SVreX wrote:
Gentlemen:
I suggest you stop bitching and start building. The only way to justify a bigger GRM West Coast event is to make this one a success.
While it may not be what you had hoped, it IS a step in the right direction.
San Diego is on the west coast. It's pretty far south, but I heard mention of both Phoenix and Portland earlier, which would have had the exact same distance issues for someone.
There have been Challengers brought to FL from Canada. This year, someone drove 2200 (IIRC) miles one way in their Challenger. Why so many sorry excuses?
The "momentum" GRM is building has very little to do with the Hongs. It has to do with familiarity with the host track, hotel, local officials, and all the related restaurants, etc. for both the staff and the participants. I think you are being pretty hard on the staff and giving them very little effort for trying.
Don't forget- the purpose of the event is to generate editorial content. Let's consider what could have happened. GRM goes full out with a West Coast event only. They decide on Phoenix, and half of you start bitching that it's too far. Problems arise because of distance issues- contract negotiations, unfamiliarity with the area, whatever. Net results, 20 cars show up, many of whom give a half effort. This would have been devastating to the magazine and everything related to it.
So it's not what you want. There's a lot of stuff about the Challenge that's not what I want. I've debated several issues for years and made no headway. But I still participate, I still encourage, I still build stuff, pay entry fees, and go. I've been there for 5 years, and I'll go as long as they hold it. I'd have gone to the West Coast if it was only there.
So you decide. The West Coast GRM Challenge will be what you make of it. I won't be there. Most of the people who have been making the Challenge what it is will not be there. You decide. Will it be a flop or a success? Will you let the East Coast entrants whoop your butt, or will you show us what you can do? Make lemonade, or keep bitching. You decide.
SVreX wrote:
If you've already spent money on a $200X car, that was probably foolish, until the plans were made.
There is one sure fire way to insure there will never be a West Coast Challenge- don't support it when efforts are made.
Some of us already spent money on a $2009 car because we actually planned on bringing a car to the event rather than giving in and coming carless because we ran out of time. I thought plans were made, I made it clear that I shouldn't have had my expectations so high. Instead, I'm regathering and hopefully I can make the UTCC...if I don't do the UTCC at least I'll have the car I want instead of a car I was building to cater to one single event. I thought it would be awesome to compete in the $2009, but it will be way less awesome if it's literally on the opposite end of the country. I've made that drive many times, I've towed from here to there when fuel prices were a third of what they are now, I'm not going down that road. The only way I'd do Gainesville would be if I paid to have it transported down and back, but that isn't going to save me money (just time).
You mention Canadians coming to FL, some people as far as 2200 miles away. For reference, those of us on the west coast need to travel another 50% further on top of that...the fuel alone for a typical tow rig is going to be more than the challenge budget. It's a big country! Make lemonade? Funny you should say that, as I've been doing 24 Hours of LeMons races, another GRM sponsored event that I'm a big fan of. To date I've been in four races and had about ten hours of wheel to wheel seat time and even including travel costs, towing costs, etc. I've spent less than a single $200X challenge will cost me. That's a heck of a value. I plan on my fifth event at Thunderhill if they continue letting us in! 
While some of the west coasters think the move was promised, I'm not one of those guys. They kept their cards held close and made some suggestions along the way, I was hoping that was because they were waiting until the details were hammered out, not because they were going to change their mind. I definitely didn't expect the event to come all the way to San Fran, Seattle, Portland, etc....just somewhere more centrally located. I guess we'll "let the east coast entrants whoop our butt" since it doesn't make much sense to spend several thousand bucks and a bunch of vacation time to compete in the Gainesville Challenge. I'm smarter than that, or at least I'd like to think so, and I'd much rather spend half as much money and time travelling and put that much more into my car for something like the UTCC (or other track events) instead of towing time/fuel. I'm also not about to start my own challenge...I don't make any money publicizing it in my magazine, I like racing way to much to spend time organizing events instead of competing in them. ;)
Bryce
