X CARS

[gulf911]

I have been to several OCR events as well, never received any elitist attitude at all.

[Gary Burch]

I have been to several OCR events as well, never received any elitist attitude at all.

Same goes for me. Every one was very accommodating.

[Carl Scragg]

Hope everyone is having a happy July 4th. As promised here is the list of x-car agenda items to be discussed at Wednesday's Board meeting;

Review of x-car experiment:
- Should number of x-cars be limited?
- Should non-member fee be increased?
- Delays in tech due to newbies/x-cars
- Insufficient instructors for x-car drivers
- Separate TTD list for Porsches
- Non-member posts on forum?
- Members listing x-car drivers as their
affiliate member

All members are invited to attend the Board meeting. Non-members are welcome to email their comments to the board members at board@pcasdr.org

[Carl Scragg]

After listening to input from as many members as possible, the Board last night made a number of decisions regarding the x-car program.

- Should number of x-cars be limited? The total number of cars at any ax will be limited to 130. The number of x-cars can be limited by the ax chair so that this total is not exceeded.

- Should non-member fee be increased? The fee for non-members will be increased from $55 to $60.

- Delays in tech due to newbies/x-cars. It appears that as everyone is learning what time to show up and how to fill out the tech forms etc. this is no longer an issue.

- Insufficient instructors for x-car drivers. Instructors will be assigned first to club-members with "student" status (i.e. < 4 ax events) driving p-cars, second to club-members with "driver" status (i.e. > 4 ax events) who request an instructor, and third to non-members. Non-members are supposed to have sufficient experience to qualify as "drivers" and they will be assigned instructors only if resources permit. First-time non-members are required to go through a check-out ride with a PCA instructor to verify their driving level and to sign them off as "drivers".

- Separate TTD list for Porsches: The timing crew has been requested to compile separate TTD lists, one for p-cars, another for x-cars

- Non-member posts on forum? Not approved.

- Members listing x-car drivers as their affiliate member. Although no one seems too fond of this loop-hole in the PCA rules, there is little that can be done at the Region level.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to post their thoughts on the forum, to email comments to the Board, and especially those who participated in last nights discussions. Let's give these new guidelines a fair try. As we move forward, there will probably be new issues and the Board will almost certainly review the x-car program somewhere down the road. Carl

[jenniferreinhardt]

Thank you to the Board for being fair and receptive to everyone's ideas!

[ScandinavianFlick]

On behalf of of all the X-car entries and especially the S2000 owners, I'd like to thank you all for continuing to allow us to participate in your events. It's inspiring to see that a shared passion for motorsports can overcome any initial obstacles

[pecivil]

well said Andrew. I think most members feel x cars enhance the event if managed well.

[c4s4pcs]

After listening to input from as many members as possible, the Board last night made a number of decisions regarding the x-car program.

- Should number of x-cars be limited? The total number of cars at any ax will be limited to 130. The number of x-cars can be limited by the ax chair so that this total is not exceeded.

How / when will this be enforced (preregistration, tech, registration)? Is this policy for non members or x cars? I am a member with a Porsche, my son is my associate member driving his Miata, and my brother is a non member co-driving the Miata...

- Should non-member fee be increased? The fee for non-members will be increased from $55 to $60.

- Delays in tech due to newbies/x-cars. It appears that as everyone is learning what time to show up and how to fill out the tech forms etc. this is no longer an issue.

- Insufficient instructors for x-car drivers. Instructors will be assigned first to club-members with "student" status (i.e. < 4 ax events) driving p-cars, second to club-members with "driver" status (i.e. > 4 ax events) who request an instructor, and third to non-members. Non-members are supposed to have sufficient experience to qualify as "drivers" and they will be assigned instructors only if resources permit. First-time non-members are required to go through a check-out ride with a PCA instructor to verify their driving level and to sign them off as "drivers".

- Separate TTD list for Porsches: The timing crew has been requested to compile separate TTD lists, one for p-cars, another for x-cars

- Non-member posts on forum? Not approved.

- Members listing x-car drivers as their affiliate member. Although no one seems too fond of this loop-hole in the PCA rules, there is little that can be done at the Region level.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to post their thoughts on the forum, to email comments to the Board, and especially those who participated in last nights discussions. Let's give these new guidelines a fair try. As we move forward, there will probably be new issues and the Board will almost certainly review the x-car program somewhere down the road. Carl

[Mmagus]

- Should number of x-cars be limited? The total number of cars at any ax will be limited to 130. The number of x-cars can be limited by the ax chair so that this total is not exceeded.

How / when will this be enforced (preregistration, tech, registration)? Is this policy fro non members or x cars? I am a member with a Porsche, my son is my associate member driving his Miata, and my brother is a non member co-driving the Miata...

Great question! Let me see if I can address it. We will be working with registration and if pre-reg is near 100 we will be very careful to make sure that the following priority for participation will be given.

...Members/associate members driving Porsches
...Members/associate members driving X-Cars
...Non-Members driving X-Cars.

Hope this helps a bit.

Mark
AX-Whippingboy

[RETII]

i've a couple of questions for everyone. Just when are the "checkrides" for aspiring x car pilots going to happen? Seems as time was a factor in the Parade lap discussion? Another question is if x car drivers are given the "check ride" option perhaps that opportunity should be given to our membership thereby freeing up some instuctors. All of this is leading to my suggestion that to bolster the instructor corps perhaps a short presentation on what, how and how to become an instructor would encourage new/more participation. Let's face it we all know how many people show up for a free pizza. CDI's what say you?

[c4s4pcs]

- Should number of x-cars be limited? The total number of cars at any ax will be limited to 130. The number of x-cars can be limited by the ax chair so that this total is not exceeded.

How / when will this be enforced (preregistration, tech, registration)? Is this policy fro non members or x cars? I am a member with a Porsche, my son is my associate member driving his Miata, and my brother is a non member co-driving the Miata...

Great question! Let me see if I can address it. We will be working with registration and if pre-reg is near 100 we will be very careful to make sure that the following priority for participation will be given.

...Members/associate members driving Porsches
...Members/associate members driving X-Cars
...Non-Members driving X-Cars.

Hope this helps a bit.

Mark
AX-Whippingboy

Mark -

Thanks for the clarification. So, the take away on this is that if your pre-registration is accepted, you are in? Also, if the pre-reg hits 130, will a member in a Porsche still be allowed to show up and run, or is the event "Sold Out" at 130 cars?

Thanks a lot,

Phil

[JERRY B]

Any car over the 130 will be wait listed thru motorsport reg.
Soo register early to avoid any problems

[radchuck]

My x-car (BMWe36M3) friend wrote me after last autoX event

"Good event everyone, I just hope Porsche would still allow X class in the future. I really enjoy Porsche event more than the BMW..."
Kudos to the event organizers/volunteers!

Charles Liu

[ttweed]

I know we get busy and have lots to do at an any event, but lets try to be a little more welcoming and open minded next time we come across a newby.

There's a corollary to this idea that I was discussing with Carl V. at the last event. Besides welcoming newbies when they show up, we should also be on the look-out for other Porsche owners whom we know but are not even PCA members yet, and encouraging them to join the club and participate. There are quite a few folks out there who own Porsches but have never seriously considered joining the PCA. Carl could think of at least 2 or 3 friends and acquaintances of his who were in that situation, and he was planning to give them a pep-talk about the joys and benefits of joining. Growing our membership is another way to try to combat the effects of the economic downturn and increase participation in events. This is definitely a time for us to be active ambassadors for the club.

TT

[Mmagus]

I know we get busy and have lots to do at an any event, but lets try to be a little more welcoming and open minded next time we come across a newby.

There's a corollary to this idea that I was discussing with Carl V. at the last event. Besides welcoming newbies when they show up, we should also be on the look-out for other Porsche owners whom we know but are not even PCA members yet, and encouraging them to join the club and participate. There are quite a few folks out there who own Porsches but have never seriously considered joining the PCA. Carl could think of at least 2 or 3 friends and acquaintances of his who were in that situation, and he was planning to give them a pep-talk about the joys and benefits of joining. Growing our membership is another way to try to combat the effects of the economic downturn and increase participation in events. This is definitely a time for us to be active ambassadors for the club.

TT

I have SERIOUSLY considered having business cards made up to put on random Porsches (Vista print for $7) that say:


"If you want to learn to drive and enjoy your car like it was built to be, drop me a note!"
ax@pcasdr.org www.pcasdr.net