NHIS Configuration

[gread]

The July event included a Boston Chapter driving school as well as the club race. No need for everyone to have a rollcage, we just have to ask.
Running the south oval allows for scary fast runs to the turn three markers , but I'll run any layout.
I think NHIS will probably be the home track of choice for the future. I bet most of our members and students are from the eastern MA/ NH area. Lime Rock doesn't have the dates or facilities to see us more than once or twice a year. NHIS does have concessions, garages, decent restrooms, a fully paved paddock area and easy highway access. You gotta give it some props.

[fact5racer]

Raj, how was Calabogie?

[ctkag]

I would prefer to run South Oval as well (for this event).

There's no doubt that chicane/chicane is better for driving school. If we're going to do three (or four) events a year at NHIS though, I'd want some variety.

I've been considering whether I will run all events next year - knowing in advance that all NHIS events will be chicane/chicane will make it easier to skip NHIS. I didn't run at NHIS for the first two years with COM as I didn't consider it to be a 'fun' track. Throwing in the ovals on occasion helps.

As far as wear goes, Shenandoah is pretty rough. I returned with three corded Hoosiers and a bad right front wheel bearing.

[timmmy]

HI again -

Also meant to say that a Miata can do the white knuckle drift in the oval...dp

Oh yeah and I love it...., nothing like no lift entering the north oval and feeling the thing squirm around.

Hey Don are you instructing at teh NEQ event next week? Any chance I can snag you as an instructor as I wil be running the miata and would love your personal insight.

Timmmy (haydn)

[timmmy]

For me road racing is all about corners...

Timmmy

I really don't mean offense, but... that's called autox.

No offense taken at all, and I fully understand your point. I would be more than happy to run south oval or north oval (not that I can remember which is which).

I have run a lot of different tracks both here in the US and all over the world in cars and on bikes and agree NHIS is a brutal track on the car, however it does reward very accurate driving. As for the HP issue the only place I ever see any issues at NHIS is the front streight or the ovals when we run them. Outside of that I am all over some of the bigger HP cars in my ST3 Miata.

I disagree with the autocross comment though, I dont tend to tip into autoX corners at 120mph with WOT.

With regards to the question of home track, I wouldnt mind it being LRP etc, although our attendance figures are always higher at NHIS for the time being. and our away event attendance is sometimes very low. I think we need to focus more as a club on booking up the away events to capacity before switching the calender too much.

timmmy

[WillM]

I drive a Miata and enjoy the south oval configuration. As Don said, there is plenty of white-knuckle excitement to be had around the oval, "even" in a Miata.

It is a pity that COM will be restricted from running the variety of NHIS configurations we've enjoyed in the past. As an educational and competition club, we get a lot from running at several different tracks and several different configurations.

That said, this shouldn't be considered the end of the world. Chicane/chicane is challenging and fun in any car. Not every driver may agree with that, but such is life.

If by "home track" we mean the track where we run the most events per year, then Lime Rock will not be our home track anytime soon. We are lucky to get our annual November date there. Part of this issue is the nature of our club, which has traditionally booked only two-day events. Adding single days at LRP may be an option, but 2-day events will be tough/ Track rental fees at LRP are also expensive. On top of that, the track is closed on Sundays, which makes demand even higher than the historical appeal and LRS's current level of popularity dictate.

We are faced with a change that we must accept at NHIS. We do not set the rules, the track does. While I am sure we will continue to pursue using the ovals at NHIS (I have yet to hear from a board member who does not like running the oval!), to trim back the amount of events we run at NHIS due to the chicane/chicane restriction would be cutting off our collective nose to spite our face.

The question of what region COM represents is a good one. Here's a thought: COM Is a Northeast club. Not Mass, not NH, not RI, not New England. NORTHEAST. We attend tracks in WV, NY, CT, NH, Ontario, and Montreal. We should be attracting members from all over the Northeast and Canada!

[Mark Swinehart]

http://www.frappr.com/comscc

[Seven]

Seven -

Seems to me like you've made your points & choice.

I'll be instructing this weekend - how 'bout you?

And what is the aka seven real name? Would help with any ongoing discussion...(nice to know who you're talking to)...

Best,

Don P

Sorry about the "anonymous" posts...I've updated my profile to include a sig.

I will, in fact, be instructing this weekend.

I guess I should be thankful that we'll be running chicane/chicane, now I don't have to put in a late night this week re-installing my wing on the new hatch. Woohoo! Thanx NHIS!

[rajito]

Raj, how was Calabogie?

It was AWESOME. It totally rocked. I posted a big message on the Calabogie thread, mostly written by Paddy

If I have time, I'll put together a track map and a description of the line that I was trying to drive on. It's definitely not the quickest, but at least it might help people become familiar with the track.

Raj

[Seven]

First, thanks for the informative post Will...

I drive a Miata and enjoy the south oval configuration. As Don said, there is plenty of white-knuckle excitement to be had around the oval, "even" in a Miata.

Sorry, I made an assumption about low HP cars simply along for the ride through the oval, glad to hear there's some pucker factor.

If by "home track" we mean the track where we run the most events per year, then Lime Rock will not be our home track anytime soon. We are lucky to get our annual November date there. Part of this issue is the nature of our club, which has traditionally booked only two-day events. Adding single days at LRP may be an option, but 2-day events will be tough/ Track rental fees at LRP are also expensive. On top of that, the track is closed on Sundays, which makes demand even higher than the historical appeal and LRS's current level of popularity dictate.

Does the club historically attempt to secure more than 1 date / year at LRP?

We are faced with a change that we must accept at NHIS. We do not set the rules, the track does. While I am sure we will continue to pursue using the ovals at NHIS (I have yet to hear from a board member who does not like running the oval!), to trim back the amount of events we run at NHIS due to the chicane/chicane restriction would be cutting off our colective nose to spite our face.

I'm not necessarily advocating asking for fewer events @ NHIS, however, we are at 3 presently and I really have my doubts that the club will be successful in filling the 3rd NHIS if all 3 events will be run using the same c/c configuration. What I am asking is whether it makes sense to evaluate the possibility of getting a 2nd date @ LRP, possibly at the expense of the 3rd NHIS date. Now if the additional LRP event is logistically not possible (due to the above considerations) then maybe this point is moot.

The question of what region COM represents is a good one. Here's a thought: COM Is a Northeast club. Not Mass, not NH, not RI, not New England. NORTHEAST. We attend tracks in WV, NY, CT, NH, Ontario, and Montreal. We should be attracting members from all over the Northeast and Canada!

On that point...you would hard pressed to find ANYONE who would travel any appreciable distance to drive @ NHIS (short of those 100% committed to the club atmosphere). I believe the pool of NHIS drivers is slowly depleting. This should not be a surprise given its relative lack of appeal. Discretionary spending is just that...folks (generally) have a limited pool of resources (both in terms of financial as well as time) to allocate to the hobby. NHIS makes a weak case to entice folks to invest with them.

Thanks to all for entertaining this topic...good discussion...

[brucesallen]

Get real!
NHIS is the lifeblood of COMSCC. We always fill and have waiting lists. We have had as many as 140 (too many) registrations accepted. This is where our nmoney comes from. We don't sell out any other track. There is NO chance of getting more dates at Lime Rock. In ten years of going there they have moved us from the day after thanksgiving to the balmy Nov. 17 date of this year.
NHIS is very friendly to us and other clubs. Their rates are very low. Lime Rock is twice as much and rising.
NHIS is our home track and COM will be healthier when NHIS gives us back our fourth date.
Now if they would just pave a real road course in the back forty...
And Club Motrosports and Palmer Motorsports open...

[Seven]

Bruce no need for the salutation... however, I am real.

I'm real enough to understand that historically (present year included) NHIS has been the cash cow. I'm also real enough to understand that COM has historically run the full gamut of configs @ NHIS. Now, it appears we will no longer be afforded this luxury. This is a change, no? I'm real enough to understand that COM has been provided cherry dates @ NHIS in the past, i.e., primarly weekends & holidays for 4 events / yr. I would suggest you're not being real when you write "when NHIS gives us back our fourth date" If you know something some of the rest of us don't regarding this, please share. NHIS has dropped us to 3 events/ yr over the past 2 years; are you sure it won't drop again? I'm not. Do you have a plan for the club if they drop us to 2 events?

I only suggest not to turn a blind eye to the prospect of NHIS losing its "charm" in the eyes of the clubs general membership given the possibility of being limited to 1 config.

Getting back to being real... how long did it take for this weekend's event to fill-up? How long would it have taken 10yrs ago? I can't answer the first (Mark?) but I can answer the 2nd...1 DAY! What's the trend? Why the trend? What will be done about the trend?

I know you said it in jest...but... NHIS expansion, Palmer, Club Motorsports...maybe.

I don't know the particulars pertaining to LRP dates & finances, thanks for the info... bottomline is that the discussion should be had and all viewpoints and info help to benefit the club.

[zip4zat]

A few years back the club ran a student only event on a weekend where it drew a full house of students. Since a key ingredient in the club's success is the lure of new members, I think it would be good to have at least one of these events a year.

Since some of the membership dont want to run NH more than a few times, especially if we could get our 4th date back from NHIS I would propose to reinstate this type of event. This would help the revenue generation as well as to serve as a feeder to other events as new members get excited to practice what they learned at more recognized venues.

my 2c's at least...
-- Joe

[xstar]

Jeff (Seven),

What are the questions you want answers to? Let's enumerate them too so that people can address/comment on the questions individually, if people wish.

thanks,

Alex Teng
COM President

[RyanC]

I'd prefer to run South Oval because it's the only config I don't hold an STGT track record on yet. Otherwise, whatever we run is fine by me. I just hope my car runs.