Another great HADA event!!

[ice/solo racer]

A big thanks to Wes and the rest of the hada crew,a great job on all accounts.Great weather(no rain thank god)fun course layout and no working the stations!.(personally I think a club generating revenue should work the event and not the people paying to race,but I'll likely get some hate mail for that one:rolleyes: )6 runs too!!(good for me as I really pulled one out of a hat on the last one!).
So again a thanks to all involved and we'll see everyone next week at mosport.

[Taylor]

Here comes your hate mail. :)

Well not hate mail, just another perspective.

There's a lot of effort put into the organization of an event (even more than I'm familiar with), and (not to take away from the marshalling the 20 or so HADA members out today did) marshalling is the easiest thing to do. Problem is since it's the only work competitors have to do in an event, they think it's hell.

So basically what I'm trying to say is, minus marshalling, most not-for-profit clubs earn any "revenue" they generate from an event in the first 3 hours and last hour of the event when the competitors arn't doing anything (or still in bed).

In addition to the praise in this thread, 94 competitors, 6 runs and a half hour of fun runs is basically unheard of for the regional series... and all done on HADA's first regional event and only our 2nd AutoX ever.

[miataboi]

Originally posted by ice/solo racer
A big thanks to Wes and the rest of the hada crew,a great job on all accounts.Great weather(no rain thank god)fun course layout and no working the stations!.(personally I think a club generating revenue should work the event and not the people paying to race,but I'll likely get some hate mail for that one:rolleyes: )6 runs too!!(good for me as I really pulled one out of a hat on the last one!).
So again a thanks to all involved and we'll see everyone next week at mosport.

you've OBVIOUSLY never ORGANIZED an event... that's OK,... I'm lettin' this one slide...

I'm a bigger person.

:rolleyes: :D

It WAS a great event... and a well-organized one too!
Well done boi's

[StewPiddass]

No wonder you're in a good mood Tom... did you end up beating all the BSP guys? I never checked... Lisa got me by one position, she was 11th of 20 in BSS and I was 12th (way down from your position).

I also concurr that this was an extremely well run event... This was my first regional and first HADA event ever, I am impressed!

On the topic of marshalling, while I was glad to not have to do it (my sattelite dish head couldn't take too much sun) I sure don't think it's too much to ask of the competitors.

Taylor, I'll let you know about that t-shirt for the wife, she really wants one, we were just checking out your e-store.

Thanx again HADA for a great day!

[Taylor]

Tod: Something just occured to me, the online order form on the site is probably going to puke (not setup for paypal yet), so best to drop me an email any request. And as I mentioned I do have womens styles, but I'd have to double check on styles/colors and sizes left as I only got about 20 done last year and most got sold within the first couple weeks, all embroidered though.

[StewPiddass]

Hey, who ended up with FTD anyway?

[Taylor]

Rob Magro with a 40.2, then I think Dave Taira with a 40.5, then Tom is in there.. think that might be it for 40 second runners. Then a half dozen in the 41's. That layout really evened things out amungst the classes, an FTD list would probably show the top 10 guys are from 6 or 7 different classes.

[ice/solo racer]

I knew that one comment would spark more words than the nice things that I have to say,everyone seems so anal?BTW miata boy I'm the principle person in bring solo 2 into cottage country having taken the time and effort to organize a solo series of 6-7 events per year for 3 years with NO CLUB to help out AND no racers had to work my events!but thats ok I'll let that one slide because I'm bigger person as well.
You guys seem to pick up on something said you don't like and run with it,lets not turn this into a worker non worker debate,or how much work an event takes blah blah blah.When I made such a small comment it was a little tongue in cheek,I know we have to marshall at events and its something I do willingly and never miss my turn.
After all that let me say again-super event,tons of fun,lots of runs,nice people and great weather.On top of all that I won my class and outrun BSP for the second event in a row-not to bad at all.(thank god Tony ran PITL and not the regional!)

[tanney]

Thanks Tom. Man did you hand my butt to me on a platter. Good thing I was the organizer, I have an excuse then to my lack luster performance ;)

Finally, a weekend with great weather, it's about time!

[miataboi]

Originally posted by ice/solo racer
I knew that one comment would spark more words than the nice things that I have to say,everyone seems so anal?BTW miata boy I'm the principle person in bring solo 2 into cottage country having taken the time and effort to organize a solo series of 6-7 events per year for 3 years with NO CLUB to help out AND no racers had to work my events!but thats ok I'll let that one slide because I'm bigger person as well.
You guys seem to pick up on something said you don't like and run with it,lets not turn this into a worker non worker debate,or how much work an event takes blah blah blah.When I made such a small comment it was a little tongue in cheek,I know we have to marshall at events and its something I do willingly and never miss my turn.

Who 'da man??? YOU da' man! ;):p

[Marsh]

Originally posted by miataboi
you've OBVIOUSLY never ORGANIZED an event... that's OK,... I'm lettin' this one slide...

I'm a bigger person.

:rolleyes: :D

It WAS a great event... and a well-organized one too!
Well done boi's

I have, and I agree with Tom. Sometimes it's neccessary, but usually it isn't. I don't see why I should make Solo-2 people work an event, when their presence is what's funding my lapping days.

Plus most people miss one of the most important reasons that WOSCA doesn't force marshaling. Most of the competitors are rookies and therefor absolute tools when it comes to marshaling. We'd rather do it ourselves then have someone else screw it up.

BTW in my opinion you can marshal any course with 3 stations and it should never take more than 1 person in the timing tent. Inlcuding start box you should never NEED more than 5 people to run an event. And finding start and stop box voulanteers is childs play. But that's just my opinion.

[miataboi]

Originally posted by Marsh
I have, and I agree with Tom. Sometimes it's neccessary, but usually it isn't. I don't see why I should make Solo-2 people work an event, when their presence is what's funding my lapping days.

Plus most people miss one of the most important reasons that WOSCA doesn't force marshaling. Most of the competitors are rookies and therefor absolute tools when it comes to marshaling. We'd rather do it ourselves then have someone else screw it up.

BTW in my opinion you can marshal any course with 3 stations and it should never take more than 1 person in the timing tent. Inlcuding start box you should never NEED more than 5 people to run an event. And finding start and stop box voulanteers is childs play. But that's just my opinion.

Perhaps it gets tricky... when you have series registered competitors, non-series registered competitors, people walking through timing beams and re-runs, chicken, veg, and hamburger lunches to co-ordinate, call-in and verify, set-up etc, (people get ugly when their chicken burg is not available... and instead are forced to deal with a hamburger) people beeatching about classing, 2-cars on the course at the same time... comp. timing AND a paper backup - in case of catastrophic failure (let's see that done with one person!!!), a marshal acknowledger, a print-out boi, etc, etc, etc,.

Your milage may vary.



but...
I DO NOT understand your "lapping days" funding point???
The clubs I know are NON-PROFIT... and the funds go to COVER COSTS... not fund an individual's personal lapping days???

Care to clarify??? I'm stumped!



HADA... well run event!!! I give my thanks to the organizers! It's a lot of work and committment! (the pay isn't too good either! :D)

[finboy]

in the history of solo II marshalling duties is just part of the day.

it's very rare when the hosting club, looks after everything

except for the 4.00 slab of meat on a bun.. it was a perfectly run event.

Tom you have no reason to complain

[tanney]

except for the 4.00 slab of meat on a bun.. it was a perfectly run event.
Just for the record, we had no control over the food. In the contract for the facilities they claim exclusive rights for all food and beverages available on sight.

HADA originally wanted to have HADA folk fire up a BBQ as part of the day but we were not allowed to distribute food on the site. Sorry!

[ice/solo racer]

Finboy I don't think that a small little comment can be called complaining/whinning what ever you want to call it(I believe I'm entitiled to an opinion the same as you are).I'm well aware that history says that marshals are used for solo's,its just that when a club can generate well over $3000 gross for one event that the club should be able to provide the workers is all.I realize the cost involved in hosting an event having hosted many myself,I'm also not bitching as I've never avoided my duties and show up immediately after my run whether my car has issues or not.MY car was a real handfull on the first 4 runs due to a rear spring change and I was gratefull to have the time to be able to tune the car between runs to take advantage of that change.Something I would've had a tough time doing with work duties,2 drivers and a 2 year old.
So if my opinion has upset those that are wound a little to tight I'm sorry.Lets move on

BTW Wes I didn't think your performance was lackluster,you finished second right?in a fresh car combo against some of the toughest competition in the series I'd consider the cars first outing pretty successful indeed.Don't forget I've been sorting my car for going on 3 seasons now-I'll stop sorting now as the thing is really coming around now eh?why oh why did I run street tires last year!!:confused:

[Marsh]

Originally posted by miataboi
Perhaps it gets tricky... when you have series registered competitors, non-series registered competitors, people walking through timing beams and re-runs, chicken, veg, and hamburger lunches to co-ordinate, call-in and verify, set-up etc, (people get ugly when their chicken burg is not available... and instead are forced to deal with a hamburger) people beeatching about classing, 2-cars on the course at the same time... comp. timing AND a paper backup - in case of catastrophic failure (let's see that done with one person!!!), a marshal acknowledger, a print-out boi, etc, etc, etc,.

Your milage may vary.

I DO NOT understand your "lapping days" funding point???
The clubs I know are NON-PROFIT... and the funds go to COVER COSTS... not fund an individual's personal lapping days???

Care to clarify??? I'm stumped!


WOSCA always losses money on lapping days. In past we've lost over $1000 on one event. We cover those losses with income from Solo-2. If we lost our Solo-2 lot any given year that means no WOSCA lapping days that year.

As for lunch: your porogitive to provide it. It's a nice touch, but it's not required.

Marshal acknowledger: It's called a radio. They're $30 now...

Don't run 2 cars at once, make the course shorter instead...

People only walk through the beams when they go for marshaling. besides with Victor Delcol's software you could march an elphant parade through the beam and it wouldn't screw up the run.

I'm not saying you only need 5 people to run YOU'RE event. I'm just saying you can run an event (and even a popular series) with 5 people (at once, not in total, obviously). WOSCA does this regularly. No stop box marshal, one start line, one in the tent, 3 on the course, 3 radios (one in the tent, 2 on the course). I organized our regional last year with less than 12 members. Most marshalling stations had 2 people at any given time, and I spent most of the day taking pictures, because I wasn't needed. It can be done.

BTW We've never had a catastrophic failure. The data in the lap top has always been recoverable at a later date. If the lap top crashes we revert to paper, but only at that point, maybe I'll eat my words on that one some day, but so far so good...

[rainman]

Originally posted by Marsh
WOSCA always losses money on lapping days. In past we've lost over $1000 on one event. We cover those losses with income from Solo-2. If we lost our Solo-2 lot any given year that means no WOSCA lapping days that year.

As for lunch: your porogitive to provide it. It's a nice touch, but it's not required.

Marshal acknowledger: It's called a radio. They're $30 now...

Don't run 2 cars at once, make the course shorter instead...

People only walk through the beams when they go for marshaling. besides with Victor Delcol's software you could march an elphant parade through the beam and it wouldn't screw up the run.

I'm not saying you only need 5 people to run YOU'RE event. I'm just saying you can run an event (and even a popular series) with 5 people (at once, not in total, obviously). WOSCA does this regularly. No stop box marshal, one start line, one in the tent, 3 on the course, 3 radios (one in the tent, 2 on the course). I organized our regional last year with less than 12 members. Most marshalling stations had 2 people at any given time, and I spent most of the day taking pictures, because I wasn't needed. It can be done.

BTW We've never had a catastrophic failure. The data in the lap top has always been recoverable at a later date. If the lap top crashes we revert to paper, but only at that point, maybe I'll eat my words on that one some day, but so far so good...

So what exactly is your point? That fewer people running the event is a better thing? Why should you care so long as you receive:

- 6 timed runs
- no marshalling
- fun runs at the end of the day
- easily accessible food should you choose to buy it

I'm really perplexed as to why you feel the need to highlight how you or WOSCA runs events. It would be great if you have some constructive input as to how HADA can organize a better and more enjoyable event - we hope to hear from any competitors that participated.

Please indicate why it is beneficial to run only one car at a time and why one radio is a better form of communication than flags on a Solo 2 course. I also fail to see the relevance of how one person walking through the timing beam during the day should indicate that we need to use Victor's software. By all accounts it appears we had only a couple minor timing issues, but nothing big enough to stop 94 competitors from receiving 6 timed runs :confused:

If anyone has anything to suggest to make HADA events run better or more fun, please chip in. Like our lapping events, we want to ensure that anyone who decides to spend their hard-earned money gets their full value out of the event, and hopefully more. :)

[roooo]

To stop people walking through the timing beam, just run a whole bunch of cones parallel to it.

** ascii diagram omitted **

Although there must be something infeasable about doing that otherwise everyone would be doing it.

[Keith-02Accord]

Actually, I think you're idea could work quite well.

The only 2 issues might be: lack of cones, max. distance between the two timing units may not be long enough to permit it.

Definitely worth trying at future events.

[Dave]

IMO all marshalls should be required to wear a pylon hat like Geo did. The guy is either a genius or an idiot savant! :p

[miataboi]

Originally posted by Dave
IMO all marshalls should be required to wear a pylon hat like Geo did. The guy is either a genius or an idiot savant! :p

If I were a mashall... with all the newbies out there... I sure wouldn't want to look like a pylon!

Some of those guys have enough trouble staying on course when the pylon's are sitting still... let alone moving around!!!

The last think I'd want to be when a newbie is SEARCHING desperately for the course / next gate... is to be a moving pylon... thus.... attracting attention!

HELL NO!
It'd be fun to watch though!

[Taylor]

Suddenly I had a vision of a Benny Hill style skit with that. :)

[gatherer]

Originally posted by miataboi
If I were a mashall... with all the newbies out there... I sure wouldn't want to look like a pylon!

Some of those guys have enough trouble staying on course when the pylon's are sitting still... let alone moving around!!!

The last think I'd want to be when a newbie is SEARCHING desperately for the course / next gate... is to be a moving pylon... thus.... attracting attention!

HELL NO!
It'd be fun to watch though!

I just had an image of Geo running the track as fast as he can to get away from a car chasing him..... lol

I had tons of fun marshalling on sunday it was enjoyable to see everyone else get the line through the cones that for somereason when I got in the car I just couldn't do .... ohhh well

[Marsh]

Originally posted by rainman
So what exactly is your point? That fewer people running the event is a better thing? Why should you care so long as you receive:

- 6 timed runs
- no marshalling
- fun runs at the end of the day
- easily accessible food should you choose to buy it

I'm really perplexed as to why you feel the need to highlight how you or WOSCA runs events. It would be great if you have some constructive input as to how HADA can organize a better and more enjoyable event - we hope to hear from any competitors that participated.

Please indicate why it is beneficial to run only one car at a time and why one radio is a better form of communication than flags on a Solo 2 course. I also fail to see the relevance of how one person walking through the timing beam during the day should indicate that we need to use Victor's software. By all accounts it appears we had only a couple minor timing issues, but nothing big enough to stop 94 competitors from receiving 6 timed runs :confused:

If anyone has anything to suggest to make HADA events run better or more fun, please chip in. Like our lapping events, we want to ensure that anyone who decides to spend their hard-earned money gets their full value out of the event, and hopefully more. :)

OMG! Having a discussion on this board is like explaing quantum phisics to a first year philosophy class. No matter how many people in the room get it, there is always someone that finds a way to take personal offence at your opinion.

I LIKED the HADA event. I thought it was well run! Congratulations! Someone posted his opinion that he liked no marshaling and would like to see all clubs doing it (at least at regionals). Someone else took a little offence at that and responded that at their event's it's too difficult because of all the logistics.

I posted that the logistics are a choice and gave how WOSCA does it as an example of how it can be done. The secret to no marshaling is having enough members available to marshal. Thus the less people you require at any given time the more realistic the goal of no competitor marshaling. At WOSCA events almost never is there an organizer present that isn't running. We all compete, organize and marshal the event. We also usually make our runs, more or less on time. I was just describing an example to show it is possible.

BTW Wes even mentioned WOSCA as where he got the idea for no marshaling, in the driver's meeting thank you very much. (PS PMSC doesn't require marshaling at the regional either).

So if anyone else takes personal offence to the fact that I like events were competitors don't have to marshal. Or if anyone else is upset by the fact that I really enjoyed Sundays event and thought it was well run (I don't get it either but here wea are...) then PM me and lets get this out control thread of the board.

[miataboi]

Originally posted by Marsh
OMG! Having a discussion on this board is like explaing quantum phisics to a first year philosophy class. No matter how many people in the room get it, there is always someone that finds a way to take personal offence at your opinion.

I LIKED the HADA event. I thought it was well run! Congratulations! Someone posted his opinion that he liked no marshaling and would like to see all clubs doing it (at least at regionals). Someone else took a little offence at that and responded that at their event's it's too difficult because of all the logistics.

I posted that the logistics are a choice and gave how WOSCA does it as an example of how it can be done. The secret to no marshaling is having enough members available to marshal. Thus the less people you require at any given time the more realistic the goal of no competitor marshaling. At WOSCA events almost never is there an organizer present that isn't running. We all compete, organize and marshal the event. We also usually make our runs, more or less on time. I was just describing an example to show it is possible.

BTW Wes even mentioned WOSCA as where he got the idea for no marshaling, in the driver's meeting thank you very much. (PS PMSC doesn't require marshaling at the regional either).

So if anyone else takes personal offence to the fact that I like events were competitors don't have to marshal. Or if anyone else is upset by the fact that I really enjoyed Sundays event and thought it was well run (I don't get it either but here wea are...) then PM me and lets get this out control thread of the board.

Wow! WOSCA's wicked! We must be weenies when the western clubs are way more wild about well-run events. Why are the westerners worse when the WOSCA guys? Oh well... Whatever.

[Taylor]

I seem to recall marshalling at the Peterborough event... isn't that PMSC? Or is that changed for this year? (not that it really matters, just a confusing statement)

[Marsh]

Originally posted by Taylor
I seem to recall marshalling at the Peterborough event... isn't that PMSC? Or is that changed for this year? (not that it really matters, just a confusing statement)

I've never marshaled at a Peterborough event... I assume they only do it for their regional?

[tanney]

I remember marshaling at Duoro Arena. We had the walk around the lot marshaling starting on the south side of the lot then clockwise around the lot. That was last year. In 2001 at Sir Sanford Fleming we were sent out to the islands to marshal.

Last year they were short marshaling stints because it didn't take lone to go around the lot.

[Marsh]

Originally posted by tanney
I remember marshaling at Duoro Arena. We had the walk around the lot marshaling starting on the south side of the lot then clockwise around the lot. That was last year. In 2001 at Sir Sanford Fleming we were sent out to the islands to marshal.

Last year they were short marshaling stints because it didn't take lone to go around the lot.

OK I do vaguely remember marshaling at Duro, but not at SSF. I can remember the "no marshaling" call during more than one of their driver's meetings...

[Logan]

I think marshalling was voluntary at our event last year...
Can't remember for sure.