Where are the Runoffs going in 2014?

[joecam96]

Jeff Dahnert talks about the Runoffs in a SCCA video. http://www.scca.com/about/?cid=51182

In an Autoweek interview, he talks about the SCCA promoting the event and simply renting the track instead of extorting the venue which in turn passes the cost on to us. http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012102 ... /121029929

 

[Al Seim]

I have not yet read the Autoweek interview but the concept sounds correct, I've long thought that the current financial model was lose-lose when it came to satisfaction.

 

[bfloyd]

In no real order of unlikelyness but here goes:

Brainerd
Nelson Ledges
Gateway
Memphis
Pocono
IRP/ORP (yeah I know we dont race there anymore)
Putnum Park (ditto)
Miller
Laguna Seca
:lol:

 

[Mark Coffin]

VIR is at or near the geographic center of SCCA licensed drivers, it'd be a great venue. Great track, perfect weather that time of year, the paddock can handle it (especially if they used both paddocks and the center section for camping, etc).

The real question is whether they'd want to bother with tying up their schedule that long for the SCCA. :ask:

MC

 

[Matt Blehm]

don't forget the rumors/wishes about COTA as well.

Then again, after seeing some video of an SM on the track last week, it looks painful for anything with less than 300hp. loooooong straights with a hard corner at the end. sounds real familiar.

 

[Jason Stine]

I'd like to see Mid-Ohio, VIR, and Road Atlanta be given serious consideration for 2014 and beyond... Maybe even Barber too

 

[BobC]

Virginia in the middle of Hurricane Season?

 

[jdh]

don't forget the rumors/wishes about COTA as well.

Then again, after seeing some video of an SM on the track last week, it looks painful for anything with less than 300hp. loooooong straights with a hard corner at the end. sounds real familiar.

I'm guessing I should be close to 150 before braking for turn one in race car V 2.0. NOT.

 

[Recracer]

RA!!

 

[Matt Brannon]

Virginia in the middle of Hurricane Season?

Ha Ha. The 2011 Runoffs had a smaller version of Sandy parked right over northern Illinois all week. It was really nice.

-M

 

[S. Henry]

VIR is at or near the geographic center of SCCA licensed drivers...

MC

VIR seems pretty far east... How did you come up with this? I'm sure it's possible, but seems unlikely... I would have no problem with VIR, always wanted to go there... I would have guessed the middle to be around STL/BHF/Memph/HPT

 

[joecam96]

Given the amount of time we need to spend there and the social aspects of the event I'd like to see it at a "natural" race course like Road Atlanta, M-O, Watkins Glen. COTA looks too sterile as do road course/ovals.

 

[Al Seim]

I'm sure that VIR is to the east of a "center of SCCA drivers" location, I'd guess that's halfway or more toward Topeka....

But I think that VIR is very good on some other distance metrics - it probably gets as many or more SCCA drivers within say a 12hr tow as any other location in the US. Arguably, trying to go for "the center" gets you "too far from everybody", per the experience at Topeka.

And it isn't much to the east of Mid-Ohio or Road Atlanta, and is of course more central north - south. And one of the prettiest "natural" tracks per Joe's comment.

A fine choice!

Al Seim
HP VW Scirocco

 

[jdh]

COTA looks too sterile.

DOOODE (you'll understand that when you spend some time in Austin), It is a new track and you don't grow trees overnight. If you understood the liberal mindset in Austin, AKA Moscow on the Colorado, you would know that trees are being planted, green spaces are being groomed, and the tree hugers are keeping a watchful eye on the progress.

 

[Mark Coffin]

VIR is at or near the geographic center of SCCA licensed drivers...

MC

VIR seems pretty far east... How did you come up with this? I'm sure it's possible, but seems unlikely... I would have no problem with VIR, always wanted to go there... I would have guessed the middle to be around STL/BHF/Memph/HPT

Look at a map. The NE Div is quite a bit further east as you go north. So this pulls the center of gravity east. The CENDIV isn't that much farther to the west than VIR. And the HUGE number of SCCA drivers in Florida would pull the CoG east.

Not much going on in the center of the country as far as number of drivers (relatively speaking) and the west coast SCCA licensed drivers would pull it to the west a little bit.

But draw your own conclusions...

Mark

 

[dhrmx5]

I take it a lot of you haven't actually seen the pits at VIR. Dusty or muddy, take your pick. Track is nice, though. As is the management, very accomodating.

 

[Jay Griffin]

Dusty or muddy, take your pick. Track is nice, though. As is the management, very accomodating.

The pea gravel there isn't nearly as bad as the red Georgia clay. I really like that place.

That aside, I recently read that the track is looking very seriously at paving the existing paddock very soon. Don't know anything definitive about it, just something I read on another site recently.

 

[Mark Coffin]

I take it a lot of you haven't actually seen the pits at VIR. Dusty or muddy, take your pick. Track is nice, though. As is the management, very accomodating.

You mean unlike Mid-Ohio or Road America??? :lol:

MC

 

[peterzekert]

VIR: It's all up to the track if they want to add proper paddock space. Reality is that VIR would have to build tons of space, past the skid pad and down into the south area. At the Runoffs track inspection (VIR 2008), paddock space, the lack of it, was the reason it was taken off the list.

North, South, East, West:
If the CLUB had a clue, they'd first announce that wherever the event was held, they'd contract with some of the enclosed car transporters and let people FLY to the event while their car got delivered. MOST people can't take the time off to tow across the US. If they could be home or working 6 more days, and if the club coordinated transport, who cares if it's East or West?

Pipe Dream:
Could the event be held at Barber Motorsports Park by using the "outside" paddock down near the naked lady? [Yes, there is a 3 story naked lady in the pond.] The track is way cool but the inside paddock is limited. [It's F-ing cool. Drove there first time in August.]

Peter

 

[Stan Clayton]

VIR is at or near the geographic center of SCCA licensed drivers, it'd be a great venue. Great track, perfect weather that time of year, the paddock can handle it (especially if they used both paddocks and the center section for camping, etc).

The real question is whether they'd want to bother with tying up their schedule that long for the SCCA. :ask:

MC

This is a map I drew up some years ago while the Runoffs were at HPT. The number below the name of the track is the unweighted average distance from a representative city in each of the other eight Division to that track. The map itself is from the US Census website, and shows the population density by county, so may not reflect the distribution of SCCA competitors. Although I cannot find the spreadsheet right now, I do recall that no Runoffs-capable track comes close to MO for accessibility to competitors. VIR and Indy aren't bad, but MO is best.