luder_5555

^ Ya I know, I just like giving people a hard time.

If you want to do it, just preregister, and maybe if enough people do, they will re-open the event.

N.L.

jerrypeterson

Racers in all the other disiplines are showing up rain or shine. Even the drifters. Not really sure how you can expect the calendar to be available for a car event, when EVERYONE else pre-registers and actually shows up. I'm worried that if the car guys can't show better commitment, there simply won't be weekend dates in the future. There is rampant competition for weekend dates by all kinds of motorsports.

ALFYonso

You do realize you quoted a guy that threw $3500 in STR parts at his S2000 and hasn't been to one Auto-X all season, right? I can't speak for the other car guys, but clearly I'm not as 'core as the racers/drifters in all other disciplines.

I think you misunderstood what I wrote. I meant that it's gotta be expected that participation/interest will drop off as the weather changes and people stop caring about car-related activities. That's especially considering the notion that car guys are probably the most casual bunch to use the facility and very few of us have dedicated racecars. I'm just saying that they/you/anyone could've seen that coming. I imagine they could have stopped all car events in September like originally planned and not many would have bitched. I wouldn't ever expect them to keep an event open if everyone gave them a "maybe I'll show up if the weather is good." That was just my approach because I wouldn't be all hurt if it was full, cancelled, etc.

To add to my non-committal - as well as many others that don't drive a race-tired Ariel Atom or boosted, fully spec'd Miata - there's no way I'm winning shit in Lap Attack. I just go because it's fun and a good way for personal benchmarking. The incentive of winning isn't there, so I don't see the need to be committed through rain, shine, etc. Perhaps if they added a split between street and race tires...

As for car events and weekend dates - if I remember correctly, wasn't Lap Attack intended to be the type of event where participants got off an hour early from work on a Friday afternoon to participate in an event from 5-9 PM? Of course, there needs to be daylight for this to work, but the sun doesn't go down early in the summer, which is when it makes sense to have an event like this. Is Friday at 5-9 PM a highly sought-after time slot?

I don't mean to sound like I'm whining, that's just where I'm coming from. I'm extremely grateful that PGP hosts car events, and am glad to see them holding on to the notion that it's a multi-purpose course. I just think that as the weather worsens, the dedication from the car guys will taper off and pick back up again when Spring rolls around.

Sorry for the essay-length post, ese'

luder_5555

^ I would agree with most of what you said to some degree, but I also think that a large amount of fall-off may have been due to the whole coolant thing.

I also largly agree with the whole non competitive thing. I think that even something as simple as NA class, FI class would be a huge improvement. Yes the s2k's and lotus's with r-comps would be faster than the miatas, but it would be much closer.

On the other hand, I do not see the weather arguement as being all that valid, especially because even the rental cart races have great turnout for wet races.

N.L.

s2000Junky

At PGP it would be great to have a street tire and R comp class. HP rated class doesn't make as big a difference there. Its all about the turning grip/speed in the corners, at the end of a lap it adds up becuase there is a whole lot of em

You might see 3 tenths - 1 sec depending on boost between an N/A S2k and one that is FI. Compared to 3 sec difference with street tires/ R comps.

luder_5555

^ well not to sound like an ass, but the difference between street and r-comp tires on a low power car is 2 sec at best, and I can tell you that power makes a lot bigger difference than people seem to think. I mean bundy runs 1:11 with 225 NT01 tires in his turbo miata, and while I will admit that he has better suspension than me, it's not four seconds better. Perhapse when you are talking about the 240hp a s2k makes, there is not much difference. But I can assure you that a 100hp car that weighs over 2000lbs will not run under 1:10 no matter the suspension or tires. This is a fact that I would love to be proven wrong on, but I just don't see it happening. There are just too many corners where you have to go slow enough that you just can get going fast enough to take advantage of the extra grip in the next few corners.

N.L.

s2000Junky

Your aloud to sound like an ass if you want. No question the Miata could use help in the power to weight ratio compared to the S2k. Some could argue that the Miata being a lighter shorter wheel base car could have an advantage for that track over the s2k in cornering speed given the same grip. My statement I feel is pretty accurate overall for most cars out there, but the S being my benchmark of course.

RT

Commitment

WestSideBilly

I have to plead stupidity. I forgot all about the PGP day until noon yesterday when the NASCRAP race came on.

I don't know how much incentive with respect to winning there is... but my slow ass driving a slow ass car will only win if nobody else shows up, so I guess the appeal of more classes is limited to me.

jerrypeterson

What I am saying is if you guys want premium competition time slots, specifically weekends, there needs to be a higher level of commitment. Obviously the car crowd tapers off in the winter, but this is only facility putting car events on December thru February. I'd hate to see them cancelled.