Post by shane on Jun 14, 2008 10:38:31 GMT -5
By now everyone knows I am the new guy to the sport of Slingshots. Like all of you I LOVE IT! Caroga Creek is a great facility and has potential to be a top notch venue for slingers, but we as a group need to come together to make this happen. Without a UNIFIED cooridinated effort, things will not change.
Without going into great detail, I have extensive experience in professional motorsports. Having raced offshore powerboats for 15 years, motocross and still race snowmobiles, and having clients and extremely close friends in NASCAR and Indy Car I have been fortunate to have seen and experienced changes both for the good and for the detriment of the respective sports. I have listed what I believe are three issues of primary concern that we CAN fix that will make racing together even more enjoyable than it already is.
For the most part we have an AWESOME group of racers. All of whom are always willing to lend a hand to a fellow competitor. That is something we should NEVER change! We are all out there for the same reason. To have a blast! To compete and win! And most of all be SAFE!
Here is what we need to work on:
1. Putting us last EVERY week, after charging us more, and giving us less. By that I mean, Karts get 2 heats and a feature, we get 1 heat and a feature. Then because they run late (WAY TOO LATE TO BE LAST EVERY WEEK) they want to cut OUR feature laps! Those who pay the bills call the shots! Agreed? My proposal is that Karts get 1 heat just like us, and each week features are rotated. Each week however the little guys should always go first, meaning the 5-7 year olds. Then, all other Kart and Slingshot classes should be rotated in their running on a systematic and regimented basis so that everyone gets a chance to get home before sunrise! We need to go as a group in a CALM, COOL and COLLECTED manner to the track owners with a proposal not a complaint. If we don't then nothing will change. If they do not want to honor our request to simply be FAIR, remember we are not asking for any special favors, then perhaps we should seek another venue for Friday night racing, that will treat us fairly.
2. Cheater motors. We all know who has them, and it is no big secret. We need to either have tech inspection, and a tear down rule, or have no rules for engines at all. I am not going to call out any particular person, but you know who you are and so do we. If we all build cheater motors then we are back to spec racing with faster cars and it kind of defeats the purpose of SLINGSHOTS to begin with.
3. Rough driving. There are a few people out there who seem to make it a habit. Why? Racing is racing, and certainly things happen. When certain people bump and sometimes hard, and it is not intentional, the first thing you see them do is appologize and offer their handshake in friendship. Unfortunately, there are some who seem to make it a habit, and rest assured, what goes around comes around. We are out here to have FUN and be friends while racing hard. Just race CLEAN! It is the honorable thing to do.
By not looking seriously at these issues we stand to lose fellow competitors and friends. Something none of us wants to see happen. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Shane
Without going into great detail, I have extensive experience in professional motorsports. Having raced offshore powerboats for 15 years, motocross and still race snowmobiles, and having clients and extremely close friends in NASCAR and Indy Car I have been fortunate to have seen and experienced changes both for the good and for the detriment of the respective sports. I have listed what I believe are three issues of primary concern that we CAN fix that will make racing together even more enjoyable than it already is.
For the most part we have an AWESOME group of racers. All of whom are always willing to lend a hand to a fellow competitor. That is something we should NEVER change! We are all out there for the same reason. To have a blast! To compete and win! And most of all be SAFE!
Here is what we need to work on:
1. Putting us last EVERY week, after charging us more, and giving us less. By that I mean, Karts get 2 heats and a feature, we get 1 heat and a feature. Then because they run late (WAY TOO LATE TO BE LAST EVERY WEEK) they want to cut OUR feature laps! Those who pay the bills call the shots! Agreed? My proposal is that Karts get 1 heat just like us, and each week features are rotated. Each week however the little guys should always go first, meaning the 5-7 year olds. Then, all other Kart and Slingshot classes should be rotated in their running on a systematic and regimented basis so that everyone gets a chance to get home before sunrise! We need to go as a group in a CALM, COOL and COLLECTED manner to the track owners with a proposal not a complaint. If we don't then nothing will change. If they do not want to honor our request to simply be FAIR, remember we are not asking for any special favors, then perhaps we should seek another venue for Friday night racing, that will treat us fairly.
2. Cheater motors. We all know who has them, and it is no big secret. We need to either have tech inspection, and a tear down rule, or have no rules for engines at all. I am not going to call out any particular person, but you know who you are and so do we. If we all build cheater motors then we are back to spec racing with faster cars and it kind of defeats the purpose of SLINGSHOTS to begin with.
3. Rough driving. There are a few people out there who seem to make it a habit. Why? Racing is racing, and certainly things happen. When certain people bump and sometimes hard, and it is not intentional, the first thing you see them do is appologize and offer their handshake in friendship. Unfortunately, there are some who seem to make it a habit, and rest assured, what goes around comes around. We are out here to have FUN and be friends while racing hard. Just race CLEAN! It is the honorable thing to do.
By not looking seriously at these issues we stand to lose fellow competitors and friends. Something none of us wants to see happen. What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Shane