Daytona Runoffs Observations from a non-participant.

Dug89

Dug89

Active member
Some interesting personal observations from a non-participant. We spent two days at the track, Tuesday and Saturday (Thanks Tony).

1) The Daytona staff was unusually friendly and helpful. I have been around Daytona on and off for 20 years and I have to say, this was the friendliest I have ever seen them. I guess there is a new generation of DIS staff in place and they did a great job.

2) I was surprised that top speed was not the key ingredient in fast lap times. In most cases, those that could get around the infield the fastest were at the top. A lot of racers were resetting this cars back to a roadrace setup to get the infield speed back.

3) The SCCA Live coverage was outstanding. Very professional, very polished. Multi-camera views, live timing... just excellent.

4) DIS has some really nice and large paddock spaces and amenities. Although pricey, I now think worth the money. Pavement, power, water and cable, what's not to like. Peter Shadowen even had a pool.

5) The Prod Party was well attended and many thanks to Dale Frame for pulling it off. It's nice to see all the prod drivers socializing properly. The beer pot luck was excellent.

6) I was disappointed in the small number of GT-1 cars. What can I say.

7) Class parity. Looking at the top 5 in the Prod and GT-L classes, we are seeing some really good manufactures parity. I suppose there is still and issue with legacy H-Prod cars vs the tin tops. Mid-Ohio may see more BMC cars I hope.

Here are the manufacture finishes for our little world:

E-Prod:
Datsun, BMW, Mazda, BMW, Datsun
F-Prod:
Acura, Mazda, Mazda, MG, Mazda
H-Prod:
Honda, Toyota, VW, Honda, VW
GT-L
Honda, MG, Mazda, Honda, Nissan

Thanks to the 500+ volunteer workers that make this all possible.
 
Doug, all good points and I agree as a participant. Thanks again Dayle for your work on the Prod Party.

Both GT1 and GTL barely met the 10 car limit for a race group.

The Central Florida Group went out of their way to make the event a success.

These one time at a track events are a very poor idea. It takes some time for most competitors to learn there way around a track as well at the local area for supplies, food ect. At least 2 years at each new track makes sense from a logistical as well as an event organizational stance. 3 years was even better. Are all the senior decision makers trying to get the event at all their bucket list tracks while they are still active?
 
Tom Broring":22fkjjc3 said:
Both GT1 and GTL barely met the 10 car limit for a race group.
Click to expand...

The GTL guys were taking this Runoffs off to get ready for Mid-Ohio. None wanted to come to Daytona (and of the ones who did come, half only came to support the class or because I twisted their arm). I would have stayed home (I needed the time off) but didn't.

The GT1 guys had a TransAm schedule conflict.

Peter
 
A pass from what?
If GT1 hadnt had 10 cars, they would not have had an official champ, like any class, if thats what you mean.
We (Trans-Am and SCCA both) tried very hard not to have a conflict, but schedules sort of jumbled at the last minute and it couldnt be avoided unfortunately. It cost the GT1 race about 5 entries or so.

There were also a couple GT2 entries lost also. Hopefully we can avoid a conflict next year but its not always as easy as it appears.

Tony
 
Tony

That's what I meant. We know many of the the gt1 guys run trans am. Both are scca events and we a conflict with ourselves. Wondering if they get a national championship because of the conflict knowing that there would have been entries if not for a conflict the club had with itself.
 
I think since they had 11 cars that turned a wheel in practice they crowned a champ. At least i think so......yes I know I should know since Im on the CRB...

I was largely surprised and disappointed in the total number of entries at the runoffs. I felt that Daytona would be a bucket list track for a lot of people but I guess not. Ive always loved the place, in stock cars as well as on the road course.

T
 
Might be that Daytona means that lots of dyno time and money spent getting a Road Race car to go fast straight. More of an engine builders championship than a drivers. IMHO.
Got past it , had a great time, I am glad that we did it.
May do it again through a cheaper path.
MM
 
tonyave":3uzz59dx said:
I think since they had 11 cars that turned a wheel in practice they crowned a champ. At least i think so......yes I know I should know since Im on the CRB...

I was largely surprised and disappointed in the total number of entries at the runoffs. I felt that Daytona would be a bucket list track for a lot of people but I guess not. Ive always loved the place, in stock cars as well as on the road course.

T
Click to expand...

I felt this way too until I added up all the cars based on the grid sheets. There were 592 cars there - way more than what I thought just glancing at all the sheets.

Bill
 
While folks in the SEDIV can race at Daytona each season, the rest of us can't. Racing there was as appropriate as any track. I think the people who stayed home looked at cost versus return. It is long tow from anywhere.
For me it was on the "Bucket List".
 
maybe its different in a spec type class that features a lot of drafting but we found (and I think pro teams would agree..) that the infield is what makes or breaks your lap time. We were not the fastest car in the final segment of lap time of the GT1 field.

592 is not a good number. I know the estimates were over 700 with the east coast location and specifically all the cars in the SE. so it was disappointing. the GT1 field was downright embarrassing with only 5 cars running at the end and only 7 starting after attrition during the week.
 
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