2011 Green Grand Prix: Fri., April 15 (Watkins Glen, NY)

[RobertSmalls]

100mi in 2hr sounds pretty fast to me. There are corners, which I suspect we'll need to slow down for.

So, now the question is, do you want the afternoon slot where the temperatures are more favorable, or the morning slot where you get twice as many laps? Btw, how many laps is 100mi of the "short course"?

Also, is there a lower price available to EcoModders, who are often very interested in saving not just fuel but also money?

[brucepick]

You slow down for corners??

Anyway, this reference says the short course at Watkins Glen is 2.45 miles.
Tracks - MotorRacingNetwork.com

I just noticed the typo in the GGP schedule as shown two posts back in this thread. The 1-hour event must end at 11:45 A.M., not P.M. If ending at 11:45 p.m. it would be a 13 hour event! Hopefully by the time you see this, the typo will be fixed.

[MetroMPG]

Looks like fuel consumption will be measured by racing scales, with the exception of hybrids , plug-in hybrids & EV's.

I'm not sure why non-plug-in cars shouldn't also go by the weighing method...

Green Grand Prix update 3/05/11

I’m proud to say the first 2011 Green Grand Prix news release on Wednesday made USA TODAY and the Wall St. Journal, among many others. I think they will also report on the results because the reporter is participating on April 15.

We are continuing to refine and streamline things. There is no usable pump gas at the track. We cannot brong in a truck. If you have a traditional gasoline or diesel powered vehicle you will be required to fill up your tank at a designated filling station in the village of Watkins Glen and have your tank sealed with tape by our crew.. Then at the track, we will weigh your car immediately before and after the event. The difference should give a reasonable measurement of fuel consumed. We then convert to mpg’s.. Hybrids, plug-ins, and full EVs will go by onboard computer readings. The weighing system should be able to handle some other fuel types. As always, send questions and concerns my way.

We are promoting an In-Car Video contest. You might like to have your navigator take a bit of video or simply mount a camera, then edit and submit your entry in our contest by May 15th. They should be interesting, They should in some way promote safe and efficient driving styles . We will post the winners.
cash prizeTBA.

If you are looking for accommodations, the best way to choose:is Google: Watkins Glen Accommodations. There are many choices in or near the village within about 5 miles of the track.


I have cleaned up the Robert Gillespie/ Green Grand Prix FACEBOOK page.
If you use Facebook, it will be of interest. I haven’t been a big Facebook user. Any helpful advice you may have about connecting with additional interesting entries is appreciated.. If you have a Facebook page, I invite you to use your page to send people my way. Please give me a shout if you can show me how to maximize this tool in getting the word out there!

All for now… send me any thoughts, advice. This event will be fun !

Bob Gillespie www.greengrandprix.com 315-694-2812

[McTimson]

I was super pumped for this at the racetrack, but I'm just now realizing that it's on a Friday. Not sure if I'll be able to make it this year, I just started a new job, so I'll have to talk to my boss about it.

Hopefully I'll be able to make it, should be lots of fun!

[brucepick]

McTimson, I sure hope you can make it!

[Wonderboy]

This just in from Bob Gillespie:

2011 Green Grand Prix regulations, schedule, and tentative categories for competition

We have*two SCCA fuel economy/ TSD rallies for you to choose from - a 50 mile event and a 100 mile event. They will both take place on the morning of Fri. April 15th.
Both rallies will be conducted on the WGI 2.45 mile short course.
You choose which length event you’d like to enter. We will most likely put pure EVs in the 50 miler. Awards will be presented*for at least 10 categories of vehicles. We may add new categories as more vehicles enter. Please see the rally details below along with our categories of competition. Our rallies are named in honor of Doris Bovee, who was an SCCA member and environmentalist.

All rally vehicles must be registered for the road and pass a basic SCCA inspection. This event is a sanctioned SCCA rally hosted by the Glen Region chapter.
If your vehicle has two seats you must have a navigator. All crews on board must be licensed drivers at least 18 yrs. of age and navigator at least 16.
Both rallies will be Time-Speed-Distance events. You will travel between 49mph and 55 mph for a certain number of laps. Both rallies will include a mandatory stop in the pits for a short specified time. We will be recording your actual finish time in comparison with our calculated finish time for you.
The Glen circuit provides a safe, challenging venue with significant elevation changes.
Passing is permitted, but no drafting or blocking maneuvers allowed!

Determination of fuel economy results:

Hybrid vehicles will use onboard computer readings to determine mpgs.
Other vehicles will be weighed immediately before and after the rally to determine fuel use.
We post rally winners in all categories, the distance they traveled, and their mpgs on our website Welcome To The Official Green Grand Prix Web Site
All vehicles are invited stay and be on display in the Tech garage during WGI’s Opening Weekend (April 16 and 17) at no charge if owners so choose. This is traditionally very well attended. You are invited to set up a table or display if you’d like!

For either rally, the entry fee is $75 for a private entry, $150 for a business entry.*
Your entry fee includes $15 SCCA weekend membership.SCCA members may deduct $15.

We have two video contests : One for in-car videos taken during the Fuel Economy Rallies and another for schools videotaping our entire day’s activities. The winning videos and others to be posted online. There is no entry fee for either video contest.


2011 Green Grand Prix Doris Bovee Memorial SCCA Fuel Economy/TSD Rallies (For the full schedule of the day, please see schedule tab at Welcome To The Official Green Grand Prix Web Site )

7:15 A.M. Registration begins for rallies in WGI Tech Garage. ( including pre-registered vehicles)
7:30 A.M. Tech inspection begins in WGI Tech Garage area
8:00 A.M. Drivers meeting for both Rally 1 and Rally 2
8:30 A.M. Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally 1 approx 100 miles
10:45 A.M. Doris Bovee Memorial Road Rally 2 approx. 50 miles
Afternoon- We will have an officially sanctioned NYElectrathon*one-hour race for high school EV cars. This will be run on a loop encircling the WGI pit wall. All entrants in the morning rallies are invited to watch or assist. We can use your help!

Bob Gillespie Welcome To The Official Green Grand Prix Web Site rgillesp@roadrunner.com 315-694-2812





Categories of Competition
2011 Green Grand Prix

Categories based on EPA combined highway/city ratings

We will have special Modified categories as needed

1.* *Vehicles rated at 26 mpg and under
2.** “ “ “ 27-32 mpg.
3.** 33- 38 mpg
4.** 39-44* mpg.
5.***45 -50 mpg
6.** 2* wheeled vehicles
7*** 3 wheeled vehicles
8.*** Trucks
9.*** Vans
10. Diesel ( 4 wheeled )
11.** Other** (includes vehicles that are now out of production such as Geo Metro and original Honda insight)
12. Biodiesel
13. EV
14. LP
15. CNG

About the "Other" Category... I don't like this. I don't believe anything about production should qualify a vehicle for the "Other" category. With the criteria and the given example of the Gen 1 Insight and the Geo metro, most of the vehicles registering will be all thrown into the other category maybe even an Other-M (modified) category if Bob wants to add M to each category one of us wins :P. I don't mind the modified thing so much, but if Gen 1 Insights are no longer in production, nor are geo metros, then neither are Gen 1 and 2 Prius, any Saturns, Celicas, Paseos, Echos? (is a Yaris an Echo? Is an Echo a Tercel?). This leaves the regular gasoline 45+ EPA category pretty scarce. The Insight name is still in production...

I think this other category should be reserved for cars made from scratch because there's too much slippery argument to be made about what a "production" or "in production" vehicle is.

[moTthediesel]

Well, I don't know about the categories, but I'm sure looking forward to taking part in what sounds like a great event.

With my crazy car ('65 Porsche with '85 VW diesel engine, running on bio-diesel) I don't have any idea where I'll wind up --

Maybe other/modified/bio-diesel

[brucepick]

Bob Gillespie has done a huge job organizing this event, and I hesitate to rethink it. But - I'm an incurable rethinker of just about everything I run across, so...

imho -
If EPA numbers determine categories, then out of production vehicles can be in their EPA-determined category, unless there's a strong reason to put them elsewhere.

Shucks - if ya start with maybe an EPA 20 mpg sports car, drop in a diesel and reconfigure everything and end up with a 50 or 100 mpg car - you're probably entitled to compete against other EPA 20 mpg cars. Just thinking into the keyboard here.

[moTthediesel]

Originally Posted by brucepick

If EPA numbers determine categories, then out of production vehicles can be in their EPA-determined category, unless there's a strong reason to put them elsewhere.

Shucks - if ya start with maybe an EPA 20 mpg sports car, drop in a diesel and reconfigure everything and end up with a 50 or 100 mpg car - you're probably entitled to compete against other EPA 20 mpg cars. Just thinking into the keyboard here.

In this case, my car (built 1965) predates the EPA, so there is no "baseline" mpg to compare it to

Back in 1964, the "Road & Track" testers found a combined result of 25.9 mpg for my car in original configuration, I guess that's the best info available?

[MetroMPG]

Since the driving portion of GGP is now on Friday, and the "expo" portion of the show is now on Saturday/Sunday, I wonder how many people have decided they are going to attend multiple days?