2009 AROCA 6 Hour - Winton

[Doug Gould]

Shrek

Firstly, the radar gun was an aid. The official is still the judge of fact and secondly we allowed a significant margin over 40 km/h (which I won't disclose, but its way more than any potential inaccuracy of the device). I forget who was pinged for speeding, but believe me, if it was one of your guys - they deserved it. In previous years pitlane speed has been a problem with numerous drivers getting penalties. This year you'd make a rude sign with the number of fingers required for counting them. The average pitlane speed was around 30 km/h. There is no advantage at all in reducing the time in pitlane (and therefore driving at the speed limit). Typically its guys moving to the back of the pits AFTER their drive that are the offenders which makes even less sense. On Sunday we had 204 cars in 42 teams with towards 70 officials plus friends, family team managers & mechanics. There are too many people milling around the pits for there to be any latitude, especially with the trouble we have with teams wanting to have additional people (& even kids) at the pit wall..

As an aside, in the last 2 years are prime concern about driver discipline was blendline & pit lane speed. This year I was aghast at the number of passing under yellow incidents and especially under double waved yellow. In one case within sight of a recovery vehicle and officials on the track. Get ready for a crackdown on that next year. I've had one experience of phoning a guy's wife to say he was being choppered to hospital and I didn't like it.

Secondly, I don't have the results in front of me - or my notes which are now with Neil. However, we did look at the 40% rule for each of the top 5 teams before we announced the winners and all complied. There is nothing the Alfa Club like about handing prizes to Truimphs (typed with a grin).

The shirts were good and thankfully I have nothing to do with that judging.

Hope to see you next year. email me if you want me to elaborate: admin@test-trak.com

Doug

[Doug Gould]

Trev

Thanks. But I'll reiterate that we were not taking the Vic Police attitude of getting people for 1 - 2 km over. When we ping someone for speed its because they are well over AND in the vicinity of other cars & people where it would be prudent to be less than the limit. I'm extremely comfortable with our approach (and I know the speed). But we'll look at the Winton guns for next year.

Doug

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Hi, thanks for a great event, it was a lot of fun.  Sorry but I have to have a little whinge about a couple of things, firstly we had a great time and the event was run extremely well however better radar devices need to be used if penalties are going to be handed out.  Secondly being a part of the Pedders shirt crew it was extremely dissapointing to find that they did not win the best presented team as they had spent literally thousands to make sure they had a good show for everyone, and for the event! Everyone noticed them, can't say the same for the team that won!
Thirdly, I was looking through the event stats and the team that came second, one guy did 78 laps i think before bonus laps were awarded, which was 40% of the total team laps, I was under the impression that this was not allowed?
But thanks for a fun day, see you next year.

You were under the wrong impression then.  The wording is no more than 40%.  He did 40%, what's the problem?

And also, whinging about not getting best-presented team.  Really?  

Note that best-presented is also awarded on car condition and team deportment, not just how much you spent on shirts.  But I think Big Trev may have made that point already.  And yes, everyone noticed you guys.

Other than that, thanks to everyone involved in the organisation, and to all the other drivers, it was a freakin fantastic day.

[Jekyll and Hyde]

Obviously your judgement wouldn't be clouded would it?

There were some small issues from my point of view which I have rasied with Neil via email, I won't announce them publicly, but Shrek might not have access to Neil's email so this is his way of vocalising.

Just coz you are involved doesn't mean it was a perfect event, there may be issues from the 204 other competitors points of view or the 70 VOLUNTEERS who help run it.

Keep your shirt on, someone might actually give you some positive criticism that could help in future events.

Trevor Lee
Shepparton

Well, if you think there were issues, what is the point of keeping them secret?  What is the harm in sharing them for us all to debate and have an opinion on?

[Neil Choi]

I am utterly disappointed with the event, my team didn't win despite the special rule says that my team is to win regardless.

I was also disappointed that I wasn't give a special session when only my team were allowed on the track to qualify.

I was very disappointed that on Sunday the track allowed everyone else on the track, I have specifically stated that only my team was to be on the track to complete our laps without traffic.

I was disappointed that I was not served my machiato while I waited in my car for my stint.

I was disappointed that the track was not swept before I went onto the track.

I was disappointed that I wasn't given a royal entrance to the track.

I was disappointed that I didn't win the sheep station.  But that's okay, I can buy 50 of those $5 trophies.

I was disappointed that no one came out to polish my car before I went onto the track.

I was disappointed that the event did not organize a pit crew for my team.

I was disappointed that my team didn't win the best presented team.

I was disappointed that I received one of those brick-like Dorians rather than the credit card ones.

I was disappointed that the yellow flag was a different shade of yellow at different flag points.

I was disappointed that the chequered flag was black and white chequered.

I was disappointed that the ripple strips were marked with tyre marks.

I was disappointed that the event didn't organize any grid girls for me.

I was disappointed that my tyres were black.

I was disappointed that the sky was blue.

I was disappointed that someone didn't put sugar in my coffee.

i was disappointed that my petrol has a yellow dye in it.

I was disappointed that petrol smells like petrol.

I was disappointed that my race number was 21.

I was disappointed that I couldn't name the event "Neil's 6 hr relay".

I was disappointed that I had drive a white car.

I was disappointed that I had to get out of bed.

Mmmmm, what else can I complain and whinge about, I will get back to you once I take my medication.

But I had a great time.

Neil

[shrek]

I have no problem with using radar guns in pit lane, no one in our team got pinged for speeding anyway, but if you are going to do it, get fair dinkum about it, get calibrated guns and slap a 5 lap penalty on anybody transgressing the speed limit.  I was raising the issue because a lot of people were complaining about it, thats all.
As for taking it too seriously, we did not, but we tried as hard as anybody else to win.  Our downfall was that we were too fast and kept breaking out, terrible problem to have!  It is a grass roots event but my point is that if there are rules that are attracting penalties, then the methods used need to be unquestionable, which it seems they weren't in some instances.  I reiterate that we had a great time, it was great fun and if we are to lose by our own actions, I'll accept that every time, but if the systems put in place are not accurate, I would hate to lose because of them.
I am smiling while writing this, not frowning.  I just think that positive criticism will make a better event in future.
Cheers

[Brett]

"I was disappointed that the event didn't organize any grid girls for me."
Awesome!

Now that you mention it.........

Fantastic event Neil and Co.  We had an absolute blast!
And also a thankyou for the Pedders 'Bulls' for being so great with the kids.
Roll on next year!

[Doug Gould]

Neil & I would organise the grid girls, but we can't figure out how to keep our wives off the selection committee.

Doug

[shrek]

Man you ALFA guys are precious.  We were just trying to help you with some constructive criticism, but all you guys seem to be able to do is hang shit like little kids.  I did expect a half intelligent response from someone there at least.  Not to be I suppose?

[Jekyll and Hyde]

Neil & I would organise the grid girls, but we can't figure out how to keep our wives off the selection committee.

Doug

I'm quite happy to lead the selection committee if required 

[Brad M]

I can tell you Alfa blokes that this forum is being read by many, many, many people, and are there are many who are recondisering their involvement in the 6 Hour based on the responses of a few on this forum.

Seriously? Who is being precious now?

There are a some intelligent responses to the points raised, but there are equally as many childish ones which is disappointing.

As I gleaned in earlier posts, some perceived issues have been raised with Neil the appropriate avenue to encourage some intelligent discussion ... I don't see this forum as being the place. My 2c

I had the best weekend in the race car ever. Enough said.

[shrek]

Where else if not on the discussion forum of the AROCA to best discuss the AROCA 6 hour?

[dehne]

the 6 hour is always a good event and constructive critism is always good and a bit of neg is ok to but there are some users with in who think it is "fun" to post comments that just keep pi55ing everyone else off  we need to keep this place respectable so we can help others and them help us so if you do not have anything intelegent to say dont say it and if you have the need to go to another forum and annoy them
ok thats all 

[Brad M]

Where else if not on the discussion forum of the AROCA to best discuss the AROCA 6 hour?

with Neil the appropriate avenue to encourage some intelligent discussion

Then the committee would discuss the issues.

[Evan Bottcher]

Where else if not on the discussion forum of the AROCA to best discuss the AROCA 6 hour?

An internet forum is a very public place - I look at the traffic logs and there are a very large number of folk who visit the forum (probably via google) who never register or write any messages.  What impression do we want to leave on the world about the Alfa club, or the 6 hour event - even if there were some minor concerns about aspects of it's organisation?  Maybe you could consider raising your concerns via Neil and the rest of the organising committee and see what they have to say privately before airing your feelings to the world?

Most people (myself included) find it difficult to write words that properly express tone - lighthearted, joking, or properly annoyed.  So it's pretty easy to write something that's misinterpreted.  It's also easy to quickly write something that's more angry than you would probably say to someone's face in person.  I wish all the forum members would calm down a bit before they bang off an angry response.

I'm still going to share my opinion on one aspect though:  coming on a public forum and complaining because your team didn't win a minor prize judged by a couple of volunteers (without any published judging criteria) is bloody ludicrous and deserving of ridicule.