Other than the drive for the NE guys, what makes Nelson in any way a better choice than Road Atlanta? 1. There’s way more room in the pits. Including cold pit. 2. Electrical hookups. 3. It’s a much better track for spectators and fans. 4. It’s a much better venue to invite sponsors to. 5. Plenty of amenities (fuel, food, hotels) within 10 minutes of the track.
I'm just stoked we're not in a rut of running the exact same tracks for the endurance schedule every year - nice to have a new track or two each year to change things up. Glad we are headed back to Barber - was awesome 2 years ago...
Didn't know it was an either/or choice...RA is great. Yes, the pit area is WAY better. The rest of your points are a non-issue to me, as I have a generator, and spectators and fans and sponsors aren't really much of a thing any more and I prefer to stay at the track...
Appears Endurance running in conjunction with the GNF? Wonder how that effects vintage and qualifying.
I believe the last couple years the endurance was run during the GNF weekend - with 2021 being the exception.
Considering I said all along that this past GNF schedule was a one off it'll absolutely affect Qualifying, there will be no way to do it the same way. It was fun though and I'll work on some ideas. I'd do another entire day for the event except for the additional 20-25 grand it costs per day there....
Yeah it's a bunch, nothing like writing a check for 60 grand more more as you walk in the door. Of course it's fine as long as we have income to cover it. The ones that suck is when mother nature or something else happens and we lose 10 grand or more on event. Those are hard to come back from.
I don't mind rain, I truly hate a bad forecast. Once people are there they tend to suck it up and ride but if it looks bad a week out there are tons who will just stay home and hit the next trackday or the like.
Can't please everyone, done my fair share of WERA rain weekends...2021 GNF was the first dry GNF in how long? LOL We spend thousands of dollars at this hobby...if it's going to be a 100% chance of crap, I can't blame people for not spending their $ if they're not having fun.
2020 was half dry! I don't think I've skipped a track day or race for weather in my life, but I understand the delicate sensibilities of some people. Edit: I lied! Ironically enough, I skipped the wet day during the GNF last year, haha.
Mongo can you handle the truth? Step 1 Make all of the teams buy and or have mounted rains outside of their trucks/trailers at the start of the race weekend Step 2 Make sure all of the tire vendors have their rains on display the minute they set up for the weekend The rain gods will whimper and go away
Not trying to beat a dead horse but a thought for a compromise to the warmers discussion- Warmers but no power. Keeps it to front/rear stand and warmer itself and warmer helps to keep a little heat in the tires. Everyone runs warmers- it doesn't cost more and not a ton of extra equipment on hot pit during the red flags. My team hasn't had a problem with no warmers during red flags but I wouldn't mind being able to at least do that...
I was gonna say...I held the unofficial record at the 2020 GNF. Most amount of laps turned without crashing! We were losing bikes on the warm up lap, bikes crashing out on the first lap...a literal war of attrition against mother nature, where the weather was bigger competition than the other racers
I heard about the number of crashes the next day. Made my decision to sleep in and get donuts sound reaalllyy good. I did run a bunch at the 2019 GNF, which may have well have been a flood at times. Think you were at that one too?
Yeah, haven't missed a GNF since 2017. I think in some aspects 2019 was a little worse because of how much rain in such short time came and created the "Barber Rivers" across parts of the track
Cool, don't remember hearing about it, have to make make sure all the teams know for this coming season