[Warning: Whining follows. Feel free to ignore.]
Last year Nostalgia Racing was picked-up by NASA. This is good because it was otherwise lost to us. Many of us enjoyed running with Nostalgia on a few RMVR off-weeks each year. This was goodness. (More racing == goodness.)
Last year the NASA/Nostalgia dates conflicted on 2 or 3 weekends. Because Nostalgia was running with NASA (which had a more complete schedule), some conflicts were to be expected. Unfortunately we, as a group, mostly abandoned Nostalgia in its new home. I thought that was unfortunate, but hoped it would change over time. (Yes, you need head and neck restraints to run with NASA, but they are a pretty damn good idea regardless. Some day I expect RMVR will require them as well, but maybe not.)
This year the RMVR and NASA schedules conflict every single weekend until we get to August. This will, in all likelihood, kill off the Nostalgia race group in NASA. Could there be less cooperation between groups? As if to signal a focus on self-interest rather than cooperation, RMVR even chose to book over the May date that Nostalgia held at Pueblo for years. I understand that it was a good opportunity for RMVR to run HPR, and everyone wants to go there, but I'd like to think some horse trading might have been possible with other groups to move this by a weekend one way or the other before it was all locked in.
I also know that NASA offered to cooperate/coordinate on a Hastings date to draw more cars and make it successful for both groups. Even though there is concern about this event losing money for RMVR, for some reason no cooperation was possible. I am sure I do not have all the facts, but this is not goodness.
I know that the sanctioning bodies do not have total control over which weeks they can run each track. I really, totally get that. But to conflict every weekend until August -- that is just absurd.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we hope that RMVR can avoid losses in 2009 while strictly limiting the participation of exhibition vehicles (per the minutes from the last Board meeting) when the economy totally sucks and regular participants (like me) are losing their jobs and over 50% of their investments. I think now is a time for warmth and inclusion rather that coldness and exclusion, but perhaps that is just me and my warped little brain.
You guys know me (well, some of you do). I love racing with this group. I want RMVR in specific and vintage racing in Colorado in general to be second to none. I just don't think this is the best way to get there.
Let the flames begin....
Last year Nostalgia Racing was picked-up by NASA. This is good because it was otherwise lost to us. Many of us enjoyed running with Nostalgia on a few RMVR off-weeks each year. This was goodness. (More racing == goodness.)
Last year the NASA/Nostalgia dates conflicted on 2 or 3 weekends. Because Nostalgia was running with NASA (which had a more complete schedule), some conflicts were to be expected. Unfortunately we, as a group, mostly abandoned Nostalgia in its new home. I thought that was unfortunate, but hoped it would change over time. (Yes, you need head and neck restraints to run with NASA, but they are a pretty damn good idea regardless. Some day I expect RMVR will require them as well, but maybe not.)
This year the RMVR and NASA schedules conflict every single weekend until we get to August. This will, in all likelihood, kill off the Nostalgia race group in NASA. Could there be less cooperation between groups? As if to signal a focus on self-interest rather than cooperation, RMVR even chose to book over the May date that Nostalgia held at Pueblo for years. I understand that it was a good opportunity for RMVR to run HPR, and everyone wants to go there, but I'd like to think some horse trading might have been possible with other groups to move this by a weekend one way or the other before it was all locked in.
I also know that NASA offered to cooperate/coordinate on a Hastings date to draw more cars and make it successful for both groups. Even though there is concern about this event losing money for RMVR, for some reason no cooperation was possible. I am sure I do not have all the facts, but this is not goodness.
I know that the sanctioning bodies do not have total control over which weeks they can run each track. I really, totally get that. But to conflict every weekend until August -- that is just absurd.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we hope that RMVR can avoid losses in 2009 while strictly limiting the participation of exhibition vehicles (per the minutes from the last Board meeting) when the economy totally sucks and regular participants (like me) are losing their jobs and over 50% of their investments. I think now is a time for warmth and inclusion rather that coldness and exclusion, but perhaps that is just me and my warped little brain.
You guys know me (well, some of you do). I love racing with this group. I want RMVR in specific and vintage racing in Colorado in general to be second to none. I just don't think this is the best way to get there.
Let the flames begin....
