Round 1 VSCRC Sandown May 12-13

[MPA]

We could start with running most of the F/ford race behind the Safety Car due to some really bad communicators down at turn 4.

Race Control had no idea what was going on when the calls were comming in from Turn 4, turn 4a, Sector 4, Turn 5, Turn 5a etc....so they deployed the SC for no good reason because when the dust had settled there was one F/Ford parked safely trackside between 4 & 5. On the re-start we had to have, there was another incident at turn 1 that needed the SC and the whole race turned into a sham. If only Race Control would hand out less radios to more switched on people.

And there are people out there ready to help, offers have been made, but no one is listening.

[MPA]

Event R18 10 Laps
Scheduled Start 16:40

Page# 1 Issue# 1
Start Sat Apr 22 18:07
Elapsed Time 13:04


Running a bit late last year on Saturday night......

[Oaksnaf]

MPA.....Saturday started an hour late anyway, so they had the whole days events run pretty much to time, in fact they were only 20minutes over time (if you take away the late start). Although I can't remember the reason for it starting late.

And now lets go to the second round at Sandown last year. What was the problem there? I don't recall any problems with the event running late and even natsoft concur's with me.

So whats the big issue MPA?

[Oaksnaf]

Since I can't edit my last reply, was it the fog that delayed the meeting on Saturday last year in April. Or was that another meeting?

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by MPA

And there are people out there ready to help, offers have been made, but no one is listening.

It's simple MPA, you & I belong to the wrong (CAMS) club

Besides in the words of one promotor "Everyone needs to feel important these days and as a result just has to have a radio".

This is starting to drift off topic but it once again brings up the subject of once a year club officials and their level of experience trackside compared with VFT & VFRS members. It would be better to have the flaggies operate the radio's trackside and let the promoting club look after the paddock & Pit lane functions but as I said above;

Originally Posted by PVDA

"Everyone needs to feel important these days and as a result just has to have a radio".

[Oaksnaf]

Originally Posted by BFC

cannot turn right at turn ! to send back to pits.......u will have unregistered cars on a public road............and why spend money on shirts and **** when it is supposed to go to all the clubs running the series?

I think it's similar to Cranbourne Racecourse, the road inside the gates is actually private and not a public road, thus you won't have unregistered cars on a public road.

[MPA]

Fog at Sandown in April?

Nah, you're thinking of the Queen's Birthday round on the Island that started late due to fog....If I could post pics I would....

We did start that meeting late and cut practice sessions to 15 minutes and got back on time....only to lose it all again when a F/Ford dumped its guts all over the track. Who knew they held so much oil?

There were some decisions made that day that puzzled me…. Even when we got back on time we still cut back all practise sessions to 15 minutes…..This meant we got ahead of time and had to delay the meeting and watch the clock because we can’t start a race early…crazy, but true…

So after waiting for the fog to lift then clock watching after we got ahead of ourselves we had a huge clean up after the F/Ford oil dump…..So all the races in the arvo were cut to 4 laps…

OK, so we can’t avoid fog in winter on the Island, but after clawing back the time we blew it due to inflexibility. So track time became a big issue that day too…..you got 15 minutes in the morning and 4 laps in the afternoon….Not the best value for money.

[Oaksnaf]

But track time gets cut for all different reasons.

PI on the weekend Fvee race was red flagged (cut short) because of a roll over at MG.
V8s race was cut short at NZ for TV.
AMRS Calder Park was cut due to track condition.

Plenty of events lose out on track time for all different reasons, so why is 1-2 laps on a single day loss such a massive ordeal?

Afterall they all arn't that desperate to get in as many laps around a circuit, otherwise everyone will turn up on a Friday.

[MPA]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

And now lets go to the second round at Sandown last year. What was the problem there? I don't recall any problems with the event running late and even natsoft concur's with me.

So whats the big issue MPA?

The second round ran to time rather well and was run by the Aust Sports Sedan Ass. No issue at all there.

But I'll eat a small portion of humble pie. It seems round 1 did start late for reasons I can't remember either...maybe they had to fix some armco before they started?

Anyway, the humble pie might taste better than some lunches I've had trackside....



Nakkers, yer right mate.....wrong club.....it seems you only need half a brain and an MGB to get a good gig trackside sometimes....

[MPA]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

Afterall they all arn't that desperate to get in as many laps around a circuit, otherwise everyone will turn up on a Friday.

Perhaps so, but Friday is private practice and not a part of the weekend....extra fees apply if you wish to run.

[MPA]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

But track time gets cut for all different reasons.
PI on the weekend Fvee race was red flagged (cut short) because of a roll over at MG.
V8s race was cut short at NZ for TV.
AMRS Calder Park was cut due to track condition.

Plenty of events lose out on track time for all different reasons, so why is 1-2 laps on a single day loss such a massive ordeal?

Quite true, but why should the entrants have to accept it when its avoidable. This is not just 2 laps on a single day.....it happens all too often.

[Oaksnaf]

Originally Posted by MPA

Quite true, but why should the entrants have to accept it when its avoidable. This is not just 2 laps on a single day.....it happens all too often.

Well entrants are made to accept Race Control blunders that cost 40k arn't they - well at PI anyway, so losing 2 laps isn't as bad.

One question; do competitors have to line-up on the grid then do a warm-up lap, effectively making it 2 warm-up laps?

[MPA]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

Well entrants are made to accept Race Control blunders that cost 40k arn't they - well at PI anyway, so losing 2 laps isn't as bad.

One question; do competitors have to line-up on the grid then do a warm-up lap, effectively making it 2 warm-up laps?

Only the National Starts have a sighting lap to the grid followed by a warm up lap.....this can suck so much time out of a meeting.

Course Car opens.

Course Car closes.

Cars do 98% of a lap to grid up.

Cars do warm up lap.

6 lap race....if time permits

I'm sure if everyone consented, we could get rid of the procedure.

I'd vote for it.

[Oaksnaf]

Would it be possible to carry out the following:

eg: Improved Production Race 1 finishes while MG Race 1 are sitting in pre-grid. When the last IP car passes the finish line you send out the course car to investigate, so it practically follows the last IP car around. While the course car has been sent out you wind up the MG cars.

When the course car crosses the line again (commencing lap 2) you send out the MG's who will run their warm-up lap behind the Course Car. The course car will not commence lap 3 and will be sent down pit-lane at the end of lap 2 while MG's grid up and all of the safety vehicles will line-up as per usual.

IP cars are sent down via scrutineering at end of race and if need to go down pit-lane for whatever reason they are held until final MG hits track.



If there is a problem on track after the IP race and cars need to be cleared, just hold the MGs. Nothing else can be done, unless you send them out then hold them at a particular point on the circuit - but wouldn't this play havoc with some of the cars and competitors.

[MPA]

Very possible.....

Another thought would be to run the track hot all day like Hot-Track Holloway and the Miniboys do. No course cars except as a last resort.

If Race Control did track clearance over the radio and the recovery crews could clear themselves after picking up the dead cars and WD to the nearest exit point, we could give 20 or more laps back the the race cars and run to time. Perhaps we could do some hot recoveries and push the cars behind the fence and leave them there for a session or two if we need to make up time.

We could also cut down on race stopping red flags if they listen to trained and savy trackside officals instead of jumping the gun and going RED because of dodgy radio calls from once a year type chaps who mean well but have no clue.

Every organizing club runs things their own way, some good, some so-so. I'd suggest they get together and pick the best methods from each event and put together a procedure to do things better for their paying customers.

The Entrants.

[Oaksnaf]

One thing I don't really understand is, that if you are a HQ runner you naturally get more time on the track than a Sport Sedan runner because your car is slower, the difference in a 10 lap race around Sandown can be up to six minutes!

So should you be disadvantanged in terms of track time because you have a quicker car/class?

[gcalvert]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

One thing I don't really understand is, that if you are a HQ runner you naturally get more time on the track than a Sport Sedan runner because your car is slower, the difference in a 10 lap race around Sandown can be up to six minutes!

So should you be disadvantanged in terms of track time because you have a quicker car/class?

Now that is a good point isn't it..

[MPA]

Not if you measure track time by the Kilometre.

However that's a good question, but I think you've already answered it....

The more expensive to run per minute cars would not want extra laps in lieu do to the Race Fitness costs.

[Oaksnaf]

Originally Posted by MPA

Not if you measure track time by the Kilometre.

However that's a good question, but I think you've already answered it....

The more expensive to run per minute cars would not want extra laps in lieu do to the Race Fitness costs.

Then if the more expensive cars don't want extra laps due to costs put them last on the program and cut their races when the program is running late. But I somehow doubt the competitors or Sports Cars or Sport Sedans would be happy with that.

And should we really try and make racing cheaper, by giving them less laps. I would have thought it would be better to cut the cost of racing in other areas - especially at state level.

[chrisjatsea]

Why not do as many of the clubs do in the UK now and run timed races (15 or 20 minutes usually) ?? This means the club is able to schedule it's timetable more accurately and leave time for everyone. If you get behind you can reschedule easier as it's all done by time...

Also one club runs their days so only cars on slicks get the green flag / warm up laps. This saves some time too...

What are your thoughts on this gents.......??

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by chrisjatsea

Why not do as many of the clubs do in the UK now and run timed races (15 or 20 minutes usually) ?? This means the club is able to schedule it's timetable more accurately and leave time for everyone. If you get behind you can reschedule easier as it's all done by time...

Also one club runs their days so only cars on slicks get the green flag / warm up laps. This saves some time too...

What are your thoughts on this gents.......??

If the outrage on here from all and sundry after the PokeaKiwi V8 round is any indication don't hold your breath.
It does have merit however.

[BFC]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

I think it's similar to Cranbourne Racecourse, the road inside the gates is actually private and not a public road, thus you won't have unregistered cars on a public road.

nope its a PUBLIC road

[MPA]

Do they run race cars at Cranbourne Racecource?

[Notso Swift]

Originally Posted by BFC

nope its a PUBLIC road

Sure it is not a private road with public access, same as the Melbourne Port Authority (or even a supermarket)

Regardless of everything else Kudos to David V and the MG club for giving it a go. As a competitor (not this weekend, sadly) I think it is great, looking to solve an issue that needs to be looked at.
In the same way that BAC and the AASA guys have been proactive by choosing to limit the number of classes in some events this year to ensure that they do not dilute thier value proposition, good on them for sticking to their guns, and good on MG for working out a way to (try) and compete.

[Fig Jam]

Why oh why do they need to run a course car opening and closing for a State round, this has to be the biggest load of bunkum I have heard for years. I can kind of understand it for National events, but State - phooey!!! Who's out of control ego trip is this one, maybe they need to go and look at how the other tracks run the State rounds. The next lot of cars are let out (NO COURSE CAR) as the others are just leaving the track, simple really.