Whoa. What a roast. I haven't read the forums for a couple of days. Looks like alot of unhappy competitors from this past weekend.
I would like to comment on the decision to drop to 3 runs on Sunday, and the consensus that the course design was not "fun".
Hindsight is always 20/20, and in retrospect, we should have announced three runs with the possibility of a fourth at the drivers meeting, instead of saying we were going to get 4, and then drop it to 3. I would have to say that the decision was mine to drop to three runs, but I had some competitors raise concerns that we were 5 hours getting through the "morning" runs, and would have had the trophy presentation at 8:30 if we had run the 4th run. I would have also loved a fourth run to try and catch the Talon.
If it's any consellation, the seat time we had with our 3 runs on the 60 second course was more than 4 runs at 40 seconds. But that doesn't take away the frustration most competitors are feeling after having the fourth run cancelled.
As for the course design, I'm not going to give an opinion on its "fun" factor , but I will say it was unique. When was the last time we had a slalom the full length of the lot? (Tradex 2 years ago I think).
Course design for a Champ event is different than for a closed club. At a closed club, I have no problem testing the course until I'm blue in the face to get it just right. While designing a Champ event course, I am reluctant to test it as diligently as a closed club, as I am in an ultra competitive class and do not want the advantage gained by testing the course ahead of time. I did not drive the Champ course on Sat, but rather deferred to Doug Bayley's feedback on the flow and pace of the course. He drove it in an Audi Quattro and Rob Bruce's Cavalier. (and no, Rob did not drive it either)
As for a course design school, the solo director (me) had planned and still hopes to hold a solo 2 course design school sometime this year. For those who were at the CACC AGM this past spring you will recall that I even budgeted for it.
Oliver Brett
Chief Organizer, CACC #3
I would like to comment on the decision to drop to 3 runs on Sunday, and the consensus that the course design was not "fun".
Hindsight is always 20/20, and in retrospect, we should have announced three runs with the possibility of a fourth at the drivers meeting, instead of saying we were going to get 4, and then drop it to 3. I would have to say that the decision was mine to drop to three runs, but I had some competitors raise concerns that we were 5 hours getting through the "morning" runs, and would have had the trophy presentation at 8:30 if we had run the 4th run. I would have also loved a fourth run to try and catch the Talon.
If it's any consellation, the seat time we had with our 3 runs on the 60 second course was more than 4 runs at 40 seconds. But that doesn't take away the frustration most competitors are feeling after having the fourth run cancelled.
As for the course design, I'm not going to give an opinion on its "fun" factor , but I will say it was unique. When was the last time we had a slalom the full length of the lot? (Tradex 2 years ago I think).
Course design for a Champ event is different than for a closed club. At a closed club, I have no problem testing the course until I'm blue in the face to get it just right. While designing a Champ event course, I am reluctant to test it as diligently as a closed club, as I am in an ultra competitive class and do not want the advantage gained by testing the course ahead of time. I did not drive the Champ course on Sat, but rather deferred to Doug Bayley's feedback on the flow and pace of the course. He drove it in an Audi Quattro and Rob Bruce's Cavalier. (and no, Rob did not drive it either)
As for a course design school, the solo director (me) had planned and still hopes to hold a solo 2 course design school sometime this year. For those who were at the CACC AGM this past spring you will recall that I even budgeted for it.
Oliver Brett
Chief Organizer, CACC #3
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