Pirelli Diablo 600 Challenge - The Skinny

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

My tire actually looked like the one pictured below after the team challenge.  I was dissapointed that I used a Yellow after the race thinking I could have used a green and went even much faster.

From a business stand point I'm sure Pirelli is paying CCS to put on this class. CCS like any other "US company" is probably hurting a little for cash. So if you think about it..... PIrelli is only help make sure that we have a place to race next year.

Its a win win for everyone. If your jealous because you ride a different brand tire and cannot ride that class then no worries. You will not loose any points, wear yourself out, or lose anymore money because the class exist. Plus it might also give you more relaxation time in the pits to prepare your bike for our next race you can or will run. Plus if you competitor is racing this new class and your not, they only have less time to prepare themselves for the next race or fix crash damage and they might be on a budget and only afford to race so many classes. In turn your "competitor" will only now race one less points paying race which will help the non runner achieve an overall or another class championship "if that is their goal".

CCS will be satified that they have money from PIrelli to "try" an new concept plus be able to still put on a racing series for all racers.

Pirelli will be satified that "I don't care what the others might say",more riders WILL choose to purchase Pirelli tires since they do not want to change their setup for different brand tires since they do not have a contract. That will help sell more tires for them.
If you have never rode on Pirelli tires and are not sure if the tires will "Last" or help you go just as fast or faster than your current tires, all I gotta say is I love them. Let my record on these tires speak for themselves.
I don't race for championships, I race to win and be able to pay my bills from racing only if manufactures are paying contingency for my efforts.

[Super Dave]

Wow! You wanted to throw that at someone else for a change Dave?

LOL! 

[Super Dave]

I always did one quick lap and parked it (to save tires) and just took whatever grid I got.

Seems like a waste of precious time on an already tight schedule to me.

Yeah, in 2006, that was what I did too.  In 2004, I know that I would spend a little more time in working qualifying a bit, and I would take the time to use a new rear for a couple faster laps at the end of the qualifier. 

[Garywc]

if i had to guess there wont be much pay out in contingency if pirelli is sponsering the race with there tire it most likly cost them money to sponser the class.
and if it is like AMA with dunlop there was no payout.
hope it works out and theres a full grid every weekend,we will see what happens
but it does seem like an ASRA race ,entry fee, lenght, and pay out

[gntbldr]

Quite honestly...... I'm looking forward to it! 

That makes two of us!...

[gntbldr]

Quite honestly...... I'm looking forward to it! 

You and I both!

[TommyG]

The tire trash talk is totally off topic for me.  I don't have a deal right now so I am neutral! All I wanna know is Pirelli's great contingency program from last year is still in place or if that money is now gone due to the cost of the spec class....get it??

aside from that I still say small grids.....qualifying cuts EVERYONES practice time( unless it's based off practice times) and a schedule that already requires AM and EX combined races some weekends.

Jason F I know how much you hate combining AM and EX in the other races as you have been very outspoken about it in the past.....are you willing to put up with that if necessary to add a class with no competition in it for you?

I'm sure it'll all get worked out....just more questions thananswers at this point.....no big deal!

[Andi]

Jason F I know how much you hate combining AM and EX in the other races as you have been very outspoken about it in the past.....are you willing to put up with that if necessary to add a class with no competition in it for you?

I'm sure Matt Hall will be there to add a little competition...

[red900]

I am just glad we still have racing this year.  After last years grids, at the tracks that usually pay CCS's bills, I was not expecting to even have a series this year. 

I think we should be thankful to have a place to race and even more thankful for continued manufacturer support.   

[truckstop]

To those worried about contingency: Really? I would think Pirelli is much wiser than to do something like sponsor one class in lieu of paying out contingency for all the others. The few riders they may switch over to loyal customers for one class would not outweigh the riders in ALL the other classes who might switch to a brand that's paying. I'd be pretty shocked if there were none.

Michelin gave out a lot of money last year at special events and was still pretty generous at times with contingency so I don't see gloom and doom for Pirelli contingency.

[Super Dave]

To those worried about contingency: Really? I would think Pirelli is much wiser than to do something like sponsor one class in lieu of paying out contingency for all the others. The few riders they may switch over to loyal customers for one class would not outweigh the riders in ALL the other classes who might switch to a brand that's paying. I'd be pretty shocked if there were none.

Michelin gave out a lot of money last year at special events and was still pretty generous at times with contingency so I don't see gloom and doom for Pirelli contingency.

Agreed.

All the regular tire suppliers other than Dunlop have some space in their budgets from not supporting any teams/riders in the AMA.  It's very reasonable for them to look to develop more opportunities in the buying club community of racers compared to the open hands people...for those that know the racers handshake...  LOL!

[J Farrell / Speed Tech Motorsp]

The tire trash talk is totally off topic for me.  I don't have a deal right now so I am neutral! All I wanna know is Pirelli's great contingency program from last year is still in place or if that money is now gone due to the cost of the spec class....get it??

aside from that I still say small grids.....qualifying cuts EVERYONES practice time( unless it's based off practice times) and a schedule that already requires AM and EX combined races some weekends.

Jason F I know how much you hate combining AM and EX in the other races as you have been very outspoken about it in the past.....are you willing to put up with that if necessary to add a class with no competition in it for you?

I'm sure it'll all get worked out....just more questions thananswers at this point.....no big deal!

Tommy, no trash talk here. I'm just trying to put in perpecttive other ways to look at it. Maybe point out some positive things about this class. It seemed a bit of trash talking about the class from riders who use other brand tires.

Last I heard, Pirelli is still paying in their other classes that they paid last season plus this other class.

Yes I agree that I am vocal about the whole combining AM/EX classes where it is unsafe. I pointed it out a couple times in riders meetings about combining more classes on Sunday morning (due to lower than expected turn outs) than were already combined on the schedule.
CCS combines races like EX/AM Light weight classes because the grids are very small like 4-10 in each class.
But taking 10-15 Amatuers & 10-15 experts and combining them is dangerous. Especially when they let us go to turn 2-3 before letting the amatuers take off. Now given that we are about 20 seconds a lap faster than someone who just got their license on Saturday plus we are already in turn 2-3 we lap them on the 3rd lap! We all have had some close call to taking out a new rider & ourselves.
It isn't fair to anyone. If feel bad for the amatuers when we do this also because they are now scared shitless because they are waiting for more riders to blow by them.

So I say come up with a 15% rule from the fastest riders qualifying times from to see who can run this race. Nothing crazy. Just keep the very slow riders off the track for this one race but let both Amatuer & Experts participate. There is no seperation between them in their finshes. It could also be a class where the Amatuers can try to showcase themselves. Plus there will be more entries for the class.
Maybe for whoever doesn't qualify for this race will get half their entry back or something like that.
The only reason I come up with this is because like some say they will not be running the class because of tire contract issues so they believe that the turn out will be low. Well if you can do within 15% your in. So at Blackhawk lets say I qualify at a 1:09 or 1:10 that puts qualifiying at 1:19.3. Sounds fair to me. There are plenty of experts riding within that time along with Amatuers also.
So say the slowest is running average of a 1:20 & the fastest is a 1:10. 10 second separation. 12 lap race? 1:20 seconds. So basically it might turn into a shortened Expert GTU race.

Also when have we EVER had a problem at Blackhawk with not getting races done in time. I'm packed an left by 5:00 nearly ever Sunday.