lightningd

steve, you are right. COMMUNICATION. i guess it's a difficult set up. i'm starting another thread...

vbspec

Ok I just deleted my big long rant because at the end I wrote. If attendance keeps up why should they give a shit about the problems. So here is what I'm going to do. Use the TSCC events as tweek time, try new things. And push the rest of my efforts to SCCA and the club in Richmond
And in the imortal words of Forest Gump, "Thats all I have to say about that."

jmciver

I really can't believe this!!! Why is there all this whinning? I mean, there is no money involved here. This isn't NASCAR or Formula One!!!!

To those of you who are reading this thread, yes, I was one of those out there, with my car on my race tires to help set up and, you guessed it, to get some practice. And I am not afraid to admit that I would do it again too!

And no, I didn't have to kiss the TSSC President ass to get to help or get practice either. I just took the initiative (now there is a new concept !!) and just asked! And no, I don't do it all the time because I, like many others, don't always have the time to do so.

Now I don't know about you, but I am far from a pro at this sport and I want to get better. Four runs per event with 2 events per month is not a lot of seat time. And in case you have your own large paved area and some cones, you don't get to do this stuff that much. At least I don't. The key to getting better is seat time and that is what I want so I look to get it when I can.

As far as "the top drivers" being there, let's look at what they did. These "top drivers" as you want to call them were there to help set up the course so it is realistic and challenging. I don't know about you, but I would rather have a course designed by someone who has seen what national level courses look like and can bring that level of expertise to the local arena. Now how much driving did these "top drivers" do? Very little, but in most cases it wasn't even their car. And in other cases, they didn't even have their car there! Hell, I had a few of these "top drivers" both ride with me to get pointers (not on the course but how to be a better driver) and to drive my car (to help me learn how to make it better). And guess what, I used that thing called initiative again and asked for their help.

Now that being said, are there things that can be done, like running the course backwards or changing it, to make it "more fair," sure and I am all for that. All I was after was to get more seat time to become a better driver, not to get an advantage for the event the following day. And when the results come out you will see that I didn't run away with anything, even though my car is capable of doing so, with the right and expereinced driver.

Now, until money starts to become involved here, I think the whinning needs to stop and just enjoy the sport. If you want to help set up, and thus get some practice, by all means ask. If you can't make it, well guess what, it is not the end of the world either. Now if you want to "boycott" TSCC, that is your chioce, but you will only be hurting yourself since there are not that many auto-x opportunities, especially in the winter months.

98sr20ve

If you read what I said the only issue I have is that they let people run the course as it was set up for the next day event. I took a poll on another forum and it was unheard of to let anyone run the course the day in advance (even backwards). In any other club you would not collect a time the next day. Think about it, they won’t let you ride along in a car before you run BUT you are allowed to pre run the course the day before. I am not whinning. Also, for the record I have not been rude or discourteous to anyone in my posts. I have just stated the facts as I know or understand them. When I was frustrated I went to the club president. I did not protest anyone, I did not raise a ruckus in the drivers meeting. I did not call out any names on the forum. Yes I did post my concerns on a public forum. I was kinda hoping that someone reputable from the club would explain what is going on. That has not occurred. Oh, and I was not talking about you being fast (sorry, not trying to slam you). “All the fast drives” have been to national events and know that this is a hugely unfair advantage. It figured that they would know better then to let people pre run the course in the same direction. I also did not say that they drove a lot in there cars (not that it matters). You are still in the learning stages just like most of us here. I don’t begrudge you for running your car. I too crave seat time but I don’t think it should come on the same course we are all running the next day in the same direction we are running the course. And YES they could have run it backwards. That would have not been a big deal at all. That is what should have occurred. Yes, I was mad and maybe I could have found a better way to deal with this. Don’t really know.

vbspec

I think that its great that you took the "initiative" and did something to better your driveing. I think the point of this is that the setup and "practice" thing was not made public. I would love to spend the whole weekend playing with my car, and learning. But this was not common knowledge. That is where the problem lies. It comes back to comunication between the club and possible members. Dont get me wrong I dont plan on boycotting any event but for what its worth I came into this sport under the impression that things were put in place that are to keep it fair for all who wish to attend. So the fact that I was not aware of the set up day runs kind of put a bad taste in my mouth.

So, I can now say hearing from you that I dont need to know the special hand shake or anything I'm up got taking any advantage I can get and the biggest thing is seat time.(I would still like to see them do the practice with a slight alter to the track or backwards, or whatever)

Thanx for the post James

Michael
red Nissan SpecV

vbspec

Well after your poll Steve I would like to think that the rest of the clubs in this area follow your results. I think we have to put it into perspective. If we can run lets run not every week, but lets run. Heres the key thing we tell everyone about it so if there are like 50 cars that want to run and 1 goes off we all should be able to run. I want as much seat time as I can get. So if I can run both Saturday and Sunday I might just do it even if my times didnt count I would still do it, every once in a while. Just for the time. I would love to be as good and consistant as some of these guys out there. So who knows, now that its common knowlegde lets get as many people out there as we can!

lightningd

it does involve money for some of us, b/c we don't have a ton of it. the $40 or so i spend to race is a LARGE% of the amount i have after i pay bills. And some of us (i think) would love and are really trying to get into racing for real. I know a lot of ppl don't ever dream of it, but i do. You can be any thing you want to be if you push to get there. It would be nice to have some kind of championship to go along on a resume, but it's somewhat difficult when you get cheated out of it.

and branching off that topic, the course last month (#2) was specifally designed for RWD b/c i won the previous event. I heard that from one of the ladys in the sign up trailer. doesn't seem like TSCC is worried about equal oppurtunity for everyone.

and as far as car setup is concerned, i've raced w/ the same setup for almost a year, i got it down, as my results show, usually a top five or ten in PAX, getting beat by national drivers in cars a lot better than an accord.

to sum it up, some ppl just want a fair chance in a competition. is that too much to ask?

solo2cvc

I don't think the course is designed specifically to benefit one type of car or the other. I have run on courses that were for "horsepower" and did very well. I have also run on tight courses meant for Miatas and Civics and did poorly. The courses are designed to combine various elements to challenge the drivers, not the cars.

VMSC uses the Dinwiddie parking lot and you can get up to 3rd. I typically don't do as well there because I just don't have the power. However, I love running up there because it is a different challenege for me.

lightningd

That particular race, they said that during the setup of the course, if they couldn't fit the truck through the gates sideways, it wasn't wide enough. Also, all the turns were sweepers, and only one measly slalom. anyone who's rode in my car knows that it tears slaloms to pieces. anything w/ sharper turns and more presise courses, i do better at. but if the gates are 20 feet wide, that's screaming RWD hp all the way.

and beno, stick to one excuse, tires or hp

jmciver

What is your definition of a sweeper? Maybe I am still too young when it comes to auto-x terminology, but most of the turns at Fentress are pretty much 180's (at each of the corners) with one fairly long sweeper (which felt great for the first time on R's BTW !!!!)