Event format

[rodhx]

The early Sunday start is a detriment to participation and always will be, but John has a good point about being consistent. There is more than one way to be consistent, such as consistently moving to a later start in June/July/August since it is daylight til 8-830pm, but I truly never expect it to happen.

BTW, Huntsville is not an example of consistency. I believe the only consistent aspect of their schedule is start time. They not only run in 2 locations but also sometimes Saturday, sometimes Sunday. You must check their schedule every time you want to participate. Folks manage to find their events.

[Cholewa]

There are 2 clubs in hsv though.

[JohnW8]

Clubs with multiple venues such as Atlanta and Huntsville makes you just have to be a bit more observant before the season starts, I just copy the dates and locations of their events to my calendar and I'm ready to go. I know what time they'll start, consistently.

Regarding running later in the Summer months, consider that people also have lives after autocross. I wouldn't want to be stuck trying to back that truck and trailer into it's unlit parking area at 8:30pm in July, while missing out on spending time with my family in the evening.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am. Course setup needs to be in the coolest part of the day, not the hottest. Breakdown and truck return need to be no later than 6:00pm even if it's still light at 8:00 so the break down crew can get home at a reasonable hour. I'm pretty sure our friends in Atlanta don't want to get home at 9:30/10pm.

The best compromise is the current schedule. It has been pored over for years and developed into the system we currently use. It's designed to allow flexibility in the number of runs each run group can have. With our current attendance we have room to add more runs per group. Isn't that a good thing?

I see no reason to change the program.

[DAB21]

Huntsville is not consistent about start time. The last time I ran there they were so late starting, the hour break for lunch was after 3pm. I can't tell you when one of their events started "on time". If its not the cones arriving late, or the computers not syncing-up, its no batterys for the radios, or something else. Now I'm not complaining- It always provides me time to do some card tricks. Even Per Schroeder's wife enjoyed a couple several seasons ago!

Huntsville's consistency has always been "being laid-back; when it happens it happens!" The late sign-in, tech, and start times are actually a welcomed relief for those of us who travel.

Some people need protein on a scheduled time basis such as diabetics, borderline diabetics, hypo-glycemics, and borderline hypo-glycemics. After getting in trouble once with the taskmaster about having to feed my affliction, I just learned to carry food with me and not try to depend on Event Lunch time occurring at lunch time.

What? You do not have trouble with stuff like that? Well, you will.

[rodhx]

Yeah, there are 2 clubs in Huntsville, each running at the 2 different locations.

Anyway, I'm not necessarily lobbying for the change...it was originally a question looking for a way to 1) ensure I personally could participate more regularly and 2) possibly include some others the current schedule excludes. No big deal either way. Given our site availability, we are stuck with Sunday and have to make it work.

FWIW...almost everyone I have invited out says Sunday is a deal-killer. I hope to get some out in the afternoon to check it out and maybe ride-along a few times, but even that has been tough.

[Cholewa]

Regarding running later in the Summer months, consider that people also have lives after autocross. I wouldn't want to be stuck trying to back that truck and trailer into it's unlit parking area at 8:30pm in July, while missing out on spending time with my family in the evening.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I am. Course setup needs to be in the coolest part of the day, not the hottest. Breakdown and truck return need to be no later than 6:00pm even if it's still light at 8:00 so the break down crew can get home at a reasonable hour. I'm pretty sure our friends in Atlanta don't want to get home at 9:30/10pm.

If we're going to talk about course break down being a time factor, then we need to talk about people actually helping break down the course. The past few events it's been one person in the truck, and two people behind it while half of the drivers sit around waiting for results/the truck to be loaded.

Setup has a great flow and is quick and painless but teardown is tedious when it's two people behind the truck having to get the cones, and organize everything inside (the truck looks like hell btw) in the afternoon heat.. not so good.

I'm not seriously complaining, but it is something that has come to my attention this season.

[g1teg]

I've been autocrossing for about 20 years now, and Sunday mornings are when it happens. Unless, of course, it's a divisional or national tour, then it's Sat. and Sun. morning. Although I do sometimes feel we get started a little too early, it's probably for the better. You never know what type of problems can arise and you need extra time to work them out. Plus I just don't like getting out of bed that early, but I do it anyway because I love Solo events. I too have to miss church one Sunday a month for 9 or 10 months out of the year. But my pastor always asks me how the race went!

I also agree with John about more runs if time allows. Fun runs are VERY scary for a safety steward! That's usually when about 10% of the drivers aren't concerned about getting a faster time, but how crazy they can drive and still get away with it. Notice that I said it is a small percentage, but there are always more risks involved/taken during fun runs.

[JohnW8]

If we're going to talk about course break down being a time factor, then we need to talk about people actually helping break down the course. The past few events it's been one person in the truck, and two people behind it while half of the drivers sit around waiting for results/the truck to be loaded.

Setup has a great flow and is quick and painless but teardown is tedious when it's two people behind the truck having to get the cones, and organize everything inside (the truck looks like hell btw) in the afternoon heat.. not so good.

I'm not seriously complaining, but it is something that has come to my attention this season.

This has been an issue for a long time. How does one get someone to volunteer to help? Jamie McKinnell has done the best job by having the truck running and ready to pick up cones before the last cars run the final runs of the day. The Announcer would ask the corner workers to stack cones in their area and while this is going on the truck can be moving to pick them up while there are still corner workers in the area to help load the truck. If you wait too long people will leave and you get stuck trying to recruit from an already tired group.

[Ghostrider86]

Yeah, there are 2 clubs in Huntsville, each running at the 2 different locations.

Anyway, I'm not necessarily lobbying for the change...it was originally a question looking for a way to 1) ensure I personally could participate more regularly and 2) possibly include some others the current schedule excludes. No big deal either way. Given our site availability, we are stuck with Sunday and have to make it work.

FWIW...almost everyone I have invited out says Sunday is a deal-killer. I hope to get some out in the afternoon to check it out and maybe ride-along a few times, but even that has been tough.

I run in the Atl region and this is my first year of AutoX. So i don't have tons of experience in this area but i can observe what works and what doesn't.

to address the topic of this discussion, I really enjoy how Atl solo does the split run groups.
1,2,3,4. If you run in group 1 you work group 2(or vice versa) we show up at 7am, chck in tech run/work and then go home at about 12 noon. Then i have half the day to do what i want on sunday.
If you are in group 3 or 4 you show up about noon, check in, tech then run/work, stack cones and go home. Then you have time to go to church before the AutoX.

I understand that turn out has a lot to do with the way the event is run.

Its a bummer you guys aren't getting the turn outs you are used too, i will experience AL AutoX for the first time this weekend and i am looking forward to it!

Rod, to address your concern about Sunday being a deal killer.........people who use that excuse don't really want to race, in life we find a way to do the things we really want to do! I go to church almost every Sunday, but i make Auto x a priority on race weekends.
I will try to go to the 6pm service or 9am service to make my day work. And if i don't make church at all..... well a relationship with God happens everyday, not just one Sundays...

[Cholewa]

Amen

[rodhx]

Ghostrider...I understand your priority comment, especially in context of a racing forum, but that is not even vaguely accurate in my situation or most of the folks that I'm talking about. Church activities have the highest priority for a large number of people, therefore, Sunday is and will always remain a deal killer for them.

Additionally, comments that basically say "what's the big deal missing a Sunday now & then" tend to overlook those with service commitments and leadership positions. I for one have to make sure my responsibilities are covered at church before attempting to do anything on Sunday. Depending on the time of year, that means morning & evening activities. There are often things I would like to do on Sunday, autocross & corner working chief among them. My church responsibilities mean I have to choose carefully among these and pass on many opportunities. Running AX this year has basically meant I can't flag any events on other weekends.

I know there is no good answer to this...well other than a Saturday schedule which is undoable in our area. If we did move to Saturday each Fall we could all bemoan those that prioritize college football over AX.

BTW, my subs are already lined up for Sunday...so I'll see you all @ the shootout!

[engled]

If we did move to Saturday each Fall we could all bemoan those that prioritize college football over AX.

Tell me there is no such thing!

[Cholewa]

what is college football?

[Ghostrider86]

If it don't have wheels and is capable of doing 100+, it ain't worth watching! Even then i would rather race than watch!

[rodhx]

Now that I can amen