Suggestion: Team Event Day

[Areddi]

Hey guys, I had a cool idea which might be fun to do for one event this year, and I wanted to post it over here and see what people think:

For one event this year, we do a team day. Groups of 3-4(tbd) would form a team for the day. Everyone would run their normal runs in whatever heat they ended up in. At the end of the day, the best INDEX time for each member of the team would be added together to create a team time for the day. Teams could then be ranked, with the winner getting some kind of fun prize( stickers of being the winner, free event admission, free lunch at the next event, or whatever).

Teams could have fun by putting funny signs, faces made out of tape, or other markings on their cars. They could also wear funny or matching outfits(safety obviously considered) to help make it more fun. I think it would be a good way to bring some team competition and camaraderie into the event for one day.

This idea creates no extra work during the event either. The only thing really needed would be to have people list their team name as their car color, or in their notes when they sign up, or something like that. At the end it would just be an extra column in the excel sheet to distinguish the "Team time." Obviously people would not have to be on a team, and the event would continue on as it always does, just with the team score for those who want to participate.

Does anyone else think this could be fun or interesting?

[Ben L]

Again with the index time. . . . .

[03threefiftyz]

Index times....no thanks.

[AJ_RDR_Civic]

Again with the index time. . . . .

Index times....no thanks.

You guys wanna be on my team? Maybe with my Index matched with yours, the times might even out

[Hobbs5313]

Sounds like a fun idea.

[echan]

How about instead of index times, we make it like bracket racing. Each team picks a time for each driver to try to match in run #4 after the morning runs are complete. Then the closest time fromt he group is the "best matching time" for a tie breaker in case more than one team has the same amount will be the shortest time (e.g. Team 1 guesses 44.35 seconds with actual run at 44.37, making the difference of 0.02 seconds. But if Team 2 guesses 40.25 with an actual run at 40.27 making the difference of 0.02 seconds, Team 2 wins since they have the shortest time).

If we do this, we might have tgo have Joe alter the software or we use a notebook (paper or computer) to complie the guesses...

[Nathan Atkins]

I want to be on a team of "Stig's greater D.C. area cousins"

[Areddi]

I like that idea too Ed, makes one of the runs fun and does not alter the day too much. It will award consistency in driving.

I think the use of index times is important, otherwise one could just form a team of all the top people and there would be no chance of anyone else even coming close. At least with indexes it is somewhat fair. Besides, this is supposed to be for fun. If you are concerned about your index time affecting anything, choose not to participate and your day will be exactly the same as it would have been.

This would have no bearing on points or anything, and would be only for fun, and maybe a free lunch

[echan]

I like that idea too Ed, makes one of the runs fun and does not alter the day too much. It will award consistency in driving.

I think the use of index times is important, otherwise one could just form a team of all the top people and there would be no chance of anyone else even coming close. At least with indexes it is somewhat fair. Besides, this is supposed to be for fun. If you are concerned about your index time affecting anything, choose not to participate and your day will be exactly the same as it would have been.

This would have no bearing on points or anything, and would be only for fun, and maybe a free lunch

If we do the bracket challenge, we wouldn't even need to use the index.

Also, we have done the "guess the time" game at the AndrewTech autox, where people try to guess times of various cars (we show the past times with the displayed Results Computer). We gave $10 coupons for the person that guessed the closest time. We can do the same and give a poker chip. Then at the end of the day we give prizes (free passes, hats, food, or gas cards) for various numbers of poker chips.

[03threefiftyz]

If it's raw time based....I'll whore myself out to the highest bidder .

[BugBomb]

I am all for some new & interesting competitions, but I think we should keep them limited to what we can do on paper rather than getting Joe to add and modify the timing software. He has enough on his plate adding the useful features and troubleshooting the entire system. I head-organize at least 13 days per year, and I have no problem admitting that Joe is the hardest-working person in the club.

The "guess the time" game we did at the Andrewtech Test & Tune is a perfect example of a side-challenge done right.

[bugman1964]

I like the original post idea the best. I think it could be a fun day for all involved.

[v10climber]

I like the bracket racing idea. Or even the "guess the time" game.

[CaitieD]

I like the bracket racing idea. Or even the "guess the time" game.

I'm like these ideas too. Anything where people aren't going to be awarded for just being fastest (index or raw) since we already award prizes for fast times.

I am all for some new & interesting competitions, but I think we should keep them limited to what we can do on paper rather than getting Joe to add and modify the timing software. He has enough on his plate adding the useful features and troubleshooting the entire system.

Agreed, this should be kept to paper so as not add another task the folks at timing need to accomplish.

[Areddi]

Sure, if you're doing the guess the time or the bracket raw time is fine. I think that, or the original idea, is the way to go. It could definitely be kept on paper as well to avoid extra work.

[JoeTR6]

We could hire a bookie and have him give odds on which Cobra will be the fastest.

I'm not really into the bracket racing idea. Wouldn't that encourage potentially slowing down to win? I want my tires to give their all or die trying. If we use raw times, may as well cast a Cobra on the trophy. We could randomly generate teams, but that takes some of the fun away. I like the original idea the best.

[03threefiftyz]

We could hire a bookie and have him give odds on which Cobra will be the fastest.

I'm not really into the bracket racing idea. Wouldn't that encourage potentially slowing down to win? I want my tires to give their all or die trying. If we use raw times, may as well cast a Cobra on the trophy. We could randomly generate teams, but that takes some of the fun away. I like the original idea the best.

Only cobras can be fastest?

[Wade Chamberlain]

Yes

[bugman1964]

I'm not really into the bracket racing idea. Wouldn't that encourage potentially slowing down to win? I want my tires to give their all or die trying. If we use raw times, may as well cast a Cobra on the trophy. We could randomly generate teams, but that takes some of the fun away. I like the original idea the best.

Agreed.

[03threefiftyz]

Yes

Noted

[Ben L]

What about rolling with Arredi's original idea, but having "mixed" teams, combining x no. of high index and y no. of low index cars on the teams (or have any combination of x no. of cars producing a specific "combined" index, which would be the same for all teams)?

I just reacted to the "lowest index time" thing because there are already several things we do to advantage "slower" cars (index handicaps, small bore series, etc.), the only way us high index guys can "win" is by taking FTD. Which, admittedly, Wade, Larry and Fred can do pretty consistently, but not all of us can.

On second thought, its all too complicated. I'm just going to continue to have fun and try to get as low raw times as I can, and maybe once in a while give pony rides in the Coupe to people who ask nicely.

[CaitieD]

How about every team has to have someone that has never autocrossed before (or maybe 3 times or less)? That way the new people have a reason to socialize with/meet new people they don't know and you (their team members) have motivation to help them out with their driving.

[Sky Render]

Or you could just force a Cobra to have me on the team, since I'm like the slowest driver ever.

[hepcatz]

Sounds cool, but I put funny signs and all that for all events. Anyone want to ride shotgun dressed as Chewbacca?

[TommySalami]

Guess the time sounds like a lot of fun. It could be like Pass Time on Speed tv