Petition to allow employees to race with us.

[Rick]

:dunno: I don't understand why employees don't get to race with us on their time off? More competition will only benefit everyone. So I'm starting this petition. If you agree, reply to this post with your name. If you disagree, please state your reasons.

[Martin Lenick]

I'm absolutely for it. But I understand the reasons against it.

[Greg Shebert]

same as martin - all for it but understand why they might not want to allow it...

[Rick]

Only 2 replies? :blink: What about Roberto, Dave, Dave, Peter, Stefan, Matthew, Matthew, John, Paul, Reed, etc?

[Martin Lenick]

I don't know where, but somewhere back in the history of this forum there was quite a bit of discussion on this topic.

If I remember correctly, even Tony Stewart posted to it.

[ssracing10]

i say let them :)

[rct25]

Let them race :D
I know the only heavy weight drivers they have are Jim and Reed

Roberto

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

There are obviously pros and cons to letting employees run with customers. As someone that ran an indoor track, Indoor Grand Prix, (IGP) several years ago, I know first hand it can help business but it can also hurt business. Personally, I am all for it and I allowed my guys to do it, but with restrictions. They were only allowed to run with the regulars or customers that were their friends or family. IGP was a much smaller operation than CIR so it was easier to monitor. I think it could work at CIR though if say a specific day and time of the week was set. It could even be marketed to attract customers to race against the best of the best. Just a thought.

[Rick]

Wow, I was expecting at least one person to be against it.

[AJ Schalund]

im for it

[Rick]

:rolleyes: If no one is against it, why does this rule exist in the first place?!?! Was someone whining like a baby about losing to the employees? :huh:

[D. Harrington]

Rick,

There were some issues in the past in events where Tony allowed his employees to participate. Obviously, the concern is that the enthusiast customers feel that the employees are getting preferential treatment from the track staff when a tough call has to be made. We may all think that this would not happen, but it can and has happened. I would love to race with some of the employees of CIR and I know they would like to race with us, but it probably is not a good idea from a business standpoint.

[rct25]

"Was someone whining like a baby about losing to the employees?"


Rick,
What about the other way around........ ;)

Roberto

[Martin Lenick]

Originally posted by Dave Harrington@Oct 27 2006, 12:48 AM
customers feel that the employees are getting preferential treatment from the track staff when a tough call has to be made.
2353


This shouldn't be a factor in Arrive & Drives.

[Rick]

Originally posted by rct25@Oct 27 2006, 06:34 AM
"Was someone whining like a baby about losing to the employees?"
Rick,
What about the other way around........ ;)

Roberto
2354


That's possible.... but I don't think any of the track guys would whine so much that they actually got themselves banned from competing with us. That would have to be a huge amount of whining! Also, if that is actually true... then I REALLY want them to race with us! :lol1:

[peterjank]

Hi all,

Here is a quick recap as to why the no employee racing rule is in place. Early on, there was no rule and I encouraged employees to race in my event. One of our regular drivers finished ahead of an employee in a close race. At a subsequent team enduro race, the same employee was working the control tower and the green light to re-enter the track from the pit lane. The regular who had beaten the employee during my event was held with a red light at pit exit due to traffic on course. An acusation was later made that the employee had held the driver in pit lane as retribution for the employee's previous defeat in my event. The whole issue was blown way out of proportion on Chicago Racers and Tony eventually stepped in and imposed the rule to prevent the possibility of future ill feelings.

I have been fortunate to race with employees in events and arrive & drives a few times since this rule was put in place. I wish that I could do it more frequently. However, Tony has a business to run and he has done the 100% right thing in putting a policy in place to protect the reputation of CIRs staff.

[Rick]

Originally posted by peterjank@Oct 29 2006, 09:46 AM
An acusation was later made that the employee had held the driver in pit lane as retribution for the employee's previous defeat in my event.* 2375


:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thanks for explaining that Peter. It's unfortunate that some people take the racing at CIR too seriously and feel that they have to do anything to win. My theory is that if you want to improve in anything, you have to compete against those who are better than you. If you want to pat your self on the back, then you compete against those who you can easily beat. I think the employees are very good drivers and would increase both the level and the amount of competition. It is refreshing to see that almost everyone here agrees that employees should be able to race with us.

[CIR-Reed]

I can tell you from personal experience that I don't even race with guests of the facility anymore. I raced with some people who when you got next to them would move you over into the wall. When they started to move over I would brake and yield the spot (trying to be polite). Eventually the person that I was having the problem with turned into me and while I was braking they spun across the nose of my kart. They then made a huge stink and asked for Tony so they could tell him how I was pushing people around the track and driving like a jerk and the staff would not penalize me. Tony fortunatley had been watching the race from upstairs and explained to the guest that he did not believe I was in the wrong. If he hadn't been watching it would have been a very awkward spot for me. That incident in specific solitified in my mind that employee's should not race with guests. I was actually really bummed out for a really long time after this because I really liked racing in events with competitive people.

The incident Peter described was a mistake that got blown hugely out of proportion which was compounded by an immature employee.

Our policy at the moment is that employee's can do all the arrive and drives they want in their free time on a standby basis. If we ever have a problem with these we will have to review that as well and possibly limit the employee's to their Sunday night races. Not allowing them to race in events makes me sad and if the arrive and drive thing gets screwed up at any point I would be really sad.

[Rick]

We should all set a time and date so all of us (employees and regulars) can race together! :yes:

[Martin Lenick]

We should abolish all employee racing and give Mickelson a job at CIR. :lol:

[Rick]

:lol1:

[David Mickelson]

Originally posted by Martin Lenick@Nov 3 2006, 08:15 PM
We should abolish all employee racing and give Mickelson a job at CIR. :lol:
2473


Very funny. :lol1: