Pre-Booking

[DanW]

Originally Posted by Si Coe

Bury has 2 sets of transponders, meaning PT's aren't required for 11 car or more heats. I'm sure if need be these could be available to other clubs.

A lot of talk of 11 car heats. For me 10 cars is enough in a heat, more just becomes carnage. Not sure all the tracks/rostrums are big enough to accomodate this.

But a Regional is a BRCA sanctioned event, and as such runs to BRCA general rules.

From the book of words....

15. RACE PROCEDURES
GENERAL

15.1 All BRCA Sanctioned events will be run to BRCA rules.

15.10

The Qualifying Heats will consist of a maximum of ten cars.

15.11

With the possible exception of the lowest Final, all finals will be scheduled to consist of ten cars.
Any driver electing not to take part in a Final will result in an empty space on the grid. (Drivers from a

lower Final are not promoted upwards).

11 (or more) Car Heats =

[Stu]

Good spot Dan, no 11 car heats.

[Weetabix]

Seems crazy to me. There are only a finite number of daylight hours in the day and therefore only a finite number of races/drivers in a day. When its full its full. Pre-booking in is the only way to ensure people arnt driving miles and not getting to race especially when petrol costs so much.

Dont forget people volunteer their weekends and time off to organise and run these events. Running 120 drivers at Southport involved a lot of people doing a long day as it is and does not leave much time for anything going wrong etc.

So in my mind, a free-for-all at race control on race morning sounds like a crazy idea to me.

Gary

[Jonesy]

AsS many of you know I live in the North West (Ellesmere Port) but I race in the Mid West Region which includes trips to places such as Coventry and Ledbury. Why? Because primarily it used to be because the North West had little drivers and now it's because the guys who run that Region are spot on (That is not meant to be a dig at anyone)

It's great to hear the North West is doing so well and I'd love to come back 'home' in the future but looking from the outside this is all getting a bit silly!

[DianneH]

On behalf of the Batley Club, if you check the list of booking in you will see that I removed the reserve list at the beginning of last week and have taken everyone's details as they have been sent to me.

The database will have everyone's details before the day, they will be booked in for whichever class or classes they have entered and it is a simple process to confirm and pay on the day.

We will then sort the heats automatically according to the number of drivers booked in.

It is our intention to try to accommodate everyone who wants to race, in the best way we possibly can. Our track and rostrum is big enough for 11 car heats but looks as though this may not mow be possible due to BRCA rules.

We also intend to start booking in at 7.30 am which will then allow us to start racing earlier and will run the appropriate number of heats to accommodate everyone.

Let us hope that the weather does not let us down - if it is poor we will have no problems with the number of heats - everyone will stay in bed!

Note: Just seen previous message from Stu - if it has to stay at 10 car heats then that will have to be it - shame though because Batley track and rostrum can take this. I have asked him to check with BRCA as to whether this can be changed for individual meetings.

[Chrislong]

Can heats be reduced to 4 minutes (5 min finals still)? Shorter gap between heats too?

Personally id like to be on the track for 5 minutes & im sure everyone else does too, but id rather everyone got to race and went home happy.

Sundays need extending!!

[ianjoyner]

I'm okay with booking in on the day on the basis that we don't a have system for pre-pay booking and I doubt the remaining rounds will see 120 entries. Pre-booking by email worked fine for round 1 and we got near enough 120 entries on the day, but last year would indicate that's unlikely to continue.

We've in theory now got a reserve list for South Lakes, the trouble with this is those people on the reserve list are very unlikely to attend on the off chance of getting in, yet at the same time the 120 entries on the main list are also very unlikely to all make it, so we end up with a meeting that isn't full and people sat at home because they were only on the reserve list. So I would prefer to do as Dianne has and just call it pre-registering, rather than pre-booking.

We do need a plan for if 120 entries do turn up on the day. I would propose one class only if 120+ turn up, we would have to decide somehow who, if anyone, gets to run two classes, but that's much better than having to decide who gets to run at all. Everyone turns up knowing they will be able to run at least one class and unless entries on the day are nearly double last year, at South Lakes at least, everyone who wants to will be able to run both classes and this won't be an issue anyway. I don't think splitting the classes on to two days is an option for this year.

Ideal would be pre-pay booking in, but I don't think there's an easy way to set that up now and it is probably something for next year.

[DianneH]

I agree to some extent but do think that the numbers this year may be higher than last year as interest has increased. I know that at our club we have a number of drivers who used to race that are now back racing and because they were used to doing regionals are going straight back into them. The meeting on 1 May should give some indication as to how the series may progress.

Checked entries and 37 have booked in for 2 classes so would be difficult to say some could only do 1 class.

If we can get started earlier and fine tune the gaps between the heats then I think we can get more heats in.
Let's see what happens on the day and cope with whatever is thrown at us. I think the majority of clubs have enough experience to manage each situation as it arises. If not, ask for help from some of the more club experienced volunteers.

[DianneH]

Originally Posted by DianneH

On behalf of the Batley Club, if you check the list of booking in you will see that I removed the reserve list at the beginning of last week and have taken everyone's details as they have been sent to me.

The database will have everyone's details before the day, they will be booked in for whichever class or classes they have entered and it is a simple process to confirm and pay on the day.

We will then sort the heats automatically according to the number of drivers booked in.

It is our intention to try to accommodate everyone who wants to race, in the best way we possibly can. Our track and rostrum is big enough for 11 car heats but looks as though this may not mow be possible due to BRCA rules.

We also intend to start booking in at 7.30 am which will then allow us to start racing earlier and will run the appropriate number of heats to accommodate everyone.

Let us hope that the weather does not let us down - if it is poor we will have no problems with the number of heats - everyone will stay in bed!

Note: Just seen previous message from Stu - if it has to stay at 10 car heats then that will have to be it - shame though because Batley track and rostrum can take this. I have asked him to check with BRCA as to whether this can be changed for individual meetings.

Just for clarification, Steve Lawson, Chairman of Batley Buggy Club, has been in touch with Paul Worsley (BRCA) and we can run as many cars in qualifying as we wish - 11, 12 - or whatever we decide but we must run 10 car finals. I am not suggesting that we run 12 car heats but we can definitely run 11 at Batley - if we need to.

I think all this is now becoming too confusing for drivers - are they booked in, are they on a reserve list? What is happening? There has been all this discussion - and on the day the meeting will probably be as normal!

This is the situation as I see it for the Batley meeting.

All drivers have given their details so that I can make sure the database is updated ready for quick booking in on the day.
We shall start booking in at 7.30 am. There will be open practice whilst booking in is taking place.

We shall make decisions on the day as to the number of heats and the number of drivers per heat to be able to accommodate all drivers who turn up.

Let us hope for good weather and aim for a good day's racing.

Note: If you want to come and practice - we have meetings on the 17th and 24th April - see Batley forum for diary dates and venue details. Make it a family day? Swimming, cafe, toilet facilities available in the sports centre.

[Si Coe]

Dianne - Thank You!

This folks is how it should be done.

[ianjoyner]

Thanks Dianne, we'll have a chat at South Lakes on the best way to handle high numbers if we have too, it's looking promising everyone should be able to race on the day .

[cherryc]

Thanks Dianne look forward to good days racong ..