Alternate race format every so often

[gordon]

Guys,

I've been thinking about having a different format for our races from time to time. In a nutshell, I'm thinking about fewer but longer races. On these special occasions, instead of having the usual three or five races per class, each lasting around three minutes and covering 20-30 laps, I'm thinking about two races per class each lasting 15 minutes.

We can even alternate driver groups for each race. If we have two groups of drivers we can schedule the races like this:

• Group 1 Race 1
• Group 2 Race 1
• Group 1 Race 2
• Group 2 Race 2

This way drivers get a bit more rest between races. If we only have a single group, we can have a longer-than-usual break between races.

The plan is not to upset the class groupings at all, just to change the race formats on these occasions.

Let's hear your comments and suggestions.

Gordon

[steveaca]

Hi Gordon,
I like the idea of the occasional change in race format. I think though, that 15 minutes per race is a bit long, considering that a current 30 lap race at , say 6.0 seconds per lap average (of course depending on class) would take 3 minutes. The current race format also gives one the opportunity to change cars between races if there is a problem . This opportunity would present itself approximately every 3 minutes. With the proposed format, reliability becomes much more important as the opportunity to change cars would present itself only every 15 minutes.
Steve

[Luke]

GG,

Your thoughts run deep here ...

You have me trying hard to grasp - having a different format for our races from time to time ... and with fewer but longer races.

... and with these 2 lines for a special occasion:

• • FRC having the usual 3 (or 5) races per class, each lasting around 3 minutes and covering 20-30 laps.
  
  • Instead - having 2 races per class, each lasting around 15 minutes and maybe covering (approx.)100-150 laps.

Yet, I'm still not sure what this method/system is:

• Alternating driver groups for each race - if there's 2 groups of drivers we can schedule the races like this:
  
  • • Group 1 Race 1
    • Group 2 Race 1
    • Group 1 Race 2
    • Group 2 Race 2
  This way drivers get a bit more rest between races. If we only have a single group, we can have a longer-than-usual break between races.
  
  The plan is not to upset the class groupings at all, just to change the race formats on these occasions.

However, is this an accurate example with one of FRC's normal class groupings compared to the one in blue below ..

• • Historic Saloon - 3 races @ 25 laps, Vintage Sports - 3 races @ 25 laps, Group 5 Sports Cars - 3 races @ 25 laps (225 laps total)
  • Historic Saloon - 2 races @ 125 laps, Vintage Sports - 2 races @ 125 laps, Group 5 Sports Cars - 2 races @ 125 laps (750 laps total)

Your enlightening FRC racer

Luke

[gordon]

Steve, that's exactly my point... reliability and a different approach to driving tactics, along with more time to regain lost ground after a de-slot. Basically these races will be "mini endurance" competitions. Maybe we can reduce race time to 10 minutes, but no less if we're going to do it.

Luke, I would think that we would only want to do this for nights where we race two classes. If we do it on nights with three classes, I suppose we can run for a shorter time, say six to eight minutes or just run the normal format of 20 laps per race.

I actually wrote the suggestion without doing the lap math like Luke because I'm looking at driving time specifically.