CIR LEAGUE Discussions

[Rick]

I'm starting this topic so we can discuss new proposed CIR league.

Here are my answers to the league questionare.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Jankovskis
> Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 5:25 PM
> To: Peter Jankovskis
> Subject: Possibility of Forming a League to Run at CIR
>
> Hi all,
>
> As some of you are aware, I have been exploring the
> possibility of starting a league at CIR. I've
> received feedback from a number of different people
> and I think it is time that I poll everyone and try to
> come up with a single format that as many people as
> possible will participate in.
>
> The questions I would like answered appear below. If
> you are interested in racing in a league, please send
> me your responses by Friday, August 25.
>
> That should give me enough time to tabulate the
> results and come up with a format. Ideally, I'd like
> to have the league start during the second half of
> September.
>
> Question 1 - Should we race once or twice a month?
>
> Racing once a month would give us a little more
> flexibility as to our choice of race date. CIR could
> probably give us a guaranteed spot on the calender on
> either a Sunday or a Monday. Racing twice a month
> would probably lock us into running on alternating
> Mondays just like the old leagues. My preference is
> for twice a month.

[Rick] I would prefer to race 2 times each month.

> Question 2 - What track(s) should we race on?
>
> In previous years, there were two league formats. One
> league ran nothing but track 3 and tried to alternate
> direction from round to round. The other league would
> bounce back and forth between tracks 1 and 2 and also
> change direction. The final round of the track 1 and
> 2 league was held on track 3. Do we want a track 3
> only league, a track 1 and 2 league, or something
> different.
>

[Rick] Alternating tracks and directions is my preference.

> Question 3 - What should the nightly format be?
>
> In previous years, each round of the league consisted
> of three races with each driver starting one near the
> front of the pack, one toward the middle and one
> toward the back. We could go back to that format, or
> use a grand prix format with two or three races
> determining the starting grid for a nightly final, or
> an MRO format with two timed qualifying sessions
> determining the starting order for a pre-final and the
> finish of the pre-final determining the grid for the
> final, or some combination of the above.

[Rick] The "Peter J" format is fair. I think that is most fair way of doing things.

> Question 4 - Should we separate lightweights and
> heavyweights?
>
> In the end, whether we can do this or not will depend
> on how many drivers want to race.

[Rick] We should only separate weights if we have too many drivers. This is highly unlikely. Instead I would like to suggest that we even out the weights using sheets of lead weights similar to how they did it at the IKWC. I'm sure that all the heavy guys will have no objection to this. And I would like to race against people who are heavier (Mark, Peter, Roberto) than me. I just want to make it fair. Obviously, the target weight has to be reasonable and some of the heavy guys will just have to go on diets, if they want to make weight. I don't understand why more people aren't pushing for evening out the weights.

> Question 5 - How many rounds (nights of racing) should
> we include in the league package and how many should
> be counted toward determining the season championship?
>
> I seem to remember it used to be 5 rounds with your
> best 4 counting for the championship, but I might be
> wrong. Starting in the second half of September, we
> could probably run five rounds by the end of November.

[Rick] I'll leave that up to general consensus.

> Question 6 - What point system should we use?
>
> I think the old leagues used an F1 style system (10
> for first, 8 for second, 6 for third, 5 for fourth,
> etc.) with a bonus point for fast lap.

[Rick] Seems reasonable to me.

[Martin Lenick]

1. Twice a month.
2. Track 3 - it will make it more likely for two weight classes to exist. If there aren't enough of a particular weight both weights can run at the same time on Track 3.
3. MRO format - more inclusive of drivers with differing skills. More advantageous to drivers with "total" skills.
4. Two weight classes. Heavyweights start at... hang on a minute.... 167 pounds.
5. Best 4 out of 5 rounds.
6. Points system as was in the previous leagues.

[Rick]

Originally posted by Martin Lenick@Aug 17 2006, 07:32 PM
1. Twice a month.
2. Track 3 - it will make it more likely for two weight classes to exist.* If there aren't enough of a particular weight both weights can run at the same time on Track 3.
3. MRO format - more inclusive of drivers with differing skills.* More advantageous to drivers with "total" skills.
4. Two weight classes.* Heavyweights start at... hang on a minute.... 167 pounds.
5. Best 4 out of 5 rounds.
6. Points system as was in the previous leagues.
2004


LOL! I would be a heavy weight then. 178 lbs (with all my gear)! Somehow I think Mark will not like that idea.

[peterjank]

Hi all,

Let me start by saying thanks to everyone that
responded. I had e-mails from 13 people and 1
additional response that I picked up from Chicago
Racers for a total of 14. The results of the survey
were as follows.

On question #1, the number of times per month we
should race, the results overwhelming favored twice
per month. We had 13 favoring twice per month and
only one person favoring once per month. For people
added a strong preference for racing during the week
rather than on weekends, so I will try to set this up
to run on alternating Mondays.

On question #2, which tracks should we race on,
results were divided. We had 7 people with a strong
preference for track 3 only, 2 people that preferred
track 3 but would be willing to run on tracks 1 and 2,
and finally 5 people expressed a preference for
running all three tracks. What we do here will
probably depend on CIR. In my discussions so far,
they've talked of wanting at least 16 to run a track 3
only league so we will probably end up with a format
utilizing all three tracks.

On question #3, what should the nightly format be,
results again were divided. We had 5.5 votes for the
grand prix format (finishing position from 3 races
started at the front, middle and back of the pack
determining starting order for a final race), 4 votes
for the old league format (basically a grand prix
without the final race), 2.5 votes for the the MRO
format (two timed qualifying sessions determining the
starting grid for a pre-final and the finish of the
pre-final determining the starting grid for the main
final), and 2 respondents with no preference. To me,
this looks like a strong preference for head-to-head
racing as opposed to having timed qualifying sessions
so I will concentrate on getting either the grand prix
or old league format.

On question 4, should we separate drivers on the basis
of weight, results broke down primarily on driver
weight. We had 5 answers in favor of seperating on
weight, and 4 of the 5 came from drivers that have
traditionally been classified as heavyweights. (The
fifth was from a lightweight driver who cleverly
suggested lowering the weight cutoff from the usual
190 to 167.) Three respondents suggested adding
weight to lighter drivers, but having lights and
heavys run together. Four respondents simply said no
to the idea of separating on weight and 2 had no
preference. To me, this looks like a willingness to
try to even out the weight situation. I will see if
we can get CIR to add weight to lighter drivers.

On question #5, how many rounds should the league run,
we had a variety of answers. Five people indicated
they would like to run 5 rounds and count 4 toward a
championship. Another 2 respondents were in this same
camp, but expressed a desire to run both a Fall and a
Winter league. Three people suggested various other
league lengths and Four people had no preference.
I'll focus on running 5 rounds and counting the best
4.

On question #6, what point system should we use, 10
people indicated a preference for F1 style with a
bonus for fast lap, 2 suggested alternative point
systems, and 2 had no preference. I'll focus on the
F1 system for now but we can certainly fine tune that
as the leaguetakes shape.

I'll try to talk with CIR on Monday or Tuesday of this
coming week and see what we can do to get this rolling
before the end of September.