Hey,
Have you ever been to a "Test & Tune" practice event where the line to run
the course was long and the event was constantly being halted until there
were some volunteers willing to work course and pickup pylons. And the one
or two people that did volunteer to work the course, didn't always get the
pylons set up correctly before you made your run, so misplaced pylons on
your
run taught you nothing. And when you did volunteer to work course, you got
stuck with it for over an hour and you watched the same car go by your work
station 40+ times only later to see the same guy leave the site and never
work course. Is that what's got you down, Bunky...
Well, Dave Hutter and the folks at Gulf Coast Autocrossers (GCAC), the same
group that has hosted Pro Solos and National Tours in Ft Myers Florida, have
come up with an ingenious method that eliminates most of the worker issues
and gives everyone an equal shot at the course. It is a varation on the
"If You Wanna Play, You Gotta Work" theme.
It worked so well this past weekend, that it even impressed this cynical
autocross veteran. That is why I am sharing it here. Other clubs might
want to consider incorporating the GCAC "Wooden Nickel" method into their
"Test & Tune" programs.
At registration for the "Test and Tune" practice event, you pay your entry
fee and get three (3) "Wooden Nickels" in return. These "Wooden Nickels"
are the size of a poker chip or casino chip. GCAC had special real wood
"Wooden Nickels" made that were printed with their logo. However, a club on
a budget, could use old poker chips or casino chips marked/stamped with
unique markings to prevent counterfitting.
Go ahead and get in line to run the practice course and give the Starter a
"Wooden Nickel" as you stage for each run. After three runs, you are out of
"Wooden Nickels". Now what???? Well, you go check in with the Worker
Chief and work the course for 10-15 minutes. After you complete your work
assignment, you will be given three (3) more "Wooden Nickels" for your
trouble. Use up those "Wooden Nickels" running the practice course again?
Check in to work course again for 10-15 minutes and get three (3) more
"Wooden Nickels". Repeat, ad naseum.
This was the first time I have ever been to a "Test & Tune" practice event
where there was a "Waiting List" to work course. And with 8 to 12 people
working a 30 second practice course, you seldom had to worry that when you
did make your practice run, that the pylons wouldn't be correctly placed in
their boxes. Additionally, the line to run the course was shorten
signifcantly
during most of day because at any one time it appeared like only about half
the
entrants had any "Wooden Nickels" to run with.
"Wooden Nickels" fast became the "crack" of autocrossers. You gotta have
'em and you are willing to work any course position to get more of 'em.
And everyone smoozed the "Worker Chief and Keeper of the Wooden Nickels",
because you wanted to make sure that you got what you needed for your next
"Fix".
So, if your club has had worker issues at "Test & Tune" practice events,
consider accepting "Wooden Nickels".
Mark
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