THEQuagraine

Big race, big pits!

I had a bit of a rant about the big races being more about the organiser than the racers, so I thought I would offer you my opinion on what makes a good race. You know, not just talk trash, but offer solutions also. Here goes, here’s what I think.

Limit Entries: It’s impossible to make a race good for the racers if you have too many entries. It’s just not possible. MAYBE if you only run one class, maybe. But it IS possible to organise a big race, make money, and still make it good for the racers. Look at The NEO Race. They could easily have 1000 entries, but they choose not to, because they want to make the Neo Race a great experience for the racers. Entries are limited to 270, with 59 spots for the eBuggy class. That means it’s possible to run a program where everyone gets a good amount of track time. The Neo Race isn’t about maximising profit, it’s about branding, it’s about having a good time and strengthening the neobuggy.net website following. That’s the attitude you need, that’s what sets the foundation for a good race.

Schedule it: A great race runs to a schedule, there are many reasons for that. Not only do racers know when they are up, and don’t have to hang around waiting, and they can schedule their days accordingly, but drivers can get mechanics lined up and actually tell them what time they need help. People also know when to watch certain drivers, and finally, with a schedule you stick to it, so it’s fair, no waiting for this guy or that guy, when you cant do it for everyone, etc. This also means, that days will end at a decent time, and there is time to socialise and go to dinner.

Controlled Practice: Standing in line is no fun, so why stand in line for practice? Just make it controlled, everyone gets the same amount, no friends standing in line for you, no running back to back without standing in line again, keep it simple, and keep it fair. And controlled practice has another benefit….

Re-seeding: Put the fast guys together. This makes it better for everyone, people can watch the best drivers battle already in qualifying, and drivers will have a better time in qualifying, with more evenly matched drivers. Fast guys don’t have to dodge slower drivers, and the slower drivers won’t have to dodge fast guys. Do I even need to explain this?

The Basics: For a race that attracts people from far, the organiser really needs to provide tables and chairs, power, and air compressors, ENOUGH OF THEM, and enough pressure.

Results: Post the results, it really makes sense to post the results after each race for everyone to see!

There are a few things to think about!