Make RallyCross Great Again

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JimR
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Make RallyCross Great Again

Post by JimR » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:42 am

Ozark Mountain Region RallyCross: Make RallyCross Great Again
Recent years have been all quiet on the RallyCross front in OMRSCCA, and several people have asked about future events. If you want to get dirty, read on and I'll break down what it would take to restart the OMRSCCA RX program.

Why Aren't We RallyCrossing Right Now?
OMRSCCA is a club, a non-profit group of members who volunteer their own time and energy to make motorsports happen. In other words, you and me. All it takes is for people to step up, combine their efforts, and attend events. At the grassroots level, a healthy number of participants have to take an active role in event organization.

As a little history, the current era of RallyCross began with a trial event at Mo-Kan Dragway in August 2010. The region continued to hold events until fall 2014, when dwindling entrants and volunteer availability put the program on hiatus. Much of that was due to a lack of nearby sites that would support sustainably large turnouts and human resources.

Learn Me Some RallyCross
How can you help? First, learn all about RallyCross as a competitor and organizer in this guide I made:

SCCA RallyCross Toolkit
https://medium.com/@JimRowland/scca-ral ... 11bb2e836d

Measures of Sucess
RallyCross is a younger, newer program that does not typically pull a Solo-sized turnout. A healthy RallyCross could be 20-30 people, and we have pulled off quality events with few as a dozen folks. Sanction and insurance fees are lower, there are discounts available for first-time sites, and it is hard to lose money. However, to break even financially and spread the burden of event operation, we would want to hit 20+ entrants pretty regularly.

OMR leadership realizes that any form of SCCA activity (Solo, RoadRally, RallyCross, Street Survival, etc.) is a service to its membership and can attract new members. Still, the region is not-for-profit and volunteer-run. As a courtesy to those who put in the hard work on a volunteer basis, we would want to find a winning formula for a RallyCross program.

What We'll Need
  • Site accessibly close to civilization.
  • Common willingness to become a SCCA member and RallyCross Safety Steward (RXSS) to ensure necessary coverage. (I can help with this.)
  • Members willing to learn roles beyond normal work assignment (registration, course setup, timing, RXSS, etc.).
  • A RallyCross chairperson/contact willing to attend monthly club meetings or send a proxy/friend to help coordinate club scheduling and resources.
  • Finding seats for those not (yet) owning a RX-able vehicle. Co-drives and such to boost attendance.
Since OMRSCCA is a smaller region, a lot of RallyCrossers are also Solo competitors. Double-dipping from the Solo volunteer pool to run RallyCross is unfair to those already putting in the hours behind the scenes to host autocrosses. RallyCross requires a few dedicated RallyCross volunteers learning and helping in parallel. Maybe you?

Logistics
When sites are not near any members (Springfield, Joplin, NW Arkansas), turnouts are challenging to sustain, and it is hard on the few volunteers organizing the event. Landing a site near Springfield, or perhaps Neosho/Joplin or Bentonville/Rogers, will be key to building a RX following and cultivating new volunteers to help run events.

Towing the equipment trailer to distant sites is a challenge. It means the person towing the trailer can't also bring their own RallyCross car without the buddy system (or four round trips). Not bringing the trailer is also an option, but also burdensome. Driving to the trailer, then transferring an event's worth of heavy, dirty cones and equipment from the trailer to a pickup bed and back - by yourself - really sucks. One regional event at a place like Lebanon or Salem was effectively a full weekend commitment for an organizer.

Next Steps
  • Read about RallyCross.
  • Search for a local site, get RX site acquisition packet, loop in OMR BOD and myself to help secure it.
  • Solicit volunteer help from local membership. Get someone to step up and be RX chairperson.
  • Talk to me to fill in knowledge gaps and get RXSS training started. I am the Midwest Division RallyCross Steward and can help walk anyone through it.
  • Work out the when/where/how with OMR BOD to make it official.
  • Promote among region and neighboring regions.
  • Go RallyCross!
If folks want to RallyCross, let's set a goal: host one RallyCross event. Doesn't have to be a full season. I can help, but others will also have to take the initiative and get this going.
Jim Rowland - Your friendly OMR volunteer at large
'92 Sentra SE-R / '15 FR-S / '04 Silverado HD

thojoewen86
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Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:37 pm

Re: Make RallyCross Great Again

Post by thojoewen86 » Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:01 pm

I'm excited to help in any way I can. I would love to be involved in set up and learn more about set up and track design.

Also, I read on the Reaction Motorsports Facebook page that they are looking at add RallyX to the schedule next year in Fort Smith. Apparently he's meeting with Dustin Etheredge From State Line RallyX for the events to be held at Chaffee Crossing. Is this something we should dig into?

Glad to help any way I can. Message me if there is anything I can do in the meantime

Thomas Wenrich
#86 BMW M3

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JimR
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Re: Make RallyCross Great Again

Post by JimR » Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:38 am

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in RallyCross in Ozark Region. I'm here to help if there are more than two people interested.

Fort Chaffee is only 90 minutes from my house. I'll probably check out these indie events if no schedule conflicts, and if they're not an organizational dumpster fire.
Jim Rowland - Your friendly OMR volunteer at large
'92 Sentra SE-R / '15 FR-S / '04 Silverado HD

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