Pirelli World Challenge Rounds 3 & 4: St. Petersburg

[canamman]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

On Friday afternoon I had spent a lot of time talking with the Scuderia Corsa guys about other events and testing for them. I was 100% on Long Beach, 25% on Barber, 65% on Mosport, 25% on Detroit, 50% on Road America (found a way to do both PWC at Road America and Tudor WGI on the same weekend), and 100% for Sonoma and Laguna Seca assuming my car doesn't get written off before then.

Dang , I hope to see you on track at Barber albeit a slight chance. I was
reading the PWC media guide this a.m. and saw your favorite foods list!
That was awesome!

[jasonjessica09]

I think the series for Long Beach should consider a rolling single file start. Maybe not the most exciting thing but getting cars through lap 1 cleanly is a bigger priority me thinks. Maybe the Porsche Cup class should be merged into GTS too as an idea for the rest of 2015.

[Speed-King]

Maybe the Porsche Cup class should be merged into GTS too as an idea for the rest of 2015.

IMHO, series should never have a spec-field headlining over a non-spec field, let alone one that actually has manufacturer interest.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by Brian Till

All, some quick background on my role with PWC. I am a Drivers Steward...not a Race Director. Therefore I have no power to make policy decisions or procedural changes. What my thoughts are on such policies/procedures are discussed with and known by the series.
That said, the meeting on Sunday morning was a Drivers' Meeting, therefore I led it. There was to be no discussion of the pros/cons of the standing start policy as that is not something I can affect. I was there to discuss what the group, as drivers, could do to try and make a difficult situation better.
I started the meeting by saying that Saturday's start was like an airplane crash...meaning that one small mistake led to a cascade of other small mistakes that spiraled out of control. I stand by that comment. Drivers will ALWAYS make small mistakes...they're human. There has never been a perfect race lap and there never will be for that very reason. Are the risks magnified on a standing start? Most certainly they are. The point of Sunday morning's meeting was to get everyone to use a little bit of extra caution, hear a couple of other ideas on what to think about and to understand that ultimately it is up to the drivers to try and mitigate the small mistakes that would be made and SURVIVE the start.
And everyone on Sunday did just that. Everyone lined up straighter than the day before, everyone found their way through to turn one even with a slow get away back in the pack. The drivers did exactly what they needed to do and it worked. That is in no way a pat on the back to us for having a meeting. That is a pat on the back to everyone that ultimately is responsible for the success of the standing start process...the drivers.
If you know me personally, you know that there is no "dictatorial" attitude. My job is to use my experience as it pertains to performance inside the cockpit. That is what I am trying to do. This is not "my era". I don't know where that even comes from. There will be those that disagree with penalty calls that I make during on-track sessions and I get that. Just like the drivers, I will not always be right. And if I make a mistake, I will own it, and I have done just that. But when after video and data have been reviewed, I make a decision and I stand by it, I stand by it because I believe that I am correct. If that is "dictatorial" then so be it.
And please note, I replied here because the link was passed along to me by someone in the business. Replying to threads is something that I generally shy away from. That is not hiding, it's just that I don't really have a lot of spare time between work and family to get into long discussions. If you see me at a track and I have time, I will gladly take a few moments to chat. I believe I have a reputation for being very approachable. Hopefully this will give all of you here (who are obviously passionate about the sport and the series) a little better understanding.
Cheers,
BT

Thanks for posting, Brian, and thanks for treating us fans with respect in your response! It's greatly appreciated. Best wishes for the rest of the season! Definitely respect and appreciate the amount of work you all put into PWC!

[Matt]

Originally Posted by jasonjessica09

I think the series for Long Beach should consider a rolling single file start. Maybe not the most exciting thing but getting cars through lap 1 cleanly is a bigger priority me thinks. Maybe the Porsche Cup class should be merged into GTS too as an idea for the rest of 2015.

Rolling starts at LB is the worst in anything.

Four rows of cars are nice and lined up, they hit it and then 90% of the field is still coming around the hairpin.

[Maelochs]

Favorably impressed that Mr. Till chose to post.

Hopefully things can improve because PWC offers great racing but the first half of too many races are run under yellow, which hurts the series and everyone involved (fans included.)

The positive take-away is that obviously people at PWC are listening.

[ttdriver2009]

What I'd like to hear is a solution to the problem. Writing a few paragraphs from the drivers steward then with a bunch of brown nosing from the rest of the people here doesn't cut it for me.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I actually bend my work schedule around going to these races. I was tired of doing this for IMSA because it was a waste of my money to watch cars drive around in a parade and doing all of that wave around stuff. Seems that this series could easily turn into the same thing. IMSA came up with one excuse after another last year on their debacle, all of a sudden, SCCA is doing the same.

Please, SCCA, come up with a solution because I know all of us here go to most of your races and spend our hard earned dollar to enjoy it. You got the cars, you got the teams, now deliver that product to your customers.

I'd get my butt fired in a heartbeat if my response about a failed project was about my experience and how I'm working on a solution for some unbeknownst deadline.

I'm going to Toronto (sorry, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) and I was at COTA. I want to see a race where it's under green most of the time and promotion of the event where I'm wandering around in empty stands and parking lots. This is a gem of a series but it seems like SCCA keeps tripping over shoes that are untied. IMSA seems to have at least one tied at the moment.

SCCA, please convince me with a solution as to why you have the best racing series in North America and why all of us here that support your series going to your races that you do care. Saying something is one thing, a solution is another.

[Bob Baldwin]

Amen!!!

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by ttdriver2009

What I'd like to hear is a solution to the problem. Writing a few paragraphs from the drivers steward then with a bunch of brown nosing from the rest of the people here doesn't cut it for me.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I actually bend my work schedule around going to these races. I was tired of doing this for IMSA because it was a waste of my money to watch cars drive around in a parade and doing all of that wave around stuff. Seems that this series could easily turn into the same thing. IMSA came up with one excuse after another last year on their debacle, all of a sudden, SCCA is doing the same.

Please, SCCA, come up with a solution because I know all of us here go to most of your races and spend our hard earned dollar to enjoy it. You got the cars, you got the teams, now deliver that product to your customers.

I'd get my butt fired in a heartbeat if my response about a failed project was about my experience and how I'm working on a solution for some unbeknownst deadline.

I'm going to Toronto (sorry, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) and I was at COTA. I want to see a race where it's under green most of the time and promotion of the event where I'm wandering around in empty stands and parking lots. This is a gem of a series but it seems like SCCA keeps tripping over shoes that are untied. IMSA seems to have at least one tied at the moment.

SCCA, please convince me with a solution as to why you have the best racing series in North America and why all of us here that support your series going to your races that you do care. Saying something is one thing, a solution is another.

Take a breath. It's not worth it.

[DeezPutz]

Originally Posted by Matt

Rolling starts at LB is the worst in anything.

Four rows of cars are nice and lined up, they hit it and then 90% of the field is still coming around the hairpin.

Good. Then the cars are spread out.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by ttdriver2009

What I'd like to hear is a solution to the problem. Writing a few paragraphs from the drivers steward then with a bunch of brown nosing from the rest of the people here doesn't cut it for me.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I actually bend my work schedule around going to these races. I was tired of doing this for IMSA because it was a waste of my money to watch cars drive around in a parade and doing all of that wave around stuff. Seems that this series could easily turn into the same thing. IMSA came up with one excuse after another last year on their debacle, all of a sudden, SCCA is doing the same.

Please, SCCA, come up with a solution because I know all of us here go to most of your races and spend our hard earned dollar to enjoy it. You got the cars, you got the teams, now deliver that product to your customers.

I'd get my butt fired in a heartbeat if my response about a failed project was about my experience and how I'm working on a solution for some unbeknownst deadline.

I'm going to Toronto (sorry, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) and I was at COTA. I want to see a race where it's under green most of the time and promotion of the event where I'm wandering around in empty stands and parking lots. This is a gem of a series but it seems like SCCA keeps tripping over shoes that are untied. IMSA seems to have at least one tied at the moment.

SCCA, please convince me with a solution as to why you have the best racing series in North America and why all of us here that support your series going to your races that you do care. Saying something is one thing, a solution is another.

"all of us here."

I don't think anyone in this thread outside of the drivers, Till, and the media outlets have actually attended a PWC race this year/last half of last year.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Matt

"all of us here."

I don't think anyone in this thread outside of the drivers, Till, and the media outlets have actually attended a PWC race this year/last half of last year.

I've actually met new people who know me from this forum at every PWC I've attended since the start of last season. It's actually very surprising how many people read the forum but don't necessarily post...

-mike

[Maelochs]

Mr. Till didn't come here to tell us everything would be alright. He came here to clear up the specific reasons for his behavior at the Sunday morning drivers' meeting.

I have no idea if PWC is going to "solve" the problem. I have no idea if Mr. Till has any "solution" in mind besides telling the drivers to be smart, berfore every start.

Sometimes the field gets halfway through the lap before piling up, which means rolling starts wouldn't be the "solution" anyway. (I believe Sunday's race is an example of this.)

I don't much like being considered a "brown-noser" because I respect a series race official taking time to come here to respond to random Internet ranters. I can take it though.

Glad no one actually insulted Mr. Till. I have seen on other sites where drivers and race officials decided it wasn't worth listening to fans if all the fans could do was insult them.

Anyway, the race will prove the point. We have to wait and see. Rules can be made, instructions given---the drivers can drive carefully or in some other fashion.

Pretty cool that a post from here actually reaches a series official though, eh? Kind of elevates our rantings to a more meaningful level ... increases our responsibility to be rational too, if we so choose.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Glad no one actually insulted Mr. Till. I have seen on other sites where drivers and race officials decided it wasn't worth listening to fans if all the fans could do was insult them.

Honestly, that's par for the course here. They'll slam anyone they can until said person shows up, and then their tune does a complete 180...remember when Jordan Taylor showed up?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

I've actually met new people who know me from this forum at every PWC I've attended since the start of last season. It's actually very surprising how many people read the forum but don't necessarily post...

-mike

I don't doubt that.

It's the vocal ones here that really haven't attended, and they're the ones with the most opinions.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Matt

Honestly, that's par for the course here. They'll slam anyone they can until said person shows up, and then their tune does a complete 180...remember when Jordan Taylor showed up?

Hah. After my posts yesterday I received a couple insults on twitter from people who read this forum. It doesn't surprise me much though... it's easy to be an anonymous troll behind a keyboard. :-)

Having said that, meeting some members in person makes up for the others.

-mike

[Deleted]

Is Matt looking for a fist fight tonight?

[Matt]

I will fight anyone in the streets.

[Bob Baldwin]

Matt: Go to Lime Rock turn 1 , Lay down and take a Chill Pill lol !

[Matt]

I'm fairly certain the whole place is still covered in snow.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by FLGTFAN

You are completely missing the point. There was no flatbed on the scene for 15+ minutes.

I think what happened there, was there were more cars needing towed, than there were tow trucks. The Audi had to wait until a truck was free.

[Maelochs]

Here's proof that Mr. Hedlund, at least, was at a PWC event this season.

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by Mike Hedlund

On Friday afternoon I had spent a lot of time talking with the Scuderia Corsa guys about other events and testing for them. I was 100% on Long Beach, 25% on Barber, 65% on Mosport, 25% on Detroit, 50% on Road America (found a way to do both PWC at Road America and Tudor WGI on the same weekend), and 100% for Sonoma and Laguna Seca assuming my car doesn't get written off before then.

After that drivers/owners meeting Sunday morning I told the team to count me out of anything besides Long Beach, Sonoma and Laguna -- basically our "local" races. I'm only doing Long Beach because I told the team from the start I was doing that race.

I hope you'll reconsider scaling back your schedule, Mike.
It would be really awesome to see that stunning black and yellow Ferrari racing at Road America.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Here's proof that Mr. Hedlund, at least, was at a PWC event this season.

Hah thanks! I hadn't seen that photo before.

-mike

[TRspitfirefan]

Originally Posted by Mechanic Z

Thanks for posting, Brian, and thanks for treating us fans with respect in your response! It's greatly appreciated. Best wishes for the rest of the season! Definitely respect and appreciate the amount of work you all put into PWC!

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Favorably impressed that Mr. Till chose to post.

Hopefully things can improve because PWC offers great racing but the first half of too many races are run under yellow, which hurts the series and everyone involved (fans included.)

The positive take-away is that obviously people at PWC are listening.