What's wrong with autox???

[dp2387]

@JayS

I think there are several things contributing to it. Some are out of your control but I think too much focus has been put on the hardcore autocrossers.

• Less local events, more Seneca events. Not everyone is willing to travel 4 hours round trip for 5-7 50-60 second runs. When I first started it sure seemed like there were a lot more local events so you could miss a few and still have plenty for the season points. Maybe this is perception but I can’t look it up because results only go back to 2007.

Last year we only had 1 there, and this year 2 of 8. If anything I think that this would increase participation at ECCN events because they’d go there instead of SeAD to get points.[/quote]

@JayS

• No road tire classes like FLR has for the people who don’t feel like buying $1k+ sets of tires to be competitive.

This one may make a small difference… maybe 10 since that’s about what FLR gets. But if competitiveness is the concern there, why don’t people seem to be concerned with times at Dunnville? For those that don’t know, back in the late 90’s we ran a RT class and had 50-60 people per event total.

@JayS

• Prices went up. I’ve never seen the books, but $30 seems high for 5 minutes of racing at ECC-N. Did costs go up that much this year? I can get more seat time per dollar at the Lasertron carts and have zero equipment costs.

This is thanks to the extra $5 weekend membership fee the SCCA forced on everyone. It’s goal is to increase membership.

@JayS

Things outside your control that I’m sure are having an impact:

• Gas prices
• People having less discretionary income
• Dunnville track days giving a much higher seat time to dollar return.
• People getting older/busier with family/homes etc.

I agree and understand these are having an impact. Though the lack of times at Dunnville would drive me crazy. If I’m wrong about the no time thing at Dunnville please let me know.

@JayS

Another idea that could be tossed out there is running heats with morning and afternoon groups so autocrossing would be a 1/2 day event for a lot of people instead of a whole day. I know this has met resistance in the past.

I’ve heard from too many poeple that have been around when local regions tried it and have heard things ranging from it sucked to it was a disaster, so that’s why it’s met resistance.

@JayS

Just observations, don’t shoot the messenger. For me personally it came down to just lack of free time since I had a kid that I couldn’t justify the majority of my Sunday for about 5 minutes of racing. When she’s old enough to come out with a cart and I can combine time with family with autocrossing I’ll probably be a regular again.

Not shooting the messenger, just providing counterpoints and explanations.

I agree there is something wrong and think that for the most part it’s in the gas, though it doesn’t seem to be hurting FLR as much as WNY which I find interesting since we’re cheaper and generally get more runs. Though I think having their 1st 2 events at RIT helped with their large novice crowd plus our weather has been sketchy.