Race Day Format

[Chris91GT]

Since I am a 100% rookie to this sport, can someone run through a typical day? Thanks! Just getting a little excited about finally getting out on the track and I need something to tide me over until the snow is finally gone. :)

[Brent]

A typical raceday for me;
- remove seats and pack up car night before, prepare cooler with food and lots of gatorade.
- arrive early (6:30) and wake up everyone who camped over.
- unload car, install race pads, rotors, tires, adjust shocks, adjust tire pressures, put number and sponsor decals on car. (when you register at open house they will provide you with sponsor decals. You can stick them on magnetic stock for ease of removal)
- Now is a good time to find the scrutineer to check your car before the rush to get it done after registration.
- by now registration will be open, usually held in a trailer or way up high (timing tower). Register, fill out waiver, forms to win tires etc. Now they will give you more sponsor decals which you put on the magnetic stock you remembered to bring (have not remembered yet), tape them to your car with the tape you forgot or just give in and stick'em on.
- now is time to grab a free coffee and doughnut from the event sponsor? tent and shoot the sh*t. About now you will notice someone cleaning their windshield and will think, damn forgot that too.
- After registration is closed there will be a drivers meeting which will discuss rules, safety, who you are to see for marshalling duties and who are the scrutineers. (scrutineer will check your car for safety and then put a sticker on your car to show it has been checked). During the drivers meeting practise lapping will be discussed ie. how many laps, for how long. You can volunteer to give up your practise laps and marshal during practice, that way you won't have to marshal during the event. You don't receive any extra laps or anything it's just that you can use what would have been your marshalling time to work on your car, eat etc.
- If you didn't volunteer to marshal the practice laps you can rush your car up to the track and be the first out for lapping while everyone else scrambles to get ready. Being first out might get you some extra laps in, by the time practice is over.
- Some time between the end of registration and the end of lapping a list will be posted, this list will divide all the drivers into 3 groups (X,Y,Z). This way 2 groups can drive while 1 marshalls and then you rotate the groups. Check the list to see which group you are in to see whether you should take your car to the track to be gridded (gridded= put the cars in the order they want them to go out on the track, usually fastest to slowest) or whether to park your car and go marshal. If you are to marshal, you are to see the person in charge of the marshals (the sherriff?) who will assign you a marshalling position ( tell you where to go). If you get there early you can pick your corner to marshal, so if you really suck at a particular portion of the track, marshal there and watch the other drivers closely. Usually you will marshal in pairs, you will have a radio and be given instructions by radio on what flags, which cars, all of which was covered during the drivers meeting.
- When it is your turn on the track, take your car to the starting grid, find the person in charge of gridding and they will tell you where to position your car. Pay attention and stick near your car so that you can move your car up when needed and be ready to go when it is your turn (if you are a rookie, this year I think you have to take an experienced driver with you until you are ready to solo or he is too scared to get back in- not sure on this maybe one of the inner circle guys know better than I.)
- When you are at the front of the line the starter will tell you when to enter the track. You will have a little less than a lap to warm up your tires and then 3 fast timed laps and one cool down lap.
- when I come off the track I drive around slowly for a while to cool down the tires and brakes some more. Now you have a short break to use the facilities or grab a drink and then back to be gridded again. You keep doing this (3-4 times?) until time is up.
Sometimes there will be practice lapping after the event, time permitting.
- Now everyone will park their cars and start packing up (unless they camped over), soon the free dinner will be ready, the results of the days competition will be announced and draws for prizes will be done.
- After the dinner and presentations are done I undo everything I did in the morning, pack up the car and head home for a couple hours sleep. Then I get up and do it all over again.

I'm sure I left some important stuff out but that's all I could think of. There are a few competitors who do writeups of the events which might give you a feel for the sport. Check out www.caiusworld.com and www.radismotorsports.com , there are others but I cannot think of them.

[Chris91GT]

Wow, thanks Brent. :)

From what you said, does that mean that each class runs back-to-back until they are finished all their sessions, and then the next class comes in?

I can't wait for May. :)

[Brent]

Chris,

The drivers are broken up into x, y, z groups. For example; group x will marshall and y, z will get their cars and go to the track entrance. Group y will grid their cars to go on the track, group z will "pregrid" their cars. Group y drivers will do their 5 laps and either come back and regrid or prepare to marshal. When all of y has gone onto the track group z will have it's turn then they will regrid or prepare to marshal. When everyone from y, z has had their turn we stop for a few minutes to change the marshals. Groups x, z will grid their cars and y will marshal. Then next time z will marshal and x, y will grid.

Hope that helps.

[Chris91GT]

Gotcha.

[alexb]

Brent,
You forgot about throwing the old ladys in the Fiords!

[Brent]

alexb,

Damn, I was throwing them in Fords.

[FrankC]

how much is the registration fee for each event?

[Dave]

$95/event if you pre-register or something like $110 if you pay at the track. Problem with paying at the track is sometimes events are fully booked so you risk driving all the way out the track without being assured of a spot.