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Hi all, I'm looking for a little guidance here.  I'm chairing an autocross for Detroit Region SCCA next Saturday, and I'm trying out a new format.  I want to run half the classes in the morning, and the other half in the afternoon, to reduce the amount of time competitors are needed to be at the event site.  So basically, the run/work order would be run1/work2, run2/work1, run3/work4, and run4/work3. 

Any tips on how to run this the best way?  Do you typically require all entrants to preregister?  What happens if you have someone walk up to register for the afternoon sessions, but their class already ran?  

If this weekend's event is moderately successful, I'd like to start switching over all of our regional events to this format.  I've heard lots of complaints about having to spend all day at a SCCA Solo, but only have to spend a few hours at local car clubs autocrosses.  This year, both SCCA and local car clubs are using the same lot, so we are losing a fair number of competitors to the local club events.  In the past, our SCCA events usually had bigger lots, and the local car clubs had miniscule lots.  

I'm looking for any words of wisdom from people that have run events like this in the past.  

Thanks, 

Steve Baumbach

4 run groups broken up by attendance a, b, c, d

classes assigned to group a,b,c,d by average number of entrants and attempt to keep one group from being too heavy with novices

two heats morning, two in the afternoon

heats advance by one each event a,b morning, c,d afternoon, next month d,a morning, b,c afternoon, and so on.

most advance register, but take walkups $5 extra

Have an X class for people to run in a non-competive, no points, no trophies, index class, available morning and afternoon.

We do a split format in Atlanta complete with a morning check in and tech as well as an afternoon check in and tech. Keep in mind it does require that most of the event staff stay on site all day as well as finding people to man two check-ins and registrations. Atlanta has pre-registration only so we can split the groups the night before (we already formed an A and B session that rotate however we still need to separate the two sessions into balanced heats). Allowing alot of onsite late checkin and registration will only slow down the event because you will not be able to organize the heats and workers before check in closes. At our events once you check in you go straight to a worker check next to the check-in window to get your work assignment. This helps things run really fast once the morning or afternoon session starts.

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Meredith
STR AP1 S2000

We recently switched away from this...although I wish we could go back to a half day format, with pre-reg only.

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www.phillyscca.com
SS #10

yep. after we ran split format for a season, a lot of people wanted to switch back to a full day, partially b/c there was no downtime.  no time to socialize, shoot the s-- with friends in other class (esp if they were running off-session), less time to spend w/ novice instruction, etc.  for those who wanted to get in and out, it worked great, but for others, it was kind of a bummer.  i enjoyed the lesser time commitment, but actually prefer the full-day format.  *shrug*  can't hurt to try it and see how the membership feels about it.

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Mike
'04 RX-8 -- #44 CS
'10 CX-9 -- family truckster & dog hauler
www.phillyscca.com
www.GreyhoundAngelsAdoption.com

Thanks all for your comments.  I'm going to see how membership feels about it overall.  I agree with some comments about not having much time to socialize - that's one of the best parts in my opinion.  We'll give it a shot this weekend, and maybe try it once or twice more this year, and see what people like best. 

Steve

Philadelphia region SCCA has used this format. So you may want to contact their solo events chairman for advice.  I personally like  this way of running an event, especially on those hot summer days.

 

pretty much all of SoCal runs this kind of format, really most of the west coast as far as I can tell. Though the Class order and work order are a little diffrent for each.

 

Here's the Run/Work order for our last event:

http://members.quixnet.net/free2000/6-14WorkRunOrder.pdf

 You always run and work in your half of the day, Open and Ladies classes run seperate so they can support each other and work together. Open classes move forward once every event so no one class gets an advantage over the year when it comes to overall points. I run in the Pax, so we ran last that event and we'll run first next event.

 We used to run 8 groups when we were getting 280-300 people at local events, but lately we've been averaging around 140-180 with the downturn, so it's down to 6 groups to get good coverage.

 Oh and FJ's always run first or right after lunch, alternating. 

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-Aaron Goldsmith

www.EliteTint.com
www.ChaseCam.com

waktasz:

We recently switched away from this...although I wish we could go back to a half day format, with pre-reg only.

 

Maybe you should come down to the DC events.  :)

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John Vitamvas
1990 GTUs - STS fodder

no-cones:

Philadelphia region SCCA has used this format. So you may want to contact their solo events chairman for advice. 

The Philly split day was good...if you were in the AM session.  If you were in the PM session it was better to switch to Non-Comp in the morning, or stay away.

The PM session was required to show up at around 11AM to register and tech, but often didn't finish until 7 or 8 at night.  Any timing or weather issues would delay the PM section, and many PM drivers jumped to the morning section by changing class or running non-comp to get some extra runs in thereby prolonging the start of the PM session.

It got to the point that I wouldn't even show up for a PM event, and I think others did the same.

These delays made for a long day for the staff.

Moving back to a full day format has moved the end time back to a more reasonable time, ending between 4 and 6 PM again.

FWIW.  YRMV.

 

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Ted

2003 C5 AE Coupe AS
2004 Z16/Z06 SS

.

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Ted

2003 C5 AE Coupe AS
2004 Z16/Z06 SS

TedDBere:

no-cones:

Philadelphia region SCCA has used this format. So you may want to contact their solo events chairman for advice. 

The Philly split day was good...if you were in the AM session.  If you were in the PM session it was better to switch to Non-Comp in the morning, or stay away.

The PM session was required to show up at around 11AM to register and tech, but often didn't finish until 7 or 8 at night.  Any timing or weather issues would delay the PM section, and many PM drivers jumped to the morning section by changing class or running non-comp to get some extra runs in thereby prolonging the start of the PM session.

It got to the point that I wouldn't even show up for a PM event, and I think others did the same.

These delays made for a long day for the staff.

Moving back to a full day format has moved the end time back to a more reasonable time, ending between 4 and 6 PM again.

FWIW.  YRMV.

 

 

 

Even if that were true (I have never been at an event that ran that late.  The latest event I've been to was that famous Corey loop de loop course that had the giant launch interavals, and I was easily home by 8 that day)  that means the PM guys have to show up at 11 and be there 9 hours.  The AM guys get to leave early.  The current event means everyone has to be there at 7, and can leave at 4.  That's 9 hours, for everyone, every event.  It's less if you run heat one and work heat 3 and can leave 90 minutes early, but that's still a lot of standing around.  Maybe if the full day events had proper worker changes on the fly and we could eliminate that extra hour delay it could be better. As it is now running heat 4 is terrrrrible.

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www.phillyscca.com
SS #10

TedDBere:

no-cones:

Philadelphia region SCCA has used this format. So you may want to contact their solo events chairman for advice. 

The Philly split day was good...if you were in the AM session.  If you were in the PM session it was better to switch to Non-Comp in the morning, or stay away.

The PM session was required to show up at around 11AM to register and tech, but often didn't finish until 7 or 8 at night.  Any timing or weather issues would delay the PM section, and many PM drivers jumped to the morning section by changing class or running non-comp to get some extra runs in thereby prolonging the start of the PM session.

It got to the point that I wouldn't even show up for a PM event, and I think others did the same.

These delays made for a long day for the staff.

Moving back to a full day format has moved the end time back to a more reasonable time, ending between 4 and 6 PM again.

FWIW.  YRMV.

 

I'm in the philly region, and we NEVER finished at 7 or 8.  we had maybe two events that ended 6 or 6:30, but usually we were done around 5 in either format.  Any delays were not due to the format, but typically due to timing issues. 

 All that being said, I agree that the 1/2 day format was great if you ran in the morning, but overall I prefer the ful day format.  I've gotten to enjoy the social aspects much more this season, and talk to my fellow competitors much more than in the past.  I've met people this season that I've raced against for years but never got the chance to talk to because of the compressed format we used to use. 

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Jer

2005 Lotus Elise (retired)
2002 diesel Ford Excursion 4X4 tow vehicle
1993 Miata LeMons car
1984 Citation LeMons car

i don't mind running 4th heat.  prep the car first heat, work second, grab lunch third, run fourth.  pack up car, get trophy, go home.  i'd rather run third or fourth than first.

on the fly worker changes are not a bad idea, though.

Surferjer:

 All that being said, I agree that the 1/2 day format was great if you ran in the morning, but overall I prefer the ful day format.  I've gotten to enjoy the social aspects much more this season, and talk to my fellow competitors much more than in the past.  I've met people this season that I've raced against for years but never got the chance to talk to because of the compressed format we used to use. 

same here.

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Mike
'04 RX-8 -- #44 CS
'10 CX-9 -- family truckster & dog hauler
www.phillyscca.com
www.GreyhoundAngelsAdoption.com

Surferjer:

I'm in the philly region, and we NEVER finished at 7 or 8.  we had maybe two events that ended 6 or 6:30, but usually we were done around 5 in either format.  Any delays were not due to the format, but typically due to timing issues.   

lol...I can still remember my thought as I was making the turnaround on my last run at Warminster a couple of years ago: "Gosh, it's 6:30 and I'm starving.  I wonder if there's a McDonalds anywhere near here?" 

It's probably the funniest thought I've ever had pass through my head in the middle of an autox run...which is why I remember it so well.

hmmm...maybe there's a new thread in here somewhere....

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Ted

2003 C5 AE Coupe AS
2004 Z16/Z06 SS