Round 1 VSCRC Sandown May 12-13

[Oaksnaf]

Sandown Raceway will host Round 1 of the VSCRC next weekend. 250 or so competitors are taking part in the event, larger than last years entry list.

Categories competing are;

Formula Vee
Formula Ford
Historic Touring Cars
Saloon Cars
Improved Production
Sports Cars
MG's
Porsche 944's
Sport Sedans
HQ's

Should be a good weekend and will be interesting to see how many turn up for the OLT on Friday!

[Bullett]

Ill be there, 250 is great considering the Vee Nat's are on week before.

I was told Improved Production have 35 cars and Historic Tourers have 30. Hope it's true looks like a good weekend

[ff s conscience]

Teds 360GT with all guns blazing... full revs, big fat restrictors, no silencer (for as long as we can get away with it ), low, light, fast tyres...

with Teds old 360C in new hands, we did 130 laps at sandown on wednesday but driver can't make OLT... will do asap though so one more about to join the ranks.. new guy did a 1.18.2 so he's not too shabby.

[MPA]

Should be a fun weekend as usual....

Ground breaking inovation with the MGCC, the grapevine suggests they'll be offing the cars hard right at turn one on the cool down laps and returning the cars to the paddock via the car park.....

Rumour or not, we have to find a way to get more track time for the buck.........

My suggestion, the Host Car Club does not run.....This might sound harsh, but its a way to increase offical numbers on the weekend...The MG boys might enjoy some time at a flagpoint and everyone else can enjoy a few extra laps. Sure, the MGCC might take a lose on the meeting, but as the profit/lose for the VSCRC is shared over all rounds, all they'd have to do is hire less radios and ditch the event polo shirt to bring the ledger back into the black.

Any thoughts?

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by MPA

Should be a fun weekend as usual....

Ground breaking inovation with the MGCC, the grapevine suggests they'll be offing the cars hard right at turn one on the cool down laps and returning the cars to the paddock via the car park.....

Rumour or not, we have to find a way to get more track time for the buck.........

My suggestion, the Host Car Club does not run.....This might sound harsh, but its a way to increase offical numbers on the weekend...The MG boys might enjoy some time at a flagpoint and everyone else can enjoy a few extra laps. Sure, the MGCC might take a lose on the meeting, but as the profit/lose for the VSCRC is shared over all rounds, all they'd have to do is hire less radios and ditch the event polo shirt to bring the ledger back into the black.

Any thoughts?

You are joking-right? Entries had not closed at 250 so the numbers will be higher. The MG CC is a huge club and can easily supply enough officials and see their own class run without needing to discard their class. The MG club itself is far and away the most progressive thinking club involved in State racing and are trying to give more track time to competitors and speed up the flow of the racing-- all commendable.

[BFC]

cannot turn right at turn ! to send back to pits.......u will have unregistered cars on a public road............and why spend money on shirts and **** when it is supposed to go to all the clubs running the series?

[Silver 3]

In the interests of trying to close the gap between categories the plan is to exit at turn 1-- special arrangements are in place to facillitate. It will be interesting to at least see if this works.

[Bullett]

Originally Posted by BFC

cannot turn right at turn ! to send back to pits.......u will have unregistered cars on a public road............and why spend money on shirts and **** when it is supposed to go to all the clubs running the series?

Well the Police are involved and road safety, there will be a section seperate for the cars to go back through behind a control vehicle so they won't be driving along at 60km/h with some guy in a Hyundai Accent. The shirts get supplied by Wurth Australia and many volunteer's love getting something to take home, it is not as if the MGCC take competitors money and go hey let's spend it on shirts for us! It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off but in my view the MGCC have listened to competitors views and are trying to try new things to help competitors. So good on them, if it comes off everyone will benefit!

[MPA]

Silver, 250 cars is a good number but it's also a part of the problem. Too many cars, not enough track time. See the problem? I welcome the imput but I'm wondering how the Host club can contain costs and provide enough time for the entrants.

Any thoughts there?


As for the shirts....I have a few at home that predate Worth sponsorship of the event. I'm glad the MGCC have found a way to produce a good give away to all officals that wont come out of the series budget. I hope to see all scruits, marshalling, grid, flaggys, fireydogs and recovery guys wearing the Worth shirts...not just the few in "The know" AKA a group of marshals with club rooms in Nunawading.



And for the right turn at one???? Racecource Dve is a 50K zone public road and if the coppers look after the Easternats also come along this weekend there is going to be trouble.

And how many officals will be stationed on Racecourse road to observe the competitors? Me? You? Who?......"Yeah mate, you blocked me as we went over the top and ruined my fastest lap....We can sort this out without anyone looking behind the track....."

But as long as they have One? control vehicle, everything should be ok...

[Bullett]

I think as Silver 3 said it will be interesting to see if it works, Infact most of what he said I agree with, and at least they are trying something new. As far as I know the idea behind this was to give competitors more time on track so that would be the idea of getting more for your money. I presume you MPA must be part of the club at Nunawading if you have the event shirts? Even if it turns out to not work at least they gave it a shot. The results will be interesting

[MPA]

Nah, Bullett I've jus been lucky enough to scrounge a shirt or two at the end of the meeting. Would be great to get a shirt before we start...As for my club....nah....I'm not a member of the Nunawading based car club that may or may not be the inovative club running the meeting. So I guess the issue of costings has been sorted. We only have to deal with distribution now....And the costs and effects of having too many radios trackside.

And I take my hat off ( A hat that may be supplied by Worth) to anyone that can find a way to give more track time to the competitors. I just feel that sending race cars outside the circiut is a bad idea. Its only going to take one problem there to cause major headaches.

What if a springvale local that's peee'd off with Davo and the Easternats suffers an injury from an unregistered race car on a public road? I'm telling you now, I wont be involved in the marshalling of cars outside the track. Peroid.

What would the cops say?....Would you trust the cops to be good to their word if the poop hit the fan? Would you trust them to cover your backside and admit the whole thing was a balls-up if their careers were on the line?

How say you?

[User Name]

All these problems don't seem to happen at the other victorian race circuits, the competitors get pleny of track WITHOUT having to go outside the gates, oh and I think one of those other meetings is held by a car club too and no shirts just to keep the costs down

[MPA]

Originally Posted by User Name

All these problems don't seem to happen at the other victorian race circuits, the competitors get pleny of track WITHOUT having to go outside the gates, oh and I think one of those other meetings is held by a car club too and no shirts just to keep the costs down

No I don't agree with you User Name. Tracktime is a problem at all rounds at all circiuts formerly known as State Rounds.

A few years ago the CAMS Stewards that gave premission to start an event at Sandown without armco between turns 4 and 5 did not suffer when the MGCC was fined 5K for running an unsafe track. For pete's sake who do you thing is gunna cop it this time if things go wrong?

Do you think the Cops, Dandenong Council, CAMS, the stewards that give permission to start the event, anyone else will put their hand up and say....."Why yes, we thought the idea of running race cars up Racourse Drive was safe and we'll take all liability."

[Bullett]

If we forget costing's etc. for a minute what suggestions do you have for getting more tracktime at a circuit like Sandown where you can't cut through or exit half way around (PI for instance)? Anything has got to be worth a shot. Categories seem to have taken it onboard which is a good start. Maybe there are some good idea's that can come from here. Personally I don't have any...

[BFC]

Originally Posted by Bullett

If we forget costing's etc. for a minute what suggestions do you have for getting more tracktime at a circuit like Sandown where you can't cut through or exit half way around (PI for instance)? Anything has got to be worth a shot. Categories seem to have taken it onboard which is a good start. Maybe there are some good idea's that can come from here. Personally I don't have any...

For starters,have the cutoff for entries 2 weeks before the meeting so they know how many entries they have in how many classes and accordingly work out the timing for practice sessions so each class gets say 20 min practice/qualifying then so many laps for racing with a 5 min buffer between sessions.Anyhow most the time there will be recoveries allowing for all cars to return to the pits via the track

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by BFC

Anyhow most the time there will be recoveries allowing for all cars to return to the pits via the track

You're right BFC.

Fat lot of good it will be if you kick all the cars off the track at turn 1 when you have 6 broken down cars littering the track that need to be recovered before the next session can start.

We need to be able to get the recovery vehicles out onto the track once the first car that gets the chequered flag has gone past but this requires the drivers to slow right down and not run at 9/10ths on the slow down lap.

Perhaps we should introduce a Course Car class, they get more track time than anyone else
Seriously we also need to get rid of Course Cars doing more laps of the circuit than the race cars, in this day and age of radio communications we don't need someone hooning around the track checking it's "Closed, Safe & Secure" before the next session can start, even report collections can be done by chase or recovery vehicles if need be.

I also don't think mixing race cars and the non paying public is a good idea either. At least within the paddock area the public has paid to get in and has passed the disclaimer signs and has a ticket stating motor racing is dangerous but anyone can drive, walk or crawl (after a big Saturday night) into Racecourse Drive. There is the possiblility of running the cars in behind the Grandstand BUT there are speed humps in there and unless it's well sign posted very easy to get lost in there. There also needs to be monitoring of the cars as it wouldn't be the first time a car has broken down, or worse, caught fire on the slow down lap and if this occured away from normal trackside monitoring could cause all sort of other problems.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by MPA

No I don't agree with you User Name. Tracktime is a problem at all rounds at all circiuts formerly known as State Rounds.
."

I think there is a gross misunderstanding on the so called track time issues. Far mor important is the quality of that time . EG-- the State Championship should be a real event-- not a glorified paractice day. It should look like a race meeting ,sound like a race meeting and be a race meeting-- and a Championship one at that> Simply providing more laps does nothing in real terms.
Some categories and generally particularly the faster cars) Sports Sedans,Sportscars ,ETC need time between races to keef racing fit.These cars also have a real cost per minute to run-- and simple thinking that more and more laps are required only see's these fields reduced to 1/3 of their numbers if you do not take note of this in the first place.
So while some slower cars might think more laps helps-- I don't think a State Championship is the place for that to be a priorty. If the State level races were graded( as was discussed and lost in the mish mash wash up that resulted) the emphasis could be placed on quality -not quantity.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by PVDA

You're right BFC.

Fat lot of good it will be if you kick all the cars off the track at turn 1 when you have 6 broken down cars littering the track that need to be recovered before the next session can start.

We need to be able to get the recovery vehicles out onto the track once the first car that gets the chequered flag has gone past but this requires the drivers to slow right down and not run at 9/10ths on the slow down lap.

Perhaps we should introduce a Course Car class, they get more track time than anyone else
Seriously we also need to get rid of Course Cars doing more laps of the circuit than the race cars, in this day and age of radio communications we don't need someone hooning around the track checking it's "Closed, Safe & Secure" before the next session can start, even report collections can be done by chase or recovery vehicles if need be.

I also don't think mixing race cars and the non paying public is a good idea either. At least within the paddock area the public has paid to get in and has passed the disclaimer signs and has a ticket stating motor racing is dangerous but anyone can drive, walk or crawl (after a big Saturday night) into Racecourse Drive. There is the possiblility of running the cars in behind the Grandstand BUT there are speed humps in there and unless it's well sign posted very easy to get lost in there. There also needs to be monitoring of the cars as it wouldn't be the first time a car has broken down, or worse, caught fire on the slow down lap and if this occured away from normal trackside monitoring could cause all sort of other problems.

There are many issues relating to the well intentioned idea of improving the flow of the meeting that need examination.I preface this with that seeing will be believing-- and I do not seee to much harm in trying.I am concerned with the issues relating to cool down, ground clearance,overheating, safety, the surfaces, safety, what time is really saved( re above) and the idea of doing warm up behind safety car etc. It is probably not sufficient time or speed
to get slicks warm- let alone race ready in just one very slow lap. Not such an issue for the R spec tyres but a very tricky one for slick shod cars.
This can all be changed on the run if need be-- lets see how it transpires .

[Denosaur]

Originally Posted by PVDA

There is the possiblility of running the cars in behind the Grandstand BUT there are speed humps in there and unless it's well sign posted very easy to get lost in there.

PVDA, Davo had some ramps installed over the speed humps for Easternats, for those with vertically challenge body kits. They worked a treat, even tested them myself.

Thou still, the idea is complete stupid.

The Racing Club should have built another Tunnel when they did all changes a couple of years ago, exit somewhere like just before Dandy Road and under they go and come out, over a bridge and into the paddock.

[GROUPA]

Originally Posted by PVDA

We need to be able to get the recovery vehicles out onto the track once the first car that gets the chequered flag has gone past but this requires the drivers to slow right down and not run at 9/10ths on the slow down lap.

You tell that to Skip...not a bad gig..roll up thrash around in some sort of car (EF XR6) drop off drinks, lunch etc....

Where do I apply

[MPA]

Silver, you're right when you say some cars cost a bucket load per lap to run and adding track time could lead to more expense and DNFs. Fair call.

But when you have an eight lap race reduced to 4 laps late on Sunday afternoon because the meeting is running so far behind is another matter altogether.

If you say you're going to get a 20 minute Qual, and a six lap race on Sat, with a 6 lapper and a ten lap pointscore on Sunday, that is what the racers should expect for their money.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by MPA

Silver, you're right when you say some cars cost a bucket load per lap to run and adding track time could lead to more expense and DNFs. Fair call.

But when you have an eight lap race reduced to 4 laps late on Sunday afternoon because the meeting is running so far behind is another matter altogether.

If you say you're going to get a 20 minute Qual, and a six lap race on Sat, with a 6 lapper and a ten lap pointscore on Sunday, that is what the racers should expect for their money.

If you said--- 15 Min practice-- 15 min Qual--- 6 Lap race = Saturday
8 Lap race Sunday AM plus 10 lap Race Sunday PM --- all races are for points-- 60% in final race. That is a real example.
The classes running late Sunday afternoon will be on their 4th race-- so that is risk they take if time runs short. The issue of delays is alway present - especially with jam packed program -- and there is not really an easy solution-- although I would always put FF last as they have a real history in causing delays-- and perhaps they should be the ones to suffer from their own mistakes . I personally have always enjoyed the FF races over the years but each new crop brings new problems-- and the resultant delays.From other categories point of view this is a first class pain.

[MPA]

But putting the troublesome F/fords on last would mean they'd need to run headlights.

The MGCC will run up to 6.00 pm if needed.....dunno about you, but I'm not planning on working in the dark this weekend....

Ummmmmm, let me rephrase that....I might be working in the dark if I can't get my own radio or scanner....those trackside comms guys are pretty tight lipped when it comes to letting the flaggys & race control know what's going on.


As you stated before -this weekend should be not a glorified paractice day. It should look like a race meeting ,sound like a race meeting and be a race meeting-

How does cutting down "The Main Events" improve the Championship?

Agree with you, the meeting is tight for time....how about we run 7 or 8 classes with feilds of around 35/45 cars in each?

35x 7 classes=245 cars, 45 x 8 classes =360 cars. Enough entry fees there to cover some of the costs. Less laps for the old XR6 Falcon course car with is dodgy head gasket because there's less events on the card.

[Oaksnaf]

What was the problem with last years April event? That ran well on time and pretty much all categories got 26 laps of racing over three races.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

What was the problem with last years April event? That ran well on time and pretty much all categories got 26 laps of racing over three races.

People tend to remember what went wrong- rather than what went right!