Autocross Etiquette

So here's the question: If your event runs a three group format, and you've run in the first group and worked in the second, and you know you are clearly not winning anything, (common for me!) is it bad form to bail rather than stay for the third group and awards? Don't get me wrong, if the weather's nice and I don't have any other obligations, I usually stay regardless. So . . . (A) Its always bad form (B) It depends on your other obligations, weather conditions, etc (I.e. - You need a good reason to bail) (C) Its fine, no excuses or other reasons needed

I would say C is the correct answer. If you worked, you can leave.

As an organizer I choose C, but the caveat to that is normally a large group of us go out to dinner afterwards which is half the fun.

As long as you've worked, I see no issues with you bailing.

As long as you've met all of your obligations (finished your work assignment, made sure your grid area is as clean or cleaner than when you got there, etc), you should have no qualms about heading home. You may find that you can make good use of the extra time by watching others on course or catching a ride with a good driver (if your club allows), but I really doubt that anyone would consider it bad form to jet before the end of your session.

the only added thought would be ... some one has to tear down the site and load the truck/trailer ... from experience any and all help is appreciated

C for most groups I run with.

B for one or two (They request everybody stick around to help at the end but if you have a good reason you just talk with them and you can leave).

C.

I don't feel bad about leaving after running and working when I know I am not getting a trophy.

At local SCCA events there can be an hour or more worth of runs left after I've packed up and our main location is over an hour from my house. The events normally have about 150 drivers so there are plenty of people to clean up. That said, I stay until the end about 75% of the time and have spent 12 hours on site before.

At smaller club events I am usually having a good time cheering on friends and sticking around to help clean up only adds 15 minutes to my day.

Once I've worked and driven, I'm outa there. I'm usually so worn out after a day of being out in the sun I have no desire to stay later once I'm done.

C, dude. Especially if your drive home consists of hours, and not minutes.

Of course, I came into autoX after being involved with the road racing program. The amount of crap that has to be loaded, and the (often) larger distances to travel make leaving before the entire event is over standard operating procedure in club racing. Many club racers (in the past, myself included) have cursed when seeing the schedule for a race, and discovering that although your first opportunity to practice is Saturday morning, your race group is the last one on Sunday afternoon.

I personally have never hated on anyone for not sticking around just for social reasons. It's cool when folks want to stay and watch..but IMO everybody but the shiny happy people know that racing (and working!) is physically tiring, and sometimes ya just want to go home.

I'll go irish one further..I've actually skipped a bunch of events this summer because it's been so hot. I can stand in it, I can drive in it, but I'm pushing 50yrs old (I'll admit I've got some weight and health problems), and just can't shag cones in it anymore. And of course, it's always poor form to just go drive and not pull your weight with a work assignment. I'd rather skip than do that to everybody (there's a reason your times are discarded if you don't work).

As far as club racing goes, I do oppose autoX style "mandatory" work sessions for drivers or crew (some folks are actually proposing stuff like that as a "solution" for the worker shortage in the SCCA road race program). As an old corner worker, I can tell you that the only thing worse than being shorthanded at a turn..is being shorthanded and having to "babysit" people with no flagging/communication/crash responder training. A road course is a lot different than an autoX course.

C, without a doubt.

C. Unless you want to stay for fun runs.

C. There are usually many more competitors present, than workers. Fair is fair.

m

Canoe

Somebody's gotta shag cones and clean up the venue. If it's not your job, than whose job is it? And why does that job belong solely to them, instead of to all of you? They're not getting paid to clean up.

Stay and help. Don't be that guy.

Go.

Our club cleans up with maybe 6 people, and that's because just our club members stick around for unlimited fun runs. Cleaning up is a lot easier than setting up. We stand around BS'ing longer than we actually clean and load up.

While I appreciate any help anyone gives, I don't see anyone who leaves as that guy.

As long as the second run isn't really shorthanded, haul arse

Someone has to pick up and load that trailer. I'm guessing you did not help unload the trailer and set up... so dont' be That Guy. Let people know if you have special reasons to head out, and they are usually cool.

I've been left at a site loading a trailer with 1 or 2 other guys so many times I've lost count. When I'm at someone else's event, I stay until the trailer is hooked up and rolling out. That being said, if it means keeping the wife happy, let people know before you leave.

I'm just a driver in our local club autocrosses, and although a club member, I'm not an organizer or committee member or anything. But I'm usually one of the first drivers there and one of the last to leave.

There's always something that needs more hands - sweep the course in the mornings, gather and stow cones in the afternoon, etc. Just working my assigned group station doesn't cover what needs to be done.

Stay until the club trailer is packed and the site is clear.

However if you have worked your shifts, and came early enough to help setup, I wouldn't begrudge you leaving early.

I do think folks should make an attempt to help with either setup or tear down. Many hands make light work.

There are exceptions to everything. There are always club members that are there for both setup and tear down. On occasion they have to leave early, that is ok. They are usually the first to tell the chair they have to ditch early, so as to make sure they aren't leaving them in a tight spot.

I had a guy come over to the timing trailer and tell me (while I was timing) that he couldn't do his work assignment because it was at an inconvient time for him, and I needed to find someone to do it for him. I informed him a) I was working MY assignment in timing b) finding HIS replacement wasn't my job and c) in our club no work, no official time. It was the first, last, and only time he came, and is not missed. Got to love the guys with the 3 pointed stars.

Do watcha like, as long as you worked your assignment. Its nice to sometimes stay and help tear down but it certainly doesn't have to be every time or even most of the time.

For an event with one heat per driver, no point in sticking around. Our Miata club runs two sessions per driver at each event, and leaving after working the morning session without letting the organizers know they have to shift workers for the afternoon session is a no-no.

sometimes I go to events to help set up, work assignments, and tear down just because I have nothing better to do that day. Even if I don't have a car at that particular event, I just like talking to people, and enjoying the cars.

Used to be on the board of the DRSCCA back in Michigan. once I got down here, I became just plain too poor to have fun with it. The last time I went out, I spun a rod bearing in the Saturn, so we are babying that thing until we can get a replacement DD.