Thoughts on improving the club?

JamesShort · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:27 am

Let's bump Zach to SSM.

Chris Halweg · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:31 am

Great ideas. Honestly when events had 100+ drivers a few years back, there was less incentive for me to attend knowing that the number of runs would likely be low vs. time/money. Obviously there are many other reasons (all of which have been discussed) why I have not made it out in the last few years.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 9:48 am

Chris Halweg wrote:

Great ideas. Honestly when events had 100+ drivers a few years back, there was less incentive for me to attend knowing that the number of runs would likely be low vs. time/money. Obviously there are many other reasons (all of which have been discussed) why I have not made it out in the last few years.

Great point Chris, I often think about the days of 120 drivers and loooong work assignments in the heat (not that it bothers me that much). We've been getting 5-6 runs regularly in the last two years, so there's actually a better autocross 'value' now if you break it down by amount of runs.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 10:33 am

Chris Halweg wrote:

Great ideas. Honestly when events had 100+ drivers a few years back, there was less incentive for me to attend knowing that the number of runs would likely be low vs. time/money. Obviously there are many other reasons (all of which have been discussed) why I have not made it out in the last few years.

This is so true. I had a friend that stoped autocrossing for this exact reason. I am trying to lure him back in with the low attendance numbers and promises of relatively short work sessions. It seems like attendance is down more (since I quit in 2004) with this kind of casual autocrosser than the core group. Makes sense.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 1:12 pm

Maybe we should charge by the run
:wink:

JimFowler · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 1:56 pm

RobLupella wrote:

Maybe we should charge by the run
:wink:

I would happily pay for additional runs.

Jordan Normark · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:07 pm

JamesShort wrote:

Let's bump Zach to SSM.

No vacancy

Maria Winslow · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:36 pm

Steven Carter wrote:

I was cautious about doing this, since back when I was an impressionable newb I heard someone complain that a driver was getting "extra looks" at the course by helping out a novice via ridealongs. I have to wonder how much advantage one gets when riding with a novice---I suspect not much, since most of the time the rider/instructor is too busy keeping them on course and giving advice.

Trust me, extra looks at DNFs and bad lines don't help.

About retaining novices... we can't be surprised that some people aren't willing to regularly get up at the crack of dawn, spend 12 hours to drive 4 minutes, endure heat, rain, shitty port-a-potties, fire ants, sand spurs, wearing a gross communal helmet, having the novice coordinator sweat all over your car and smear sunscreen on the door, etc. It takes a certain kind of person, and the ones who love autocross at first try will come back as long as we aren't jerks.

So here's my advice.

1. Ask the novice coordinators which novices didn't want a ride-along.
2. They are probably in fancy/modified cars. Stop to admire their cars.
3. Tell them the story of how badly you sucked at your first autocross, but how you kept coming back and improving and now you are awesome. You'll make them feel better about being dramatically shown up by a Nissan Leaf, and help them understand that it really is more about the driver than the car. I think a lot of people show up once and never come back because they thought their car was so awesome that they would do well, but it didn't play out like they thought.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:46 pm

My first few (dozen) times out my bad ass GTO easily got humbled by Judy's fit. Took a while to swallow that pride hit.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:50 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

My first few (dozen) times out my bad ass GTO easily got humbled by Judy's fit. Took a while to swallow that pride hit.

I'm still wondering how you can reach the pedals in a GTO.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:51 pm

Maria Winslow wrote:

Steven Carter wrote:

I was cautious about doing this, since back when I was an impressionable newb I heard someone complain that a driver was getting "extra looks" at the course by helping out a novice via ridealongs. I have to wonder how much advantage one gets when riding with a novice---I suspect not much, since most of the time the rider/instructor is too busy keeping them on course and giving advice.

Trust me, extra looks at DNFs and bad lines don't help.

About retaining novices... we can't be surprised that some people aren't willing to regularly get up at the crack of dawn, spend 12 hours to drive 4 minutes, endure heat, rain, shitty port-a-potties, fire ants, sand spurs, wearing a gross communal helmet, having the novice coordinator sweat all over your car and smear sunscreen on the door, etc. It takes a certain kind of person, and the ones who love autocross at first try will come back as long as we aren't jerks.

So here's my advice.

1. Ask the novice coordinators which novices didn't want a ride-along.
2. They are probably in fancy/modified cars. Stop to admire their cars.
3. Tell them the story of how badly you sucked at your first autocross, but how you kept coming back and improving and now you are awesome. You'll make them feel better about being dramatically shown up by a Nissan Leaf, and help them understand that it really is more about the driver than the car. I think a lot of people show up once and never come back because they thought their car was so awesome that they would do well, but it didn't play out like they thought.

Just a note that "Shitty PortaPotties" is redundant. :lol:

There is some truth to these suggestions. I'll try for some questions to identify these folks

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:36 pm

Maria Winslow wrote:

Steven Carter wrote:

I was cautious about doing this, since back when I was an impressionable newb I heard someone complain that a driver was getting "extra looks" at the course by helping out a novice via ridealongs. I have to wonder how much advantage one gets when riding with a novice---I suspect not much, since most of the time the rider/instructor is too busy keeping them on course and giving advice.

Trust me, extra looks at DNFs and bad lines don't help.

About retaining novices... we can't be surprised that some people aren't willing to regularly get up at the crack of dawn, spend 12 hours to drive 4 minutes, endure heat, rain, shitty port-a-potties, fire ants, sand spurs, wearing a gross communal helmet, having the novice coordinator sweat all over your car and smear sunscreen on the door, etc. It takes a certain kind of person, and the ones who love autocross at first try will come back as long as we aren't jerks.

So here's my advice.

1. Ask the novice coordinators which novices didn't want a ride-along.
2. They are probably in fancy/modified cars. Stop to admire their cars.
3. Tell them the story of how badly you sucked at your first autocross, but how you kept coming back and improving and now you are awesome. You'll make them feel better about being dramatically shown up by a Nissan Leaf, and help them understand that it really is more about the driver than the car. I think a lot of people show up once and never come back because they thought their car was so awesome that they would do well, but it didn't play out like they thought.

Testosterone makes you break out in a rash doesn't it Maria............

Me too............... :lol:

Maria Winslow · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:26 pm

steve remchak wrote:

Testosterone makes you break out in a rash doesn't it Maria............

I'm starting to understand why people think you're annoying.

clinehall · **Posted:** Wed Aug 08, 2012 3:51 pm

Maria Winslow wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

Testosterone makes you break out in a rash doesn't it Maria............

I'm starting to understand why people think you're annoying.

Ding, ding, ding WE have a winner!

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:07 pm

Guys, I'd like point out that Remchak has now been featured on YouTube. You guys are bound to get a kick out of this if you haven't seen it already.

THSCC Forums

Thoughts on improving the club?

Who is online