MIL @ RA (Cat National) on 7/25, 7/26

D

Dayle Frame

Well-known member
The prod/GTL field is very light with only 12 entries (130+ total).....c'mon folks bulk this up or the field or it may be folded into another run group. If you're thinking about entering, do it now and help MIL (and Tracey Gauper....amazing Ms. G!) out. Conference championships are on the line as there are only two events left (this one and Grattan).

Dayle
 
Couldn't agree more Dayle, thanks for posting. Totally shocked by the low car count. But being in HP, should give us 3 some clear track to have a great race! I know Greg always has a camera on his car, Im going to sport a gopro as well.
 
Looks like this is the smallest race group.

Where are the usual suspects?

EP: Loughman, Moser, Coffey, Smyczek, Hummel, Bunt, the Olsons, Reina
FP: Sturm, Wessel, Kannard, Lamb, Hart, Machi
HP: Johnson, Daly, Banner, Kelly/Gagliardi, Fairbanks
GTL: Sargis, Clark, Bovis, Dentici

You're over there Lawrence....goad these folks into coming out to play.

Dayle
 
Dayle,

Thanks for asking…I'm a Softball Dad and I will be in Columbus OH and LaPorte, IN, then traveling to the Quad Cities. I may be able to race in Mid August if there are any events left.

Once again, thank you for the personal invitation!

:D Steve
 
I'm surprised you guys are surprised. This is nothing but post runoffs layoff. When everyone has been going to the runoffs up there for the last 5 years nobody is nearly as interested in running there for a while. Give it a year.
 
Dayle, I think Jesse is right. Other projects working, still making new bodywork, downsizing my house, hoping to make the fall sprints at Blackhawk. Oh, and expensive entry fees are a big turnoff.
 
I get the "post Runoffs" layoff.....but I would have expected a few of the usual suspects to enter. The prod/GTL field is much smaller than other groups. The "post Runoffs" layoff is the same for everyone but yet all the other race groups are signing up en mass.

Dayle
 
Take a look at the Sprints/Cat entries up thru 2007 (the Cat entry in 2008 was swelled by the announcement of the Runoffs going to Road America.) The trend was shrinking small bore Prod fields. The Runoffs at Road America created an abnormal situation for those otherwise not wanting to stress their small bore equipment.

Dayle Frame":20brun4c said:
I get the "post Runoffs" layoff.....but I would have expected a few of the usual suspects to enter. The prod/GTL field is much smaller than other groups. The "post Runoffs" layoff is the same for everyone but yet all the other race groups are signing up en mass.

Dayle
Click to expand...
 
Dayle Frame":ppy24g28 said:
I get the "post Runoffs" layoff.....but….. The prod/GTL field is much smaller than other groups. The "post Runoffs" layoff is the same for everyone but yet all the other race groups are signing up en mass.
Dayle
Click to expand...

Dayle,
As you know MOST of the customers in the Prod/GTL field spend their money in a "Blue Collar" fashion, tightly budgeted - compared with the stereotypical Formula Atlantic or GT1/TransAm driver who spends in a "White Collar" fashion.

[Caution - GROSS stereotypes used here for spending profiling purposes only. A wealthy person with a high income may still spend in a blue collar manner, or not; and some (ill advised) less affluent drivers may race on credit cards spending like crazy until they flame out or until their family stops their spending. It's the spending habits I'm looking at.]

Many in the Prod/GTL field have already spent their 2014 racing budget.

Peter

PS, I just started a new job for July/Aug/Sep so I may just have one more Majors on my plate.
 
Agree with the "Post Runoff" comments, but I believe the bigger issue is the cost for track time. $525 for 3 sessions a 25 min. qualifying 30 min. race and a aprox. 35 min race is a steep price to pay. Before the Majors we paid about $300, yes only one race but we had more track time. My 2 cents but price is a big issue and I entered anyway.

#48 FP
Mike S.
 
I think Jesse and Peter are pretty close. Most of use have limited funds to go racing and we need to prioritize the ways we spend those dollars.
I have three buckets for the majority of my racing expenses.
Bucket 1. Entry fees, travel expenses and consumables for the races I need to run to get to the invitation for the Runoffs. I work on a minimum exposure theory. How few races will it take to get invited. A little less track time doesn't bother me too much as more track time = more expenses. The first time I went to the Runoffs (1982) it took me 9 Nationals and a test day to make it. That was an expensive year.
Bucket 2. Not a big one every year, but some years...... Any capital investments to maintain or improve the car.
Bucket 3. The big one for me most years. ALL the expenses it takes to be at the runoffs.

Since there was zero chance that I could make the trip to California this year there was no good reason to spend a lot of $'s going to races to earn an invitation that I wasn't going to use.
Sooooooooooo, for me, there seems to be more $'s to throw in bucket number 2 this year.
I will be ready for next year.

Jerry
 
Bob Clark":2l0rb4sa said:
Since I do not agree with the Majors program. I choose not to participate.
Click to expand...

Hater :)

I'm not running prod this year at all, little 914 can't even hang with the H boys, but....

I'm running to support Milwaukee, just like I will run the Kettle and the Fall Sprints. To me, Runoffs is fun, but not the reason to live. Racing is the reason, and I do as many races each year as I can. With the Exception of the 2 at Brainard (and I'm thinking hard about Labor day) I'm going to do every Cendiv race this season.

The "min to qual and then park" mentality has been hurting the club for a long time, no matter what the program is called.

It is understandable when budget is an issue. It is understandable when you are taking a moral stand like Bob is, but it does hurt the Regions trying to put on races, and increases the costs for everyone a little bit at a time.

I wish I had an answer. Majors certainly isn't it.
 
Something I'd like to get clarified.

When someone says "the races cost too much for the track time I get."

Do they mean they want MORE track time IE: XX more on track time.

OR

Do they mean the entry fee is higher and they are getting no more track time than they used to get at a national race. IE: my cost per lap has gone up.

The two things are very different.
Where do you fall?

Bryan Floyd
Chief P.I.A.
 
Bryan,
Regarding track time here is my point. Before "Majors" a National entry was about $250-$300. For that amount I got about the same track time or more as a "Majors" costing $475-$525. What is the benefit? More points and a $3 bottle of sparkle. Most competitors don't need either if they want to go to the Runoffs. As for myself this is my 4th Major that I supported, because I enjoy racing even though I don't have a GT 1 budget.
#48 FP
Mike S.
 
There are all sorts of circumstances that determine how people approach their season of racing. It seems that many people complain about not getting enough track time, but it seems to be a lap per dollar issue, not a maximum track time issue.

I would submit to the many people that complain about the lack of track time, that if the entry fee was $250 less, they probably wouldn't complain so much. For me, I have the mentality that dictates running an absolute minimum laps that I can get away with. It comes from the time when the 948 motor wouldn't last that long so you tried to minimize the number of hours on it. I try to get my best lap as soon as I can and as soon as I am not getting any faster I come in.

I don't have a problem with the lack of track time unless it keeps me from learning the track adequately. And the expense is just a part of what is required to get to the Runoffs, which for me is the only reason I still race. Obviously anyone who has no desire to even go to the Runoffs would have a completely different approach and a different set of priorities.
 
The "minimum to qualify" mindset is the result of the boards quantity over quality thinking regarding the runoffs. Today virtually everyone in most classes are "invited" to the runoffs. That is why there are so many back-markers there for the experience and ending up getting in the way of real competitors. They need to go back to the old days when only the top 3 or 4 in each class in each division are invited to the runoffs. that's when it meant something to be "invited" to the runoffs. It would motivate people to participate in more weekends and it would also eliminate some of the people that shouldn't be participating in the "national championships".
 
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