-------------------- Begin Original Message --------------------
Message text written by "Scot Zediker"
----- Original Message -----
>>From: "John Kelly" <76067.1750@compuserve.com>
>>To: "Kevin Lahey" <kml@patheticgeek.net>; "John Kelly"
>><76067.1750@compuserve.com>
>>Cc: <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
>>Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 12:00 PM
>>Subject: Re: SFR Calendar for 2001 is posted
>>> While you may prefer the present Marina site* over other sites,
the
>>> goal is scheduling events as close to the Bay Area as possible, to
provide
>>> as many events as possible to our members in a convenient location. By
>>> having events inside the Bay Area, more people get interested in the
game
>>> and, eventually, some of them seek other venues.
>>I'm not sure about Kevin L, but for me, Marina is CLOSER than Golden Gate
>>Fields, and not much further away than Oakland or 3Com. And I know I'm
not
>>the only one in this position; there are definitely other autocrossers in
>>the South Bay.
We attracted 88 members to our last Marina event. This site may be closer
to you but it obviously is NOT the major attraction you suggest. Marina
also carries the baggage of the trip home on 101 or 17. Wow, the traffic is
intense. Of course heading for the Bay Bridge from GGF carries its own
baggage.
It is my intention to run at least one event in '01 at Marina.
Right now I'm trying to figure out WHEN. At issue will be when the
Divisional is staged. As last year, our Divisional Solo II Steward Katie
Elder, a Folsom resident, will no doubt again select a Sacramento site.
Only we have no idea when. I'm not going to request a Marina date until I
know the Divisional dates.
>>snip<<
>>> Well look what happened in 1998 when seven of our 16 events
>>> were held in Sacramento. That's why I volunteered to take over
scheduling.
>>IIRC, there were four events at Castle in '98 as well, weren't there? Or
>>did you include these in the Sacramento total?
In checking some schedules, it appears there was some date movement and I
don't recall the exact changes. That will require some additional search of
the results.
I count 5 in Sacramento, 4 at Castle, 5 at 3Com, and 2 at Oakland for
1998.
And the '98 Winter Slush series had 3 at Oakland, 2 at Stockton,
and 1 at McClellan.
>>The above isn't really here nor there.
I figured you brought it up for a reason so I dug out a few numbers.
>>I know a lot of folks don't want to
>>drive too far just for a few minutes on course, but I'm not one of those.
>>As much as I appreciate your efforts in getting us local sites, I'll
>>probably be heading out to the Sacramento area more often next season. I
>>don't know if getting more time in on concrete will help me at Nationals
>>next year, but it certainly won't hurt (at least until I start running
out
>>of tires ;).
>>they say in the Supreme Court, I respectfully dissent.
>>Scot"
The joy of all this is you have the chance to choose the venues where you
want to run. My goal is to provide as many autocross opportunities to the
maximum number of members.
Toward that end, my goal also is to have events spread around the entire
Bay Area so at least one event in our series comes reasonably close to
where members live outside the immediate Bay Area.
We award Championship points as a help persuading people to return
and run the next event. If the Regional Championship is of no interest to
you, then you won't run as many events as possible. Your choice.
To request we place all of our events at a site well secluded from
the Bay Area just doesn't appeal to me and I don't think the bulk of our
members like that idea either. And the '98 season shows evidence to that
effect. Again, that's why I volunteered to set up the scheduling beginning
in 1999. The region's Solo II program is doing very well attracting new
people and having sufficient income to survive.
--John Kelly
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