[Rick Lee]

I'll take the heat for this post, but rest assured I speak for a LOT of others here.

What is this BS with three sessions per day again? I thought that was over with last year. Not only is there a minimum of two + hours between sessions (because sitting around in the freezing cold was so much fun the last few yrs.) but we get a whopping two 25 min.session and one 30 min. on Sat. and three 25 min. sessions on Sunday. Are you kidding me? I sure am glad I didn't have much car prep work to do for this one. If a single incident causes a black flag, that poor run group will be paying the most per track minute I ever saw at a DE. This is not the improvement I thought was coming this year, after so many of us raved about the ample track time with Schattenbaum and NNJR DE's. Unfortunately, those regions don't have a lot of DE's at Summit this year. This run group schedule is a HUGE disappointment.

Flame away!

[Vicegrip]

No Shit! I have brought this up with just about everyone and have been bitching from day one that it makes for a dull ass day. I also think it is also a poor format for instruction as most folks brain fade at about 20 min. The next 10 min is spent just keeping the car and driver on the track.

Art, Tony, Mike, Alan, Tom. Any of you guys lurking? What gives!?

What to the rest of the Dorki think? Now is the time to sound off. If you don't like the 3 a day format let them know when you are at the track too.

RL can you title the thread so folks can better get that the content is. We need to do something about this.

[Trak Ratt]

I certainly agree, the extra time for each session does seem more like mini endurals. One justification for the longer formats was that more, shorter sessions made more work for the volunteers at track out. Maybe all it will take is more volunteers to step up? Not everyone at the DEs work registration, tech or instructing. Might take a few DEs to “staff up” but it could be a case of working in the system for the desired outcome.

[Rick Lee]

I just tried to change the title, but it only took it as a headline. Jazzbass, if you see this, would you please change the title to what I wrote in the header? Thanks. Glad to see I'm not the only one willing to post about this.

Dave, as you know, NNJR makes DE participants do a work detail each day. It's usually pretty small and seemingly insignificant, but VERY rewarding with five or six 25-30 min. sessions. I KNOW most of the track junkies here who've done a Schattenbaum or NNJR DE would be happy to do some work detail in exchange for more track time.

[Vicegrip]

Please don't confuse someone elses undersuscribed away event for a full up Potomac event at the home track. Apples to apples. The reasons i was given was that 3 longer runs gave more time on track but...

1. They were 30 min each not 25. 4X20 = 80 min 3X25 = 75. Even I can do the math! It was to be 3X30=90 WEven that is not the best as brain fade plays in and, I feel, reduces safety.

2. The other reason was less jumping around by the instructors from car to car but I feel that impinging on the overall event for the students over something not safety related but more comfort related is shortsighted.

And folks wonder why the middle groups are declining. Sheeeesh!

[Mackpipes]

This is odd. At the Instructor Candidate seminar, they told us that they would be switching to 4 run groups per day. the primary reason was student focus and safety. There were only a couple of guys who didn't like the idea, but most liked it. I wonder what happened.

[TD in DC]

What are the pros/cons of each system?

Specifically, what are the downsides to more tracktime/sessions during each day?

If we understood the downsides, then maybe we could find creative ways to address them, including, through volunteering to make the system work better.

I am pretty pressed for time as it is, which is why I haven't volunteered to help the DE system yet, but I would be willing to help if I am at the track already anyway assuming I am not trying to wrench on my car, which I have spent too much time doing so far.

[wludavid]

Is this the new schedule for the Potomac chapter DEs?

[mroberts]

What frustrates me is that summer DE's knock off at 5, when there is PLENTY of light left. Why can't they run a bit later, even just to space things out, rather than extending the groups.

Why do all tracks have such a rigid closing time ?

[VaSteve]

Anyone know what NNJR does at their home events? Z-man? I have heard their events are just as crowded. How do they deal with the 5 run groups transitions on and off the track?