Thread: Discuss the future of the national convention.

Eric: you bring up very good points. Adjusting the schedule from its original date to a later date that accommodates all events the way it was ORIGINALLY INTENDED is a risk. People have asked for time off of work already, planned there fam vacations around this, saved up $$$ to come during this time. That will deter a lot of people from making the convention if the dates are changed. But it would hopefully stop the crying. But i am at a point where the crying has shown nothing but immaturity and ignorance.

I take this very personal that people do not look at this from all angles. Do all of you that are showing grief and complaining not realize that We all want to have a road course event? WE WANT ONE but the situation at hand has our hands tied. We will capitalize on every opportunity to be able to race these cars (spectate, race, ride) in all categories. Having go karts has gotten more people involved and put skills to the test on a level playing field. We are all trying our best. If you cant respect that or feel the organizers are doing something wrong please present your case.

I dont need to sit here and preach about how good my conventions are because i didnt have much time to put one on. I can also say I have hosted meets that have brought more people than 2009 and 2013 combined. It doesnt make me any better of a person or my car meets top the charts, it shows that anything can happen. I dont need any locals to fill spots, I need the community to enjoy themselves in their own element. Anyone thats new or is a guest of a community member we want them to have a memorable experience.

Mark, I appreciate everything that the organizers are doing to put this thing together. My only gripe (and the only legitimate gripe IMO) is the lack of communication with the membership at large from the convention organizer(s). If there is (or was) a way for us to help, we wouldn't know because when it all happened there was no communication. It's much later now, and most of the dust has settled, and you've said the event was pulled out from under us. That seems to be the best information we have, but it isn't much and isn't solid. For example, Kyle called the track and they told him under no circumstances would an event get pulled out from under us in such a manner. So you can see the confusion that still exists?

When this happened, people like me wanted to help. We weren't given anything to help with, and were just told to accept it. That's fine. I have accepted it. This thread exists because people have accepted this year there will be no road course. It is looking to the future. Albeit disrespectfully much too soon in the season, I will admit. Which is why I've been staying out of it.

Even if there is no road course this year, folks like me would have an easier time with it if we and the rest of the community were given the opportunity to gather the wagons as it were and help out. Even if we'd failed, we'd at least have shared in the failure and still be excited about the convention because we all were a part of the attempted fix and we all tried our best. As it stands right now, we have no such involvement. You guys have done everything in your power to save it, yet we've not been given the same opportunity. You can see that's why you've accepted it much easier than we have, can you not?

Don't take this personally Mark. I'm not blaming you. I know that if you had more control over the situation it would be handled differently. A communicative organizer is key. That's my take-away from this. And it seems to be the only thing we can take away from this at this time, without knowing more. Given that, I don't agree with the premiss of this thread. It is a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacking, as I'm sure you agree. The one thing I think we can take away from this though, is the need for good communication.

All I want is a drag strip so Rob can get next lane.

K24. Piston/Cam, 300hp.

Pushing your shit in.

Should I bring the debris shield when the axle smashes?

It's not worth the frustration to everyone to try and further explain my position, plus I'm obviously the outlier, so I'm just giving up. I put as much into these events as anyone, and I mistakenly thought that gave me a voice.

I will miss a lot of my friends this year, but with the new job and the prospect of a long journey without a track day payoff just doesn't make sense for me. If that's a selfish position so be it. The feeling I'm getting is that it's time to move on and I know for a fact there are several of you who will be glad to see me go.

I think some people are either misplacing their anger regarding there being no road course OR people are misrepresenting other people's thoughts about this. I don't think people blame the organizers -- how could you? They tried and it didn't work out. Just because someone is frustrated there isn't a road course should *not* be interpreted that they are also upset or frustrated with the organizers.

Someone can be frustrated/upset that there isn't a road course at the same time as thanking the organizers for their efforts. I hope there's that distinction and it's appreciated.

Come on now Joe, no one wants to see you go. The convention isnt just about the cars, its about the people. I come to these things to hang out with people like yourself. Everyone is getting their damn panties in a bunch. This is the shit that divides people.

Its just 1 track day, are we all going to fight over 1 fucking track day?

Seems like some rules need to be put in line here for organizing the conventions, and those rules should be policed and maintained by the admin. here. It should also be deemed a team affair with no single person trying to handle the affairs. Notes taken every year on how the whole thing went from organizing, to closing up shop at the end, so that after a few years the tried and true methods can be put to paper and major issues will be avoided.

Quick follow up @Ben

It isn't the fact that there is not going to be a track day, although that does play into my decision. And so does my new work schedule and a limited amount of vacation time. It certainly adds to my overall frustration that I will miss two years in a row.

What really gets me bent out of shape is the attitude of this year's chairman. And having bent over backwards as several organizers before and after me have done, I expected no less from anyone who says they will take on this responsibility. Four months out left time to alter the plan. Hell, Mark Jimmi & I organized the CT convention in 2011 in 30 DAYS!!!!

So why was rescheduling out of the question? Isnt the week before a test and tune? What's wrong with piggy backing that?