98sr20ve

Just so everyone knows if you want to get practice in on the course we will compete on in advance this is what you do. Bring you car and your race tires out to the event the day before. Help set the course up and talk nice to the organizers. Then drive around the course at speed with all the other fast drivers and get tons of practice in. I hear it is real easy for you to get 10 laps or more in doing this. This way you burn the course into your mind the day before and get a feel for the limits of your car. Wish I had time to do this also. Never mind that you are not supposed to get this type of unfair advantage even if you help set up the course. This kind of stuff makes me . This from the same club (TSCC) that let a WRX run in the rain and collect points as a CSP car. BTW. All the fast cars/drivers were out there. In case you are wondering. Personally, I don't think they should get to be part of the PAX or collect a time against those who have not had this opportunity. Maybe they can just compete against each other. That would be the fair thing. I had to get this off my mind before I get really bitter . Better to not let things ferment. In the past I always heard they ran the course backwards and stuff like that. That would be OK. I also have no issue with a solitary driver getting in a car they are not driving the next day and testing out the course to insure it is fun and has a good flow. That I can accept. Sorry for ranting.

vbspec

This happened today?
(Sat 18, 2003)
I know thinks like this must have happened before because I have seen tire marks that run the course. This is when I'm walking it. Shit practice helps. I think things like this board can bring about a change. Just think of how many people who race, post here. I know its an inconvience for some but I think that if a number of us get together and go help set up and see this going on we have a definate complante club members or not.

Just my thoughts. I just want things to be fair. Hope thats not asking too much!!!!!!

Michael

98sr20ve

Yes, Today.

sung

just start the auto-xVA club.

fark the SCCA or whatever it's called :P

Fobby

word

98sr20ve

I feel like I just "outed" someone and I haven't even given any names. At this point I don't care. I am going out tomorrow and try some new settings on my car. I plan to have fun. I blame the club not all of individuals. I would probably have run my car had I been there and given the green light to do so. The club should have the etics to not let this occur. It's in the SCCA handbook clear as a bell.

98sr20ve

I talked to Curtis Stapples (President of the club) about this issue today. To make a long story short he basically said that this is what he does to get people to come help set up. I was welcome to come help if I wanted to help set up and get the same benefit. I suggested that if he needed people to help set up that he should mention that in the drivers meeting. I also suggested that if he wants more help to advertise that you get to pre run the course during the the development of the course the day before. This was all new info to me and a couple people that I talked with today. In the end it’s all fine with me. I do think it’s funny that no one one from the club has come and said that this was all OK from the club. I know I was never asked to set up the course and I know I was never told I would get to pre run the course if I did. It just seems that this was all done hush-hush and never discussed openly and that short of an invitation you were not invited to this party. That is what makes it seem like favorites were being played. Curtis did announce in the Drivers Meeting today that this is an open invitation to all that want to run and help.

lightningd

screw TSCC. it's a poorly run organization straight up. i didn't run today, b/c i'd rather save my wasted money and use it for the swap to run somewhere that's more fun and fair.

roadRacer

I used to be very involved in the organization of the events of all of the clubs around here. I just don't have the time these days, but I do try to help out whenever I can.

All of the clubs are basically screaming for help, They always have been. If one club seems more organized than another it is just because of a little better organization from one or two motivated individuals. If you want to help out in any area (including making sure that nobody gets unfair advantages in any area) then tell someone and they will gladly accept your help.

Let me assure you that ALL of the clubs in the area will let you get in some pratice time on Saturday if you come help set up. The one place this is not going to be the case is where they only have the site for one day and do all of the setup on Sunday morning.

I will say that over the past there were usually open invitations made at drivers meetings and club meetings that if you help set up you can have some pratice time. We definately used to alter the course set up from Saturday, or run it backwards or something of this nature.

In addition, if you stay around after the event and clean up TSCC usually picks up the bill at the pizza place afterwards for those that helped out.

I guess I do agree that the incentives should probably not be a competitive advantage. Probably if someone mentions this at some of the meetings, TSCC will change the policy and go back to praticing on a different course, or running it backwards or something. I think it should be approached that way and you will see a change.

98sr20ve

Curtis doesn’t seem to understand how to get people to help. You have to ask. I will say it again. You have to ask. I have been invited to the Thursday meetings but I often work till 6-7pm and it would be difficult to get there in time (live in Hampton). Every Drivers meeting they should ask/invite people to attend the club meeting. Hand out flyers so that people know when to attend. Every drivers meeting they should remind people that they need help setting up and tell them that they will get some practice time. He acted like this was too much of a bother when I suggested this to him. He did it anyway after I pressed him that this was the fair thing to do. I understand that this is volunteers doing this. They can run the club as they see fit. I am still pondering if I want to help them out or not. Most of the people in the club are very nice. I do feel like I was deceived for a while and that a select few got an unfair and un-advertised advantage. I am going to let it go as an honest mistake and move on. In the end it’s not a big deal. I would still prefer to attend an event that I felt confident I was not being disadvantaged for not going and helping set up the course. Curtis made it clear that this advantage was the price he was willing to pay to get help setting up.