PDX/CTT #1 @ HPR -- Debrief, Feedback

[LoCore]

Thanks to everyone that joined us for our first event at High Plains Raceway for both PDX and CTT. While we may miss Second Creek, I think that HPR is going to do us just fine given the number of smiles and general merriment that I saw this weekend!

We did have a few rough spots--something to be expected given the number of firsts that we had to anticipate or improvise around. Grant Barclay once again did most of the heavy lifting. Thanks again for his leadership and cool head.

As we continue to build the premier SCCA PDX/CTT program in the country, as well as figure out where to park and when to meet, we're always looking for feedback on how to make the events smoother.

Please use this thread to post feedback on how the weekend went, what went right and went wrong, and most importantly give us some ideas on how to improve these events.

In particular, what should we do or have in place at the next PDX/CTT at HPR to help your day run more smoothly?

Thanks again for everyone's enthusiasm, support for the program, and good behavior this last weekend!

[John Scheier]

1) The split competition runs was excellent. There was a ton of traffic in the qualifying runs which made it difficult to get one good, clean lap in. With ~30 cars, that is to be expected. I think splitting it into 2 groups allowed all drivers to have a better chance at a good lap or two (or 8 in my case ;) ).

2) I think the passing zones worked pretty well. With the 'advanced' drivers, the early points allowing for setup passing was great. Lots of speed to be gained out of 3 and 10.

3) I only made one pass in 11-12, and as long as the overtaking car has the inside line, I think it is pretty safe. A faster car on the outside makes the pass much more difficult.

4) Need to plant some trees or shrubs out there for landmarks ;)

5) Need to clone Mr. Barclay

6) More communication from control on when the group is going to run. Will probably improve once the PA system is in place.

Overall it was an awesome weekend. I believe that the competition heat was pretty much tops of all events I've ever been to. Open track, good drivers and lots of speed!

[gordon0412]

10 hours on my feet in a cloudy, cold, damp wind, and 5 hours sleep had me feeling less than 100% at 5am, and I owe that to myself and you guys if I’m getting on the track. We were miserable at times out there Saturday, yet I enjoyed it. I learned more about circuit road racing in one day than I had in my previous 52 years plus! I will definitely drive 13-15 better than I had.

No wave, no save! Those guys/gals are looking out for YOUR a$$ so wave! I know it seems silly, but it’s not. 13 is a blind turn. Everyone I recognized waved. Thanks! Yes, we did notice and discuss. Everything you do is being watched when your on the track.

We lost one worker who was approaching hypothermia. I encourage and recommend everyone work a corner at the track. I’ll be doing it again at Pueblo just because I want to. But this is Colorado, and I can’t stress how important it is to be prepared for the elements – anything from blazing high plains/desert heat, to a battering, low 40’s, damp 15-20mph wind The latter will be ever present at HPR. It’s not working an autox corner for an hour ½, it’s as was said an “enduro”.

On the negative side IMHO SCCA needs to be better organized. Chaos is a word that comes to mind. I had to proactively seek out getting signed up and assigned as a worker. It’s no coincidence that sentence had “sign” in it twice. We needed a LOT more. Many drivers were complaining of the long, slow line to register. And yes we need to make it clear where the PDX/TT crowd should meet. We can do much better, and I know we will.

Highlight was 140+ in the passenger seat of Keith’s Z06. Fastest I’ve been in a car. It’s no small feat to be smooth in a Vette though it’s pretty much required. He was like silk on cold tires and track! Took a little liberty in being late to my assignment, but he offered…

[showmedata]

IMO the big thing lacking was a visible master schedule. I didn't feel there was one place to go to find the times for things - I had to chase down poor Grant several times thru the day.

I rather expect SCCA would post a large master schedule for the day near the grid, then put a tag on it that says how far behind things are running. Then if run group 2 blows an extra 30 minutes on the track, 30 people don't have to go find Grant to ask when we're supposed to grid. I'm sure this would improve Grant's experience, too!

As a 1st-time customer/participant, I felt the PDX and CTT were great. I do think that PDX should be given a little more track time for the price. Also, asking PDX participants to come out Saturday only for the meeting is a pretty big inconvenience for folks that didn't have a plan to stay at the track. That "classroom" session needs to find a home on the same day as the track session. I know more people that could be convinced to do PDX if there is less "time overhead" to do it.

I do hope you're able to deliver on the promise of more feedback to CTT drivers in future events - that would definitely increase the value of participating in the event over just going to an open lapping day.

Overall I had the feeling that you guys were trying to run an orderly program (PDX + CTT) on an unstable platform (the SCCA race weekend). I can't say enough positive, though, about the helpfulness and great attitudes of all the stewards and instructors - they/you all combined to make a great environment.

Ray
[maybe my new handle should be "Grant's MR2 Driver", since that's how he referred to me all day ;^) ]

[gordon0412]

Very well said, and you hit that nail perfectly.

[G'Funk]

This event was a blast. I wanted to say thanks to everyone that stopped by our little booth to check out the 2009 CSU FSAE car. It was a pleasure to show everyone and let everyone know about the program. Special thanks to Grant Barclay, Dave Jobusch, Mark Foust, and Mark Baer.

Thanks again, and you will be seeing us around some more I promise.

[Built-By-Bones]

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated and the only way the program and the club can improve things.

Workers were the stars of the weekend. I can assure you there will never be as long a day as Saturday again. Totally unique circumstances, and communications issues made a long day even longer.

Future years will see all schools combined onto one day, PDX school, Road Race School, and PDX instructor training. Trying to run regionals on the same day as a school has proved logistically impossible, even though it is financially desirable.

This will allow for expanded PDX sessions at that school day, hopefully increasing our PDX to CTT graduation rate. As much as we would like to hold the PDX classroom on the same day of the event, we have tried this in the past and it is logisitically impossible. One option we will explore in future years will be to hold the school at a central location (Denver) at some point prior to the event.

We will be experimenting with this format on August 22nd at HPR, and if successful look for it to be part of the "school weekends" in future years

Registration will have copies of the schedule at future events, as we become more like road racers, we need to train our drivers to read the Event Supps (supplemental regulations), as all the info for the event is contained therein.

We will be re-writing the Supps to reflect some of the operational changes made this weekend.

more detailed report to follow

Grant Barclay

thanks to all who attended.

[shoeish]

Thanks for the event, it was awesome! Honestly, it was right up there with the amount of fun 24 hours of Lemons is... not quite, but tremendously fun regardless.

Grant, is there any way you can post individual lap times? Or at least send me my lap times for the last session?

I have some Gillette people who want to come down and do the classroom then the 35 minute PDX, then head to Denver (or back to gillette) for the rest of the day. Having the classroom before the event would eliminate them. :)

One idea to get the PDX classroom on the same day may just be to wake up and do it much earlier. We have daylight at around 5:30am, why not just do it then? To make the class shorter in the morning, you could set up some required pre-reading, and an online quiz to ensure understanding. No pass ahead of time = no drive. Perhaps even some onboard video with narration of what is going on, what the driver is doing, what the driver should be looking at and thinking, and where corner workers are, etc.... Just an idea.

[blrmotorsports]

We have daylight at around 5:30am, why not just do it then?

You're kidding right. We're talking about racers here.

Here is the typical club racing schedule. For local races least wise.

Friday:
5:00pm: Head for track
6:30pm: Arrive at track. Start first beer and head for registration
7:00pm: Arrive at registration and finish beer. Realize you left something important(more beer) at trailer/car and head back.
7:15pm: Back in line. BS with people in line about how you don't lift for turn.........
7:30pm: Done with registration. Head back to paddock to see who else is around. Ask whoever you see if they have beer.
12:00am: Decide you've had too much beer to make it back to the hotel.
12:30am: Go to sleep in car/trailer.

Saturday:
7:00am: Wake to sound of racecar engines. Not sure where you are. Wish you had ear plugs and Advil.
7:30am: Finally wake up because the engines won't go away. Jump up realizing your first on track. Hit head and curse in three languages. This is strange because you only speak one.
7:50am: Frantically getting car ready. Moving 1/3 speed due to the feeling that your head is about to explode. Your hoping it does, as that will at least end the pain.
7:59am: Climb into car and think twice about starting car due to your hangover.
8:05am: On track and feel pretty good about your lap times.
8:06am: A tumbleweed passes you on the back straight.
8:06.5am: Promise yourself never to drink that much before an event.
8:20am: Session over. Come off track and head back to your pits. Open the door and puke. Glad you bought a open face helmet.
10:00am: Head out for your second session. Headache gone thanks to the six Advil.
12:00pm: Lunch. You don't eat from fear of puking in your helmet next time on track.
1:00pm: Last session of day.
1:20pm: Back to pits. Starting drinking lots of water.
5:15pm: Last car off track. Feeling better. Grab beer from cooler.
6:00pm. Head to tent for dinner.
6:15pm: While in line for dinner finish beer. Remember there is more beer at trailer/car.
6:30pm: Get back in line for dinner. BS with people in line about how you don't lift for corner........
1:00am: Finish 10th beer while discussing the optimum line at the Nurburgring. Remember promise from earlier in the day. Hope that hotel(that you never made it to) won't charge your card.

Sunday:
Follow Saturday schedule until 5:00pm
5:15pm: Pack trailer/car. Head home.

[LoCore]

That sounds about right. :D