Trophy presentation?

[StuartV666]

I imagine that many or most of you are familiar with the difference between the way WERA and CCS handle giving out trophies (at least, here in the Southeast). With CCS, you just stop by the designated location at the end of the day and pick up all the wood you've won. With WERA, at the end of the day, somebody MC's a little presentation ceremony and each recipient of a trophy is recognized and has an opportunity to say a few words over the track PA system.

I used to be strongly in the "the CCS way is better" camp. I mean who wants to wait around 'til the end of the day and then wait around through a long list of trophy winners just to get their wood before they can start driving home, right?

But recently, I've started to realize that maybe there are some good reasons for doing it the way WERA does. I'm curious what everybody else things about this subject, so here are some pros and cons I have thought of.

Subject: Having a trophy presentation ceremony at the end of each race day

Cons:

- People who want to grab their wood and hit the road have to wait around, possibly for a couple of hours or more, when they could be driving home.
- Well, that's the only Con I can think of.

Pros:

- People get to see their competition. Personally, I've met very few of the guys I have raced against, and that's partly because seeing them on the track doesn't really help you recognize them in the pits.
- People get to know each other. I think this is just a cool thing. Plus, I think people are more likely to use some courtesy when passing others on the track if they're passing somebody they know.
- The riders who are getting trophies get an opportunity to turn a spotlight on their sponsors, so to speak.

The last one is what I see as the big one. From CCS' point of view, this seems like it should be a big deal. I would expect CCS to want and encourage the riders to give recognition to their sponsors - especially the ones that are anteing up contingency money.

From my own point of view, having recently won a little wood, I would like to have that opportunity so that maybe down the road somebody goes to see one of the people who have helped me and says to them "yeah, I heard Stuart Vernon saying what a great job you did for him, so I decided to try you out."

I know this works because it happened to me at the WERA race at Roebling in March. I didn't win any wood there. But I was still packing and loading up when the awards were being given out. I kept hearing different guys over and over thanking GMD Computrack for their help and how GMD's help allowed them to cut 2 seconds off their lap times, etc., etc.. That ended up being a big influence in my decision to pay GMD to optimize my bike in April.

So, what do you all think?

- Stu

[sportbikepete]

Do not foresee and "trophies" in my near future so does not mean anything to me. ;D

[Henry DeGouw]

I don't know what region that you are from but it is obvious that it's not Florida. We have been doing trophy presentations for about 27 years! And if you can't wait around, you can just pick up your trophy after results are posted for 30 min. This procedure probably differs with each region. Instead of going to another association over this, why don't you try suggesting a change? It works for us.

Henry

[stillslow]

They give trophies at the races ??? ??? ??? ???

[superbikemike]

I race in the midwest division. this year we have a annoucner that gives us a chance to thank people and sponsers. I think it works out great. lets face it do you listen to the announcer at the end of the day when you are packing your stuff up? I know I dont.

[corien]

i don't think this is necessarily a wera/ccs thing. many ccs regions do presentations and many don't. the midatlantic region doesn't but the ccs/lrrs region in new hampshire does after every race day.
i agree with you though, it is much nicer and creates more of a community and cameraderie between racers. everybody grabs a beer and hangs out at the tech garage.

corien

[Jkf95]

The trophy presentation is OK as long as you have the option to get your trophy following the race.  Several of us have a 8 hour drive home  and have to be at work Monday morning.

[StuartV666]

I don't know what region that you are from but it is obvious that it's not Florida. ... Instead of going to another association over this, why don't you try suggesting a change? It works for us.

Henry

Hi Henry,

I am very sorry if I gave the wrong impression. I am not going to another association at all. In fact, I just raced my first CCS race of THIS year because I am, in fact, switching from WERA *to* CCS for the rest of this season. I certainly was not trying to promote WERA.

And you're right, though I am in Florida (Tallahassee), I only run Southeast region events.

I was simply trying to start a discussion about the possibility of doing something a little differently than what I observed at Roebling last time. I used WERA as an example just because it's the thing I know from recent experience.

So, it sounds like mostly people seem to think that, as long as they have the option to pick up their trophies and leave earlier, they like the idea of an actual trophy presentation get-together at the end of the race day. No?

- Stu

[Litespeed]

The SW region has a place to pick up the trophies after the results are final.  They do interviews with the winners of the Expert Unlimited GP race but that's the only one.  I personally like the way it's set up because I had to drive 11 hours to get home last weekend and if I had to wait the extra 3 hours or so I'm sure I couldn't have made it home without having to stop somewhere.  

I generally go around the pits and find any and all bikes that I was racing with and talk to the riders.  I have met some great people this way and it's interesting to see how different the people in our sports background is.

[ecumike]

Just curious... not that I'll see wood anytime in the near future, but... say the winner of a race takes their trophy right after the race and leaves.    At the end of the day, when they announce the trophy/race winners, what do they do when they announce his/her's race.. just mention the name and not present the trophy, and go on to second place, etc.?

[Henry DeGouw]

In the Florida region we call out all the top 5 and those that have picked up and left are checked off but still announced. About 80% wait for the trophy presentation at the end of the day.

Henry

[Wayne #424]

I noticed the same thing as Stuart and thought it was a CCS vs WERA thing. From reading the comments I guess it is just a CCS Southeast practice to not have a small ceremony.

I think one of the biggest pros is getting to know/see/hear your competitors after the races, as well as all the other competitors from other classes. For those who have not experienced a small public trophy presentation, it sems very cheesy but is actually extremely beneficial to the communal atmosphere.

It seems the thing to do is bring it up at the next event. Are their any Southeast officials on this forum? Maybe we can get a headstart on feeling out the concensus on making a change.

Talk to you later.
Wayne #424