Summer evening racing?

[DrPaul]

I know we discussed this last year so I thought I'd throw it out there & see who's interested. With the light being good up to 9pm there is no reason we couldn't get a few rounds in if we started promptly. As a number of us race micros indoors two weeks of the month on Tuesdays, I propose we use the other two Tuesdays of the month to run evening meets outdoors at WORM/Mendip so we do not clash with any other club evening racing. You can't beat some racing against the clock to get your car set up properly for our Sunday club meets!

[Andy Nelson]

Personally I think there is to much hanging around on a Sunday you have 6 heats and then a 15min break that seems to get longer each time a 5min break would be plenty I think . But evening racing does sound good

[Team 36]

If you have problem with you car or need to set it up you have time to play with not rushing around to get it done 10mins break would be fine depending on how many groups you run I know Tiverton will run straight throw !!!

[DrPaul]

This thread isn't for debating the delays between rounds just to gauge interest in some summer evening racing. We have a great facility at WORM/ Mendip & it would be great to get as much timed racing out of it during the hopefully dry summer.

As a side note, time would be limited, so everyone would need to arrive with CHARGED batteries & more than one pack as we wouldn't have time for delays between rounds.

[CARB]

Hello
sounds worth doing a meeting to see how goes. so let's get it done.
Neale

[blue_pinky]

This has always been the plan...my preference (purely selfishly as it's the only night I can do) is Thursdays!

We are now getting to that time of the year, so as soon as we get it sorted we'll post details

General plan would be to have "practice nights". First idea being just to get a night where a fair number show up at the same time, to make track time, marshalling, hanging out trackside more fun/interesting.

Second plan, if enough turn up and interest is there then we can set up the timing and run timed races. Turnouts would be lower than weekends at a guess, so timings would suit minimal charging, probably just 3 rounds of racing to be had before light goes...4 at a push at the point of longest light...I would guess

As for gaps between rounds at weekend meetings: Comments have been noted from both positive and negative angles, and we can only go with the majority. I personally think we could speed things up a bit, some of our gaps have been excessive at times...but a bit of a gap is ok to keep it relaxed.

Point to note, Tiverton run straight through because they have bigger turnouts (as far as I know!). Since we don't have that pressure, we can run things differently. If we get busier, things will need to speed up accordingly.

[Danosborne6661]

Yup evenings racing sounds good, like Andy said it would be good to start out with a few practice sessions on an arranged evening.

About our time with our Sunday meetings, the long gaps were originally there when we had smaller turn outs through out the winter and people were running 2 classes. Now we're busier with more heats I think we can bring that gap back down slightly to 10-15 minutes, it's good to keep the gap there as it does also allow us to change our set-ups and give it a quick test on track between rounds.

[DrPaul]

For me the idea of club practice nights would include using the timing gear as we can practice without timing anytime. Timed racing is by far the best way to gauge what set ups are working the best which can then be translated for use at the Sunday summer series.

I suggested running on the Tuesdays we dont have Micros at Hutton as many of us already have Tuesdays set a side for racing. Because of my business commitments Thursdays are not good but maybe we could alternate evening racing nights to accommodate everyone.

[Danosborne6661]

Makes sense, we could set-up timed practice which can be 10-15 minutes long so you can pop onto the rostrum whenever you like between that time and check your times after

[Dombrasky]

I may not always practice myself, but i dont mind coming over with the printer and running tues or thurs timed practice
we would need access to the canteen early and a generator tho

[blue_pinky]

We have a generator in the canteen already...so that's easy...

I know with some race timing software you can run practice timing, that just shows you times as they are posted somehow...pretty sure lapsfree doesn't do this, but I might take a poke around and see what other options there are on this if we'd make good use of it.

I agree timed sessions would be better...but it's only worth the effort of that if enough people come along.

Timing of this is going to depend on access to the laptop and people who know how to run the laptop! Currently myself, Rick and Dan can run it...and Si stores it...it means organising availability between those people to do it...so we all need to get together and figure it out...not totally simple, but not impossible either hopefully.

In the meantime, anyone can make a shout out to arrange a mass practice night (without main laptop timing) for whenever they want. All attendees must be club members though

[CARB]

I would be careful about automatically thinking that the Mendip generator is there to be used, unless the canteen is active.

And even then I know there are a lot of comments about the use of it and the ware and tare plus the cost of the gas.

Best to clear this up with Mike before hand, or what about doing some fund raising to buy a generator and a petrol powered air compressor.

Just a thought on that so when are we going to do this, how about next week to see how many turn up. say 6.30 ready to race.

Neale

[blue_pinky]

We have another small petrol generator that's currently being stored in the canteen is what I mean...use of the main one is a complicated subject and best avoided at the moment!

[DrPaul]

As we only have one meeting in July is there any interest in some evening racing during July? If we started at 7pm we could get a couple of rounds & final in, maybe even more.

Im guessing a Wednesday or Thursday so we dont clash with other clubs??

[shaungooner]

I'm up for this, work permitting