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Re: Solo participation too high?

To: "John Gross" <jogross3@hotmail.com>, <Raymond.Colbert@alcoa.com>,
Subject: Re: Solo participation too high?
From: "David Hawkins" <otgrouch@twosrus.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 09:10:11 -0500
>>Simply raise the price.
>
>This, however, I strongly agree with.

I can only assume you meant that you strongly DISagree with this....

> I am a college student who got into
>SOLO II about 2 years ago.  One of the things about SOLO II which drew me
in
>is that it's affordable, even to college students.

I'll agree with this...on the regional level.

>to spend on things like this as it is.  I'm always looking for deals on
used
>R-compounds just so I can have some sticky fun.  I've never had enough
money
>to be able to race on a brand new set of tires yet.  I was planning on
going
>to some NT or Regional events this upcoming school year, but if the prices
>go up more, I know a lot of my friends and I who were going to go together
>wouldn't be able to.

I feel for you, but this is the cost of wanting to run with the big dogs.  I
think
that all Solo II is fun, but let's be honest....if you run an NT or Pro,
you're doing
it for more than just fun, and you have to expect to pay the price of entry
to see
how you compare to the big names in the sport.

> The low cost of SOLO II is one of the things that
>allows people like college students, and people who's significant other
>holds the purse strings pretty tightly  ;-)  From what I've heard,
>registration numbers may need to be put under a little better control, but
>raising the prices would make big events like this more prohibitive to new,
>young drivers

I'd suggest that the newer, younger members who can't afford slightly higher
entry fees would better serve themselves to travel to other regions and
continue to improve their skills.

I'm not trying to promote elitism, but I think that if you can't afford an
extra
$20 to do an NT, that maybe you aren't ready for an NT.  I run in three
regions,
two of which require that I drive 2.5 hours one way to compete.  The best
deal
going is Wiregrass, where you get at least 6 timed runs and limitless FREE
fun runs for $15, and it's on a concrete site that's to die for.   Gulf
Coast lowered
the entry fees this year and now offer 6 runs on a HUGE course for $10.
$10!!!
While most regional competition may not be what you hope for (don't have
that
problem down here with Sipe, Jackson, Moore, et al to run against), I think
you're
actually doing more for the sport if you support multiple regions than you
are if
you go to an NT.  Run the regions until you're beating cars you have no
business
beating....

Personally, I'd like to see what change removing the NT requirement for nats
participation would do.  I don't think it would make much difference, but
you never
know.

David Hawkins 'unemployed, but will pay to autox (note, I did not use the
'R' word)'
93 MR2 T
86 MR2 autox car in pieces.


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