Race format adjustment

[steveaca]

Hi all,
having raced a number of events in 2019 with two new versions of the race format (ie. changed from the previous 3 x 25 lap race structure per class), ie. (A) 2 x 30 lap races per class and (B) 1 x 60 lap race per class, I must say that I prefer the 2-race format. 2 races of 30 laps each is the same racing distance as 1 of 60 laps yet to me, on the night, I feel that with 1 race, I haven't raced my (most times) carefully prepared cars enough. I somehow like to know that after the first race is done, that it's not the end of racing for the class. I believe that the original reason for wanting to change the format was to save some time. Compared to last year's 3-race format, the new 2-race format does this as the total racing distance has been reduced from 75 to 60 laps and there is now only 1 break between races as compared to 2 previously. True the 1-race format saves a little time over the 2-race but this saving is only the break time between the two races. I also think that time saving should not be our only goal with these amendments as, after all, it's not like we come to FRC to do something that we don't like doing. I would agree though, if we continue to run the Vintage Sport class as 2 separate sub-classes, that we continue with 1 race each for GT and Prototype .
Steve

[gordon]

Steve, as you know, the main reason for running fewer but longer races is to provide better opportunities to make back places after an incident, however I'm happy to adjust things to what you're proposing once races are long enough to achieve this, yet do not run too late. We can refer to this post to work out how many laps we need to run based on the speed of the cars in each class. I have a spreadsheet that works out the schedules that I put in the event announcements so I can fiddle with it for the various class groupings. I'll post some potential schedules from it here.

[steveaca]

Thanks Gordon, looking forward to seeing the potential schedules.

[obrie]

Agreed. Let’s give it a try. The main thing that was a problem for me was the 12:a.m.plus with work that morning. If we corporate with the schedule we will have time to “old talk” etc. and still get home at a reasonable time.