At this point, the Carpet Racing League will live for another season. I may need some help with it this season, so if there are a few folks interested in getting involved and making/enforcing decisions, please contact me.

Since last year's attendance was down from the previous two years, changes are necessary. We went from a series that averaged 100 racers at each monthly race down to 50. I can't pinpoint one strong reason for the drop in attendance, but maybe it was a little bit of a number of things? No need to re-hash last year, but if you can think of something that really bothered you about the CRL, please feel free to drop me an e-mail.

Here are the details for 2004/2005 as they stand today. A few items left to work out. Would like some opinions on the open issues.

Tracks: Larry's in Sterling Heights, MI, Josh Cyrul's track in Toledo, OH and The Hobby Hub in Lansing, MI. All three tracks are putting in new carpet to start the season. All three are top-notch tracks... really the best in the area. Plus, hopefully the close proximity of these three tracks will encourage racers to travel. Each track will host 2 races.

Points: Same as last year, straight 100, 99, 98, etc. with an extra point for TQ. Best 4 of 5 races... provides one drop of your lowest score. The 6th race of the year will be a fun run with prizes, a body paint competition for use with a 10 driver invitational format, plus awarding of the season points trophies.

Entry fees: $20 per class

Race day awards: Trophies or prizes? Looking for your feedback. I think the experienced racers like prizes and the beginners like trophies?

Current classes: 1/12th stock, 1/12th Mod, 1/10th Touring Stock, 1/10th Touring 19 turn and 1/10th Touring Mod. What other classes have a real chance of pulling a good showing of like 8 to 15 racers? F1? Brushless? 1/18th? 1/10th pan car? Legends? Looking for your feedback.

Race dates: We will race on Saturday's this year. Lansing and Larry's both race on Sunday's and we want to avoid pulling away their weekly racers to the CRL. Plus, Larry's does some great weekly series during the year that many racers told me they would like to run, along with the CRL. I would like to start the CRL the last Saturday in October. What races dates do you know of that we should work around to avoid conflicts with regional or national level events? Holloween Classic? U.S. Indoor Champs? Asphault Worlds? What else?

Since I only race remotes in the winter, I am really looking forward to the first CRL. It's always been a fun series and I think the format changes will help. Again, feel free to e-mail or call me if you have additional suggestions that you don't want to post here.

Thanks,
Keith

Keith, does this mean that the Ft.Wayne track is not involved? How about Ultra in Hamilton, OH?

David - I put quite a bit of thought into how to award the races this year. We always have really strong attendance in Lansing, Detroit and Toledo. The majority of the racers in the CRL call one of these three tracks home. Last season, many of the core CRL racers didn't travel past a 1.5 or 2 hour drive. I just felt that it needed to be narrowed up for this season in an effort to get attendance back up to near 100. I think another season of attendance of 50 or less will be it for me. Some tracks pull bigger club races. If all races are low turn outs, that's when I'll know that the CRL concept is dead and gone.

I know that some won't be pleased with that decision, but I feel that changes were necessary to reignite the series. I feel for those clubs, but maybe someone will start another series for Indiana and Ohio. Then we could have a season end shootout for big trophies and bragging rights.

What time do your races start?When do you think you will have some dates?Do you guys have a Novice class?As my buddy just got his car and has yet to race it.He plans on coming with me.

yes it will not make some of us happy you got that....

have fun this year see you at Cleveland

Tracey

I am cool with that, Keith. I just got back from Ultra and they aren't good enough for this series. Those 3 look great.

No novice class, but the series still attracts beginners. We usually get a big enough crowd that people end up racing with others at or near their skill level anyway. I personally think that novice classes are the responsibility of local club racing. A series like the CRL provides a good chance to up the competition a little bit, but still race against others close to your level. You'll learn a ton from the racers in the CRL. Plus, where else can you go to watch the A-main level drivers race, being separated by only 5 or 6 seconds? You could drive to Cleveland to see this level of competition or you could see in closer to your home at the CRL.

yes it will not make some of us happy you got that....

have fun this year see you at Cleveland

Tracey
Tracy - instead of trophies or prizes this year, should we award gas vouchers for you distance drivers? I'm not sure the series can afford to fill up Lee's van - plus with his lead foot and jack rabbit starts eating up 10 miles to the gallon. :)

David
Did Ultra turn the lights out on you again? I hope they at least waited until you were done driving.

Tom

no need for gas vouchers here...

Racing in Fort Wayne is top notch... we got new carpet last year remember.

Tracey

Tom, how did you guess. I was two steps off the stand and the lights over the pits went out. They kept the lights over the cash register on. I had to pack in the dark. Then they complained that I didn't pack fast enough. Go figure?

David--I tried to catch up with you at the gas nats. but I was only there on Thu. and you looked busy. I'll be seeing you on the carpet soon. I am hoping to have more time to travel to different tracks to test for Cleveland. It will be on a weekday though. Let me know where you will be running.

Hi Adam. My plan is to run Hallo Hobbies on Saturday and NORCAR on Sunday. Still searching for the best weekday location. Any ideas within reason?

David,
Not to hijack Hammy's thread, but you could come up to FTW and a few of us would run 12th with you on Tuesday nights. The F1 thing will be twice a month, maybe you could schedule the off weeks to run here with us, if we aren't too slow? I know at least Scott and myself would run 12th stock or mod with you.

-Sean

I am cool with that, Keith. I just got back from Ultra and they aren't good enough for this series. Those 3 look great.
OUCH!!! It's true though!!

Great News Keith ,

You know I'll be attending , I my even run two class's, 1/12th and 19t touring .

Bob

Sadly I will be working every Sat. until Dec. :cry: so I can't attend

What classes are most folks going to run?

I am not sure if I am going to run much TC if folks would be interesting in racing mod 1/12th in addition to stock 1/12th.

-Rich

1/12th stock for me. Won't have time to practice enough for 1/12th mod.

Keith, I guess you are saying that we will run the entire show in one day, Saturday? That is pretty ambicious. Do you have a schedule so I can plan my winter?

Who says I will have time, either. :)

-Rich


1/12th stock for me. Won't have time to practice enough for 1/12th mod.

I am looking at buying a new 1/12 scale. Any suggestions on what I should get. Thanks Dave.

I've been super happy with the Rev.3 (there is a Rev.4 but I haven't tried it yet). However, AE has their new L4 out and there is Josh Cyrul's CEFX 1/12th.

Go with what you can get parts and help at the track with for setup.

-Rich

Mod TC and Mod 1/12th sounds good to me....

David L Call me I lost your number. I am ready to start racing with Ron f, Lee and the gang...

Steve Dunn

I'll run mod 12th if somebody shows me what to do with one? lol

MCH--I need to talk to you but I lost your number. Send it to adamhartzell@sbcglobal.net

Hmmmm.... I guess I need to set some dates here soon. The Worlds is gonna steal two weekends for a few Michigan racers in October. Which ones again? Cleveland is 11/25-28. Snowbirds is?

Snowbirds: February 7th-13th, 2005

I this too close together? Plus, I think the Worlds will be in the way, so we may not be able to start in October.

10/8 and 9 Halloween Classic
10/16
10/23
10/30 Carpet Racing League (Saturday, Detroit)
11/6
11/13 Carpet Racing League (Saturday, Lansing)
11/20
11/25, 26, 27 & 28 Cleveland U.S. Indoor Champs
12/4?
12/11 Carpet Racing League (Saturday, Toledo)
12/18
12/25 Christmas
1/1
1/8 Carpet Racing League (Saturday, Lansing)
1/15
1/22
1/29Carpet Racing League (Saturday, Toledo)
2/5
2/7-13th Snowbirds
2/19
2/26
3/5 Carpet Racing League fun run (Saturday, Detroit)
3/12
3/19
3/26
4/2
4/9

Maybe this looks better? Well, until ROAR and US Triple Crown finally set their dates and throw the whole thing off. What do you think - start the CRL 11/13?

10/8 and 9 Halloween Classic
10/16
10/23
10/24-30 Electric Worlds 1/12th & 1/10th Touring
11/6
11/13 Carpet Racing League #1 (Saturday, Lansing)
11/20
11/25, 26, 27 & 28 Cleveland U.S. Indoor Champs
12/4
12/11 Carpet Racing League #2 (Saturday, Toledo)
12/18
12/25 Christmas
1/1
1/8 Carpet Racing League #3 (Saturday, Detroit)
1/15
1/22
1/29Carpet Racing League #4 (Saturday, Lansing)
2/5
2/7-13th Snowbirds
2/19
2/26 Carpet Racing League #5 (Saturday, Toledo)
3/5
3/12
3/19 Carpet Racing League fun run (Saturday, Detroit)
3/26

Novak Touring Car Race at Trackside in WI is jan. 5th-9th.

I like it. What is US Triple Crown?

I like it. What is US Triple Crown?

Mr. Lee,

I think many of people have been askign that same question. Also do you have any info on the new track in Cincy that won't turn the lights off on you?

Brian

Yes, I do. It is just off the first exit east of I-75 on I-275. I would give the name of the road, but I can't spell it. I know that spelling doesn't stop a lot of people, but I won't go there. It does start with an M, however. There is a building on the north side of I-275 called the Micro Center. The hobby shop and track are in the front of that. I stopped by there last Tuesday and found it to be a very nice carpet with an interesting way to assemble the barriers. I think he said that the surface is 85 by 48. At least those dimensions are very close. I like what I see in there. They might be openning this weekend for retail business as they were stocking shelves and peg boards on the wall. The AMB scoring system is on order and the owner thinks he will be racing in two weeks. I am very impressed.

Splln has nverr benn mi strung siut. Schedule looks good. What is the fun run in Detroit???

We race 5 events, count the best 4 of 5 for points. The 6th event is a fun run, not for points, where we pass out the season points trophies and prizes from manufacturers. We try to do something cool at the fun run. One year we had semi truck bodies painted and had a 10 racer invitational with 19 turns and touring cars. The top 10 in points were invited to participate. We considered having one run using your motor from your comm lathe. That seemed like a good idea until we found out that Walter Henderson had a 10 turn in his comm lathe and someone else had a mabuchi.

Ideas for this years fun run???

James Reilly suggested a "bling, bling" competition. Ten low riders, slammed trucks or escalades for the top 10 invitational. Host a best paint/concourse competition, then race 'em with 19 turns.

Maybe we could do the same with 1/12th scale this year? I've seen NASTRUCKS for 1/12th scale. Anybody make a low rider or an escalade 1/12th?

The low riders for TC would be pretty darn funny. I am pretty sure Parma makes low rider bodies?

I dunno about bashing around in 1/12th scale.

-Rich

http://www.pro-lineracing.com/proline/bodies/3170-71/3171.jpghttp://www.pro-lineracing.com/proline/bodies/3173-82/3173.jpg[/url]

[url="http://www.pro-lineracing.com/protoform.html"] (http://www.pro-lineracing.com/protoform.html)

http://www.pro-lineracing.com/protoform/touring/1422/1422.jpg

http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/bodies/7490amdark.jpg (javascript:;)

Hmmmm.... Does anyone make a 1/10th scale mini body?

http://www.pro-lineracing.com/protoform/touring/1422/1422.jpg

http://www.hpiracing.com/graphics/bodies/7490amdark.jpg (javascript:;)

Hmmmm.... Does anyone make a 1/10th scale mini body?

Yes and no. One that would fit TCs no but the Tamiya mini is 1/10th.

Gotta race the Hummers!

I'm down with the caddy
ps. one color still doesn't count :devil:

James

Hummer with chrome rims and the hardest foam tires we can find. And no traction compound.

How about a lighted car race in the dark?

I like the hummers and chrome rims too.

Dennis - Let's put light sticks around the track to mark the corners and add headlights/tail lights to the Hummers and Escalades. Corner marshalls have to wear reflective tape on their shoes. Throw in a strobe light? :devil: That sounds like a cool fun run!

Dennis - Let's put light sticks around the track to mark the corners and add headlights/tail lights to the Hummers and Escalades. Corner marshalls have to wear reflective tape on their shoes. Throw in a strobe light? :devil: That sounds like a cool fun run!

Sounds like a night at the Kodiak.

Sounds like a good time.

Dennis - Let's put light sticks around the track to mark the corners and add headlights/tail lights to the Hummers and Escalades. Corner marshalls have to wear reflective tape on their shoes. Throw in a strobe light? :devil: That sounds like a cool fun run!


Wow, disco style racing!!! Sounds like a hell of a good time.

Keith, you gonna be the center of attention for this event too?? :tongue::wave:

I could be talked into getting out some 70's clothes and platform shoes. :)