Has anyone seen the 2010 schedule yet? Please send me a copy. Thanks.
wilsports@juno.com

I wonder if GA is going to have a long Koni race? It would be nice to see something longer than 2.5 hrs.

How about a 4 hour combined at Watkins Glen?

Joe

This post edited by joe-disco on 10-10-2009, 10:24 PM EST

I suspect economics will determine if KONI gets any enduros -- as relatively-low-tech as they are,
fuel, tires and other expendables... it adds up.

I voted for that, too. A 4-hour mid-year would be great, as opposed to season-end, and Watkins, combined, makes the most sense of the mid-year tracks.

-k-

a 4 Hour to start the season at Daytona, a 4 Hour mid season (Watkins or Mid Ohio) and a 4 Hour at VIR (seasons end) would provide the best race mix ... all other races should be the standard 2.5 Hour, including 3 Rivers.

Extra costs vs a typical 2.5 Hour are only an extra set of tires and a extra tank of gas ... upside is the possibility of actually finding a paying driver (or three) based on the perceived expectation of a good finish due to the 'Endurance' nature of the race. Great way to induce more stay at home teams & cars onto the grid ...
Koni should have a few ' longer distance ' races on the schedule for next year.

One would think if the paying drivers were out there, they'd be turning up.

And an endurance run doesn't provide expectations of a better finish, necessarily -- there's that much more time for things to break, or for tripping over backmarkers.

"Extra costs vs a typical 2.5 Hour are only an extra set of tires and a extra tank of gas ... upside is the possibility of actually finding a paying driver (or three) based on the perceived expectation of a good finish due to the 'Endurance' nature of the race."

For VIR, it was an extra $650 for me to run a 6hr race over a 4hr one. Trois Rivieres cost the same for me as did VIR. Trois Rivieres was a 90 minute race but VIR was 240.

For longer races, it is weighted more on a good crew and somebody that knows a thing or two about pit strategy. Those races become a true "team" effort.

I just fear that if the races become shorter and shorter, the cars are built to that time period of racing. This is why SWC cars would be horrible for a 4hr race. They are not built for that length of time. On the other hand, SWC cars are much more expensive to operate over a Koni car.

Remember, I came from the Firehawk era where we ran races from 90 minutes to 24 hour.

 JJ, 
    That's interesting that you mentioned it didn't cost that much more to do the extra 2 hours we were originally supposed to do. I asked a Grand-Am official at 3 Rivers if the rumor's I'd heard were true about VIR changing from a 6 hour to a 4 hour. He said yes and that the series had gone around to all the teams and drivers, Asked them what they thought and they all agreed to shorten the race. Supposedly to cut costs. To this day I haven't found anyone who said they thought shortening the race would be better. Longer races equals more seats to fill. I imagine some teams lost money because it's hard to sell a 3rd seat in a 4 hour race. 

 I would love to see another 6 hour race on the schedule next year. Firehawk ran 24 hour races with cars no where near the capabilities of what we have today. Bring back the enduro's! 

Ryan Eversley 

 I take it the answer is: there is no 2010 schedule yet?  Would like to know as well, as we're posting up the 2010 Mustang Challenge schedule on StangNation.com 

I'd really like to do a plug about the KONI Challenge as well.

Thanks!