Autocross querry part deux: equipment

Specifically, how do you get you equipment to the site? We have a trailer that all the gear lives in and someone has to pick it up from the storage site and bring it to the autocross site on the day of the event. I've been doing this a bunch and it makes for a long day.

How does your region get the equipment where it needs to go? How do you make it fair? What is the "reward" for this extra effort?

I swear if I ever win the powerball I'm gonna pave 40 acres and build a control tower/storage building and have everything right there.

Yup! What you said. Same process.

Our Secretary takes the timing truck and all his equipment to his house, then comes back and gets his car. Long days for him unfortunately, but the other region heads have a key so they can get it the rare times he is unavailable. I suspect if they figure out I live closer, it may wind up being my responsibility though.

Edit: we keep everything in a 14 foot used uhaul truck. Has some cat5 outlets for the times, and manages to fit all "dumb"gear in no problems

KyAllroad wrote: I swear if I ever win the powerball I'm gonna pave 40 acres and build a control tower/storage building and have everything right there.

I've got that whole complex designed in my head: Big flat paved autocross area on one side, big grassy rallycross area on the other side, paddock across the end, grid down the middle, all separated by landscaping / stormwater management / overrun buffers, with a raised, airconditioned T&S station, storage shed, shop... But I digress.

We keep our trailer at one of the club officers' family shop. That's got all of our "dumb" gear in it - cones, brooms, safety stuff, radios, EZ-ups, etc. The family used to bring it to the site (it's a father / son duo who have both been in the club for decades). Lately, though, 2 other members who have been setting up the course have been getting the trailer so they can get on site earlier. They both also drive (different cars), so it's kind of a logistical pain to get everything on and off site. Basically their reward is that they know the course better than anybody else.

The "smart" gear - timing equipment, registration / scoring computers, networking hardware, tablets the T&S briefcase, etc. comes home with me. Between that and the cooler, etc. it fills the back of the Concert Coach, so I have to get the Manic Miata, tire trailer, and the Coach to the site. Luckily for me, my wife generously helps out with administration, so she drives the van down. I leave about half an hour earlier so I can swap tires before she shows up, then we set up the tent.

It's a lot of work. I'm lobbying for purchase of a used step van that we can cut a window in the side of and make a permanent timing desk. That way I could have a locker for most of the gear I bring home and it would definitely reduce setup and takedown. We could easily pay it off in a year or two. But nobody wants to deal with the truck, and I don't have space for it.

AMEC has a Suburban. room for all of the stuff plus it plows well too.

3 local regions:

1) Ex-mac-tools truck. There's 3+ people insured to drive it and live near its storage spot. They either are codriving with friends this season, or they drive a kart/F-mod that the truck can tow easily.

2) Timing trailer is a 26 ft enclosed car hauler, plenty of room for the equipment and the Civic the AX Chief drives.

3) Old stepside van/box truck. Timing crew is older guys who don't race anyway. One of them drives it to the site.

Same as you, big trailer that holds everything. We find volunteers to get it to and from the events and they get paid for it. Pay varys on how far away the event is.

Paging FooBag. FooBag to the white courtesy phone please.

Whatever you decide on doing, please please make sure there's a way to get results up quickly. That could be Mr. T&S takes the laptop home. That could be someone tethers their phone and they host them immediately. If it gets put off, it never happens.

Our local has a short bus that we put everything into and we are able to park it at the site.

Timing Bus/Van/Truck definitely seems the way to go in my experience vs. Trailer, even though the buy in is a little steeper and the recurring costs are a little higher, it gives a lot more flexibility. Both of the regions that I race with that use a trailer have an older member with a good tow vehicle who co-drives who brings the trailer on site. Also, sometimes our hosts let us keep the trailer on site between events, so this doesn't have to be done as often.

KyAllroad wrote: Specifically, how do you get you equipment to the site? We have a trailer that all the gear lives in and someone has to pick it up from the storage site and bring it to the autocross site on the day of the event. I've been doing this a bunch and it makes for a long day. How does your region get the equipment where it needs to go? How do you make it fair? What is the "reward" for this extra effort? I swear if I ever win the powerball I'm gonna pave 40 acres and build a control tower/storage building and have everything right there.

About an hour from my house is a Ford dealer that closed about 5 years ago. The building was about 3 years old when they closed, and it looks like they just stuck the key in the door and went home. The real estate site shows lifts, desks, furniture, the whole ball of wax. It's on 22 acres in the middle of no where, which may explain why they closed. My wife told me if I ever hit a big lottery, as long as she gets the condo she wants, I can have my own autocross / toy box. I keep hoping.

Our region picked up an older city buss on a ford F450 chassis. Pulled the seats and wheelchair lift and installed shelving/cabinets and a desk for T&S. installed a hitch so that it could tow the driver's car to and from events. IIRC, the bus cost us $3500 in 2010 and has been in use since.