Novice S2K Run Group
07-26-2004, 09:29 AM
#22
Originally Posted by AATees,Jul 26 2004, 10:19 AM
I wanted to agrue with you, but I really can't. All of your points are valid.
It is very important to the long term success of the club to continually bring in new members. I offered my suggestion to target novice S2000 drivers as a tool to encourage new participants. If adding a Novice S2000 class won't do that, then there's no point to it, especially if our non-S2K clientele feel slighted.
This is not about Auto-Xing or Miata bashing. If more bluebonnet tours would bring in more S2000s, I would have suggested that.
Regards,
It is very important to the long term success of the club to continually bring in new members. I offered my suggestion to target novice S2000 drivers as a tool to encourage new participants. If adding a Novice S2000 class won't do that, then there's no point to it, especially if our non-S2K clientele feel slighted.
This is not about Auto-Xing or Miata bashing. If more bluebonnet tours would bring in more S2000s, I would have suggested that.
Regards,
I don't feel slighted or "bashed upon" at all, and I'm sorry if that's how it read. I was merely offering a viewpoint from someone outside the club who happens to have participated directly in this "How can we attract more new blood?" discussion with several of the local clubs, including Texas Region and Maverick PCA.
I didn't intend anything in my post to be inflamatory, and I apologize if it was taken in such a context. I was merely offering my personal opinions based upon observing and participating in this sport in this area of the country for the past five or six years.
I definitely encourage the attraction of new participants. Amongst the local Miata enthusiasts, we have made it a habit to encourage Miata owners that we meet to come and join us at an event, either as a partcipant or just to watch and see what it is all about. When these owners show up at an event, we typically go out of our way to make them feel welcome. We invite them to ride along with our more experienced drivers, and we try to take the time to introduce them to the sport, invite them to ask questions, and generally make the whole experience as enjoyable as possible. When they start showing up to events we let the more experienced drivers offer to instruct them or show them around, we invite them to walk the course with us, we encourage them to pit with us, offer them tire pressure and setup tips, etc.
It seems to work - when I bought my Miata three years ago, there were typically 4-5 Miatas at an SCCA or ER event, and 2-3 at a BMWCCA or PCA event. Now we routinely attract ~20 Miatas to SCCA & ER events, an almost similar number to S2000 events (where we outnumber you guys as often as not
), and 10 or so at PCA events (although we're still pretty rare at the LSBMWCCA events for other reasons). I fully expect those numbers to increase by another 50% by next season based on the traffic we get on the website, which hasn't even been up and running for six months yet. I think the secret to attracting and retaining newbies lies in welcoming them into the group and going out of your way to make them feel welcomed.
07-26-2004, 09:45 AM
#23
Registered User
We are first and foremost an S2000 club and always put the needs of S2k owners first. What Iain doesn't know is that the first few S2k events DID outnumber non-S2k's. I just redid the Results page, check it out:
http://www.s2000.org/nts2koc/autox/results.shtml
It wasn't until the beginning of '02 that we had more non-S2k attendees.
If we have enough people for 2 novice classes I don't see a problem. I have always disagreed with SCCA rules for novice classes and points/trophies as I think it promotes people staying "novice" for too long.
If the objective is learning, then we should probably focus more on instruction rather than classes. We always have people dedicated to this function...
http://www.s2000.org/nts2koc/autox/results.shtml
It wasn't until the beginning of '02 that we had more non-S2k attendees.
If we have enough people for 2 novice classes I don't see a problem. I have always disagreed with SCCA rules for novice classes and points/trophies as I think it promotes people staying "novice" for too long.
If the objective is learning, then we should probably focus more on instruction rather than classes. We always have people dedicated to this function...
07-26-2004, 09:51 AM
#24
Registered User
Originally Posted by altiain,Jul 26 2004, 12:29 PM
It seems to work - when I bought my Miata three years ago, there were typically 4-5 Miatas at an SCCA or ER event, and 2-3 at a BMWCCA or PCA event. Now we routinely attract ~20 Miatas to SCCA & ER events, an almost similar number to S2000 events (where we outnumber you guys as often as not ), and 10 or so at PCA events (although we're still pretty rare at the LSBMWCCA events for other reasons).
), and 10 or so at PCA events (although we're still pretty rare at the LSBMWCCA events for other reasons).Also, the sheer number of Miatas out there gives them a distinct advantage. Considering there are only ~5000 S2000s sold in the US annually, and probably only a couple hundred of those are sold in the DFW metroplex, I think it will be quite a challenge to have a huge showing of S2000s at a local autocross.
But, I agree with Iain and others when they say that the most important thing to get more S2000 drivers (or any kind of drivers) to an event is to make them feel welcome. A lot of people come out there by themselves just to "try it out". If they don't have someone to talk to or pal around with, the event is not going to be as enjoyable as it could be. While autocrossing is primarily a performance driving/car control event, it can/should be a social event as well.
BTW...
Hi mochoajr! Hope to see you at the next event!
07-26-2004, 12:34 PM
#26
Registered User
Originally Posted by gernby,Jul 26 2004, 12:28 PM
Marcucci,
The 2002 season results (ASP) is not correct. I never loaded all of the events into the database.
The 2002 season results (ASP) is not correct. I never loaded all of the events into the database.
07-26-2004, 01:20 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by marcucci,Jul 26 2004, 05:43 AM
The novice class should include all drivers, not just S2k's. If you are worried about the mixing of vehicles diluting the points, then you do not belong in a novice class in the first place. 
As for a group event, renting out MW is $250 plus you have a similar cost for insurance. The club cannot host an event that is not insured. I have argued with David for a long time that those who help setup should get in free. Unfortunately we could not afford to host a 40-person event if that were the case, we would need to have many more attendees than that.
I would suggest that anyone who wants a school go to the PCA or a simialar event; they do them annually and do a very good job. We ALWAYS have instructors on hand at an event though people rarely use them. The three people I asked at the last even while working grid that were newbies didn't want them.
As for a group event, renting out MW is $250 plus you have a similar cost for insurance. The club cannot host an event that is not insured. I have argued with David for a long time that those who help setup should get in free. Unfortunately we could not afford to host a 40-person event if that were the case, we would need to have many more attendees than that.
I would suggest that anyone who wants a school go to the PCA or a simialar event; they do them annually and do a very good job. We ALWAYS have instructors on hand at an event though people rarely use them. The three people I asked at the last even while working grid that were newbies didn't want them.
07-26-2004, 01:21 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by AATees,Jul 26 2004, 08:04 AM
I respectfully disagree. This is the North Texas S2000 Owners Club and we should be doing everything possible to encourage the participation of S2000 owners.
While I appreciate the participation of other cars, and many such as yourself have been invaluable to the success of the events, the optimum for us in my opinion would be Auto-X's with the vast majority of the entrants being S2000s. I think any perks, discounts and other inducements should be reserved for members of the NTS2KOC first (some of which are non-S2Ks), other S2000 owners next, and others only as a distant third.
My goal was to encourage participation of Novice S2000 drivers. If we want to form a separate Novice Other class, thats a different topic, and not a proposal I would support.
I don't want other car owners to feel unwelcome, but the NTS2KOC will live or die based on our love of this finest of sportscars. We need to continually encourage participation of new S2000 owners or we will fade away like so many other clubs.
Regards,
While I appreciate the participation of other cars, and many such as yourself have been invaluable to the success of the events, the optimum for us in my opinion would be Auto-X's with the vast majority of the entrants being S2000s. I think any perks, discounts and other inducements should be reserved for members of the NTS2KOC first (some of which are non-S2Ks), other S2000 owners next, and others only as a distant third.
My goal was to encourage participation of Novice S2000 drivers. If we want to form a separate Novice Other class, thats a different topic, and not a proposal I would support.
I don't want other car owners to feel unwelcome, but the NTS2KOC will live or die based on our love of this finest of sportscars. We need to continually encourage participation of new S2000 owners or we will fade away like so many other clubs.
Regards,
07-26-2004, 01:22 PM
#29
I had them at one time, but I don't know if I have them anymore (new job, new computer, many ... many beers). Honestly, I don't think using the ASP / Database is worth the effort unless we are going to use it for all future timing and scoring. I gave up on the venture when there was such low interest.
07-28-2004, 12:20 AM
#30
I think that a novice class would be a very good idea. It should also be a universal class. This is only if i get to be in this class. I think me and catfish are the only new s2000 that i have seen at the events since i began coming mid last year. Go newbies