Encouragement of new racers

[steveaca]

Hi all,
after seeing the keen competition on Thursday among the four newcomers, I was thinking that these guys really seemed to enjoy the digital racing and may want to come back at the next or future events. I think however, that our current level of car preparation and complexity of classes may be a bit daunting to them but, on the other hand, racing of FRC's IROC cars may eventually become monotonous for them. What if we do this :
-Have a new class utilizing exactly the regulations from one of TSCC's classes !
This new class could be run any time for example, that three or more TSCC members are present. They could be short races, say ten laps, and as we saw from Thursday, if done on a timely basis, does not necessarily add too much to the evening's actual racing time.
I think the benefit of this is that it would allow the TSCC guys to continue to use their car development and preparation skills without imposing a new set of rules on them. The only thing that would need to be done is to chip the cars and I'm sure that Ramesh could assist the south guys with this, If there are any north-based TSCC racers, I'm sure the north boys would be willing to lend a hand.
What do you think ?
Steve

[RameshB]

Hi , i think for now let them race IROC when they come, until they get committed to buy cars.

[gordon]

I think that this is a brainwave suggestion! I'm all for it. So simple... race the same car you've prepared for your regular analog racing and simply install a chip to race it at FRC. They can even leave direct-to-motor leads in the car and alternate soldering them or the ferrite man (on the chip leads) as required.

[gordon]

Just saw Ramesh's post as I posted the above. My agreeing with Steve's suggestion is to get more slot racers into digital as regular drivers. This means that they will have to decide on what single analog class currently being raced at SouthSpeed they agree to chip for FRC. Once they become regulars, they can start preparing cars for FRC's regular classes.

Until they do chip cars of their own, they can always continue to race various IROC cars.

[Luke]

FRC's IROC cars may eventually become monotonous for them.

Hello Steve,

You know the saying how you mustn't burn the bridge you cross ... because you will definitely remember it took about 5+ years for IROC PC, LS, FTC, MC, NSS & SGTC classes (overtime) to get dull to you and other racers.

Sure you will agree these new guys will need to be "digitally" spoon fed ... before they could even setup their own FRC racing car.

Take for instance when Devi showed up ... One of the first questions he asked - was how to change lanes ..? That alone should give you an idea how much more he needs to learn with the FRC SSD track alone.

I really think you should be a little more discrete how you describe IROC cars.

After all - it was a long and beautiful racing beginning for us digital regulars.

Warmest wishes,

Luke

[steveaca]

Hi Gordon,
agreed ! My idea was not for TSCC (Southspeed) guys to decide to chip ANY of their existing cars to race at FRC. My thinking is that ONE existing Southspeed class could be decided upon for the guys to race at FRC. Maybe Ramesh could deternine which is the most popular or which has the most drivers that would be willing to make the drive. I think that these seasoned guys, like us regular FRC racers, also enjoy preparing their own cars and letting them use these cars for FRC racing would be an attractive proposition.
Re Luke's post, I'm not sure about any others, but IROC racing never became dull to me, it's just that I enjoy the car preparation aspect of slot car racing very much and at the end of the day, prefer to race the cars I have prepared than IROC ones. That doesn't mean I think IROC dull. In the same vein, I think that Southspeed drivers who enjoy car preparation may have similar sentiments. Their not being familiar with how to change lanes ,to me, is a moot point. They will learn. I don't think these guys need to be 'digitally spoon fed' to set up their own FRC racing cars. They are already adept at setting up their cars. What they will need assistance to do is to digitize their cars, and as I suggested, we, the FRC regulars, can lend assistance in this regard.

[Luke]

Steve I was only commenting about your "monotonous" sentence but as proactive as your Southspeed idea is ... I believe it's a little too advance (at least for the time being) and as you rightfully said how the new racers will learn. Hindsight would have it for us regulars - there's still lots for non-regulars to learn (SSD style) by just racing the FRC IROC classes.

Luke

[gordon]

We have had and been racing IROC cars for several years, as pointed out above. Over this time we have tried over and over to get newcomers to become "bitten by the digital bug" by giving them every opportunity to race the IROC cars, but somehow the regulars remain just the same small, core group. Newcomers come, then stop coming in just about the same numbers. Steve's suggestion is to target others who are already regular slot racers that already have and prepare their own cars (50% of the problem solved right there), so that we can hopefully get some new digital regulars. I think it's worth a try, especially since we've failed with all our other approaches.

[Luke]

When it comes to 1:32 slot-car racing ..!

The doors to FRC Digital racing is open to the fullest as well as SouthSpeed Analog and (TSCC back in the day) for all the entertainment plus support that can be provided ... one couldn't ask for anymore!

Over the years I have seen (including myself) many slotcar racing situations (like track layouts and slotcar projects) develop with so many different persons and from my POV to venture any further - it always comes down to the person's individual decision which there is no control over ...

My early morning thoughts,

Luke

[gordon]

- it always comes down to the person's individual decision which there is no control over ...

You're very right there Luke. That's why we have to be innovative and try to make it as easy as possible for potential newcomers to make the decision to join us.