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ZX2 2000
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Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
I thought I would start a new thread because much of the rhetoric has been on unrelated topics.
Having been around AMEC ice racing for more than a few years as a driver and a race official I have seen ups a downs. We can't do a lot about the weather. In the past we have race under conditions that would be unthinkable today. Not really relevent.
One of the problems is that we as a club have become complacent due to the excellent cadre of workers and everything went smoothly. Now things have come to a head.
Should we have seen it coming ? Probably but it was generally ignored.
Rules were not being enforced and the scorers were asked several times as to how many cars they felt comfortable scoring. There was never a deffinative answer so things just grew.
Before I go any further on this, any comment about race workers is not meant in a disparaging way. They have all been doing a tremendous job under the work load they have been given.
Some ideas have been espoused about find other venues. Some have merit and should be followed up on. Others are out of the question, anybody noticed the price of land lately.
The idea of transponders may be a good idea,but it opens up a can of worms. First would be the initial cost to the club.some would be recouped by selling and or renting.
For the SL class in which they would be most valuable, there comes the problem of proper mounting. We can't even get them to do their numbers right.
In the fall, I started a discussion on proper numbering according to our rule book.
This simply was ignored by many and not enforced.
The same goes for mufflers. We have a rule in the book. 95 db at 25 ft. under race conditions. The club has a sound meter and I have access to one. Again ignored and not enforced.
We need a larger tech crew so that they don't have to rush cars through.
The ideal thing would be a pre-race day tech inspection, but that is not practical for us.
A seperate tech line for SL car has been mentioned but never followed up on. This could/should be done. Of course it would take more inspectors.
Maybe we need to limit the number of cars.
How about classing SL drivers? Novices in one race, experinced in the other. Of course
that would mean more races which is a no/no.
So what we need to do first is fix what we already have and then see if we need to make changes.
**** Vedder #1 SL
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Dick Vedder SL #1
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3/7/2008, 11:23 am
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ZX2 2000
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
To add to what I wrote before. I will volunteer to come to the races early and act as SL tech inspector.
**** V.
Also I have ample time to check lakes etc.
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Dick Vedder SL #1
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3/7/2008, 11:38 am
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snowphun
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
I'm also happy to do SL tech, I tend to get to the races early. Having someone guide paddock parking at the start of the day would really help with flow throughout the whole day, otherwise it's a mess of trailers, trucks and cars all over the place). Online registration and modernizing information flow would go a long way towards reducing headaches as well.
Rules for numbers, noise, contact... need to be enforced. Make it known at meetings and via emails/website prior to the season starting and crack the whip. 
Paul
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3/7/2008, 1:57 pm
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Dave 48
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
Thanks for staring a new thread Richard I have copied a post that I wrote on another thread below for a refresher. It is becoming obvious that we are overwhelmed with the number of cars that have come out in SL class. The menards cars are "easy" for the scoring people to score in the races comparatively.
We definitely need a better tech done on all cars and the rules need to be enforced at tech. This would eliminate some cars right away. If tech was enforced properly then the scoring would be easier. Separate lines for Menard and SL with separate tech people would be good.
In my post on the other thread my point was that if we have so many SL cars and the SL people want to be treated like equals in the club they need to start doing as much work as the Menard drivers do.
We certainly did not ever envision the SL group as it is now. We figured the people would try it for a year or two and then build a Menard car but that did not work out that way. So we need to get this for the most part "younger" group of people active in the club to spread the load and eventually take over for us old guys. I am all for letting every one race that wants to if they pitch in and help as much and make it happen (what I mean is do not lessen the SL car counts if we can handle it)
There have been some SL guys that have volunteered to help out like Ernie with the banquet, Mike Waterhouse on scoring etc this is a great start. I would ask that if you live 1 hour or less away from Johnstown then we need to start getting all the "new" helpers to the once a month Monday night meetings. Our president Claude drives 90 miles to be there. Mike Kamm drives about 60 miles one way to be there. Mark Long has made it to multiple meetings and he lives in Poughkeepsie about 2 hours away. This is a way to start helping. The meetings can be fun and you will begin to feel a part of the club.
Here was my post on the other thread.
What we really need is for the SL people to start becoming part of AMEC. They need to start doing as much work as the Menard guys do, plowing, scouting lakes, registration, scoring, all the pre and post set up. How about the 100 hours of work coming up for the banquet. 98% of the workers in AMEC are Menard drivers. We thought originally the SL cars would lead to lots more dedicated racers and many would move up to Menards cars. That has only happened with a few SL drivers. And guess who the new active members in AMEC are? They are the SL drivers that moved up to Menards.
Sorry if I am a little negative I was an AMEC officer 14 of the past 20 years and helped plow the race tracks since 1986. My first year of ice racing was 1982 some of us need to have more fun and less work. I took 3 years to become a productive AMEC member I think SL has been around a little longer than that.
Oh by the way Jamie Burnham is my wife she is one of the hardest workers in the club and is taking next year off. The SL people have about 11 months to figure out which few of you are going to learn to score races. I am sure some of you have wife’s and or girl friends or kids get them involved. It can be fun and rewarding.
Dave Burnham
48A
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3/7/2008, 9:22 pm
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Mike Kamm
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
I would like to thank **** Vedder for his well thought out post. He really sums up the current state of affairs in the club today. I hope we can get a responce from the younger members to get involved and pitch in.
I applaude **** Vedder and Paul Norman for volunteering to do SL tech next year. The SL class needs it badly!
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Race Here, Race Now!
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3/7/2008, 9:38 pm
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ZX2 2000
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
One very important point that has to be made perfectly clear.
"Without workers we won't have races."
Scoring is in the most need at present.
I have enjoyed the past few years of just going to the races and running. As a former race official for many years I saw a place that I saw a need.
If we want to continue ice racing and keep AMEC the premier club in ice racing people are going to have to step up and help out.
This means physically doing something and not just posting on this message board.
In response to Daves comments; yes, most of the workers are Menard drivers, also there are many who are silent from season to season.
**** V.
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Dick Vedder SL #1
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3/8/2008, 10:16 am
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Dave 48
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
**** we know we can always count on you to do anything that is needed for the club and always enjoy your thoughts and wisdom. You have done a lot for the club over the years and we will always use you but I am also looking for those people born after say 1975 or 1980 to start stepping up.
Dave Burnham
PS for those that don't know car #1 SL racer **** Vedder shows up in the written minutes of the meetings for AMEC in May 1954. That is the third month the club was officially in existence.
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3/8/2008, 11:43 am
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MJGalusha33
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
I know it may be a little early to make an attempt to commit to stepping up my volunteer work, for next year. I would like to make an attempt to become more involved than doing what I do now to help out in the club. I primarily help when I can set up the course and of course do my normal duty working on a corner. If it become possible I would like to do more when I can. For example I would be more than willing and happy to try and assist the current tech guys, with both SL And menard cars. I alsow would like to learn or at least be able to assist in some way with the scoring of the races. I also Think that there is a need to get some more drivers familair with working a corner so that there may be the possibility for corner workers like my self with such things as tech and scoring. Also I think that it might be good for drivers in both types of classes to get a feeling and a veiw of how things are on the corner flag stands. Unfortuneatly I am sure just how many of us in the "new" or Future Generation there maybe to help the club move along and continue to be top class and successfull. But I sure would like to be able to step up where ever I can and it may be needed to do my part.
Yours For Better Racing and The Continuance of this great sport we have upon us.
Matt Galusha
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3/8/2008, 3:32 pm
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Mike Kamm
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
Nice Matt, THANKS!
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Race Here, Race Now!
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3/8/2008, 4:17 pm
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stephend
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Re: Thoughts on AMEC & ice race problems
the one thing i can say is the club does not even seem like the fun club it was when i was a kid and a few years ago. since sl the club for some reason as seemed to get to professional to many people worrying about them self’s and not the club.making things way to complicated. simpler is better. Like making new rules ever year. I think being a club it should be a fun club and every one doing their part. With teching SL how much simpler of a car to tech as long as they have a NY state inspection 4 good snow tires helmet and fire extinguisher that’s all that class is about and is what it originally was about. Entry level cheap class. that’s my thoughts
stephen
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3/8/2008, 9:14 pm
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