1) How old is that number?
2) Who can name'em all?

COTA
MSRC
ECR
H2R
MSRH
....

 

A few more I can think of
Grandsport speedway
TMS
Driveway Austin

Of course the best of them all was TWS (RIP)

 

Several major tire companies have road courses for testing in TX

 

There was the old Chaparral test track near Midland. Think it was called Rattlesnake. Not sure if it's still there.

 

Still there! Jim doesn't want anyone on it and the surface is pulling up. Plus there is an oil well in the middle so the service trucks and pumpers are driving across it.

There are 3 massive facilities down by ft stockton/marfa one of which has probably 6 tracks alone at it for private testing.

 

Yet we only have two PCA Club Races this year and I've heard murmuring about the second... :-(

 

Don't forget that Hallett doesn't have one either this year. Seems that clubracing is not drawing the numbers it did in the past, that the increase in costs to put one one when taken with the attendance numbers may make it a loss for the region.

 

TWS closing really shook everything up around here.

-Mike

 

It’s always been a challenge to break even on club races in this part of the world. We’re too far away from the major population centers to draw very many out of zone racers. With the exception of cota the first year, it has always taken a sizable DE registration to keep club races out of the red in The ArkLaTex.

 

Losing NOLA hit me personally hard -- as I've been jonesing to get there for years -- and the first year I can make it..... go figure.

I was shocked when we went to NOLA and the CR was <30 cars, I don't think Heartland was much different -- and half of that the SPB/944 crowd.
Last year was my first COTA race with ~35 SPBs, this year maybe 25. Ouch.

On the other hand -- if cost is an issue -- having more local races should be the answer as opposed to incurring significant hauling costs -- and extra vacation time.

I don't mind sharing the track with the DE crowd -- but I'm sure that has its challenges with the CR folks being Instructors as well.

Be interesting to know what the ebb and flows to the numbers are -- the crowd of racers are typically aged where family matters come into play.

My guess is brownie points are at a premium over greenbacks.

Mike

 

COTA the first year was a bucket list item (I was there). Lets not forget the issues that surfaced during that event that migrated into the following events and are still being addressed today in some fashion. I agree with you that DE'ers were needed to make a clubrace successful. But at the same token DE'ers are treated as second class IMHO; not only in track time lost but also in how the track schedule was layed out for them. It takes both factions to make it successful. I heard that HPT this year even included an instructed DE portion, in addition to the advanced, to help out with the event. It also doesn't help that PCA seems to be pushing inclusion of vintage without a real feasibility study in the region they propose it to.

 

Extra vacation time seems to affect a lot of participants. I like HPR but the schedule they had with the 6 hr Enduro pushed the DE portion into Th/Fr requiring extra vacation (to include travel time). I understand experimentation, I understand PCA helping out to offset financials but in this part of the country we don't have the population (density) to accommodate all those experiments.

 

I know and understand -- I was a DE participant pryer -- and saw the effects.

From a DE perspective PCA is trying to improve via SchnellFest -- but the Texas PCA Club Racing is struggling. I know a lot of folks seriously considering NASA as at least a parallel gig --
So that tells me there is the desire to race more ...

Mike

 

AFAIK Schnellfest @ COTA isn't just PCA, it includes BMWCCA as well. But its run under PCA rules AFAIK due to BMWCCA DE limitations.

The other issue you mention is lack of events for PCA clubracing and that those few willing are exploring other options. That tells me that numbers are dwindling and that regions with the know how and tracks can't seem to make it work financially without the necessary needed numbers of entrants. Less and less are willing to undertake a day's travel to and from to participate.

 

... all because less and less people want to race with PCA. Happening at all tracks everywhere for PCA.

Anyone else wondering why that is?

I have a few theories. And I've heard a few theories.

But I have listened to the bitching in the paddock. And online. And via txtmsg. And phone calls. And I've done some of the bitching myself...

I'll say it again, less and less people want to race with PCA.

Who is PCA? For the person who is club racing, who is PCA? PCA is the other racers, the local/regional volunteers, and the people in charge (the people in charge are the National Race Staff, the on site Stewards and the Race organizers - yes i know they are volunteers as well).

I'm quite certain that the other racers are the big draw.
And the local/regional volunteers largely are a positive experience.