

That way, individuals can say yes or say nothing (same as no).

With that info, you can approach the BOD for NCR. If NCR picks it up, there is a decent chance the SEDiv would also approve as a Regional only class. We don't care how many classes come to our Championship race. Everyone is welcome.
 
Mark,
I think that it might make sense to have the Prod Fest qualifying in the AM on Saturday, and then the race in the latter part of Saturday afternoon.
Didn't we already do this once?
That way all the folks who do well will get deserved Kudos on Sat PM at the "party" and have a easier time loading up heading back home on Sunday AM.
Especially appealing idea for those who might want to come to the event from a fair distance away.
BC
 
I do not envy the schedule makers for the Goblins Go weekend.

Regional weekend
Prod Fest
Tarheel Cup Pro Series
2 ECR enduros

But ideas like a Saturday race, or even a Saturday BONUS race, would be interesting.

just brainstorming.
 
With a 9 plus hour haul down there to run, I would either have to take off Friday or Monday, maybe even both. The thought of everything done on Saturday is good for the Saturday party and awards festivities! I like that. Then if you want to run on Sunday, bonus to those guys.

I really hope the stars align for me to get down in '14. It was 2006 the last time I made the haul!
 
Given the possibility of the Goblin's Go race weekend possibly turning into a East Coast ' runoff ' next year, perhaps making this a Fri- Sat- Sun event makes sense, given all the individual races that are packed into the "weekend" as Greg points out??
BC
 
dryenko":tqqtum54 said:
Given the possibility of the Goblin's Go race weekend possibly turning into a East Coast ' runoff ' next year, perhaps making this a Fri- Sat- Sun event makes sense, given all the individual races that are packed into the "weekend" as Greg points out??
BC
Click to expand...

That's up to the NC Region to decide, and talking with the RE this weekend, he told me the Goblins Go is a money loser. So a three day event is very, very unlikely. And the region would be risking pissing off Topeka by promoting the weekend as an alternative Runoffs, so I doubt that would happen either.

On the other hand, the Friday test day is a great bargain according to the Stig. So that would be good chance for folks coming from a long distance to get some extra practice in.

Mark
 
dryenko":3u2wz49v said:
Mark,
I think that it might make sense to have the Prod Fest qualifying in the AM on Saturday, and then the race in the latter part of Saturday afternoon.
Didn't we already do this once?
That way all the folks who do well will get deserved Kudos on Sat PM at the "party" and have a easier time loading up heading back home on Sunday AM.
Especially appealing idea for those who might want to come to the event from a fair distance away.
BC
Click to expand...

No, this has not been done during the Prod Fest weekend.

This has been discussed and was 86'd by the prod guys who'd rather have the time to fix something if it breaks in the AM session.

Mark
 
Greg Nagy":eta9lehu said:
I do not envy the schedule makers for the Goblins Go weekend.

Regional weekend
Prod Fest
Tarheel Cup Pro Series
2 ECR enduros

But ideas like a Saturday race, or even a Saturday BONUS race, would be interesting.

just brainstorming.
Click to expand...

Greg,

We have very little to do with the scheduling of the Goblins Go weekend. I do have friends within the NC Region board, so they've been great about working with us in regards to WHEN our run group is scheduled. We asked for a race before lunch, and we got that so that folks from farther away can get a head start home.

It's already packed schedule wise as it is, so adding a race would be very difficult. And if we got an extra race, every other SARRC run group has to be provided the same option.

A Saturday race has been discussed before and the Prod racers overwhelmingly rejected it.

Remember, we run the Prod Fest within the SARRC race groupings. Our race is not anything "special" other than we have a Prod only run grouping.

Mark
 
John McFarland":7w2npbgw said:
With a 9 plus hour haul down there to run, I would either have to take off Friday or Monday, maybe even both. The thought of everything done on Saturday is good for the Saturday party and awards festivities! I like that. Then if you want to run on Sunday, bonus to those guys.

I really hope the stars align for me to get down in '14. It was 2006 the last time I made the haul!
Click to expand...

John, you could be on the road before lunchtime on Sunday, so that's not an excuse!!! You'd be home by Sunday night.

Mark
 
Well no matter of how the schedule falls, I'm going to try to get down there to run. The front runners need more rolling chicanes to make the racing interesting! I can provide that!
 
OK, who's coming to the 10th Annual Production Car Festival?

As of right now, it looks like the race weekend will be a DOUBLE SARRC weekend, with qualifying and races on both Saturday and Sunday.

The plan right now is to have the SUNDAY race be the Production Car Festival race.

So DOUBLE your pleasure!

There is also the option to count the finishes in BOTH races towards the Production Car Festival, and have the winner be the driver with the best combined finishes in both races.

IDEAS? Comments? Suggestions?

Hope to see everyone there on Oct. 18th and 19th!

Mark
 
It's definitely on my scheduleof races to attend this year Mark. As of right now I have every intention of being there, double or not. :wink:

Just off the top of my head, use the Saturday race as a qualifier for the Sunday race?

Invert the Saturday grid to make it interesting? That might be a stretch to pull off but it just came to me. :doh:
 
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