why do races get cut short on laps

[r6_philly]

i was at the last race at VIR last year and they did the same thing ., 6 lap GT races ., i pay $70 to race a GT that is 6 laps., and pay $35 for a 7 lap race !!  they seem to really have a problem !!  the red flags are for safty , but they need to learn to get people off the track better.., Loudon , NH has over 1000 people every weekend as opposed to the volume VIR had the times i am there !! and they never seem to have this problem., VIR seems to be a pretty rinkydink operation as far as i am concerned..
i always take safty first !! but if other places can do it ??!!!!  i would just like to see it improve ., not just complain about it ., is there something we as the racers can do to make it wokr ?? other than just not crash ??!!!!

dave

I have raced at VIR a total of 6 times, and I do not remember ever finishing a GT race there (well maybe one).

This past weekend, I had two races that were red flaged on the first lap and had to regrid, and 2 races that were red flagged and races cut short. Race strategies all out of the window, just go for broke when you can, or the race will be cut short and you don't get to race up front.

so I miss one practice on Sat because can't get in the track(see other thread), have 8 laps in GTU, 5 laps in GTO, 5 laps in ULGP, 2 laps in practice on Sat, and 6 lap sprints in all other races.

A lot of people crashed in AM GTU, I wonder if people didn't really know the track well and didn't get enough practice?

[GAMEDIC]

Well i again called Kevin today...and again no return call....you would think someone would at least let us know something...

[Eddie#200]

I have an issue with the scooter races...  That's like circus clown racing and it could be time used for our practice sessions.

[Super Dave]

Unfortunately, I personally think that entry fees cover...

1.  A purse, if any.

2.  Insurance and track rental

3. Other costs

So, although a GT race costs more, it does cover the purse.  I suppose it covers one's right to receive points for the specific event race.  

Scooters?  Yeah, again loosing time.  I would be different if the program fit into the day, like USPGRU, but they have specific practices and races.  They have to be seperate.  We loose time.

Maybe this is a new thread...Scooters.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Scooters?  Yeah, again loosing time.  I would be different if the program fit into the day, like USPGRU, but they have specific practices and races.  They have to be seperate.  We loose time.

Get rid of the scooter racing and bring back the Legend cars that used to run with us at select races in 99. At least they ARE fast. ;D


But back to the transponders, a bunch of people whined to get them because "we need them"  ::) and now they are whining about not getting them ASAFP.  :-/ From the way I understand why they dont have them, CCS has to pay for them before they get shipped.

THe girls in the tower (at BHF) do an EXCELLENT JOB scoring. THe only 3 races I think that transponders should be used are EX/AM Unlimited GP's and Team CHallenge. The rest can stay manual.

[TZDeSioux]

I think the transponders should be ONLY used for the scooter races.

[tigerblade]

I paid $30 per race to race with CRA last weekend.  Everyone had transponders and they seemed to work great.  They reminded us several times to turn them in before leaving for the weekend.  Our race results and individual lap times for every race were posted on the CRA website almost instantly.  Is CRA just that much more organized than CCS?  I can't imagine they have more money, comparing $30 entry fees to $70 or $50.   ::)

[tzracer]

How many races does CRA run per year and in how many regions of the country?

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Get rid of the scooter racing and bring back the Legend cars that used to run with us at select races in 99. At least they ARE fast. ;D

     The Legend cars did work nice for cleaning oil spills off the track if they happened, but they also had a bad habit of running off both the inside and outside of the track quite often and relocated alot of dirt and other debris on the track by doing so.
     I would imagine that we have arrived at our current situation of combining with other types of racing and hosting non-racing track rides on race days in an effort to get as much economic return as possible for rental of the track. I personally don't know anyone (racerwise) that wants those other activities going on during racing days, especially when they could contribute to how late our races get pushed into the day in the event of delays. With the increases in race fees and gate fees I personally question the economic necessity of having those other activities on race days. The increased fees we all pay currently are supposed to cover the costs associated with the new transponder system and increased general operation fees, so if that is the case then why do we have these other activities going on during our race days? According to the Volume 20, Issue 1 mailer we all recieved dated November 30, 2002, the new transponder system was supposed to cost $350,000 over the next 3 years. Figuring that there are 5000+ racers with CCS, this would cost each racer less than $25 per year to cover the transponder costs. I paid that much extra the 1st weekend at BHF ($5 extra gate fee + $5 extra per entry (x4) = $25 total extra) so that leaves that amount extra at every event I attend from here on out to go toward event operations, so again why the need for the other activities? I realize that costs go up, and I thought we were already paying for that thru these higher fees, so why are we getting less track time for more money? Also the reduced practice time really sucks for those of us that will only be racing on 1 day of each event due to other commitments (such as work in my case).

[tigerblade]

How many races does CRA run per year and in how many regions of the country?

Granted, CRA only runs at Brainerd and MAM, so they can probably get things done a lot easier since there are fewer "chiefs".  But moneywise, I don't see how it's such a big deal for CCS to get transponders when CRA has had them for years.  Maybe it needs to be split up and more authority given to each region?  I don't want to sound like I'm complaining without giving a solution (that's very easy to do and not constructive).  Just wondering.  

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

I paid that much extra the 1st weekend at BHF ($5 extra gate fee + $5 extra per entry (x4) = $25 total extra).

BTW the extra $5 at the gate is to pay for Airfences at Blackhawk, not transponders.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

BTW the extra $5 at the gate is to pay for Airfences at Blackhawk, not transponders.

     I was unaware of this, was that in a mailer or something? I thought that the $5 extra gate fee was at all tracks, so does that mean that they are purchasing Airfence for each facility or is it for shared use between regions (for example the MW, GP, & GL regions have no overlapping events so Airfence for these 3 regions could be shared)? In the 'twin sprint' thread Kevin Elliot said that Airfence for R.A. was $3000, but didn't say if that was for purchase or rental. If the increased gate fee is exclusively for the purchase of Airfence then that is a good cause worth investment, even though I still feel very strongly that the higher gate fee will repel, not attract, spectators frequenting our events.