Online Registration System

[wrathe74]

With the new locations and such, could we possibly use DLB Racing as our registration Venue? Some of us already have our cars registered there anyway for the SCCA?

http://www.dlbracing.com/services/

From what I understand, there is a $50.00 charge per event to use thier system which includes:
Online Registration
Permanent Number Registration
Calendar WebService
Club Membership Management
Club Elections
Car Garage

If I have to pay $1 - $2 more per event to cover CDC's cost to use this system, I think its worth it.

I looked into what it would take to create basically the same thing from scratch and while possible, why re-invent wheel?

[defylogik]

what's wrong with the current system? Seems to work pretty well to me.

[wrathe74]

Nothing is wrong with the current system, however it doesn't:

- Allow you to pre-pay when your register
- keep a listing of your vehicles (you have to enter vehicle data every time)
- is not linked to your profile
- requires CDC to print out slips and keep track of them at the course
etc.

The system has been great, but with the improvement of our timing system (use of barcodes), the new track at Summit Point, the security of not having to carry cash and monitor cash box at events, and not having to print out slips....to name a few....would "improve" the current system.

My point was...while all these things can be built into the current system, why not try an established provider that is improving thier services that do the same thing; and It was merely a suggestion since the DLB is already used by AI, SCCA, WDCR as well as many other clubs/orgs across the country - for the driver it means 1 place to keep track of things.

It was by no means meant to be a down on the current system that Kyle and CDC are running.

These improvements will eventually need to be made, one way or the other.

[ProDarwin]

what's wrong with the current system? Seems to work pretty well to me.

It requires cash... which I never have

[FredK]

O.K. I can't resist....Their's plenty wrong with the current registration system. If the weather is bad no one shows up= lose money. If the weather looks really bad a couple of days out they cancel if it's a lot they don't have to pay for, if it's pay a no matter what lot, like Frederick,everyone who shows gets wet, and they still lose money.

If it's a beautiful day and nothing else is going on 130 people show up including all the overbooked people and you get your first run at 2PM and get home in the dark.

If they have paid preregistration then the # who pays is all that matters, if the weather sucks and no one shows, great, CDC doesn't lose their ass and the guys like me who show up get lots of runs and go home early. Their are plenty of people that always sign up and then go if they feel like it, nice.
FredK

[Tedzilla]

What Fred said...

Ted

[AJ_RDR_Civic]

agreed, i want to run rain/snow/shine DLB is a good registration site, easy to use and easy to keep track of everything. i just suggest leaving the registration open until a day or 2 before the event so people have a better idea of the weather and are sure they want to commit.

[wrathe74]

We can setup a yearly season pass as well, with 'special days' for anything above-and-beyond the scope of races commited for the year.

Everything below this line represents a hypothetical representation...IT DOES NOT REFLECT REAL DATA, but merely an attempt to show some value in the system.
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We already have Summit point booked for 6 events, I assume that we'll get at least 6 events each at the other locations...Harry Grove, and Bowie baysox. So that would be 18 events. Another assumption we will make is that we will have 60 registered drivers for each event. (this is not a stretch by any means, considering that some events were well over 120 registered)

Being that Summit Point would cost a little more, and paying for the DLB, with a season pass, the costs can be deferred across all the races...

Estimated costs pre-overhead for adding DLB registration for the club
Summit Point = 6 * 35 = 210 (if 60 Registered = 12,600/yr or 2100/event)
Bowie Baysox = 6 * 25 = 150 (if 60 Registered = 9,000/yr or 1500/event)
Harry Grove = 6 * 25 = 150 (if 60 Registered = 9,000/yr or 1500/event)
DLB = (50/60 registered) = .833 (18 events 900/yr or 50/event)
--------------------------------
510.833 / 18 = 28.38 per event, per person
(Assuming you have at least 60 registered drivers. 15 people per heat)

Now how does this fit into season passes
Single event registration
Members pay 30.00/event
Non members pay 35.00/event

Season pass
All Season pass = 477.00 (26.50 per event)
SP Season pass = 197.00 (32.833 per event)
HG Season Pass = 171.00 (28.50 per event)
BB Season Pass = 171.00 (28.50 per event)

With pre-registering, season passes, and cost re-evaluation; you can see the costs of using DLB are minimal impact to the final price of the event. CDC then has the advantage of being financial set to offer theses events without fear of losing money. As an added benefit, you can break down the races season packages to the 3 locations as well...so members/guests sign up for the area that they want to race in for the season. So for instance if I want HG and BB, I would pay 342.00 for the season. If I was lazy and didnt sign up for the Season by March 1st, then i would have to register for each event @ $30.00 costing me 360.00 by the end of season as a member or 35.00 as non-member costing me 420.00 by the end of season.

Keep in mind too, that while the WDCR SCCA season pass is only 240.00, it only covers 7 races for the year....so I believe the numbers above are a decent reflection of that scale ( and without having knowledge of actual costs to CDC, I can only estimate).

Finally...just to re-iterate....these are not real numbers! please treat them only as a reference of what the actual benefit may be using this system.

[gnhovis]

Anybody compare the cost of dlbracing event management vs motorsportsreg.com?

[wrathe74]

Anybody compare the cost of dlbracing event management vs motorsportsreg.com?

They both offer what is needed to organize, calendar, register, driver profiles, car profiles, etc...

Motorsportsreg offers some nice features, however ... I believe they cost more to use. They charge a 4.5% or 5.0% fee for each event based on membership level of the organizer (Enhanced and Premium plans respectively). This means that an event that pulls in $2000.00 would cost the organizers $100 @ the 5% fee. So organizers would have to charge an additional 4.5 - 5% to thier regular attendence fee (so a $25 fee would end up costing $26.25 @ 5%).

Aside from those fees, the whole system Motorsportsreg is "free" to use.

If you want to see that actual extra benefits, which are good for oranizers, check out their PDF

http://www.pukkasoft.com/downloads/msr_ ... eneral.pdf

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In my opinion Motorsportsreg offers better features for organizers but costs a little more, and DLB is better for members who are SCCA WDCR members and cheaper at only $50 per event but they lack some very nice features for the organizers.

Either way, both these systems would be nice.

[Gonz]

agreed, i want to run rain/snow/shine DLB is a good registration site, easy to use and easy to keep track of everything. ...

the problem I see with this is that CDC is a volunteer organization. If it's raining out, are we going to get people to show up and have enough course workers to safely run the event.

Are we going to have enough of the organizers there to run course set up, registration, tech inspection, timing, organize grid, grille hotdogs, and pack and unpack a trailer full of supplies and equipment ?

I have no desire to be running car tech, or helping with registration in a downpour. Autocross is supposed to be FUN. And being outside in the rain for 10 hours would certainly NOT be much fun. Additionally our computer and timing equipment has not been tested to be water proof and could suffer damage or just malfunction because of the rain.

I did participate once in the rain during a "subaru challenge" event at Ripken's stadium. Although I only had to work one heat, it was miserable. Soaking wet & cold.

Additionally, no matter what tires you run, there is not much grip in the rain. Less grip = less speed = less G forces = less fun. My view, anyhow.

[wrathe74]

A downpour is one thing..and nobody wants to work in that. but a little bit of rain shouldn't be a show stopper...with the current system of hoping enough people show up..it becomes a stopper.

If an online system is used there is the option of running or re-scheduling. either way its in favor of the club.

[moxnix]

Having people pre-pay does not force them to show up in bad weather.

Yes you have the money to pay for the lot but you still may not have enough workers and might have to rearrange heats to get enough workers to work the course.

[wrathe74]

Having people pre-pay does not force them to show up in bad weather.

Yes you have the money to pay for the lot but you still may not have enough workers and might have to rearrange heats to get enough workers to work the course.

Having an online system was never meant to be a discussion about the rain. If it rains or not, if they decide to re-schedule or not....it make no difference. The online system is merely a way to make it easier to manage, collect money, and organize.....that is all it was ever meant to do....so when we are at the events, it can make things a little easier for CDC organizers.

Rain, cancellations, walk-ins, over-booking, under-booking .... all these things are considerations; and CDC already has to deal with them.

Why should they still have to carry the burden of car number assignments, keeping spreadsheets for membership renewals, member lists, carry cash (more than necessary), etc.? And if the system helps in the decision making process for the other issues....then all the better.