Official TGPR PDX 5-9-09 Thread

[EWaugh]

I'm not against a standalone, I'm just tired of being the one that feels responsible for for a event in the red.

I talked to Faynsiha about it and she says that it's really an across the board thing. We aren't the only ones in this shape as far as attendance goes. If we don't combine it with a TT we may have to not have one for a year or so. It sucks, I know. personally I enjoy the more laid back atmosphere of a track day as compared to a TT. But, how much longer can the club afford to lost as much as we made on the TT on a event like that that really isn't even being attended by our membership, which is the whole reason for having the event. What last Saturday told me is that our membership isn't interested in running track days, at least for now.

[zukitek]

This is my last post in this thread so Im going to leave you all with a few parting thoughts.

ALSCCA is a membership based club and is governed as such ....as should be any other region of the SCCA.It was adequately advertised ,it was adequately put before the membership.

Those of you who are ALSCCA members who showed up and participated in the event...please turn away because this is not for you !!!!!ALSCCA AS A WHOLE DID NOT WANT THE PDX AT TGPR AS EVIDENCED IN THEIR ABSENCE!!!!!PERIOD

I can say that with all confidence because if I_ REALLY_ want to do something and its months away....I am going to find a way to do it ,and then I am going to do it .End of story.

If I dont _REALLY_ want to do it and just may want to do it then Im going to procrastinate untill the last couple weeks and then Im going to maybe do it if there is nothing else better to do .

I dont want anyone who put time into this event to read any criticism here .Chuck Schultz showed up and took part even though he had work that day...he still came out ..took the time and visited for a while .Darryl Engle came out about mid day and took some pictures ...niether of these individuals got 1 second of track time but they still came out and supported the event in some capacity.Leon Liang came out and hung out ...hell ....several people cameout during the course of the day just to be of moral support.Steve Paterson and Jerry Vogel both came out and did safety steward duties ...neither one really got any track time to speak of...i came out and was chief instructor and also provided the wrecker service and I got a little track time but was not really terribly concerned with it .

Every person who attended this event is appreciated !!!That is not the issue.The issue is ....ARE WE ATTEMPTING TO PUSH SOMETHING THAT THE MAJORITY OF ALSCCA DOES NOT WANT???It appears to me that this is the case.

As RE, I cant ignore that .

There is one glaring fact..if you want to do something at Barber or TGPR...there are at least 5 opportunities per year at each with various clubs taking the risk .Why should we the ALSCCA continue to use money being the 6th when most of our members are not taking advantage of our dates.It is the definition of insanity!!!!

RR

[chuck schultz]

Just to clarify Ricky's comment, I was nursing a sick family member, rather than working, Saturday. I could've skipped work. ;^)

Evan, you didn't make the call alone, so don't feel responsible. The BoD voted to have this event. They had a fair amount of evidence at the time that the economy was flaky, but decided to take the risk. I believe they made the right call.

I think it's important to continue each of our programs, to provide a variety of opportunities for our members.

One of the problems we are having with the PDX program is that so many people who gave it a try have moved on to Track Trials and/or Club Racing (with SCCA and other organizations) that there is a temporary vacuum at Level 1. ALSCCA PDX is a victim of its own success! Even though it hasn't been a break-even or better for the club, to date, enough revenue from other sources has supported it, so far, without it being a burden. We'll probably spend more revamping our web site than we lost Saturday, and both are justified expenses to help build the Region.

[dr_phatcity]

I'm not against a standalone, I'm just tired of being the one that feels responsible for for a event in the red.

This thinking is silly. From the sounds of it, you ran an excellent event. RR's comments are pretty poignant.

-J

[Welacey]

To not continue this program is a step backwards for the ALSCCA. It is the building block for all the other forms of motorsports past autocross. Just my 2 cents.

[bobby bitterman]

The regional calender needs to be looked at alittle closer. Not only was drift atl going on but the walter mitty was the weekend before and mothers day was the next day. I had a commitment and could not attend. It would have been tough with that having been the 5th event in seven weeks for me. I had three customers who were going to attend but the thought it would be too much trouble to get the race cars out (the cars and the drivers could have really used the track time) and then get everything ready for their own mothersday activities. Just my @cents

[JohnW8]

A pdx can be used as a promotion tool for SCCA. It doesn't necessarily mean a PDX is for ALSCCA members only but it's available to them if they want to participate. People who did sign up and made use of the track time could become full time SCCA members, if they weren't already and a good track day has an after life on the interwebs. we're still talking about it, right? People want to talk about promoting our club, this is a great way to do it. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all if none of the ALSCCA folks drove the event because I would know the event was attended by potential new people for our club and our other activities. The calendar issue Bobby mentioned was part of the issue with some folks coming over from Atlanta but you're always going to be competing with something. That's why we need to do like was suggested for the solo events and provide a professionally and safely run event that people have the option of participating in. If they have a good time they'll tell their friends.

That's my .02¢

Evan, we're a club. We're all responsible for the success of an event. It isn't on one person's shoulders.

Thanks to all the ALSCCA members who came out Saturday.

[CPannell]

I had fun

Any idea on what other clubs are charging for PDXs at TGPR? I was looking at a track day at barber and road atlanta to get familiar with the tracks before race day but NASA wants $400 for a pdx in the middle of a TT and roadrace. And another group wanted 400 for a monday track day! I don't see how the ALSCCA PDX doesn't have people beating down the door at $150!

[jatow]

Guys, the economy's in the toilet. Has been for a year or more. Let's not swear off PDX's in this region because we didn't make money off of last weekend's PDX.

Ricky, the club will be shooting itself in the foot by discontinuing Level 1/PDX events. There's a natural progression for many members that evolves from solo to roadracing and PDX is an important and necessary step. A poor turnout in a recession is not an accurate read of the membership's desires.

Why wasn't I there? I ran the Time Trials there just a couple of weekends earlier and I'm at Nashville this weekend. Too many choices, not enough free weekends.

My .02

Andy

[Welacey]

EXACTLY. Plus it was Mothers Day weekend.

[zukitek]

Maybe somehow I didnt make my point clear enough .I have absolutely no intension of discontinueing level1 PDX because A)I only have 1 vote so I couldnt do that if I wanted to...B)I love track days no matter what track.

The only thing I am trying to drive home is that maybe our approach is flawed .Perhaps we should try to combine PDX with an already solvent event such as a CR or TT.

As standalone event ...PDX is a suckerfish and has been since I started with the club .Look at the SEDIV schedule in sportscar magazine this month.

How many regions do you see doing PDX all by itself???Why is that ???

RR

[chuck schultz]

Here's how it would work combined with a TT http://www.alscca.org/community/show...posal#post7579

[BoostedFD]

I had fun

Any idea on what other clubs are charging for PDXs at TGPR? I was looking at a track day at barber and road atlanta to get familiar with the tracks before race day but NASA wants $400 for a pdx in the middle of a TT and roadrace. And another group wanted 400 for a monday track day! I don't see how the ALSCCA PDX doesn't have people beating down the door at $150!

Well the main difference is $400 for two days. Although for $150 at just a PDX you will get more time for your money.

It's very possible we missed that it was mother's day weekend when scheduling this, does anyone remember?

[farrout]

One issue with a PDX is that it eliminates the purpose built race cars (wings n things). That keeps a fair number of us from attending.

We have been discussing combining a PDX with a TT for a while. With the previous TT format, it was a non-starter. With the new TT run format, it would appear now to be feasible. Add PDX as a run group and get them 3-4 15 min sessions a day. It would seem to be an advantage for the PDX'ers to mingle with the TT'ers and maybe a few of them get motivated to move up to TT. Heck, it might even be possible for a TT'er and a PDX'er to share the TT car (give your Crew Chief a drive?).

Last year, we offered a PDX FREE to the workers at our SARRC race at Nashville. THe PDX driver count was ~12 or so. With something like 120 workers registered for the event, the PDX was a huge failure as a worker incentive.

[chuck schultz]

Craig, what would you think of a double points TT weekend at a major venue, with two separate one-day TT's on the same weekend? ($200 per day.)