2019 Night Series Course

We will have the lights on in grid for the next event. That’s a safety concern that was overlooked. Also we are going to expand grid further down so we don’t have folks backing in while others are getting staged.

I agree, this layout is a great use of the space. An earlier announcement of the changes would have been welcomed. We may also need to have an early work assignment helping with organizing the paddock until we get used to it. We used virtually all of the space by the barns but the hill, although may be the same square footage, doesn’t seem to have as much useable space.

Timer issues are also being looked at and addressed along with the PA system and transmitter.

Thanks to everyone for coming out and our sponsor HPTautosport!

The only issue with announcing groups early is that, until registration closes, I don’t have a final number of participants to base run groups off of. So even if I did group assignment right then, I’d only be getting it out to drivers maybe 10-20 minutes earlier than it currently is.

Stephan Haupt suggested moving the two driver cars away from the starting area. That worked out much better during the second run group.

The grid is along barn B. That barn has a pass-through near the middle. I propose to grid two driver cars beyond that along the barn side. Then grid everyone else on both sides moving down the hill. This will keep the area clear where car come off course and allows room for more cars to stage, keeping the event moving.

The grid in the first group was my doing; it didn’t work. Grid for the second group, which Keith did, was much better. I like Haupt’s idea too.

To give Credit where it is due:

“Grid for the second group, which Keith did, was much better.”
I got the idea from talking with Jack Brinkley and Stephen Haupt. Thank you guys!!
All I did was make the call to change it in the middle of the event. I don’t even know if I have authority to do that?

What Trucke and Steve said about grid next time.

I vote yes we try it.

Thanks, Keith. Glad to continue to help establish / create a nice, workable grid. Yes, let’s loosen up the start area. We appreciate all the work the officers do. I told Cam and John I liked the change. I think we need to slow down the finish a bit, and/or move the last cone back a bit from the finish. We are very close to the timing light on the left – maybe move the slalom to the right a bit – even if not centered in the finish box.

My request is to try and get in and out of grid without driving on gravel. Puts the tires a little behind, and all the dust is unwanted on the cars, air and cabin filters, etc. A few tweaks. Let’s build on some great new ideas!

Thanks for the input and mentoring Jack, Steven, Chris, Art and others!

I am aware for most of you this is not part of your work assignment or your responsibility! I am thankful for your willingness to share your time, wisdom and experience. I myself have never worked grid before.

About Grid:
The plan is to make it longer by maybe 100′ or so. Jack and Stephan both suggested moving the two driver cars away from the starting area. That worked out much better during the second run group. Art offers this: The grid is along barn B. That barn has a pass-through near the middle. I propose to grid two driver cars beyond that along the barn side. Then grid everyone else on both sides moving down the hill. This will keep the area clear where car come off course and allows room for more cars to stage, keeping the event moving. I like Art’s suggestion.

Wondering if we could have cars grid on both sides diagonally 45 degrees or less 25 degrees facing toward the starting line end of grid. Do you think it is possible to make it so most of them would not need to back in, but just go to the end of grid after a run turn around and then drive forward in at a angle to there spot. If this is possible it may reduce the number of cars backing up in grid or at least how far they need to back? Input here is welcome.

Having the lights on in grid would of coarse be most welcome.

Finish Slalom:
Jack is suggesting maybe move the finish slalom to the right a bit – even if not centered in the finish box. I think we should consider that.

Jack
Request is to try and get in and out of grid without driving on gravel. This is possible it requires driving through the fenced area behind the barns to that lower parking lot turn right go past the building there then right up the hill straight ahead to grid. Should take less than 1 min. to drive if you don’t get lost. However I an not sure we rent the lot past that fence? Maybe Chris could weigh in on this?

Some compromising is inevitable with the current location at the Ag-center. I am hesitant to drive cross course from car paddock to grid although that is a way to do it with out driving on gravel. Also helicopter lift, dusty, noisy, slow, just another of my many bad ideas!!! Lets keep looking for a way.

There is more than one way to do this grid thing well I am sure, and there’s a million ways to do it badly! I am too old to try all the bad ones.

Suggestions welcome:

Lots of good information here that will make events more fun and safer.

Regarding gridding cars at an angle without backing in. This could be done, but would require we use the middle of the grid lane with driving lanes where the parking spots are at the periphery. No problem with that. The limiting factor is how much room is there? How many cars can we handle doing that? I have not counted the spaces available down there. It still leaves 2 driver cars backing into their grid spots.

As for angle parking, we could force all drivers to go all the way to the end of grid, turn around and come back to their grid spot. This would make backing at an angle easy. It still results in a lot of movement in grid, although not any more than we had Tuesday night.

We technically rent the “upper lot”, which is from the fence behind the barns to the entrance on Fanning Bridge Rd.

Ya I remembered you saying something about that. Thanks for clarification on that Chris.