Say YES to transponders

[Protein Filled]

Even then, at RA with the extra practice day, riders were lucky to get three laps in during a practice session.  

Hey SD, I have to correct you here. Once, I got four laps in one of the practice sessions. Then again, they must have gotten confused at the tower  ;D

[sdiver68]

Hey Dawn, I love your "midwest math" theorem.   ;D

You know most people who invent new math get Chairmanships of Ivy League Math Departments and grants and stuff.  Who knows, maybe you will too ;)  Northwestern is Ivy League quality AND in the Midwest, along with U of Chicago, Washington U....

Here's my math, and I'm only stating my opinion not attacking anyone for theirs:

If anyone doesn't feel that Road America is (400/295) 1.35 times a better track and experience than BHF, then don't go!

A repaved BHF will be nice and certainly a great time...but RA is a World Class track.  I for one am willing to pay 1.35 times more to run on it and make a world class track in the Mid-West a viable operation.

[Super Dave]

World class track will be Barber's.

But the costs will be the same as going to Blackhawk.

Wait and see...

World Class...WSB went to Brainerd several times.  The track is much nicer today that what it was back then.  Laguna?  Neat place, but I always used Blackhawk gearing there.  Sears Point.  Now that's a track.

[Mongo]

Also look at the cost per mile of racing/practice rather than laps.  With RA being so doggone long there's not much anyone can do but cut the actual lap numbers.

Barber will be interesting since it costs 10k per day for just track rental.  I'm sure Kevin's hoping for the same thing I am - a large enough turnout to pay the bills...  Right now the whole thought of it is scaring the crap out of me.  On the other hand - there is no way to truly describe the track, there is nothing that even comes close to comparing in the US.

[bmfgsxr]

Hey! Gee thanks for appreciating their effort.  ::)

Those ladies scoring sit out in the blazing sun, in the cold damp weather and the rain just so we know how we did.  And most of the time they get the order of the finish correct.  

Walk up and thank them sometime, I know they would appreciate it.

Dawn  

i do appreciate what they do, dont get me wrong. but if it comes to either having the transponders picking up positionns or people, id prefer the transponders. also you might have noticed the wink i put after that sentence since i was mildly joking. ;D

[Nate R]

Those ladies scoring wouldn't have to suffer so much if we had transponders. It'd all be a LOT easier on the scorers.

[Eric Kelcher]

Eric:

Our math in the midwest is a bit different...

Practice at BHF is only $75 plus a gate fee of $20 normal spectator fee for the weekend is $30.00 so:
75+20+30+65+45+30+30= $295.00

The combined event at RA has some different rules and is considered a spectator event.  So my spectator fee is $50 vs. $30, plus since my husband runs HW sportsman on his SV and that class is run in conjunction with the Thunderbikes we get to pay an additional $25 for that class.  So:
125+50+50+75+50= $400.00

Just some clarification on Dave's point.

Dawn   :)

Dawn you are adding spectator fees in there twice and adding a purse paying class. 125 NRRS entry includes practice race and pitpass (gate) not apples to apples comparision now is it? ::)  so using your example with a purse NNRS race and a purse race at CCS race  

CCS 65, 65, 45, 30, 75, 20 =300
NRRS/CCS 125, 75, 50, 50= 300

So the NRRS/CCS race is same in that circumstance but only when compared to a BHF practice day where a practice at most tracks and definitely at tracks like RA, DIS, etc  is 125 or more.

[Super Dave]

Also look at the cost per mile of racing/practice rather than laps.  With RA being so doggone long there's not much anyone can do but cut the actual lap numbers.

Barber will be interesting since it costs 10k per day for just track rental.  I'm sure Kevin's hoping for the same thing I am - a large enough turnout to pay the bills...  Right now the whole thought of it is scaring the crap out of me.  On the other hand - there is no way to truly describe the track, there is nothing that even comes close to comparing in the US.

I've met Mr Barber many times.  I haven't been to the track, but I know Bill St John, too, the civil engineer on the project.  He's raced in Europe, and he's blown away by it.

Mr Barber's a class act.  He doesn't skimp when there is a right way to do it.

[Dawn]

Dawn you are adding spectator fees in there twice and adding a purse paying class. 125 NRRS entry includes practice race and pitpass (gate) not apples to apples comparision now is it? ::)  so using your example with a purse NNRS race and a purse race at CCS race  

CCS 65, 65, 45, 30, 75, 20 =300
NRRS/CCS 125, 75, 50, 50= 300

So the NRRS/CCS race is same in that circumstance but only when compared to a BHF practice day where a practice at most tracks and definitely at tracks like RA, DIS, etc  is 125 or more.

Hopefully this will help:

      BHF        RA
Practice       $75.00        $-  
Gate Fee       $20.00        $-  
1st Race       $65.00        $125.00
2nd Race       $45.00        $50.00
3rd Race       $30.00        $50.00
4th Race       $30.00        $50.00

Total       $265.00        $275.00

Spectator       $30.00        $50.00

Total       $295.00        $325.00
or if we count a purse paying class:

      BHF        RA
Practice       $75.00        $-  
Gate Fee       $20.00        $-  
1st Race       $65.00        $125.00
2nd Race       $65.00        $75.00
3rd Race       $30.00        $50.00
4th Race       $30.00        $50.00

Total       $285.00        $300.00

Spectator       $30.00        $50.00

Total       $315.00        $350.00

I understand that other tracks are different, I was just sharing our experience in the midwest.  I included my fee also because how many don't bring thier significant other?

Dawn  

[RandyD]

i do appreciate what they do, dont get me wrong. but if it comes to either having the transponders picking up positionns or people, id prefer the transponders.

Yes, it would be nice to let the scorers take a break during the race, but it won't happen.  Like any piece of technology, transponders or scoring systems occasionally break down, and you need a backup.  Two years ago at Summit Point for an endurance race, the system missed a couple laps on several bikes.  They had to go back to the handwritten sheets to verify the finishes.  And yes, the difference was changing who was on the podium.

[Mongo]

Yup, always gotta have a backup, it would be irresponsible not to - however the transponder system is getting better every year.

I had a couple of glitchs as we got going with it - every single one of them caused by me or in the case of the Summit Point race we discovered that Compaq computers and the AMB system do not paly well together.  Somehting in the Compaq system will occasionally block the signal coming in from the transponder decoder box (Iasked for a ring but no go).  

Anyway, the newest generation of decoder boxes will store a huge number of laps for long as it has power - which means you have plenty fo time to either reboot the computer if you get the BSOD or to even hook up another computer if necessary.  It then just checks the lap it's on against the results in the ocmputer and adjusts as necessary.  Pretty doggone cool if you ask me.  

The only issue is that without accurate placement of the transponder itself with regard to the front edge of the front wheel it cannot do line calls.  However, there are always more than enough humans around the start finish to cover it.  It would waste too much time to mandate the measurement and enforce it.  Easier to just watch the line when necessary.

[davegsxrold929r]

Hey! Gee thanks for appreciating their effort.  ::)

Those ladies scoring sit out in the blazing sun, in the cold damp weather and the rain just so we know how we did.  And most of the time they get the order of the finish correct.  

Walk up and thank them sometime, I know they would appreciate it.

Dawn  

you are correct !they go through alot sitting there !  but they are human and can and do make mistakes ..