How to get more entries-this is a subject that you can imagine is a popular discussion around our household. My seat of the pants numbers:
There's the 'regulars' -the ones that are going to be at a hill-come hell or hi water. I can count them on 3 hands.
There's the 'usuals"- the folks that make 2-5 races-vairying over the years.-between 15 + 25 per event. Throw in a Dennis family camp out+ you can swing the curve upward.
For every time the planets line up + 75% of them show up-it will swing the other way that 25% do.
And the rookies. This year was incredible. And the best part was a fair amount became regulars and look good for next year.
Breakage: is a big wildcard. And Philo being last, you'll get the worst of it. (My 1st missed event for race car breakage in 14 years!
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So broken down that way- What percentage of entrys were reg/usual/rookie? And how many were out for breakage?
So how do you get more entries?
The only way to get more regulars is by addition. We gained 5 or so last year. Thats a good thing.
The usuals need a pool of at least 35 to be sure enough ones who only show for a couple events overlap. Reminding and shaming this group into showing may or may not work. If you can't miss a wedding-you can't miss a wedding. (Once you become a regular, folks don't expect you anywhere if its a race weekend.
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The rookies are the only group that can really be improved on.(and the only hope of getting more usuals-and hopefully regulars.) The Facebook thing REALLY helped. Thru the 1st 6 events, we averaged 12 rookies per event. (Kind of a skeward number-rookies at O1 weren't at O2 etc.) But I was taking full pick up loads of newbies on orentation all season long.