DRAFT SCHEDULE - input needed

[AngerIssues]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the input. If you want to see other people's opinions on what races to race, that is a separate thread and I encourage reading it!!

Having said that, here is the DRAFT schedule for next year. I think it's a couple races too many, but there are some conflicts about what races we should run, and I think 2009 will determine where the racers want to race. I'd like to trim this by one or two races.

IMPORTANT POINT:

The Cup system will reward you for beating OTHER class 3 racers and for finishing (there will be a separate thread for rules, points system, etc). Keep that in mind when you choose your races (along with the costs, of course).

We will build the finishing points based upon the length of the race... and keep it THAT simple. You get more points if you finish 1000 miles over 250.

Any racer can race a MAX of 5, and ONLY 4 races will count for the points towards the cup win. You can drop your worst of 5. If you race 6, only the first 5 are eligible to use for points.

Here is the draft:


There are a few things to consider

1 SNORE vs BITD: Battle at Primm vs Parker 425 Primm, NV vs Parker February 14 vs Feb 7

2 SNORE Mint 400 Las Vegas, NV 400 March 27

3 MDR Mojave 250 Mojave, CA April

4 VORRA or CODE NorCal/Nor NV or Mex may

5 SCORE Baja 500 June

6 BORE Jackpot 250 Jackpot, NV July

7 BITD TSCO Vegas to Reno Nevada 1000 August 19-23 3 days staged, almost 1000 miles

8 Whiplash Snowflake race Northern AZ Early Sept was labor day 08 - 22 sportsman trucks last year -

9 VORRA or CODE NorCal/Nor NV or Mex october

10 SCORE Baja 1000 Mex- point-to-point 1000 November

11? december in Glenn Helen? two hours of racing the 6 mile course? sounds fun


THINGS TO DECIDE:

1 - Parker vs Battle at Primm? Please chime in, if you ACTUALLY have the intention of racing one or the other... this isn't about which race is more fun to spectate! I think we'd all rather hang out on the banks of the river than in Primm.

2 - May and October are open for a CODE or VORRA race. Sadly, CODE's Jacume is a close conflict with V2R... which is NOT to say we can't still race it, but choosing a CODE race without a conflict might make more sense. I WANT to have some races in mex, to give our tan bro's a chance at the cup too..

3 - delete one or two? If we agree that one or more of these races is just a bad idea, let's bag it and try to concentrate more on showing up together.

I HOPE this is a good mix of high-dollar, high-vis races and more affordable ones.

PLEASE chime in, and for those that can... indicate where you might be racing?? Again, the more racers show up, the more points you can garnish. Finishing will only be about finishing, and only about the length of the race.

Ken

[gunit]

Here are my views:

#1 Parker 425 for sure over BAP, I will be racing there whether it is a cup race or not.
#11 I don't think having a fender bashing autocross is ideal for this class, I suggest the BITD Henderson race if you want a December race.

I suggest that you limit the schedule to 8 races of which 4 will count for points. 11 choices is too many and will just further thin everyone out.

[AngerIssues]

Here are my views:

#1 Parker 425 for sure over BAP, I will be racing there whether it is a cup race or not.
#11 I don't think having a fender bashing autocross is ideal for this class, I suggest the BITD Henderson race if you want a December race.

I suggest that you limit the schedule to 8 races of which 4 will count for points. 11 choices is too many and will just further thin everyone out.

Of those, what would be YOUR favorite 8??

[gunit]

Ken,

From my earlier post, these would be my choice for an 8 race series:

Jan 9-10 Whiplash Quartzsite 350
Feb 2-4 BITD Parker 425
March 27-28 SNORE Mint 400
May 5-7 SNORE Caliente 250
June 4-5 SCORE Baja 500
Aug 30-31 Whiplash Snowflake 250
Sep 27-28 BITD Silver State 300
Nov 16-18 SCORE Baja 1000

To pick from your list, these would be the races I might realistically attend:

#1 Parker 425
#2 Mint 400
#5 Baja 500
#7 V2R
#8 Snowflake
#10 B1K

I read your post about the local races and I sympathize with you but the truth is that I cant see myself towing up to Yerrington or Jackpot to race in a local (to northern NV) race. By the same measure I imagine that the folks that live up north wont be too interested in AZ Whiplash races either. So, I have a couple of suggestions for possible formats.

A) A two tiered series. With 4 top tier races such as Parker, Mint, B500 and B1K with one of the top tier races being mandatory and maybe 6-8 "local" races with 2 each from CA, AZ, NV or even Mexico. Each series contestant would race two races from each tier for points. This would accomplish two things: 1. The "mandatory" race would bring us all together at one time which would be great 2. allow for points racing at lower cost local events that are available to everyone.

My vote for the mandatory race would be the B500, it is in the middle of the season and everyone can attend and it is not as expensive as the B1K or next years V2R. Make the points for the mandatory race equal about 50% of the available points, the other top tier race 25% and the 2 local races combined 25%. If it is a success, then each year the mandatory race could be selected for a different top tier venue.

B) Or, simply select just 4 races taken from a poll of likely participants and race those races for points, all 4 would count towards the total. The points would be broken down like this: 10 pts to start, 20 pts to finish, 5 pts for each race for every cl3 cup finisher that you finish in front of and a weighted balance of bonus finishing points for the longer events: under 399 mi 0 pts, 400-599 mi 10 pts and over 600 mi 20 pts. Plus an additional 20 points for starting all 4 races. The one with the highest point total wins all the marbles even if not all the races were attended. And if necessary, the tie breaker being the highest finish at the longest race.

I know that for myself it is very unlikely that I would race more than 4 races no matter what the schedule. This is because of the cost to go racing, the time & money it takes to prep the truck and the time away from my business to go racing.

Another point I want to make with regards to the entry fees of SCORE and BITD. The entry fees are usually just a small part of the total cost even as high as they are, and when you figure what it costs just to get there, to prep the truck, provide room & board for the crew, own race car and a prerunner, prerunning costs, insurance, race fuel, tires, parts replaced due to wear 'n tear blah blah blah. It can cost a lot less to race locally especially if you and the crew camp out, bbq meals, go to races that don't have prerunning etc. but a reminder is that you can ruin your junk at one of these races just as easily as at the B1K, I saw a beautiful new Trophy Truck reduced to a pile of bent scrap at this years Snowflake race, the team was racing there just as a shakedown for Primm. Then how "cheap" is it to race local? My point is that it is never cheap; so make your plans, save your money and go racing.

[Grimm]

From this list and from someone who has not raced yet...and is limited for the first year. If we can be ready our planned races would likely be only 2 or 3

MINT 400 if we can be ready
Vegas to Reno or the Whiplash Snowflake race if we cannot make V to R

I don't think we will be able to make the Baja 500 but would like to.

[straightaxle]

The one race I have already scratched myself out of in 2009 is the Baja 500. I have one kid graduating, and two others promoting, so early June is going to be family only for me next year.

[Tazz]

It is not in our plans to run any of the Mexico races other than the 1000 at this point.

Tentitive our plans are to race

SNORE Mint
Jackpot
Yerrington
BITD V2R (this is a big maybe)
SCORE Primm (have to have it inspected somewhere)
SCORE BK1000

As much as I would like to see everyone at the races, I understand that some can't make or afford some of them. Make it 8 for the cup and we all pick 5 and keep 4 best scores. With a minimum of having to race 2 to be in the cup standings. With none of them being manditory. I would make at least a couple of them, the more economical Mexico races for our competition down south. It might not be head to head racing, but it's still competition with finishes and miles ran.

Points for Races Started, Races finished, RM miles & number of competitors you beat for weighting the points system, big named races shouldn't hold any more weight than the others.

(Of course with what has gone down in the financial world this week, this could all just be dreaming.) :)

Dan

[AngerIssues]

ALL great feedback. THANKS to ALL for it. Keep it coming. I want to hear from more people too. Call your buds who race. Tim? Chuck? Raffo? herro????

I think I'm gunna have to pair this list down to 8. That seems to be the magic number. I'm not interested in have a two-tier series. This takes enough energy as it is. ALLOWING racers to CHOOSE what types of races they want is the closest thing I can imagine. I keep saying, choose the races you want, and choose carefully, because you WILL receive more points for beating 6 racers than you will for beating two. If you want the high-profile races, convince others to come join you (if you feel those races are better for our sport, sponsors, etc, lobby others to come join you). I personally follow the masses, regardless of "where".

Finishing points will be based upon length of race, that makes great sense. A racer who chooses the most-attended races and does the best is the person who will win the Cup. With a little promotion (on all our parts), that could be a bigger deal than winning any single series championship.

Some things that would really help me:

Is anyone besides Dave planning on racing the Parker 425?
Is anyone desiring to race the Battle at Primm?
Who is seriously planning on racing the B500.

PLEASE chime in.

In my opinion, we all have to be willing to travel some (not to every race, hence the reason we are reach out). Some of us from Oregon and Idaho travel to Mex all the time. Some of the Nor Cal people continually travel to Primm and Laughlin and Mex. This does not work if people won't travel a little. Hell, my truck is Idaho, and I WILL race AZ, I WILL race Mex. My dad may kill me, but he can be bribed with Coors :D. I'm willing to come to Moss territory (VORRA), I'm willing to come to the snowflake (AZ), I'm excited to come to the CODE race!! It's been a long time, but that was an awesome race. Anyway, if you don't like to travel, pick the closest races to you and hope you get a good turnout!

Me personally, I will choose to race the most interesting races, for the money. It's all about "bang for the buck".

[Blanco]

The one race I have already scratched myself out of in 2009 is the Baja 500.

Hey Ken!
Heres our shot With Moss not entering the Race we'll Dominate! http://www.thewebwheeler.com/forums/images/smilies/ewg.gif

[3amigo]

Here is what I can basically comit to.

Battle at primm, this really depends on getting the truck sorted out.
Mint 400, I want to for sure do this one.
Jackpot, I want to for sure do this one.
Whiplash, I don't know but it sounds fun.
One of the races later in the year. Maybe the Henderson race?

I will try and be flexible if one race seems to be where interest is headed.

[AngerIssues]

Here is what I can basically comit to.

I will try and be flexible if one race seems to be where interest is headed.

(thanks!)