2012 June Sprints?

[budawe]

It may still be a bit early, but has anyone heard who won the vee race?

[Bill Bonow]

Just getting ready for the start and live timming

http://junesprints.com/live-timing/

It starts in a few minutes

[Bill Bonow]

Just looked at the schedule and they are running an hour or more behind the listed program. Look for FV to start the next race (when ever that is)

[Bill Bonow]

1. Varacins
2. Jennerjahn (8 seconds back from MV)
3. Whitson (15 seconds back from CJ)

9 starters, 8 finishers

[dc]

Only 9 Vees? Wow. Anyone want to speculate why such a small FV class this year?


I'm kinda shocked.

[Bill Bonow]

Doug,

That's a little small, but close to the regular field size these days.

[dc]

Doug,

That's a little small, but close to the regular field size these days.

Even for the June Sprints? With so few races in the CenDiv, I would have expected more turnout for one of the Triple Crown. Damn.

[Bill Bonow]

Doug,

I can't find the figures, but a few years ago I had made a chart showing a gradual shrinking of June Sprints FV grids. 30 years ago, close to (50) cars was average. 20 years ago, (30) cars and for the past 10 years it has hung around (15) cars. The exception was the last FV birthday party at Road America during the June Sprints. That had a (75) car grid.

[Amon]

Bill,

There were 17 vee's at the Nelson Memorial Day National and 17 at M-O
a week later so the FV car count for Nationals seems to be doing well
around here. I'm curious to see how the Beaverun National adds up later
this summer, and the Regionals have suffered around here as more and
more drivers moved to Nationals.

Mark

92' Protoform P-1/ 004

[dc]

Looked like class numbers were down across most formula classes, too. I wonder if racers are making a statement about the Road America monopoly in the CenDiv?

[Matt King]

There have been under a dozen FVs at the Sprints for at least the last 3 years, maybe 4. I think the number of regulars in Cendiv has just dropped to around that number lately and out of division people are not making the trip to the Sprints for whatever reason. For one thing, the SCCA kind of cut the legs out from under the Triple Crown when they introduced their own Super Sweep.

[Amon]

Matt,

It also doesn't help the numbers when gas is at $4.00 per gallon and you're getting
10-12 mpg. towing the trailer several hundred miles to the meet. Add in the poor
economy, and it appears to be much easier to just stay home and run locally.

Mark

[butch deer]

Maybe its the fact that all of VW's race money went into winning LeMans with there Audi division and having wery little support for club racers that all the new people are going to cars with Mazda or Honda power were the factories care about club racers.

[problemchild]

All of the above.

As the FV fields shrink, the big money competitors (ones with $30K cars, multiple engines, multiples of trannies, proper tire budgets, etc) has dwindled that there are just not enough of them to travel around to the premier events, including Runoffs. Until the class shrinks to a point where it makes changes to help itself, nothing is going to change.

[craigs]

10 in 2011
13 in 2010
19 in 2009
14 in 2008
15 in 2007
15 in 2006

then the results page takes too long to load.

[Hardingfv32]

Maybe the 'June Sprints' has lost its prestige to the 'current' average SCCA member. Thinks change....

Brian

[budawe]

All events are down this year and while we can discuss the reasons, they are all valid, the gorilla in the room is the economy. Lower budget cars are further down in participation than others. Semi-pro series are doing ok and regionals are coming back. I remember the Sprints back in the 90's and not only were the fields much larger, the spectators numbered in the 10's of thousands. I can assure you they're not out there now and they could care less about car rules and spec tires. It's a tough time but we'll get through it.

[Speed Sport Engineering]

I thought the spectator crowd at this years Sprints was significantly better then the past few years. They were spread out throughout the track - I don't remember there being as many people on the hill outside 7 or 3 as there were this year. It was noticable on the cool off lap when I was looking around.

Part of the issue with the Vee race this year was the schedule. It was poor for us. One session at 11:30 on Friday, one session at 10:00 on Saturday, and 2 on sunday. Not very inviting for those opposed to long weekends. I enjoyed it, as it gave me time to do things on Friday and Saturday, but others might not have.

[rayce13]

Probably doesn't help that they scheduled a "Majors" event out here in Colorado on the same weekend.

[Amon]

Mike & Brian,

The economy, gas prices and maybe the need for a long box to participate may
force people to skip the event. I know the longbox is needed at the Runoff's, but
it's usually the last race of the year for many and they have all year to make the
switch back to the short box. The economy can't get much worse so I hope we've
seen the bottom per attendance and only hope it gets better from here. Congrats
on your victory.

Mark

[budawe]

I ran my first Sprints with a short box and managed a 4th. If you hang out til the end, and charge the mountain on the front straight with some grunt, you might be surprised.