40 minute races for 2007?

Since we've got the banquet scheduled for mid-January I was wondering if we could get a decision on when/where we are going to try and do 40 minute races for the 2007 season in time to notify NASA TX? Shannon might appreciate some advance notice on our request.

This might give our DFW brethren a break on travelling home from so many Houston area events if we could work in a 40 minute race on Sunday early, then let them head on out?

I'll be voting for the cooler weather events but with the cool suit I could probably stick it out during the summer events as well. Nationals guys, did the 40 minute regional races give you any help for your national event?

the 1 or 2 40's we ran did help. i would have liked to have gotten one more before Nats though. i think i held back a little too much trying to save the car for the end.

i think to prevent the issues a short notice caused last year, we could pick the events we run a 40 @ w/ @ least a month notice. cooler months are better, but we should count out the warm months either. it could very well be 90 degrees in Ohio next year. learning to deal w/ the heat and its affects on your thought proccess is important. i have no desire to run a 40 in the wet or 30 degree weather. so count out feb 07.

I think yous guys should always run 2 races on Sat and 1 40 min on Sun.

It was my first 40min at the Championships where I found out my diff cooler can't keep up that long. :cry:

I'm for 40's all the time.
jb

Running 40 minute races all the time would suck as far as I'm concerned. Yes we probably need to run a couple mid season because the nationals are 40 minute races (wish they weren't either), but not every darn weekend.

40 minute races are BORING IMO - all the action takes place in the first 15 minutes, then the rest of the time is a strung out single file procession, with only the odd pass here because someone is on a charge from the back, or another guy is struggling with his car? It's the close wheel to wheel action in a whole bunch of cars that I crave on race weekends, otherwise I might as well just run DEs? I'd rather have more exciting short sprint races in a weekend, than just a couple of boring processions!

And getting home early on Sunday afternoon should NOT be a valid reason for choosing race length - it's racing for cryng out loud, and we are luckier than most that the majority of our race weekends are within a 5 hour haul for most of the competitors! If you want to be home early on Sunday afternoons, take up golf instead! ;)

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Originally Posted by oz98cobra

40 minute races are BORING IMO - all the action takes place in the first 15 minutes, then the rest of the time is a strung out single file procession, with only the odd pass here because someone is on a charge from the back, or another guy is struggling with his car? It's the close wheel to wheel action in a whole bunch of cars that I crave on race weekends, otherwise I might as well just run DEs? I'd rather have more exciting short sprint races in a weekend, than just a couple of boring processions!

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IMHO, short 20-minute races and 40 minute races are entirely different beasts.

A 20-minute race is a sprint with lots of action -- do whatevcer you can to claw your way to the front for the podium.

A 40-minute race requires a lot more strategy. Run too hard at first and you and the car may be used up at the end. Run too conservatively at first and you may not be within striking distance at the end.

I'd like to see more of a mix of the two for the driver's sake.

For spectators to remain interested throughout a 40-minute race, you really need a good pair of race commentators like we saw at Mid-O. They really do make a big difference.

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Originally Posted by gt40

IMHO, short 20-minute races and 40 minute races are entirely different beasts.

A 20-minute race is a sprint with lots of action -- do whatevcer you can to claw your way to the front for the podium.

A 40-minute race requires a lot more strategy. Run too hard at first and you and the car may be used up at the end. Run too conservatively at first and you may not be within striking distance at the end.
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In theory yes, but the reality is that on the spec Toyos and power levels we run, there is very little strategy required - you have to run it like a sprint race regardless or get left behind - there just isn't that much difference in lap times between the start and end of a 40 minute race that "saving the car" at the start will enable you to come back at the finish. But this is part of the problem I have with the 40 minute races - if strategy did come into play, then it might actually be interesting?

I used to think the same thing when I raced bikes - anything over 30 minutes is a waste of time (and money!) - unless it is an endurance race of a couple hours or more where strategy definately comes into play - I used to do a 3 hour and a 6 hour bike race with multiple riders, tire changes, fuel stops, etc. - now they were interesting!

But of course, this is just my opinion - I'm sure everyone has a different one?

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Originally Posted by gt40

For spectators to remain interested throughout a 40-minute race, you really need a good pair of race commentators like we saw at Mid-O. They really do make a big difference.

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Spectators get board at the current events until we get some closer action going.

Only strategy I saw in April was waiting for others to make mistakes... I ran the car flat out for 36 minutes and never really noticed the tires going away but we weren't exactly running qual laps each lap... Only other strategy that came into play was fuel consumption and minimum weights....mostly for the cmc guys because I don't think there are any AI cars even close to their minimum weights!!! :lol:

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Originally Posted by AI#97

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Originally Posted by gt40

For spectators to remain interested throughout a 40-minute race, you really need a good pair of race commentators like we saw at Mid-O. They really do make a big difference.

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Spectators get board at the current events until we get some closer action going.

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Closer action??? WTF?? Can't get much closer than the CMC racing I've seen in Texas so far Matt. You need to step away from the steering wheel, download some CMC videos and watch (add popcorn if you like..................) :lol:

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Originally Posted by Mike Bell

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Originally Posted by AI#97

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Originally Posted by gt40

For spectators to remain interested throughout a 40-minute race, you really need a good pair of race commentators like we saw at Mid-O. They really do make a big difference.

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Spectators get board at the current events until we get some closer action going.

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Closer action??? WTF?? Can't get much closer than the CMC racing I've seen in Texas so far Matt. You need to step away from the steering wheel, download some CMC videos and watch (add popcorn if you like..................) :lol:

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Sorry Mike, I meant 40 cars in extreme close proximity like the spec miata races....not saying an SM race gets attention, but that car count, that close with the V8 rumble would get people on the fence for 40 minutes.... Watching an AI car lap the field or put 1/2 a lap on the second car isn't even any fun to watch in 20 minutes! :wink: :P