The Formula class transition has been a longish transition. The plan started with making a rider's Formula class their premier race. This is the race for freinds/ family to come watch and one where all the riders of the cc class would be competing. We have this for FP, but not for riders who do not race FP. Formula classes were moved to a prime spot in the middle of the day and qualifying was added. Our next move is to add more laps for these races. As track time = cost, we did discuss increasing the fee and using the funds for better, higher quality trophies and possibly; payouts, but haven't gotten there yet. Trophies may happen, but not until we know what our turnout is for 2021.
Increased fees for Formula classes is NOT taking place for 2021.
Im waiting for the fees to be released for this new race club CRA. They are looking more and more appealing as of right now with the longer races.
So maybe someone will do two 8 lap races on Sat and one 20 lap race on Sun. That's a long weekend - equivalent race laps to 6 club races. That's a 50% increase in fuel and tire costs at a minimum. And I won't be surprised if that also brings a 50% increase in entry fees. Racing CRA isn't going to be cheap.
Those (2) 8 laps races on Sat and (1) 20 lap race on Sunday equal the difference of additional time/laps done between an AFM practice day (Sat/Sun) and CRA practice (Sat/Sun) plus qualifying.
Even with (3) races/practice with AFM it still equals more track time than those (3) longer races/practice with CRA by my scratchpad math.
50% increase for who?
CRA has half the amount of classes as well. It should help with pairing races/waves together. It sucks coming in hot on the 4th wave beginning of lap 2.
Only time will tell.
I think AFM is 61 - I can't remember which classes don't have Novice.
Berto, does the AFM bring in enough $$ on Sat to cover those expenses? Given the high cost of practice and the fact I’ve talked to plenty of ppl that skip Sat, I’ve been assuming not.
How about ditch trophies all together, except for (premier) FP and Formula classes. Then, no trophy for a class with less than 6-8 participants. I understand AFM is a "Bay Area" club so you WILL hurt some feelings with doing that.
How much could the club save?
Im waiting for the fees to be released for this new race club CRA. They are looking more and more appealing as of right now with the longer races.
I don't understand what you are trying to say about track time with practice and qualifying.
CRA doesn't have half the classes. Counting expert and amateur, they have 56 classes. That addition of Harley and Electric with Ex/Am, and 40yr & Women really bloated their total. I can't imagine they expect to run them all. I think AFM is 61 - I can't remember which classes don't have Novice. WERA looks to be 49.
If they run those long GT races with Expert and Amateur together some racers may get lapped 2-4x - same wave or not. That'll suck. I think its impossible for the long races to separate Ex and Am though because that's too many 20 lap races for one day. Their Gold Cup Expert-only races may be more fun.
Since Ben-Hur, trophies have been fought over by racers. Those things are gold to most racers, especially those who don't have them and are trying to get them. cutting trophies would cut fees around $15 a rider/ a weekend or so. That's all trophies.
The best thing we can do to bring our costs down as a club is bring in more riders.
Did you estimate "a 50% increase in fuel and tire costs at a minimum"? That was what i was referring to. I'm not seeing what youre referring to as an 50% increase in fuel and tires. Maybe im not understanding you.
I went to their rulebook and read their class chart wrong. It looks as if theyre combining expert and amateur together except for 600 and 1000 though.
It took a LOT of Civics and Accords for Honda to afford F1 racing. I think the folks that keep promoting a MotoAmerica Lite version of AFM have lost sight of the fact that AFM is club racing and it's the "fly over" classes that are a big part of what keeps the AFM machine going.
"MotoAmerica Lite" is funny. Lots of people on other forums have complained that current MA is already just fancy club racing because of the racers and teams that participate (or don't participate).
Like it or not, it's because the model (variety, quantity) works in the current moto economy by adding revenue on the margin.
Holeshot; I don't know any competitive racers who are skipping AFM practice for Friday practice and remaining competitive. [/QUOTE said:True. You simply cannot practice race pace at a track day.
The riders who skip practice are not that many, believe it or not. We'd like to get all riders to run practice, but some riders seem to think racing is a "value" proposition and not a competitiveness proposition. There no way a Friday trackday prepares an AFM rider for their imminent races. I don't know any competitive racers who are skipping AFM practice for Friday practice and remaining competitive. Many will do both days. You know the value of practicing exclusively with your competition VS street riders and people in other classes/ at slower paces.
We do well on Saturday relative to Sunday. If Saturday is a bad haul, Sunday will be a bad haul, given we're a two day event format. What hurts us disproportionately is a Saturday with many crashes.
Since Ben-Hur, trophies have been fought over by racers. Those things are gold to most racers, especially those who don't have them and are trying to get them. cutting trophies would cut fees around $15 a rider/ a weekend or so. That's all trophies.
The best thing we can do to bring our costs down as a club is bring in more riders.
Qualifying is pretty new in AFM, riders didn't skip Saturday practice in large numbers before that either.Riders won't skip Sat practice because the AFM will not let them. It's required for qualifying (that's what the AFM told me).
I am sure everybody has their personal preference. I know a lot of AFM racers just show up for Saturday and Sunday, and no weekend practise would mean no practise at all. I ride AFM Fridays and they tend to be a lot better and more consistent than any other trackdays -- but and I still can't wait for Saturday practice every time just so that I can actually ride at pace. To each their own, I guess.What the CRA is doing is similar to CVMA and it makes sense. Experience one and than comment.