[Don Nguyen]

I don't think the LA chapter needs to get really creative with their events/activities. Just needs to have consistency, and a core base of drivers built.

The SD chapter seems to be doing fine, holding all of their events at the Qualcomm stadium.

[conemangler]

The problem with Fontucky is cost though. If you don't fill the event you're going to lose money. SOW doesn't solve that. But Camarillo does. You run a couple of successful 35 person events at Camarillo Airport, you don't lose money even at that low participation number and you sort of prove the program back up for a return to a "real" location... With "real" costs.

Another idea to get a real event at Fontucky is to pair up with another group like the local Subie guys Team Blew. They have tons of experience running autocrosses. You get 40 Subie guys taking on 40 BMW guys in a friendly team challenge or something and you can justify an event at the speedway. And you have plenty of help for setup and teardown. The problem with 35 person events is always finding enough workers.

But you can't survive the losses trying to fill a couple of events at Fontucky alone trying to re-establish the program.

[satakal]

Originally Posted by conemangler

The problem with Fontucky is cost though. If you don't fill the event you're going to lose money. SOW doesn't solve that. But Camarillo does. You run a couple of successful 35 person events at Camarillo Airport, you don't lose money even at that low participation number and you sort of prove the program back up for a return to a "real" location... With "real" costs.

Another idea to get a real event at Fontucky is to pair up with another group like the local Subie guys Team Blew. They have tons of experience running autocrosses. You get 40 Subie guys taking on 40 BMW guys in a friendly team challenge or something and you can justify an event at the speedway. And you have plenty of help for setup and teardown. The problem with 35 person events is always finding enough workers.

But you can't survive the losses trying to fill a couple of events at Fontucky alone trying to re-establish the program.

That's thinking outside the box.

What if the autox was more about fun and less about competition? What if, in an effort to grow attendence, there was no timing and scoring. Just run the cones and check your time at the end. No need for the organization of calling in hit cones and a team of people to relay and record that info. That could push the number of volunteers needed down and keep the fun level up.

[2e9x's]

Originally Posted by satakal

That's thinking outside the box.

What if the autox was more about fun and less about competition? What if, in an effort to grow attendence, there was no timing and scoring. Just run the cones and check your time at the end. No need for the organization of calling in hit cones and a team of people to relay and record that info. That could push the number of volunteers needed down and keep the fun level up.

That has always been a challenge...some people have objected before because we are not strict enough with the timing and scoring.

Thanks for the great ideas folks. Please keep them coming!