I'll answer Jeff's qustion below, but first a historical note -- when we
first began doing Solo II Nationals, we did them in mid-October. At that
time, the Runoffs were in November -- Thanksgiving week originally, then
earlier in the month. November weather in Atlanta tended to be crappy, and
so the Runoffs were moved into October. THAT was the reason the Nationals
moved to September. It was pointed out that Denver Staff is dragooned to
work both events (or that one group at least needed to be IN Denver while
the other was away for the week -- someone needs to mind the store).
A number of race conflicts (both the F1 race and the ALMS Petit Le Mans)
mandate the Runoffs change, but I suspect Club Racing likes any excuse for
getting into friendlier Ohio weather. It was pretty miserable at Mid-O this
year from what I've heard.
So a swap of dates seems to make good sense. Solo could go back to October.
It would lengthen our season a month. As someone pointed out, Pros and Tours
could happen in September. MiDiv's Divisional used to be in September, and
backed up to August because of the Nationals date change (before there WAS a
Nationals, our Divisional was in October).
Moving to October also would address a lot of the scheduling issues now
raised -- primarily start-of-school issues. It is easier for both students
and teachers to get away six weeks into the semester than to do so at the
very beginning of the year.
Weather today in Kansas is gorgeous again. 70s, light breeze, bright sun.
Has been all week. Indeed, all month.
-----
Now, Jeff asked about the Heartland Park Paddock....
The paddock at Heartland Park is big enough to handle 700+ cars for an NHRA
National. Now granted, that event permits some of the drag racers to paddock
out on the backside of the road course, but not really all that much of
that. Runoffs needs to handle 500-600 cars (and not that many are 300" long!
:-) Our truck-trailer combos tend not to be as space-consuming.
Usually about half of the "lower paddock" at Heartland is used for actual
paddock (the rest is false grid, hospitality, etc.) and I could see a
Heartland Runoffs setting aside all of the lower paddock for official needs.
But maybe not. It is a relatively small area, BTW.
The upper paddock is usually enough to handle a basic SCCA Regional/National
weekend with everyone having plenty of room on the paved portion, and
virtually nobody using the grassy back half (which has access roads running
through it) save for a couple of racers pitching tents. There also is the
dragstrip staging area which could handle a lot more cars -- the drawback is
that to get from paddock to track they either have to cross the track or
(more likely) go out onto the perimeter road to get to the false grid. You
CAN walk to that staging area from the main paddock, however; there is a
footbridge. Bottom line -- HPT could handle a Runoffs entry. However, last
time bids went out, HPT did not respond.
--Rocky
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Cashmore <cashmo@hotmail.com>
To: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2000 12:52 PM
Subject: Runoffs move
>"How about either moving the Runoffs further south (I think everybody's had
>a good fill of Mid Ohio by now) or a couple of weeks (or more, I dunno how
>much "time" people need) prior to the Solo2 Nationals?"
>
>Things are too complicated regarding alternate Runnoff's dates and venues.
>You can't move it earlier as you're already stepping on traditional Labor
>Day weekend Nationals dates. The site has to have a really big paddock,
>hotel support, be centrally located, and (this is big) it must WANT to
host
>the Runnoff's. I'm told that unless you host it for 5 yrs straight you
>don't make any money on it. Sounds like MO gave our date on their busy
>schedule to a higher paying customer. I believe our contract with them
runs
>for 2 more years. Someone suggested Tony George could host it on the IMS
>road course but I wouldn't hold my breath. Rocky, how big is the paddock
at
>Heartland Park?
>
>Should we move the Solo Nats one week earlier (start of school issues) or 3
>weeks later for next year?
>
>Jeff Cashmore
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
>
>
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