Call to action, mission creep?

[jimmy]

In the world of rally on this side of the pond - 450 miles is close..........

You have rallies in Mexico and the Caribbean that are probably closer (just not on the list, and no bridge to drive there, yet).

ymmv

1. don't get stuck thinking that the only rally in the US is Rally America.
2. as others mention, some NASA events do remote scoring.

http://www.rallyracingnews.com/2012rallyschedule.html
http://sandblastrally.linaracing.com/2012/ is "only" 450 miles away.

press on,

[jonny5]

Anyway, I think the best thing I could do is organize events where I am. Just need to find some others locally to help.

[Don Kennedy]

The entry list is already showing 19 cars and 15 bikes. That seems pretty damn good for a rally that is still three-plus months away.

Whoa, didn't realize that. Haven't checked and wouldn't have thought that. Good!

[A1337STI]

Perryville 18
Sno*Drift 64
Sandblast 22+2+32 bikes
100AW 63
Rally NY 28
Mag OP 23

Arizona Extreme 4
Desert Storm 12
High Desert Trails 24
Oregon Trail 59 (22 national)
------------------
317

+34 Rally "other" solo and bikes

--------
with Idaho rally having 41 cars listed + 15 rally others
and STPR listing 65 Entries

we are at a projection of 423 rally entries with 49 "rally others" Since a certain someone has not disclosed the true Y axis of a chart we all looked at, its possible we are already over the rally entries of last year.. (with a lot left in the year) a HUGE rally recovery... (or maybe we are only half way there... )

And probably the reason it wasn't disclosed... since we are pretty much Tying the number of entries last year it would be very tempting for everyone to "let out a big sigh of relief" there's nothing left to do right? just relax? uhm no... but it may be time to put the panic button away ....

[Anders Green]

When I told people that 2009 data showed that we were having a decline, I was accused privately of cooking the numbers to make my case. Generally, people did nothing different, and press releases lauding the growth in rally continued to flow.

A year later, when I had much more data, and I said that there was a decline when including 2010 data, I was told (again, privately) "Hey, stop telling people there's a decline. You keep saying that, and some people are starting to think it's true." Generally, people did nothing different, and press releases talking about the growth in rally continued to gush forth.

A year later, when I had even more data, and I said that there was a decline when including the 2011 data, the response is largely "Oh, well, we're having some bigger rallies now, so we can stop worrying about it." Generally, people have done nothing different in the last six months than the last half decade.

However, to say they stopped worrying would be incorrect. The vast, vast majority never started worrying, and never did anything. My message (even though this year has some promising events) hasn't changed: if the racers do nothing, the eventual outcome will be poor. The racers are the largest body of people who are heavily invested in the sport who could contribute to the large, large list of wish-list items and core items all rallies would like to accomplish.

The entry count is the most concrete statistic available, since it's very public data. But it's not the only thing that's important, it's just the thing that we can measure the best. How about the average age of rally organizers 10 years ago compared to now? Since it's almost all the same people, I'd bet it's up about 8 years. How about average number of volunteers at, I'll use the term "large" events, compared to 10 years ago? I know some that are down 100 people from what they used to get. How about the average amount of money people are spending per year? I have no numbers, but looking around, I sure bet it's more than 10 years ago. How about the number of "large" events that lost money the last couple years? I can tell you it's non-zero. How many events have had their road use fees go from a couple thousand dollars to $10,000 or more, or indeed so high that the rally disappeared? More than one, I can tell you that.

But these statistics are not nearly as easy to compile, with accuracy or completeness. With lots of phone calls over the years, you come across tidbits now and then.


So, racers, here is my advice:

If you think that organizers that get older and older each year will continue to organize rallies even after they pass over to the other side, do nothing.

If you think that stages cancelled due to volunteer shortages, or stages delayed as volunteers are shuffled around due to volunteer shortages, don't matter and don't increase the burn out factor for organizers, do nothing.

If you think that rally already has way more local promotion than it needs, and that the towns are so saturated with rally promotion when you arrive that all the locals are practically sick of it already, do nothing.

If you think we have enough roads, and that they're really too cheap as it stands, do nothing.

If you think that rally has turned around and is growing now, after nearly a decade of decline, and you know with certainty why this happened, do nothing. That's like saying "Oh, my oil light was on for the second half of that stage, but it's off now. Must be fine. I'll just keep driving, I don't need to figure it out."


This isn't about putting out a fire. I'm not talking about a quick response to an emergency situation. Rallies take months, or a year, or more, to plan and execute. We need people to step up and start helping and doing and completing tasks, now. And not just Tuesday, or May, or 2012. I'm talking about the next five and ten years.

It's your sport, people. To build together and make magnificent, or to leech from and suck dry. It's fate is in your hands, what you do. There's no "it's over" or "phew, got that taken care of". Instead there's another year of "Let's jump back into this and make it even MORE awesome!"

But you've got to do it.

YOU.

It won't be done for you. There's no "them". There's only us.

[A1337STI]

How about average number of volunteers at, I'll use the term "large" events, compared to 10 years ago? I know some that are down 100 people from what they used to get. How about the average amount of money people are spending per year? I have no numbers, but looking around, I sure bet it's more than 10 years ago. How about the number of "large" events that lost money the last couple years? I can tell you it's non-zero. How many events have had their road use fees go from a couple thousand dollars to $10,000 or more, or indeed so high that the rally disappeared? More than one, I can tell you that.

I know NNR has been under staffed for a few years running.. which reminds me i need to go and start looking for volunteers. oddly Jeana may have found Idaho rally 2 volunteers (meet them in the dry cleaners)

some Numbers are looking better.. but there's lots of room for improvement... hmm.. time for me to do some work finding helpers

[A1337STI]

after going back through all the results that are available for last year, the number should be pretty close to : 683 that excludes hillclimbs, rally solo , rally moto , and rally sprints.


so being at 423 of 683 (61.2%) I think we are on pace to at least tie one of the worst years in terms of participation..... It would be a lot nicer to see like 1,000 entries. which we are 42.3% of making... I may have to fiddle with how I'm tracking the stats. but i counted both years in the same manor. 2 day regionals I've been counting which ever day had more entries. when i later put all this information in a DB i'll be able to count unique drivers for the regional rally

Also interesting. Nasa Rally sport was 30.6% of all rally entries in 2011

Other than having to buy 2 different licenses, and some classing differences. I like having 2 sanctioning bodies, competition can be a good thing. it gives organizers a chance to choose which ever sanctioning body provides a more affordable solution to their rally, or in some cases it allows the rally to be ran (paved rallies, stage average speeds over 85) etc.