2017 Detailed Schedule

[Scott Finning]

All - I would like to add just a few points of consideration that went into this schedule that made this a tough one to pull together.

Couple of keys:

• We're very lucky to have TWS at all this year. As it turns out Walter was able to get three dates for 2017. Without TWS, we would more than likely have a 9 round season.
  
  Maybe I'm dumb but where is this 3rd TWS round? From what I'm seeing there are 2 rounds there.. Don't know why they couldn't be split between BBE & ULE....
  
• Over the past several years, NOLA has been in the month of June which was a little bit less expensive, but at the 'cost' of almost guaranteed rain which has impacted every event to a degree each year. We've targeted NOLA as the long term March replacement for TWS and it was available this year and we felt that it was a good strategic move.
  
  While I am not fond of going to NOLA... I understood why we are going there.. and your reason for the early date is appreciated... my complaint is the schedule of back to back ULE at the farthest points.. and it's not just me in OK.. I'm certain folks in west Texas are finding it a hard pill to swallow.. Sprint racers are going to go wherever and what ever the schedule is.. so this is focused primarily on the endurance series crowd.. If going to NOLA is the thing the club wants.. or needs..fine but to make the ULE crowd do a back to back to these particular tracks seems a bit much.
  I would think a BBE at Houston in February and then the ULE at NOLA would be much more fair.. Split the dates at TWS and you end up with both series doing a back to back stint at tracks a little more centrally located... ULE gets a bit of time at TWS(which we may not get to again)...and the BBE folks would get a breather instead of 3 rounds in a row...
  
  
• The early season races run the risk of being very cold with poor track conditions. Holding those early rounds at our southern most tracks gives us the best chance for the best weather.
  
  I get that.. but I don't believe that has anything to do with scheduling what series would go to these meets..
  
• The board overwhelmingly responded to the requests from the ULWE participants to hold an event at NOLA. NOLA is also the best Championship Endurance track....it will be a loss for the CE series this year, but Walter has always advocated moving things around year over year to ensure that all aspects of the CMRA have the same opportunity to the degree possible.
  
  I completely understand and agree with this... my only issue is the scheduling of the ULE to Houston and then NOLA back to back... financially it is a burden..more than it should be..
  I dig the old "racing is expensive" adage... we all know this is true.. but again.. the ULE is supposed to be the "affordable" series.. this schedule takes that away..

There are other considerations as well, but this comes to mind for now - hope that helps the perspective some.

I am not knowing what all those "other considerations"are.. and can only go by what is in front of me... so if there is some kind of reasoning that makes it imperative that the ULE series must run these early meets back to back..so be it.. but I would love to know what those reasons could be..
And yes I am not pointing fingers..I do appreciate the Boards and Walters work...I just think the schedule as it is is not the most effective way..IMHO

[Kasey Lewis]

Looks solid to me. As one of the farthest racers, it breaks up the traditional back to back Hallett/Nola runs, which is astoundingly hard at 18 hrs/ 15hrs respectively. NOLA has been the hot topic for ULWE for a couple of seasons now, let's see what the grid says about it being a good idea. Talking to the teams it was easily 80% that would like a NOLA round.

Good schedule.

[Scott Finning]

I thank Walter and the board for the schedule. For the last two years people complained about TWS on the ULW and many vocalized that ULW grids were higher than BBE that NOLA should be a ULW round. Now they listened and reacted and yet within minutes of this being posted people start yacking about it being unfair.

I don't get it. Everyone certaintly is entitled to opinions and concerns with out a doubt but looks to me on the surface the club reacted to give ULW guys what they wanted. I don't mean to put down anyone but all 350 + active racers can't get tailored to them schedules.

I'm sorry not meant to offend or flame anyone.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

Micheal... I appreciate your comments.. and get that... I'm just thinking there must be a way to do this which acceptable and fair to all the members...

[Scott Finning]

Looks solid to me. As one of the farthest racers, it breaks up the traditional back to back Hallett/Nola runs, which is astoundingly hard at 18 hrs/ 15hrs respectively. NOLA has been the hot topic for ULWE for a couple of seasons now, let's see what the grid says about it being a good idea. Talking to the teams it was easily 80% that would like a NOLA round.

Good schedule.

Swapping the Houston and 1st TWS endurance rounds maintains that break you like... and kills the 3 round back to back run for CE

[Scott Finning]

Far for who, Scott? Also, I suspect I'm not the only one confused by your posts. If you could edit them so they're easier to understand, it might help your case.

Strange schedule, but endurance (even LWE) could use some experimentation to hopefully liven it up

I hope my responding comments makes my case a little clearer for you..
Thanks!

[Alonzo Contreras]

Is the main complaint for lightweight the back to back rounds? Maybe the board can consider flipping the first round in Houston for the first round at Hallett in May? That will alternate LW and BB all season giving everyone a break in between rounds. Either way, I'm just happy we're going racing.

Hats off to the the board for thinking outside of the box!

oops. I didn't realize my suggestion would eliminate Hallett completely from the BB series. not that it bothers me one bit

[Derek Thomas]

Is the main complaint for lightweight the back to back rounds? Maybe the board can consider flipping the first round in Houston for the first round at Hallett in May? That will alternate LW and BB all season giving everyone a break in between rounds. Either way, I'm just happy we're going racing.

Hats off to the the board for thinking outside of the box!

oops. I didn't realize my suggestion would eliminate Hallett completely from the BB series. not that it bothers me one bit

One of my fondest memories of Hallett is when I saw some dorky dude, knees knocking, propose to a woman he way outkicked his coverage on.....kinda like that place! ;)

[Alonzo Contreras]

One of my fondest memories of Hallett is when I saw some dorky dude, knees knocking, propose to a woman he way outkicked his coverage on.....kinda like that place! ;)

LOL! That was a good day!

[Robert Lackey]

Looks solid to me. As one of the farthest racers, it breaks up the traditional back to back Hallett/Nola runs, which is astoundingly hard at 18 hrs/ 15hrs respectively. NOLA has been the hot topic for ULWE for a couple of seasons now, let's see what the grid says about it being a good idea. Talking to the teams it was easily 80% that would like a NOLA round.

Good schedule.

See this is why I was reluctant to post in the first place, and why I understand why the schedule is what it is. Hallett is 18 hours for Kasey, 1.5 hours for me. So it's all relative. In addition I suppose I wasn't aware how adamant everyone was about a NOLA ULWE event. I'm also sure the board had to work around these tracks' individual schedules while taking weather conditions into consideration. I get it! I'm not unhappy with the overall schedule just the MSRH/NOLA B2B... but it's certainly not worth complaining about any further! Carrying on with winter prep.

Oh one side note: Hallett being my home track I really look forward to those events but the 5/19-5/21 Round bookends my 5/20 anniversary. So if someone could work out a candlelight dinner atop the scorer's building or something that would be great...

[Jim Dugger]

~45-50% of the club's membership is in the "Houston Area".
~40-45% of the club's membership is in the "D/FW Area"
The balance is everywhere else.

When you do the demographics and critically evaluate turnout numbers, where events need to be and when has a certain clarity to it.

While the schedule may well be far from a favorite for many, the Board should be acknowledged for a fine piece of compromise considering many factors, including the likely financial performance of individual events and seasonal track costs vs. impact of attendance given the detailed event schedule.